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Bailey SM, Kunkel SR, Bedford JS, Cornforth MN. The Central Role of Cytogenetics in Radiation Biology. Radiat Res 2024; 202:227-259. [PMID: 38981612 DOI: 10.1667/rade-24-00038.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Radiation cytogenetics has a rich history seldom appreciated by those outside the field. Early radiobiology was dominated by physics and biophysical concepts that borrowed heavily from the study of radiation-induced chromosome aberrations. From such studies, quantitative relationships between biological effect and changes in absorbed dose, dose rate and ionization density were codified into key concepts of radiobiological theory that have persisted for nearly a century. This review aims to provide a historical perspective of some of these concepts, including evidence supporting the contention that chromosome aberrations underlie development of many, if not most, of the biological effects of concern for humans exposed to ionizing radiations including cancer induction, on the one hand, and tumor eradication on the other. The significance of discoveries originating from these studies has widened and extended far beyond their original scope. Chromosome structural rearrangements viewed in mitotic cells were first attributed to the production of breaks by the radiations during interphase, followed by the rejoining or mis-rejoining among ends of other nearby breaks. These relatively modest beginnings eventually led to the discovery and characterization of DNA repair of double-strand breaks by non-homologous end joining, whose importance to various biological processes is now widely appreciated. Two examples, among many, are V(D)J recombination and speciation. Rapid technological advancements in cytogenetics, the burgeoning fields of molecular radiobiology and third-generation sequencing served as a point of confluence between the old and new. As a result, the emergent field of "cytogenomics" now becomes uniquely positioned for the purpose of more fully understanding mechanisms underlying the biological effects of ionizing radiation exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan M Bailey
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Stephen R Kunkel
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
| | - Joel S Bedford
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Michael N Cornforth
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
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2
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Sánchez Rivera FJ, Dow LE. How CRISPR Is Revolutionizing the Generation of New Models for Cancer Research. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2024; 14:a041384. [PMID: 37487630 PMCID: PMC11065179 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041384] [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] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Cancers arise through acquisition of mutations in genes that regulate core biological processes like cell proliferation and cell death. Decades of cancer research have led to the identification of genes and mutations causally involved in disease development and evolution, yet defining their precise function across different cancer types and how they influence therapy responses has been challenging. Mouse models have helped define the in vivo function of cancer-associated alterations, and genome-editing approaches using CRISPR have dramatically accelerated the pace at which these models are developed and studied. Here, we highlight how CRISPR technologies have impacted the development and use of mouse models for cancer research and discuss the many ways in which these rapidly evolving platforms will continue to transform our understanding of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J Sánchez Rivera
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, USA
| | - Lukas E Dow
- Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York 10065, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York 10065, USA
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York 10065, USA
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3
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Heng E, Thanedar S, Heng HH. The Importance of Monitoring Non-clonal Chromosome Aberrations (NCCAs) in Cancer Research. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2825:79-111. [PMID: 38913304 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3946-7_4] [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] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
Cytogenetic analysis has traditionally focused on the clonal chromosome aberrations, or CCAs, and considered the large number of diverse non-clonal chromosome aberrations, or NCCAs, as insignificant noise. Our decade-long karyotype evolutionary studies have unexpectedly demonstrated otherwise. Not only the baseline of NCCAs is associated with fuzzy inheritance, but the frequencies of NCCAs can also be used to reliably measure genome or chromosome instability (CIN). According to the Genome Architecture Theory, CIN is the common driver of cancer evolution that can unify diverse molecular mechanisms, and genome chaos, including chromothripsis, chromoanagenesis, and polypoidal giant nuclear and micronuclear clusters, and various sizes of chromosome fragmentations, including extrachromosomal DNA, represent some extreme forms of NCCAs that play a key role in the macroevolutionary transition. In this chapter, the rationale, definition, brief history, and current status of NCCA research in cancer are discussed in the context of two-phased cancer evolution and karyotype-coded system information. Finally, after briefly describing various types of NCCAs, we call for more research on NCCAs in future cytogenetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Heng
- Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Sanjana Thanedar
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Henry H Heng
- Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.
- Department of Pathology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.
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4
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Heng E, Thanedar S, Heng HH. Challenges and Opportunities for Clinical Cytogenetics in the 21st Century. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:493. [PMID: 36833419 PMCID: PMC9956237 DOI: 10.3390/genes14020493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The powerful utilities of current DNA sequencing technology question the value of developing clinical cytogenetics any further. By briefly reviewing the historical and current challenges of cytogenetics, the new conceptual and technological platform of the 21st century clinical cytogenetics is presented. Particularly, the genome architecture theory (GAT) has been used as a new framework to emphasize the importance of clinical cytogenetics in the genomic era, as karyotype dynamics play a central role in information-based genomics and genome-based macroevolution. Furthermore, many diseases can be linked to elevated levels of genomic variations within a given environment. With karyotype coding in mind, new opportunities for clinical cytogenetics are discussed to integrate genomics back into cytogenetics, as karyotypic context represents a new type of genomic information that organizes gene interactions. The proposed research frontiers include: 1. focusing on karyotypic heterogeneity (e.g., classifying non-clonal chromosome aberrations (NCCAs), studying mosaicism, heteromorphism, and nuclear architecture alteration-mediated diseases), 2. monitoring the process of somatic evolution by characterizing genome instability and illustrating the relationship between stress, karyotype dynamics, and diseases, and 3. developing methods to integrate genomic data and cytogenomics. We hope that these perspectives can trigger further discussion beyond traditional chromosomal analyses. Future clinical cytogenetics should profile chromosome instability-mediated somatic evolution, as well as the degree of non-clonal chromosomal aberrations that monitor the genomic system's stress response. Using this platform, many common and complex disease conditions, including the aging process, can be effectively and tangibly monitored for health benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Heng
- Stanford University, 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Sanjana Thanedar
- Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Henry H. Heng
- Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
- Department of Pathology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
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5
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Barriga FM, Tsanov KM, Ho YJ, Sohail N, Zhang A, Baslan T, Wuest AN, Del Priore I, Meškauskaitė B, Livshits G, Alonso-Curbelo D, Simon J, Chaves-Perez A, Bar-Sagi D, Iacobuzio-Donahue CA, Notta F, Chaligne R, Sharma R, Pe'er D, Lowe SW. MACHETE identifies interferon-encompassing chromosome 9p21.3 deletions as mediators of immune evasion and metastasis. NATURE CANCER 2022; 3:1367-1385. [PMID: 36344707 PMCID: PMC9701143 DOI: 10.1038/s43018-022-00443-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The most prominent homozygous deletions in cancer affect chromosome 9p21.3 and eliminate CDKN2A/B tumor suppressors, disabling a cell-intrinsic barrier to tumorigenesis. Half of 9p21.3 deletions, however, also encompass a type I interferon (IFN) gene cluster; the consequences of this co-deletion remain unexplored. To functionally dissect 9p21.3 and other large genomic deletions, we developed a flexible deletion engineering strategy, MACHETE (molecular alteration of chromosomes with engineered tandem elements). Applying MACHETE to a syngeneic mouse model of pancreatic cancer, we found that co-deletion of the IFN cluster promoted immune evasion, metastasis and immunotherapy resistance. Mechanistically, IFN co-deletion disrupted type I IFN signaling in the tumor microenvironment, leading to marked changes in infiltrating immune cells and escape from CD8+ T-cell surveillance, effects largely driven by the poorly understood interferon epsilon. These results reveal a chromosomal deletion that disables both cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic tumor suppression and provide a framework for interrogating large deletions in cancer and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco M Barriga
- Cancer Biology & Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kaloyan M Tsanov
- Cancer Biology & Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yu-Jui Ho
- Cancer Biology & Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Noor Sohail
- Program for Computational and Systems Biology, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Amy Zhang
- PanCuRx Translational Research Initiative, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Timour Baslan
- Cancer Biology & Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alexandra N Wuest
- Cancer Biology & Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Isabella Del Priore
- Louis V. Gerstner Jr. Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, New York, NY, USA
| | - Brigita Meškauskaitė
- Program for Computational and Systems Biology, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Geulah Livshits
- Cancer Biology & Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Direna Alonso-Curbelo
- Cancer Biology & Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Janelle Simon
- Cancer Biology & Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Almudena Chaves-Perez
- Cancer Biology & Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dafna Bar-Sagi
- Department of Biochemistry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Christine A Iacobuzio-Donahue
- David M. Rubenstein Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Faiyaz Notta
- PanCuRx Translational Research Initiative, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Research, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ronan Chaligne
- Program for Computational and Systems Biology, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Roshan Sharma
- Program for Computational and Systems Biology, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dana Pe'er
- Program for Computational and Systems Biology, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Scott W Lowe
- Cancer Biology & Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA.
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6
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Akkari YM, Baughn LB, Dubuc AM, Smith AC, Mallo M, Dal Cin P, Diez Campelo M, Gallego MS, Granada Font I, Haase DT, Schlegelberger B, Slavutsky I, Mecucci C, Levine RL, Hasserjian RP, Solé F, Levy B, Xu X. Guiding the global evolution of cytogenetic testing for hematologic malignancies. Blood 2022; 139:2273-2284. [PMID: 35167654 PMCID: PMC9710485 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2021014309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytogenetics has long represented a critical component in the clinical evaluation of hematologic malignancies. Chromosome banding studies provide a simultaneous snapshot of genome-wide copy number and structural variation, which have been shown to drive tumorigenesis, define diseases, and guide treatment. Technological innovations in sequencing have ushered in our present-day clinical genomics era. With recent publications highlighting novel sequencing technologies as alternatives to conventional cytogenetic approaches, we, an international consortium of laboratory geneticists, pathologists, and oncologists, describe herein the advantages and limitations of both conventional chromosome banding and novel sequencing technologies and share our considerations on crucial next steps to implement these novel technologies in the global clinical setting for a more accurate cytogenetic evaluation, which may provide improved diagnosis and treatment management. Considering the clinical, logistic, technical, and financial implications, we provide points to consider for the global evolution of cytogenetic testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yassmine M.N. Akkari
- Departments of Cytogenetics and Molecular Pathology, Legacy Health, Portland, OR
| | - Linda B. Baughn
- Division of Hematopathology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | - Adrian M. Dubuc
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Adam C. Smith
- Laboratory Medicine Program, University Health Network and Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Mar Mallo
- MDS Group, Microarrays Unit, Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Paola Dal Cin
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Maria Diez Campelo
- Hematology Department University Hospital of Salamanca, IBSAL, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Marta S. Gallego
- Laboratory of Cytogenetics and Molecular Cytogenetics, Department of Clinical Pathology, Italian Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Isabel Granada Font
- Hematology Laboratory, Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital–Catalan Institute of Oncology, Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Detlef T. Haase
- Clinics of Hematology and Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Irma Slavutsky
- Laboratory Genetics of Lymphoid Malignancies, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Cristina Mecucci
- Laboratory of Cytogenetics and Molecular Medicine, Hematology University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Ross L. Levine
- Department of Medicine, Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | | | - Francesc Solé
- MDS Group, Microarrays Unit, Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Brynn Levy
- College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Medical Center and the New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY
| | - Xinjie Xu
- Division of Hematopathology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
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7
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Cosper PF, Copeland SE, Tucker JB, Weaver BA. Chromosome Missegregation as a Modulator of Radiation Sensitivity. Semin Radiat Oncol 2022; 32:54-63. [PMID: 34861996 PMCID: PMC8883596 DOI: 10.1016/j.semradonc.2021.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Chromosome missegregation over the course of multiple cell divisions, termed chromosomal instability (CIN), is a hallmark of cancer. Multiple causes of CIN have been identified, including defects in the mitotic checkpoint, altered kinetochore-microtubule dynamics, centrosome amplification, and ionizing radiation. Here we review the types, mechanisms, and cellular implications of CIN. We discuss the evidence that CIN can promote tumors, suppress them, or do neither, depending on the rates of chromosome missegregration and the cellular context. Very high rates of chromosome missegregation lead to cell death due to loss of essential chromosomes; thus elevating CIN above a tolerable threshold provides a mechanistic opportunity to promote cancer cell death. Lethal rates of CIN can be achieved by a single insult or through a combination of insults. Because ionizing radiation induces CIN, additional therapies that increase CIN may serve as useful modulators of radiation sensitivity. Ultimately, quantifying the intrinsic CIN in a tumor and modulating this level pharmacologically as well as with radiation may allow for a more rational, personalized radiation therapy prescription, thereby decreasing side effects and increasing local control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pippa F. Cosper
- Department of Human Oncology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA,University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Sarah E. Copeland
- Molecular & Cellular Pharmacology Graduate Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - John B. Tucker
- Cancer Biology Graduate Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Beth A. Weaver
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA,Department of Cellular and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA,Department of Oncology/McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA,Corresponding author: Beth A. Weaver, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1111 Highland Ave, 6109 WIMR Tower 1, Madison, WI 53705-2275, Phone: 608-263-5309, Fax: 608-265-6905,
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8
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Bailey SM, Luxton JJ, McKenna MJ, Taylor LE, George KA, Jhavar SG, Swanson GP. Ad Astra - telomeres in space! Int J Radiat Biol 2021; 98:395-403. [PMID: 34270368 DOI: 10.1080/09553002.2021.1956010] [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] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE My journey to the stars began as I - along with the whole world - stood still and watched Neil Armstrong take those first small steps on the Moon. Fast forward 50 years and NASA astronauts Scott Kelly and Christina Koch each spend nearly a year in space aboard the International Space Station (ISS), a remarkable multinational collaborative project and floating U.S. National Laboratory that has supported continuous human presence in low Earth orbit for the past 20 years. Marking a new era of human space exploration, the first commercial rocket, SpaceX Falcon 9, recently launched NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken in the Crew Dragon spacecraft Endeavor to the ISS and returned safely to Earth. NASA and its commercial partners are rapidly advancing innovative space technologies, and with the recently announced Artemis team of astronauts, plans to send the first woman and next man back to the moon and establish sustainable exploration by the end of the decade. Humankind will then be poised to take the next giant leap - pioneering human exploration of Mars. CONCLUSIONS Historically, fewer than 600 individuals have participated in spaceflight, the vast majority of whom have been middle aged males (35-55 years) on short duration missions (less than 20 days). Thus, as the number and diversity of space travelers increase, a better understanding of how long-duration spaceflight affects human health is essential to maintaining individual astronaut performance during, and improving disease and aging trajectories following, future exploration missions. Here, I review findings from our NASA Twins Study and Telomeres investigations, highlighting potential mechanistic roles of chronic space radiation exposure in changes in telomere length and persistent DNA damage responses associated with long-duration spaceflight. Importantly, similar trends were observed in prostate cancer patients undergoing intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), additional support specifically for the role of radiation exposure. Individual differences in response were also observed in both cohorts, underscoring the importance of developing personalized approaches for evaluating human health effects and long-term outcomes associated with radiation exposures, whether on Earth or living in the extreme environment of space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan M Bailey
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.,Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Jared J Luxton
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.,Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Miles J McKenna
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.,Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Lynn E Taylor
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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9
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Chen W, Cui W, Qiu Y, Cui D. Research Progress of Chimeric RNA and Health. Health (London) 2021. [DOI: 10.4236/health.2021.134036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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10
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Luxton JJ, McKenna MJ, Lewis A, Taylor LE, George KA, Dixit SM, Moniz M, Benegas W, Mackay MJ, Mozsary C, Butler D, Bezdan D, Meydan C, Crucian BE, Zwart SR, Smith SM, Mason CE, Bailey SM. Telomere Length Dynamics and DNA Damage Responses Associated with Long-Duration Spaceflight. Cell Rep 2020; 33:108457. [PMID: 33242406 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomere length dynamics and DNA damage responses were assessed before, during, and after one-year or shorter duration missions aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in a comparatively large cohort of astronauts (n = 11). Although generally healthy individuals, astronauts tended to have significantly shorter telomeres and lower telomerase activity than age- and sex-matched ground controls before and after spaceflight. Although telomeres were longer during spaceflight irrespective of mission duration, telomere length shortened rapidly upon return to Earth, and overall astronauts had shorter telomeres after spaceflight than they did before; inter-individual differences were identified. During spaceflight, all crewmembers experienced oxidative stress, which positively correlated with telomere length dynamics. Significantly increased frequencies of chromosomal inversions were observed during and after spaceflight; changes in cell populations were also detected. We propose a telomeric adaptive response to chronic oxidative damage in extreme environments, whereby the telomerase-independent Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres (ALT) pathway is transiently activated in normal somatic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared J Luxton
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA; Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Miles J McKenna
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA; Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Aidan Lewis
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Lynn E Taylor
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | | | - Sameer M Dixit
- Center for Molecular Dynamics - Nepal (CMDN), Kathmandu, Nepal
| | | | | | - Matthew J Mackay
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Christopher Mozsary
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Daniel Butler
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Daniela Bezdan
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Cem Meydan
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA; The WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA; The HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Brian E Crucian
- Human Health and Performance Directorate, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sara R Zwart
- University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Scott M Smith
- Human Health and Performance Directorate, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Christopher E Mason
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA; The WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA; The HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Susan M Bailey
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA; Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
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11
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Heng J, Heng HH. Genome chaos: Creating new genomic information essential for cancer macroevolution. Semin Cancer Biol 2020; 81:160-175. [PMID: 33189848 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2020.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Cancer research has traditionally focused on the characterization of individual molecular mechanisms that can contribute to cancer. Due to the multiple levels of genomic and non-genomic heterogeneity, however, overwhelming molecular mechanisms have been identified, most with low clinical predictability. It is thus necessary to search for new concepts to unify these diverse mechanisms and develop better strategies to understand and treat cancer. In recent years, two-phased cancer evolution (comprised of the genome reorganization-mediated punctuated phase and gene mutation-mediated stepwise phase), initially described by tracing karyotype evolution, was confirmed by the Cancer Genome Project. In particular, genome chaos, the process of rapid and massive genome reorganization, has been commonly detected in various cancers-especially during key phase transitions, including cellular transformation, metastasis, and drug resistance-suggesting the importance of genome-level changes in cancer evolution. In this Perspective, genome chaos is used as a discussion point to illustrate new genome-mediated somatic evolutionary frameworks. By rephrasing cancer as a new system emergent from normal tissue, we present the multiple levels (or scales) of genomic and non-genomic information. Of these levels, evolutionary studies at the chromosomal level are determined to be of ultimate importance, since altered genomes change the karyotype coding and karyotype change is the key event for punctuated cellular macroevolution. Using this lens, we differentiate and analyze developmental processes and cancer evolution, as well as compare the informational relationship between genome chaos and its various subtypes in the context of macroevolution under crisis. Furthermore, the process of deterministic genome chaos is discussed to interpret apparently random events (including stressors, chromosomal variation subtypes, surviving cells with new karyotypes, and emergent stable cellular populations) as nonrandom patterns, which supports the new cancer evolutionary model that unifies genome and gene contributions during different phases of cancer evolution. Finally, the new perspective of using cancer as a model for organismal evolution is briefly addressed, emphasizing the Genome Theory as a new and necessary conceptual framework for future research and its practical implications, not only in cancer but evolutionary biology as a whole.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Heng
- Harvard College, 86 Brattle Street Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Henry H Heng
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA; Department of Pathology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
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12
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Joshi M, Greipp P, Ball C, Vinod Shah M, Khurana A, Yogarajah M, Nguyen P, He R, Viswanatha D, Jevremovic D, Salama M, Alkhateeb HB, Gangat N, Patnaik M, Begna K, Hogan W, Zblewski D, Litzow M, Al-Kali A. Characteristics of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome with balanced translocations. Br J Haematol 2020; 190:244-248. [PMID: 32181489 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.16551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maansi Joshi
- Divisions of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Patricia Greipp
- Department of Laboratory and Hematopathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Colleen Ball
- Division of Biomedical Statistics and Informatics, Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Mithun Vinod Shah
- Divisions of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Arushi Khurana
- Divisions of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Meera Yogarajah
- Divisions of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Phuong Nguyen
- Divisions of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Rong He
- Divisions of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - David Viswanatha
- Divisions of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Dragan Jevremovic
- Divisions of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Mohamad Salama
- Divisions of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Hassan B Alkhateeb
- Divisions of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Naseema Gangat
- Divisions of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Mrinal Patnaik
- Divisions of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Kebede Begna
- Divisions of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - William Hogan
- Divisions of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Darci Zblewski
- Divisions of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Mark Litzow
- Divisions of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Aref Al-Kali
- Divisions of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
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Cresswell KG, Dozmorov MG. TADCompare: An R Package for Differential and Temporal Analysis of Topologically Associated Domains. Front Genet 2020; 11:158. [PMID: 32211023 PMCID: PMC7076128 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.00158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent research using chromatin conformation capture technologies, such as Hi-C, has demonstrated the importance of topologically associated domains (TADs) and smaller chromatin loops, collectively referred hereafter as "interacting domains." Many such domains change during development or disease, and exhibit cell- and condition-specific differences. Quantification of the dynamic behavior of interacting domains will help to better understand genome regulation. Methods for comparing interacting domains between cells and conditions are highly limited. We developed TADCompare, a method for differential analysis of boundaries of interacting domains between two or more Hi-C datasets. TADCompare is based on a spectral clustering-derived measure called the eigenvector gap, which enables a loci-by-loci comparison of boundary differences. Using this measure, we introduce methods for identifying differential and consensus boundaries of interacting domains and tracking boundary changes over time. We further propose a novel framework for the systematic classification of boundary changes. Colocalization- and gene enrichment analysis of different types of boundary changes demonstrated distinct biological functionality associated with them. TADCompare is available on https://github.com/dozmorovlab/TADCompare and Bioconductor (submitted).
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Abstract
Traditional gene fusions are involved in the development of various neoplasias. DUS4L-BCAP29, a chimeric fusion RNA, has been reported to be a cancer-related fusion in prostate and gastric cancers. This chimeric RNA is believed to play a tumorigenic role. Here, we showed that the DUS4L-BCAP29 fusion transcript exists in a variety of normal tissues. It is also present in noncancerous epithelial and fibroblast cell lines. Quantitatively, the fusion transcript has a similar expression level in noncancerous gastric and prostate cell lines and tissues to its expression in cancerous cell lines and tissues. Previously, a loss-of-function approach was used to report a probable functionality for this fusion. However, this approach is not sufficient to prove such functionality. Alternatively, a gain-of-function approach showed that overexpression of DUS4L-BCAP29 promotes cell growth and motility, even in noncancerous cell lines. Finally, we provide further evidence that the fusion transcript is a product of cis-splicing between adjacent genes. In summary, we believe that in contrast to traditional gene fusions, DUS4L-BCAP29 cannot be used as a cancer biomarker. Instead, it is a fusion transcript that exists in normal physiology and its progrowth effect is not unique to cancer situations.
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Pérez-de-Oliveira ME, Wagner VP, Araújo ALD, Martins MD, Santos-Silva AR, Bingle L, Vargas PA. Prognostic value of CRTC1-MAML2 translocation in salivary mucoepidermoid carcinoma: Systematic review and meta-analysis. J Oral Pathol Med 2019; 49:386-394. [PMID: 31661572 DOI: 10.1111/jop.12970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The presence of the CRTC1-MAML2 translocation has been described in mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) as a predictor of better survival rates. However, the real prognostic value of the translocation has been debated due to recent controversial findings. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review to understand the prognostic potential of the CRTC1-MAML2 translocation in MEC. An electronic search was carried out using the MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE and Scopus databases. Articles that assessed the association between the CRTC1-MAML2 translocation and survival of MEC patients were selected for the systematic review. Ten published articles were included in the qualitative synthesis. The prevalence of the translocation varied from 33.7% to 69.7%. Seven studies observed a significant association between the presence of the CRTC1-MAML2 translocation and a favourable clinical outcome, which could improve disease-free, disease-specific or overall survival. Five studies were included in the quantitative synthesis. Fixed-effects model confirmed that translocation-positive patients have a decreased risk of death (combined odds ratio 0.08, 95% confidence interval - 0.03-0.23, P < .00001). The detection of the CRTC1-MAML2 translocation appears to be useful as a prognostic factor in MEC. However, the level of evidence is not as high as it could be once important limitations were found in the published studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Eduarda Pérez-de-Oliveira
- Department of Oral Diagnosis, Semiology and Oral Pathology Areas, Piracicaba Dental School, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil
| | - Vivian P Wagner
- Department of Oral Diagnosis, Semiology and Oral Pathology Areas, Piracicaba Dental School, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil
| | - Anna Luíza Damaceno Araújo
- Department of Oral Diagnosis, Semiology and Oral Pathology Areas, Piracicaba Dental School, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil
| | - Manoela D Martins
- Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Alan Roger Santos-Silva
- Department of Oral Diagnosis, Semiology and Oral Pathology Areas, Piracicaba Dental School, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil
| | - Lynne Bingle
- Unit of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Pablo A Vargas
- Department of Oral Diagnosis, Semiology and Oral Pathology Areas, Piracicaba Dental School, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil
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16
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Wu H, Li X, Li H. Gene fusions and chimeric RNAs, and their implications in cancer. Genes Dis 2019; 6:385-390. [PMID: 31832518 PMCID: PMC6889028 DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2019.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2019] [Revised: 08/03/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene fusions are appreciated as ideal cancer biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Chimeric RNAs are traditionally thought to be products of gene fusions, and thus, also cancer-specific. Recent research has demonstrated that chimeric RNAs can be generated by intergenic splicing in the absence of gene fusion, and such chimeric RNAs are also found in normal physiology. These new findings challenge the traditional theory of chimeric RNAs exclusivity to cancer, and complicates use of chimeric RNAs in cancer detection. Here, we provide an overview of gene fusions and chimeric RNAs, and emphasize their differences. We note that gene fusions are able to generate chimeric RNAs in accordance with the central dogma of biology, and that chimeric RNAs may also be able to influence the generation of the gene fusions per the “horse before the cart” hypothesis. We further expand upon the “horse before the cart” hypothesis, summarizing current evidence in support of the theory and exploring its potential impact on the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Wu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410013, China
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Xiaorong Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410013, China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
- Corresponding author. Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA. Fax: +1 434 2437244. http://lilab.medicine.virginia.edu
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17
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Takeuchi K. Discovery Stories of RET Fusions in Lung Cancer: A Mini-Review. Front Physiol 2019; 10:216. [PMID: 30941048 PMCID: PMC6433883 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In 2004, a chemical inhibitor of the kinase activity of EGFR was reported to be effective in a subset of lung cancer patients with activating somatic mutations of EGFR. It remained unclear, however, whether kinase fusion genes also play a major role in the pathogenesis of lung cancers. The discovery of the EML4-ALK fusion kinase in 2007 was a breakthrough for this situation, and kinase fusion genes now form a group of relevant targetable oncogenes in lung cancer. In this mini-review article, the discovery of REarrangement during Transfection fusions, the third kinase fusion gene in lung cancer, is briefly described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kengo Takeuchi
- Division of Pathology, The Cancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo, Japan.,Pathology Project for Molecular Targets, The Cancer Institute, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo, Japan
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18
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Fritz AJ, Sehgal N, Pliss A, Xu J, Berezney R. Chromosome territories and the global regulation of the genome. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 2019; 58:407-426. [PMID: 30664301 DOI: 10.1002/gcc.22732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Revised: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Spatial positioning is a fundamental principle governing nuclear processes. Chromatin is organized as a hierarchy from nucleosomes to Mbp chromatin domains (CD) or topologically associating domains (TADs) to higher level compartments culminating in chromosome territories (CT). Microscopic and sequencing techniques have substantiated chromatin organization as a critical factor regulating gene expression. For example, enhancers loop back to interact with their target genes almost exclusively within TADs, distally located coregulated genes reposition into common transcription factories upon activation, and Mbp CDs exhibit dynamic motion and configurational changes in vivo. A longstanding question in the nucleus field is whether an interactive nuclear matrix provides a direct link between structure and function. The findings of nonrandom radial positioning of CT within the nucleus suggest the possibility of preferential interaction patterns among populations of CT. Sequential labeling up to 10 CT followed by application of computer imaging and geometric graph mining algorithms revealed cell-type specific interchromosomal networks (ICN) of CT that are altered during the cell cycle, differentiation, and cancer progression. It is proposed that the ICN correlate with the global level of genome regulation. These approaches also demonstrated that the large scale 3-D topology of CT is specific for each CT. The cell-type specific proximity of certain chromosomal regions in normal cells may explain the propensity of distinct translocations in cancer subtypes. Understanding how genes are dysregulated upon disruption of the normal "wiring" of the nucleus by translocations, deletions, and amplifications that are hallmarks of cancer, should enable more targeted therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Fritz
- Department of Biochemistry and University of Vermont Cancer Center, The University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont
| | - Nitasha Sehgal
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - Artem Pliss
- Institute for Lasers, Photonics and Biophotonics and the Department of Chemistry, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - Jinhui Xu
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - Ronald Berezney
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
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19
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Niazi Y, Thomsen H, Smolkova B, Vodickova L, Vodenkova S, Kroupa M, Vymetalkova V, Kazimirova A, Barancokova M, Volkovova K, Staruchova M, Hoffmann P, Nöthen MM, Dušinská M, Musak L, Vodicka P, Hemminki K, Försti A. Genetic variation associated with chromosomal aberration frequency: A genome-wide association study. ENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS 2019; 60:17-28. [PMID: 30368896 DOI: 10.1002/em.22236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Revised: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Chromosomal aberrations (CAs) in human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) measured with the conventional cytogenetic assay have been used for human biomonitoring of genotoxic exposure for decades. CA frequency in peripheral blood is a marker of cancer susceptibility. Previous studies have shown associations between genetic variants in metabolic pathway, DNA repair and major mitotic checkpoint genes and CAs. We conducted a genome-wide association study on 576 individuals from the Czech Republic and Slovakia followed by a replication in two different sample sets of 482 (replication 1) and 1288 (replication 2) samples. To have a broad look at the genetic susceptibility associated with CA frequency, the sample sets composed of individuals either differentially exposed to smoking, occupational/environmental hazards, or they were untreated cancer patients. Phenotypes were divided into chromosome- and chromatid-type aberrations (CSAs and CTAs, respectively) and total chromosomal aberrations (CAtot). The arbitrary cutoff point between individuals with high and low CA frequency was 2% for CAtot and 1% for CSA and CTA. The data were analyzed using age, sex, occupation/cancer and smoking history as covariates. Altogether 11 loci reached the P-value of 10-5 in the GWAS. Replication 1 supported the association of rs1383997 (8q13.3) and rs2824215 (21q21.1) in CAtot and rs983889 (5p15.1) in CTA analysis. These loci were found to be associated with genes involved in mitosis, response to environmental and chemical factors and genes involved in syndromes linked to chromosomal abnormalities. Identification of new genetic variants for the frequency of CAs offers prediction tools for cancer risk in future. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 60:17-28, 2019. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmeen Niazi
- Department of Molecular Genetic Epidemiology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 580, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Medizinische Fakultät, Universität Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 672, 69120, Heidelberg
| | - Hauke Thomsen
- Department of Molecular Genetic Epidemiology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 580, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Bozena Smolkova
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, 84505, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Ludmila Vodickova
- Department of Molecular Biology of Cancer, Institute of Experimental Medicine, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 142 00, Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biology and Medical Genetics, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Albertov 4, 128 00, Prague, Czech Republic
- Biomedical Centre, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University in Prague, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Sona Vodenkova
- Department of Molecular Biology of Cancer, Institute of Experimental Medicine, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 142 00, Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biology and Medical Genetics, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Albertov 4, 128 00, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Medical Genetics, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Kroupa
- Department of Molecular Biology of Cancer, Institute of Experimental Medicine, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 142 00, Prague, Czech Republic
- Biomedical Centre, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University in Prague, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Vymetalkova
- Department of Molecular Biology of Cancer, Institute of Experimental Medicine, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 142 00, Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biology and Medical Genetics, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Albertov 4, 128 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Alena Kazimirova
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Slovak Medical University, Limbova 12, 833 03, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Magdalena Barancokova
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Slovak Medical University, Limbova 12, 833 03, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Katarina Volkovova
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Slovak Medical University, Limbova 12, 833 03, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Marta Staruchova
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Slovak Medical University, Limbova 12, 833 03, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Per Hoffmann
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn, D-53127, Bonn, Germany
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, 4003, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Markus M Nöthen
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn, D-53127, Bonn, Germany
- Department of Genomics, Life & Brain Center, University of Bonn, D-53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Maria Dušinská
- Health Effects Laboratory, Department of Environmental Chemistry, NILU-Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Instituttveien 18, 2007, Kjeller, Norway
| | - Ludovit Musak
- Clinic of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava and University Hospital Martin, Kollarova 2, 03601, Martin, Slovakia
| | - Pavel Vodicka
- Department of Molecular Biology of Cancer, Institute of Experimental Medicine, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 142 00, Prague, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biology and Medical Genetics, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Albertov 4, 128 00, Prague, Czech Republic
- Biomedical Centre, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University in Prague, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Kari Hemminki
- Department of Molecular Genetic Epidemiology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 580, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Center of Primary Health Care Research, Clinical Research Center, Lund University, 20502, Malmö, Sweden
| | - Asta Försti
- Department of Molecular Genetic Epidemiology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 580, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Center of Primary Health Care Research, Clinical Research Center, Lund University, 20502, Malmö, Sweden
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20
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The methylation and telomere landscape in two families of marsupials with different rates of chromosome evolution. Chromosome Res 2018; 26:317-332. [PMID: 30539406 DOI: 10.1007/s10577-018-9593-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Revised: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Two marsupial families exemplify divergent rates of karyotypic change. The Dasyurid family has an extremely conserved karyotype. In contrast, there is significant chromosomal variation within the Macropodidae family, best exemplified by members of the genus Petrogale (rock-wallabies). Both families are also distinguished by their telomere landscape (length and epigenetics), with the dasyurids having a unique telomere length dimorphism not observed in other marsupials and hypothesised to be regulated in a parent-of-origin fashion. Previous work has shown that proximal ends of chromosomes are enriched in cytosine methylation in dasyurids, but that the chromosomes of a macropod, the tammar wallaby, have DNA methylation enrichment of pericentric regions. Using a combination of telomere and 5-methylcytosine immunofluorescence staining, we investigated the telomere landscape of four dasyurid and three Petrogale species. As part of this study, we also further examined the parent-of-origin hypothesis for the regulation of telomere length dimorphism in dasyurids, using epigenetic modifications known to differentiate the active maternal X chromosome, including 5-methylcytosine methylation and histone modifications H3K4me2, H3K9ac and H4Kac. Our results give further support to the parent-of-origin hypothesis for the regulation of telomere length dimorphism in dasyurids, where the paternally derived X chromosome in females was associated with long telomeres and the maternally derived with short telomeres. In contrast to the tammar wallaby, rock-wallabies demonstrated a similar 5-methylcytosine staining pattern across all chromosomes to that of dasyurids, suggesting that DNA methylation of telomeric regions is not responsible for differences in the rates of chromosome evolution between these two families.
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21
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael N. Cornforth
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
| | - Bradford D. Loucas
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
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22
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Structural and copy number chromosome abnormalities in canine cutaneous mast cell tumours. J Appl Genet 2018; 60:63-70. [DOI: 10.1007/s13353-018-0471-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Revised: 09/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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23
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Wisdom AJ, Mowery YM, Riedel RF, Kirsch DG. Rationale and emerging strategies for immune checkpoint blockade in soft tissue sarcoma. Cancer 2018; 124:3819-3829. [PMID: 29723407 PMCID: PMC6215523 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.31517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2018] [Revised: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 03/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are heterogeneous, mesenchymal malignancies with variable biologic behavior. The primary management for localized STS is surgical resection, which may be combined with neoadjuvant or adjuvant radiation therapy to increase the probability of achieving local control. Many patients with large, high-grade STS develop metastatic disease. Several clinical trials of immune checkpoint blockade for STS have produced promising responses in patients with metastatic disease. In this review, recent and ongoing clinical trials of immune checkpoint inhibition for STS are discussed. The authors explain the rationale for immune checkpoint inhibition and radiation therapy and highlight new studies testing this combination in the neoadjuvant setting for patients with high-risk STS. In addition, they describe novel combinations of immunotherapy with targeted therapies and chemotherapies being tested in the metastatic setting and discuss how these combinations have the potential to be integrated into adjuvant therapy in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy J. Wisdom
- Department of Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, Duke University Health System, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Yvonne M. Mowery
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Health System, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Richard F. Riedel
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, Duke University Health System, Durham, NC, USA
| | - David G. Kirsch
- Department of Pharmacology & Cancer Biology, Duke University Health System, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Health System, Durham, NC, USA
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24
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Wise SS, Aboueissa AEM, Martino J, Wise JP. Hexavalent Chromium-Induced Chromosome Instability Drives Permanent and Heritable Numerical and Structural Changes and a DNA Repair-Deficient Phenotype. Cancer Res 2018; 78:4203-4214. [PMID: 29880483 PMCID: PMC6072558 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-18-0531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2018] [Revised: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
A key hypothesis for how hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] causes cancer is that it drives chromosome instability (CIN), which leads to neoplastic transformation. Studies show chronic Cr(VI) can affect DNA repair and induce centrosome amplification, which can lead to structural and numerical CIN. However, no studies have considered whether these outcomes are transient or permanent. In this study, we exposed human lung cells to particulate Cr(VI) for three sequential 24-hour periods, each separated by about a month. After each treatment, cells were seeded at colony-forming density, cloned, expanded, and retreated, creating three generations of clonal cell lines. Each generation of clones was tested for chromium sensitivity, chromosome complement, DNA repair capacity, centrosome amplification, and the ability to grow in soft agar. After the first treatment, Cr(VI)-treated clones exhibited a normal chromosome complement, but some clones showed a repair-deficient phenotype and amplified centrosomes. After the second exposure, more than half of the treated clones acquired an abnormal karyotype including numerical and structural alterations, with many exhibiting deficient DNA double-strand break repair and amplified centrosomes. The third treatment produced new abnormal clones, with previously abnormal clones acquiring additional abnormalities and most clones exhibiting repair deficiency. CIN, repair deficiency, and amplified centrosomes were all permanent and heritable phenotypes of repeated Cr(VI) exposure. These outcomes support the hypothesis that CIN is a key mechanism of Cr(VI)-induced carcinogenesis.Significance: Chromium, a major public health concern and human lung carcinogen, causes fundamental changes in chromosomes and DNA repair in human lung cells. Cancer Res; 78(15); 4203-14. ©2018 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra S Wise
- Wise Laboratory of Environmental and Genetic Toxicology, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky
| | | | - Julieta Martino
- Wise Laboratory of Environmental and Genetic Toxicology, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky
| | - John Pierce Wise
- Wise Laboratory of Environmental and Genetic Toxicology, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky.
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25
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Hussein HAM, Okafor IB, Walker LR, Abdel-Raouf UM, Akula SM. Cellular and viral oncogenes: the key to unlocking unknowns of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus pathogenesis. Arch Virol 2018; 163:2633-2643. [PMID: 29936609 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-018-3918-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Oncogenic viruses carry an extensive arsenal of oncogenes for hijacking cellular pathways. Notably, variations in oncogenes among tumor-producing viruses give rise to different mechanisms for cellular transformation. Specifically, Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is an oncogenic virus able to infect and transform a variety of cell types. The oncogenicity of KSHV disseminates from the virus' ability to induce and encode a wide variety of both cellular and viral oncogenes. Such an array of cellular and viral oncogenes enables KSHV to induce the malignant phenotype of a KSHV-associated cancer. Evolutionarily, KSHV has acquired many oncogenic homologues capable of inducing cell proliferation, cell differentiation, cell survival, and immune evasion. Integration between inducing and encoding oncogenes plays a vital role in KSHV pathogenicity. KSHV is alleged to harbor the highest number of potential oncogenes by which a virus promotes cellular transformation and malignancy. Many KSHV inducing/encoding oncogenes are mainly expressed during the latent phase of KSHV infection, a period required for virus establishment of malignant cellular transformation. Elucidation of the exact mechanism(s) by which oncogenes promote KSHV pathogenicity would not only give rise to potential novel therapeutic targets/drugs but would also add to our understanding of cancer biology. The scope of this review is to examine the roles of the most important cellular and viral oncogenes involved in KSHV pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hosni A M Hussein
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA
| | - Ikenna B Okafor
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA
| | - Lia R Walker
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA
| | - Usama M Abdel-Raouf
- Faculty of Science, Al Azhar University, Assiut Branch, Assiut, 71524, Egypt
| | - Shaw M Akula
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, 27834, USA.
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26
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Ye CJ, Regan S, Liu G, Alemara S, Heng HH. Understanding aneuploidy in cancer through the lens of system inheritance, fuzzy inheritance and emergence of new genome systems. Mol Cytogenet 2018; 11:31. [PMID: 29760781 PMCID: PMC5946397 DOI: 10.1186/s13039-018-0376-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2018] [Accepted: 04/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the past 15 years, impressive progress has been made to understand the molecular mechanism behind aneuploidy, largely due to the effort of using various -omics approaches to study model systems (e.g. yeast and mouse models) and patient samples, as well as the new realization that chromosome alteration-mediated genome instability plays the key role in cancer. As the molecular characterization of the causes and effects of aneuploidy progresses, the search for the general mechanism of how aneuploidy contributes to cancer becomes increasingly challenging: since aneuploidy can be linked to diverse molecular pathways (in regards to both cause and effect), the chances of it being cancerous is highly context-dependent, making it more difficult to study than individual molecular mechanisms. When so many genomic and environmental factors can be linked to aneuploidy, and most of them not commonly shared among patients, the practical value of characterizing additional genetic/epigenetic factors contributing to aneuploidy decreases. RESULTS Based on the fact that cancer typically represents a complex adaptive system, where there is no linear relationship between lower-level agents (such as each individual gene mutation) and emergent properties (such as cancer phenotypes), we call for a new strategy based on the evolutionary mechanism of aneuploidy in cancer, rather than continuous analysis of various individual molecular mechanisms. To illustrate our viewpoint, we have briefly reviewed both the progress and challenges in this field, suggesting the incorporation of an evolutionary-based mechanism to unify diverse molecular mechanisms. To further clarify this rationale, we will discuss some key concepts of the genome theory of cancer evolution, including system inheritance, fuzzy inheritance, and cancer as a newly emergent cellular system. CONCLUSION Illustrating how aneuploidy impacts system inheritance, fuzzy inheritance and the emergence of new systems is of great importance. Such synthesis encourages efforts to apply the principles/approaches of complex adaptive systems to ultimately understand aneuploidy in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine J. Ye
- The Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Sarah Regan
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201 USA
| | - Guo Liu
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201 USA
| | - Sarah Alemara
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201 USA
| | - Henry H. Heng
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201 USA
- Department of Pathology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201 USA
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27
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Lei K, Bai H, Wei Z, Xie C, Wang J, Li J, Chen Q. The mechanism and function of circular RNAs in human diseases. Exp Cell Res 2018; 368:147-158. [PMID: 29730164 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2018.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2017] [Revised: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a recently discovered form of RNA. Initially, circRNAs were believed to result from errors during the process of gene transcription. However, after further investigation, scientists suggested that circRNAs are of great biological significance. CircRNAs show stability, conservation, abundance, and tissue and stage specificity. They can also function as miRNA sponges, regulate gene expression, and interact with proteins to affect cell behavior. Emerging evidence has also demonstrated that circRNAs participate or show abnormal expression in diseases, including central nervous system diseases, cardiovascular diseases and cancers, indicating their marked potential in the prediction and prognosis of diseases and clinical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kexin Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hetian Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zihao Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Changqing Xie
- Xiangya Stomatological Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jiongke Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
| | - Qianming Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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28
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Affiliation(s)
- Saverio Alberti
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, Department of Cell Biology and Oncology, Institute for Pharmacology Research Mario Negri, Consorzio Mario Negri Sud, Santa Maria Imbaro (Chieti), Italy
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29
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Taylor AM, Shih J, Ha G, Gao GF, Zhang X, Berger AC, Schumacher SE, Wang C, Hu H, Liu J, Lazar AJ, Cherniack AD, Beroukhim R, Meyerson M. Genomic and Functional Approaches to Understanding Cancer Aneuploidy. Cancer Cell 2018; 33:676-689.e3. [PMID: 29622463 PMCID: PMC6028190 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2018.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 602] [Impact Index Per Article: 100.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2017] [Revised: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Aneuploidy, whole chromosome or chromosome arm imbalance, is a near-universal characteristic of human cancers. In 10,522 cancer genomes from The Cancer Genome Atlas, aneuploidy was correlated with TP53 mutation, somatic mutation rate, and expression of proliferation genes. Aneuploidy was anti-correlated with expression of immune signaling genes, due to decreased leukocyte infiltrates in high-aneuploidy samples. Chromosome arm-level alterations show cancer-specific patterns, including loss of chromosome arm 3p in squamous cancers. We applied genome engineering to delete 3p in lung cells, causing decreased proliferation rescued in part by chromosome 3 duplication. This study defines genomic and phenotypic correlates of cancer aneuploidy and provides an experimental approach to study chromosome arm aneuploidy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison M Taylor
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Cancer Program, Broad Institute, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Juliann Shih
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Gavin Ha
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Cancer Program, Broad Institute, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Galen F Gao
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Xiaoyang Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Cancer Program, Broad Institute, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ashton C Berger
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Steven E Schumacher
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Cancer Program, Broad Institute, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Chen Wang
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Hai Hu
- Chan Soon-Shiong Institute of Molecular Medicine at Windber, Windber, PA 15963, USA
| | - Jianfang Liu
- Chan Soon-Shiong Institute of Molecular Medicine at Windber, Windber, PA 15963, USA
| | - Alexander J Lazar
- Departments of Pathology, Genomic Medicine, and Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 85, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Andrew D Cherniack
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Cancer Program, Broad Institute, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Rameen Beroukhim
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Cancer Program, Broad Institute, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Matthew Meyerson
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Cancer Program, Broad Institute, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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30
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Vargas-Rondón N, Villegas VE, Rondón-Lagos M. The Role of Chromosomal Instability in Cancer and Therapeutic Responses. Cancers (Basel) 2017; 10:cancers10010004. [PMID: 29283387 PMCID: PMC5789354 DOI: 10.3390/cancers10010004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2017] [Revised: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 12/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death, and despite increased research in recent years, control of advanced-stage disease and optimal therapeutic responses remain elusive. Recent technological improvements have increased our understanding of human cancer as a heterogeneous disease. For instance, four hallmarks of cancer have recently been included, which in addition to being involved in cancer development, could be involved in therapeutic responses and resistance. One of these hallmarks is chromosome instability (CIN), a source of genetic variation in either altered chromosome number or structure. CIN has become a hot topic in recent years, not only for its implications in cancer diagnostics and prognostics, but also for its role in therapeutic responses. Chromosomal alterations are mainly used to determine genetic heterogeneity in tumors, but CIN could also reveal treatment efficacy, as many therapies are based on increasing CIN, which causes aberrant cells to undergo apoptosis. However, it should be noted that contradictory findings on the implications of CIN for the therapeutic response have been reported, with some studies associating high CIN with a better therapeutic response and others associating it with therapeutic resistance. Considering these observations, it is necessary to increase our understanding of the role CIN plays not only in tumor development, but also in therapeutic responses. This review focuses on recent studies that suggest possible mechanisms and consequences of CIN in different disease types, with a primary focus on cancer outcomes and therapeutic responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Vargas-Rondón
- School of Biological Sciences, Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia, Tunja 150003, Colombia.
| | - Victoria E Villegas
- Biology Program, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá 111221, Colombia.
| | - Milena Rondón-Lagos
- School of Biological Sciences, Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia, Tunja 150003, Colombia.
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Krupina K, Kleiss C, Awal S, Rodriguez-Hernandez I, Sanz-Moreno V, Sumara I. UBASH3B-mediated silencing of the mitotic checkpoint: Therapeutic perspectives in cancer. Mol Cell Oncol 2017; 5:e1271494. [PMID: 29487893 PMCID: PMC5821415 DOI: 10.1080/23723556.2016.1271494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2016] [Revised: 12/07/2016] [Accepted: 12/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Defects in mitosis can lead to aneuploidy, which is a common feature of human cancers. Spindle Assembly Checkpoint (SAC) controls fidelity of chromosome segregation in mitosis to prevent aneuploidy. The ubiquitin receptor protein Ubiquitin Associated and SH3 Domain Containing B (UBASH3B) was recently found to control SAC silencing and faithful chromosome segregation by relocalizing Aurora B kinase to the mitotic microtubules. Accordingly, loss and gain of function of UBASH3B have strong effects on mitotic progression. Downregulation of UBASH3B prevents SAC satisfaction leading to inhibition of chromosome segregation, mitotic arrest, and cell death. In contrast, increased cellular levels of UBASH3B trigger premature and uncontrolled chromosome segregation. Interestingly, elevated levels of UBASH3B were found in aggressive tumors. Therefore, we raised the question whether the oncogenic potential of UBASH3B is linked to its role in chromosome segregation. Here we show that in cancer cells expressing high levels of UBASH3B and SAC proteins, downregulation of UBASH3B, can further potentiate SAC response inducing mitotic arrest and cell death. Moreover, data mining approaches identified a correlation between mRNA levels of UBASH3B and SAC components in a set of primary patient tumors including kidney and liver carcinomas. Thus, inhibition of UBASH3B may offer an attractive therapeutic perspective for cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ksenia Krupina
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR 7104, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U964, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France.,Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Charlotte Kleiss
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR 7104, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U964, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
| | - Sushil Awal
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR 7104, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U964, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
| | - Irene Rodriguez-Hernandez
- Tumour Plasticity Laboratory, Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, New Hunt's House, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Victoria Sanz-Moreno
- Tumour Plasticity Laboratory, Randall Division of Cell and Molecular Biophysics, New Hunt's House, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Izabela Sumara
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR 7104, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U964, Université de Strasbourg, Illkirch, France
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32
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Li Z, Qin F, Li H. Chimeric RNAs and their implications in cancer. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2017; 48:36-43. [PMID: 29100211 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2017.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2017] [Revised: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Chimeric RNAs have been believed to be solely produced by gene fusions resulting from chromosomal rearrangement, thus unique features of cancer. Detected chimeric RNAs have also been viewed as surrogates for the presence of gene fusions. However, more and more research has demonstrated that chimeric RNAs in general are not a hallmark of cancer, but rather widely present in non-cancerous cells and tissues. At the same time, they may be produced by other mechanisms other than chromosomal rearrangement. The field of non-canonical chimeric RNAs is still in its infancy, with many challenges ahead, including the lack of a unified terminology. However, we believe that these non-canonical chimeric RNAs will have significant impacts in cancer detection and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi Li
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA; Department of Orthopedics, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China
| | - Fujun Qin
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA.
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33
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Mittal VK, McDonald JF. De novo assembly and characterization of breast cancer transcriptomes identifies large numbers of novel fusion-gene transcripts of potential functional significance. BMC Med Genomics 2017; 10:53. [PMID: 28851357 PMCID: PMC5575902 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-017-0289-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2016] [Accepted: 08/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Gene-fusion or chimeric transcripts have been implicated in the onset and progression of a variety of cancers. Massively parallel RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) of the cellular transcriptome is a promising approach for the identification of chimeric transcripts of potential functional significance. We report here the development and use of an integrated computational pipeline for the de novo assembly and characterization of chimeric transcripts in 55 primary breast cancer and normal tissue samples. Methods An integrated computational pipeline was employed to screen the transcriptome of breast cancer and control tissues for high-quality RNA-sequencing reads. Reads were de novo assembled into contigs followed by reference genome mapping. Chimeric transcripts were detected, filtered and characterized using our R-SAP algorithm. The relative abundance of reads was used to estimate levels of gene expression. Results De novo assembly allowed for the accurate detection of 1959 chimeric transcripts to nucleotide level resolution and facilitated detailed molecular characterization and quantitative analysis. A number of the chimeric transcripts are of potential functional significance including 79 novel fusion-protein transcripts and many chimeric transcripts with alterations in their un-translated leader regions. A number of chimeric transcripts in the cancer samples mapped to genomic regions devoid of any known genes. Several ‘pro-neoplastic’ fusions comprised of genes previously implicated in cancer are expressed at low levels in normal tissues but at high levels in cancer tissues. Conclusions Collectively, our results underscore the utility of deep sequencing technologies and improved bioinformatics workflows to uncover novel and potentially significant chimeric transcripts in cancer and normal somatic tissues. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12920-017-0289-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinay K Mittal
- Integrated Cancer Research Center, School of Biological Sciences, and Parker H. Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 315 Ferst Dr, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - John F McDonald
- Integrated Cancer Research Center, School of Biological Sciences, and Parker H. Petit Institute of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 315 Ferst Dr, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.
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34
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Yu Z, Li A, Wang M. CLImAT-HET: detecting subclonal copy number alterations and loss of heterozygosity in heterogeneous tumor samples from whole-genome sequencing data. BMC Med Genomics 2017; 10:15. [PMID: 28298214 PMCID: PMC5351278 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-017-0255-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2015] [Accepted: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Copy number alterations (CNA) and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) represent a large proportion of genetic structural variations of cancer genomes. These aberrations are continuously accumulated during the procedure of clonal evolution and patterned by phylogenetic branching. This invariably results in the emergence of multiple cell populations with distinct complement of mutational landscapes in tumor sample. With the advent of next-generation sequencing technology, inference of subclonal populations has become one of the focused interests in cancer-associated studies, and is usually based on the assessment of combinations of somatic single-nucleotide variations (SNV), CNA and LOH. However, cancer samples often have several inherent issues, such as contamination of normal stroma, tumor aneuploidy and intra-tumor heterogeneity. Addressing these critical issues is imperative for accurate profiling of clonal architecture. Methods We present CLImAT-HET, a computational method designed for capturing clonal diversity in the CNA/LOH dimensions by taking into account the intra-tumor heterogeneity issue, in the case where a reference or matched normal sample is absent. The algorithm quantitatively represents the clonal identification problem using a factorial hidden Markov model, and takes an integrated analysis of read counts and allele frequency data. It is able to infer subclonal CNA and LOH events as well as the fraction of cells harboring each event. Results The results on simulated datasets indicate that CLImAT-HET has high power to identify CNA/LOH segments, it achieves an average accuracy of 0.87. It can also accurately infer proportion of each clonal population with an overall Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.99 and a mean absolute error of 0.02. CLImAT-HET shows significant advantages when compared with other existing methods. Application of CLImAT-HET to 5 primary triple negative breast cancer samples demonstrates its ability to capture clonal diversity in the CAN/LOH dimensions. It detects two clonal populations in one sample, and three clonal populations in one other sample. Conclusions CLImAT-HET, a novel algorithm is introduced to infer CNA/LOH segments from heterogeneous tumor samples. We demonstrate CLImAT-HET’s ability to accurately recover clonal compositions using tumor WGS data without a match normal sample. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12920-017-0255-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenhua Yu
- School of Information Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, AH230027, China
| | - Ao Li
- School of Information Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, AH230027, China. .,Centers for Biomedical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, AH230027, China.
| | - Minghui Wang
- School of Information Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, AH230027, China.,Centers for Biomedical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, AH230027, China
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35
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Lee WH, Nguyen PK, Fleischmann D, Wu JC. DNA damage-associated biomarkers in studying individual sensitivity to low-dose radiation from cardiovascular imaging. Eur Heart J 2016; 37:3075-3080. [PMID: 27272147 PMCID: PMC6279211 DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehw206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2015] [Revised: 04/10/2016] [Accepted: 05/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Won Hee Lee
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology
- Department of Radiology
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Patricia K Nguyen
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology
- Department of Radiology
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Dominik Fleischmann
- Department of Radiology
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Joseph C Wu
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology
- Department of Radiology
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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36
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Pires JC, Conant GC. Robust Yet Fragile: Expression Noise, Protein Misfolding, and Gene Dosage in the Evolution of Genomes. Annu Rev Genet 2016; 50:113-131. [PMID: 27617972 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genet-120215-035400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The complex manner in which organisms respond to changes in their gene dosage has long fascinated geneticists. Oddly, although the existence of dominance implies that dosage reductions often have mild phenotypes, extra copies of whole chromosomes (aneuploidy) are generally strongly deleterious. Even more paradoxically, an extra copy of the genome is better tolerated than is aneuploidy. We review the resolution of this paradox, highlighting the roles of biochemistry, protein aggregation, and disruption of cellular microstructure in that explanation. Returning to life's curious combination of robustness and sensitivity to dosage changes, we argue that understanding how biological robustness evolved makes these observations less inexplicable. We propose that noise in gene expression and evolutionary strategies for its suppression play a role in generating dosage phenotypes. Finally, we outline an unappreciated mechanism for the preservation of duplicate genes, namely preservation to limit expression noise, arguing that it is particularly relevant in polyploid organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Chris Pires
- Division of Biological Sciences.,Informatics Institute, and
| | - Gavin C Conant
- Informatics Institute, and.,Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, 65211-5300;
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37
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Aldrup-MacDonald ME, Kuo ME, Sullivan LL, Chew K, Sullivan BA. Genomic variation within alpha satellite DNA influences centromere location on human chromosomes with metastable epialleles. Genome Res 2016; 26:1301-1311. [PMID: 27510565 PMCID: PMC5052062 DOI: 10.1101/gr.206706.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2016] [Accepted: 08/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Alpha satellite is a tandemly organized type of repetitive DNA that comprises 5% of the genome and is found at all human centromeres. A defined number of 171-bp monomers are organized into chromosome-specific higher-order repeats (HORs) that are reiterated thousands of times. At least half of all human chromosomes have two or more distinct HOR alpha satellite arrays within their centromere regions. We previously showed that the two alpha satellite arrays of Homo sapiens Chromosome 17 (HSA17), D17Z1 and D17Z1-B, behave as centromeric epialleles, that is, the centromere, defined by chromatin containing the centromeric histone variant CENPA and recruitment of other centromere proteins, can form at either D17Z1 or D17Z1-B. Some individuals in the human population are functional heterozygotes in that D17Z1 is the active centromere on one homolog and D17Z1-B is active on the other. In this study, we aimed to understand the molecular basis for how centromere location is determined on HSA17. Specifically, we focused on D17Z1 genomic variation as a driver of epiallele formation. We found that D17Z1 arrays that are predominantly composed of HOR size and sequence variants were functionally less competent. They either recruited decreased amounts of the centromere-specific histone variant CENPA and the HSA17 was mitotically unstable, or alternatively, the centromere was assembled at D17Z1-B and the HSA17 was stable. Our study demonstrates that genomic variation within highly repetitive, noncoding DNA of human centromere regions has a pronounced impact on genome stability and basic chromosomal function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan E Aldrup-MacDonald
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - Molly E Kuo
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - Lori L Sullivan
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - Kimberline Chew
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - Beth A Sullivan
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA; Division of Human Genetics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
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Iqbal J, Naushad H, Bi C, Yu J, Bouska A, Rohr J, Chao W, Fu K, Chan WC, Vose JM. Genomic signatures in B-cell lymphoma: How can these improve precision in diagnosis and inform prognosis? Blood Rev 2016; 30:73-88. [DOI: 10.1016/j.blre.2015.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2015] [Revised: 08/07/2015] [Accepted: 08/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Saleem M, Yusoff NM. Fusion genes in malignant neoplastic disorders of haematopoietic system. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 21:501-12. [PMID: 26871368 DOI: 10.1080/10245332.2015.1106816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The new World Health Organization's (WHO) classification of haematopoietic and lymphoid tissue neoplasms incorporating the recurrent fusion genes as the defining criteria for different haematopoietic malignant phenotypes is reviewed. The recurrent fusion genes incorporated in the new WHO's classification and other chromosomal rearrangements of haematopoietic and lymphoid tissue neoplasms are reviewed. METHODOLOGY Cytokines and transcription factors in haematopoiesis and leukaemic mechanisms are described. Genetic features and clinical implications due to the encoded chimeric neoproteins causing malignant haematopoietic disorders are reviewed. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Multiple translocation partner genes are well known for leukaemia such as MYC, MLL, RARA, ALK, and RUNX1. With the advent of more sophisticated diagnostic tools and bioinformatics algorithms, an exponential growth in fusion genes discoveries is likely to increase. CONCLUSION Demonstration of fusion genes and their specific translocation breakpoints in malignant haematological disorders are crucial for understanding the molecular pathogenesis and clinical phenotype of cancer, determining prognostic indexes and therapeutic responses, and monitoring residual disease and relapse status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Saleem
- a Advanced Medical and Dental Institute , Universiti Sains Malaysia , Kepala Batas , Penang , Malaysia
| | - Narazah Mohd Yusoff
- a Advanced Medical and Dental Institute , Universiti Sains Malaysia , Kepala Batas , Penang , Malaysia
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Heng HHQ, Regan SM, Liu G, Ye CJ. Why it is crucial to analyze non clonal chromosome aberrations or NCCAs? Mol Cytogenet 2016; 9:15. [PMID: 26877768 PMCID: PMC4752783 DOI: 10.1186/s13039-016-0223-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2015] [Accepted: 02/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Current cytogenetics has largely focused its efforts on the identification of recurrent karyotypic alterations, also known as clonal chromosomal aberrations (CCAs). The rationale of doing so seems simple: recurrent genetic changes are relevant for diseases or specific physiological conditions, while non clonal chromosome aberrations (NCCAs) are insignificant genetic background or noise. However, in reality, the vast majority of chromosomal alterations are NCCAs, and it is challenging to identify commonly shared CCAs in most solid tumors. Furthermore, the karyotype, rather than genes, represents the system inheritance, or blueprint, and each NCCA represents an altered genome system. These realizations underscore the importance of the re-evaluation of NCCAs in cytogenetic analyses. In this concept article, we briefly review the definition of NCCAs, some historical misconceptions about them, and why NCCAs are not insignificant "noise," but rather a highly significant feature of the cellular population for providing genome heterogeneity and complexity, representing one important form of fuzzy inheritance. The frequencies of NCCAs also represent an index to measure both internally- and environmentally-induced genome instability. Additionally, the NCCA/CCA cycle is associated with macro- and micro-cellular evolution. Lastly, elevated NCCAs are observed in many disease/illness conditions. Considering all of these factors, we call for the immediate action of studying and reporting NCCAs. Specifically, effort is needed to characterize and compare different types of NCCAs, to define their baseline in various tissues, to develop methods to access mitotic cells, to re-examine/interpret the NCCAs data, and to develop an NCCA database.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry H. Q. Heng
- />Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201 USA
- />Department of Pathology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 3226 Scott Hall, 540 E. Canfield, Detroit, MI 48201 USA
| | - Sarah M. Regan
- />Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201 USA
- />Division of Graduate Medical Sciences, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118 USA
| | - Guo Liu
- />Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201 USA
| | - Christine J. Ye
- />The Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI USA
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Sponchiado G, Adam ML, Silva CD, Soley BS, de Mello-Sampayo C, Cabrini DA, Correr CJ, Otuki MF. Quantitative genotoxicity assays for analysis of medicinal plants: A systematic review. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2016; 178:289-296. [PMID: 26680588 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2015.10.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2015] [Revised: 10/17/2015] [Accepted: 10/17/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Medicinal plants are known to contain numerous biologically active compounds, and although they have proven pharmacological properties, they can cause harm, including DNA damage. AIM OF THE STUDY Review the literature to evaluate the genotoxicity risk of medicinal plants, explore the genotoxicity assays most used and compare these to the current legal requirements. MATERIAL AND METHODS A quantitative systematic review of the literature, using the keywords "medicinal plants", "genotoxicity" and "mutagenicity", was undertakenQ to identify the types of assays most used to assess genotoxicity, and to evaluate the genotoxicity potential of medicinal plant extracts. RESULTS The database searches retrieved 2289 records, 458 of which met the inclusion criteria. Evaluation of the selected articles showed a total of 24 different assays used for an assessment of medicinal plant extract genotoxicity. More than a quarter of those studies (28.4%) reported positive results for genotoxicity. CONCLUSIONS This review demonstrates that a range of genotoxicity assay methods are used to evaluate the genotoxicity potential of medicinal plant extracts. The most used methods are those recommended by regulatory agencies. However, based on the current findings, in order to conduct a thorough study concerning the possible genotoxic effects of a medicinal plant, we indicate that it is important always to include bacterial and mammalian tests, with at least one in vivo assay. Also, these tests should be capable of detecting outcomes that include mutation induction, clastogenic and aneugenic effects, and structural chromosome abnormalities. In addition, the considerable rate of positive results detected in this analysis further supports the relevance of assessing the genotoxicity potential of medicinal plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graziela Sponchiado
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | | | - Caroline Dadalt Silva
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Centro Politécnico, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Bruna Silva Soley
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Centro Politécnico, Curitiba, Brazil
| | | | - Daniela Almeida Cabrini
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Centro Politécnico, Curitiba, Brazil
| | | | - Michel Fleith Otuki
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Centro Politécnico, Curitiba, Brazil; Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, PR, Brazil.
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Grade M, Difilippantonio MJ, Camps J. Patterns of Chromosomal Aberrations in Solid Tumors. Recent Results Cancer Res 2016; 200:115-42. [PMID: 26376875 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-20291-4_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Chromosomal abnormalities are a defining feature of solid tumors. Such cytogenetic alterations are mainly classified into structural chromosomal aberrations and copy number alterations, giving rise to aneuploid karyotypes. The increasing detection of these genetic changes allowed the description of specific tumor entities and the associated patterns of gene expression. In fact, tumor-specific landscapes of gross genomic copy number changes, including aneuploidies of entire chromosome arms and chromosomes result in a global deregulation of the transcriptome of cancer cells. Furthermore, the molecular characterization of cytogenetic abnormalities has provided insights into the mechanisms of tumorigenesis and has, in a few instances, led to the clinical implementation of effective diagnostic and prognostic tools, as well as treatment strategies that target a specific genetic abnormality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marian Grade
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Jordi Camps
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
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Abstract
Understanding the molecular landscape of cancer has facilitated the development of diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers for clinical oncology. Developments in next-generation DNA sequencing technologies have increased the speed and reduced the cost of sequencing the nucleic acids of cancer cells. This has unlocked opportunities to characterize the genomic and transcriptomic landscapes of cancer for basic science research through projects like The Cancer Genome Atlas. The cancer genome includes DNA-based alterations, such as point mutations or gene duplications. The cancer transcriptome involves RNA-based alterations, including changes in messenger RNAs. Together, the genome and transcriptome can provide a comprehensive view of an individual patient's cancer that is beginning to impact real-time clinical decision-making. The authors discuss several opportunities for translating this basic science knowledge into clinical practice, including a molecular classification of cancer, heritable risk of cancer, eligibility for targeted therapies, and the development of innovative, genomic-based clinical trials. In this review, key applications and new directions are outlined for translating the cancer genome and transcriptome into patient care in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sameek Roychowdhury
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 USA
- Department of Pharmacology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 USA
| | - Arul M. Chinnaiyan
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Urology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
- Center for Computational Medicine and Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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Kumar-Sinha C, Kalyana-Sundaram S, Chinnaiyan AM. Landscape of gene fusions in epithelial cancers: seq and ye shall find. Genome Med 2015; 7:129. [PMID: 26684754 PMCID: PMC4683719 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-015-0252-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Enabled by high-throughput sequencing approaches, epithelial cancers across a range of tissue types are seen to harbor gene fusions as integral to their landscape of somatic aberrations. Although many gene fusions are found at high frequency in several rare solid cancers, apart from fusions involving the ETS family of transcription factors which have been seen in approximately 50% of prostate cancers, several other common solid cancers have been shown to harbor recurrent gene fusions at low frequencies. On the other hand, many gene fusions involving oncogenes, such as those encoding ALK, RAF or FGFR kinase families, have been detected across multiple different epithelial carcinomas. Tumor-specific gene fusions can serve as diagnostic biomarkers or help define molecular subtypes of tumors; for example, gene fusions involving oncogenes such as ERG, ETV1, TFE3, NUT, POU5F1, NFIB, PLAG1, and PAX8 are diagnostically useful. Tumors with fusions involving therapeutically targetable genes such as ALK, RET, BRAF, RAF1, FGFR1-4, and NOTCH1-3 have immediate implications for precision medicine across tissue types. Thus, ongoing cancer genomic and transcriptomic analyses for clinical sequencing need to delineate the landscape of gene fusions. Prioritization of potential oncogenic "drivers" from "passenger" fusions, and functional characterization of potentially actionable gene fusions across diverse tissue types, will help translate these findings into clinical applications. Here, we review recent advances in gene fusion discovery and the prospects for medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandan Kumar-Sinha
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
| | - Shanker Kalyana-Sundaram
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
| | - Arul M Chinnaiyan
- Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
- Department of Urology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
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Serrano C, Romagosa C, Hernández-Losa J, Simonetti S, Valverde C, Moliné T, Somoza R, Pérez M, Vélez R, Vergés R, Domínguez R, Carles J, Ramón Y Cajal S. RAS/MAPK pathway hyperactivation determines poor prognosis in undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcomas. Cancer 2015; 122:99-107. [PMID: 26479291 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.29733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2015] [Revised: 07/06/2015] [Accepted: 07/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) constitutes the most common subtype of soft tissue sarcoma. However, UPS is clinically and molecularly poorly understood, in great extent due to its intrinsic phenotypic and cytogenetic complexity, which in turn results in the absence of specific prognostic or predictive biomarkers. The RAS/mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitor (PI3K)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathways are considered to be 2 major mechanisms for sarcoma proliferation and survival and to the authors' knowledge their role in UPS remains unclear. The objective of the current study was to investigate whether the RAS/MAPK and PI3K/mTOR pathways are activated in UPS, and whether pathway activation is associated with outcome. METHODS Records for patients diagnosed and treated for UPS in the study institution between 2000 and 2009 were reviewed. Phosphorylation status of 4E-binding protein (4E-BP1), eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF-4E), S6-RP, and ERK 1/2, together with total forms of 4E-BP1 and eIF-4E, were assessed using immunohistochemistry in paraffin-embedded tumor tissue. Mutational analysis for KRAS; NRAS; BRAF; and phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase, catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA) oncogenic mutations was performed as well. RESULTS Critical lymph nodes within the RAS/MAPK and PI3K/mTOR pathways were found to be activated in >80% of UPS cases. Hyperactivation of the RAS/MAPK pathway, as assessed by expression of phosphorylated ERK 1/2, was found to independently predict a higher risk of disease recurrence and impaired overall survival. Only a KRAS A146V mutation was detected in 1 tumor. CONCLUSIONS The RAS/MAPK and PI3K/mTOR pathways are activated in the majority of cases of UPS. The RAS/MAPK pathway distinguishes a subgroup of patients with localized UPS with a worse outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- César Serrano
- Department of Medical Oncology, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cleofé Romagosa
- Department of Pathology, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Sara Simonetti
- Department of Pathology, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Claudia Valverde
- Department of Medical Oncology, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Teresa Moliné
- Department of Pathology, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rosa Somoza
- Department of Pathology, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Manuel Pérez
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Roberto Vélez
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ramona Vergés
- Department of Radiotherapy, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rosa Domínguez
- Department of Radiology, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Carles
- Department of Medical Oncology, Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
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Reimand J, Wagih O, Bader GD. Evolutionary constraint and disease associations of post-translational modification sites in human genomes. PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1004919. [PMID: 25611800 PMCID: PMC4303425 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2014] [Accepted: 11/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Interpreting the impact of human genome variation on phenotype is challenging. The functional effect of protein-coding variants is often predicted using sequence conservation and population frequency data, however other factors are likely relevant. We hypothesized that variants in protein post-translational modification (PTM) sites contribute to phenotype variation and disease. We analyzed fraction of rare variants and non-synonymous to synonymous variant ratio (Ka/Ks) in 7,500 human genomes and found a significant negative selection signal in PTM regions independent of six factors, including conservation, codon usage, and GC-content, that is widely distributed across tissue-specific genes and function classes. PTM regions are also enriched in known disease mutations, suggesting that PTM variation is more likely deleterious. PTM constraint also affects flanking sequence around modified residues and increases around clustered sites, indicating presence of functionally important short linear motifs. Using target site motifs of 124 kinases, we predict that at least ∼180,000 motif-breaker amino acid residues that disrupt PTM sites when substituted, and highlight kinase motifs that show specific negative selection and enrichment of disease mutations. We provide this dataset with corresponding hypothesized mechanisms as a community resource. As an example of our integrative approach, we propose that PTPN11 variants in Noonan syndrome aberrantly activate the protein by disrupting an uncharacterized cluster of phosphorylation sites. Further, as PTMs are molecular switches that are modulated by drugs, we study mutated binding sites of PTM enzymes in disease genes and define a drug-disease network containing 413 novel predicted disease-gene links.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jüri Reimand
- The Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Canada
- * E-mail: (JR); (GDB)
| | - Omar Wagih
- The Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Gary D. Bader
- The Donnelly Centre, University of Toronto, Canada
- * E-mail: (JR); (GDB)
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MANO H. The EML4-ALK oncogene: targeting an essential growth driver in human cancer. PROCEEDINGS OF THE JAPAN ACADEMY. SERIES B, PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 2015; 91:193-201. [PMID: 25971657 PMCID: PMC4561238 DOI: 10.2183/pjab.91.193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2015] [Accepted: 03/19/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Targeting of essential growth drivers represents an ideal approach to cancer treatment. To identify such molecules in clinical specimens, we developed a highly sensitive functional screening system based on the preparation of retroviral cDNA expression libraries. By screening such a library of lung adenocarcinoma with a focus formation assay, we discovered the EML4-ALK fusion-type oncogene. A small chromosomal inversion thus leads to fusion of the amino-terminal portion of the microtubule-associated protein EML4 to the intracellular kinase domain of ALK, a receptor-type protein tyrosine kinase. Constitutive dimerization of EML4-ALK mediated by a dimerization motif of EML4 results in kinase activation. Specific inhibitors of the kinase activity of ALK have been developed as therapeutic drugs for EML4-ALK-positive lung cancer, three of which (crizotinib, ceritinib, and alectinib) have already been approved for clinical use. An overall clinical response rate of 93.5% for alectinib has shown that agents that target essential growth drivers can become magic bullets for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki MANO
- Department of Cellular Signaling, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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Burdova A, Bouchal J, Tavandzis S, Kolar Z. TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion in prostate cancer. Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub 2014; 158:502-10. [PMID: 25485532 DOI: 10.5507/bp.2014.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2014] [Accepted: 11/25/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion is one of the most widely spread chromosomal rearrangements in carcinomas. Since its discovery, a number of studies have examined its diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic implications for prostate cancer where suitable biomarkers are still lacking. The publication data are inconsistent. The aim of this review was to critically evaluate the current clinical impact of this gene fusion. METHODS The PubMed online database was used to search relevant reviews and original articles. RESULTS Although the TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion appears to be a suitable diagnostic biomarker, the prognostic implications of this gene fusion are still unclear. Several new strategies for therapeutically targeting ETS fusions and their modulators have been identified and are currently being investigated. CONCLUSION Due to the heterogeneity of prostate cancer, the combination of several biomarkers is necessary to accurately assess the presence of prostate cancer, predict its potential clinical outcome and decide on appropriate therapy (e.g. PARP inhibitors).
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Affiliation(s)
- Alena Burdova
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Pathology, Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, Czech Republic
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Heng HH, Bremer SW, Stevens JB, Horne SD, Liu G, Abdallah BY, Ye KJ, Ye CJ. Chromosomal instability (CIN): what it is and why it is crucial to cancer evolution. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2014; 32:325-40. [PMID: 23605440 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-013-9427-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Results of various cancer genome sequencing projects have "unexpectedly" challenged the framework of the current somatic gene mutation theory of cancer. The prevalence of diverse genetic heterogeneity observed in cancer questions the strategy of focusing on contributions of individual gene mutations. Much of the genetic heterogeneity in tumors is due to chromosomal instability (CIN), a predominant hallmark of cancer. Multiple molecular mechanisms have been attributed to CIN but unifying these often conflicting mechanisms into one general mechanism has been challenging. In this review, we discuss multiple aspects of CIN including its definitions, methods of measuring, and some common misconceptions. We then apply the genome-based evolutionary theory to propose a general mechanism for CIN to unify the diverse molecular causes. In this new evolutionary framework, CIN represents a system behavior of a stress response with adaptive advantages but also serves as a new potential cause of further destabilization of the genome. Following a brief review about the newly realized functions of chromosomes that defines system inheritance and creates new genomes, we discuss the ultimate importance of CIN in cancer evolution. Finally, a number of confusing issues regarding CIN are explained in light of the evolutionary function of CIN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry H Heng
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA,
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50
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Martinez-Velez N, Xipell E, Jauregui P, Zalacain M, Marrodan L, Zandueta C, Vera B, Urquiza L, Sierrasesúmaga L, Julián MS, Toledo G, Fueyo J, Gomez-Manzano C, Torre W, Lecanda F, Patiño-García A, Alonso MM. The oncolytic adenovirus Δ24-RGD in combination with cisplatin exerts a potent anti-osteosarcoma activity. J Bone Miner Res 2014; 29:2287-96. [PMID: 24737304 DOI: 10.1002/jbmr.2253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2013] [Revised: 04/01/2014] [Accepted: 04/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Osteosarcoma is the most common malignant bone tumor in children and adolescents. The presence of metastases and the lack of response to conventional treatment are the major adverse prognostic factors. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new treatment strategies that overcome both of these problems. Our purpose was to elucidate whether the use of the oncolytic adenovirus Δ24-RGD alone or in combination with standard chemotherapy would be effective, in vitro and in vivo, against osteosarcoma. Our results showed that Δ24-RGD exerted a potent antitumor effect against osteosarcoma cell lines that was increased by the addition of cisplatin. Δ24-RGD osteosarcoma treatment resulted in autophagy in vitro that was further enhanced when combined with cisplatin. Of importance, administration of Δ24-RGD and/or cisplatin, in novel orthotopic and two lung metastatic models in vivo resulted in a significant reduction of tumor burden meanwhile maintaining a safe toxicity profile. Together, our data underscore the potential of Δ24-RGD to become a realistic therapeutic option for primary and metastatic pediatric osteosarcoma. Moreover, this study warrants a future clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Δ24-RGD for this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naiara Martinez-Velez
- Department of Medical Oncology, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain; Department of Pediatrics, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
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