Journal: bioRxiv
Article Title: ALK R1275Q mutation drives expansion of SCP-like cells during sympathoadrenal commitment and primes neuroblastoma initiation
doi: 10.64898/2026.01.27.701690
Figure Lengend Snippet: a, UMAP of all samples (as in ), colored by ALK expression. b, Violin plots of ALK expression (top) and ALK activity scores based on Reactome pathways (bottom) across time points in Ctrl and patient lines (computed as detailed in Methods). Comparisons were performed using the Wilcoxon test. ALK expression, Ctrl vs NB in SAP, D8, and D12, P < 0.0001 = ****; ALK Reactome score, Ctrl and NB in tNCC, D8, and D12, P < 0.0001 = ****, in SAP, P = 0.036 = *. Black triangles indicate mean values. c, Immunoblot analysis of protein lysates collected at NCC, SAP, day 8 (D8), and day 12 (D12) from two Ctrl lines and two patient-derived lines. Total and phosphorylated ALK, AKT, and ERK1/2 were probed. GAPDH was used as a loading control. P.C., positive control: NB-1 neuroblastoma cell line (CVCL_1440) treated with ALKAL2 . d, Quantification of EdU+ cells at the SAP stage after Lorlatinib treatment of both Ctrl (Ctrl 7, Ctrl10, and Ctrl14 in blue) and patient-derived (NB1, NB2, and NB4 in red) lines. Quantification of EdU⁺ cell percentages is shown as mean ± s.d. from independent biological replicates. Statistical significance was assessed by one-way ANOVA followed by Šídák’s multiple comparisons test. In DMSO, Ctrl vs NB, P < 0.0001 = ****; in NB, lorlatinib (20nM) vs DMSO, P < 0.0001 = ****; Lorlatinib (30nM) vs DMSO, P < 0.0001 = ****. e, Schematic of in vivo experimental design. iPSCs were stably transfected with a vector encoding constitutively expressed nuclear mCherry and doxycycline-inducible MYCN . Differentiated tNCCs were injected subcutaneously or orthotopically into the adrenal gland. MYCN was activated by mice receiving doxycycline (200 μg/ml) in drinking water. f, Kaplan–Meier survival curves from the subcutaneous injection model. Solid line, mice treated with doxycycline; dashed line, untreated controls. Significance was assessed by Cox proportional hazards test. g, Table summarizing results of the orthotopic injection experiment. Tumor size is reported as the longest axis of the tumor. h, Histological analysis of tumors from orthotopically injected mice. Gross tumor morphology is shown (with ruler indicating size, top). Representative sections were stained for PHOX2B, KI67, and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) in the same tumor region. Scale bar, 100 µm.
Article Snippet: Primary antibodies (overnight, 4 °C): Ki67 (1:100, Abcam ab16667), PHOX2B (1:100, Abclonal A21990).
Techniques: Expressing, Activity Assay, Western Blot, Derivative Assay, Control, Positive Control, In Vivo, Stable Transfection, Transfection, Plasmid Preparation, Injection, Staining