title: FOXO3a is a major target of inactivation by PI3K/AKT signaling in aggressive neuroblastoma.
abstract: Neuroblastoma is a pediatric tumor of the peripheral sympathetic nervous system with a highly variable prognosis. Activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway in neuroblastoma is correlated with poor patient prognosis, but the precise downstream effectors mediating this effect have not been determined. Here we identify the forkhead transcription factor FOXO3a as a key target of the PI3K/AKT pathway in neuroblastoma. FOXO3a expression was elevated in low-stage neuroblastoma tumors and normal embryonal neuroblasts, but reduced in late-stage neuroblastoma. Inactivation of FOXO3a by AKT was essential for neuroblastoma cell survival. Treatment of neuroblastoma cells with the dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor PI-103 activated FOXO3a and triggered apoptosis. This effect was rescued by FOXO3a silencing. Conversely, apoptosis induced by PI-103 or the AKT inhibitor MK-2206 was potentiated by FOXO3a overexpression. Furthermore, levels of total or phosphorylated FOXO3a correlated closely with apoptotic sensitivity to MK-2206. In clinical specimens, there was an inverse relationship between gene expression signatures regulated by PI3K signaling and FOXO3a transcriptional activity. Moreover, high PI3K activity and low FOXO3a activity were each associated with an extremely poor prognosis. Our work indicates that expression of FOXO3a and its targets offer useful prognostic markers as well as biomarkers for PI3K/AKT inhibitor efficacy in neuroblastoma.
authors: Department of Oncogenomics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Evan E
authors: EE
authors: Santo
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Stroeken
authors: Peter V
authors: PV
authors: Sluis
authors: Jan
authors: J
authors: Koster
authors: Rogier
authors: R
authors: Versteeg
authors: Ellen M
authors: EM
authors: Westerhout
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D000071316:Forkhead Box Protein O3; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005663:Furans / Q000494:pharmacology; D006575:Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D011379:Prognosis; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D000071316:Forkhead Box Protein O3; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D005663:Furans; D006575:Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D011725:Pyridines; D011743:Pyrimidines; C499517:FOXO3 protein, human; C548887:MK 2206; C522973:PI103