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Micheva ID, Atanasova SA. MicroRNA dysregulation in myelodysplastic syndromes: implications for diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic response. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1410656. [PMID: 39156702 PMCID: PMC11327013 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1410656] [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: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of malignant clonal hematological disorders with heterogeneous clinical course and risk of transformation to acute myeloid leukemia. Genetic and epigenetic dysregulation, including alterations in microRNA (miRNA) expression, plays a pivotal role in MDS pathogenesis influencing disease development and progression. MiRNAs, known for their regulatory roles in gene expression, have emerged as promising biomarkers in various malignant diseases. This review aims to explore the diagnostic and prognostic roles of miRNAs in MDS. We discuss research efforts aimed at understanding the clinical utility of miRNAs in MDS management. MiRNA dysregulation is linked to specific chromosomal abnormalities in MDS, providing insights into the molecular landscape of the disease. Circulating miRNAs in plasma offer a less invasive avenue for diagnostic and prognostic assessment, with distinct miRNA profiles identified in MDS patients. Additionally, we discuss investigations concerning the role of miRNAs as markers for treatment response to hypomethylating and immunomodulating agents, which could lead to improved treatment decision-making and monitoring. Despite significant progress, further research in larger patient cohorts is needed to fully elucidate the role of miRNAs in MDS pathogenesis and refine personalized approaches to patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilina Dimitrova Micheva
- Hematology Department, University Hospital St. Marina, Varna, Bulgaria
- Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Varna, Varna, Bulgaria
| | - Svilena Angelova Atanasova
- Hematology Department, University Hospital St. Marina, Varna, Bulgaria
- Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Varna, Varna, Bulgaria
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Bauer M, Vaxevanis C, Heimer N, Al-Ali HK, Jaekel N, Bachmann M, Wickenhauser C, Seliger B. Expression, Regulation and Function of microRNA as Important Players in the Transition of MDS to Secondary AML and Their Cross Talk to RNA-Binding Proteins. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21197140. [PMID: 32992663 PMCID: PMC7582632 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21197140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), heterogeneous diseases of hematopoietic stem cells, exhibit a significant risk of progression to secondary acute myeloid leukemia (sAML) that are typically accompanied by MDS-related changes and therefore significantly differ to de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Within these disorders, the spectrum of cytogenetic alterations and oncogenic mutations, the extent of a predisposing defective osteohematopoietic niche, and the irregularity of the tumor microenvironment is highly diverse. However, the exact underlying pathophysiological mechanisms resulting in hematopoietic failure in patients with MDS and sAML remain elusive. There is recent evidence that the post-transcriptional control of gene expression mediated by microRNAs (miRNAs), long noncoding RNAs, and/or RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are key components in the pathogenic events of both diseases. In addition, an interplay between RBPs and miRNAs has been postulated in MDS and sAML. Although a plethora of miRNAs is aberrantly expressed in MDS and sAML, their expression pattern significantly depends on the cell type and on the molecular make-up of the sample, including chromosomal alterations and single nucleotide polymorphisms, which also reflects their role in disease progression and prediction. Decreased expression levels of miRNAs or RBPs preventing the maturation or inhibiting translation of genes involved in pathogenesis of both diseases were found. Therefore, this review will summarize the current knowledge regarding the heterogeneity of expression, function, and clinical relevance of miRNAs, its link to molecular abnormalities in MDS and sAML with specific focus on the interplay with RBPs, and the current treatment options. This information might improve the use of miRNAs and/or RBPs as prognostic markers and therapeutic targets for both malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Bauer
- Institute of Pathology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06112 Halle, Germany; (M.B.); (C.W.)
| | - Christoforos Vaxevanis
- Institute of Medical Immunology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle 06112, Germany; (C.V.); (N.H.)
| | - Nadine Heimer
- Institute of Medical Immunology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle 06112, Germany; (C.V.); (N.H.)
| | - Haifa Kathrin Al-Ali
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, University Hospital Halle, 06112 Halle, Germany; (H.K.A.-A.); (N.J.)
| | - Nadja Jaekel
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, University Hospital Halle, 06112 Halle, Germany; (H.K.A.-A.); (N.J.)
| | - Michael Bachmann
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden Rossendorf, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, 01328 Dresden, Germany;
| | - Claudia Wickenhauser
- Institute of Pathology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06112 Halle, Germany; (M.B.); (C.W.)
| | - Barbara Seliger
- Institute of Medical Immunology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle 06112, Germany; (C.V.); (N.H.)
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-345-557-4054
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Mizuno Y, Chinen Y, Tsukamoto T, Takimoto-Shimomura T, Matsumura-Kimoto Y, Fujibayashi Y, Kuwahara-Ota S, Fujino T, Nishiyama D, Shimura Y, Kobayashi T, Horiike S, Taniwaki M, Kuroda J. A novel method of amplified fluorescent in situ hybridization for detection of chromosomal microdeletions in B cell lymphoma. Int J Hematol 2019; 109:593-602. [PMID: 30830578 DOI: 10.1007/s12185-019-02617-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Revised: 02/09/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Chromosomal microdeletions frequently cause loss of prognostically relevant tumor suppressor genes in hematologic malignancies; however, detection of minute deletions by conventional methods for chromosomal analysis, such as G-banding and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), is difficult due to their low resolution. Here, we describe a new diagnostic modality that enables detection of chromosomal microdeletions, using CDKN2A gene deletion in B cell lymphomas (BCLs) as an example. In this method, which we refer to as amplified-FISH (AM-FISH), a 31-kb fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated DNA probe encoding only CDKN2A was first hybridized with the chromosome, and then labeled with Alexa Fluor 488-conjugated anti-FITC secondary antibody to increase sensitivity. CDKN2A signals were equally identifiable by AM-FISH and conventional FISH in normal mononuclear blood cells. In contrast, when two BCL cell lines lacking CDKN2A were analyzed, CDKN2A signals were not detected by AM-FISH, whereas conventional FISH yielded false signals. Furthermore, AM-FISH detected CDKN2A deletions in two BCL patients with 9p21 microdeletions, which were not detected by conventional FISH. These results suggest that AM-FISH is a highly sensitive, specific, and simple method for diagnosis of chromosomal microdeletions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshimi Mizuno
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Chinen
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan.
| | - Taku Tsukamoto
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan
| | - Tomoko Takimoto-Shimomura
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan
| | - Yayoi Matsumura-Kimoto
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan
| | - Yuto Fujibayashi
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan
| | - Saeko Kuwahara-Ota
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan
| | - Takahiro Fujino
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan
| | - Daichi Nishiyama
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan
| | - Yuji Shimura
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Kobayashi
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan
| | - Shigeo Horiike
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan
| | - Masafumi Taniwaki
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan
| | - Junya Kuroda
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan
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Kanagal-Shamanna R, Hodge JC, Tucker T, Shetty S, Yenamandra A, Dixon-McIver A, Bryke C, Huxley E, Lennon PA, Raca G, Xu X, Jeffries S, Quintero-Rivera F, Greipp PT, Slovak ML, Iqbal MA, Fang M. Assessing copy number aberrations and copy neutral loss of heterozygosity across the genome as best practice: An evidence based review of clinical utility from the cancer genomics consortium (CGC) working group for myelodysplastic syndrome, myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative and myeloproliferative neoplasms. Cancer Genet 2018; 228-229:197-217. [PMID: 30377088 DOI: 10.1016/j.cancergen.2018.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2018] [Revised: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Multiple studies have demonstrated the utility of chromosomal microarray (CMA) testing to identify clinically significant copy number alterations (CNAs) and copy-neutral loss-of-heterozygosity (CN-LOH) in myeloid malignancies. However, guidelines for integrating CMA as a standard practice for diagnostic evaluation, assessment of prognosis and predicting treatment response are still lacking. CMA has not been recommended for clinical work-up of myeloid malignancies by the WHO 2016 or the NCCN 2017 guidelines but is a suggested test by the European LeukaemiaNet 2013 for the diagnosis of primary myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). The Cancer Genomics Consortium (CGC) Working Group for Myeloid Neoplasms systematically reviewed peer-reviewed literature to determine the power of CMA in (1) improving diagnostic yield, (2) refining risk stratification, and (3) providing additional genomic information to guide therapy. In this manuscript, we summarize the evidence base for the clinical utility of array testing in the workup of MDS, myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms (MDS/MPN) and myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN). This review provides a list of recurrent CNAs and CN-LOH noted in this disease spectrum and describes the clinical significance of the aberrations and how they complement gene mutation findings by sequencing. Furthermore, for new or suspected diagnosis of MDS or MPN, we present suggestions for integrating genomic testing methods (CMA and mutation testing by next generation sequencing) into the current standard-of-care clinical laboratory testing (karyotype, FISH, morphology, and flow).
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashmi Kanagal-Shamanna
- Department of Hematopathology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston TX, USA.
| | - Jennelle C Hodge
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Tracy Tucker
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cancer Genetics Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC Canada
| | - Shashi Shetty
- Department of Pathology, UHCMC, University Hospitals and Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Ashwini Yenamandra
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | | | - Christine Bryke
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Emma Huxley
- West Midlands Regional Genetics Laboratory, Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
| | | | - Gordana Raca
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Xinjie Xu
- ARUP Laboratories, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Sally Jeffries
- West Midlands Regional Genetics Laboratory, Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
| | - Fabiola Quintero-Rivera
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UCLA Clinical Genomics Center, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Patricia T Greipp
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Genomics Laboratory, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Marilyn L Slovak
- TriCore Reference Laboratories, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - M Anwar Iqbal
- University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Min Fang
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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Bräuninger A, Blau W, Kunze K, Desch AK, Brobeil A, Tur MK, Etschmann B, Günther U, Körholz D, Schliesser G, Käbisch A, Kiehl M, Rummel M, Gattenlöhner S. Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing Is a Sensitive Tool for Differential Diagnosis of Myelodysplastic Syndromes in Bone Marrow Trephines. J Mol Diagn 2018; 20:344-354. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoldx.2018.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Revised: 01/09/2018] [Accepted: 01/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
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de Andrade HMT, de Albuquerque M, Avansini SH, de S Rocha C, Dogini DB, Nucci A, Carvalho B, Lopes-Cendes I, França MC. MicroRNAs-424 and 206 are potential prognostic markers in spinal onset amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Neurol Sci 2016; 368:19-24. [PMID: 27538595 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2016.06.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2016] [Revised: 06/19/2016] [Accepted: 06/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Skeletal muscle microRNAs (miRNAs) are potential candidate biomarkers for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) that deserve further investigation. OBJECTIVES To identify miRNAs abnormally expressed in the skeletal muscle and plasma of patients with ALS, and to correlate them with parameters of disease progression. METHODS Expression profile of miRNAs in muscle was evaluated using an array platform. Subsequently we assessed the plasmatic expression of candidate miRNAs in a set of 39 patients/39 controls. We employed generalized estimating equations to investigate correlations with clinical data. RESULTS We identified 11 miRNAs differentially expressed in the muscle of ALS patients; of these, miR424, miR-214 and miR-206 were validated by qPCR in muscle samples. In plasma, we found only miR-424 and miR 206 to be overexpressed. Baseline expression of miR-424 and 206 correlated with clinical deterioration over time. CONCLUSION MiR-424 and miR-206 are potential prognostic markers for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen M T de Andrade
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Milena de Albuquerque
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Simoni H Avansini
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Cristiane de S Rocha
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Danyella B Dogini
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Anamarli Nucci
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Benilton Carvalho
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Iscia Lopes-Cendes
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcondes C França
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Campinas - UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
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Hajjari M, Salavaty A, Crea F, Kee Shin Y. The potential role of PHF6 as an oncogene: a genotranscriptomic/proteomic meta-analysis. Tumour Biol 2016; 37:5317-25. [PMID: 26561469 DOI: 10.1007/s13277-015-4250-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2015] [Accepted: 10/13/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic complexes control various pathways within the cells. Their abnormalities can be involved in the initiation and the progression of different types of cancer. Nucleosome remodeling and deacetylase (NuRD) is an epigenetic complex that comprises several subunits such as PHF6. Although PHF6 is reported as a tumor suppressor in some of the hematopoietic malignancies, its function is still challenging in other cancers. Our study aimed at investigating the role of PHF6 in different types of cancer. We conducted a meta-analysis of PHF6 in human cancers at genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic levels. For this purpose, we acquired the data from several databases, and tried to statistically integrate and analyze the data in order to find the potential role of PHF6 in different tumors. The results demonstrated that although PHF6 has been previously known as a tumor suppressor gene, it was remarkably overexpressed in many cancer types such as breast and colorectal cancers. Notably, PHF6 was under-expressed in a few types of cancer, including esophageal tumors. Moreover, the results indicated that although the mutation rate of PHF6 is relatively low, it is mutated in some tumor types. In addition, our data for 40 epigenetic genes showed that missense and nonsense mutations were associated with overexpression and under-expression, respectively. Our results suggest that PHF6 may function as an oncogenic factor in several types of cancer. We also hypothesize that PHF6 may also play its role in a tissue-specific manner. Our findings suggest further investigations regarding the exact role of PHF6 in tumor types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammadreza Hajjari
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran.
| | - Adrian Salavaty
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Science, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Francesco Crea
- Experimental Therapeutics, BC Cancer Research Centre, 675 W 10th Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia, V5Z 1L3, Canada
| | - Young Kee Shin
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathology and Cancer Genomics, Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
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Luan C, Yang Z, Chen B. The functional role of microRNA in acute lymphoblastic leukemia: relevance for diagnosis, differential diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy. Onco Targets Ther 2015; 8:2903-14. [PMID: 26508875 PMCID: PMC4610789 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s92470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a new class of noncoding RNAs, which can hybridize to target messenger RNAs and regulate their expression posttranscriptionally, express differentially in distinct stages of lymphopoiesis and influence the direction of lymphoid precursor maturation. Hence, there is aberrant expression of miRNAs involved in malignant lymphopoiesis, and these aberrations can be used as signatures of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) with different subtypes. In addition, changes in the expression of several miRNAs may have functional relevance with leukemogenesis or drug resistance. As a result, the reversal of the expression of these miRNAs may alleviate the disease to some extent and improve clinical outcomes. However, among the studies of miRNAs, there are still some problems that need to be solved to understand the function of miRNAs in ALL more thoroughly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengxin Luan
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Zixue Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Baoan Chen
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
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Peirs S, Van der Meulen J, Van de Walle I, Taghon T, Speleman F, Poppe B, Van Vlierberghe P. Epigenetics in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Immunol Rev 2015; 263:50-67. [PMID: 25510271 DOI: 10.1111/imr.12237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Normal T-cell development is a strictly regulated process in which hematopoietic progenitor cells migrate from the bone marrow to the thymus and differentiate from early T-cell progenitors toward mature and functional T cells. During this maturation process, cooperation between a variety of oncogenes and tumor suppressors can drive immature thymocytes into uncontrolled clonal expansion and cause T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). Despite improved insights in T-ALL disease biology and comprehensive characterization of its genetic landscape, clinical care remained largely similar over the past decades and still consists of high-dose multi-agent chemotherapy potentially followed by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Even with such aggressive treatment regimens, which are often associated with considerable side effects, clinical outcome is still extremely poor in a significant subset of T-ALL patients as a result of therapy resistance or hematological relapses. Recent genetic studies have identified recurrent somatic alterations in genes involved in DNA methylation and post-translational histone modifications in T-ALL, suggesting that epigenetic homeostasis is critically required in restraining tumor development in the T-cell lineage. In this review, we provide an overview of the epigenetic regulators that could be implicated in T-ALL disease biology and speculate how the epigenetic landscape of T-ALL could trigger the development of epigenetic-based therapies to further improve the treatment of human T-ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofie Peirs
- Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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