Feng Cheng

High-risk (HR) neuroblastoma (NB) remains a leading cause of pediatric cancer mortality, frequently driven by MYCN amplification or MYC overexpression. Despite their central role, direct pharmacological targeting of these transcription factors remains clinically challenging. Here, we identify CaM kinase–like vesicle-associated protein (CAMKV) as a MYCN/MYC-regulated effector of NB pathogenesis. Although previously classified as a nonfunctional pseudokinase, we demonstrate that CAMKV possesses intrinsic kinase activity that is essential for tumor growth. Analysis of patient datasets and primary tumors shows that elevated CAMKV expression correlates with advanced disease stage and poor overall survival. Through integrated transcriptomics, ChIP-seq, and phosphoproteomics, we establish CAMKV as a central signaling hub that coordinates metabolic and proliferative pathways. Both genetic depletion and small-molecule inhibition of CAMKV significantly impair NB cell proliferation in vitro and suppress tumor growth in vivo. Collectively, our findings establish CAMKV as a unifying therapeutic vulnerability and highlight this functional kinase as a promising target for translational development in HR NB.

Activation of oncogenes through DNA amplification/overexpression plays an important role in cancer initiation and progression. Chromosome 17 has many cancer-associated genetic anomalies. This cytogenetic anomaly is strongly associated with poor prognosis of breast cancer. FOXK2 gene is located on 17q25 and encodes a transcriptional factor with a forkhead DNA binding domain. By integrative analysis of public genomic datasets of breast cancers, we found that FOXK2 is frequently amplified and overexpressed in breast cancers. FOXK2 overexpression in breast cancer patients is associated with poor overall survival. FOXK2 knockdown significantly inhibits cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis, and anchorage-independent growth, as well as causes G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in breast cancer cells. Moreover, inhibition of FOXK2 expression sensitizes breast cancer cells to frontline anti-tumor chemotherapies. More importantly, co-overexpression of FOXK2 and PI3KCA with oncogenic mutations (E545K or H1047R) induces cellular transformation in non-tumorigenic MCF10A cells, suggesting that FOXK2 is an oncogene in breast cancer and is involved in PI3KCA-driven tumorigenesis. Our study identified CCNE2 , PDK1 , and Estrogen receptor alpha ( ESR1 ) as direct transcriptional targets of FOXK2 in MCF-7 cells. Blocking CCNE2- and PDK1-mediated signaling by using small molecule inhibitors has synergistic anti-tumor effects in breast cancer cells. Furthermore, FOXK2 inhibition by gene knockdown or inhibitors for its transcriptional targets (CCNE2 and PDK1) in combination with PI3KCA inhibitor, Alpelisib, showed synergistic anti-tumor effects on breast cancer cells with PI3KCA oncogenic mutations. In summary, we provide compelling evidence that FOXK2 plays an oncogenic role in breast tumorigenesis and targeting FOXK2-mediated pathways may be a potential therapeutic strategy in breast cancer.

Mechanisms underlying arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are poorly understood. Using mice with endothelial cell (EC) expression of constitutively active Notch4 (Notch4* ^EC ), we show decreased arteriolar tone in vivo during brain AVM initiation. Reduced vascular tone is a primary effect of Notch4* ^EC , as isolated pial arteries from asymptomatic mice exhibited reduced pressure-induced arterial tone ex vivo. The nitric oxide (NO) synthase (NOS) inhibitor NG-nitro- l -arginine (L-NNA) corrected vascular tone defects in both assays. L-NNA treatment or endothelial NOS ( eNOS ) gene deletion, either globally or specifically in ECs, attenuated AVM initiation, assessed by decreased AVM diameter and delayed time to moribund. Administering nitroxide antioxidant 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl also attenuated AVM initiation. Increased NOS-dependent production of hydrogen peroxide, but not NO, superoxide, or peroxynitrite was detected in isolated Notch4* ^EC brain vessels during AVM initiation. Our data suggest that eNOS is involved in Notch4* ^EC -mediated AVM formation by up-regulating hydrogen peroxide and reducing vascular tone, thereby permitting AVM initiation and progression.

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a pediatric tumor of the peripheral nervous system. Approximately 80% of relapsed NB show RAS-MAPK pathway mutations that activate ERK, resulting in the promotion of cell proliferation and drug resistance. Ulixertinib, a first-in-class ERK-specific inhibitor, has shown promising antitumor activity in phase 1 clinical trials for advanced solid tumors. Here, we show that ulixertinib significantly and dose-dependently inhibits cell proliferation and colony formation in different NB cell lines, including PDX cells. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that ulixertinib extensively inhibits different oncogenic and neuronal developmental pathways, including EGFR, VEGF, WNT, MAPK, NGF, and NTRK1. The proteomic analysis further revealed that ulixertinib inhibits the cell cycle and promotes apoptosis in NB cells. Additionally, ulixertinib treatment significantly sensitized NB cells to the conventional chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin. Furthermore, ulixertinib potently inhibited NB tumor growth and prolonged the overall survival of the treated mice in two different NB mice models. Our preclinical study demonstrates that ulixertinib, either as a single agent or in combination with current therapies, is a novel and practical therapeutic approach for NB.