NF1+/− Hematopoietic Cells Accelerate Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor Development without Altering Chemotherapy Response

Abstract

Haploinsufficiency in the tumor suppressor NF1 contributes to the pathobiology of neurofibromatosis type 1, but a related role has not been established in malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) where NF1 mutations also occur. Patients with NF1-associated MPNST appear to have worse outcomes than patients with sporadic MPNST, but the mechanism underlying this correlation is not understood. To define the impact of stromal genetics on the biology of this malignancy, we developed unique mouse models that reflect the genetics of patient-associated MPNST. Specifically, we used adenovirus-Cre injections to generate MPNST in Nf1Flox/Flox; Ink4a/ArfFlox/Flox and Nf1Flox/−; Ink4a/ArfFlox/Flox paired littermate mice to model tumors from NF1-wild-type and NF1-associated patients, respectively. In these models, Nf1 haploinsufficiency in hematopoietic cells accelerated tumor onset and increased levels of tumor-infiltrating immune cells comprised of CD11b+ cells, monocytes, and mast cells. We observed that mast cells were also enriched in human NF1-associated MPNST. In a coclinical trial to examine how the tumor microenvironment influences the response to multiagent chemotherapy, we found that stromal Nf1 status had no effect. Taken together, our results clarify the role of the NF1-haploinsufficient tumor microenvironment in MPNST. Cancer Res; 77(16); 4486–97. ©2017 AACR.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Aug 14, 2017
Source ID
10.1158/0008-5472.can-16-2643

Entities

People

  • Alexander J. Lazar
  • Chang-Lung Lee
  • David Kirsch
  • Davis R. Ingram
  • Diana M Cardona
  • Keila E Torres
  • Lixia Luo
  • Rebecca D Dodd
  • Tess Overton
  • Wesley Huang
  • William C. Eward
  • Yan Ma

Organizations

  • Duke University
  • Duke University Hospital
  • United States Department of Defense
  • University of Texas at Austin

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Biology
  • Medicine

Readers

  • Molecular and genetic basis of cancer.
  • Oncology (Cancer Research).

Technology Areas

  • Biotechnology
  • Biotechnology - Cancer Biotech