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Dasgupta A, Prensner JR. Upstream open reading frames: new players in the landscape of cancer gene regulation. NAR Cancer 2024; 6:zcae023. [PMID: 38774471 PMCID: PMC11106035 DOI: 10.1093/narcan/zcae023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The translation of RNA by ribosomes represents a central biological process and one of the most dysregulated processes in cancer. While translation is traditionally thought to occur exclusively in the protein-coding regions of messenger RNAs (mRNAs), recent transcriptome-wide approaches have shown abundant ribosome activity across diverse stretches of RNA transcripts. The most common type of this kind of ribosome activity occurs in gene leader sequences, also known as 5' untranslated regions (UTRs) of the mRNA, that precede the main coding sequence. Translation of these upstream open reading frames (uORFs) is now known to occur in upwards of 25% of all protein-coding genes. With diverse functions from RNA regulation to microprotein generation, uORFs are rapidly igniting a new arena of cancer biology, where they are linked to cancer genetics, cancer signaling, and tumor-immune interactions. This review focuses on the contributions of uORFs and their associated 5'UTR sequences to cancer biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anwesha Dasgupta
- Chad Carr Pediatric Brain Tumor Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - John R Prensner
- Chad Carr Pediatric Brain Tumor Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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2
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Li G, Wu J, Wang X. Predicting functional UTR variants by integrating region-specific features. Brief Bioinform 2024; 25:bbae248. [PMID: 38783704 PMCID: PMC11116830 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbae248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The untranslated region (UTR) of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), including the 5'UTR and 3'UTR, plays a critical role in regulating gene expression and translation. Variants within the UTR can lead to changes associated with human traits and diseases; however, computational prediction of UTR variant effect is challenging. Current noncoding variant prediction mainly focuses on the promoters and enhancers, neglecting the unique sequence of the UTR and thereby limiting their predictive accuracy. In this study, using consolidated datasets of UTR variants from disease databases and large-scale experimental data, we systematically analyzed more than 50 region-specific features of UTR, including functional elements, secondary structure, sequence composition and site conservation. Our analysis reveals that certain features, such as C/G-related sequence composition in 5'UTR and A/T-related sequence composition in 3'UTR, effectively differentiate between nonfunctional and functional variant sets, unveiling potential sequence determinants of functional UTR variants. Leveraging these insights, we developed two classification models to predict functional UTR variants using machine learning, achieving an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.94 for 5'UTR and 0.85 for 3'UTR, outperforming all existing methods. Our models will be valuable for enhancing clinical interpretation of genetic variants, facilitating the prediction and management of disease risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangyu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Common Mechanism Research for Major Diseases; Center for bioinformatics, National Infrastructures for Translational Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine and Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 1 Shuai Fu Yuan, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Jiayu Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Common Mechanism Research for Major Diseases; Center for bioinformatics, National Infrastructures for Translational Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine and Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 1 Shuai Fu Yuan, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Xiaoyue Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Common Mechanism Research for Major Diseases; Center for bioinformatics, National Infrastructures for Translational Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine and Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 1 Shuai Fu Yuan, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100005, China
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3
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Stark MS, Sturm RA, Pan Y, Smit DJ, Kommajosyula V, Lee KJ, Jagirdar K, McLean C, Duffy DL, Soyer HP, Mar VJ. Assessing the genetic risk of nodular melanoma using a candidate gene approach. Br J Dermatol 2024; 190:199-206. [PMID: 37766469 DOI: 10.1093/bjd/ljad365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nodular melanoma (NM) is a challenge to diagnose early due to its rapid growth and more atypical clinical presentation, making it the largest contributor to melanoma mortality. OBJECTIVES Our study aim was to perform a rare-variant allele (RVA) analysis of whole-exome sequencing of patients with NM and non-NM (minor allele frequency ≤ 1% non-Finnish European) for a set of 500 candidate genes potentially implicated in melanoma. METHODS This study recruited 131 participants with NM and 194 with non-NM from South-east Queensland and patients with NM from Victoria to perform a comparative analysis of possible genetic differences or similarities between the two melanoma cohorts. RESULTS Phenotypic analysis revealed that a majority of patients diagnosed with NM were older males with a higher frequency of fair skin and red hair than is seen in the general population. The distribution of common melanoma polygenic risk scores was similar in patients with NM and non-NM, with over 28% in the highest quantile of scores. There was also a similar frequency of carriage of familial/high-penetrant melanoma gene and loss-of-function variants. We identified 39 genes by filtering 500 candidate genes based on the greatest frequency in NM compared with non-NM cases. The genes with RVAs of greatest frequency in NM included PTCH1, ARID2 and GHR. Rare variants in the SMO gene, which interacts with PTCH1 as ligand and receptor, were also identified, providing evidence that the Hedgehog pathway may contribute to NM risk. There was a cumulative effect in carrying multiple rare variants in the NM-associated genes. A 14.8-fold increased ratio for NM compared with non-NM was seen when two RVAs of the 39 genes were carried by a patient. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights the importance of considering frequency of RVA to identify those at risk of NM in addition to known high penetrance genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell S Stark
- Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, Dermatology Research Centre, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Richard A Sturm
- Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, Dermatology Research Centre, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Yan Pan
- Victorian Melanoma Service, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
- Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
| | - Darren J Smit
- Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, Dermatology Research Centre, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Varsha Kommajosyula
- Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, Dermatology Research Centre, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Katie J Lee
- Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, Dermatology Research Centre, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Kasturee Jagirdar
- Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, Dermatology Research Centre, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Catriona McLean
- Victorian Melanoma Service, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
- Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
| | - David L Duffy
- Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, Dermatology Research Centre, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - H Peter Soyer
- Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, Dermatology Research Centre, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
- Dermatology Department, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Victoria J Mar
- Victorian Melanoma Service, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine; Monash University, Melbourne, Vic, Australia
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4
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Carrion SA, Michal JJ, Jiang Z. Alternative Transcripts Diversify Genome Function for Phenome Relevance to Health and Diseases. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:2051. [PMID: 38002994 PMCID: PMC10671453 DOI: 10.3390/genes14112051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Manipulation using alternative exon splicing (AES), alternative transcription start (ATS), and alternative polyadenylation (APA) sites are key to transcript diversity underlying health and disease. All three are pervasive in organisms, present in at least 50% of human protein-coding genes. In fact, ATS and APA site use has the highest impact on protein identity, with their ability to alter which first and last exons are utilized as well as impacting stability and translation efficiency. These RNA variants have been shown to be highly specific, both in tissue type and stage, with demonstrated importance to cell proliferation, differentiation and the transition from fetal to adult cells. While alternative exon splicing has a limited effect on protein identity, its ubiquity highlights the importance of these minor alterations, which can alter other features such as localization. The three processes are also highly interwoven, with overlapping, complementary, and competing factors, RNA polymerase II and its CTD (C-terminal domain) chief among them. Their role in development means dysregulation leads to a wide variety of disorders and cancers, with some forms of disease disproportionately affected by specific mechanisms (AES, ATS, or APA). Challenges associated with the genome-wide profiling of RNA variants and their potential solutions are also discussed in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Zhihua Jiang
- Department of Animal Sciences and Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-7620, USA; (S.A.C.); (J.J.M.)
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5
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Othoum G, Maher CA. CrypticProteinDB: an integrated database of proteome and immunopeptidome derived non-canonical cancer proteins. NAR Cancer 2023; 5:zcad024. [PMID: 37275273 PMCID: PMC10233886 DOI: 10.1093/narcan/zcad024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Translated non-canonical proteins derived from noncoding regions or alternative open reading frames (ORFs) can contribute to critical and diverse cellular processes. In the context of cancer, they also represent an under-appreciated source of targets for cancer immunotherapy through their tumor-enriched expression or by harboring somatic mutations that produce neoantigens. Here, we introduce the largest integration and proteogenomic analysis of novel peptides to assess the prevalence of non-canonical ORFs (ncORFs) in more than 900 patient proteomes and 26 immunopeptidome datasets across 14 cancer types. The integrative proteogenomic analysis of whole-cell proteomes and immunopeptidomes revealed peptide support for a nonredundant set of 9760 upstream, downstream, and out-of-frame ncORFs in protein coding genes and 12811 in noncoding RNAs. Notably, 6486 ncORFs were derived from differentially expressed genes and 340 were ubiquitously translated across eight or more cancers. The analysis also led to the discovery of thirty-four epitopes and eight neoantigens from non-canonical proteins in two cohorts as novel cancer immunotargets. Collectively, our analysis integrated both bottom-up proteogenomic and targeted peptide validation to illustrate the prevalence of translated non-canonical proteins in cancer and to provide a resource for the prioritization of novel proteins supported by proteomic, immunopeptidomic, genomic and transcriptomic data, available at https://www.maherlab.com/crypticproteindb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghofran Othoum
- Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
| | - Christopher A Maher
- Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
- Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
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6
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Yang J, Li L, Luo T, Nie C, Fan R, Li D, Yang R, Zhou C, Li Q, Hu X, Chen W. Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor 2A/B Homozygous Deletion Prediction and Survival Analysis. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13040548. [PMID: 37190513 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13040548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor 2A/B (CDKN2A/B) homozygous deletion was a significant prognostic factor for gliomas and affected the treatment strategy. However, the radiomic features of CDKN2A/B homozygous deletion in gliomas have not been developed, and whether the radiomic features and molecular subgroups can provide prognostic value in low-grade gliomas (LGGs) has yet to be studied. Thus, this study aimed to develop a predictive model of CDKN2A/B in gliomas and investigate the prognostic value of this biomarker and radiomic features in isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-mutant LGGs. First, we developed the predictive model of CDKN2A/B homozygous deletion in 292 patients. The results revealed that radiomic features predict CDKN2A/B homozygous deletion with high accuracy and reliability. Subsequently, the prognostic survival models of 104 patients (IDH-mutant LGGs) were established, which provided an essential value for prognostic evaluation and indicated that CDKN2A/B homozygous deletion can be used as an independent predictor of prognosis in LGGs.
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Mroczek M, Liu J, Sypniewski M, Pieńkowski T, Itrych B, Stojak J, Pronobis-Szczylik B, Stępień M, Kaja E, Dąbrowski M, Suchocki T, Wojtaszewska M, Zawadzki P, Mach A, Sztromwasser P, Król ZJ, Szyda J, Dobosz P. The cancer-risk variant frequency among Polish population reported by the first national whole-genome sequencing study. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1045817. [PMID: 36845707 PMCID: PMC9950741 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1045817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Population-based cancer screening has raised many controversies in recent years, not only regarding the costs but also regarding the ethical nature and issues related to variant interpretation. Nowadays, genetic cancer screening standards are different in every country and usually encompass only individuals with a personal or family history of relevant cancer. Methods Here we performed a broad genetic screening for cancer-related rare germline variants on population data from the Thousand Polish Genomes database based on 1076 Polish unrelated individuals that underwent whole genome sequencing (WGS). Results We identified 19 551 rare variants in 806 genes related to oncological diseases, among them 89% have been located in non-coding regions. The combined BRCA1/BRCA2 pathogenic/likely pathogenic according to ClinVar allele frequency in the unselected population of 1076 Poles was 0.42%, corresponding to nine carriers. Discussion Altogether, on the population level, we found especially problematic the assessment of the pathogenicity of variants and the relation of ACMG guidelines to the population frequency. Some of the variants may be overinterpreted as disease-causing due to their rarity or lack of annotation in the databases. On the other hand, some relevant variants may have been overseen given that there is little pooled population whole genome data on oncology. Before population WGS screening will become a standard, further studies are needed to assess the frequency of the variants suspected to be pathogenic on the population level and with reporting of likely benign variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Mroczek
- Central Clinical Hospital of Ministry of the Interior and Administration in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland,*Correspondence: Magdalena Mroczek,
| | - Jakub Liu
- Biostatistics Group, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Mateusz Sypniewski
- Central Clinical Hospital of Ministry of the Interior and Administration in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Tadeusz Pieńkowski
- Central Clinical Hospital of Ministry of the Interior and Administration in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland,Postgraduate Medical Education Center, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Bartosz Itrych
- Central Clinical Hospital of Ministry of the Interior and Administration in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Stojak
- Central Clinical Hospital of Ministry of the Interior and Administration in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland,Department of Experimental Embryology, Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology, Polish Academy of Science, Jastrzębiec, Poland
| | | | - Maria Stępień
- Department of Sports Medicine, Doctoral School, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Kaja
- Department of Medical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | | | - Tomasz Suchocki
- Biostatistics Group, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland,National Research Institute of Animal Production, Balice, Poland
| | - Marzena Wojtaszewska
- Department of Haematology, Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, University of Rzeszów, Rzeszów, Poland,Department of Haematology, Frederic Chopin Provincial Specialist Hospital, Rzeszów, Poland
| | | | - Anna Mach
- Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Zbigniew J. Król
- Central Clinical Hospital of Ministry of the Interior and Administration in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Szyda
- Biostatistics Group, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland,National Research Institute of Animal Production, Balice, Poland
| | - Paula Dobosz
- Central Clinical Hospital of Ministry of the Interior and Administration in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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8
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Manuel JM, Guilloy N, Khatir I, Roucou X, Laurent B. Re-evaluating the impact of alternative RNA splicing on proteomic diversity. Front Genet 2023; 14:1089053. [PMID: 36845399 PMCID: PMC9947481 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1089053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Alternative splicing (AS) constitutes a mechanism by which protein-coding genes and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) genes produce more than a single mature transcript. From plants to humans, AS is a powerful process that increases transcriptome complexity. Importantly, splice variants produced from AS can potentially encode for distinct protein isoforms which can lose or gain specific domains and, hence, differ in their functional properties. Advances in proteomics have shown that the proteome is indeed diverse due to the presence of numerous protein isoforms. For the past decades, with the help of advanced high-throughput technologies, numerous alternatively spliced transcripts have been identified. However, the low detection rate of protein isoforms in proteomic studies raised debatable questions on whether AS contributes to proteomic diversity and on how many AS events are really functional. We propose here to assess and discuss the impact of AS on proteomic complexity in the light of the technological progress, updated genome annotation, and current scientific knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeru Manoj Manuel
- Research Center on Aging, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et Services Sociaux de l’Estrie-Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada,Department of Biochemistry and Functional Genomics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Noé Guilloy
- Department of Biochemistry and Functional Genomics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Inès Khatir
- Research Center on Aging, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et Services Sociaux de l’Estrie-Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada,Department of Biochemistry and Functional Genomics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Xavier Roucou
- Department of Biochemistry and Functional Genomics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada,Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke (CRCHUS), Sherbrooke, QC, Canada,Quebec Network for Research on Protein Function Structure and Engineering, PROTEO, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Benoit Laurent
- Research Center on Aging, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et Services Sociaux de l’Estrie-Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada,Department of Biochemistry and Functional Genomics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada,*Correspondence: Benoit Laurent,
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Ryczek N, Łyś A, Makałowska I. The Functional Meaning of 5'UTR in Protein-Coding Genes. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032976. [PMID: 36769304 PMCID: PMC9917990 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
As it is well known, messenger RNA has many regulatory regions along its sequence length. One of them is the 5' untranslated region (5'UTR), which itself contains many regulatory elements such as upstream ORFs (uORFs), internal ribosome entry sites (IRESs), microRNA binding sites, and structural components involved in the regulation of mRNA stability, pre-mRNA splicing, and translation initiation. Activation of the alternative, more upstream transcription start site leads to an extension of 5'UTR. One of the consequences of 5'UTRs extension may be head-to-head gene overlap. This review describes elements in 5'UTR of protein-coding transcripts and the functional significance of protein-coding genes 5' overlap with implications for transcription, translation, and disease.
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Jürgens L, Wethmar K. The Emerging Role of uORF-Encoded uPeptides and HLA uLigands in Cellular and Tumor Biology. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14246031. [PMID: 36551517 PMCID: PMC9776223 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14246031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent technological advances have facilitated the detection of numerous non-canonical human peptides derived from regulatory regions of mRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and other cryptic transcripts. In this review, we first give an overview of the classification of these novel peptides and summarize recent improvements in their annotation and detection by ribosome profiling, mass spectrometry, and individual experimental analysis. A large fraction of the novel peptides originates from translation at upstream open reading frames (uORFs) that are located within the transcript leader sequence of regular mRNA. In humans, uORF-encoded peptides (uPeptides) have been detected in both healthy and malignantly transformed cells and emerge as important regulators in cellular and immunological pathways. In the second part of the review, we focus on various functional implications of uPeptides. As uPeptides frequently act at the transition of translational regulation and individual peptide function, we describe the mechanistic modes of translational regulation through ribosome stalling, the involvement in cellular programs through protein interaction and complex formation, and their role within the human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-associated immunopeptidome as HLA uLigands. We delineate how malignant transformation may lead to the formation of novel uORFs, uPeptides, or HLA uLigands and explain their potential implication in tumor biology. Ultimately, we speculate on a potential use of uPeptides as peptide drugs and discuss how uPeptides and HLA uLigands may facilitate translational inhibition of oncogenic protein messages and immunotherapeutic approaches in cancer therapy.
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11
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Manske F, Ogoniak L, Jürgens L, Grundmann N, Makałowski W, Wethmar K. The new uORFdb: integrating literature, sequence, and variation data in a central hub for uORF research. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 51:D328-D336. [PMID: 36305828 PMCID: PMC9825577 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Upstream open reading frames (uORFs) are initiated by AUG or near-cognate start codons and have been identified in the transcript leader sequences of the majority of eukaryotic transcripts. Functionally, uORFs are implicated in downstream translational regulation of the main protein coding sequence and may serve as a source of non-canonical peptides. Genetic defects in uORF sequences have been linked to the development of various diseases, including cancer. To simplify uORF-related research, the initial release of uORFdb in 2014 provided a comprehensive and manually curated collection of uORF-related literature. Here, we present an updated sequence-based version of uORFdb, accessible at https://www.bioinformatics.uni-muenster.de/tools/uorfdb. The new uORFdb enables users to directly access sequence information, graphical displays, and genetic variation data for over 2.4 million human uORFs. It also includes sequence data of >4.2 million uORFs in 12 additional species. Multiple uORFs can be displayed in transcript- and reading-frame-specific models to visualize the translational context. A variety of filters, sequence-related information, and links to external resources (UCSC Genome Browser, dbSNP, ClinVar) facilitate immediate in-depth analysis of individual uORFs. The database also contains uORF-related somatic variation data obtained from whole-genome sequencing (WGS) analyses of 677 cancer samples collected by the TCGA consortium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Manske
- Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Münster, Münster 48149, Germany
| | - Lynn Ogoniak
- Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Münster, Münster 48149, Germany
| | - Lara Jürgens
- Department of Medicine A, Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Pneumology, University Hospital Münster, Münster 48149, Germany
| | - Norbert Grundmann
- Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Münster, Münster 48149, Germany
| | - Wojciech Makałowski
- Correspondence may also be addressed to Wojciech Makałowski. Tel: +49 2518353006;
| | - Klaus Wethmar
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +49 2518347587; Fax: +49 2518347588;
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12
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Kovalski JR, Kuzuoglu‐Ozturk D, Ruggero D. Protein synthesis control in cancer: selectivity and therapeutic targeting. EMBO J 2022; 41:e109823. [PMID: 35315941 PMCID: PMC9016353 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2021109823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Translational control of mRNAs is a point of convergence for many oncogenic signals through which cancer cells tune protein expression in tumorigenesis. Cancer cells rely on translational control to appropriately adapt to limited resources while maintaining cell growth and survival, which creates a selective therapeutic window compared to non-transformed cells. In this review, we first discuss how cancer cells modulate the translational machinery to rapidly and selectively synthesize proteins in response to internal oncogenic demands and external factors in the tumor microenvironment. We highlight the clinical potential of compounds that target different translation factors as anti-cancer therapies. Next, we detail how RNA sequence and structural elements interface with the translational machinery and RNA-binding proteins to coordinate the translation of specific pro-survival and pro-growth programs. Finally, we provide an overview of the current and emerging technologies that can be used to illuminate the mechanisms of selective translational control in cancer cells as well as within the microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna R Kovalski
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer CenterUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCAUSA
- Department of UrologyUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCAUSA
| | - Duygu Kuzuoglu‐Ozturk
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer CenterUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCAUSA
- Department of UrologyUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCAUSA
| | - Davide Ruggero
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer CenterUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCAUSA
- Department of UrologyUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCAUSA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular PharmacologyUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCAUSA
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13
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Nelde A, Flötotto L, Jürgens L, Szymik L, Hubert E, Bauer J, Schliemann C, Kessler T, Lenz G, Rammensee HG, Walz JS, Wethmar K. Upstream open reading frames regulate translation of cancer-associated transcripts and encode HLA-presented immunogenic tumor antigens. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:171. [PMID: 35239002 PMCID: PMC8894207 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04145-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Upstream open reading frames (uORFs) represent translational control elements within eukaryotic transcript leader sequences. Recent data showed that uORFs can encode for biologically active proteins and human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-presented peptides in malignant and benign cells suggesting their potential role in cancer cell development and survival. However, the role of uORFs in translational regulation of cancer-associated transcripts as well as in cancer immune surveillance is still incompletely understood. METHODS We examined the translational regulatory effect of 29 uORFs in 13 cancer-associated genes by dual-luciferase assays. Cellular expression and localization of uORF-encoded peptides (uPeptides) were investigated by immunoblotting and immunofluorescence-based microscopy. Furthermore, we utilized mass spectrometry-based immunopeptidome analyses in an extensive dataset of primary malignant and benign tissue samples for the identification of naturally presented uORF-derived HLA-presented peptides screening for more than 2000 uORFs. RESULTS We provide experimental evidence for similarly effective translational regulation of cancer-associated transcripts through uORFs initiated by either canonical AUG codons or by alternative translation initiation sites (aTISs). We further demonstrate frequent cellular expression and reveal occasional specific cellular localization of uORF-derived peptides, suggesting uPeptide-specific biological implications. Immunopeptidome analyses delineated a set of 125 naturally presented uORF-derived HLA-presented peptides. Comparative immunopeptidome profiling of malignant and benign tissue-derived immunopeptidomes identified several tumor-associated uORF-derived HLA ligands capable to induce multifunctional T cell responses. CONCLUSION Our data provide direct evidence for the frequent expression of uPeptides in benign and malignant human tissues, suggesting a potentially widespread function of uPeptides in cancer biology. These findings may inspire novel approaches in direct molecular as well as immunotherapeutic targeting of cancer-associated uORFs and uPeptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Nelde
- Clinical Collaboration Unit Translational Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), University Hospital Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 10, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Immunology, Institute for Cell Biology, University of Tübingen, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", University of Tübingen, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Lea Flötotto
- Department of Medicine A, Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Pneumology, University Hospital Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1A, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Lara Jürgens
- Department of Medicine A, Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Pneumology, University Hospital Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1A, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Laura Szymik
- Department of Medicine A, Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Pneumology, University Hospital Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1A, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Elvira Hubert
- Department of Medicine A, Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Pneumology, University Hospital Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1A, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Jens Bauer
- Clinical Collaboration Unit Translational Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), University Hospital Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 10, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Immunology, Institute for Cell Biology, University of Tübingen, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", University of Tübingen, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Christoph Schliemann
- Department of Medicine A, Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Pneumology, University Hospital Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1A, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Torsten Kessler
- Department of Medicine A, Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Pneumology, University Hospital Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1A, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Georg Lenz
- Department of Medicine A, Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Pneumology, University Hospital Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1A, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Hans-Georg Rammensee
- Department of Immunology, Institute for Cell Biology, University of Tübingen, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", University of Tübingen, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Partner Site Tübingen, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Juliane S Walz
- Clinical Collaboration Unit Translational Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), University Hospital Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 10, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
- Department of Immunology, Institute for Cell Biology, University of Tübingen, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC2180) "Image-Guided and Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", University of Tübingen, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
- Dr. Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Robert Bosch Center for Tumor Diseases (RBCT), 70376, Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Klaus Wethmar
- Department of Medicine A, Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Pneumology, University Hospital Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1A, 48149, Münster, Germany.
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14
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Juszczak AM, Wöelfle U, Končić MZ, Tomczyk M. Skin cancer, including related pathways and therapy and the role of luteolin derivatives as potential therapeutics. Med Res Rev 2022; 42:1423-1462. [PMID: 35187675 PMCID: PMC9303584 DOI: 10.1002/med.21880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Cutaneous malignant melanoma is the fastest growing and the most aggressive form of skin cancer that is diagnosed. However, its incidence is relatively scarce compared to the highest mortality rate of all skin cancers. The much more common skin cancers include nonmelanoma malignant skin cancers. Moreover, over the past several decades, the frequency of all skin cancers has increased much more dynamically than that of almost any other type of cancer. Among the available therapeutic options for skin cancers, chemotherapy used immediately after the surgical intervention has been an essential element. Unfortunately, the main problem with conventional chemopreventive regimens involves the lack of response to treatment and the associated side effects. Hence, there is a need for much more effective anticancer drugs. Correspondingly, the targeted alternatives have involved phytochemicals, which are safer chemotherapeutic agents and exhibit competitive anticancer activity with high therapeutic efficacy. Among polyphenolic compounds, some flavonoids and their derivatives, which are mostly found in medicinal plants, have been demonstrated to influence the modulation of signaling pathways at each stage of the carcinogenesis process, which is also important in the context of skin cancers. Hence, this review focuses on an exhaustive overview of the therapeutic effects of luteolin and its derivatives in the treatment and prevention of skin cancers. The bioavailability and structure–activity relationships of luteolin derivatives are also discussed. This review is the first such complete account of all of the scientific reports concerning this particular group of natural compounds that target a specific area of neoplastic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra M. Juszczak
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy with the Division of Laboratory Medicine Medical University of Białystok Białystok Poland
| | - Ute Wöelfle
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Research Center Skinitial, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine University of Freiburg Freiburg Germany
| | - Marijana Zovko Končić
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry University of Zagreb Zagreb Croatia
| | - Michał Tomczyk
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy with the Division of Laboratory Medicine Medical University of Białystok Białystok Poland
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15
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Bakouny Z, Sadagopan A, Ravi P, Metaferia NY, Li J, AbuHammad S, Tang S, Denize T, Garner ER, Gao X, Braun DA, Hirsch L, Steinharter JA, Bouchard G, Walton E, West D, Labaki C, Dudani S, Gan CL, Sethunath V, Carvalho FLF, Imamovic A, Ricker C, Vokes NI, Nyman J, Berchuck JE, Park J, Hirsch MS, Haq R, Mary Lee GS, McGregor BA, Chang SL, Feldman AS, Wu CJ, McDermott DF, Heng DY, Signoretti S, Van Allen EM, Choueiri TK, Viswanathan SR. Integrative clinical and molecular characterization of translocation renal cell carcinoma. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110190. [PMID: 34986355 PMCID: PMC9127595 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Translocation renal cell carcinoma (tRCC) is a poorly characterized subtype of kidney cancer driven by MiT/TFE gene fusions. Here, we define the landmarks of tRCC through an integrative analysis of 152 patients with tRCC identified across genomic, clinical trial, and retrospective cohorts. Most tRCCs harbor few somatic alterations apart from MiT/TFE fusions and homozygous deletions at chromosome 9p21.3 (19.2% of cases). Transcriptionally, tRCCs display a heightened NRF2-driven antioxidant response that is associated with resistance to targeted therapies. Consistently, we find that outcomes for patients with tRCC treated with vascular endothelial growth factor receptor inhibitors (VEGFR-TKIs) are worse than those treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). Using multiparametric immunofluorescence, we find that the tumors are infiltrated with CD8+ T cells, though the T cells harbor an exhaustion immunophenotype distinct from that of clear cell RCC. Our findings comprehensively define the clinical and molecular features of tRCC and may inspire new therapeutic hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziad Bakouny
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ananthan Sadagopan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Praful Ravi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Jiao Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Shatha AbuHammad
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Stephen Tang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Thomas Denize
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Emma R. Garner
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xin Gao
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David A. Braun
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Yale Cancer Center / Department of Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Laure Hirsch
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John A. Steinharter
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gabrielle Bouchard
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Emily Walton
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Destiny West
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Chris Labaki
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Shaan Dudani
- Division of Medical Oncology/Hematology, William Osler Health System, Brampton, ON, Canada
| | - Chun-Loo Gan
- Division of Medical Oncology, Tom Baker Cancer Centre, University of Calgary, AB, Canada
| | | | | | - Alma Imamovic
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Cora Ricker
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Natalie I. Vokes
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology; Department of Genomic Medicine, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jackson Nyman
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jacob E. Berchuck
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jihye Park
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Michelle S. Hirsch
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rizwan Haq
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gwo-Shu Mary Lee
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bradley A. McGregor
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Steven L. Chang
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Division of Urology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Adam S. Feldman
- Department of Urology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Catherine J. Wu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA,Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Daniel Y.C. Heng
- Division of Medical Oncology, Tom Baker Cancer Centre, University of Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Sabina Signoretti
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA,Department of Oncologic Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eliezer M. Van Allen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Toni K. Choueiri
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA,Corresponding authors: Toni K. Choueiri, MD, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215 (). Tel: +1 617-632-5456, Srinivas R. Viswanathan, MD, PhD, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215 (). Tel: +1 617-632-2429
| | - Srinivas R. Viswanathan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA,Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Corresponding authors: Toni K. Choueiri, MD, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215 (). Tel: +1 617-632-5456, Srinivas R. Viswanathan, MD, PhD, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Ave, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215 (). Tel: +1 617-632-2429
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16
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Abstract
Melanoma is a relentless type of skin cancer which involves myriad signaling pathways which regulate many cellular processes. This makes melanoma difficult to treat, especially when identified late. At present, therapeutics include chemotherapy, surgical resection, biochemotherapy, immunotherapy, photodynamic and targeted approaches. These interventions are usually administered as either a single-drug or in combination, based on tumor location, stage, and patients' overall health condition. However, treatment efficacy generally decreases as patients develop treatment resistance. Genetic profiling of melanocytes and the discovery of novel molecular factors involved in the pathogenesis of melanoma have helped to identify new therapeutic targets. In this literature review, we examine several newly approved therapies, and briefly describe several therapies being assessed for melanoma. The goal is to provide a comprehensive overview of recent developments and to consider future directions in the field of melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavan Kumar Dhanyamraju
- Department of Pediatrics and Pharmacology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
- Pavan Kumar Dhanyamraju, Department of Pediatrics and Pharmacology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA17033, USA. Tel: +1-6096474712, E-mail:
| | - Trupti N. Patel
- School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore Campus, Vellore, Tamil Nadu 632014, India
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17
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Bonar EM, Beatty C, Flanagan MB. Educational Case: Malignant Melanoma. Acad Pathol 2021; 8:23742895211023954. [PMID: 34250224 PMCID: PMC8236771 DOI: 10.1177/23742895211023954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The following fictional case is intended as a learning tool within the Pathology Competencies for Medical Education (PCME), a set of national standards for teaching pathology. These are divided into three basic competencies: Disease Mechanisms and Processes, Organ System Pathology, and Diagnostic Medicine and Therapeutic Pathology. For additional information, and a full list of learning objectives for all three competencies, see http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2374289517715040.1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric M Bonar
- Department of Pathology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Colleen Beatty
- Department of Pathology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Melina B Flanagan
- Department of Pathology, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, USA
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18
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Jürgens L, Manske F, Hubert E, Kischka T, Flötotto L, Klaas O, Shabardina V, Schliemann C, Makalowski W, Wethmar K. Somatic Functional Deletions of Upstream Open Reading Frame-Associated Initiation and Termination Codons in Human Cancer. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9060618. [PMID: 34072580 PMCID: PMC8227997 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9060618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2021] [Revised: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Upstream open reading frame (uORF)-mediated translational control has emerged as an important regulatory mechanism in human health and disease. However, a systematic search for cancer-associated somatic uORF mutations has not been performed. Here, we analyzed the genetic variability at canonical (uAUG) and alternative translational initiation sites (aTISs), as well as the associated upstream termination codons (uStops) in 3394 whole-exome-sequencing datasets from patient samples of breast, colon, lung, prostate, and skin cancer and of acute myeloid leukemia, provided by The Cancer Genome Atlas research network. We found that 66.5% of patient samples were affected by at least one of 5277 recurrent uORF-associated somatic single nucleotide variants altering 446 uAUG, 347 uStop, and 4733 aTIS codons. While twelve uORF variants were detected in all entities, 17 variants occurred in all five types of solid cancer analyzed here. Highest frequencies of individual somatic variants in the TLSs of NBPF20 and CHCHD2 reached 10.1% among LAML and 8.1% among skin cancer patients, respectively. Functional evaluation by dual luciferase reporter assays identified 19 uORF variants causing significant translational deregulation of the associated main coding sequence, ranging from 1.73-fold induction for an AUG.1 > UUG variant in SETD4 to 0.006-fold repression for a CUG.6 > GUG variant in HLA-DRB1. These data suggest that somatic uORF mutations are highly prevalent in human malignancies and that defective translational regulation of protein expression may contribute to the onset or progression of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Jürgens
- Department of Medicine A, Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Pneumology, University Hospital Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany; (L.J.); (E.H.); (L.F.); (O.K.); (C.S.)
| | - Felix Manske
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany; (F.M.); (T.K.); (W.M.)
| | - Elvira Hubert
- Department of Medicine A, Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Pneumology, University Hospital Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany; (L.J.); (E.H.); (L.F.); (O.K.); (C.S.)
| | - Tabea Kischka
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany; (F.M.); (T.K.); (W.M.)
| | - Lea Flötotto
- Department of Medicine A, Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Pneumology, University Hospital Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany; (L.J.); (E.H.); (L.F.); (O.K.); (C.S.)
| | - Oliver Klaas
- Department of Medicine A, Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Pneumology, University Hospital Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany; (L.J.); (E.H.); (L.F.); (O.K.); (C.S.)
| | - Victoria Shabardina
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, CSIC-Unversitat Pompeu Frabra, 08002 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Christoph Schliemann
- Department of Medicine A, Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Pneumology, University Hospital Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany; (L.J.); (E.H.); (L.F.); (O.K.); (C.S.)
| | - Wojciech Makalowski
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany; (F.M.); (T.K.); (W.M.)
| | - Klaus Wethmar
- Department of Medicine A, Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Pneumology, University Hospital Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany; (L.J.); (E.H.); (L.F.); (O.K.); (C.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-251-8347587; Fax: +49-251-8347588
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19
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Karollus A, Avsec Ž, Gagneur J. Predicting mean ribosome load for 5'UTR of any length using deep learning. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1008982. [PMID: 33970899 PMCID: PMC8136849 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The 5’ untranslated region plays a key role in regulating mRNA translation and consequently protein abundance. Therefore, accurate modeling of 5’UTR regulatory sequences shall provide insights into translational control mechanisms and help interpret genetic variants. Recently, a model was trained on a massively parallel reporter assay to predict mean ribosome load (MRL)—a proxy for translation rate—directly from 5’UTR sequence with a high degree of accuracy. However, this model is restricted to sequence lengths investigated in the reporter assay and therefore cannot be applied to the majority of human sequences without a substantial loss of information. Here, we introduced frame pooling, a novel neural network operation that enabled the development of an MRL prediction model for 5’UTRs of any length. Our model shows state-of-the-art performance on fixed length randomized sequences, while offering better generalization performance on longer sequences and on a variety of translation-related genome-wide datasets. Variant interpretation is demonstrated on a 5’UTR variant of the gene HBB associated with beta-thalassemia. Frame pooling could find applications in other bioinformatics predictive tasks. Moreover, our model, released open source, could help pinpoint pathogenic genetic variants. The human genome carries a complex code. It consists of genes, which provide blueprints to assemble proteins, and regulatory elements, which control when, where, and how often particular genes are transcribed and translated into protein. To read the genome correctly and specifically to find the causes of inherited diseases, we need to be able to find and interpret these regulatory elements. Here, we focus on particular regions of the genome, the so-called 5’ untranslated regions, which play an important role in determining how often a transcribed gene is translated into protein. We develop deep learning models which can quantitatively interpret regulatory elements in human 5’ untranslated regions and use this information to predict a proxy of the translation efficiency. Our model generalizes a previous model to 5’ untranslated regions of any length, just as they are encountered in natural human genes. Because this model requires only the sequence as input, it can give estimates for the impact of mutations in the sequence, even if these particular mutations are very rare or entirely novel. Such estimates could help pinpoint mutations that disrupt the normal functioning of gene regulation, which could be used to better diagnose patients suffering from rare genetic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Karollus
- Department of Informatics, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Žiga Avsec
- Department of Informatics, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
- Graduate School of Quantitative Biosciences (QBM), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Julien Gagneur
- Department of Informatics, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
- Institute of Human Genetics, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Germany
- * E-mail:
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20
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Xu C, Zhang J. Mammalian Alternative Translation Initiation Is Mostly Nonadaptive. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 37:2015-2028. [PMID: 32145028 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Alternative translation initiation (ATLI) refers to the existence of multiple translation initiation sites per gene and is a widespread phenomenon in eukaryotes. ATLI is commonly assumed to be advantageous through creating proteome diversity or regulating protein synthesis. We here propose an alternative hypothesis that ATLI arises primarily from nonadaptive initiation errors presumably due to the limited ability of ribosomes to distinguish sequence motifs truly signaling translation initiation from similar sequences. Our hypothesis, but not the adaptive hypothesis, predicts a series of global patterns of ATLI, all of which are confirmed at the genomic scale by quantitative translation initiation sequencing in multiple human and mouse cell lines and tissues. Similarly, although many codons differing from AUG by one nucleotide can serve as start codons, our analysis suggests that using non-AUG start codons is mostly disadvantageous. These and other findings strongly suggest that ATLI predominantly results from molecular error, requiring a major revision of our understanding of the precision and regulation of translation initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuan Xu
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Jianzhi Zhang
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
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21
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Reprogramming translation for gene therapy. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2021; 182:439-476. [PMID: 34175050 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2021.01.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Translational control plays a fundamental role in the regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes. Modulating translational efficiency allows the cell to fine-tune the expression of genes, spatially control protein localization, and trigger fast responses to environmental stresses. Translational regulation involves mechanisms acting on multiple steps of the protein synthesis pathway: initiation, elongation, and termination. Many cis-acting elements present in the 5' UTR of transcripts can influence translation at the initiation step. Among them, the Kozak sequence impacts translational efficiency by regulating the recognition of the start codon; upstream open reading frames (uORFs) are associated with inhibition of translation of the downstream protein; internal ribosomal entry sites (IRESs) can promote cap-independent translation. CRISPR-Cas technology is a revolutionary gene-editing tool that has also been applied to the regulation of gene expression. In this chapter, we focus on the genome editing approaches developed to modulate the translational efficiency with the aim to find novel therapeutic approaches, in particular acting on the cis-elements, that regulate the initiation of protein synthesis.
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22
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Zhang H, Wang Y, Wu X, Tang X, Wu C, Lu J. Determinants of genome-wide distribution and evolution of uORFs in eukaryotes. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1076. [PMID: 33597535 PMCID: PMC7889888 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21394-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Upstream open reading frames (uORFs) play widespread regulatory functions in modulating mRNA translation in eukaryotes, but the principles underlying the genomic distribution and evolution of uORFs remain poorly understood. Here, we analyze ~17 million putative canonical uORFs in 478 eukaryotic species that span most of the extant taxa of eukaryotes. We demonstrate how positive and purifying selection, coupled with differences in effective population size (Ne), has shaped the contents of uORFs in eukaryotes. Besides, gene expression level is important in influencing uORF occurrences across genes in a species. Our analyses suggest that most uORFs might play regulatory roles rather than encode functional peptides. We also show that the Kozak sequence context of uORFs has evolved across eukaryotic clades, and that noncanonical uORFs tend to have weaker suppressive effects than canonical uORFs in translation regulation. This study provides insights into the driving forces underlying uORF evolution in eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yirong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha, China
| | - Xinkai Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaolu Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Changcheng Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
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23
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Smith RCL, Kanellos G, Vlahov N, Alexandrou C, Willis AE, Knight JRP, Sansom OJ. Translation initiation in cancer at a glance. J Cell Sci 2021; 134:jcs248476. [PMID: 33441326 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.248476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell division, differentiation and function are largely dependent on accurate proteome composition and regulated gene expression. To control this, protein synthesis is an intricate process governed by upstream signalling pathways. Eukaryotic translation is a multistep process and can be separated into four distinct phases: initiation, elongation, termination and recycling of ribosomal subunits. Translation initiation, the focus of this article, is highly regulated to control the activity and/or function of eukaryotic initiation factors (eIFs) and permit recruitment of mRNAs to the ribosomes. In this Cell Science at a Glance and accompanying poster, we outline the mechanisms by which tumour cells alter the process of translation initiation and discuss how this benefits tumour formation, proliferation and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael C L Smith
- CRUK Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Georgios Kanellos
- CRUK Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
| | - Nikola Vlahov
- CRUK Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
| | | | - Anne E Willis
- MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QW, UK
| | - John R P Knight
- CRUK Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
| | - Owen J Sansom
- CRUK Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Glasgow G61 1BD, UK
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
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24
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Aoude LG, Bonazzi VF, Brosda S, Patel K, Koufariotis LT, Oey H, Nones K, Wood S, Pearson JV, Lonie JM, Arneil M, Atkinson V, Smithers BM, Waddell N, Barbour AP. Pathogenic germline variants are associated with poor survival in stage III/IV melanoma patients. Sci Rep 2020; 10:17687. [PMID: 33077847 PMCID: PMC7572377 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-74956-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients with late stage resected cutaneous melanoma have poor overall survival (OS) and experience irreversible adverse events from systemic therapy. There is a clinical need to identify biomarkers to predict outcome. Performing germline/tumour whole-exome sequencing of 44 stage III/IV melanoma patients we identified pathogenic germline mutations in CDKN2A, CDK4, ATM, POLH, MRE11A, RECQL4 and XPC, affecting 7/44 patients. These mutations were associated with poor OS (p = 0.0082). We confirmed our findings in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) human skin cutaneous melanoma cohort where we identified pathogenic variants in 40/455 patients (p = 0.0203). Combining these cohorts (n = 499) further strengthened these findings showing germline carriers had worse OS (p = 0.0009). Additionally, we determined whether tumour mutation burden (TMB) or BRAF status were prognostic markers of survival. Low TMB rate (< 20 Mut/Mb; p = 0.0034) and BRAF p.V600 mutation (p = 0.0355) were associated with worse progression-free survival. Combining these biomarkers indicated that V600 mutant patients had significantly lower TMB (p = 0.0155). This was confirmed in the TCGA (n = 443, p = 0.0007). Integrative analysis showed germline mutation status conferred the highest risk (HR 5.2, 95% CI 1.72–15.7). Stage IV (HR 2.5, 0.74–8.6) and low TMB (HR 2.3, 0.57–9.4) were similar, whereas BRAF V600 status was the weakest prognostic biomarker (HR 1.5, 95% CI 0.44–5.2).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren G Aoude
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia.
| | - Vanessa F Bonazzi
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Sandra Brosda
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Kalpana Patel
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | | | - Harald Oey
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Katia Nones
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, QLD, 4006, Australia
| | - Scott Wood
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, QLD, 4006, Australia
| | - John V Pearson
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, QLD, 4006, Australia
| | - James M Lonie
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Melissa Arneil
- Division of Cancer Services, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Victoria Atkinson
- Queensland Melanoma Project, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4067, Australia
| | - B Mark Smithers
- Queensland Melanoma Project, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4067, Australia
| | - Nicola Waddell
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, QLD, 4006, Australia
| | - Andrew P Barbour
- The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia.,Queensland Melanoma Project, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, QLD, 4102, Australia
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25
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Whiffin N, Karczewski KJ, Zhang X, Chothani S, Smith MJ, Evans DG, Roberts AM, Quaife NM, Schafer S, Rackham O, Alföldi J, O'Donnell-Luria AH, Francioli LC, Cook SA, Barton PJR, MacArthur DG, Ware JS. Characterising the loss-of-function impact of 5' untranslated region variants in 15,708 individuals. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2523. [PMID: 32461616 PMCID: PMC7253449 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10717-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Upstream open reading frames (uORFs) are tissue-specific cis-regulators of protein translation. Isolated reports have shown that variants that create or disrupt uORFs can cause disease. Here, in a systematic genome-wide study using 15,708 whole genome sequences, we show that variants that create new upstream start codons, and variants disrupting stop sites of existing uORFs, are under strong negative selection. This selection signal is significantly stronger for variants arising upstream of genes intolerant to loss-of-function variants. Furthermore, variants creating uORFs that overlap the coding sequence show signals of selection equivalent to coding missense variants. Finally, we identify specific genes where modification of uORFs likely represents an important disease mechanism, and report a novel uORF frameshift variant upstream of NF2 in neurofibromatosis. Our results highlight uORF-perturbing variants as an under-recognised functional class that contribute to penetrant human disease, and demonstrate the power of large-scale population sequencing data in studying non-coding variant classes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Whiffin
- National Heart and Lung Institute and MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK.
- NIHR Royal Brompton Cardiovascular Research Centre, Royal Brompton and Harefield National Health Service Foundation Trust, Sydney Street, London, SW3 6NP, UK.
- Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.
| | - Konrad J Karczewski
- Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Analytical and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Xiaolei Zhang
- National Heart and Lung Institute and MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
- NIHR Royal Brompton Cardiovascular Research Centre, Royal Brompton and Harefield National Health Service Foundation Trust, Sydney Street, London, SW3 6NP, UK
| | - Sonia Chothani
- Program in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore, 169857, Singapore
| | - Miriam J Smith
- NW Genomic Laboratory Hub, Centre for Genomic Medicine, Division of Evolution and Genomic Science, St Mary's Hospital, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9WL, UK
| | - D Gareth Evans
- NW Genomic Laboratory Hub, Centre for Genomic Medicine, Division of Evolution and Genomic Science, St Mary's Hospital, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9WL, UK
| | - Angharad M Roberts
- National Heart and Lung Institute and MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
- NIHR Royal Brompton Cardiovascular Research Centre, Royal Brompton and Harefield National Health Service Foundation Trust, Sydney Street, London, SW3 6NP, UK
| | - Nicholas M Quaife
- National Heart and Lung Institute and MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
- NIHR Royal Brompton Cardiovascular Research Centre, Royal Brompton and Harefield National Health Service Foundation Trust, Sydney Street, London, SW3 6NP, UK
| | - Sebastian Schafer
- Program in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore, 169857, Singapore
- National Heart Centre Singapore, 5 Hospital Drive, Singapore, 169609, Singapore
| | - Owen Rackham
- Program in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore, 169857, Singapore
| | - Jessica Alföldi
- Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Analytical and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Anne H O'Donnell-Luria
- Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Laurent C Francioli
- Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Analytical and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
| | - Stuart A Cook
- National Heart and Lung Institute and MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
- Program in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore, 169857, Singapore
- National Heart Centre Singapore, 5 Hospital Drive, Singapore, 169609, Singapore
| | - Paul J R Barton
- National Heart and Lung Institute and MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
- NIHR Royal Brompton Cardiovascular Research Centre, Royal Brompton and Harefield National Health Service Foundation Trust, Sydney Street, London, SW3 6NP, UK
| | - Daniel G MacArthur
- Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Analytical and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Centre for Population Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, and UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Centre for Population Genomics, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - James S Ware
- National Heart and Lung Institute and MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
- NIHR Royal Brompton Cardiovascular Research Centre, Royal Brompton and Harefield National Health Service Foundation Trust, Sydney Street, London, SW3 6NP, UK
- Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
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26
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Orr MW, Mao Y, Storz G, Qian SB. Alternative ORFs and small ORFs: shedding light on the dark proteome. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:1029-1042. [PMID: 31504789 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Revised: 08/03/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditional annotation of protein-encoding genes relied on assumptions, such as one open reading frame (ORF) encodes one protein and minimal lengths for translated proteins. With the serendipitous discoveries of translated ORFs encoded upstream and downstream of annotated ORFs, from alternative start sites nested within annotated ORFs and from RNAs previously considered noncoding, it is becoming clear that these initial assumptions are incorrect. The findings have led to the realization that genetic information is more densely coded and that the proteome is more complex than previously anticipated. As such, interest in the identification and characterization of the previously ignored 'dark proteome' is increasing, though we note that research in eukaryotes and bacteria has largely progressed in isolation. To bridge this gap and illustrate exciting findings emerging from studies of the dark proteome, we highlight recent advances in both eukaryotic and bacterial cells. We discuss progress in the detection of alternative ORFs as well as in the understanding of functions and the regulation of their expression and posit questions for future work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Wu Orr
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Yuanhui Mao
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Gisela Storz
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Shu-Bing Qian
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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27
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Xu Y, Ruggero D. The Role of Translation Control in Tumorigenesis and Its Therapeutic Implications. ANNUAL REVIEW OF CANCER BIOLOGY-SERIES 2020. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-cancerbio-030419-033420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
As a convergent mechanism downstream of most oncogenic signals, control of mRNA translation has emerged as a key driver in establishing and tuning gene expression at specific steps in cancer development. Translation control is the most energetically expensive molecular process in the cell that needs to be modulated upon adaption to limited cellular resources, such as cellular stress. It thereby serves as the Achilles’ heel for cancer cells, particularly in response to changes in the microenvironment as well as to nutrient and metabolic shifts characteristic of cancer cell growth and metastasis. In this review, we discuss emerging discoveries that reveal how cancer cells modulate the translation machinery to adapt to oncogenic stress, the mechanisms that guide mRNA translation specificity in cancer, and how this selective mode of gene regulation provides advantages for cancer progression. We also provide an overview of promising preclinical and clinical efforts aimed at targeting the unique vulnerabilities of cancer cells that rely on the remodeling of mRNA translation for their infinite growth and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichen Xu
- Department of Urology and Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, California 94157, USA
| | - Davide Ruggero
- Department of Urology and Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, California 94157, USA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, California 94158, USA
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28
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Chinen Y, Tsukamoto T, Maegawa-Matsui S, Matsumura-Kimoto Y, Takimoto-Shimomura T, Tanba K, Mizuno Y, Fujibayashi Y, Kuwahara-Ota S, Shimura Y, Kobayashi T, Horiike S, Taniwaki M, Kuroda J. Tumor-specific transcript variants of cyclin D1 in mantle cell lymphoma and multiple myeloma with chromosome 11q13 abnormalities. Exp Hematol 2020; 84:45-53.e1. [PMID: 32145384 DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2020.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Cyclin D1 (CCND1) overexpression is an early and unifying oncogenic event in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) and multiple myeloma (MM) with chromosome 11q13 abnormalities. Herein, we report newly discovered transcript variants of the CCND1 gene in MCL and MM cells with chromosome 11q13 abnormalities. These transcript variants, designated CCND1.tv., covered the full-length coding region of CCND1 with longer 5'-untranslated regions (5'-UTRs) of CCND1 and occasionally contained a novel exon. CCND1.tv. was specifically detectable in patient-derived primary MCL or MM cells with chromosomal translocation t(11;14)(q13;q32), but not in t(11;14)-negative cells. The lengths of the 5'-UTR sequences of CCND1.tv. differed among patients and cell lines. Introduction of CCND1.tv. led to increased expression of normal-sized CCND1 protein in HEK293 cells. Furthermore, mTOR inhibition by rapamycin or serum starvation reduced ectopic expression of CCND1.tv.-derived CCND1 protein, but not 5'-UTR less CCND1-derived CCND1 protein in HEK293 cells, suggesting that the protein expression of CCND1.tv. is regulated by the mTOR pathway. Our results suggest that the aberrant expression of CCND1.tv. may contribute to the understanding of the pathogenesis of MCL and MM with 11q13 abnormalities.
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MESH Headings
- 5' Untranslated Regions
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Chromosomes, Human, Pair 11/genetics
- Chromosomes, Human, Pair 11/metabolism
- Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14/genetics
- Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14/metabolism
- Cyclin D1/biosynthesis
- Cyclin D1/genetics
- Exons
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- HEK293 Cells
- Humans
- Lymphoma, Mantle-Cell/genetics
- Lymphoma, Mantle-Cell/metabolism
- Lymphoma, Mantle-Cell/pathology
- Multiple Myeloma/genetics
- Multiple Myeloma/metabolism
- Multiple Myeloma/pathology
- Signal Transduction/genetics
- TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/genetics
- TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism
- Transcription, Genetic
- Translocation, Genetic
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiaki Chinen
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
| | - Taku Tsukamoto
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Saori Maegawa-Matsui
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yayoi Matsumura-Kimoto
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tomoko Takimoto-Shimomura
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kazuna Tanba
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yoshimi Mizuno
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yuto Fujibayashi
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Saeko Kuwahara-Ota
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yuji Shimura
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Kobayashi
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shigeo Horiike
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Masafumi Taniwaki
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Junya Kuroda
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
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29
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Function and Evolution of Upstream ORFs in Eukaryotes. Trends Biochem Sci 2019; 44:782-794. [PMID: 31003826 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2019.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Revised: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
There is growing interest in the role of translational regulation in cellular homeostasis during organismal development. Translation initiation is the rate-limiting step in mRNA translation and is central to translational regulation. Upstream open reading frames (uORFs) are regulatory elements that are prevalent in eukaryotic mRNAs. uORFs modulate the translation initiation rate of downstream coding sequences (CDSs) by sequestering ribosomes. Over the past several years, genome-wide studies have revealed the widespread regulatory functions of uORFs in different species in different biological contexts. Here, we review the current understanding of uORF-mediated translational regulation from the perspective of functional and evolutionary genomics and address remaining gaps that deserve further study.
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30
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Schuster SL, Hsieh AC. The Untranslated Regions of mRNAs in Cancer. Trends Cancer 2019; 5:245-262. [PMID: 30961831 PMCID: PMC6465068 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2019.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Revised: 02/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The 5' and 3' untranslated regions (UTRs) regulate crucial aspects of post-transcriptional gene regulation that are necessary for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. When these processes go awry through mutation or misexpression of certain regulatory elements, the subsequent deregulation of oncogenic gene expression can drive or enhance cancer pathogenesis. Although the number of known cancer-related mutations in UTR regulatory elements has recently increased markedly as a result of advances in whole-genome sequencing, little is known about how the majority of these genetic aberrations contribute functionally to disease. In this review we explore the regulatory functions of UTRs, how they are co-opted in cancer, new technologies to interrogate cancerous UTRs, and potential therapeutic opportunities stemming from these regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha L Schuster
- Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Division of Human Biology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA
| | - Andrew C Hsieh
- Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Division of Human Biology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, 98109, USA; School of Medicine and Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
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31
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Silva J, Fernandes R, Romão L. Translational Regulation by Upstream Open Reading Frames and Human Diseases. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1157:99-116. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-19966-1_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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32
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The Identification and Interpretation of cis-Regulatory Noncoding Mutations in Cancer. High Throughput 2018; 8:ht8010001. [PMID: 30577431 PMCID: PMC6473693 DOI: 10.3390/ht8010001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Revised: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In the need to characterise the genomic landscape of cancers and to establish novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets, studies have largely focused on the identification of driver mutations within the protein-coding gene regions, where the most pathogenic alterations are known to occur. However, the noncoding genome is significantly larger than its protein-coding counterpart, and evidence reveals that regulatory sequences also harbour functional mutations that significantly affect the regulation of genes and pathways implicated in cancer. Due to the sheer number of noncoding mutations (NCMs) and the limited knowledge of regulatory element functionality in cancer genomes, differentiating pathogenic mutations from background passenger noise is particularly challenging technically and computationally. Here we review various up-to-date high-throughput sequencing data/studies and in silico methods that can be employed to interrogate the noncoding genome. We aim to provide an overview of available data resources as well as computational and molecular techniques that can help and guide the search for functional NCMs in cancer genomes.
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Ross JA, Bressler KR, Thakor N. Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 5B (eIF5B) Cooperates with eIF1A and eIF5 to Facilitate uORF2-Mediated Repression of ATF4 Translation. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E4032. [PMID: 30551605 PMCID: PMC6321046 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19124032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2018] [Revised: 12/08/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A variety of cellular stresses lead to global translation attenuation due to phosphorylation of the alpha subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2), which decreases the availability of the eIF2-GTP-Met-tRNAi ternary complex. However, a subset of mRNAs continues to be translated by non-canonical mechanisms under these conditions. In fact, although translation initiation of activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) is normally repressed by an upstream open reading frame (uORF), a decreased availability of ternary complex leads to increased translation of the main ATF4-coding ORF. We show here that siRNA-mediated depletion of eIF5B-which can substitute for eIF2 in delivering Met-tRNAi-leads to increased levels of ATF4 protein in mammalian cells. This de-repression is not due to phosphorylation of eIF2α under conditions of eIF5B depletion. Although eIF5B depletion leads to a modest increase in the steady-state levels of ATF4 mRNA, we show by polysome profiling that the depletion of eIF5B enhances ATF4 expression primarily at the level of translation. Moreover, eIF5B silencing increases the expression of an ATF4-luciferase translational reporter by a mechanism requiring the repressive uORF2. Further experiments suggest that eIF5B cooperates with eIF1A and eIF5, but not eIF2A, to facilitate the uORF2-mediated repression of ATF4 translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A Ross
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive W, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada.
| | - Kamiko R Bressler
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive W, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada.
| | - Nehal Thakor
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive W, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada.
- Canadian Centre for Behavioral Neuroscience (CCBN), Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive W, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada.
- Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada.
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Robert F, Pelletier J. Exploring the Impact of Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms on Translation. Front Genet 2018; 9:507. [PMID: 30425729 PMCID: PMC6218417 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2018.00507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 10/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the past 15 years, sequencing of the human genome and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) project have led to comprehensive lists of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and gene mutations across a large number of human samples. However, our ability to predict the functional impact of SNPs and mutations on gene expression is still in its infancy. Here, we provide key examples to help understand how mutations present in genes can affect translational output.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francis Robert
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jerry Pelletier
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Oncology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Hernando B, Swope VB, Guard S, Starner RJ, Choi K, Anwar A, Cassidy P, Leachman S, Kadekaro AL, Bennett DC, Abdel-Malek ZA. In vitro behavior and UV response of melanocytes derived from carriers of CDKN2A mutations and MC1R variants. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2018; 32:259-268. [PMID: 30117292 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.12732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2018] [Revised: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Coinheritance of germline mutation in cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A) and loss-of-function (LOF) melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) variants is clinically associated with exaggerated risk for melanoma. To understand the combined impact of these mutations, we established and tested primary human melanocyte cultures from different CDKN2A mutation carriers, expressing either wild-type MC1R or MC1RLOF variant(s). These cultures expressed the CDKN2A product p16 (INK4A) and functional MC1R. Except for 32ins24 mutant melanocytes, the remaining cultures showed no detectable aberrations in proliferation or capacity for replicative senescence. Additionally, the latter cultures responded normally to ultraviolet radiation (UV) by cell cycle arrest, JNK, p38, and p53 activation, hydrogen peroxide generation, and repair of DNA photoproducts. We propose that malignant transformation of melanocytes expressing CDKN2A mutation and MC1RLOF allele(s) requires acquisition of somatic mutations facilitated by MC1R genotype or aberrant microenvironment due to CDKN2A mutation in keratinocytes and fibroblasts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Hernando
- Department of Medicine, Jaume I University of Castellon, Castellon, Spain
| | - Viki B Swope
- Department of Dermatology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Steven Guard
- Department of Dermatology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Renny J Starner
- Department of Dermatology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Kevin Choi
- Department of Dermatology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Ayesha Anwar
- Department of Dermatology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Pamela Cassidy
- Department of Dermatology, Oregon Health and Sciences University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Sancy Leachman
- Department of Dermatology, Oregon Health and Sciences University, Portland, Oregon
| | | | - Dorothy C Bennett
- Molecular & Clinical Sciences Research Institute, St George's, University of London, London, UK
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Sikdar N, Saha G, Dutta A, Ghosh S, Shrikhande SV, Banerjee S. Genetic Alterations of Periampullary and Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: An Overview. Curr Genomics 2018; 19:444-463. [PMID: 30258276 PMCID: PMC6128383 DOI: 10.2174/1389202919666180221160753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2017] [Revised: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 02/01/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic Ductal AdenoCarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal malignancies of all solid cancers. Precancerous lesions for PDAC include PanIN, IPMNs and MCNs. PDAC has a poor prognosis with a 5-year survival of approximately 6%. Whereas Periampulary AdenoCarcinoma (PAC) having four anatomic subtypes, pancreatic, Common Bile Duct (CBD), ampullary and duodenum shows relative better prognosis. The highest incidence of PDAC has been reported with black with respect to white population. Similarly, incidence rate of PAC also differs with different ethnic populations. Several lifestyle, environmental and occupational exposures including long-term diabetes, obesity, and smoking, have been linked to PDAC, however, for PAC the causal risk factors were poorly described. It is now clear that PDAC and PAC are a multi-stage process resulting from the accumulation of genomic alterations in the somatic DNA of normal cells as well as inherited mutations. Approximately 10% of PDAC have a familial inheritance. Germline mutations in CDKN2A, BRCA2, STK11, PALB2, PRSS1, etc., as well as certain syndromes have been well associated with predisposition to PDAC. KRAS, CDKN2A, TP53 and SMAD4 are the 4 "mountains" (high-frequency driver genes) which have been known to earliest somatic alterations for PDAC while relatively less frequent in PAC. Our understanding of the molecular carcinogenesis has improved in the last few years due to extensive research on PDAC which was not well explored in case of PAC. The genetic alterations that have been identified in PDAC and different subgroups of PAC are important implications for the development of genetic screening test, early diagnosis, and prognostic genetic markers. The present review will provide a brief overview of the incidence and prevalence of PDAC and PAC, mainly, increased risk in India, the several kinds of risk factors associated with the diseases as well as required genetic alterations for disease initiation and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilabja Sikdar
- Address correspondence to this author at the Human Genetics Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, 203, B.T. Road Kolkata 700108, India; Tel (1): +91-33
-25773240 (L); (2): +91-9830780397 (M); Fax: +91 33 35773049;, E-mail:
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Zhang H, Dou S, He F, Luo J, Wei L, Lu J. Genome-wide maps of ribosomal occupancy provide insights into adaptive evolution and regulatory roles of uORFs during Drosophila development. PLoS Biol 2018; 16:e2003903. [PMID: 30028832 PMCID: PMC6070289 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2003903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2017] [Revised: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Upstream open reading frames (uORFs) play important roles in regulating the main coding DNA sequences (CDSs) via translational repression. Despite their prevalence in the genomes, uORFs are overall discriminated against by natural selection. However, it remains unclear why in the genomes there are so many uORFs more conserved than expected under the assumption of neutral evolution. Here, we generated genome-wide maps of translational efficiency (TE) at the codon level throughout the life cycle of Drosophila melanogaster. We identified 35,735 uORFs that were expressed, and 32,224 (90.2%) of them showed evidence of ribosome occupancy during Drosophila development. The ribosome occupancy of uORFs is determined by genomic features, such as optimized sequence contexts around their start codons, a shorter distance to CDSs, and higher coding potentials. Our population genomic analysis suggests the segregating mutations that create or disrupt uORFs are overall deleterious in D. melanogaster. However, we found for the first time that many (68.3% of) newly fixed uORFs that are associated with ribosomes in D. melanogaster are driven by positive Darwinian selection. Our findings also suggest that uORFs play a vital role in controlling the translational program in Drosophila. Moreover, we found that many uORFs are transcribed or translated in a developmental stage-, sex-, or tissue-specific manner, suggesting that selective transcription or translation of uORFs could potentially modulate the TE of the downstream CDSs during Drosophila development. Upstream open reading frames (uORFs) in the 5′ untranslated regions (UTRs) of messenger RNAs can potentially inhibit translation of the downstream regions that encode proteins by sequestering protein-making machinery the ribosome. Moreover, mutations that destroy existing uORFs or create new ones are known to cause human disease. Although mutations that create new uORFs are generally deleterious and are selected against, many uORFs are evolutionarily conserved across eukaryotic species. To resolve this dilemma, we used extensive mRNA-Seq and ribosome profiling to generate high-resolution genome-wide maps of ribosome occupancy and translational efficiency (TE) during the life cycle of the fruit fly D. melanogaster. This allowed us to identify the sequence features of uORFs that influence their ability to associate with ribosomes. We demonstrate for the first time that the majority of the newly fixed uORFs in D. melanogaster, especially the translated ones, are under positive Darwinian selection. We also show that uORFs exert widespread repressive effects on the translation of the downstream protein-coding region. We find that many uORFs are transcribed or translated in a developmental stage-, sex-, or tissue-specific manner. Our results suggest that during Drosophila development, changes in the TE of uORFs, as well as the inclusion/exclusion of uORFs, are frequently exploited to inversely influence the translation of the downstream protein-coding regions. Our study provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms and functional consequences of uORF-mediated regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Shengqian Dou
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Feng He
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Junjie Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Liping Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- * E-mail:
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38
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Schulz J, Mah N, Neuenschwander M, Kischka T, Ratei R, Schlag PM, Castaños-Vélez E, Fichtner I, Tunn PU, Denkert C, Klaas O, Berdel WE, von Kries JP, Makalowski W, Andrade-Navarro MA, Leutz A, Wethmar K. Loss-of-function uORF mutations in human malignancies. Sci Rep 2018; 8:2395. [PMID: 29402903 PMCID: PMC5799362 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-19201-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2017] [Accepted: 12/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Ribosome profiling revealed widespread translational activity at upstream open reading frames (uORFs) and validated uORF-mediated translational control as a commonly repressive mechanism of gene expression. Translational activation of proto-oncogenes through loss-of-uORF mutations has been demonstrated, yet a systematic search for cancer-associated genetic alterations in uORFs is lacking. Here, we applied a PCR-based, multiplex identifier-tagged deep sequencing approach to screen 404 uORF translation initiation sites of 83 human tyrosine kinases and 49 other proto-oncogenes in 308 human malignancies. We identified loss-of-function uORF mutations in EPHB1 in two samples derived from breast and colon cancer, and in MAP2K6 in a sample of colon adenocarcinoma. Both mutations were associated with enhanced translation, suggesting that loss-of-uORF-mediated translational induction of the downstream main protein coding sequence may have contributed to carcinogenesis. Computational analysis of whole exome sequencing datasets of 464 colon adenocarcinomas subsequently revealed another 53 non-recurrent somatic mutations functionally deleting 22 uORF initiation and 31 uORF termination codons, respectively. These data provide evidence for somatic mutations affecting uORF initiation and termination codons in human cancer. The insufficient coverage of uORF regions in current whole exome sequencing datasets demands for future genome-wide analyses to ultimately define the contribution of uORF-mediated translational deregulation in oncogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Schulz
- Max-Delbrueck-Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Roessle-Str. 10, 13125, Berlin, Germany
| | - Nancy Mah
- Charité University Medicine Berlin, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin Neuenschwander
- Leibniz Institute fuer Molekulare Pharmakologie, Robert-Roessle-Str. 10, 13125, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tabea Kischka
- Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Muenster, Niels-Stensen-Straße 14, 48149, Muenster, Germany
| | - Richard Ratei
- Carl-Thiem-Klinikum, 2. Medizinische Klinik, Thiemstr. 111, 03048, Cottbus, Germany.,Helios Klinikum Berlin-Buch, Schwanebecker Chaussee 50, 13125, Berlin, Germany
| | - Peter M Schlag
- Charité Comprehensive Cancer Center, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Iduna Fichtner
- Max-Delbrueck-Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Roessle-Str. 10, 13125, Berlin, Germany
| | - Per-Ulf Tunn
- Helios Klinikum Berlin-Buch, Schwanebecker Chaussee 50, 13125, Berlin, Germany
| | - Carsten Denkert
- Charité University Medicine Berlin, Institute of Pathology, Chariteplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Oliver Klaas
- University Hospital Muenster, Department of Medicine A, Hematology, Oncology and Pneumology, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, 48149, Muenster, Germany
| | - Wolfgang E Berdel
- University Hospital Muenster, Department of Medicine A, Hematology, Oncology and Pneumology, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, 48149, Muenster, Germany
| | - Jens P von Kries
- Leibniz Institute fuer Molekulare Pharmakologie, Robert-Roessle-Str. 10, 13125, Berlin, Germany
| | - Wojciech Makalowski
- Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Muenster, Niels-Stensen-Straße 14, 48149, Muenster, Germany
| | - Miguel A Andrade-Navarro
- Johannes-Gutenberg University of Mainz, Institute of Molecular Biology, Ackermannweg 4, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Achim Leutz
- Max-Delbrueck-Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Roessle-Str. 10, 13125, Berlin, Germany. .,Humboldt-University, Department of Biology, Invalidenstr. 43, 10115, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Klaus Wethmar
- Max-Delbrueck-Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Roessle-Str. 10, 13125, Berlin, Germany. .,University Hospital Muenster, Department of Medicine A, Hematology, Oncology and Pneumology, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, 48149, Muenster, Germany.
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39
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Reddy BY, Miller DM, Tsao H. Somatic driver mutations in melanoma. Cancer 2017; 123:2104-2117. [PMID: 28543693 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.30593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2016] [Revised: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 12/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Melanoma has one of the highest somatic mutational burdens among solid malignancies. Although the rapid progress in genomic research has contributed immensely to our understanding of the pathogenesis of melanoma, the clinical significance of the vast array of genomic alterations discovered by next-generation sequencing is far from being fully characterized. Most mutations prevalent in melanoma are simply neutral "passengers," which accompany functionally significant "drivers" under transforming conditions. The delineation of driver mutations from passenger mutations is critical to the development of targeted therapies. Novel advances in genomic data analysis have aided in distinguishing true driver mutations involved in tumor progression. Here, the authors review the current literature on important somatic driver mutations in melanoma, along with the implications for treatment. Cancer 2017;123:2104-17. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bobby Y Reddy
- Department of Dermatology, Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - David M Miller
- Department of Dermatology, Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Hensin Tsao
- Department of Dermatology, Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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40
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Epigenome Aberrations: Emerging Driving Factors of the Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18081774. [PMID: 28812986 PMCID: PMC5578163 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18081774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2017] [Revised: 07/29/2017] [Accepted: 08/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), the most common form of Kidney cancer, is characterized by frequent mutations of the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) tumor suppressor gene in ~85% of sporadic cases. Loss of pVHL function affects multiple cellular processes, among which the activation of hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) pathway is the best-known function. Constitutive activation of HIF signaling in turn activates hundreds of genes involved in numerous oncogenic pathways, which contribute to the development or progression of ccRCC. Although VHL mutations are considered as drivers of ccRCC, they are not sufficient to cause the disease. Recent genome-wide sequencing studies of ccRCC have revealed that mutations of genes coding for epigenome modifiers and chromatin remodelers, including PBRM1, SETD2 and BAP1, are the most common somatic genetic abnormalities after VHL mutations in these tumors. Moreover, recent research has shed light on the extent of abnormal epigenome alterations in ccRCC tumors, including aberrant DNA methylation patterns, abnormal histone modifications and deregulated expression of non-coding RNAs. In this review, we discuss the epigenetic modifiers that are commonly mutated in ccRCC, and our growing knowledge of the cellular processes that are impacted by them. Furthermore, we explore new avenues for developing therapeutic approaches based on our knowledge of epigenome aberrations of ccRCC.
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Abstract
A large body of evidence indicates that genome annotation pipelines have biased our view of coding sequences because they generally undersample small proteins and peptides. The recent development of genome-wide translation profiling reveals the prevalence of small/short open reading frames (smORFs or sORFs), which are scattered over all classes of transcripts, including both mRNAs and presumptive long noncoding RNAs. Proteomic approaches further confirm an unexpected variety of smORF-encoded peptides (SEPs), representing an overlooked reservoir of bioactive molecules. Indeed, functional studies in a broad range of species from yeast to humans demonstrate that SEPs can harbor key activities for the control of development, differentiation, and physiology. Here we summarize recent advances in the discovery and functional characterization of smORF/SEPs and discuss why these small players can no longer be ignored with regard to genome function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serge Plaza
- Laboratoire de Recherches en Sciences Végétales, Université de Toulouse, Université Paul Sabatier, 31326 Castanet Tolosan, France; .,CNRS, UMR5546, Laboratoire de Recherches en Sciences Végétales, 31326 Castanet Tolosan, France
| | - Gerben Menschaert
- Department of Mathematical Modeling, Statistics and Bioinformatics, University of Ghent, 9000 Gent, Belgium
| | - François Payre
- Centre de Biologie du Développement, Centre de Biologie Intégrative, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Paul Sabatier, 31062 Toulouse, France;
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42
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von Bohlen AE, Böhm J, Pop R, Johnson DS, Tolmie J, Stücker R, Morris-Rosendahl D, Scherer G. A mutation creating an upstream initiation codon in the SOX9 5' UTR causes acampomelic campomelic dysplasia. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2017; 5:261-268. [PMID: 28546996 PMCID: PMC5441400 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2016] [Revised: 02/10/2017] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Campomelic dysplasia (CD) is a semilethal developmental disorder caused by mutations in and around SOX9. CD is characterized by multiple skeletal malformations including bending (campomelia) of long bones. Surviving patients frequently have the acampomelic form of CD (ACD). Methods This is a single case report on a patient with clinical and radiological features of ACD who has no mutation in the SOX9 protein‐coding sequence nor a translocation with breakpoint in the SOX9 regulatory domain. We include functional studies of the novel mutant protein in vitro and in cultured cells. Results The patient was found to have a de novo heterozygous mutation c.‐185G>A in the SOX9 5′UTR. The mutation creates an upstream translation start codon, uAUG, with a much better fit of its flanking sequence to the Kozak consensus than the wild‐type AUG. By in vitro transcription‐translation and transient transfection into COS‐7 cells, we show that the uAUG leads to translation of a short peptide from a reading frame that terminates just after the wild‐type AUG start codon. This results in reduced translation of the wild‐type protein, compatible with the milder phenotype of the patient. Conclusion Findings support the notion that more mildly affected, surviving CD/ACD patients carry mutant SOX9 alleles with residual expression of SOX9 wild‐type protein. Although rarely described in human genetic disease and for the first time here for CD, mutations creating upstream AUG codons may be more common than generally assumed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna E von Bohlen
- Institute of Human GeneticsUniversity of FreiburgFreiburgGermany.,Present address: Klinik für AnästhesiologieOperative Intensivmedizin und SchmerztherapieUniklinikum Gießen und MarburgGießenGermany
| | - Johann Böhm
- Institute of Human GeneticsUniversity of FreiburgFreiburgGermany.,Present address: Department of Translational Medicine and NeurogeneticsIGBMCIllkirchFrance
| | - Ramona Pop
- Institute of Human GeneticsUniversity of FreiburgFreiburgGermany.,Present address: Broad Institute of MIT and HarvardCambridgeMassachusetts02142USA.,Present address: Harvard Stem Cell InstituteCambridgeMassachusetts02138USA.,Present address: Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative BiologyHarvard UniversityCambridgeMassachusetts02138USA
| | - Diana S Johnson
- Institute of Medical GeneticsYorkhill NHS TrustGlasgowUK.,Present address: Clinical GeneticsSheffield Children's Hospital NHS Foundation TrustSheffieldUK
| | - John Tolmie
- Institute of Medical GeneticsYorkhill NHS TrustGlasgowUK
| | | | - Deborah Morris-Rosendahl
- Institute of Human GeneticsUniversity of FreiburgFreiburgGermany.,Present address: Clinical Genetics and GenomicsRoyal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust and National Heart and Lung InstituteImperial College LondonLondonUK
| | - Gerd Scherer
- Institute of Human GeneticsUniversity of FreiburgFreiburgGermany
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43
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Separating the wheat from the chaff: systematic identification of functionally relevant noncoding variants in ADHD. Mol Psychiatry 2016; 21:1589-1598. [PMID: 27113999 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2016.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2015] [Revised: 12/04/2015] [Accepted: 01/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a highly heritable psychiatric condition with negative lifetime outcomes. Uncovering its genetic architecture should yield important insights into the neurobiology of ADHD and assist development of novel treatment strategies. Twenty years of candidate gene investigations and more recently genome-wide association studies have identified an array of potential association signals. In this context, separating the likely true from false associations ('the wheat' from 'the chaff') will be crucial for uncovering the functional biology of ADHD. Here, we defined a set of 2070 DNA variants that showed evidence of association with ADHD (or were in linkage disequilibrium). More than 97% of these variants were noncoding, and were prioritised for further exploration using two tools-genome-wide annotation of variants (GWAVA) and Combined Annotation-Dependent Depletion (CADD)-that were recently developed to rank variants based upon their likely pathogenicity. Capitalising on recent efforts such as the Encyclopaedia of DNA Elements and US National Institutes of Health Roadmap Epigenomics Projects to improve understanding of the noncoding genome, we subsequently identified 65 variants to which we assigned functional annotations, based upon their likely impact on alternative splicing, transcription factor binding and translational regulation. We propose that these 65 variants, which possess not only a high likelihood of pathogenicity but also readily testable functional hypotheses, represent a tractable shortlist for future experimental validation in ADHD. Taken together, this study brings into sharp focus the likely relevance of noncoding variants for the genetic risk associated with ADHD, and more broadly suggests a bioinformatics approach that should be relevant to other psychiatric disorders.
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44
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Diederichs S, Bartsch L, Berkmann JC, Fröse K, Heitmann J, Hoppe C, Iggena D, Jazmati D, Karschnia P, Linsenmeier M, Maulhardt T, Möhrmann L, Morstein J, Paffenholz SV, Röpenack P, Rückert T, Sandig L, Schell M, Steinmann A, Voss G, Wasmuth J, Weinberger ME, Wullenkord R. The dark matter of the cancer genome: aberrations in regulatory elements, untranslated regions, splice sites, non-coding RNA and synonymous mutations. EMBO Mol Med 2016; 8:442-57. [PMID: 26992833 PMCID: PMC5126213 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.201506055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 180] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a disease of the genome caused by oncogene activation and tumor suppressor gene inhibition. Deep sequencing studies including large consortia such as TCGA and ICGC identified numerous tumor‐specific mutations not only in protein‐coding sequences but also in non‐coding sequences. Although 98% of the genome is not translated into proteins, most studies have neglected the information hidden in this “dark matter” of the genome. Malignancy‐driving mutations can occur in all genetic elements outside the coding region, namely in enhancer, silencer, insulator, and promoter as well as in 5′‐UTR and 3′‐UTR. Intron or splice site mutations can alter the splicing pattern. Moreover, cancer genomes contain mutations within non‐coding RNA, such as microRNA, lncRNA, and lincRNA. A synonymous mutation changes the coding region in the DNA and RNA but not the protein sequence. Importantly, oncogenes such as TERT or miR‐21 as well as tumor suppressor genes such as TP53/p53,APC,BRCA1, or RB1 can be affected by these alterations. In summary, coding‐independent mutations can affect gene regulation from transcription, splicing, mRNA stability to translation, and hence, this largely neglected area needs functional studies to elucidate the mechanisms underlying tumorigenesis. This review will focus on the important role and novel mechanisms of these non‐coding or allegedly silent mutations in tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sven Diederichs
- Division of Cancer Research, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany Division of RNA Biology & Cancer (B150), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Freiburg, Germany
| | - Lorenz Bartsch
- German Academic Scholarship Foundation - Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Bonn, Germany
| | - Julia C Berkmann
- German Academic Scholarship Foundation - Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Bonn, Germany
| | - Karin Fröse
- German Academic Scholarship Foundation - Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jana Heitmann
- German Academic Scholarship Foundation - Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Bonn, Germany
| | - Caroline Hoppe
- German Academic Scholarship Foundation - Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Bonn, Germany
| | - Deetje Iggena
- German Academic Scholarship Foundation - Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Bonn, Germany
| | - Danny Jazmati
- German Academic Scholarship Foundation - Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Bonn, Germany
| | - Philipp Karschnia
- German Academic Scholarship Foundation - Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Bonn, Germany
| | - Miriam Linsenmeier
- German Academic Scholarship Foundation - Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Bonn, Germany
| | - Thomas Maulhardt
- German Academic Scholarship Foundation - Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Bonn, Germany
| | - Lino Möhrmann
- German Academic Scholarship Foundation - Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Bonn, Germany
| | - Johannes Morstein
- German Academic Scholarship Foundation - Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Bonn, Germany
| | - Stella V Paffenholz
- German Academic Scholarship Foundation - Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Bonn, Germany
| | - Paula Röpenack
- German Academic Scholarship Foundation - Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Bonn, Germany
| | - Timo Rückert
- German Academic Scholarship Foundation - Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Bonn, Germany
| | - Ludger Sandig
- German Academic Scholarship Foundation - Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Bonn, Germany
| | - Maximilian Schell
- German Academic Scholarship Foundation - Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Bonn, Germany
| | - Anna Steinmann
- German Academic Scholarship Foundation - Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Bonn, Germany
| | - Gjendine Voss
- German Academic Scholarship Foundation - Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jacqueline Wasmuth
- German Academic Scholarship Foundation - Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Bonn, Germany
| | - Maria E Weinberger
- German Academic Scholarship Foundation - Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Bonn, Germany
| | - Ramona Wullenkord
- German Academic Scholarship Foundation - Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes, Bonn, Germany
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Zhang T, Dutton-Regester K, Brown KM, Hayward NK. The genomic landscape of cutaneous melanoma. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2016; 29:266-83. [PMID: 26833684 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.12459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Accepted: 01/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Somatic mutation analysis of melanoma has been performed at the single gene level extensively over the past several decades. This has provided considerable insight into the critical pathways controlling melanoma initiation and progression. During the last 5 yr, next-generation sequencing (NGS) has enabled even more comprehensive mutational screening at the level of multigene panels, exomes and genomes. These studies have uncovered many new and unexpected players in melanoma development. The recent landmark study from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) consortium describing the genomic architecture of 333 cutaneous melanomas provides the largest and broadest analysis to date on the somatic aberrations underlying melanoma genesis. It thus seems timely to review the mutational landscape of melanoma and highlight the key genes and cellular pathways that appear to drive this cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongwu Zhang
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ken Dutton-Regester
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Oncogenomics Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Qld, Australia
| | - Kevin M Brown
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Nicholas K Hayward
- Oncogenomics Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Qld, Australia
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Abstract
The past several years have seen dramatic leaps in our understanding of how gene expression is rewired at the translation level during tumorigenesis to support the transformed phenotype. This work has been driven by an explosion in technological advances and is revealing previously unimagined regulatory mechanisms that dictate functional expression of the cancer genome. In this Review we discuss emerging trends and exciting new discoveries that reveal how this translational circuitry contributes to specific aspects of tumorigenesis and cancer cell function, with a particular focus on recent insights into the role of translational control in the adaptive response to oncogenic stress conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan L Truitt
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, USA
| | - Davide Ruggero
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94158, USA
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Andreotti V, Bisio A, Bressac-de Paillerets B, Harland M, Cabaret O, Newton-Bishop J, Pastorino L, Bruno W, Bertorelli R, De Sanctis V, Provenzani A, Menin C, Fronza G, Queirolo P, Spitale RC, Bianchi-Scarrà G, Inga A, Ghiorzo P. The CDKN2A/p16(INK) (4a) 5'UTR sequence and translational regulation: impact of novel variants predisposing to melanoma. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2016; 29:210-21. [PMID: 26581427 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.12444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2015] [Accepted: 11/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Many variants of uncertain functional significance in cancer susceptibility genes lie in regulatory regions, and clarifying their association with disease risk poses significant challenges. We studied 17 germline variants (nine of which were novel) in the CDKN2A 5'UTR with independent approaches, which included mono and bicistronic reporter assays, Western blot of endogenous protein, and allelic representation after polysomal profiling to investigate their impact on CDKN2A mRNA translation regulation. Two of the novel variants (c.-27del23, c.-93-91delAGG) were classified as causal mutations (score ≥3), along with the c.-21C>T, c.-34G>T, and c.-56G>T, which had already been studied by a subset of assays. The novel c.-42T>A as well as the previously described c.-67G>C were classified as potential mutations (score 1 or 2). The remaining variants (c.-14C>T, c.-20A>G, c.-25C>T+c.-180G>A, c.-30G>A, c.-40C>T, c.-45G>A, c.-59C>G, c.-87T>A, c.-252A>T) were classified as neutral (score 0). In conclusion, we found evidence that nearly half of the variants found in this region had a negative impact on CDKN2A mRNA translation, supporting the hypothesis that 5'UTR can act as a cellular Internal Ribosome Entry Site (IRES) to modulate p16(INK) (4a) translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Andreotti
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, DiMI, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- Genetics of Rare Cancers, IRCCS AOU San Martino-IST, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alessandra Bisio
- Laboratory of Transcriptional Networks, Centre for Integrative Biology, CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | | | - Mark Harland
- Section of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Leeds Institute of Cancer and Pathology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Odile Cabaret
- Department of Biopathology and INSERM U1186, Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France
| | - Julia Newton-Bishop
- Section of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Leeds Institute of Cancer and Pathology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Lorenza Pastorino
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, DiMI, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- Genetics of Rare Cancers, IRCCS AOU San Martino-IST, Genoa, Italy
| | - William Bruno
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, DiMI, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- Genetics of Rare Cancers, IRCCS AOU San Martino-IST, Genoa, Italy
| | - Roberto Bertorelli
- NGS Core Facility, Centre for Integrative Biology, CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Veronica De Sanctis
- NGS Core Facility, Centre for Integrative Biology, CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Alessandro Provenzani
- Laboratory of Genomic Screening, Centre for Integrative Biology, CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Chiara Menin
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology Unit, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Paola Queirolo
- Medical Oncology Unit, IRCCS AOU San Martino-IST, Genoa, Italy
| | - Robert C Spitale
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Giovanna Bianchi-Scarrà
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, DiMI, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- Genetics of Rare Cancers, IRCCS AOU San Martino-IST, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alberto Inga
- Laboratory of Transcriptional Networks, Centre for Integrative Biology, CIBIO, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Paola Ghiorzo
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, DiMI, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- Genetics of Rare Cancers, IRCCS AOU San Martino-IST, Genoa, Italy
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Sheshukova EV, Shindyapina AV, Komarova TV, Dorokhov YL. “Matreshka” genes with alternative reading frames. RUSS J GENET+ 2016. [DOI: 10.1134/s1022795416020149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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49
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Analysis of sequence variants in the 3'UTR of CDKN2A gene in melanoma patients. Contemp Oncol (Pozn) 2015; 19:276-9. [PMID: 26557774 PMCID: PMC4631302 DOI: 10.5114/wo.2015.54227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2015] [Revised: 07/15/2015] [Accepted: 08/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The 3'UTR region plays a crucial role in regulating gene expression at posttranscriptional levels. Any changes in sequence in this region can cause numerous pathologies and can also lead to tumour development. The most common changes reported in in the CDKN2A gene are the 148Ala/Thr in exon 2 and 500C>G and 540C>T in the 3'UTR region. They are suspected of having a great impact on cancer progression. Since the role of these sequence variants in the Polish population in the development of melanoma has not been confirmed, the importance of 3'UTR polymorphisms in the regulation of gene expression was tested. Material and methods First, genetic analysis in a group of 285 melanoma patients was performed and the obtained results were correlated with the clinical course of melanoma. Then vectors carrying 3'UTR sequence variants were prepared and the level expression of the reported gene was measured. Results Within this study no correlation between the presence of 148Ala/Thr polymorphism and cancer in the family was observed. There was a correlation between the presence of this polymorphism and breast cancer and melanoma in the same patient. There was no correlation between 500C>G polymorphism and tumour localisation, age of diagnosis, and type of cancer in patients’ family, but a correlation between the percentage of patients dying and the 500C>G variant was observed. Conclusion The results of functional tests indicated that the presence of polymorphism in the 3'UTR region of the CDKN2A gene resulted in changes in the level of reporter gene expression.
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50
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Wethmar K, Schulz J, Muro EM, Talyan S, Andrade-Navarro MA, Leutz A. Comprehensive translational control of tyrosine kinase expression by upstream open reading frames. Oncogene 2015; 35:1736-42. [PMID: 26096937 PMCID: PMC4820681 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2015.233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2014] [Revised: 04/02/2015] [Accepted: 05/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Post-transcriptional control has emerged as a major regulatory event in gene expression and often occurs at the level of translation initiation. Although overexpression or constitutive activation of tyrosine kinases (TKs) through gene amplification, translocation or mutation are well-characterized oncogenic events, current knowledge about translational mechanisms of TK activation is scarce. Here, we report the presence of translational cis-regulatory upstream open reading frames (uORFs) in the majority of transcript leader sequences of human TK mRNAs. Genetic ablation of uORF initiation codons in TK transcripts resulted in enhanced translation of the associated downstream main protein-coding sequences (CDSs) in all cases studied. Similarly, experimental removal of uORF start codons in additional non-TK proto-oncogenes, and naturally occurring loss-of-uORF alleles of the c-met proto-oncogene (MET) and the kinase insert domain receptor (KDR), was associated with increased CDS translation. Based on genome-wide sequence analyses we identified polymorphisms in 15.9% of all human genes affecting uORF initiation codons, associated Kozak consensus sequences or uORF-related termination codons. Together, these data suggest a comprehensive role of uORF-mediated translational control and delineate how aberrant induction of proto-oncogenes through loss-of-function mutations at uORF initiation codons may be involved in the etiology of cancer. We provide a detailed map of uORFs across the human genome to stimulate future research on the pathogenic role of uORFs.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Wethmar
- Department of Cell Differentiation and Tumorigenesis, Max-Delbrueck-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Hematology, Oncology and Pneumology, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - J Schulz
- Department of Cell Differentiation and Tumorigenesis, Max-Delbrueck-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - E M Muro
- Department of Computational Biology and Data Mining, Max-Delbrueck-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology, Johannes-Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - S Talyan
- Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology, Johannes-Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - M A Andrade-Navarro
- Department of Computational Biology and Data Mining, Max-Delbrueck-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Biology, Institute of Molecular Biology, Johannes-Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - A Leutz
- Department of Cell Differentiation and Tumorigenesis, Max-Delbrueck-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Biology, Humboldt-University, Berlin, Germany
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