A phosphodiesterase 4B-dependent interplay between tumor cells and the microenvironment regulates angiogenesis in B-cell lymphoma.
Angiogenesis associates with poor outcome in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), but the contribution of the lymphoma cells to this process remains unclear. Addressing this knowledge gap may uncover unsuspecting proangiogenic signaling nodes and highlight alternative antiangiogenic therapies. Here, we identify the second messenger cyclic-AMP (cAMP) and the enzyme that terminates its activity, phosphodiesterase 4B (PDE4B), as regulators of B-cell lymphoma angiogenesis. We first show that cAMP, in a PDE4B-dependent manner, suppresses PI3K/AKT signals to downmodulate vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion and vessel formation in vitro. Next, we create a novel mouse model that combines the lymphomagenic Myc transgene with germline deletion of Pde4b. We show that lymphomas developing in a Pde4b-null background display significantly lower microvessel density (MVD) in association with lower VEGF levels and PI3K/AKT activity. We recapitulate these observations by treating lymphoma-bearing mice with the FDA-approved PDE4 inhibitor, Roflumilast. Lastly, we show that primary human DLBCLs with high PDE4B expression display significantly higher MVD. Here, we defined an unsuspected signaling circuitry in which the cAMP generated in lymphoma cells downmodulates PI3K/AKT and VEGF secretion to negatively influence vessel development in the microenvironment. These data identify PDE4 as an actionable antiangiogenic target in DLBCL.
Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
Avvaru N
AN
Suhasini
Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
Long
L
Wang
Department of Pathology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
Kenneth N
KN
Holder
Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
An-Ping
AP
Lin
Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
Harshita
H
Bhatnagar
Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
Sang-Woo
SW
Kim
Department of Pathology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
August W
AW
Moritz
Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.|Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio.|South Texas Veterans Health Care System, Audie Murphy VA Hospital, San Antonio.
Ricardo C T
RCT
Aguiar
D000631:Aminopyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D001549:Benzamides / Q000494:pharmacology; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D054703:Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003521:Cyclopropanes / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D058988:Phosphodiesterase 4 Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment / Q000187:drug effects; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D000631:Aminopyridines; D001549:Benzamides; D003521:Cyclopropanes; C489428:Myc protein, mouse; D058988:Phosphodiesterase 4 Inhibitors; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C424423:Roflumilast; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D054703:Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 4; C517360:PDE4B protein, human