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Kreilmeier-Berger T, Aupperle-Lellbach H, Reifinger M, Hörstke NV, Holzmann K, Kleiter M. Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres Is Rare in Canine Histiocytic Sarcoma. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4214. [PMID: 37686490 PMCID: PMC10487132 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15174214] [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: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells activate telomere maintenance mechanisms (TMMs) to overcome senescence and thus are targets for TMM-specific therapies. Telomerase-independent alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) is frequently utilized as a TMM in human sarcoma subtypes. Histiocytic sarcoma (HS) is a rare but aggressive tumor of hematopoietic origin with unknown ALT incidence in humans. ALT has been identified in canine HS, a tumor type comparable to human HS that occurs with high rates in certain canine breeds such as Bernese mountain dogs (BMDs). This retrospective study characterized the frequency of ALT in BMD and non-BMD patients diagnosed with HS as surrogates for humans. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor samples from 63 dogs at two centers, including 47 BMDs, were evaluated for their ALT activity and relative telomere content (TC) using a radiolabel C-circle assay (CCA). Known ALT-positive samples served as controls. CCA-positive cases were validated via FISH. Two BMD samples showed ALT activity of 1-14% compared to controls. All other samples were ALT-negative. The TC did not correlate with the CCA results. ALT positivity was validated by the appearance of ultrabright telomere foci. Low ALT activity was present in 4% of BMDs with HS and therefore does not appear to be a common target for therapeutic approaches but can have diagnostic value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa Kreilmeier-Berger
- Department for Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria;
| | | | - Martin Reifinger
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria;
| | - Nicolai Valentin Hörstke
- Center for Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria;
| | - Klaus Holzmann
- Center for Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria;
| | - Miriam Kleiter
- Department for Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria;
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2
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Ries A, Slany A, Pirker C, Mader JC, Mejri D, Mohr T, Schelch K, Flehberger D, Maach N, Hashim M, Hoda MA, Dome B, Krupitza G, Berger W, Gerner C, Holzmann K, Grusch M. Primary and hTERT-Transduced Mesothelioma-Associated Fibroblasts but Not Primary or hTERT-Transduced Mesothelial Cells Stimulate Growth of Human Mesothelioma Cells. Cells 2023; 12:2006. [PMID: 37566084 PMCID: PMC10417280 DOI: 10.3390/cells12152006] [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: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Pleural mesothelioma (PM) is an aggressive malignancy that develops in a unique tumor microenvironment (TME). However, cell models for studying the TME in PM are still limited. Here, we have generated and characterized novel human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT)-transduced mesothelial cell and mesothelioma-associated fibroblast (Meso-CAF) models and investigated their impact on PM cell growth. Pleural mesothelial cells and Meso-CAFs were isolated from tissue of pneumothorax and PM patients, respectively. Stable expression of hTERT was induced by retroviral transduction. Primary and hTERT-transduced cells were compared with respect to doubling times, hTERT expression and activity levels, telomere lengths, proteomes, and the impact of conditioned media (CM) on PM cell growth. All transduced derivatives exhibited elevated hTERT expression and activity, and increased mean telomere lengths. Cell morphology remained unchanged, and the proteomes were similar to the corresponding primary cells. Of note, the CM of primary and hTERT-transduced Meso-CAFs stimulated PM cell growth to the same extent, while CM derived from mesothelial cells had no stimulating effect, irrespective of hTERT expression. In conclusion, all new hTERT-transduced cell models closely resemble their primary counterparts and, hence, represent valuable tools to investigate cellular interactions within the TME of PM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Ries
- Center for Cancer Research and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Borschkegasse 8a, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (A.R.); (C.P.); (D.M.); (T.M.); (K.S.); (D.F.); (N.M.); (M.H.); (W.B.); (K.H.)
| | - Astrid Slany
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Waehringer Straße 38, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (A.S.); (J.C.M.); (C.G.)
| | - Christine Pirker
- Center for Cancer Research and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Borschkegasse 8a, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (A.R.); (C.P.); (D.M.); (T.M.); (K.S.); (D.F.); (N.M.); (M.H.); (W.B.); (K.H.)
| | - Johanna C. Mader
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Waehringer Straße 38, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (A.S.); (J.C.M.); (C.G.)
| | - Doris Mejri
- Center for Cancer Research and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Borschkegasse 8a, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (A.R.); (C.P.); (D.M.); (T.M.); (K.S.); (D.F.); (N.M.); (M.H.); (W.B.); (K.H.)
| | - Thomas Mohr
- Center for Cancer Research and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Borschkegasse 8a, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (A.R.); (C.P.); (D.M.); (T.M.); (K.S.); (D.F.); (N.M.); (M.H.); (W.B.); (K.H.)
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Waehringer Straße 38, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (A.S.); (J.C.M.); (C.G.)
- Joint Metabolome Facility, University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 38, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- ScienceConsult—DI Thomas Mohr KG, Enzianweg 10a, 2353 Guntramsdorf, Austria
| | - Karin Schelch
- Center for Cancer Research and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Borschkegasse 8a, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (A.R.); (C.P.); (D.M.); (T.M.); (K.S.); (D.F.); (N.M.); (M.H.); (W.B.); (K.H.)
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (M.A.H.); (B.D.)
| | - Daniela Flehberger
- Center for Cancer Research and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Borschkegasse 8a, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (A.R.); (C.P.); (D.M.); (T.M.); (K.S.); (D.F.); (N.M.); (M.H.); (W.B.); (K.H.)
| | - Nadine Maach
- Center for Cancer Research and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Borschkegasse 8a, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (A.R.); (C.P.); (D.M.); (T.M.); (K.S.); (D.F.); (N.M.); (M.H.); (W.B.); (K.H.)
| | - Muhammad Hashim
- Center for Cancer Research and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Borschkegasse 8a, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (A.R.); (C.P.); (D.M.); (T.M.); (K.S.); (D.F.); (N.M.); (M.H.); (W.B.); (K.H.)
| | - Mir Alireza Hoda
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (M.A.H.); (B.D.)
| | - Balazs Dome
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (M.A.H.); (B.D.)
- National Korányi Institute of Pulmonology, Korányi Frigyes u. 1, 1122 Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Institute of Oncology, Semmelweis University, Rath Gyorgy u. 7-9, 1122 Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Sölvegatan 19, 22184 Lund, Sweden
| | - Georg Krupitza
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria;
| | - Walter Berger
- Center for Cancer Research and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Borschkegasse 8a, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (A.R.); (C.P.); (D.M.); (T.M.); (K.S.); (D.F.); (N.M.); (M.H.); (W.B.); (K.H.)
| | - Christopher Gerner
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Waehringer Straße 38, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (A.S.); (J.C.M.); (C.G.)
| | - Klaus Holzmann
- Center for Cancer Research and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Borschkegasse 8a, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (A.R.); (C.P.); (D.M.); (T.M.); (K.S.); (D.F.); (N.M.); (M.H.); (W.B.); (K.H.)
| | - Michael Grusch
- Center for Cancer Research and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Borschkegasse 8a, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (A.R.); (C.P.); (D.M.); (T.M.); (K.S.); (D.F.); (N.M.); (M.H.); (W.B.); (K.H.)
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DeWitt SB, Plumlee SH, Brighton HE, Sivaraj D, Martz EJ, Zand M, Kumar V, Sheth MU, Floyd W, Spruance JV, Hawkey N, Varghese S, Ruan J, Kirsch DG, Somarelli JA, Alman B, Eward WC. Loss of ATRX promotes aggressive features of osteosarcoma with increased NF-κB signaling and integrin binding. JCI Insight 2022; 7:151583. [PMID: 36073547 PMCID: PMC9536280 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.151583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Osteosarcoma (OS) is a lethal disease with few known targeted therapies. Here, we show that decreased ATRX expression is associated with more aggressive tumor cell phenotypes, including increased growth, migration, invasion, and metastasis. These phenotypic changes correspond with activation of NF-κB signaling, extracellular matrix remodeling, increased integrin αvβ3 expression, and ETS family transcription factor binding. Here, we characterize these changes in vitro, in vivo, and in a data set of human OS patients. This increased aggression substantially sensitizes ATRX-deficient OS cells to integrin signaling inhibition. Thus, ATRX plays an important tumor-suppression role in OS, and loss of function of this gene may underlie new therapeutic vulnerabilities. The relationship between ATRX expression and integrin binding, NF-κB activation, and ETS family transcription factor binding has not been described in previous studies and may impact the pathophysiology of other diseases with ATRX loss, including other cancers and the ATR-X α thalassemia intellectual disability syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Bartholf DeWitt
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and.,Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | | | | | | | - E J Martz
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and
| | - Maryam Zand
- Computer Science Department, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Vardhman Kumar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Maya U Sheth
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.,Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Warren Floyd
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jacob V Spruance
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Nathan Hawkey
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Shyni Varghese
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jianhua Ruan
- Computer Science Department, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - David G Kirsch
- Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology and.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jason A Somarelli
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.,Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ben Alman
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and
| | - William C Eward
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and.,College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
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4
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Bicanova L, Kreilmeier-Berger T, Reifinger M, Holzmann K, Kleiter M. Prevalence and potentially prognostic value of C-circles associated with alternative lengthening of telomeres in canine appendicular osteosarcoma. Vet Comp Oncol 2020; 19:222-231. [PMID: 33211388 PMCID: PMC8247038 DOI: 10.1111/vco.12665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) is a telomerase‐independent telomere maintenance mechanism (TMM) with high prevalence in human osteosarcomas but remains unknown in canine osteosarcomas. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of ALT by detection of extra‐chromosomal circles of telomeric DNA and to assess clinical outcome in canine patients with spontaneous occurring appendicular osteosarcoma. Fifty dogs with histopathological confirmed osteosarcomas were included into this study. Medical records were retrospectively analysed for patient characteristics, oncologic therapy and survival. DNA was isolated from archived FFPE tumour tissue specimens and applied for C‐ and G‐circle assay (CCA and GCA) and for telomeric content (TC) measurement with radiolabeled probes. ALT activity was detected for 10 of 50 (20%) cases by CCA. Four CCA positive cases were detected even with input DNA below 1 ng and demonstrated the high sensitivity of CCA for canine tumours. G‐circles and TC were not suitable to distinguish CCA positive and negative cases. CCA‐status showed an association with male gender and Rottweiler breed. Dogs with CCA positive osteosarcomas had shorter overall survival times than patients with CCA‐tumours and CCA‐status was a significant prognostic factor besides treatment in the Cox proportional hazard model. These findings make canine osteosarcomas an interesting model for comparative TMM research, but future studies are warranted to investigate if CCA‐status can serve as novel prognostic marker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludmila Bicanova
- Department for Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Martin Reifinger
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Klaus Holzmann
- Department of Medicine I, Division: Institute of Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Miriam Kleiter
- Department for Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
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5
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Do Canine Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms Resemble Human Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumours? A Comparative Morphological and Immunohistochemical Investigation. J Comp Pathol 2020; 181:73-85. [PMID: 33288156 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2020.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Although canine pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PanNENs) have been proposed as a model for the counterpart human neoplasms, the type or grade of human PanNEN that they resemble is unclear. PanNENs in animals are classified as adenoma or carcinoma, whereas in humans they are classified as pancreatic neuroendocrine tumour (PanNET) if well-differentiated, or as pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma (PanNEC) if poorly differentiated. We evaluated 16 canine primary PanNENs and two metastases histologically and immunohistochemically, and graded them using the animal and human grading systems. All neoplasms had local or vascular invasion and were classified as pancreatic islet cell carcinomas according to the current WHO classification. The Ki-67 index was low in all cases (0.01-1.50%). All had cytoplasmic expression of synaptophysin and insulin but were immunonegative for glucagon, confirming a functional diagnosis of canine insulinoma. Membranous expression of SSTR2A and nuclear expression of ATRX, but no p53 expression, was found in all neoplasms. One primary tumour was diagnosed as a mixed neuroendocrine-non-neuroendocrine neoplasm, which is the first report of this neoplasm in dogs. The other 15 primary tumours and both metastatic tumours were graded as PanNET G1, according to the human WHO classification. We conclude that canine PanNENs share well-differentiated histomorphology, SSTR2A expression and absence of nuclear p53 immunolabelling with human PanNETs G1. However, they differ in ATRX gene expression and functionality, and seem to have a worse prognosis than human PanNETs G1, although their generally low Ki-67 index precludes more precise assessment of prognosis. Membranous SSTR2A expression renders canine PanNENs potentially amenable to treatment with somatostatin analogues or SSTR targeted in-vivo imaging methods.
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6
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Posch A, Hofer-Zeni S, Klieser E, Primavesi F, Naderlinger E, Brandstetter A, Filipits M, Urbas R, Swiercynski S, Jäger T, Winkelmann P, Kiesslich T, Lu L, Neureiter D, Stättner S, Holzmann K. Hot Spot TERT Promoter Mutations Are Rare in Sporadic Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms and Associated with Telomere Length and Epigenetic Expression Patterns. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12061625. [PMID: 32575418 PMCID: PMC7352723 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12061625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells activate a telomere maintenance mechanism like telomerase in order to proliferate indefinitely. Telomerase can be reactivated by gain-of-function Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase (TERT) promoter mutations (TPMs) that occur in several cancer subtypes with high incidence and association with diagnosis, prognosis and epigenetics. However, such information about TPMs in sporadic pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (pNENs) including tumor (pNET) and carcinoma (pNEC) is less well defined. We have studied two hot spot TPMs and telomere length (TL) in pNEN and compared the results with clinicopathological information and proliferation-associated miRNA/HDAC expression profiles. DNA was isolated from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue of 58 sporadic pNEN patients. T allele frequency of C250T and C228T TPM was analyzed by pyrosequencing, relative TL as telomeric content by qPCR. In total, five pNEN cases (9%) including four pNETs and one pNEC were identified with TPMs, four cases with exclusive C250T as predominant TPM and one case with both C250T and C228T. T allele frequencies of DNA isolated from adjacent high tumor cell content FFPE tissue varied considerably, which may indicate TPM tumor heterogeneity. Overall and disease-free survival was not associated with TPM versus wild-type pNEN cases. Binary category analyses indicated a marginally significant relationship between TPM status and longer telomeres (p = 0.086), and changes in expression of miR449a (p = 0.157), HDAC4 (p = 0.146) and HDAC9 (p = 0.149). Future studies with larger patient cohorts are needed to assess the true clinical value of these rare mutations in pNEN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Posch
- Department of Medicine I, Division: Institute of Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (A.P.); (S.H.-Z.); (E.N.); (A.B.); (M.F.)
| | - Sarah Hofer-Zeni
- Department of Medicine I, Division: Institute of Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (A.P.); (S.H.-Z.); (E.N.); (A.B.); (M.F.)
| | - Eckhard Klieser
- Institute of Pathology, Paracelsus Medical University/Salzburger Landeskliniken (SALK), 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (E.K.); (P.W.); (D.N.)
| | - Florian Primavesi
- Department of Visceral, Transplant and Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (F.P.); (S.S.)
| | - Elisabeth Naderlinger
- Department of Medicine I, Division: Institute of Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (A.P.); (S.H.-Z.); (E.N.); (A.B.); (M.F.)
| | - Anita Brandstetter
- Department of Medicine I, Division: Institute of Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (A.P.); (S.H.-Z.); (E.N.); (A.B.); (M.F.)
| | - Martin Filipits
- Department of Medicine I, Division: Institute of Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (A.P.); (S.H.-Z.); (E.N.); (A.B.); (M.F.)
| | - Romana Urbas
- Regional Medical Directorate of the Province of Salzburg, Office of the Salzburg Provincial Government, Sebastian-Stief-Gasse 2, 5020 Salzburg, Austria;
| | - Stefan Swiercynski
- Department of Surgery, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburger Landeskliniken (SALK), 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (S.S.); (T.J.)
| | - Tarkan Jäger
- Department of Surgery, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburger Landeskliniken (SALK), 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (S.S.); (T.J.)
| | - Paul Winkelmann
- Institute of Pathology, Paracelsus Medical University/Salzburger Landeskliniken (SALK), 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (E.K.); (P.W.); (D.N.)
| | - Tobias Kiesslich
- Department of Internal Medicine I & Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Paracelsus Medical University/Salzburger Landeskliniken (SALK), 5020 Salzburg, Austria;
| | - Lingeng Lu
- Yale Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, School of Public Health, School of Medicine, Yale Cancer Center, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8034, USA;
| | - Daniel Neureiter
- Institute of Pathology, Paracelsus Medical University/Salzburger Landeskliniken (SALK), 5020 Salzburg, Austria; (E.K.); (P.W.); (D.N.)
| | - Stefan Stättner
- Department of Visceral, Transplant and Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (F.P.); (S.S.)
- Department of Surgery, Salzkammergutkliniken, 4840 Vöcklabruck, Austria
| | - Klaus Holzmann
- Department of Medicine I, Division: Institute of Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (A.P.); (S.H.-Z.); (E.N.); (A.B.); (M.F.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +43-1-40160-57530; Fax: +43-1-40160-957500
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7
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Pompili L, Leonetti C, Biroccio A, Salvati E. Diagnosis and treatment of ALT tumors: is Trabectedin a new therapeutic option? JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2017; 36:189. [PMID: 29273061 PMCID: PMC5741932 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-017-0657-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Telomeres are specialized nucleoprotein structures responsible for protecting chromosome ends in order to prevent the loss of genomic information. Telomere maintenance is required for achieving immortality by neoplastic cells. While most cancer cells rely on telomerase re-activation for linear chromosome maintenance and sustained proliferation, a significant population of cancers (10-15%) employs telomerase-independent strategies, collectively referred to as Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres (ALT). ALT mechanisms involve different types of homology-directed telomere recombination and synthesis. These processes are facilitated by loss of the ATRX or DAXX chromatin-remodeling factors and by abnormalities of the telomere nucleoprotein architecture. Although the functional consequences of telomerase and ALT up-regulation are similar in that they both prevent overall telomere shortening in tumors, these telomere maintenance mechanisms (TMMs) differ in several aspects which may account for their differential prognostic significance and response to therapy in various tumor types. Therefore, reliable methods for detecting telomerase activity and ALT are likely to become an important pre-requisite for the use of treatments targeting one or other of these mechanisms. However, the question whether ALT presence can confer sensitivity to rationally designed anti-cancer therapies is still open. Here we review the latest discoveries in terms of mechanisms of ALT activation and maintenance in human tumors, methods for ALT identification in cell lines and human tissues and biomarkers validation. Then, original results on sensitivity to rational based pre-clinical and clinical anti-tumor drugs in ALT vs hTERT positive cells will be presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Pompili
- UOSD SAFU, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.,University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Carlo Leonetti
- UOSD SAFU, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Annamaria Biroccio
- Oncogenomic and Epigenetic Unit, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Via Elio Chianesi, 53 -, 00144, Rome, Italy
| | - Erica Salvati
- Oncogenomic and Epigenetic Unit, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Via Elio Chianesi, 53 -, 00144, Rome, Italy.
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8
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Naderlinger E, Holzmann K. Epigenetic Regulation of Telomere Maintenance for Therapeutic Interventions in Gliomas. Genes (Basel) 2017; 8:E145. [PMID: 28513547 PMCID: PMC5448019 DOI: 10.3390/genes8050145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2017] [Revised: 05/08/2017] [Accepted: 05/12/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
High-grade astrocytoma of WHO grade 4 termed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a common human brain tumor with poor patient outcome. Astrocytoma demonstrates two known telomere maintenance mechanisms (TMMs) based on telomerase activity (TA) and on alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT). ALT is associated with lower tumor grades and better outcome. In contrast to ALT, regulation of TA in tumors by direct mutation and epigenetic activation of the hTERT promoter is well established. Here, we summarize the genetic background of TMMs in non-malignant cells and in cancer, in addition to clinical and pathological features of gliomas. Furthermore, we present new evidence for epigenetic mechanisms (EMs) involved in regulation of ALT and TA with special emphasis on human diffuse gliomas as potential therapeutic drug targets. We discuss the role of TMM associated telomeric chromatin factors such as DNA and histone modifying enzymes and non-coding RNAs including microRNAs and long telomeric TERRA transcripts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Naderlinger
- Institute of Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Borschkegasse 8a, Vienna 1090, Austria.
| | - Klaus Holzmann
- Institute of Cancer Research, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Borschkegasse 8a, Vienna 1090, Austria.
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9
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Al-Qaraghouli M, Fang YMV. Effect of Fetal Sex on Maternal and Obstetric Outcomes. Front Pediatr 2017; 5:144. [PMID: 28674684 PMCID: PMC5476168 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2017.00144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal sex plays an important role in modifying the course and complications related to pregnancy and may also have an impact on maternal health and well-being both during and after pregnancy. The goal of this article is to review and summarize the findings from published research on physiologic and pathologic changes that may be affected by fetal sex and the effect of these changes on the maternal and obstetrical outcomes. This will help create awareness that fetal sex is not just a random chance event but an interactive process between the mother, the placenta, and the fetus. The reported effects of male sex on the course of pregnancy and delivery include higher incidence of preterm labor in singletons and twins, failure of progression in labor, true umbilical cord knots, cord prolapse, nuchal cord, higher cesarean section rate, higher heart rate variability with increased frequency, and duration of decelerations without acidemia and increased risk of gestational diabetes mellitus through the poor beta cells function. Similarly, female fetal sex has been reported to modify pregnancy and delivery outcomes including altered fetal cardiac hemodynamics, increased hypertensive diseases of pregnancy, higher vulnerability of developing type 2 DM after pregnancy possibly because of influences on increased maternal insulin resistance. Placental function is also influenced by fetal sex. Vitamin D metabolism in the placenta varies by fetal sex; and the placenta of a female fetus is more responsive to the relaxing action of magnesium sulfate. Male and female feto-placental units also vary in their responses to environmental toxin exposure. The association of fetal sex with stillbirths is controversial with many studies reporting higher risk of stillbirth in male fetuses; although some smaller and limited studies have reported more stillbirths with female fetus pregnancies. Maternal status such as BMI may in turn also affect the fetus and the placenta in a sex-specific manner. There is probably a sex-specific maternal-placental-fetal interaction that has significant biological implications of which the mechanisms may be genetic, epigenetic, or hormonal. Determination of fetal sex may therefore be an important consideration in management of pregnancy and childbirth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Al-Qaraghouli
- Department Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division Maternal-Fetal Medicine, UConn Health John Dempsey Hospital, Farmington, CT, United States
| | - Yu Ming Victor Fang
- Department Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division Maternal-Fetal Medicine, UConn Health John Dempsey Hospital, Farmington, CT, United States
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