Neeb, A.
Herranz, N.
Arce-Gallego, S.
Miranda, S.
Buroni, L.
Yuan, W.
Athie, A.
Casals, T.
Carmichael, J.
Rodrigues, D.N.
Gurel, B.
Rescigno, P.
Rekowski, J.
Welti, J.
Riisnaes, R.
Gil, V.
Ning, J.
Wagner, V.
Casanova-Salas, I.
Cordoba, S.
Castro, N.
Fenor de la Maza, M.D.
Seed, G.
Chandran, K.
Ferreira, A.
Figueiredo, I.
Bertan, C.
Bianchini, D.
Aversa, C.
Paschalis, A.
Gonzalez, M.
Morales-Barrera, R.
Suarez, C.
Carles, J.
Swain, A.
Sharp, A.
Gil, J.
Serra, V.
Lord, C.
Carreira, S.
Mateo, J.
de Bono, J.S.
(2021). Advanced Prostate Cancer with ATM Loss: PARP and ATR Inhibitors. European urology,
Vol.79
(2),
pp. 200-211.
Francis, J.C.
Gardiner, J.R.
Renaud, Y.
Chauhan, R.
Weinstein, Y.
Gomez-Sanchez, C.
Lefrançois-Martinez, A.-.
Bertherat, J.
Val, P.
Swain, A.
(2021). HOX genes promote cell proliferation and are potential therapeutic targets in adrenocortical tumours. British journal of cancer,
Vol.124
(4),
pp. 805-816.
show abstract
Abstract
Background
Understanding the pathways that drive adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is essential to the development of more effective therapies. This study investigates the role of the transcription factor HOXB9 and other HOX factors in ACC and its treatment.
Methods
We used transgenic mouse models to determine the role of Hoxb9 in adrenal tumour development. Patient transcriptomic data was analysed for the expression of HOX genes and their association with disease. Drug response studies on various adrenocortical models were done to establish novel therapeutic options.
Results
Our human ACC dataset analyses showed high expression of HOXB9, and other HOX factors, are associated with poorer prognosis. Transgenic overexpression of Hoxb9 in the adrenal cortex of mice with activated Ctnnb1 led to larger adrenal tumours. This phenotype was preferentially observed in male mice and was characterised by more proliferating cells and an increase in the expression of cell cycle genes, including Ccne1. Adrenal tumour cells were found to be dependent on HOX function for survival and were sensitive to a specific peptide inhibitor.
Conclusions
These studies show Hoxb9 can promote adrenal tumour progression in a sex-dependent manner and have identified HOX factors as potential drug targets, leading to novel therapeutic approaches in ACC.
.
Ermini, L.
Francis, J.C.
Rosa, G.S.
Rose, A.J.
Ning, J.
Greaves, M.
Swain, A.
(2021). Evolutionary selection of alleles in the melanophilin gene that impacts on prostate organ function and cancer risk. Evolution, medicine, and public health,
Vol.9
(1),
pp. 311-321.
show abstract
Abstract
Background and objectives
Several hundred inherited genetic variants or SNPs that alter the risk of cancer have been identified through genome-wide association studies. In populations of European ancestry, these variants are mostly present at relatively high frequencies. To gain insight into evolutionary origins, we screened a series of genes and SNPs linked to breast or prostate cancer for signatures of historical positive selection.
Methodology
We took advantage of the availability of the 1000 genome data and we performed genomic scans for positive selection in five different Caucasian populations as well as one African reference population. We then used prostate organoid cultures to provide a possible functional explanation for the interplay between the action of evolutionary forces and the disease risk association.
Results
Variants in only one gene showed genomic signatures of positive, evolutionary selection within Caucasian populations melanophilin (MLPH). Functional depletion of MLPH in prostate organoids, by CRISPR/Cas9 mutation, impacted lineage commitment of progenitor cells promoting luminal versus basal cell differentiation and on resistance to androgen deprivation.
Conclusions and implications
The MLPH variants influencing prostate cancer risk may have been historically selected for their adaptive benefit on skin pigmentation but MLPH is highly expressed in the prostate and the derivative, positively selected, alleles decrease the risk of prostate cancer. Our study suggests a potential functional mechanism via which MLPH and its genetic variants could influence risk of prostate cancer, as a serendipitous consequence of prior evolutionary benefits to another tissue.
Lay Summary
We screened a limited series of genomic variants associated with breast and prostate cancer risk for signatures of historical positive selection. Variants within the melanophilin (MLPH) gene fell into this category. Depletion of MLPH in prostate organoid cultures, suggested a potential functional mechanism for impacting on cancer risk, as a serendipitous consequence of prior evolutionary benefits to another tissue.
.
Fletcher, C.E.
Sulpice, E.
Combe, S.
Shibakawa, A.
Leach, D.A.
Hamilton, M.P.
Chrysostomou, S.L.
Sharp, A.
Welti, J.
Yuan, W.
Dart, D.A.
Knight, E.
Ning, J.
Francis, J.C.
Kounatidou, E.E.
Gaughan, L.
Swain, A.
Lupold, S.E.
de Bono, J.S.
McGuire, S.E.
Gidrol, X.
Bevan, C.L.
(2019). Androgen receptor-modulatory microRNAs provide insight into therapy resistance and therapeutic targets in advanced prostate cancer. Oncogene,
Vol.38
(28),
pp. 5700-5724.
Welti, J.
Sharp, A.
Yuan, W.
Dolling, D.
Nava Rodrigues, D.
Figueiredo, I.
Gil, V.
Neeb, A.
Clarke, M.
Seed, G.
Crespo, M.
Sumanasuriya, S.
Ning, J.
Knight, E.
Francis, J.C.
Hughes, A.
Halsey, W.S.
Paschalis, A.
Mani, R.S.
Raj, G.V.
Plymate, S.R.
Carreira, S.
Boysen, G.
Chinnaiyan, A.M.
Swain, A.
de Bono, J.S.
(2018). Targeting Bromodomain and Extra-Terminal (BET) Family Proteins in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer (CRPC). Clinical cancer research,
Vol.24
(13),
pp. 3149-3162.
Lord, C.
Guettler, S.
Lord, C.
Guettler, S.
(2018). Genome-wide and high-density CRISPR-Cas9 screens identify point mutations in PARP1 causing PARP inhibitor resistance. Nature communications,
Vol.9.
show abstract
Although PARP inhibitors (PARPi) target homologous recombination defective tumours, drug resistance frequently emerges, often via poorly understood mechanisms. Here, using genome-wide and high-density CRISPR-Cas9 "tag-mutate-enrich" mutagenesis screens, we identify close to full-length mutant forms of PARP1 that cause in vitro and in vivo PARPi resistance. Mutations both within and outside of the PARP1 DNA-binding zinc-finger domains cause PARPi resistance and alter PARP1 trapping, as does a PARP1 mutation found in a clinical case of PARPi resistance. This reinforces the importance of trapped PARP1 as a cytotoxic DNA lesion and suggests that PARP1 intramolecular interactions might influence PARP-imediated cytotoxicity. PARP1 mutations are also tolerated in cells with a pathogenic BRCA1 mutation where they result in distinct sensitivities to chemotherapeutic drugs compared to other mechanisms of PARPi resistance (BRCA1 reversion, 53BP1, REV7 (MAD2L2) mutation), suggesting that the underlying mechanism of PARPi resistance that emerges could influence the success of subsequent therapies..
Francis, J.C.
Swain, A.
(2018). Prostate Organogenesis. Cold spring harbor perspectives in medicine,
Vol.8
(7),
pp. a030353-a030353.
Francis, J.C.
Capper, A.
Ning, J.
Knight, E.
de Bono, J.
Swain, A.
(2018). SOX9 is a driver of aggressive prostate cancer by promoting invasion, cell fate and cytoskeleton alterations and epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Oncotarget,
Vol.9
(7),
pp. 7604-7615.
Shenoy, T.R.
Boysen, G.
Wang, M.Y.
Xu, Q.Z.
Guo, W.
Koh, F.M.
Wang, C.
Zhang, L.Z.
Wang, Y.
Gil, V.
Aziz, S.
Christova, R.
Rodrigues, D.N.
Crespo, M.
Rescigno, P.
Tunariu, N.
Riisnaes, R.
Zafeiriou, Z.
Flohr, P.
Yuan, W.
Knight, E.
Swain, A.
Ramalho-Santos, M.
Xu, D.Y.
de Bono, J.
Wu, H.
(2017). CHD1 loss sensitizes prostate cancer to DNA damaging therapy by promoting error-prone double-strand break repair. Annals of oncology,
Vol.28
(7),
pp. 1495-1507.
Pettitt, S.J.
Krastev, D.B.
Pemberton, H.N.
Fontebasso, Y.
Frankum, J.
Rehman, F.L.
Brough, R.
Song, F.
Bajrami, I.
Rafiq, R.
Wallberg, F.
Kozarewa, I.
Fenwick, K.
Armisen-Garrido, J.
Swain, A.
Gulati, A.
Campbell, J.
Ashworth, A.
Lord, C.J.
(2017). Genome-wide barcoded transposon screen for cancer drug sensitivity in haploid mouse embryonic stem cells. Scientific data,
Vol.4
(1).
Swain, A.
(2017). Ductal sex determination. Science,
Vol.357
(6352),
pp. 648-648.
Pearson, A.
Smyth, E.
Babina, I.S.
Herrera-Abreu, M.T.
Tarazona, N.
Peckitt, C.
Kilgour, E.
Smith, N.R.
Geh, C.
Rooney, C.
Cutts, R.
Campbell, J.
Ning, J.
Fenwick, K.
Swain, A.
Brown, G.
Chua, S.
Thomas, A.
Johnston, S.R.
Ajaz, M.
Sumpter, K.
Gillbanks, A.
Watkins, D.
Chau, I.
Popat, S.
Cunningham, D.
Turner, N.C.
(2016). High-Level Clonal FGFR Amplification and Response to FGFR Inhibition in a Translational Clinical Trial. Cancer discovery,
Vol.6
(8),
pp. 838-851.
(2016). Global patient outcomes after elective surgery: prospective cohort study in 27 low-, middle- and high-income countries. British journal of anaesthesia,
Vol.117
(5),
pp. 601-609.
Francis, J.C.
Melchor, L.
Campbell, J.
Kendrick, H.
Wei, W.
Armisen‐Garrido, J.
Assiotis, I.
Chen, L.
Kozarewa, I.
Fenwick, K.
Swain, A.
Smalley, M.J.
Lord, C.J.
Ashworth, A.
(2015). Whole‐exome
DNA
sequence analysis of
Brca2
‐ and
Trp53
‐deficient mouse mammary gland tumours. The journal of pathology,
Vol.236
(2),
pp. 186-200.
Mateo, J.
Carreira, S.
Sandhu, S.
Miranda, S.
Mossop, H.
Perez-Lopez, R.
Rodrigues, D.N.
Robinson, D.
Omlin, A.
Tunariu, N.
Boysen, G.
Porta, N.
Flohr, P.
Gillman, A.
Figueiredo, I.
Paulding, C.
Seed, G.
Jain, S.
Ralph, C.
Protheroe, A.
Hussain, S.
Jones, R.
Elliott, T.
McGovern, U.
Bianchini, D.
Goodall, J.
Zafeiriou, Z.
Williamson, C.T.
Ferraldeschi, R.
Riisnaes, R.
Ebbs, B.
Fowler, G.
Roda, D.
Yuan, W.
Wu, Y.
Cao, X.
Brough, R.
Pemberton, H.
A’Hern, R.
Swain, A.
Kunju, L.P.
Eeles, R.
Attard, G.
Lord, C.J.
Ashworth, A.
Rubin, M.A.
Knudsen, K.E.
Feng, F.Y.
Chinnaiyan, A.M.
Hall, E.
de Bono, J.S.
(2015). DNA-Repair Defects and Olaparib in Metastatic Prostate Cancer. The new england journal of medicine,
Vol.373
(18),
pp. 1697-1708.
Bryant, S.L.
Francis, J.C.
Lokody, I.B.
Wang, H.
Risbridger, G.P.
Loveland, K.L.
Swain, A.
(2014). Sex specific retinoic acid signaling is required for the initiation of urogenital sinus bud development. Dev biol,
Vol.395
(2),
pp. 209-217.
show abstract
The mammalian urogenital sinus (UGS) develops in a sex specific manner, giving rise to the prostate in the male and the sinus vagina in the embryonic female. Androgens, produced by the embryonic testis, have been shown to be crucial to this process. In this study we show that retinoic acid signaling is required for the initial stages of bud development from the male UGS. Enzymes involved in retinoic acid synthesis are expressed in the UGS mesenchyme in a sex specific manner and addition of ligand to female tissue is able to induce prostate-like bud formation in the absence of androgens, albeit at reduced potency. Functional studies in mouse organ cultures that faithfully reproduce the initiation of prostate development indicate that one of the roles of retinoic acid signaling in the male is to inhibit the expression of Inhba, which encodes the βA subunit of Activin, in the UGS mesenchyme. Through in vivo genetic analysis and culture studies we show that inhibition of Activin signaling in the female UGS leads to a similar phenotype to that of retinoic acid treatment, namely bud formation in the absence of androgens. Our data also reveals that both androgens and retinoic acid have extra independent roles to that of repressing Activin signaling in the development of the prostate during fetal stages. This study identifies a novel role for retinoic acid as a mesenchymal factor that acts together with androgens to determine the position and initiation of bud development in the male UGS epithelia. .
Francis, J.C.
Thomsen, M.K.
Taketo, M.M.
Swain, A.
(2013). beta-Catenin Is Required for Prostate Development and Cooperates with Pten Loss to Drive Invasive Carcinoma. Plos genetics,
Vol.9
(1).
Buaas, F.W.
Gardiner, J.R.
Clayton, S.
Val, P.
Swain, A.
(2012). In vivo evidence for the crucial role of SF1 in steroid-producing cells of the testis, ovary and adrenal gland. Development,
Vol.139
(24),
pp. 4561-4570.
show abstract
Adrenal and gonadal steroids are essential for life and reproduction. The orphan nuclear receptor SF1 (NR5A1) has been shown to regulate the expression of enzymes involved in steroid production in vitro. However, the in vivo role of this transcription factor in steroidogenesis has not been elucidated. In this study, we have generated steroidogenic-specific Cre-expressing mice to lineage mark and delete Sf1 in differentiated steroid-producing cells of the testis, the ovary and the adrenal gland. Our data show that SF1 is a regulator of the expression of steroidogenic genes in all three organs. In addition, Sf1 deletion leads to a radical change in cell morphology and loss of identity. Surprisingly, sexual development and reproduction in mutant animals were not compromised owing, in part, to the presence of a small proportion of SF1-positive cells. In contrast to the testis and ovary, the mutant adult adrenal gland showed a lack of Sf1-deleted cells and our studies suggest that steroidogenic adrenal cells during foetal stages require Sf1 to give rise to the adult adrenal population. This study is the first to show the in vivo requirements of SF1 in steroidogenesis and provides novel data on the cellular consequences of the loss of this protein specifically within steroid-producing cells..
Strochlic, L.
Falk, J.
Goillot, E.
Sigoillot, S.
Bourgeois, F.
Delers, P.
Rouviere, J.
Swain, A.
Castellani, V.
Schaeffer, L.
Legay, C.
(2012). Wnt4 Participates in the Formation of Vertebrate Neuromuscular Junction. Plos one,
Vol.7
(1).
Gardiner, J.R.
Shima, Y.
Morohashi, K.-.
Swain, A.
(2012). SF-1 expression during adrenal development and tumourigenesis. Molecular and cellular endocrinology,
Vol.351
(1),
pp. 12-18.
Tsaousi, A.
Williams, H.
Lyon, C.A.
Taylor, V.
Swain, A.
Johnson, J.L.
George, S.J.
(2011). Wnt4/beta-Catenin Signaling Induces VSMC Proliferation and Is Associated With Intimal Thickening. Circulation research,
Vol.108
(4),
pp. 427-27.
Thomsen, M.K.
Ambroisine, L.
Wynn, S.
Cheah, K.S.
Foster, C.S.
Fisher, G.
Berney, D.M.
Møller, H.
Reuter, V.E.
Scardino, P.
Cuzick, J.
Ragavan, N.
Singh, P.B.
Martin, F.L.
Butler, C.M.
Cooper, C.S.
Swain, A.
Transatlantic Prostate Group,
(2010). SOX9 elevation in the prostate promotes proliferation and cooperates with PTEN loss to drive tumor formation. Cancer res,
Vol.70
(3),
pp. 979-987.
show abstract
Dysregulation of tissue development pathways can contribute to cancer initiation and progression. In murine embryonic prostate epithelia, the transcription factor SOX9 is required for proper prostate development. In this study, we examined a role for SOX9 in prostate cancer in mouse and human. In Pten and Nkx3.1 mutant mice, cells with increased levels of SOX9 appeared within prostate epithelia at early stages of neoplasia, and higher expression correlated with progression at all stages of disease. In transgenic mice, SOX9 overexpression in prostate epithelia increased cell proliferation without inducing hyperplasia. In transgenic mice that were also heterozygous for mutant Pten, SOX9 overexpression quickened the induction of high-grade prostate intraepithelial neoplasia. In contrast, Sox9 attenuation led to a decrease proliferating prostate epithelia cells in normal and homozygous Pten mutant mice with prostate neoplasia. Analysis of a cohort of 880 human prostate cancer samples showed that SOX9 expression was associated with increasing Gleason grades and higher Ki67 staining. Our findings identify SOX9 as part of a developmental pathway that is reactivated in prostate neoplasia where it promotes tumor cell proliferation..
Francis, J.C.
McCarthy, A.
Thomsen, M.K.
Ashworth, A.
Swain, A.
(2010). Brca2 and Trp53 Deficiency Cooperate in the Progression of Mouse Prostate Tumourigenesis. Plos genetics,
Vol.6
(6),
p. 9.
Val, P.
Swain, A.
(2010). Gene dosage effects and transcriptional regulation of early mammalian adrenal cortex development. Molecular and cellular endocrinology,
Vol.323
(1),
pp. 105-10.
Buaas, F.W.
Val, P.
Swain, A.
(2009). The transcription co-factor CITED2 functions during sex determination and early gonad development. Hum mol genet,
Vol.18
(16),
pp. 2989-3001.
show abstract
The early bi-potential mammalian gonad requires the expression of a Y-linked gene, Sry, during a brief window of time to ensure proper testis development. WT1 and its direct target gene Sf1 function during sex determination as well as in the specified testes and ovaries. We have previously shown that the transcription co-factor CITED2 interacts with WT1 to stimulate the expression of Sf1 in the adrenogonadal primordium to ensure adrenal development. We now show through genetic interactions and expression analyses that Cited2 acts in the gonad with Wt1 and Sf1 to increase the expression of Sry levels to attain a critical threshold to efficiently initiate testis development. Reducing the gene dosage of Wt1 or Sf1 in Cited2 mutant gonads was sufficient to produce partial XY sex reversal while full sex reversal was attained in mutants containing a hypomorphic Sry(POS) allele. A direct correlation was observed between XY sex reversal and reduced expression levels of Sry and Sf1 during sex determination, which indicated that Sry is a downstream target of the CITED2/WT1/SF1 regulatory pathway. Our results provide in vivo evidence for the identification of the first transcription co-factor to function during mammalian sex determination, as part of the WT1/SF1 regulatory mechanism. This highlights the gene dosage sensitivity of the pathway's effect on Sry levels and embryonic gonad development..
Thomsen, M.K.
Francis, J.C.
Swain, A.
(2008). The role of Sox9 in prostate development. Differentiation,
Vol.76
(6),
pp. 728-8.
Thomsen, M.K.
Butler, C.M.
Shen, M.M.
Swain, A.
(2008). Sox9 is required for prostate development. Dev biol,
Vol.316
(2),
pp. 302-311.
show abstract
The mammalian prostate arises from the urogenital sinus and few factors have been identified to be important in the early stages of prostate development. In this study we show that the transcription factor Sox9 is expressed in the epithelia of all mouse prostatic lobes from the initial stages of their development. We used a conditional approach with mice expressing Cre recombinase under the control of Nkx3.1 regulatory sequences to delete Sox9 from the developing prostate. Mice with a prostate specific deletion of Sox9 showed a lack of ventral prostate development and abnormal anterior prostate differentiation. Analysis of these mutant animals revealed an early loss of expression of genes specific to the prostate epithelia such as Nkx3.1 and Shh and a marked reduction in proliferation in the ventral prostate but not in other lobes. Fgf signalling, through the MAPK pathway, has been shown to be important in prostate development and a lobe specific phenotype was reported for a prostate specific Fgfr2 mutant mouse model. Here we show that the levels of Fgfr2 and Sprouty2, a downstream target of Fgf signalling, were severely reduced in the ventral prostate of Sox9 mutant animals but not in other lobes. Prostate organ culture studies with a Mek inhibitor, U0126, and a Fgf receptor inhibitor, SU5402, indicate that the timing of expression of Cre in the mutant animals could account for the lobe specific phenotype in the Sox9 and Fgfr2 mutants. These studies imply that Sox9 is required for the early differentiation of the prostate bud epithelia..
Val, P.
Martinez-Barbera, J.-.
Swain, A.
(2007). Adrenal development is initiated by Cited2 and Wt1 through modulation of Sf-1 dosage. Development,
Vol.134
(12),
pp. 2349-2358.
show abstract
It has been proposed that the mammalian adrenal cortex and gonad are derived from the same primordium present during early urogenital development. Molecular pathways involved in the differentiation of the adrenal cortex from the adrenogonadal primordium (AGP) have yet to be determined. Here we show in mice that the transcription co-factor Cited2 is required for the specification of the adrenal cortex from the AGP. We present genetic and molecular evidence demonstrating that Cited2 interacts with the transcription factor Wt1 to stimulate expression of the nuclear hormone receptor Sf-1 (Nr5a1) in the AGP prior to the separation between gonad and adrenal cortex. We show a direct correlation between the expression levels of Sf-1 in the AGP and the defects in adrenal development found in mice with different Cited2 and Wt1 mutant backgrounds. Analysis of embryos heterozygous for mutations in both Sf-1 and Cited2 confirmed that these genes act in the same pathway during adrenal development. Our studies reveal a regulatory mechanism in which Cited2 acts as a Wt1 co-factor to increase, at a critical time in embryogenesis, the levels of the essential transcription factor Sf-1 in the AGP above the threshold required to determine adrenal development. These results highlight the importance of transcription factor dosage in organogenesis and the role of transcription co-factors such as Cited2 in determining the levels of these factors..
Val, P.
Jeays-Ward, K.
Swain, A.
(2006). Identification of a novel population of adrenal-like cells in the mammalian testis. Dev biol,
Vol.299
(1),
pp. 250-256.
show abstract
Steroidogenic cells of the adrenal and gonad are thought to be derived from a common primordium that divides into separate tissues during embryogenesis. In this paper, we show that cells with mixed adrenal and Leydig cell properties are found dispersed in the insterstitium of the embryonic and adult mouse testis. They express the adrenal markers Cyp11b1 and Cyp21 and respond to ACTH. Consistent with these properties, we show that the embryonic testis produces the adrenal steroid corticosterone. These cells also express Cyp17 and respond to hCG stimulation but do not express the Leydig specific marker Insl3 showing that they are a population of steroidogenic cells distinct from Leydig cells. Based on their properties, we refer to these cells as adrenal-like cells of the testis and propose that they are the mouse equivalent of the precursors of human adrenal rests, tumors found primarily in male patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Organ culture studies show that ACTH-responsive cells are present at the gonad/mesonephros border and seem to migrate into the XY but not the XX gonad during development. Consistent with this, using transgenic Cyp11a1 reporter mice, we definitively show that steroidogenic cells can migrate from the mesonephros into the XY gonad. We also show that the region between the mesonephros and the gonad harbors steroidogenic cell precursors that are repressed by the presence of the mesonephros. We propose that this region is the source of the adrenal-like cells that migrate into the testis as it develops and are activated when Leydig cells differentiate. These studies reveal the complex nature of steroidogenic cell differentiation during urogenital development..
Swain, A.
(2006). Sex determination: time for meiosis? The gonad decides. Curr biol,
Vol.16
(13),
pp. R507-R509.
show abstract
Germ cell sex determination is directed by the gonad and is characterized by a difference in the timing of entry into meiosis. Recent data show that retinoic acid signalling is responsible for the induction of germ cell meiosis in the developing ovary. In the fetal testis, this process is inhibited by a retinoic acid metabolizing enzyme..
Val, P.
Swain, A.
(2005). Mechanisms of disease: normal and abnormal gonadal development and sex determination in mammals. Nature clinical practice urology,
Vol.2
(12),
pp. 616-12.
Yao, H.H.
Matzuk, M.M.
Jorgez, C.J.
Menke, D.B.
Page, D.C.
Swain, A.
Capel, B.
(2004). Follistatin operates downstream of Wnt4 in mammalian ovary organogenesis. Developmental dynamics,
Vol.230
(2),
pp. 210-6.
Jeays-Ward, K.
Dandonneau, M.
Swain, A.
(2004). Wnt4 is required for proper male as well as female sexual development. Dev biol,
Vol.276
(2),
pp. 431-440.
show abstract
Genes previously implicated in mammalian sexual development have either a male- or female-specific role. The signaling molecule WNT4 has been shown to be important in female sexual development. Lack of Wnt4 gives rise to masculinization of the XX gonad and we showed previously that the role of WNT4 was to inhibit endothelial and steroidogenic cell migration into the developing ovary. Here we show that Wnt4 also has a function in the male gonad. We find that Sertoli cell differentiation is compromised in Wnt4 mutant testes and that this defect occurs downstream of the testis-determining gene Sry but upstream of Sox9 and Dhh, two early Sertoli cell markers. Genetic analysis shows that this phenotype is primarily due to the action of WNT4 within the early genital ridge. Analysis of different markers identifies the most striking difference in the genital ridge at early stages of its development between wild-type and Wnt4 mutant embryos to be a significant increase of steroidogenic cells in the Wnt4 -/- gonad. These results identify WNT4 as a new factor involved in the mammalian testis determination pathway and show that genes can have a specific but distinct role in both male and female gonad development..
Mizusaki, H.
Kawabe, K.
Mukai, T.
Ariyoshi, E.
Kasahara, M.
Yoshioka, H.
Swain, A.
Morohashi, K.
(2003). Dax-1 (dosage-sensitive sex reversal-adrenal hypoplasia congenita critical region on the X chromosome, gene 1) gene transcription is regulated by Wnt4 in the female developing gonad. Molecular endocrinology,
Vol.17
(4),
pp. 507-13.
Jeays-Ward, K.
Hoyle, C.
Brennan, J.
Dandonneau, M.
Alldus, G.
Capel, B.
Swain, A.
(2003). Endothelial and steroidogenic cell migration are regulated by WNT4 in the developing mammalian gonad. Development,
Vol.130
(16),
pp. 3663-3670.
show abstract
The signalling molecule WNT4 has been associated with sex reversal phenotypes in mammals. Here we show that the role of WNT4 in gonad development is to pattern the sex-specific vasculature and to regulate steroidogenic cell recruitment. Vascular formation and steroid production in the mammalian gonad occur in a sex-specific manner. During testis development, endothelial cells migrate from the mesonephros into the gonad to form a coelomic blood vessel. Leydig cells differentiate and produce steroid hormones a day later. Neither of these events occurs in the XX gonad. We show that WNT4 represses mesonephric endothelial and steroidogenic cell migration in the XX gonad, preventing the formation of a male-specific coelomic blood vessel and the production of steroids. In the XY gonad, Wnt4 expression is downregulated after sex determination. Transgenic misexpression of Wnt4 in the embryonic testis did not inhibit coelomic vessel formation but vascular pattern was affected. Leydig cell differentiation was not affected in these transgenic animals and our data implies that Wnt4 does not regulate steroidogenic cell differentiation but represses the migration of steroidogenic adrenal precursors into the gonad. These studies provide a model for understanding how the same signalling molecule can act on two different cell types to coordinate sex development..
Swain, A.
(2002). Vertebrate sex determination: a new player in the field. Curr biol,
Vol.12
(17),
pp. R602-R603.
show abstract
Sex-determining genes have been identified in flies, worms and mammals but not, until recently, in non-mammalian vertebrates. Now, a gene has been isolated from the Y chromosome of the teleost fish medaka that is functionally comparable to the mammalian testis-determining gene, Sry..
Hoyle, C.
Narvaez, V.
Alldus, G.
Lovell-Badge, R.
Swain, A.
(2002). Dax1 expression is dependent on steroidogenic factor 1 in the developing gonad. Mol endocrinol,
Vol.16
(4),
pp. 747-756.
show abstract
The nuclear hormone receptor DAX1 has been implicated in mammalian gonad development and sex determination. The expression of the gene in the gonad follows a dynamic pattern in time and place in the embryo and the adult. We have undertaken the first in vivo study of the regulation of Dax1 expression. Using a transgenic mouse approach we have identified a novel 500-bp region 4 kb upstream of the mouse Dax1 start codon that is essential for LacZ reporter gene expression in the embryonic gonad. Within this region, a highly conserved steroidogenic factor 1 (SF1) consensus-binding site is necessary to direct LacZ expression to the embryonic gonad implicating SF1 in the regulation of Dax1 in the developing gonad. Consistent with this, Dax1 is expressed at much reduced levels in gonads of embryos that are deficient in SF1. In addition, our results show that SF1 consensus-binding sites close to the start of Dax1 transcription are important in regulating levels of expression in the developing gonad. These studies have identified the critical in vivo regulatory region for expression of Dax1 in the early gonad and provide novel information on how a specific enhancer element acts in different cell types at different stages of development..
De Vries, G.J.
Rissman, E.F.
Simerly, R.B.
Yang, L.Y.
Scordalakes, E.M.
Auger, C.J.
Swain, A.
Lovell-Badge, R.
Burgoyne, P.S.
Arnold, A.P.
(2002). A model system for study of sex chromosome effects on sexually dimorphic neural and behavioral traits. Journal of neuroscience,
Vol.22
(20),
pp. 9005-10.
Jordan, B.K.
Mohammed, M.
Ching, S.T.
Délot, E.
Chen, X.-.
Dewing, P.
Swain, A.
Rao, P.N.
Elejalde, B.R.
Vilain, E.
(2001). Up-Regulation of WNT-4 Signaling and Dosage-Sensitive Sex Reversal in Humans. The american journal of human genetics,
Vol.68
(5),
pp. 1102-1109.
Swain, A.
(2000). Molecular mechanisms in sex determination and gonadal development. Biology of reproduction,
Vol.62,
pp. 83-1.
Swain, A.
Lovell-Badge, R.
(1999). Mammalian sex determination: a molecular drama. Genes & development,
Vol.13
(7),
pp. 755-13.
Swain, A.
Lovell-Badge, R.
(1998). Developmental genetics - Too much sex is bad for males. Nature,
Vol.396
(6707),
pp. 115-2.
Swain, A.
Narvaez, V.
Burgoyne, P.
Camerino, G.
Lovell-Badge, R.
(1998). Dax1 antagonizes Sry action in mammalian sex determination. Nature,
Vol.391
(6669),
pp. 761-767.
show abstract
DAX1, which encodes an unusual member of the nuclear hormone-receptor superfamily, is a gene that may be responsible for a sex-reversal syndrome in humans, referred to as dosage-sensitive sex reversal, in which XY individuals carrying duplications of Xp21, part of the small arm of the X chromosome, develop as females. XY mice carrying extra copies of mouse Dax1 as a transgene show delayed testis development when the gene is expressed at high levels, but do not normally show sex reversal. Complete sex reversal occurs, however, when the transgene is tested against weak alleles of the sex-determining Y-chromosome gene Sry. These results show that DAX1 is largely, if not solely, responsible for dosage-sensitive sex reversal and provide a model for early events in mammalian sex determination, when precise levels and timing of gene expression are critical..
Swain, A.
Lovell-Badge, R.
(1997). A molecular approach to sex determination in mammals. Acta paediatr suppl,
Vol.423,
pp. 46-49.
show abstract
Mammalian sex determination occurs in the gonad of the developing embryo. This process is dependent on the Y-chromosome-encoded Sry gene that acts in the somatic cells of the genital ridge. The transient nature of Sry gene expression suggests that it acts as a switch from one cell fate to another. One of the roles of Sry is to initiate the differentiation of Sertoli cells, which are the first cell type of the testis to be formed. Two genes are thought to be important in Sertoli cell differentiation and function, Sox9, an Sry-related gene, and SF-1, a nuclear hormone receptor. Sox9 is expressed in Sertoli cells throughout development of the mouse embryo, and inactivating mutations in this gene in humans give rise to XY females. SF-1 is also expressed in Sertoli cells and is thought to activate the AMH gene--an early marker of these cells. DAX-1, an X-linked member of the nuclear hormone superfamily, is a candidate for a human condition in which duplication of regions of the X chromosome results in XY females. Expression of this gene during mouse development is associated with ovary development and is down-regulated in the differentiating testis. Mutations in DAX-1 in humans have shown that this gene is not necessary for testis development. The properties of the DAX-1 gene suggest that it is important in ovary determination and might therefore be antagonistic to the action of the Sry gene..
Ikeda, Y.
Swain, A.
Weber, T.J.
Hentges, K.E.
Zanaria, E.
Lalli, E.
Tamai, K.T.
SassoneCorsi, P.
LovellBadge, R.
Camerino, G.
Parker, K.L.
(1996). Steroidogenic factor 1 and Dax-1 colocalize in multiple cell lineages: Potential links in endocrine development. Molecular endocrinology,
Vol.10
(10),
pp. 1261-12.
Swain, A.
Zanaria, E.
Hacker, A.
Lovell-Badge, R.
Camerino, G.
(1996). Mouse Dax1 expression is consistent with a role in sex determination as well as in adrenal and hypothalamus function. Nat genet,
Vol.12
(4),
pp. 404-409.
show abstract
Duplications of a chromosome Xp21 locus DSS (Dosage Sensitive Sex reversal) are associated with male to female sex reversal. An unusual member of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily, DAX1, maps to the DSS critical region and is responsible for X-linked adrenal hypoplasia congenita. Here we describe the isolation of the mouse Dax1 gene and its pattern of expression during development. Expression was detected in the first stages of gonadal and adrenal differentiation and in the developing hypothalamus. Moreover, Dax1 expression is down-regulated coincident with overt differentiation in the testis, but persists in the developing ovary. Comparison of the predicted protein products of the human and mouse genes show that specific domains are evolving rapidly. Our results suggest a basis for adrenal insufficiency and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in males affected by adrenal hypoplasia congenita and are consistent with a role for DAX1 in gonadal sex determination..
Morais da Silva, S.
Hacker, A.
Harley, V.
Goodfellow, P.
Swain, A.
Lovell-Badge, R.
(1996). Sox9 expression during gonadal development implies a conserved role for the gene in testis differentiation in mammals and birds. Nat genet,
Vol.14
(1),
pp. 62-68.
show abstract
Heterozygous mutations in SOX9 lead to a human dwarfism syndrome, Campomelic dysplasia. Consistent with a role in sex determination, we find that Sox9 expression closely follows differentiation of Sertoli cells in the mouse testis, in experimental sex reversal when fetal ovaries are grafted to adult kidneys and in the chick where there is no evidence for a Sry gene. Our results imply that Sox9 plays an essential role in sex determination, possibly immediately downstream of Sry in mammals, and that it functions as a critical Sertoli cell differentiation factor, perhaps in all vertebrates..
Ikeda, Y.
Swain, A.
Weber, T.J.
Hentges, K.E.
Zanaria, E.
Lalli, E.
Tamai, K.T.
Sassone-Corsi, P.
Lovell-Badge, R.
Camerino, G.
Parker, K.L.
(1996). Steroidogenic factor 1 and Dax-1 colocalize in multiple cell lineages: potential links in endocrine development. Molecular endocrinology,
Vol.10
(10),
pp. 1261-1272.
Capel, B.
Swain, A.
Nicolis, S.
Hacker, A.
Walter, M.
Koopman, P.
Goodfellow, P.
Lovell-Badge, R.
(1993). Circular transcripts of the testis-determining gene Sry in adult mouse testis. Cell,
Vol.73
(5),
pp. 1019-1030.
show abstract
Sry is expressed at higher levels in the adult testis, where no function has been determined, than in the genital ridge, its critical site of action. cDNA and 5' RACE clones isolated from testis or from Sry-transfected cell lines have an unusual structure, with 3' sequences located in a 5' position. RNAase protection assays and reverse transcription polymerase chain reactions confirmed that these unusual RNA molecules represent the most abundant transcript in testis. Furthermore, oligonucleotide hybridization and RNAase H digestion proved that these Sry RNA molecules are circular. Similar transcripts were detected in the testes of mice with Mus musculus musculus, Mus musculus domesticus, and Mus spretus Sry genes. The circular RNA is found in the cytoplasm but is not substantially bound to polysomes. We suggest that the circles arise from normal splicing processes as a consequence of the unusual genomic structure surrounding the Sry locus in the mouse..
Lokody, I.B.
Francis, J.C.
Gardiner, J.R.
Erler, J.T.
Swain, A.
Pten Regulates Epithelial Cytodifferentiation during Prostate Development. Plos one,
Vol.10
(6),
pp. e0129470-e0129470.
Krasny, L.
Bland, P.
Burns, J.
Lima, N.C.
Harrison, P.T.
Pacini, L.
Elms, M.L.
Ning, J.
Garcia Martinez, V.
Yu, Y.-.
Acton, S.E.
Ho, P.-.
Calvo, F.
Swain, A.
Howard, B.A.
Natrajan, R.C.
Huang, P.H.
A mouse SWATH-MS reference spectral library enables deconvolution of species-specific proteomic alterations in human tumour xenografts. Disease models & mechanisms,
.
show abstract
SWATH-mass spectrometry (MS) enables accurate and reproducible proteomic profiling in multiple model organisms including the mouse. Here we present a comprehensive mouse reference spectral library (MouseRefSWATH) that permits quantification of up to 10,597 proteins (62.2% of the mouse proteome) by SWATH-MS. We exploit MouseRefSWATH to develop an analytical pipeline for species-specific deconvolution of proteomic alterations in human tumour xenografts (XenoSWATH). This method overcomes the challenge of high sequence similarity between mouse and human proteins, facilitating the study of host microenvironment-tumour interactions from ‘bulk tumour’ measurements. We apply the XenoSWATH pipeline to characterise an intraductal xenograft model of breast ductal carcinoma in-situ and uncover complex regulation consistent with stromal reprogramming, where the modulation of cell migration pathways is not restricted to tumour cells but also operate in the mouse stroma upon progression to invasive disease. MouseRefSWATH and XenoSWATH opens new opportunities for in-depth and reproducible proteomic assessment to address wide-ranging biological questions involving this important model organism..
Magness, A.J.
Squires, J.A.
Griffiths, B.
Khan, K.
Swain, A.
Willison, K.R.
Cunningham, D.
Gerlinger, M.
Klug, D.R.
Multiplexed single cell protein expression analysis in solid tumours using a miniaturised microfluidic assay. Convergent science physical oncology,
Vol.3
(2),
pp. 024003-024003.
Gonzalez-Exposito, R.
Semiannikova, M.
Griffiths, B.
Khan, K.
Barber, L.
Woolston, A.
Spain, G.
von Loga, K.
Challoner, B.
Patel, R.
Ranes, M.
Swain, A.
Thomas, J.
Bryant, A.
Saffery, C.
Fotiadis, N.
Guettler, S.
Mansfield, D.
Melcher, A.
Powles, T.
Rao, S.
Watkins, D.
Chau, I.
Matthews, N.
Wallberg, F.
Starling, N.
Cunningham, D.
Gerlinger, M.
CEA Expression Heterogeneity and Plasticity Confer Resistance to the CEA-Targeting Bispecific Immunotherapy Antibody Cibisatamab (CEA-TCB) in Patient-Derived Colorectal Cancer Organoids. Journal for immunotherapy of cancer,
.
show abstract
Background: The T cell bispecific antibody cibisatamab (CEA-TCB) binds Carcino-Embryonic Antigen (CEA) on cancer cells and CD3 on T cells, which triggers T cell killing of cancer cell lines expressing moderate to high levels of CEA at the cell surface. Patient derived colorectal cancer organoids (PDOs) may more accurately represent patient tumors than established cell lines which potentially enables more detailed insights into mechanisms of cibisatamab resistance and sensitivity.
Methods: We established PDOs from multidrug-resistant metastatic CRCs. CEA expression of PDOs was determined by FACS and sensitivity to cibisatamab immunotherapy was assessed by co-culture of PDOs and allogeneic CD8 T cells.
Results: PDOs could be categorized into 3 groups based on CEA cell-surface expression: CEAhi (n=3), CEAlo (n=1) and CEAmixed PDOs (n=4), that stably maintained populations of CEAhi and CEAlo cells, which has not previously been described in CRC cell lines. CEAhi PDOs were sensitive whereas CEAlo PDOs showed resistance to cibisatamab. PDOs with mixed expression showed low sensitivity to cibisatamab, suggesting that CEAlo cells maintain cancer cell growth. Culture of FACS-sorted CEAhi and CEAlo cells from PDOs with mixed CEA expression demonstrated high plasticity of CEA expression, contributing to resistance acquisition through CEA antigen loss. RNA-sequencing revealed increased WNT/β-catenin pathway activity in CEAlo cells. Cell surface CEA expression was up-regulated by inhibitors of the WNT/β-catenin pathway.
Conclusions: Based on these preclinical findings, heterogeneity and plasticity of CEA expression appear to confer low cibisatamab sensitivity in PDOs, supporting further clinical evaluation of their predictive effect in CRC. Pharmacological inhibition of the WNT/β-catenin pathway may be a rational combination to sensitize CRCs to cibisatamab. Our novel PDO and T cell co-culture immunotherapy models enable pre-clinical discovery of candidate biomarkers and combination therapies that may inform and accelerate the development of immuno-oncology agents in the clinic..