Microsatellites: heroes and villains

DNA repair gene status in oesophageal cancer

DNA repair genes and microsatellite instability (MSI) are relatively recently described molecular events that have been associated particularly with colorectal cancers in the setting of hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer or the Lynch syndromes. Several other gastrointestinal (and other) malignancies have been analysed for abnormalities in DNA repair genes and MSI. Dietary and environmental factors have been implicated strongly in the aetiology of oesophageal cancer. However, the effect of this on the genetic profile, especially the DNA repair system and resultant MSI, is largely unknown. The purpose of this review is to provide a brief background of the dietary and environmental factors in oesophageal carcinogenesis and to discuss the role of the repair genes and MSI in the molecular pathogenesis of this malignancy. Several studies indicate that MSI (range, 3-40%) and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) (range, 3-64%) in the DNA repair genes are uncommon in carcinogenesis of the oesophagus. Most data are at the lower end of the ranges and this, together with the lack of uniform criteria for the assessment of MSI, accounts for the higher figures obtained in some studies. The rates of detection of MSI do not approach that of other gastrointestinal malignancies, such as gastric (up to 23%) and colorectal (up to 31%) carcinomas.

Genetic abnormalities and microsatellite instability in colorectal cancer

Our purpose was to investigate different genetic abnormalities, such as K-ras mutations, p53 alterations, and c-myc RNA overexpression, as well as microsatellite instability in 63 colorectal tumors obtained from patients that had undergone surgery. K-ras point mutations were analyzed by PCR-RFLP technique, followed by sequencing; p53 protein accumulation by immunohistochemistry; p53 gene mutations in exons 5-9 were studied by the SSCP and sequencing techniques, and c-myc overexpression by Northern blot. Microsatellite instability was performed at chromosomes 2p, 3p, and 11p by a PCR-based technique. Our data indicate a trend toward a poorer prognosis in patients who had K-ras transversions; besides, we have obtained a prevalence of c-myc RNA overexpression and p53 exon 7 mutations in the latest stages of tumor progression. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the recognition of molecular abnormalities might be used in colorectal cancer as a prognostic indicator or to determine the metastatic potential of colorectal adenocarcinomas.

The application of microsatellites in molecular pathology

Present within the genome are large numbers of seemingly unimportant DNA segments arranged in repetitive units. Furthermore, these stretches of DNA contain variations or polymorphisms that are characteristic for an individual and results in a unique DNA fingerprint. Approximately 30% of the DNA repeat sequences are arranged as short tandem repeat sequences, which are called microsatellites. Microsatellites may consist of 1, 2 or 3 nucleotides; dinucleotides being the commonest. Microsatellites are characterised by being: stably inherited and hence highly conserved from one generation to the next, and unique to an individual and the same in different cells from the same individual. As a result of the above features, microsatellites can be used for personal identification, population genetic analysis and construction of evolutionary trees. In addition, they are located in several important gene loci and this allows microsatellites to be used as markers of disease and to provide information about individual gene status, especially in tumors. This can be accomplished by assessing allelic imbalance or loss of heterozygosity of a particular gene by analysing microsatellites located at specific loci in the gene. Recently, mutations within microsatellites have been described as a result of defective DNA repair mechanisms, resulting in the phenomenon of microsatellite instability. This has been implicated in the aetiopathogenesis of several hereditary and non-hereditary conditions. There are several ways of analysing microsatellites, the popular using radioactively-labelled primers and autoradiography. This method has several drawbacks, especially the use of radioactivity and interpretative/technical problems. The use of fluorescently-labelled primers, automated DNA sequencing coupled with a computer software package obviates these problems. This technique has the added advantage of analysing several microsatellites in large numbers of cases, simultaneously. Thus, microsatellite analysis has become an important investigative tool for the molecular biologist and has provided new information in many diseases.