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Bortoletto S, Nunes-Souza E, Marchi R, Ruthes MO, Okano LM, Tofolo MV, Centa A, Fonseca AS, Rosolen D, Cavalli LR. MicroRNAs role in telomere length maintenance and telomerase activity in tumor cells. J Mol Med (Berl) 2024; 102:1089-1100. [PMID: 39042290 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-024-02467-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
MiRNAs, a class of non-coding RNA molecules, have emerged as critical modulators of telomere length and telomerase activity by finely tuning the expression of target genes (and not gene targets) within signaling pathways involved in telomere homeostasis. The primary objective of this systematic review was to compile and synthesize the existing body of knowledge on the role, association, and involvement of miRNAs in telomere length. Additionally, the review explored the regulation, function, and activation mechanism of the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene and telomerase activity in tumor cells. A comprehensive analysis of 47 selected articles revealed 40 distinct miRNAs involved in these processes. These miRNAs were shown to exert their function, in both clinical cases and cell line models, either directly or indirectly, regulating hTERT and telomerase activity through distinct molecular mechanisms. The regulatory roles of these miRNAs significantly affected major cancer phenotypes, with outcomes largely dependent on the tissue type and the cellular actions within the tumor cells, whereby they functioned as oncogenes or tumor suppressors. These findings strongly support the pivotal role of miRNAs in modulating telomere length and telomerase activity, thereby contributing to the intricate and complex regulation of telomere homeostasis in tumor cells. Moreover, they emphasize the potential of targeting miRNAs and key regulatory genes as therapeutic strategies to disrupt cancer cell growth and promote senescence, offering promising avenues for novel cancer treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéfanne Bortoletto
- Faculdades Pequeno Príncipe, Research Institute Pelé Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Emanuelle Nunes-Souza
- Faculdades Pequeno Príncipe, Research Institute Pelé Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Rafael Marchi
- Faculdades Pequeno Príncipe, Research Institute Pelé Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Mayara Oliveira Ruthes
- Faculdades Pequeno Príncipe, Research Institute Pelé Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Larissa M Okano
- Faculdades Pequeno Príncipe, Research Institute Pelé Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Maria Vitoria Tofolo
- Faculdades Pequeno Príncipe, Research Institute Pelé Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Ariana Centa
- Universidade Alto Vale do Rio do Peixe (UNIARP), Caçador, SC, Brazil
| | - Aline S Fonseca
- Faculdades Pequeno Príncipe, Research Institute Pelé Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Daiane Rosolen
- Faculdades Pequeno Príncipe, Research Institute Pelé Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Luciane R Cavalli
- Faculdades Pequeno Príncipe, Research Institute Pelé Pequeno Príncipe, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
- Oncology Department, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.
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2
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Wei X, Zhou Y, Shao E, Shi X, Han Y, Zhang Y, Wei G, Zheng H, Huang S, Chen Y, Sun J, Liao Y, Liao W, Wang Y, Bin J, Li X. Tert promotes cardiac regenerative repair after MI through alleviating ROS-induced DNA damage response in cardiomyocyte. Cell Death Discov 2024; 10:381. [PMID: 39187478 PMCID: PMC11347641 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-024-02135-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 07/28/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Telomerase reverse transcriptase (Tert) has been found to have a protective effect on telomeric DNA, but whether it could improve the repair of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced DNA damage and promote myocardial regenerative repair after myocardial infarction (MI) by protecting telomeric DNA is unclear. The immunofluorescence staining with TEL-CY3 and the TeloTAGGG Telomerase PCR ELISA kit were used to show the telomere length and telomerase activity. The heart-specific Tert-deletion homozygotes were generated by using commercial Cre tool mice and flox heterozygous mice for mating. We measured the telomere length and telomerase activity of mouse cardiomyocytes (CMs) at different days of age, and the results showed that they were negatively correlated with age. Overexpressed Tert could enhance telomerase activity and lengthen telomeres, thereby repairing the DNA damage induced by ROS and promoting CM proliferation in vitro. The in vivo results indicated that enhanced Tert could significantly improve cardiac function and prognosis by alleviating CM DNA damage and promoting angiogenesis post-MI. In terms of mechanism, DNA pulldown assay was used to identify that nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2B1 (hnRNPA2B1) could be an upstream regulator of Tert in CMs. Overexpressed Tert could activate the NF-κB signaling pathway in CMs and bind to the VEGF promoter in the endothelium to increase the VEGF level. Further immunoblotting showed that Tert protected DNA from ROS-induced damage by inhibiting ATM phosphorylation and blocking the Chk1/p53/p21 pathway activation. HnRNPA2B1-activated Tert could repair the ROS-induced telomeric DNA damage to induce the cell cycle re-entry in CMs and enhance the interaction between CMs and endothelium, thus achieving cardiac regenerative repair after MI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomin Wei
- Department of Cardiology, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Cardiovascular Center, the Sixth Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Foshan, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiac Function and Microcirculation, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yilin Zhou
- Department of Cardiology, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiac Function and Microcirculation, Guangzhou, China
| | - Enge Shao
- Department of Cardiology, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiac Function and Microcirculation, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoran Shi
- Department of Cardiology, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiac Function and Microcirculation, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuan Han
- Department of Cardiology, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiac Function and Microcirculation, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yeshen Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences), Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guoquan Wei
- Department of Cardiology, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiac Function and Microcirculation, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hao Zheng
- Department of Cardiology, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiac Function and Microcirculation, Guangzhou, China
| | - Senlin Huang
- Department of Cardiology, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiac Function and Microcirculation, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanmei Chen
- Department of Cardiology, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiac Function and Microcirculation, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jie Sun
- Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan City People's Hospital, Zhongshan, China
| | - Yulin Liao
- Department of Cardiology, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Cardiovascular Center, the Sixth Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Foshan, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiac Function and Microcirculation, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wangjun Liao
- Cardiovascular Center, the Sixth Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Foshan, China
- Department of Oncology, the Sixth Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Foshan, China
| | - Yanbing Wang
- Department of Cardiology, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiac Function and Microcirculation, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Jianping Bin
- Department of Cardiology, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
- Cardiovascular Center, the Sixth Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Foshan, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiac Function and Microcirculation, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Xinzhong Li
- Department of Cardiology, State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardiac Function and Microcirculation, Guangzhou, China.
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3
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Ghosh S, Nguyen MT, Choi HE, Stahl M, Kühn AL, Van der Auwera S, Grabe HJ, Völzke H, Homuth G, Myers SA, Hogaboam CM, Noth I, Martinez FJ, Petsko GA, Glimcher LH. RIOK2 transcriptionally regulates TRiC and dyskerin complexes to prevent telomere shortening. Nat Commun 2024; 15:7138. [PMID: 39164231 PMCID: PMC11335878 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51336-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Telomere shortening is a prominent hallmark of aging and is emerging as a characteristic feature of Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) and Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). Optimal telomerase activity prevents progressive shortening of telomeres that triggers DNA damage responses. However, the upstream regulation of telomerase holoenzyme components remains poorly defined. Here, we identify RIOK2, a master regulator of human blood cell development, as a critical transcription factor for telomere maintenance. Mechanistically, loss of RIOK2 or its DNA-binding/transactivation properties downregulates mRNA expression of both TRiC and dyskerin complex subunits that impairs telomerase activity, thereby causing telomere shortening. We further show that RIOK2 expression is diminished in aged individuals and IPF patients, and it strongly correlates with shortened telomeres in MDS patient-derived bone marrow cells. Importantly, ectopic expression of RIOK2 alleviates telomere shortening in IPF patient-derived primary lung fibroblasts. Hence, increasing RIOK2 levels prevents telomere shortening, thus offering therapeutic strategies for telomere biology disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shrestha Ghosh
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Mileena T Nguyen
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Ha Eun Choi
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Maximilian Stahl
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Annemarie Luise Kühn
- Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Sandra Van der Auwera
- Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Site Rostock/Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Hans J Grabe
- Department for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Site Rostock/Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Henry Völzke
- Institute for Community Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Georg Homuth
- Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | | | - Cory M Hogaboam
- Women's Guild Lung Institute, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Imre Noth
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Fernando J Martinez
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gregory A Petsko
- Department of Neurology, Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Laurie H Glimcher
- Department of Cancer Immunology and Virology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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4
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El Azzouzi M, El Ahanidi H, Hassan I, Tetou M, Ameur A, Bensaid M, Al Bouzidi A, Oukabli M, Alaoui CH, Addoum B, Chaoui I, Benbacer L, Mzibri ME, Attaleb M. Comprehensive behavioural assessment of TERT in bladder cancer. Urol Oncol 2024:S1078-1439(24)00536-2. [PMID: 39147693 DOI: 10.1016/j.urolonc.2024.06.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Telomerase activity plays a crucial role in cancer development and progression. Thus, telomerase activation through the interplay of mutations and epigenetic alterations in the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter may provide further insight into bladder cancer induction and progression. METHODS In this study 100 bladder tumour tissues were selected, and four molecular signatures were analysed: THOR methylation status, TERT promotor mutation, telomere length, and TERT expression. RESULTS In our study, 88% of bladder cancer patients had an hypermethylation of the THOR region and 60% had mutations in the TERT promoter region. TERT promoter methylation was observed in all stages and grades of bladder cancer. While, TERT promoter mutations were detected in advanced stages and grades. In our cohort, high levels of TERT expression and long telomeres have been found in noninvasive cases of bladder cancer, with a significant association between TERT expression and Telomere length. Interestingly, patients with low TERT expression and cases with long telomeres had significantly longer Disease-free survival and overall survival. CONCLUSION The methylation and mutations occurring in the TERT promoter are implicated in bladder carcinogenesis, offering added prognostic and supplying novel insight into telomere biology in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meryem El Azzouzi
- Biology and Medical Research Unit, CNESTEN, Rabat, Morocco; Rabat Medical and Pharmacy School, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Hajar El Ahanidi
- Biology and Medical Research Unit, CNESTEN, Rabat, Morocco; Department of Pathology and Immunology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Lausanne Branch, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ilias Hassan
- Rabat Medical and Pharmacy School, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco; Department of Urology, Military Hospital Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Mohammed Tetou
- Rabat Medical and Pharmacy School, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco; Department of Urology, Military Hospital Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Ahmed Ameur
- Rabat Medical and Pharmacy School, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco; Department of Urology, Military Hospital Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Mounia Bensaid
- Laboratory of Pathological Anatomy, Military Hospital Mohamed V, Rabat, Morocco; Royal School of Military Health Service, Rabat, Morocco
| | | | - Mohamed Oukabli
- Rabat Medical and Pharmacy School, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco; Laboratory of Pathological Anatomy, Military Hospital Mohamed V, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Chaimae Hafidi Alaoui
- Biology and Medical Research Unit, CNESTEN, Rabat, Morocco; Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Rabat, Morocco
| | | | - Imane Chaoui
- Biology and Medical Research Unit, CNESTEN, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Laila Benbacer
- Biology and Medical Research Unit, CNESTEN, Rabat, Morocco
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5
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Ao Z, Xiao D, Wu J, Sun J, Liu H. CRL4DCAF4 E3 ligase-mediated degradation of MEN1 transcriptionally reactivates hTERT to sustain immortalization in colorectal cancer cells. Carcinogenesis 2024; 45:607-619. [PMID: 38573327 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgae024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Telomerase reactivation is implicated in approximately 85% of human cancers, yet its underlying mechanism remains elusive. In this study, we elucidate that the cullin-RING ubiquitin ligase 4 (CRL4) complex drives the reactivation of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) in colorectal cancer (CRC) by degrading the tumor suppressor, menin 1 (MEN1). Our data show that, in noncancerous intestinal epithelial cells, the transcription factor specificity protein 1 (Sp1) recruits both the histone acetyltransferase p300 and MEN1 to suppress hTERT expression, thus maintaining telomere shortness post-cell division. Inflammation-induced microenvironments trigger an activation of the CRL4DCAF4 E3 ligase, leading to MEN1 ubiquitination and degradation in CRC cells. This process nullifies MEN1's inhibitory action, reactivates hTERT expression at the transcriptional level, interrupts telomere shortening and spurs uncontrolled cellular proliferation. Notably, MEN1 overexpression in CRC cells partially counteracts these oncogenic phenotypes. NSC1517, an inhibitor of the CRL4DCAF4 complex identified through high-throughput screening from a plant-derived chemical pool, hinders MEN1 degradation, attenuates hTERT expression and suppresses tumor growth in mouse xenograft models. Collectively, our research elucidates the transcriptional mechanism driving hTERT reactivation in CRC. Targeting the CRL4DCAF4 E3 ligase emerges as a promising strategy to counteract cancer cell immortalization and curb tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhimin Ao
- Division of Surgery, Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Dan Xiao
- Division of Surgery, Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jing Wu
- Division of Surgery, Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ji Sun
- Division of Surgery, Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hong Liu
- Division of Surgery, Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Zheng C, Sarin KY. Unveiling the genetic landscape of hereditary melanoma: From susceptibility to surveillance. Cancer Treat Res Commun 2024; 40:100837. [PMID: 39137473 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctarc.2024.100837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
The multifactorial etiology underlying melanoma development involves an array of genetic, phenotypic, and environmental factors. Genetic predisposition for melanoma is further influenced by the complex interplay between high-, medium-, and low-penetrance genes, each contributing to varying degrees of susceptibility. Within this network, high-penetrance genes, including CDKN2A, CDK4, BAP1, and POT1, are linked to a pronounced risk for disease, whereas medium- and low-penetrance genes, such as MC1R, MITF, and others, contribute only moderately to melanoma risk. Notably, these genetic factors not only heighten the risk of melanoma but may also increase susceptibility towards internal malignancies, such as pancreatic cancer, renal cell cancer, or neural tumors. Genetic testing and counseling hold paramount importance in the clinical context of suspected hereditary melanoma, facilitating risk assessment, personalized surveillance strategies, and informed decision-making. As our understanding of the genomic landscape deepens, this review paper aims to comprehensively summarize the genetic underpinnings of hereditary melanoma, as well as current screening and management strategies for the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenming Zheng
- Stanford University Department of Dermatology, Redwood City, CA, USA
| | - Kavita Y Sarin
- Stanford University Department of Dermatology, Redwood City, CA, USA.
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Boccardi V, Marano L. Aging, Cancer, and Inflammation: The Telomerase Connection. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8542. [PMID: 39126110 PMCID: PMC11313618 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25158542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2024] [Revised: 07/31/2024] [Accepted: 08/04/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding the complex dynamics of telomere biology is important in the strong link between aging and cancer. Telomeres, the protective caps at the end of chromosomes, are central players in this connection. While their gradual shortening due to replication limits tumors expansion by triggering DNA repair mechanisms, it also promotes oncogenic changes within chromosomes, thus sustaining tumorigenesis. The enzyme telomerase, responsible for maintaining telomere length, emerges as a central player in this context. Its expression in cancer cells facilitates the preservation of telomeres, allowing them to circumvent the growth-limiting effects of short telomeres. Interestingly, the influence of telomerase extends beyond telomere maintenance, as evidenced by its involvement in promoting cell growth through alternative pathways. In this context, inflammation accelerates telomere shortening, resulting in telomere dysfunction, while telomere elements also play a role in modulating the inflammatory response. The recognition of this interplay has promoted the development of novel therapeutic approaches centered around telomerase inhibition. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the field, emphasizing recent progress in knowledge and the implications in understanding of cancer biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Boccardi
- Division of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy
| | - Luigi Marano
- Department of Medicine, Academy of Applied Medical and Social Sciences—AMiSNS: Akademia Medycznych I Spolecznych Nauk Stosowanych, 82-300 Elbląg, Poland;
- Department of General Surgery and Surgical Oncology, “Saint Wojciech” Hospital, “Nicolaus Copernicus” Health Center, 80-462 Gdańsk, Poland
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8
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Li S, Hu G, Chen Y, Sang Y, Tang Q, Liu R. TERT upstream promoter methylation regulates TERT expression and acts as a therapeutic target in TERT promoter mutation-negative thyroid cancer. Cancer Cell Int 2024; 24:271. [PMID: 39097722 PMCID: PMC11297792 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-024-03459-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND DNA hypermethylation and hotspot mutations were frequently observed in the upstream and core promoter of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), respectively, and they were associated with increased TERT expression and adverse clinical outcomes in thyroid cancer. In TERT promoter mutant cancer cells, the hypomethylated TERT mutant allele was active and the hypermethylated TERT wild-type allele was silenced. However, whether and how the upstream promoter methylation regulates TERT expression in TERT mutation-negative cells were largely unknown. METHODS DNA demethylating agents 5-azacytidine and decitabine and a genomic locus-specific demethylation system based on dCas9-TET1 were used to assess the effects of TERT upstream promoter methylation on TERT expression, cell growth and apoptosis of thyroid cancer cells. Regulatory proteins binding to TERT promoter were identified by CRISPR affinity purification in situ of regulatory elements (CAPTURE) combined with mass spectrometry. The enrichments of selected regulatory proteins and histone modifications were evaluated by chromatin immunoprecipitation. RESULTS The level of DNA methylation at TERT upstream promoter and expression of TERT were significantly decreased after treatment with 5-azacytidine or decitabine in TERT promoter wild-type thyroid cancer cells. Genomic locus-specific demethylation of TERT upstream promoter induced TERT downregulation, along with cell apoptosis and growth inhibition. Consistently, demethylating agents sharply inhibited the growth of thyroid cancer cells harboring hypermethylated TERT but had little effect on cells with TERT hypomethylation. Moreover, we identified that the chromatin remodeling protein CHD4 binds to methylated TERT upstream promoter and promotes its transcription by suppressing the enrichment of H3K9me3 and H3K27me3 at TERT promoter. CONCLUSIONS This study uncovered the mechanism of promoter methylation mediated TERT activation in TERT promoter mutation-negative thyroid cancer cells and indicated TERT upstream promoter methylation as a therapeutic target for thyroid cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyong Li
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 58, Zhongshan Second Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Guanghui Hu
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 58, Zhongshan Second Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Yulu Chen
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 58, Zhongshan Second Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Ye Sang
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 58, Zhongshan Second Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Qin Tang
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 58, Zhongshan Second Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China
| | - Rengyun Liu
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, No. 58, Zhongshan Second Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China.
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9
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An HR, Kim WG, Lee YM, Sung TY, Song DE. Comparison of TERT and 5-Hydroxymethylcytocine immunohistochemistry in various thyroid carcinomas. Ann Diagn Pathol 2024; 71:152290. [PMID: 38552304 DOI: 10.1016/j.anndiagpath.2024.152290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter mutation is associated with an aggressive clinical course in thyroid carcinomas. Therefore, detection of TERT promoter mutation is essential for proper patient management. 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) is an epigenetic marker involved in the DNA demethylation pathway, and its loss has been observed in various tumors. Loss of 5hmC has also been reported in thyroid carcinomas and is presented as a possible predictive biomarker for TERT promoter mutation and worse prognosis. This study evaluated the expression of TERT and 5hmC by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in 105 patients (44 in the TERT mutant group and 61 in the TERT wild group) with various thyroid carcinomas. H-scores were calculated using an image analyzer. The median H-scores of TERT IHC were significantly higher in the TERT mutant group than in the TERT wild group (47.15 vs. 9.80). The sensitivity and specificity of TERT IHC for predicting TERT promoter mutations were 65.9 and 65.7 %, respectively. Regardless of TERT promoter mutation status, the 5hmC H-scores were markedly lower in all subtypes of thyroid carcinomas compared to those in their normal counterparts. Significant differences in 5hmC H-scores were observed between N0 and N1 in total thyroid carcinomas, but not within the papillary thyroid carcinoma subgroup. In conclusion, TERT and 5hmC IHC have limitations in predicting the presence of TERT promoter mutations. The expression of 5hmC was downregulated in various thyroid carcinomas compared to that in normal and benign lesions, but comprehensive further studies are required to elucidate the role of 5hmC in thyroid carcinomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeong Rok An
- Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea.
| | - Won Gu Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yu-Mi Lee
- Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea.
| | - Tae-Yon Sung
- Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea.
| | - Dong Eun Song
- Department of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Republic of Korea.
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Guo D, Lin S, Wang X, Jiao Z, Li G, An L, Zhang Z, Zhang L. Establishment and Characterization of a Chicken Myoblast Cell Line. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8340. [PMID: 39125909 PMCID: PMC11312951 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25158340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2024] [Revised: 07/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/28/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Skeletal muscle, which is predominantly constituted by multinucleated muscle fibers, plays a pivotal role in sustaining bodily movements and energy metabolism. Myoblasts, which serve as precursor cells for differentiation and fusion into muscle fibers, are of critical importance in the exploration of the functional genes associated with embryonic muscle development. However, the in vitro proliferation of primary myoblasts is inherently constrained. In this study, we achieved a significant breakthrough by successfully establishing a chicken myoblast cell line through the introduction of the exogenous chicken telomerase reverse transcriptase (chTERT) gene, followed by rigorous G418-mediated pressure screening. This newly developed cell line, which was designated as chTERT-myoblasts, closely resembled primary myoblasts in terms of morphology and exhibited remarkable stability in culture for at least 20 generations of population doublings without undergoing malignant transformation. In addition, we conducted an exhaustive analysis that encompassed cellular proliferation, differentiation, and transfection characteristics. Our findings revealed that the chTERT-myoblasts had the ability to proliferate, differentiate, and transfect after multiple rounds of population doublings. This achievement not only furnished a valuable source of homogeneous avian cell material for investigating embryonic muscle development, but also provided valuable insights and methodologies for establishing primary cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongxue Guo
- College of Coastal Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Shudai Lin
- College of Coastal Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Xiaotong Wang
- College of Coastal Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Zhenhai Jiao
- College of Coastal Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Guo Li
- College of Coastal Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Lilong An
- College of Coastal Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Zihao Zhang
- College of Coastal Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
| | - Li Zhang
- College of Coastal Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
- Key Laboratory of Farm Animal Genetic Resources and Germplasm Innovation in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, China
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11
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Zeng H, Xu L, Liu J, Mo L, Li M, Song S, Xu X, Miao S, Zhao M, Yang P. Regulation of Tert methylation alleviates food allergy via regulating the Tert-IL10 signal pathway. Immunol Res 2024:10.1007/s12026-024-09504-6. [PMID: 39034374 DOI: 10.1007/s12026-024-09504-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The cause of food allergy (FA) is still a mystery. Telomerases are involved in the regulation of immune responses. This study aims to gain an understanding of the contribution of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) to the pathogenesis of FA. METHODS A murine FA model was established with ovalbumin as the specific antigen. The role of TERT in regulating dendritic cell (DC) immune tolerogenic functions was evaluated in this murine model. RESULTS We observed that the Tert promoter was at demethylation status and the Tert expression was elevated in DCs of FA mice. The Tert expression in DCs had a positive correlation with the FA response. TERT prevented the induction of Il10 expression in DCs. The immune tolerogenic functions of DCs were diminished by TERT. The immune tolerogenic functions of DC were restored by CpG by boosting the Tert promoter methylation. Administration of CpG promoted the therapeutic effects of allergen specific immunotherapy in FA mice. CONCLUSIONS Low levels of Il10 expression and high levels of Tert expression were observed in intestinal DCs of FA mice. CpG exposure restored the expression of Il10 and increased the therapeutic benefits of allergen-specific immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haotao Zeng
- Department of Allergy, Longgang ENT Hospital & Shenzhen ENT Institute, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lingzhi Xu
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Jiangqi Liu
- Department of Allergy, Longgang ENT Hospital & Shenzhen ENT Institute, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lihua Mo
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases Allergy Division, Shenzhen University and Institute of Allergy & Immunology of Shenzhen University, Room A7-509 at Lihu Campus of Shenzhen University. 1066 Xueyuan Blvd, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Department of General Practice Medicine, Third Affiliated Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Minyao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases Allergy Division, Shenzhen University and Institute of Allergy & Immunology of Shenzhen University, Room A7-509 at Lihu Campus of Shenzhen University. 1066 Xueyuan Blvd, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Department of General Practice Medicine, Third Affiliated Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shuo Song
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases Allergy Division, Shenzhen University and Institute of Allergy & Immunology of Shenzhen University, Room A7-509 at Lihu Campus of Shenzhen University. 1066 Xueyuan Blvd, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Department of General Practice Medicine, Third Affiliated Hospital, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xuejie Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases Allergy Division, Shenzhen University and Institute of Allergy & Immunology of Shenzhen University, Room A7-509 at Lihu Campus of Shenzhen University. 1066 Xueyuan Blvd, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Shihan Miao
- Shenzhen Senior High School Group, Shenzhen, China
| | - Miao Zhao
- Department of Allergy, Longgang ENT Hospital & Shenzhen ENT Institute, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Pingchang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases Allergy Division, Shenzhen University and Institute of Allergy & Immunology of Shenzhen University, Room A7-509 at Lihu Campus of Shenzhen University. 1066 Xueyuan Blvd, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
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12
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Wang M, Fukushima S, Sheen YS, Ramelyte E, Cruz-Pacheco N, Shi C, Liu S, Banik I, Aquino JD, Sangueza Acosta M, Levesque M, Dummer R, Liau JY, Chu CY, Shain AH, Yeh I, Bastian BC. The genetic evolution of acral melanoma. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6146. [PMID: 39034322 PMCID: PMC11271482 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50233-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Acral melanoma is an aggressive type of melanoma with unknown origins. It is the most common type of melanoma in individuals with dark skin and is notoriously challenging to treat. We examine exome sequencing data of 139 tissue samples, spanning different progression stages, from 37 patients. We find that 78.4% of the melanomas display clustered copy number transitions with focal amplifications, recurring predominantly on chromosomes 5, 11, 12, and 22. These complex genomic aberrations are typically shared across all progression stages of individual patients. TERT activating alterations also arise early, whereas MAP-kinase pathway mutations appear later, an inverted order compared to the canonical evolution. The punctuated formation of complex aberrations and early TERT activation suggest a unique mutational mechanism that initiates acral melanoma. The marked intratumoral heterogeneity, especially concerning MAP-kinase pathway mutations, may partly explain the limited success of therapies for this melanoma subtype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Wang
- Department of Dermatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Satoshi Fukushima
- Department of Dermatology and Plastic Surgery, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Yi-Shuan Sheen
- Department of Dermatology, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Egle Ramelyte
- Department of Dermatology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Noel Cruz-Pacheco
- Department of Dermatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Chenxu Shi
- Department of Dermatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Shanshan Liu
- Department of Dermatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ishani Banik
- Department of Dermatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jamie D Aquino
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Mitchell Levesque
- Department of Dermatology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Reinhard Dummer
- Department of Dermatology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jau-Yu Liau
- Department of Dermatology, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Yu Chu
- Department of Dermatology, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - A Hunter Shain
- Department of Dermatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Iwei Yeh
- Department of Dermatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Boris C Bastian
- Department of Dermatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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13
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Tan KT, Slevin MK, Leibowitz ML, Garrity-Janger M, Shan J, Li H, Meyerson M. Neotelomeres and telomere-spanning chromosomal arm fusions in cancer genomes revealed by long-read sequencing. CELL GENOMICS 2024; 4:100588. [PMID: 38917803 PMCID: PMC11293586 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2024.100588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Alterations in the structure and location of telomeres are pivotal in cancer genome evolution. Here, we applied both long-read and short-read genome sequencing to assess telomere repeat-containing structures in cancers and cancer cell lines. Using long-read genome sequences that span telomeric repeats, we defined four types of telomere repeat variations in cancer cells: neotelomeres where telomere addition heals chromosome breaks, chromosomal arm fusions spanning telomere repeats, fusions of neotelomeres, and peri-centromeric fusions with adjoined telomere and centromere repeats. These results provide a framework for the systematic study of telomeric repeats in cancer genomes, which could serve as a model for understanding the somatic evolution of other repetitive genomic elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kar-Tong Tan
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | | | - Mitchell L Leibowitz
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Max Garrity-Janger
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Jidong Shan
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Heng Li
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - Matthew Meyerson
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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14
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Zhang B, Zhou Q, Xue C, Ke X, Zhang P, Han T, Deng L, Jing M, Zhou J. Nomogram of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) histogram analysis to predict telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter mutation status in glioblastoma. Quant Imaging Med Surg 2024; 14:4840-4854. [PMID: 39022283 PMCID: PMC11250314 DOI: 10.21037/qims-24-71] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Background Telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter (pTERT) status is a strong biomarker to diagnose and predict the prognosis of glioblastoma (GBM). In this study, we explored the predictive value of preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) histogram analysis in the form of nomogram for evaluating pTERT mutation status in GBM. Methods The clinical and imaging data of 181 patients with GBM at our hospital between November 2018 and April 2023 were retrospectively assessed. We used the molecular sequencing results to classify the datasets into pTERT mutations (C228T and C250T) and pTERT-wildtype groups. FireVoxel software was used to extract preoperative T1-weighted contrast-enhanced (T1C) histogram parameters of GBM patients. The T1C histogram parameters were compared between groups. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to construct the nomogram, and the predictive efficacy of model was evaluated using calibration and decision curves. Receiver operating characteristic curve was used to assess model performance. Results Patient age and percentage of unenhanced tumor area showed statistically significant differences between the pTERT mutation and pTERT-wildtype groups (P<0.001). Among the T1C histogram features, the maximum, standard deviation (SD), variance, coefficient of variation (CV), skewness, 5th, 10th, 25th, 95th and 99th percentiles were statistically significantly different between groups (P=0.000-0.040). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age, percentage of unenhanced tumor area, SD and CV were independent risk factors for predicting pTERT mutation status in GBM patients. The logistic regression model based on these four features showed a better sample predictive performance, and the area under the curve (AUC) [95% confidence interval (CI)], accuracy, sensitivity, specificity were 0.842 (0.767-0.917), 0.796, 0.820, and 0.729, respectively. There were no significant differences in the T1C histogram parameters between the C228T and C250T groups (P=0.055-0.854). Conclusions T1C histogram parameters can be used to evaluate pTERT mutations status in GBM. A nomogram based on conventional MRI features and T1C histogram parameters is a reliable tool for the pTERT mutation status, allowing for non-invasive radiological prediction before surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- Second Clinical School, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- Gansu International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Medical Imaging Artificial Intelligence, Lanzhou, China
| | - Qing Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- Second Clinical School, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- Gansu International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Medical Imaging Artificial Intelligence, Lanzhou, China
| | - Caiqiang Xue
- Department of Radiology, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- Second Clinical School, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- Gansu International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Medical Imaging Artificial Intelligence, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiaoai Ke
- Department of Radiology, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- Gansu International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Medical Imaging Artificial Intelligence, Lanzhou, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Tao Han
- Department of Radiology, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- Second Clinical School, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- Gansu International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Medical Imaging Artificial Intelligence, Lanzhou, China
| | - Liangna Deng
- Department of Radiology, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- Second Clinical School, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- Gansu International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Medical Imaging Artificial Intelligence, Lanzhou, China
| | - Mengyuan Jing
- Department of Radiology, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- Second Clinical School, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- Gansu International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Medical Imaging Artificial Intelligence, Lanzhou, China
| | - Junlin Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- Second Clinical School, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging of Gansu Province, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- Gansu International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Medical Imaging Artificial Intelligence, Lanzhou, China
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15
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Skrzeszewski M, Maciejewska M, Kobza D, Gawrylak A, Kieda C, Waś H. Risk factors of using late-autophagy inhibitors: Aspects to consider when combined with anticancer therapies. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 225:116277. [PMID: 38740222 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Cancer resistance to therapy is still an unsolved scientific and clinical problem. In 2022, the hallmarks of cancer have been expanded to include four new features, including cellular senescence. Therapy-induced senescence (TIS) is a stressor-based response to conventional treatment methods, e.g. chemo- and radiotherapy, but also to non-conventional targeted therapies. Since TIS reinforces resistance in cancers, new strategies for sensitizing cancer cells to therapy are being adopted. These include macroautophagy as a potential target for inhibition due to its potential cytoprotective role in many cancers. The mechanism of late-stage autophagy inhibitors is based on blockage of autophagolysosome formation or an increase in lysosomal pH, resulting in disrupted cargo degradation. Such inhibitors are relevant candidates for increasing anticancer therapy effectiveness. In particular, 4-aminoquoline derivatives: chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine (CQ/HCQ) have been tested in multiple clinical trials in combination with senescence-inducing anti-cancer drugs. In this review, we summarize the properties of selected late-autophagy inhibitors and their role in the regulation of autophagy and senescent cell phenotype in vitro and in vivo models of cancer as well as treatment response in clinical trials on oncological patients. Additionally, we point out that, although these compounds increase the effectiveness of treatment in some cases, their practical usage might be hindered due to systemic toxicity, hypoxic environment, dose- ant time-dependent inhibitory effects, as well as a possible contribution to escaping from TIS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciej Skrzeszewski
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Innovative Therapies, Military Institute of Medicine - National Research Institute, Poland; Doctoral School of Translational Medicine, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Poland
| | - Monika Maciejewska
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Innovative Therapies, Military Institute of Medicine - National Research Institute, Poland
| | - Dagmara Kobza
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Innovative Therapies, Military Institute of Medicine - National Research Institute, Poland; School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Aleksandra Gawrylak
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Innovative Therapies, Military Institute of Medicine - National Research Institute, Poland; Department of Immunology, Institute of Functional Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Poland
| | - Claudine Kieda
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Innovative Therapies, Military Institute of Medicine - National Research Institute, Poland; Centre for Molecular Biophysics, UPR CNRS 4301, Orléans, France; Department of Molecular and Translational Oncology, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Halina Waś
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Innovative Therapies, Military Institute of Medicine - National Research Institute, Poland.
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16
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Graham MK, Xu B, Davis C, Meeker AK, Heaphy CM, Yegnasubramanian S, Dyer MA, Zeineldin M. The TERT Promoter is Polycomb-Repressed in Neuroblastoma Cells with Long Telomeres. CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:1533-1547. [PMID: 38837897 PMCID: PMC11188873 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-22-0287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Acquiring a telomere maintenance mechanism is a hallmark of high-risk neuroblastoma and commonly occurs by expressing telomerase (TERT). Telomerase-negative neuroblastoma has long telomeres and utilizes the telomerase-independent alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) mechanism. Conversely, no discernable telomere maintenance mechanism is detected in a fraction of neuroblastoma with long telomeres. Here, we show, unlike most cancers, DNA of the TERT promoter is broadly hypomethylated in neuroblastoma. In telomerase-positive neuroblastoma cells, the hypomethylated DNA promoter is approximately 1.5 kb. The TERT locus shows active chromatin marks with low enrichment for the repressive mark, H3K27me3. MYCN, a commonly amplified oncogene in neuroblstoma, binds to the promoter and induces TERT expression. Strikingly, in neuroblastoma with long telomeres, the hypomethylated region spans the entire TERT locus, including multiple nearby genes with enrichment for the repressive H3K27me3 chromatin mark. Furthermore, subtelomeric regions showed enrichment of repressive chromatin marks in neuroblastomas with long telomeres relative to those with short telomeres. These repressive marks were even more evident at the genic loci, suggesting a telomere position effect (TPE). Inhibiting H3K27 methylation by three different EZH2 inhibitors induced the expression of TERT in cell lines with long telomeres and H3K27me3 marks in the promoter region. EZH2 inhibition facilitated MYCN binding to the TERT promoter in neuroblastoma cells with long telomeres. Taken together, these data suggest that epigenetic regulation of TERT expression differs in neuroblastoma depending on the telomere maintenance status, and H3K27 methylation is important in repressing TERT expression in neuroblastoma with long telomeres. SIGNIFICANCE The epigenetic landscape of the TERT locus is unique in neuroblastoma. The DNA at the TERT locus, unlike other cancer cells and similar to normal cells, are hypomethylated in telomerase-positive neuroblastoma cells. The TERT locus is repressed by polycomb repressive complex-2 complex in neuroblastoma cells that have long telomeres and do not express TERT. Long telomeres in neuroblastoma cells are also associated with repressive chromatin states at the chromosomal termini, suggesting TPE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mindy K. Graham
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Urology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Beisi Xu
- Center for Applied Bioinformatics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Christine Davis
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Alan K. Meeker
- Department of Urology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Urology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Christopher M. Heaphy
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Srinivasan Yegnasubramanian
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Urology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Michael A. Dyer
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Maged Zeineldin
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
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Panagiotou E, Vathiotis IA, Makrythanasis P, Hirsch F, Sen T, Syrigos K. Biological and therapeutic implications of the cancer-related germline mutation landscape in lung cancer. THE LANCET. RESPIRATORY MEDICINE 2024:S2213-2600(24)00124-3. [PMID: 38885686 DOI: 10.1016/s2213-2600(24)00124-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Although smoking is the primary cause of lung cancer, only about 15% of lifelong smokers develop the disease. Moreover, a substantial proportion of lung cancer cases occur in never-smokers, highlighting the potential role of inherited genetic factors in the cause of lung cancer. Lung cancer is significantly more common among those with a positive family history, especially for early-onset disease. Therefore, the presence of pathogenic germline variants might act synergistically with environmental factors. The incorporation of next-generation sequencing in routine clinical practice has led to the identification of cancer-predisposing mutations in an increasing proportion of patients with lung cancer. This Review summarises the landscape of germline susceptibility in lung cancer and highlights the importance of germline testing in patients diagnosed with the disease, which has the potential to identify individuals at risk, with implications for tailored therapeutic approaches and successful prevention through genetic counselling and screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanouil Panagiotou
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Sotiria General Hospital for Chest Diseases, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Ioannis A Vathiotis
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Sotiria General Hospital for Chest Diseases, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
| | - Periklis Makrythanasis
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece; Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, Medical School, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Fred Hirsch
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Triparna Sen
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Konstantinos Syrigos
- Third Department of Internal Medicine, Sotiria General Hospital for Chest Diseases, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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18
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Hakobyan M, Binder H, Arakelyan A. Pan-cancer analysis of telomere maintenance mechanisms. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107392. [PMID: 38763334 PMCID: PMC11225560 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 04/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Telomeres, protective caps at chromosome ends, maintain genomic stability and control cell lifespan. Dysregulated telomere maintenance mechanisms (TMMs) are cancer hallmarks, enabling unchecked cell proliferation. We conducted a pan-cancer evaluation of TMM using RNA sequencing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas for 33 different cancer types and analyzed the activities of telomerase-dependent (TEL) and alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) TMM pathways in detail. To further characterize the TMM profiles, we categorized the tumors based on their ALT and TEL TMM pathway activities into five major phenotypes: ALT high TEL low, ALT low TEL low, ALT middle TEL middle, ALT high TEL high, and ALT low TEL high. These phenotypes refer to variations in telomere maintenance strategies, shedding light on the heterogeneous nature of telomere regulation in cancer. Moreover, we investigated the clinical implications of TMM phenotypes by examining their associations with clinical characteristics and patient outcomes. Specific TMM profiles were linked to specific survival patterns, emphasizing the potential of TMM profiling as a prognostic indicator and aiding in personalized cancer treatment strategies. Gene ontology analysis of the TMM phenotypes unveiled enriched biological processes associated with cell cycle regulation (both TEL and ALT), DNA replication (TEL), and chromosome dynamics (ALT) showing that telomere maintenance is tightly intertwined with cellular processes governing proliferation and genomic stability. Overall, our study provides an overview of the complexity of transcriptional regulation of telomere maintenance mechanisms in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meline Hakobyan
- Bioinformatics Group, Institute of Molecular Biology NAS RA, Yerevan, Armenia.
| | - Hans Binder
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany; Armenian Bioinformatics Institute, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Arsen Arakelyan
- Bioinformatics Group, Institute of Molecular Biology NAS RA, Yerevan, Armenia
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19
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Sidali S, Borie R, Sicre de Fontbrune F, El Husseini K, Rautou PE, Lainey E, Goria O, Crestani B, Cadranel J, Cottin V, Bunel V, Dumortier J, Jacquemin E, Reboux N, Hirschi S, Bourdin A, Meszaros M, Dharancy S, Hilaire S, Mallet V, Reynaud-Gaubert M, Terriou L, Gottrand F, Abou Chahla W, Khan JE, Carrier P, Saliba F, Rubbia-Brandt L, Aubert JD, Elkrief L, de Lédinghen V, Abergel A, Olivier T, Houssel P, Jouneau S, Wemeau L, Bergeron A, Leblanc T, Ollivier-Hourmand I, Nguyen Khac E, Morisse-Pradier H, Ba I, Boileau C, Roudot-Thoraval F, Vilgrain V, Bureau C, Nunes H, Naccache JM, Durand F, Francoz C, Roulot D, Valla D, Paradis V, Kannengiesser C, Plessier A. Liver disease in germline mutations of telomere-related genes: Prevalence, clinical, radiological, pathological features, outcome, and risk factors. Hepatology 2024; 79:1365-1380. [PMID: 37934624 DOI: 10.1097/hep.0000000000000667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Germline mutations of telomere-related genes (TRG) induce multiorgan dysfunction, and liver-specific manifestations have not been clearly outlined. We aimed to describe TRG mutations-associated liver diseases. APPROACH AND RESULTS Retrospective multicenter analysis of liver disease (transaminases > 30 IU/L and/or abnormal liver imaging) in patients with TRG mutations. Main measurements were characteristics, outcomes, and risk factors of liver disease in a TRG mutations cohort. The prevalence of liver disease was compared to a community-based control group (n = 1190) stratified for age and matched 1:3 for known risk factors of liver disease. Among 132 patients with TRG mutations, 95 (72%) had liver disease, with associated lung, blood, skin, rheumatological, and ophthalmological TRG diseases in 82%, 77%, 55%, 39%, and 30% of cases, respectively. Liver biopsy was performed in 52/95 patients, identifying porto-sinusoidal vascular disease in 48% and advanced fibrosis/cirrhosis in 15%. After a follow-up of 21 months (12-54), ascites, hepato-pulmonary syndrome, variceal bleeding, and HCC occurred in 14%, 13%, 13%, and 2% of cases, respectively. Five-year liver transplantation-free survival was 69%. A FIB-4 score ≥ 3·25 and ≥1 risk factor for cirrhosis were associated with poor liver transplantation-free survival. Liver disease was more frequent in patients with TRG mutations than in the paired control group [80/396, (20%)], OR 12.9 (CI 95%: 7.8-21.3, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS TRG mutations significantly increase the risk of developing liver disease. Although symptoms may be mild, they may be associated with severe disease. Porto-sinusoidal vascular disease and cirrhosis were the most frequent lesions, suggesting that the mechanism of action is multifactorial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Sidali
- Université de Paris, AP-HP, C, DMU DIGEST, Centre de Référence des Maladies Vasculaires du Foie, FILFOIE, ERN RARE-LIVER, Centre de Recherche sur l'inflammation, Inserm, Paris, France
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Charles Nicolle, Hépato-Gastroentérologie, Rouen, France
| | - Raphaël Borie
- APHP, Service de Pneumologie, Centre de Référence des Maladies Pulmonaires Rares, FHU APOLLO, Hôpital Bichat, Paris, France
| | - Flore Sicre de Fontbrune
- Hematology Transplant Unit, Hôpital Saint louis, APHP, Paris, France, and French National Referral Center for Aplastic Anemia, CRMR
| | - Kinan El Husseini
- APHP, Service de Pneumologie, Centre de Référence des Maladies Pulmonaires Rares, FHU APOLLO, Hôpital Bichat, Paris, France
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Charles Nicolle, Pneumologie, Rouen, France
| | - Pierre-Emmanuel Rautou
- Université de Paris, AP-HP, C, DMU DIGEST, Centre de Référence des Maladies Vasculaires du Foie, FILFOIE, ERN RARE-LIVER, Centre de Recherche sur l'inflammation, Inserm, Paris, France
| | | | - Odile Goria
- Université de Paris, AP-HP, C, DMU DIGEST, Centre de Référence des Maladies Vasculaires du Foie, FILFOIE, ERN RARE-LIVER, Centre de Recherche sur l'inflammation, Inserm, Paris, France
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Charles Nicolle, Hépato-Gastroentérologie, Rouen, France
| | - Bruno Crestani
- APHP, Service de Pneumologie, Centre de Référence des Maladies Pulmonaires Rares, FHU APOLLO, Hôpital Bichat, Paris, France
| | | | - Vincent Cottin
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Lyon Sud, Pneumologie, Pierre-Bénite, France
| | - Vincent Bunel
- APHP, Service de Pneumologie, Centre de Référence des Maladies Pulmonaires Rares, FHU APOLLO, Hôpital Bichat, Paris, France
| | | | - Emmanuel Jacquemin
- Hôpital Kremlin-Bicêtre AP-HP, Hépatologie Pédiatrique, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Noémi Reboux
- Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire Morvan, Hépatologie, Brest, France
| | - Sandrine Hirschi
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Strasbourg, Pneumologie, Strasbourg, France
| | - Arnaud Bourdin
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Montpellier, Pneumologie, Montpellier, France
| | - Magdalena Meszaros
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Montpellier, Hépatologie, Montpellier, France
| | - Sebastien Dharancy
- Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Lille, Hépatologie, Lille, France
| | | | | | | | - Louis Terriou
- Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Lille, Médecine interne- Hématologie, Lille, France
| | - Frédéric Gottrand
- Univ. Lille, CHU Lille, Department of pediatric gastroenterology hepatology and nutrition, Inserm, Lille, France
| | - Wadih Abou Chahla
- Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Lille, Hémato-Pédiatrie, Lille, France
| | | | - Paul Carrier
- Hôpital Universitaire Dupuytren, Hépatologie, Limoges, France
| | - Faouzi Saliba
- Hôpital Paul-Brousse, AP-HP, Hépatologie, Villejuif, France
| | | | - John-David Aubert
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Pneumologie, Lausanne, Suisse
| | - Laure Elkrief
- Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Tours, Hépatologie, Tours, France
| | - Victor de Lédinghen
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire - Haut-Lévêque, Hépatologie, Pessac, France
| | - Armand Abergel
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Hépatologie, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | | | - Pauline Houssel
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Hépatologie, Rennes, France
| | | | - Lidwine Wemeau
- Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Lille, Pneumologie, Lille, France
| | - Anne Bergeron
- Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève (HUG), Pneumologie, Genève, Suisse
| | - Thierry Leblanc
- Hematology Transplant Unit, Hôpital Saint louis, APHP, Paris, France, and French National Referral Center for Aplastic Anemia, CRMR
| | | | - Eric Nguyen Khac
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Amiens-Picardie Site Sud, Hépatologie, Amiens, France
| | | | - Ibrahima Ba
- Hôpital Bichat-Claude Bernard AP-HP, Génétique, Paris, France
| | | | | | | | | | - Hilario Nunes
- Hôpital Avicenne AP-HP, Pneumologie, Bobigny, France
| | | | - François Durand
- Université de Paris, AP-HP, C, DMU DIGEST, Centre de Référence des Maladies Vasculaires du Foie, FILFOIE, ERN RARE-LIVER, Centre de Recherche sur l'inflammation, Inserm, Paris, France
| | - Claire Francoz
- Université de Paris, AP-HP, C, DMU DIGEST, Centre de Référence des Maladies Vasculaires du Foie, FILFOIE, ERN RARE-LIVER, Centre de Recherche sur l'inflammation, Inserm, Paris, France
| | | | - Dominique Valla
- Université de Paris, AP-HP, C, DMU DIGEST, Centre de Référence des Maladies Vasculaires du Foie, FILFOIE, ERN RARE-LIVER, Centre de Recherche sur l'inflammation, Inserm, Paris, France
| | | | | | - Aurélie Plessier
- Université de Paris, AP-HP, C, DMU DIGEST, Centre de Référence des Maladies Vasculaires du Foie, FILFOIE, ERN RARE-LIVER, Centre de Recherche sur l'inflammation, Inserm, Paris, France
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20
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Wijesekera A, Weeramange CE, Vasani S, Kenny L, Knowland E, Seneviratne J, Punyadeera C. Surveillance of human papillomavirus through salivary diagnostics - A roadmap to early detection of oropharyngeal cancer in men. Tumour Virus Res 2024; 17:200278. [PMID: 38442788 PMCID: PMC10937231 DOI: 10.1016/j.tvr.2024.200278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted disease. Certain strains have the potential to cause malignancy in multiple anatomical sites if not cleared by the immune system. In most infected people, HPV is cleared within two years. However, HPV may persist in susceptible individuals with certain risk factors, eventually leading to malignancy. New evidence suggests that over 75% of all oropharyngeal cancers (OPC) are directly attributable to HPV. It is estimated that prophylactic HPV vaccination alone may take at least 25 years to have a significant impact on reducing the incidence of OPC. The temporal link between detection of oral HPV, persistence of the infection and the subsequent development of OPC have been well established. Moreover, men have threefold higher risk than women for acquiring HPV-OPC. This comprehensive review focuses on OPC development in men, highlighting the risk factors associated with malignant transformation of HPV-OPC. Current evidence is insufficient to determine whether early identification of at-risk demographics, screening, and prompt diagnosis result in improved outcomes. Hitherto, the effectiveness of an oral HPV screening program in this regard has not been investigated. Nevertheless, the potential to emulate the success of the cervical screening program remains a very real possibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akila Wijesekera
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia; Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Chameera Ekanayake Weeramange
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia
| | - Sarju Vasani
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia; Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Queensland, Australia
| | - Liz Kenny
- Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Queensland, Australia; Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia
| | - Emma Knowland
- Metro North Sexual Health and HIV Service, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Chamindie Punyadeera
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia; Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia.
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21
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Drobyshev A, Modestov A, Suntsova M, Poddubskaya E, Seryakov A, Moisseev A, Sorokin M, Tkachev V, Zakharova G, Simonov A, Zolotovskaia MA, Buzdin A. Pan-cancer experimental characteristic of human transcriptional patterns connected with telomerase reverse transcriptase ( TERT) gene expression status. Front Genet 2024; 15:1401100. [PMID: 38859942 PMCID: PMC11163056 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1401100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The TERT gene encodes the reverse transcriptase subunit of telomerase and is normally transcriptionally suppressed in differentiated human cells but reactivated in cancers where its expression is frequently associated with poor survival prognosis. Here we experimentally assessed the RNA sequencing expression patterns associated with TERT transcription in 1039 human cancer samples of 27 tumor types. We observed a bimodal distribution of TERT expression where ∼27% of cancer samples did not express TERT and the rest showed a bell-shaped distribution. Expression of TERT strongly correlated with 1443 human genes including 103 encoding transcriptional factor proteins. Comparison of TERT- positive and negative cancers showed the differential activation of 496 genes and 1975 molecular pathways. Therein, 32/38 (84%) of DNA repair pathways were hyperactivated in TERT+ cancers which was also connected with accelerated replication, transcription, translation, and cell cycle progression. In contrast, the level of 40 positive cell cycle regulator proteins and a set of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition pathways was specific for the TERT- group suggesting different proliferation strategies for both groups of cancer. Our pilot study showed that the TERT+ group had ∼13% of cancers with C228T or C250T mutated TERT promoter. However, the presence of promoter mutations was not associated with greater TERT expression compared with other TERT+ cancers, suggesting parallel mechanisms of its transcriptional activation in cancers. In addition, we detected a decreased expression of L1 retrotransposons in the TERT+ group, and further decreased L1 expression in promoter mutated TERT+ cancers. TERT expression was correlated with 17 genes encoding molecular targets of cancer therapeutics and may relate to differential survival patterns of TERT- positive and negative cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksey Drobyshev
- Endocrinology Research Center, Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Personalized Oncology, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander Modestov
- Institute of Personalized Oncology, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Maria Suntsova
- Endocrinology Research Center, Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Personalized Oncology, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Elena Poddubskaya
- Institute of Personalized Oncology, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
- Clinical Center Vitamed, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Aleksey Moisseev
- Institute of Personalized Oncology, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Maksim Sorokin
- Endocrinology Research Center, Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Personalized Oncology, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Galina Zakharova
- Institute of Personalized Oncology, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Aleksander Simonov
- Institute of Personalized Oncology, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Marianna A. Zolotovskaia
- Endocrinology Research Center, Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Personalized Oncology, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
- Moscow Center for Advanced Studies 20, Moscow, Russia
| | - Anton Buzdin
- Endocrinology Research Center, Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Personalized Oncology, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
- Moscow Center for Advanced Studies 20, Moscow, Russia
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, Russia
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22
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Nikolouzakis TK, Chrysos E, Docea AO, Fragkiadaki P, Souglakos J, Tsiaoussis J, Tsatsakis A. Current and Future Trends of Colorectal Cancer Treatment: Exploring Advances in Immunotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1995. [PMID: 38893120 PMCID: PMC11171065 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16111995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer of the colon and rectum (CRC) has been identified among the three most prevalent types of cancer and cancer-related deaths for both sexes. Even though significant progress in surgical and chemotherapeutic techniques has markedly improved disease-free and overall survival rates in contrast to those three decades ago, recent years have seen a stagnation in these improvements. This underscores the need for new therapies aiming to augment patient outcomes. A number of emerging strategies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and adoptive cell therapy (ACT), have exhibited promising outcomes not only in preclinical but also in clinical settings. Additionally, a thorough appreciation of the underlying biology has expanded the scope of research into potential therapeutic interventions. For instance, the pivotal role of altered telomere length in early CRC carcinogenesis, leading to chromosomal instability and telomere dysfunction, presents a promising avenue for future treatments. Thus, this review explores the advancements in CRC immunotherapy and telomere-targeted therapies, examining potential synergies and how these novel treatment modalities intersect to potentially enhance each other's efficacy, paving the way for promising future therapeutic advancements.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emmanuel Chrysos
- Department of General Surgery, University General Hospital of Heraklion, 71110 Heraklion, Greece; (T.K.N.); (E.C.)
| | - Anca Oana Docea
- Department of Toxicology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania
| | - Persefoni Fragkiadaki
- Department of Forensic Sciences and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece; (P.F.); (A.T.)
| | - John Souglakos
- Laboratory of Translational Oncology, Medical School, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Greece;
| | - John Tsiaoussis
- Department of Anatomy, Medical School, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Greece;
| | - Aristidis Tsatsakis
- Department of Forensic Sciences and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece; (P.F.); (A.T.)
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23
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Koukourikis P, Papaioannou M, Pervana S, Apostolidis A. Exploring the DNA Methylation Profile of Genes Associated with Bladder Cancer in Bladder Tissue of Patients with Neurogenic Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5660. [PMID: 38891848 PMCID: PMC11171624 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2024] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation is an epigenetic process that commonly occurs in genes' promoters and results in the transcriptional silencing of genes. DNA methylation is a frequent event in bladder cancer, participating in tumor initiation and progression. Bladder cancer is a major health issue in patients suffering from neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD), although the pathogenetic mechanisms of the disease remain unclear. In this population, bladder cancer is characterized by aggressive histopathology, advanced stage during diagnosis, and high mortality rates. To assess the DNA methylation profiles of five genes' promoters previously known to be associated with bladder cancer in bladder tissue of NLUTD patients, we conducted a prospective study recruiting NLUTD patients from the neuro-urology unit of a public teaching hospital. Cystoscopy combined with biopsy for bladder cancer screening was performed in all patients following written informed consent being obtained. Quantitative methylation-specific PCR was used to determine the methylation status of RASSF1, RARβ, DAPK, hTERT, and APC genes' promoters in bladder tissue samples. Twenty-four patients suffering from mixed NLUTD etiology for a median duration of 10 (IQR: 12) years were recruited in this study. DNA hypermethylation was detected in at least one gene of the panel in all tissue samples. RAR-β was hypermethylated in 91.7% samples, RASSF and DAPK were hypermethylated in 83.3% samples, APC 37.5% samples, and TERT in none of the tissue samples. In 45.8% of the samples, three genes of the panel were hypermethylated, in 29.2% four genes were hypermethylated, and in 16.7% and in 8.3% of the samples, two and one gene were hypermethylated, respectively. The number of hypermethylated genes of the panel was significantly associated with recurrent UTIs (p = 0.0048). No other significant association was found between DNA hypermethylation or the number of hypermethylated genes and the clinical characteristics of the patients. Histopathological findings were normal in 8.3% of patients, while chronic inflammation was found in 83.3% of patients and squamous cell metaplasia in 16.7% of patients. In this study, we observed high rates of DNA hypermethylation of genes associated with bladder cancer in NLUTD patients, suggesting an epigenetic field effect and possible risk of bladder cancer development. Recurrent UTIs seem to be associated with increased DNA hypermethylation. Further research is needed to evaluate the impact of recurrent UTIs and chronic inflammation in DNA hypermethylation and bladder cancer etiopathogenesis in NLUTD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Periklis Koukourikis
- 2nd Department of Urology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, General Hospital ‘Papageorgiou’, 56403 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Maria Papaioannou
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Stavroula Pervana
- Department of Pathology, General Hospital ‘Papageorgiou’, 56403 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Apostolos Apostolidis
- 2nd Department of Urology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, General Hospital ‘Papageorgiou’, 56403 Thessaloniki, Greece;
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24
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Hu H, Li F, Zhu F, Li J, Wang S, He Z, Chen J, Cheng L, Zhong F. Indole-3-carbinol ameliorates ovarian damage in female old mice through Nrf2/HO-1 pathway activation. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 223:116193. [PMID: 38582268 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Ovarian aging leads to infertility and birth defects. We aimed to clarify the role of Indole-3-carbinol (I3C) in resistance to oxidative stress, apoptosis, and fibrosis in ovarian aging. I3C was administered via intraperitoneal injection for 3 weeks in young or old mice. Immunohistochemistry; Masson, Sirius red, and TUNEL staining; follicle counting; estrous cycle analysis; and Western blotting were used for validating the protective effect of I3C against ovarian senescence. Human granulosa-like tumor cell line and primary granulosa cells were used for in vitro assay. The results indicated that I3C inhibited ovarian fibrosis and apoptosis while increasing the number of primordial follicles. Mechanistic studies have shown that I3C promoted the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2) and upregulated the expression of heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1). Additionally, I3C increased cell viability and decreased lactate dehydrogenase, malondialdehyde, reactive oxygen species and JC-1 levels. Furthermore, the antioxidant effect of I3C was found to be dependent on the activation of Nrf2 and HO-1, as demonstrated by the disappearance of the effect upon inhibition of Nrf2 expression. In conclusion, I3C can alleviate the ovarian damage caused by aging and may be a protective agent to delay ovarian aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiqing Hu
- Department of Oncology, Fuyang Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Fuyang, 236000, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Fangfang Li
- Department of Oncology, Fuyang Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Fuyang, 236000, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Fengyu Zhu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No 218 Jixi Road, Hefei 230022, Anhui, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China; Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No 218 Jixi Road, Hefei 230022, Anhui, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China; Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Siyuan Wang
- Department of Oncology, Fuyang Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Fuyang, 236000, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Zhuoying He
- Department of Oncology, Fuyang Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Fuyang, 236000, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Jiaqi Chen
- Department of Oncology, Fuyang Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Fuyang, 236000, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China
| | - Linghui Cheng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No 218 Jixi Road, Hefei 230022, Anhui, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China; Key Laboratory of Population Health Across Life Cycle (Anhui Medical University), Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China.
| | - Fei Zhong
- Department of Oncology, Fuyang Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Fuyang, 236000, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract (Anhui Medical University), No 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui, China.
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Rasouli S, Dakic A, Wang QE, Mitchell D, Blakaj DM, Putluri N, Li J, Liu X. Noncanonical functions of telomerase and telomeres in viruses-associated cancer. J Med Virol 2024; 96:e29665. [PMID: 38738582 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.29665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
The cause of cancer is attributed to the uncontrolled growth and proliferation of cells resulting from genetic changes and alterations in cell behavior, a phenomenon known as epigenetics. Telomeres, protective caps on the ends of chromosomes, regulate both cellular aging and cancer formation. In most cancers, telomerase is upregulated, with the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) enzyme and telomerase RNA component (TERC) RNA element contributing to the maintenance of telomere length. Additionally, it is noteworthy that two viruses, human papillomavirus (HPV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), utilize telomerase for their replication or persistence in infected cells. Also, TERT and TERC may play major roles in cancer not related to telomere biology. They are involved in the regulation of gene expression, signal transduction pathways, cellular metabolism, or even immune response modulation. Furthermore, the crosstalk between TERT, TERC, RNA-binding proteins, and microRNAs contributes to a greater extent to cancer biology. To understand the multifaceted roles played by TERT and TERC in cancer and viral life cycles, and then to develop effective therapeutic strategies against these diseases, are fundamental for this goal. By investigating deeply, the complicated mechanisms and relationships between TERT and TERC, scientists will open the doors to new therapies. In its analysis, the review emphasizes the significance of gaining insight into the multifaceted roles that TERT and TERC play in cancer pathogenesis, as well as their involvement in the viral life cycle for designing effective anticancer therapy approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Rasouli
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Aleksandra Dakic
- Division of Neuroscience, National Institute of Aging, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Qi-En Wang
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Wexner Medical Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Darrion Mitchell
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Wexner Medical Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Dukagjin M Blakaj
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Wexner Medical Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Nagireddy Putluri
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Jenny Li
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Xuefeng Liu
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Wexner Medical Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Department of Pathology, Wexner Medical Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Department of Urology, Wexner Medical Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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Yan M, Zhang Z, Wang L, Huang H, Wang J, Zhu C, Li Z, Xu Z. Cross-talk of Three Molecular Subtypes of Telomere Maintenance Defines Clinical Characteristics and Tumor Microenvironment in Gastric Cancer. J Cancer 2024; 15:3227-3241. [PMID: 38706908 PMCID: PMC11064253 DOI: 10.7150/jca.92207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Telomere maintenance takes part in the regulation of gastric cancer (GC) pathogenesis and is essential for patients' clinical features. Though the correlation between a single telomere maintenance-related gene and GC has previously been published, comprehensive exploration and systematic analysis remain to be studied. Our study is aimed at determining telomere maintenance-related molecular subtypes and examining their role in GC. Methods: By analyzing the transcriptome data, we identified three telomere maintenance-associated clusters (TMCs) with heterogeneity in clinical features and tumor microenvironment (TME). Then, we screened five prognostic telomere maintenance-related genes and established corresponding TM scores. Additionally, the expression level and biological function of tubulin beta 6 class V (TUBB6) were validated in GC tissues and cells. Results: TMC1 was correlated with EMT and TGF-beta pathway and predicted low tumor mutation burden (TMB) as well as bad prognostic outcomes. TMC3 was associated with cell cycle and DNA repair. In terms of TMB and overall survival, TMC3 exhibited opposite results against TMC1. Significant heterogeneity was observed between TMCs. TUBB6 was upregulated and could promote GC proliferation, migration, and invasion. Conclusion: Altogether, combining bioinformatics and functional experiments, we identified three molecular subtypes based on telomere maintenance-associated genes in GC, which could bring new ideas and novel biomarkers to the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengpei Yan
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zhijun Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Luyao Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Hongxin Huang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jihuan Wang
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Chengjun Zhu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zheng Li
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zekuan Xu
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
- The Institute of Gastric Cancer, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
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Moustakli E, Zikopoulos A, Skentou C, Dafopoulos S, Stavros S, Dafopoulos K, Drakakis P, Georgiou I, Zachariou A. Association of Obesity with Telomere Length in Human Sperm. J Clin Med 2024; 13:2150. [PMID: 38610915 PMCID: PMC11012429 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13072150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: Telomere attrition and mitochondrial dysfunction are two fundamental aspects of aging. Calorie restriction (CR) is the best strategy to postpone aging since it can enhance telomere attrition, boost antioxidant capacity, and lower the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Since ROS is produced by mitochondria and can readily travel to cell nuclei, it is thought to be a crucial molecule for information transfer between mitochondria and cell nuclei. Important variables that affect the quality and functionality of sperm and may affect male reproductive health and fertility include telomere length, mitochondrial content, and the ratio of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to nuclear DNA (nDNA). Telomere damage results from mitochondrial failure, whereas nuclear DNA remains unaffected. This research aims to investigate potential associations between these three variables and how they might relate to body mass index. Methods: Data were collected from 82 men who underwent IVF/ICSI at the University Hospital of Ioannina's IVF Unit in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department. Evaluations included sperm morphology, sperm count, sperm motility, and participant history. To address this, male participants who were categorized into three body mass index (ΒΜΙ) groups-normal, overweight, and obese-had their sperm samples tested. Results: For both the normal and overweight groups, our results show a negative connection between relative telomere length and ΒΜI. As an illustration of a potential connection between mitochondrial health and telomere maintenance, a positive correlation was found for the obese group. Only the obese group's results were statistically significant (p < 0.05). More evidence that longer telomeres are associated with lower mitochondrial content can be found in the negative connection between telomere length and mitochondrial content in both the normal and overweight groups. However, the obese group showed a positive association. The data did not reach statistical significance for any of the three groups. These associations may affect sperm quality since telomere length and mitochondrial concentration are indicators of cellular integrity and health. Moreover, the ratio of mtDNA to nDNA was positively correlated with the relative telomere lengths of the obese group, but negatively correlated with the normal and overweight groups. In every group that was studied, the results were not statistically significant. According to this, male fertility may be negatively impacted by an imbalance in the copy number of the mitochondrial genome compared to the nuclear DNA in sperm. Conclusions: Essentially, the goal of our work is to determine whether mitochondria and telomere length in human sperm interact. Understanding these connections may aid in the explanation of some male infertility causes and possibly contribute to the creation of new treatment modalities for problems pertaining to reproductive health. The functional implications of these connections and their applications in therapeutic settings require further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Efthalia Moustakli
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece;
| | - Athanasios Zikopoulos
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Barrack Rd., Exeter EX 25 DW, UK;
| | - Charikleia Skentou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School of Ioannina, University General Hospital, 45110 Ioannina, Greece;
| | - Stefanos Dafopoulos
- Department of Health Sciences, European University Cyprus, Nicosia 2404, Cyprus;
| | - Sofoklis Stavros
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Attikon Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece; (S.S.); (P.D.)
| | - Konstantinos Dafopoulos
- IVF Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece;
| | - Peter Drakakis
- Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Attikon Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece; (S.S.); (P.D.)
| | - Ioannis Georgiou
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece;
| | - Athanasios Zachariou
- Department of Urology, School of Medicine, Ioannina University, 45110 Ioannina, Greece;
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Lei J, Luo J, Liu Q, Wang X. Identifying cancer subtypes based on embryonic and hematopoietic stem cell signatures in pan-cancer. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2024; 47:587-605. [PMID: 37821797 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-023-00886-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Cancer cells with stem cell-like properties may contribute to cancer development and therapy resistance. The advancement of multi-omics technology has sparked interest in exploring cancer stemness from a multi-omics perspective. However, there is a limited number of studies that have attempted to subtype cancer by combining different types of stem cell signatures. METHODS In this study, 10,323 cancer specimens from 33 TCGA cancer types were clustered based on the enrichment scores of six stemness gene sets, representing two types of stem cell backgrounds: embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). RESULTS We identified four subtypes of pan-cancer, termed StC1, StC2, StC3 and StC4, which displayed distinct molecular and clinical features, including stemness, genome integrity, intratumor heterogeneity, methylation levels, tumor microenvironment, tumor progression, responses to chemotherapy and immunotherapy, and survival prognosis. Importantly, this subtyping method for pan-cancer is reproducible at the protein level. CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that the ESC signature is an adverse prognostic factor in cancer, while the HSC signature and ratio of HSC/ESC signatures are positive prognostic factors. The subtyping of cancer based on ESC and HSC signatures may provide insights into cancer biology and clinical implications of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiali Lei
- Biomedical Informatics Research Lab, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
- Cancer Genomics Research Center, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
- Big Data Research Institute, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Jiangti Luo
- Biomedical Informatics Research Lab, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
- Cancer Genomics Research Center, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
- Big Data Research Institute, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Qian Liu
- Biomedical Informatics Research Lab, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
- Cancer Genomics Research Center, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
- Big Data Research Institute, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
| | - Xiaosheng Wang
- Biomedical Informatics Research Lab, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China.
- Cancer Genomics Research Center, School of Basic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China.
- Big Data Research Institute, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China.
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Banjan B, Koshy AJ, Kalath H, John L, Soman S, Raju R, Revikumar A. Potential protein kinase inhibitors that target G-quadruplex DNA structures in the human telomeric regions. Mol Divers 2024:10.1007/s11030-023-10768-7. [PMID: 38509417 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-023-10768-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Telomeric regions contain Guanine-rich sequences arranged in a planar manner and connected by Hoogsteen hydrogen bonds that can fold into G-quadruplex (G4) DNA structures, and can be stabilized by monovalent metal cations. The presence of G4 DNA holds significance in cancer-related processes, especially due to their regulatory potential at transcriptional and translational levels of oncogene and tumor suppressor genes. The objective of this current research is to explore the evolving realm of FDA-approved protein kinase inhibitors, with a specific emphasis on their capacity to stabilize the G4 DNA structures formed at the human telomeric regions. This involves investigating the possibility of repurposing FDA-approved protein kinase inhibitors as a novel approach for targeting multiple cancer types. In this context, we have selected 16 telomeric G4 DNA structures as targets and 71 FDA-approved small-molecule protein kinase inhibitors as ligands. To investigate their binding affinities, molecular docking of human telomeric G4 DNA with nuclear protein kinase inhibitors and their corresponding co-crystalized ligands were performed. We found that Ponatinib and Lapatinib interact with all the selected G4 targets, the binding free energy calculations, and molecular dynamic simulations confirm their binding efficacy and stability. Thus, it is hypothesized that Ponatinib and Lapatinib may stabilize human telomeric G4 DNA in addition to their ability to inhibit BCR-ABL and the other members of the EGFR family. As a result, we also hypothesize that the stabilization of G4 DNA might represent an additional underlying mechanism contributing to their efficacy in exerting anti-cancer effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhavya Banjan
- Centre for Integrative Omics Data Science (CIODS), Yenepoya (Deemed to Be University), Mangalore, Karnataka, 575018, India
| | - Abel John Koshy
- Centre for Integrative Omics Data Science (CIODS), Yenepoya (Deemed to Be University), Mangalore, Karnataka, 575018, India
| | - Haritha Kalath
- Centre for Integrative Omics Data Science (CIODS), Yenepoya (Deemed to Be University), Mangalore, Karnataka, 575018, India
| | - Levin John
- Centre for Integrative Omics Data Science (CIODS), Yenepoya (Deemed to Be University), Mangalore, Karnataka, 575018, India
| | - Sowmya Soman
- Centre for Integrative Omics Data Science (CIODS), Yenepoya (Deemed to Be University), Mangalore, Karnataka, 575018, India
| | - Rajesh Raju
- Centre for Integrative Omics Data Science (CIODS), Yenepoya (Deemed to Be University), Mangalore, Karnataka, 575018, India.
| | - Amjesh Revikumar
- Centre for Integrative Omics Data Science (CIODS), Yenepoya (Deemed to Be University), Mangalore, Karnataka, 575018, India.
- Kerala Genome Data Centre, Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council, Vazhuthacaud, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, 695014, India.
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30
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Yin J, Wu K, Yu Y, Zhong Y, Song Z, Chang C, Liu G. Terahertz Photons Inhibit Cancer Cells Long Term by Suppressing Nano Telomerase Activity. ACS NANO 2024; 18:4796-4810. [PMID: 38261783 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c09216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Telomeres are nanoscale DNA-protein complexes to protect and stabilize chromosomes. The reexpression of telomerase in cancer cells is a key determinant crucial for the infinite proliferation and long-term survival of most cancer cells. However, the use of telomerase inhibitors for cancer treatment may cause problems such as poor specificity, drug resistance, and cytotoxicity. Here, we discovered a nondrug and noninvasive terahertz modulation strategy capable of the long-term suppression of cancer cells by inhibiting telomerase activity. First, we found that an optimized frequency of 33 THz photon irradiation effectively inhibited the telomerase activity by molecular dynamics simulation and frequency filtering experiments. Moreover, in vitro experiments showed that telomerase activity in 4T1 and MCF-7 cells significantly decreased by 77% and 80% respectively, after 21 days of regular 33 THz irradiation. Furthermore, two kinds of cells were found to undergo aging, apoptosis, and DNA double-strand breaks caused by telomere crisis, which seriously affected the survival of cancer cells. In addition, the tumorigenicity of 4T1 cells irradiated with 33 THz waves for 21 days in in vivo mice decreased by 70%. In summary, this study demonstrates the potential application of THz modulation in nano therapy for cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junkai Yin
- Innovation Laboratory of Terahertz Biophysics, National Innovation Institute of Defense Technology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Kaijie Wu
- Innovation Laboratory of Terahertz Biophysics, National Innovation Institute of Defense Technology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Yun Yu
- Innovation Laboratory of Terahertz Biophysics, National Innovation Institute of Defense Technology, Beijing 100071, China
- School of Life Science and Technology and Frontier Institute of Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
| | - Yuan Zhong
- Innovation Laboratory of Terahertz Biophysics, National Innovation Institute of Defense Technology, Beijing 100071, China
- Department of Engineering Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Zihua Song
- Innovation Laboratory of Terahertz Biophysics, National Innovation Institute of Defense Technology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Chao Chang
- Innovation Laboratory of Terahertz Biophysics, National Innovation Institute of Defense Technology, Beijing 100071, China
- School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Guozhi Liu
- Innovation Laboratory of Terahertz Biophysics, National Innovation Institute of Defense Technology, Beijing 100071, China
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Gorria T, Crous C, Pineda E, Hernandez A, Domenech M, Sanz C, Jares P, Muñoz-Mármol AM, Arpí-Llucía O, Melendez B, Gut M, Esteve A, Esteve-Codina A, Parra G, Alameda F, Carrato C, Aldecoa I, Mallo M, de la Iglesia N, Balana C. The C250T Mutation of TERTp Might Grant a Better Prognosis to Glioblastoma by Exerting Less Biological Effect on Telomeres and Chromosomes Than the C228T Mutation. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:735. [PMID: 38398126 PMCID: PMC10886885 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16040735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine how TERTp mutations impact glioblastoma prognosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS TERTp mutations were assessed in a retrospective cohort of 258 uniformly treated glioblastoma patients. RNA-sequencing and whole exome sequencing results were available in a subset of patients. RESULTS Overall, there were no differences in outcomes between patients with mutated TERTp-wt or TERTp. However, we found significant differences according to the type of TERTp mutation. Progression-free survival (mPFS) was 9.1 months for those with the C250T mutation and 7 months for those with either the C228T mutation or TERTp-wt (p = 0.016). Overall survival (mOS) was 21.9 and 15 months, respectively (p = 0.026). This differential effect was more pronounced in patients with MGMTp methylation (mPFS: p = 0.008; mOS: p = 0.021). Multivariate analysis identified the C250T mutation as an independent prognostic factor for longer mOS (HR 0.69; p = 0.044). We found no differences according to TERTp mutation status in molecular alterations common in glioblastoma, nor in copy number variants in genes related to alternative lengthening of telomeres. Nevertheless, in the gene enrichment analysis adjusted for MGMTp methylation status, some Reactome gene sets were differentially enriched, suggesting that the C250T mutation may exert a lesser effect on telomeres or chromosomes. CONCLUSIONS In our series, patients exhibiting the C250T mutation had a more favorable prognosis compared to those with either TERPp-wt or TERTp C228T mutations. Additionally, our findings suggest a reduced involvement of the C250T mutation in the underlying biological mechanisms related to telomeres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Gorria
- Medical Oncology, Hospital Clínic, Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapeutics in Solid Tumors, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (T.G.); (C.C.); (E.P.)
| | - Carme Crous
- Medical Oncology, Hospital Clínic, Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapeutics in Solid Tumors, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (T.G.); (C.C.); (E.P.)
| | - Estela Pineda
- Medical Oncology, Hospital Clínic, Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapeutics in Solid Tumors, August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (T.G.); (C.C.); (E.P.)
| | - Ainhoa Hernandez
- Medical Oncology, Institut Catala d’Oncologia (ICO) Badalona, Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology (B-ARGO Group), Institut Investigació Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), 08916 Badalona, Spain; (A.H.); (M.D.); (A.E.)
| | - Marta Domenech
- Medical Oncology, Institut Catala d’Oncologia (ICO) Badalona, Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology (B-ARGO Group), Institut Investigació Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), 08916 Badalona, Spain; (A.H.); (M.D.); (A.E.)
| | - Carolina Sanz
- Pathology Department, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, 08916 Badalona, Spain; (C.S.); (A.M.M.-M.); (C.C.)
| | - Pedro Jares
- Department of Pathology, Biomedical Diagnostic Centre (CDB) and Neurological Tissue Bank of the Biobank-IDIBAPS, Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (P.J.); (I.A.)
| | - Ana María Muñoz-Mármol
- Pathology Department, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, 08916 Badalona, Spain; (C.S.); (A.M.M.-M.); (C.C.)
| | - Oriol Arpí-Llucía
- Cancer Research Program, Institut Hospital del Mar d’Investigacions Mèdiques (IMIM), 08003 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Bárbara Melendez
- Molecular Pathology Research Unit, Hospital Universitario de Toledo, 45007 Toledo, Spain;
| | - Marta Gut
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico, C/Baldiri Reixac 4, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (M.G.); (A.E.-C.); (G.P.)
| | - Anna Esteve
- Medical Oncology, Institut Catala d’Oncologia (ICO) Badalona, Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology (B-ARGO Group), Institut Investigació Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), 08916 Badalona, Spain; (A.H.); (M.D.); (A.E.)
- Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology (B-ARGO Group), Institut Investigació Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), 08916 Badalona, Spain
| | - Anna Esteve-Codina
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico, C/Baldiri Reixac 4, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (M.G.); (A.E.-C.); (G.P.)
| | - Genis Parra
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico, C/Baldiri Reixac 4, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (M.G.); (A.E.-C.); (G.P.)
| | - Francesc Alameda
- Pathology Department, Neuropathology Unit, Hospital del Mar, Institut Hospital del Mar d’Investigacions Mèdiques (IMIM), 08003 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Cristina Carrato
- Pathology Department, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, 08916 Badalona, Spain; (C.S.); (A.M.M.-M.); (C.C.)
| | - Iban Aldecoa
- Department of Pathology, Biomedical Diagnostic Centre (CDB) and Neurological Tissue Bank of the Biobank-IDIBAPS, Hospital Clinic, University of Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (P.J.); (I.A.)
| | - Mar Mallo
- Unidad de Microarrays, Institut de Recerca Contra la Leucèmia Josep Carreras (IJC), ICO-Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08916 Badalona, Spain;
| | - Nuria de la Iglesia
- IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, 08916 Badalona, Spain;
| | - Carmen Balana
- Pathology Department, Neuropathology Unit, Hospital del Mar, Institut Hospital del Mar d’Investigacions Mèdiques (IMIM), 08003 Barcelona, Spain;
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Talati VP, Karn V, Gadewal N, Bastikar VA. Mechanistic influence of discreet conformation of human telomerase linker region. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-8. [PMID: 38319038 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2310212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Approximately 90% of malignancies have been shown to have human telomerase activity, establishing it as a viable therapeutic target. The crystal structure of telomerase was determined recently. However, the tertiary structure of the non-conserved flexible linker region remains unresolved. This study aims to predict the full-length tertiary structure of the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT). Two strategies were employed to determine the full-length structure of hTERT (1132 amino acids); iterative threading and a conjoined model generated from machine learning and energy functions. After energy minimization, Ramachandran Plot analysis, and simulation; the conjoined model was considered of better quality and stability. The linker region of the conjoined depicted two helices from approximately 275-284 and 201-211 amino acids respectively in contrast to the iterative threading model which has a single helix. Moreover, the region was observed to undergo major structural changes throughout the simulation. These changes signify its flexibility which might be due to the region having a significant number of glycine and proline and could enhance the clamping movement.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Varun P Talati
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Mumbai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Vamika Karn
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Mumbai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Nikhil Gadewal
- Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Virupaksha A Bastikar
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Mumbai, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
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33
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Shi M, Sun D, Deng L, Liu J, Zhang MJ. SRPK1 Promotes Glioma Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion through Activation of Wnt/β-Catenin and JAK-2/STAT-3 Signaling Pathways. Biomedicines 2024; 12:378. [PMID: 38397980 PMCID: PMC10886746 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12020378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Currently, the treatment of gliomas still relies primarily on surgery and radiochemotherapy. Although there are various drugs available, including temozolomide, the overall therapeutic effect is unsatisfactory, and the prognosis remains poor. Therefore, the in-depth study of the mechanism of glioma development and a search for new therapeutic targets are the keys to improving the therapeutic treatment of gliomas and improving the prognosis of patients. Immunohistochemistry is used to detect the expression of relevant molecules in tissues, qPCR and Western blot are used to detect the mRNA and protein expression of relevant molecules, CCK-8 (Cell Counting Kit-8) is used to assess cell viability and proliferation capacity, Transwell is used to evaluate cell migration and invasion ability, and RNA transcriptome sequencing is used to identify the most influential pathways. SRPK1 (SRSF protein kinase 1) is highly expressed in gliomas but is not expressed in normal tissues. Its expression is positively correlated with the grades of gliomas and negatively correlated with prognosis. SRPK1 significantly promotes the occurrence and development of gliomas. Knocking down SRPK1 leads to a significant decrease in the proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of gliomas. Loss of SRPK1 expression induces G2/M phase arrest and mitotic catastrophe, leading to apoptosis in cells. Overexpression of SRPK1 activates the Wnt/β-catenin (wingless-int1/β-catenin) and JAK-2/STAT-3 (Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) signaling pathways, promoting the proliferation, migration, and invasion of gliomas. Overexpression of SRPK1 rescues the reduced cell proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities caused by the silencing of β-catenin or JAK-2. A stable shRNA-LN229 cell line was constructed, and using a nude mouse model, it was found that stable knockout of SRPK1 significantly reduced the tumorigenic ability of glioma cells, as evidenced by a significant decrease in the subcutaneous tumor volume and weight in nude mice. We have demonstrated that SRPK1 is highly expressed in gliomas. Overexpression of SRPK1 activates the Wnt/β-catenin and JAK-2/STAT-3 signaling pathways, promoting the proliferation, migration, and invasion of gliomas. Silencing SRPK1-related signaling pathways may provide potential therapeutic options for glioma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengna Shi
- Department of Oncology, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China;
| | - Dan Sun
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Science and Technology (Huainan First People’s Hospital), Huainan 232002, China
| | - Lu Deng
- National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China;
| | - Jing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Min-Jie Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China;
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Omar A, Marques N, Crawford N. Cancer and HIV: The Molecular Mechanisms of the Deadly Duo. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:546. [PMID: 38339297 PMCID: PMC10854577 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16030546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The immune deficiency associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection causes a distinct increased risk of developing certain cancer types. Kaposi sarcoma (KS), invasive cervical cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) are the prominent malignancies that manifest as a result of opportunistic viral infections in patients with advanced HIV infection. Despite the implementation of antiretroviral therapy (ART), the prevalence of these acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-defining malignancies (ADMs) remains high in developing countries. In contrast, developed countries have experienced a steady decline in the occurrence of these cancer types. However, there has been an increased mortality rate attributed to non-ADMs. Here, we provide a review of the molecular mechanisms that are responsible for the development of ADMs and non-ADMs which occur in HIV-infected individuals. It is evident that ART alone is not sufficient to fully mitigate the potential for ADMs and non-ADMs in HIV-infected individuals. To enhance the diagnosis and treatment of both HIV and malignancies, a thorough comprehension of the mechanisms driving the development of such cancers is imperative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aadilah Omar
- Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa
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Udroiu I, Marinaccio J, Sgura A. Effects of p53 and ATRX inhibition on telomeric recombination in aging fibroblasts. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1322438. [PMID: 38333682 PMCID: PMC10850245 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1322438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
In order to avoid replicative senescence, tumor cells must acquire a telomere maintenance mechanism. Beside telomerase activation, a minority of tumors employs a recombinational mechanism called Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres (ALT). Several studies have investigated the potential ALT stimulation by inactivation of ATRX in tumor cells, obtaining contrasting results. Differently, since ALT can be viewed as a mechanism to overcome telomere shortening-mediated replicative senescence, we have investigated the effects of the inhibition of ATRX and p53 in aging primary fibroblasts. We observed that senescence leads to a phenotype that seems permissive for ALT activity, i.e. high levels of ALT-associated PML bodies (APB), telomeric damage and telomeric cohesion. On the other hand, RAD51 is highly repressed and thus telomeric recombination, upon which the ALT machinery relies, is almost absent. Silencing of ATRX greatly increases telomeric recombination in young cells, but is not able to overcome senescence-induced repression of homologous recombination. Conversely, inhibition of both p53 and ATRX leads to a phenotype reminiscent of some aspects of ALT activity, with a further increase of APB, a decrease of telomere shortening (and increased proliferation) and, above all, an increase of telomeric recombination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ion Udroiu
- Dipartimento di Scienze, Università “Roma Tre“, Rome, Italy
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Li S, Xue J, Jiang K, Chen Y, Zhu L, Liu R. TERT promoter methylation is associated with high expression of TERT and poor prognosis in papillary thyroid cancer. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1325345. [PMID: 38313800 PMCID: PMC10834694 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1325345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) is overexpressed and associated with poor prognosis in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), the most common subtype of thyroid cancer. The overexpression of TERT in PTC was partially attributed to transcriptional activation by two hotspot mutations in the core promoter region of this gene. As one of the major epigenetic mechanisms of gene expression regulation, DNA methylation has been proved to regulate several tumor-related genes in PTC. However, the association of TERT promoter DNA methylation with TERT expression and PTC progression is still unclear. By treating PTC cell lines with demethylating agent decitabine, we found that the TERT promoter methylation and the genes' expression were remarkably decreased. Consistently, PTC patients with TERT hypermethylation had significantly higher TERT expression than patients with TERT hypomethylation. Moreover, TERT hypermethylated patients showed significant higher rates of poor clinical outcomes than patients with TERT hypomethylation. Results from the cox regression analysis showed that the hazard ratios (HRs) of TERT hypermethylation for overall survival, disease-specific survival, disease-free interval (DFI) and progression-free interval (PFI) were 4.81 (95% CI, 1.61-14.41), 8.28 (95% CI, 2.14-32.13), 3.56 (95% CI, 1.24-10.17) and 3.32 (95% CI, 1.64-6.71), respectively. The HRs for DFI and PFI remained significant after adjustment for clinical risk factors. These data suggest that promoter DNA methylation upregulates TERT expression and associates with poor clinical outcomes of PTC, thus holds the potential to be a valuable prognostic marker for PTC risk stratification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyong Li
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junyu Xue
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ke Jiang
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yulu Chen
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lefan Zhu
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Rengyun Liu
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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Little RB, Snowton M, Uziel O. Cancer cells possess different isotopic enrichment: Isotopic induced functionalizations of normal DNA mutations leading to cancer. Heliyon 2024; 10:e23519. [PMID: 38170065 PMCID: PMC10758867 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Although the dynamics of telomeres during the life expectancy of normal cells has been extensively studied, there are still some unresolved issues regarding this research field. For example, the conditions required for telomere shortening leading to malignant transformations are not fully understood. In this work, we mass analyzed DNA of normal and cancer cells for comparing telomere isotopic compositions of white blood cells and cancer cells. We have found that the 1327 Da and 1672 Da characteristic telomere mass to charges cause differential mass distributions of about 1 Da among normal cells relative to cancer cells. These isotopic differences are consistent with a prior theory according to which replacing primordial, common isotopes of 1H, 12C, 14N, 16O, 24Mg, 31P and/or 32S by nonprimordial, uncommon isotopes of 2D, 13C, 15N, 17O, 25Mg and/or 33S leads to altered enzymatic dynamics. This replacement may subsequently modulate DNA and telomere codons resulting in transformation of normal cells to cancer cells (in 15 N depletion in telomeres dependent manner). The prior theory and the current data are consistent also with a recently observed non-uniform methylation pattern of the DNA of cancer cells relative to a more uniform methylation in the DNA of normal cells. We observe further evidence of nonprimordial isotopic accelerations of acetylations, methylations, hydroxylations and aminations of nucleosides with alterations of phosphorylations of nucleotides; which may explain the induction of mutations at the DNA, RNA and proteins leading to cancer and more general alterations of DNA, which are associated with aging. This difference in mass spectra between normal and cancer DNA may stem from different functionalizations and isotopic enrichments affecting the motion derived from nuclear magnetic moments (NMMs). We suggest that this phenomenon may lead to malignant transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maiya Snowton
- Department of Natural Science, Stillman College, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - Orit Uziel
- The Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Rabin Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel
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Schöpf J, Uhrig S, Heilig CE, Lee KS, Walther T, Carazzato A, Dobberkau AM, Weichenhan D, Plass C, Hartmann M, Diwan GD, Carrero ZI, Ball CR, Hohl T, Kindler T, Rudolph-Hähnel P, Helm D, Schneider M, Nilsson A, Øra I, Imle R, Banito A, Russell RB, Jones BC, Lipka DB, Glimm H, Hübschmann D, Hartmann W, Fröhling S, Scholl C. Multi-omic and functional analysis for classification and treatment of sarcomas with FUS-TFCP2 or EWSR1-TFCP2 fusions. Nat Commun 2024; 15:51. [PMID: 38168093 PMCID: PMC10761971 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44360-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Linking clinical multi-omics with mechanistic studies may improve the understanding of rare cancers. We leverage two precision oncology programs to investigate rhabdomyosarcoma with FUS/EWSR1-TFCP2 fusions, an orphan malignancy without effective therapies. All tumors exhibit outlier ALK expression, partly accompanied by intragenic deletions and aberrant splicing resulting in ALK variants that are oncogenic and sensitive to ALK inhibitors. Additionally, recurrent CKDN2A/MTAP co-deletions provide a rationale for PRMT5-targeted therapies. Functional studies show that FUS-TFCP2 blocks myogenic differentiation, induces transcription of ALK and truncated TERT, and inhibits DNA repair. Unlike other fusion-driven sarcomas, TFCP2-rearranged tumors exhibit genomic instability and signs of defective homologous recombination. DNA methylation profiling demonstrates a close relationship with undifferentiated sarcomas. In two patients, sarcoma was preceded by benign lesions carrying FUS-TFCP2, indicating stepwise sarcomagenesis. This study illustrates the potential of linking precision oncology with preclinical research to gain insight into the classification, pathogenesis, and therapeutic vulnerabilities of rare cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Schöpf
- Division of Applied Functional Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), NCT Heidelberg, a Partnership Between DKFZ and Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Translational Medical Oncology, DKFZ, and NCT Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Uhrig
- Computational Oncology Group, Molecular Precision Oncology Program, NCT Heidelberg, and DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christoph E Heilig
- Division of Translational Medical Oncology, DKFZ, and NCT Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kwang-Seok Lee
- Division of Translational Medical Oncology, DKFZ, and NCT Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tatjana Walther
- Division of Translational Medical Oncology, DKFZ, and NCT Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alexander Carazzato
- Division of Translational Medical Oncology, DKFZ, and NCT Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anna Maria Dobberkau
- Section of Translational Cancer Epigenomics, Division of Translational Medical Oncology, DKFZ, and NCT Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | | | - Mark Hartmann
- Section of Translational Cancer Epigenomics, Division of Translational Medical Oncology, DKFZ, and NCT Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Gaurav D Diwan
- Bioquant, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Heidelberg University Biochemistry Center (BZH), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Zunamys I Carrero
- Department for Translational Medical Oncology, NCT, NCT/UCC Dresden, a Partnership Between DKFZ, Heidelberg Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TUD Dresden University of Technology, and Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Dresden, Germany
| | - Claudia R Ball
- Department for Translational Medical Oncology, NCT, NCT/UCC Dresden, a Partnership Between DKFZ, Heidelberg Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TUD Dresden University of Technology, and Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Dresden, Germany
- Translational Medical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TUD, Dresden, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, TUD Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Tobias Hohl
- Division of Applied Functional Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), NCT Heidelberg, a Partnership Between DKFZ and Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Kindler
- University Cancer Center Mainz, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Department of Hematology, Medical Oncology and Pneumology, University Medical Center, Mainz, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Mainz, Germany
| | - Patricia Rudolph-Hähnel
- University Cancer Center Mainz, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Department of Hematology, Medical Oncology and Pneumology, University Medical Center, Mainz, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Mainz, Germany
| | - Dominic Helm
- Proteomics Core Facility, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Anna Nilsson
- Pediatric Oncology and Coagulation, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ingrid Øra
- Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Skåne University Hospital, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Roland Imle
- Soft-Tissue Sarcoma Junior Research Group, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ) and NCT Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ana Banito
- Soft-Tissue Sarcoma Junior Research Group, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ) and NCT Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Robert B Russell
- Bioquant, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Heidelberg University Biochemistry Center (BZH), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Barbara C Jones
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ) and NCT Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Daniel B Lipka
- Section of Translational Cancer Epigenomics, Division of Translational Medical Oncology, DKFZ, and NCT Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hanno Glimm
- Department for Translational Medical Oncology, NCT, NCT/UCC Dresden, a Partnership Between DKFZ, Heidelberg Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TUD Dresden University of Technology, and Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Dresden, Germany
- Translational Medical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TUD, Dresden, Germany
- Translational Functional Cancer Genomics, DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Daniel Hübschmann
- Computational Oncology Group, Molecular Precision Oncology Program, NCT Heidelberg, and DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany
- Pattern Recognition and Digital Medicine Group, Heidelberg Institute for Stem Cell Technology and Experimental Medicine (HI-STEM), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Hartmann
- Gerhard Domagk Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Stefan Fröhling
- Division of Translational Medical Oncology, DKFZ, and NCT Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany.
- Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Claudia Scholl
- Division of Applied Functional Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), NCT Heidelberg, a Partnership Between DKFZ and Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
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Uziel O, Kanner AA, Beery E, Lev S, Lahav M, Horn‐Fichman S, Nof SH, Laviv Y, Yust‐Katz S, Amiel A, Shkara RA, Siddeeq M, Levy‐Barda A, Raanani P, Sela Y, Cohen Z, Siegal T. Is serum-derived exosomal hTERT transcript a marker of oncogenic activity in primary brain tumors? An exploratory study. Cancer Med 2024; 13:e6784. [PMID: 38155481 PMCID: PMC10823760 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.6784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In order to proliferate indefinitely, all tumors require a telomere maintenance mechanism. The expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) enables telomere maintenance and provides cancer cells with limitless replicative potential. As such, it may serve as an attractive biomarker for oncogenic activity. This study explored whether a liquid biopsy that analyses blood derived exosomal hTERT transcript (e-hTERT-trans) may serve as such a biomarker in gliomas and meningiomas when compared to healthy controls. METHODS Exosomes were isolated from the pre-operative sera of patients' samples stored in the biobank of both Rabin and Sheba Medical Centers. The levels of e-hTERT-trans were measured in 81 healthy controls, 117 meningiomas, 17 low-grade gliomas, and 61 glioblastomas. Clinical parameters of the patients were collected retrospectively and compared to the levels of the e-hTERT-trans. RESULTS The upper normal limit of controls e-hTERT-trans was 1.85 relative quantitation (RQ). The rate of detection increased with rising tumor grade and correlated with tumor recurrence in meningiomas: mean RQ without recurrence (2.17 ± 11.7) versus with recurrence (3.59 ± 4.42; p = 0.002). In glioblastomas, preoperative measurements correlated with tumor volume and with the disease course on serial sampling. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated for the first time that the expression of e-hTERT-trans transcript can be measured in the serum of primary brain tumors. This exosomal marker carries the potential to serve as a biomarker once used in conjunction with other clinical and radiological parameters. Future studies are required to investigate whether the sensitivity could be augmented and whether it can be implemented into routine patients care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orit Uziel
- The Felsenstein Medical Research CenterPetah TikvaIsrael
- Institute of HematologyDavidoff Cancer Center, Rabin Medical CenterPetah TikvaIsrael
- Sackler School of MedicineTel‐Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
| | - Andrew A. Kanner
- Sackler School of MedicineTel‐Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
- Department of NeurosurgeryRabin Medical CenterPetah TikvaIsrael
| | - Einat Beery
- The Felsenstein Medical Research CenterPetah TikvaIsrael
| | - Sapir Lev
- Department of NeurosurgeryRabin Medical CenterPetah TikvaIsrael
| | - Meir Lahav
- The Felsenstein Medical Research CenterPetah TikvaIsrael
- Institute of HematologyDavidoff Cancer Center, Rabin Medical CenterPetah TikvaIsrael
- Sackler School of MedicineTel‐Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
| | - Suzana Horn‐Fichman
- Sackler School of MedicineTel‐Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
- Neuropathology, Department of PathologyRabin Medical CenterPetah TikvaIsrael
| | - Sagi Har Nof
- Sackler School of MedicineTel‐Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
- Department of NeurosurgeryRabin Medical CenterPetah TikvaIsrael
| | - Yuseph Laviv
- Sackler School of MedicineTel‐Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
- Department of NeurosurgeryRabin Medical CenterPetah TikvaIsrael
| | - S. Yust‐Katz
- Sackler School of MedicineTel‐Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
- Neurooncology UnitDavidoff Cancer Center, Rabin Medical CenterPetah TikvaIsrael
| | - Alexandra Amiel
- Sackler School of MedicineTel‐Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
- Neurooncology UnitDavidoff Cancer Center, Rabin Medical CenterPetah TikvaIsrael
| | | | - Mustafa Siddeeq
- Sackler School of MedicineTel‐Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
- Department of NeurosurgerySheba Medical CenterRamat‐GanIsrael
| | - Adva Levy‐Barda
- Biobank, Department of PathologyRabin Medical CenterPetah TikvaIsrael
| | - Pia Raanani
- The Felsenstein Medical Research CenterPetah TikvaIsrael
- Institute of HematologyDavidoff Cancer Center, Rabin Medical CenterPetah TikvaIsrael
- Sackler School of MedicineTel‐Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
| | - Yaron Sela
- The Center of Internet Psychology Reichman UniversityHerzliyaIsrael
| | - Zvi Cohen
- Sackler School of MedicineTel‐Aviv UniversityTel AvivIsrael
- Department of NeurosurgerySheba Medical CenterRamat‐GanIsrael
| | - Tali Siegal
- Neurooncology UnitDavidoff Cancer Center, Rabin Medical CenterPetah TikvaIsrael
- Hebrew University and Medical SchoolJerusalemIsrael
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40
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Yu M, Yang D, Chen C, Xia H. Effects of SETD2 on telomere length and malignant transformation property of Met-5A after one-month crocidolite exposure. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH. PART C, TOXICOLOGY AND CARCINOGENESIS 2023; 41:121-134. [PMID: 37899647 DOI: 10.1080/26896583.2023.2271822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
Crocidolite is a carcinogen contributing to the pathogenesis of malignant mesothelioma. This study aimed to characterize the possible telomere-related events mediating the malignant transformation of mesothelial cells with and without SETD2 under crocidolite exposure. The crocidolite concentration resulting in 90% viable SETD2 knockout Met-5A (Met-5ASETD2-KO) and Met-5A were estimated to be 0.71 μg/cm2 and 1.8 μg/cm2, respectively, during 72 h of exposure, which was further employed in chronical crocidolite exposure during a 72 h exposure interval per time up to 1 month. Chronical crocidolite-exposed Met-5ASETD2-KO (chronical Cro-Met-5ASETD2-KO) had higher colony formation and increased telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) protein levels than chronical crocidolite-exposed Met-5A (chronical Cro-Met-5A) and Met-5ASETD2-KO. Chronical Cro-Met-5ASETD2-KO had longer telomere length (TL) than chronical Cro-Met-5A, although there were no changes in TL for either chronical Cro-Met-5A or chronical Cro-Met-5ASETD2-KO compared with their corresponding cells without crocidolite exposure. BIBR 1532, an inhibitor targeting TERT, partially reduced colony formation and TL for chronical Cro-Met-5ASETD2-KO, while BIBR 1532 reduced TL but had no effect on colony formation for chronical Cro-Met-5A. Therefore, SETD2 deficient mesothelial cells are susceptible to malignant transformation during chronical crocidolite exposure, and TERT-dependent TL modification likely partially drives SETD2 loss-mediated early onset of mesothelial malignant transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Yu
- Department of Occupational Health & Radiation Hygiene, Hangzhou Hospital for the Prevention and Treatment of Occupational Disease, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- School of Public Heath, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Dan Yang
- School of Public Heath, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chiyun Chen
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Cixi People Hospital Medical Health Group (Cixi People Hospital), Cixi, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hailing Xia
- School of Public Heath, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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Praiss AM, Marra A, Zhou Q, Rios-Doria E, Momeni-Boroujeni A, Iasonos A, Selenica P, Brown DN, Aghajanian C, Abu-Rustum NR, Ellenson LH, Weigelt B. TERT promoter mutations and gene amplification in endometrial cancer. Gynecol Oncol 2023; 179:16-23. [PMID: 37890416 PMCID: PMC10841990 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2023.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the clinicopathologic, molecular profiles, and survival outcomes of patients with endometrial carcinomas (ECs) harboring telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) hotspot mutations or gene amplification. METHODS ECs harboring somatic TERT promoter hotspot mutations or gene amplification (TERT-altered) were identified from 1944 ECs that underwent clinical tumor-normal sequencing from 08/2016-12/2021. Clinicopathologic variables, somatic mutation profiles, and survival outcomes of TERT-alt and TERT-wild-type EC were assessed. RESULTS We identified 66 TERT-altered ECs (43 TERT-mutated and 23 TERT-amplified), representing 3% of the unselected ECs across histologic subtypes. Most TERT-altered ECs were of copy number (CN)-high/TP53abn molecular subtype (n = 40, 60%), followed by microsatellite-unstable (MSI-H) or CN-low/no specific molecular profile (NSMP)(n = 13, 20% each). TERT-amplified and TERT-mutated ECs were molecularly distinct, with TERT-amplified ECs being more genomically instable and more frequently harboring TP53 and PPP2R1A alterations (q < 0.1). Compared to TERT-wild-type ECs, TERT-altered ECs were more commonly of CN-H/TP53abn molecular subtype (31% vs 57%, p = 0.001), serous histology (10% vs 26%, p = 0.004), and were significantly enriched for TP53, CDKN2A/B, and DROSHA somatic genetic alterations (q < 0.1). Median progression-free survival was 18.7 months (95% CI 11.8-not estimable [NE]) for patients with TERT-altered EC and 80.9 months (65.8-NE) for patients with TERT-wild-type EC (HR 0.33, 95% CI 0.21-0.51, p < 0.001). Similarly, median overall survival was 46.7 months (95% CI 30-NE) for TERT-altered EC patients and not reached for TERT-wild-type EC patients (HR 0.24, 95% CI 0.13-0.44, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION TERT-altered ECs, although rare, are enriched for CN-high/TP53abn tumors, TP53, CDKN2A/B and DROSHA somatic mutations, and independently predict worse survival outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron M Praiss
- Gynecology Service, Departments of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Antonio Marra
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Qin Zhou
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Eric Rios-Doria
- Gynecology Service, Departments of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Amir Momeni-Boroujeni
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alexia Iasonos
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Pier Selenica
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - David N Brown
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Carol Aghajanian
- Gynecologic Medical Oncology Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nadeem R Abu-Rustum
- Gynecology Service, Departments of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lora H Ellenson
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Britta Weigelt
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
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Tan KT, Slevin MK, Leibowitz ML, Garrity-Janger M, Li H, Meyerson M. Neotelomeres and Telomere-Spanning Chromosomal Arm Fusions in Cancer Genomes Revealed by Long-Read Sequencing. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.30.569101. [PMID: 38077026 PMCID: PMC10705422 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.30.569101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Alterations in the structure and location of telomeres are key events in cancer genome evolution. However, previous genomic approaches, unable to span long telomeric repeat arrays, could not characterize the nature of these alterations. Here, we applied both long-read and short-read genome sequencing to assess telomere repeat-containing structures in cancers and cancer cell lines. Using long-read genome sequences that span telomeric repeat arrays, we defined four types of telomere repeat variations in cancer cells: neotelomeres where telomere addition heals chromosome breaks, chromosomal arm fusions spanning telomere repeats, fusions of neotelomeres, and peri-centromeric fusions with adjoined telomere and centromere repeats. Analysis of lung adenocarcinoma genome sequences identified somatic neotelomere and telomere-spanning fusion alterations. These results provide a framework for systematic study of telomeric repeat arrays in cancer genomes, that could serve as a model for understanding the somatic evolution of other repetitive genomic elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kar-Tong Tan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Michael K. Slevin
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Center for Cancer Genomics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Mitchell L. Leibowitz
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Max Garrity-Janger
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Heng Li
- Department of Data Sciences, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Matthew Meyerson
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Center for Cancer Genomics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Lead contact
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Tornesello ML, Cerasuolo A, Starita N, Amiranda S, Bonelli P, Tuccillo FM, Buonaguro FM, Buonaguro L, Tornesello AL. Reactivation of telomerase reverse transcriptase expression in cancer: the role of TERT promoter mutations. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1286683. [PMID: 38033865 PMCID: PMC10684755 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1286683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomerase activity and telomere elongation are essential conditions for the unlimited proliferation of neoplastic cells. Point mutations in the core promoter region of the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene have been found to occur at high frequencies in several tumour types and considered a primary cause of telomerase reactivation in cancer cells. These mutations promote TERT gene expression by multiple mechanisms, including the generation of novel binding sites for nuclear transcription factors, displacement of negative regulators from DNA G-quadruplexes, recruitment of epigenetic activators and disruption of long-range interactions between TERT locus and telomeres. Furthermore, TERT promoter mutations cooperate with TPP1 promoter nucleotide changes to lengthen telomeres and with mutated BRAF and FGFR3 oncoproteins to enhance oncogenic signalling in cancer cells. TERT promoter mutations have been recognized as an early marker of tumour development or a major indicator of poor outcome and reduced patients survival in several cancer types. In this review, we summarize recent findings on the role of TERT promoter mutations, telomerase expression and telomeres elongation in cancer development, their clinical significance and therapeutic opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Lina Tornesello
- Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, Napoli, Italy
| | - Andrea Cerasuolo
- Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, Napoli, Italy
| | - Noemy Starita
- Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, Napoli, Italy
| | - Sara Amiranda
- Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, Napoli, Italy
| | - Patrizia Bonelli
- Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, Napoli, Italy
| | - Franca Maria Tuccillo
- Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, Napoli, Italy
| | - Franco M. Buonaguro
- Molecular Biology and Viral Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, Napoli, Italy
| | - Luigi Buonaguro
- Innovative Immunological Models Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, Napoli, Italy
| | - Anna Lucia Tornesello
- Innovative Immunological Models Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS Fondazione G. Pascale, Napoli, Italy
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Yu Y, Zhang M, Yao X, Guan X, Jia C, Chu P, Zhang R, Yang Y, Jin Y, Wang H, Ni X, He L, Guo Y. Translational practice of fluorescence in situ hybridisation to identify neuroblastic tumours with TERT rearrangements. J Pathol Clin Res 2023; 9:475-487. [PMID: 37608330 PMCID: PMC10556277 DOI: 10.1002/cjp2.338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Recently, telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene rearrangements have been identified in neuroblastoma (NB), the typical pathological type of neuroblastic tumours (NTs); however, the prevalence of TERT rearrangements in other types of NT remains unknown. This study aimed to develop a practical method for detecting TERT defects and to evaluate the clinical relevance of TERT rearrangements as a biomarker for NT prognosis. A TERT break-apart probe for fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) was designed, optimised, and applied to assess the genomic status of TERT in Chinese children with NTs at the Beijing Children's Hospital from 2016 to 2019. Clinical, histological, and genetic characteristics of TERT-rearranged NTs were further addressed. Genomic TERT rearrangements could be effectively detected by FISH and were mutually exclusive with MYCN amplification. TERT rearrangements were identified in 6.0% (38/633) of NTs overall, but 12.4% (31/250) in high-risk patients. TERT rearrangements identified a subtype of aggressive NTs with the characteristics of Stage 3/4, high-risk category, over 18 months old, and presenting all histological subtypes of NB and ganglioneuroblastoma nodular. Moreover, TERT rearrangements were significantly associated with elevated TERT expression levels and decreased survival chances. Multivariable analysis confirmed that it was an independent prognostic marker for NTs. FISH is an easily applicable method for evaluating TERT defects, which define a subgroup of NTs with unfavourable prognosis. TERT rearrangements would contribute to characterising NT molecular signatures in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongbo Yu
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in ChildrenBeijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
| | - Meng Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Beijing Children's HospitalCapital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
| | - Xingfeng Yao
- Department of Pathology, Beijing Children's HospitalCapital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
| | - Xiaoxing Guan
- Department of Pathology, Beijing Children's HospitalCapital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
| | - Chao Jia
- Department of Pathology, Beijing Children's HospitalCapital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
| | - Ping Chu
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in ChildrenBeijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
| | - Ruqian Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in ChildrenBeijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
| | - Yeran Yang
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in ChildrenBeijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
| | - Yaqiong Jin
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in ChildrenBeijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
| | - Huanmin Wang
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Beijing Children's HospitalCapital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
| | - Xin Ni
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in ChildrenBeijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Children's HospitalCapital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
- Biobank for Clinical Data and Samples in Pediatrics, Beijing Children's HospitalCapital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
| | - Lejian He
- Department of Pathology, Beijing Children's HospitalCapital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
| | - Yongli Guo
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in ChildrenBeijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health (NCCH)BeijingPR China
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Yoo H, Kim HS. Clinicopathological and Prognostic Values of Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase ( TERT) Promoter Mutations in Ovarian Clear Cell Carcinoma for Predicting Tumor Recurrence, Platinum Resistance and Survival. Cancer Genomics Proteomics 2023; 20:626-636. [PMID: 37889060 PMCID: PMC10614067 DOI: 10.21873/cgp.20411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM A small subset of patients with ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) harbors telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter (TERTp) mutations. We aimed to analyze the clinicopathological and molecular characteristics of TERTp-mutant OCCC and investigate whether TERTp mutations are associated with the clinicopathological characteristics and outcomes of patients with OCCC. PATIENTS AND METHODS We included 11 OCCC cases in our study. Targeted sequencing was performed with a thorough review of pathology slides and electronic medical records. RESULTS Eleven OCCCs harbored two hotspot TERTp mutations: c.1-146C>T (6/11) and c.1-124C>T (5/11). All patients (11/11) who underwent postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy experienced tumor recurrence, and eight of them were classified as platinum-resistant. TERTp-mutant OCCC showed significantly higher frequencies of postoperative recurrence and relapse within six months of chemotherapy. TERTp mutations significantly predicted disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with OCCC. CONCLUSION We demonstrate that TERTp mutations have significant prognostic value for predicting tumor recurrence, platinum resistance, and worse DFS in patients with OCCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyunwoo Yoo
- Department of Pathology and Translational Genomics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Soo Kim
- Department of Pathology and Translational Genomics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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46
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Seif Eldin WR, Saad EA, Monier A, Elshazli RM. Association of TERT (rs2736098 and rs2736100) genetic variants with elevated risk of hepatocellular carcinoma: a retrospective case-control study. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18382. [PMID: 37884663 PMCID: PMC10603040 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45716-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an inflammatory problematic issue with higher mortality among different ethnic populations. The telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene has an imperative role in the proliferation of various cancerous illnesses, particularly HCC. Moreover, the TERT (rs2736098 and rs2739100) variants were correlated with the HCC susceptibility and telomere shortening, but with unconvincing outcomes. The main purpose of this outward work is to assess the correlation between these significant variants within the TERT gene and the elevated risk of HCC with the aid of various computational bioinformatics tools. This study included 233 participants [125 cancer-free controls and 108 HCC patients] from the same locality. In addition, 81.5% of HCC patients were positive for HCV autoantibodies, while 73.1% of HCC patients were positive for cirrhotic liver. Genomic DNA of the TERT (rs2736098 and rs2736100) variants were characterized utilizing the PCR-RFLP method. Interestingly, the frequencies of TERT (rs2736098*A allele) and TERT (rs2736100*T allele) conferred a significant correlation with increased risk of HCC compared to healthy controls (p-value = 0.002, and 0.016, respectively). The TERT (rs2736098*A/A) genotype indicated a definite association with positive smoking and splenomegaly (p-value < 0.05), while the TERT (rs2736100*T/T) genotype observed a significant difference with higher levels of HCV autoantibodies (p-value = 0.009). In conclusion, this significant work confirmed the contribution of the TERT (rs2736098*A and rs2736100*T) alleles with elevated risk of HCC progression and telomere shortening among Egyptian subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walaa R Seif Eldin
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Damietta University, Damietta, 34517, Egypt
| | - Entsar A Saad
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Damietta University, Damietta, 34517, Egypt.
| | - Ahmed Monier
- Department of Digestive Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Rami M Elshazli
- Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Unit, Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Horus University - Egypt, New Damietta, 34518, Egypt.
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Olschok K, Altenburg B, de Toledo MAS, Maurer A, Abels A, Beier F, Gezer D, Isfort S, Paeschke K, Brümmendorf TH, Zenke M, Chatain N, Koschmieder S. The telomerase inhibitor imetelstat differentially targets JAK2V617F versus CALR mutant myeloproliferative neoplasm cells and inhibits JAK-STAT signaling. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1277453. [PMID: 37941547 PMCID: PMC10628476 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1277453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Imetelstat shows activity in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms, including primary myelofibrosis (PMF) and essential thrombocythemia. Here, we describe a case of prolonged disease stabilization by imetelstat treatment of a high-risk PMF patient enrolled into the clinical study MYF2001. We confirmed continuous shortening of telomere length (TL) by imetelstat treatment but observed emergence and expansion of a KRAST58I mutated clone during the patient's clinical course. In order to investigate the molecular mechanisms involved in the imetelstat treatment response, we generated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) from this patient. TL of iPSC-derived hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, which was increased after reprogramming, was reduced upon imetelstat treatment for 14 days. However, while imetelstat reduced clonogenic growth of the patient's primary CD34+ cells, clonogenic growth of iPSC-derived CD34+ cells was not affected, suggesting that TL was not critically short in these cells. Also, the propensity of iPSC differentiation toward megakaryocytes and granulocytes was not altered. Using human TF-1MPL and murine 32DMPL cell lines stably expressing JAK2V617F or CALRdel52, imetelstat-induced reduction of viability was significantly more pronounced in CALRdel52 than in JAK2V617F cells. This was associated with an immediate downregulation of JAK2 phosphorylation and downstream signaling as well as a reduction of hTERT and STAT3 mRNA expression. Hence, our data demonstrate that imetelstat reduces TL and targets JAK/STAT signaling, particularly in CALR-mutated cells. Although the exact patient subpopulation who will benefit most from imetelstat needs to be defined, our data propose that CALR-mutated clones are highly vulnerable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Olschok
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (CIO ABCD), Aachen, Germany
| | - Bianca Altenburg
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (CIO ABCD), Aachen, Germany
| | - Marcelo A. S. de Toledo
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (CIO ABCD), Aachen, Germany
| | - Angela Maurer
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (CIO ABCD), Aachen, Germany
| | - Anne Abels
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (CIO ABCD), Aachen, Germany
| | - Fabian Beier
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (CIO ABCD), Aachen, Germany
| | - Deniz Gezer
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (CIO ABCD), Aachen, Germany
| | - Susanne Isfort
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (CIO ABCD), Aachen, Germany
| | - Katrin Paeschke
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (CIO ABCD), Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Tim H. Brümmendorf
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (CIO ABCD), Aachen, Germany
| | - Martin Zenke
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (CIO ABCD), Aachen, Germany
| | - Nicolas Chatain
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (CIO ABCD), Aachen, Germany
| | - Steffen Koschmieder
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (CIO ABCD), Aachen, Germany
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Brik A, Wichert K, Weber DG, Szafranski K, Rozynek P, Meier S, Ko YD, Büttner R, Gerwert K, Behrens T, Brüning T, Johnen G. Assessment of MYC and TERT copy number variations in lung cancer using digital PCR. BMC Res Notes 2023; 16:279. [PMID: 37858127 PMCID: PMC10585721 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-023-06566-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Lung cancer is the second most frequent cancer type and the most common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Alteration of gene copy numbers are associated with lung cancer and the determination of copy number variations (CNV) is appropriate for the discrimination between tumor and non-tumor tissue in lung cancer. As telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and v-myc avian myelocytomatosis viral oncogene homolog (MYC) play a role in lung cancer the aims of this study were the verification of our recent results analyzing MYC CNV in tumor and non-tumor tissue of lung cancer patients using an independent study group and the assessment of TERT CNV as an additional marker. RESULTS TERT and MYC status was analyzed using digital PCR (dPCR) in tumor and adjacent non-tumor tissue samples of 114 lung cancer patients. The difference between tumor and non-tumor samples were statistically significant (p < 0.0001) for TERT and MYC. Using a predefined specificity of 99% a sensitivity of 41% and 51% was observed for TERT and MYC, respectively. For the combination of TERT and MYC the overall sensitivity increased to 60% at 99% specificity. We demonstrated that a combination of markers increases the performance in comparison to individual markers. Additionally, the determination of CNV using dPCR might be an appropriate tool in precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Brik
- Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance - Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum (IPA), Bochum, Germany.
| | - Katharina Wichert
- Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance - Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum (IPA), Bochum, Germany
| | - Daniel G Weber
- Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance - Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum (IPA), Bochum, Germany
| | - Katja Szafranski
- Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance - Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum (IPA), Bochum, Germany
| | - Peter Rozynek
- Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance - Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum (IPA), Bochum, Germany
| | - Swetlana Meier
- Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance - Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum (IPA), Bochum, Germany
| | - Yon-Dschun Ko
- Department of Internal Medicine, Johanniter-Kliniken Bonn GmbH, Bonn, Germany
| | - Reinhard Büttner
- Institute of Pathology, Medical Faculty and Center for Molecular Medicine (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Klaus Gerwert
- Center for Protein Diagnostics (PRODI), Department of Biophysics, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Thomas Behrens
- Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance - Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum (IPA), Bochum, Germany
| | - Thomas Brüning
- Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance - Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum (IPA), Bochum, Germany
| | - Georg Johnen
- Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance - Institute of the Ruhr University Bochum (IPA), Bochum, Germany
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49
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Wang M, Fukushima S, Sheen YS, Ramelyte E, Pacheco NC, Shi C, Liu S, Banik I, Aquino JD, Acosta MS, Levesque M, Dummer R, Liau JY, Chu CY, Shain AH, Yeh I, Bastian BC. The genetic evolution of acral melanoma. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.18.562802. [PMID: 37904969 PMCID: PMC10614839 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.18.562802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
Acral melanoma is an aggressive type of melanoma with unknown origins, arising on the sole, palm, or nail apparatus. It is the most common type of melanoma in individuals with dark skin and is notoriously challenging to treat. Our study examined exome sequencing data from 139 tissue samples, spanning different progression stages, collected from 37 patients. We found that 78.4% of the melanomas displayed one or more clustered copy number transitions with focal amplifications, recurring predominantly on chromosomes 5, 11, 12, and 22. These genomic "hailstorms" were typically shared across all progression stages within individual patients. Genetic alterations known to activate TERT also arose early. By contrast, mutations in the MAP-kinase pathway appeared later during progression, often leading to different tumor areas harboring non-overlapping driver mutations. We conclude that the evolutionary trajectories of acral melanomas substantially diverge from those of melanomas on sun-exposed skin, where MAP-kinase pathway activation initiates the neoplastic cascade followed by immortalization later. The punctuated formation of hailstorms, paired with early TERT activation, suggests a unique mutational mechanism underlying the origins of acral melanoma. Our findings highlight an essential role for telomerase, likely in re-stabilizing tumor genomes after hailstorms have initiated the tumors. The marked genetic heterogeneity, in particular of MAP-kinase pathway drivers, may partly explain the limited success of targeted and other therapies in treating this melanoma subtype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Wang
- Department of Dermatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Satoshi Fukushima
- Department of Dermatology and Plastic Surgery, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Yi-Shuan Sheen
- Department of Dermatology, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Egle Ramelyte
- Department of Dermatology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Noel Cruz Pacheco
- Department of Dermatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Chenxu Shi
- Department of Dermatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Shanshan Liu
- Department of Dermatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ishani Banik
- Department of Dermatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jamie D. Aquino
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Mitchell Levesque
- Department of Dermatology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Reinhard Dummer
- Department of Dermatology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jau-Yu Liau
- Department of Dermatology, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Yu Chu
- Department of Dermatology, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - A. Hunter Shain
- Department of Dermatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- These authors jointly supervised this project
| | - Iwei Yeh
- Department of Dermatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- These authors jointly supervised this project
| | - Boris C. Bastian
- Department of Dermatology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- These authors jointly supervised this project
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50
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Lyu SI, Popp FC, Simon AG, Schultheis AM, Zander T, Fretter C, Schröder W, Bruns CJ, Schmidt T, Quaas A, Knipper K. Copy-number-gain of telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is associated with an unfavorable prognosis in esophageal adenocarcinoma. Sci Rep 2023; 13:17699. [PMID: 37848472 PMCID: PMC10582081 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44844-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Esophageal adenocarcinoma exhibits one of the highest mortality rates among all cancer entities. Multimodal therapy strategies have improved patients' survival significantly. However, patients in early stages are currently limited to receiving only local therapies, even though some patients within this group showcase short survival periods. Until now, there has been no widely established clinically used biomarker to detect these high-risk patients. Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), a gene encoding a crucial subunit of the telomerase enzyme, plays a significant role in establishing cancer cell immortality and is under suspicion for its potential contribution to tumor progression. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the clinical relevance of the TERT amplification status. We included 643 patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma, who underwent Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy at the University Hospital of Cologne. The TERT amplification status was characterized using fluorescence in situ hybridization. Clinicopathological values and patients' overall survival were compared between patients with and without TERT amplification. Further sub-cohort analyses were conducted for patients with pT1N0-3 tumor stage. Eighty-One patients (12.6%) exhibited TERT amplification. Patients with amplified TERT showed significantly worse overall survival (median OS: 22.6 vs. 36.8 months, p = 0.009). Interestingly, TERT amplification could be characterized as an independent risk factor for worse overall survival in multivariate analysis in patients with pT1N0-3 tumor stage (HR = 2.440, 95% CI 1.095-5.440, p = 0.029). In this study, we describe the TERT amplification status as an independent risk factor for worse survival in patients diagnosed with esophageal adenocarcinoma at pT1N0-3 tumor stage, encompassing cases involving tumor infiltration of the lamina propria, muscularis mucosae, and/or submucosa. Based on our findings, we put forth the proposition that evaluating the TERT amplification status may serve as a valuable tool in identifying a specific subgroup of patients, namely those with TERT amplification and pT1N0-3 tumor-stage esophageal adenocarcinoma. The patients of this subgroup could potentially benefit from enhanced follow-up protocols, more aggressive treatment approaches, or possible targeted TERT inhibition therapies, all aimed at improving their overall clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su Ir Lyu
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Institute of Pathology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Felix C Popp
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Department of General, Visceral and Cancer Surgery, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Adrian Georg Simon
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Institute of Pathology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Anne Maria Schultheis
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Institute of Pathology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Thomas Zander
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Department of Internal Medicine, Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen-Bonn-Cologne-Duesseldorf, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Caroline Fretter
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Institute of Pathology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Schröder
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Department of General, Visceral and Cancer Surgery, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Christiane J Bruns
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Department of General, Visceral and Cancer Surgery, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Thomas Schmidt
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Department of General, Visceral and Cancer Surgery, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Alexander Quaas
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Institute of Pathology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Karl Knipper
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital of Cologne, Department of General, Visceral and Cancer Surgery, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
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