Rhabdomyosarcoma

New Zebrafish Pipeline Enables Functional Evaluation of Novel, Rare, Fusion-Oncogenes in vivo
New Zebrafish Pipeline Enables Functional Evaluation of Novel, Rare, Fusion-Oncogenes in vivo 1024 683 Jessica Nye, PhD

An innovative method that uses a zebrafish model to rapidly study novel fusion-oncogenes in vivo has been developed by investigators at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.   Fusion oncogenes are frequently observed in pediatric cancers. These fusion oncogenes are typically caused by a chromosomal translocation that produces gain-of-function chimeric gene activity. Although there has been experimental work…

Mapping the 3D Structure of Rhabdomyosarcoma Chromatin
Mapping the 3D Structure of Rhabdomyosarcoma Chromatin 1024 575 Abbie Miller
yellow squiggly lines representing chromatin strands in the nucleus

Researchers published the first comprehensive, 3D analysis of the complete rhabdomyosarcoma genome. In a paper published in Nucleic Acids Research Cancer (NAR Cancer), researchers from the Center for Childhood Cancer Research at Nationwide Children’s and their collaborators report a comprehensive 3D chromatin structural analysis and characterization of rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS). RMS is a pediatric soft-tissue tumor…

1 Year In, the Molecular Characterization Initiative Has Analyzed Samples From Over 1,000 Patients
1 Year In, the Molecular Characterization Initiative Has Analyzed Samples From Over 1,000 Patients 1024 614 Abbie Miller
abstract art of magnifying glass over DNA strand

Data from the analysis helps clinicians confirm diagnoses and identify targeted treatments. The data also support new pediatric cancer research through the National Cancer Institute’s Childhood Cancer Data Initiative.   The CCDI Molecular Characterization Initiative (MCI) is a project that aims to collect, analyze and report clinical and molecular data and is currently supporting Children’s…

Could a Sequence-Specific Splice Switching Oligonucleotide and Antibody Therapy Combination Successfully Treat Rhabdomyosarcoma?
Could a Sequence-Specific Splice Switching Oligonucleotide and Antibody Therapy Combination Successfully Treat Rhabdomyosarcoma? 1024 683 Jessica Nye, PhD

Blocking alternative splicing may be a viable therapeutic intervention strategy for reducing tumor growth in rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS).   RMS is the most common pediatric soft tissue sarcoma and is associated with poor prognosis, a high rate of metastasis and recurrence. RMS tumors overexpress insulin growth factor (IGF)-2, making the IGF pathway a potential interventional target.…

An Epigenetic Vulnerability for Rhabdomyosarcoma Among Children?
An Epigenetic Vulnerability for Rhabdomyosarcoma Among Children? 150 150 Jessica Nye, PhD

A deep classification of epigenetic machinery in rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) tumors finds that the mammalian SWItch/Sucrose Non-Fermentable (mSWI/SNF) complexes are essential for the stabilization of RMS.   A recent study, published in Nature Communications, by Ben Stanton, PhD, and colleagues focused on rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), a lethal pediatric soft tissue malignancy. Fusion positive RMS (FP-RMS) has properties…

Unraveling the Role of Pioneer Factors in Childhood Cancer
Unraveling the Role of Pioneer Factors in Childhood Cancer 150 150 Abbie Miller

New study implicates PAX3-FOXO1, an oncogenic driver of rhabdomyosarcoma, as a chimeric pioneer factor. Transcription factors are proteins that read the DNA sequences and can direct the transcription of that sequence into mRNA for translation into a protein. Transcription can become deregulated in cancer. Normally, transcription factors read sequences of DNA that are described as…