Modeling of Chemoresistant Neuroblastoma Provides New Insights into Chemorefractory Disease and Metastasis

Neuroblastoma is a pediatric cancer that is frequently metastatic and resistant to conventional treatment. In part, a lack of natively metastatic, chemoresistant models has limited our insight into the development of aggressive disease. The Th- genetically engineered mouse model develops rapidly progressive chemosensitive neuroblastoma and lacks clinically relevant metastases. To study tumor progression in a context more reflective of clinical therapy, we delivered multicycle treatment with cyclophosphamide to Th- mice, individualizing therapy using MRI, to generate the Th- model. These mice developed chemoresistance and spontaneous bone marrow metastases. Tumors exhibited an altered immune microenvironment with increased stroma and tumor-associated fibroblasts. Analysis of copy number aberrations revealed genomic changes characteristic of human -amplified neuroblastoma, specifically copy number gains at mouse chromosome 11, syntenic with gains on human chromosome 17q. RNA sequencing revealed enriched expression of genes associated with 17q gain and upregulation of genes associated with high-risk neuroblastoma, such as the cell-cycle regulator cyclin B1-interacting protein 1 () and thymidine kinase (). The antiapoptotic, prometastatic JAK-STAT3 pathway was activated in chemoresistant tumors, and treatment with the JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor CYT387 reduced progression of chemoresistant tumors and increased survival. Our results highlight that under treatment conditions that mimic chemotherapy in human patients, Th- mice develop genomic, microenvironmental, and clinical features reminiscent of human chemorefractory disease. The Th- model therefore is a useful tool to dissect in detail mechanisms that drive metastasis and chemoresistance, and highlights dysregulation of signaling pathways such as JAK-STAT3 that could be targeted to improve treatment of aggressive disease. SIGNIFICANCE: An mouse model of high-risk treatment-resistant neuroblastoma exhibits changes in the tumor microenvironment, widespread metastases, and sensitivity to JAK1/2 inhibition.