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Kho PF, Mortlock S, Rogers PAW, Nyholt DR, Montgomery GW, Spurdle AB, Glubb DM, O'Mara TA. Genetic analyses of gynecological disease identify genetic relationships between uterine fibroids and endometrial cancer, and a novel endometrial cancer genetic risk region at the WNT4 1p36.12 locus. Hum Genet 2021; 140:1353-1365. [PMID: 34268601 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-021-02312-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and uterine fibroids have been proposed as endometrial cancer risk factors; however, disentangling their relationships with endometrial cancer is complicated due to shared risk factors and comorbidities. Using genome-wide association study (GWAS) data, we explored the relationships between these non-cancerous gynecological diseases and endometrial cancer risk by assessing genetic correlation, causal relationships and shared risk loci. We found significant genetic correlation between endometrial cancer and PCOS, and uterine fibroids. Adjustment for genetically predicted body mass index (a risk factor for PCOS, uterine fibroids and endometrial cancer) substantially attenuated the genetic correlation between endometrial cancer and PCOS but did not affect the correlation with uterine fibroids. Mendelian randomization analyses suggested a causal relationship between only uterine fibroids and endometrial cancer. Gene-based analyses revealed risk regions shared between endometrial cancer and endometriosis, and uterine fibroids. Multi-trait GWAS analysis of endometrial cancer and the genetically correlated gynecological diseases identified a novel genome-wide significant endometrial cancer risk locus at 1p36.12, which replicated in an independent endometrial cancer dataset. Interrogation of functional genomic data at 1p36.12 revealed biologically relevant genes, including WNT4 which is necessary for the development of the female reproductive system. In summary, our study provides genetic evidence for a causal relationship between uterine fibroids and endometrial cancer. It further provides evidence that the comorbidity of endometrial cancer, PCOS and uterine fibroids may partly be due to shared genetic architecture. Notably, this shared architecture has revealed a novel genome-wide risk locus for endometrial cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pik Fang Kho
- Department of Genetics and Computational Biology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.,School of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Sally Mortlock
- The Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | | | | | - Peter A W Rogers
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Gynaecology Research Centre, Royal Women's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Dale R Nyholt
- School of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Grant W Montgomery
- The Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Amanda B Spurdle
- Department of Genetics and Computational Biology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Dylan M Glubb
- Department of Genetics and Computational Biology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Tracy A O'Mara
- Department of Genetics and Computational Biology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. .,Molecular Cancer Epidemiology Group, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, 300 Herston Road, Brisbane, QLD, 4006, Australia.
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Interplay between SOX9 transcription factor and microRNAs in cancer. Int J Biol Macromol 2021; 183:681-694. [PMID: 33957202 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.04.185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
SOX transcription factors are critical regulators of development, homeostasis and disease progression and their dysregulation is a common finding in various cancers. SOX9 belongs to SOXE family located on chromosome 17. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) possess the capacity of regulating different transcription factors in cancer cells by binding to 3'-UTR. Since miRNAs can affect differentiation, migration, proliferation and other physiological mechanisms, disturbances in their expression have been associated with cancer development. In this review, we evaluate the relationship between miRNAs and SOX9 in different cancers to reveal how this interaction can affect proliferation, metastasis and therapy response of cancer cells. The tumor-suppressor miRNAs can decrease the expression of SOX9 by binding to the 3'-UTR of mRNAs. Furthermore, the expression of downstream targets of SOX9, such as c-Myc, Wnt, PI3K/Akt can be affected by miRNAs. It is noteworthy that other non-coding RNAs including lncRNAs and circRNAs regulate miRNA/SOX9 expression to promote/inhibit cancer progression and malignancy. The pre-clinical findings can be applied as biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis of cancer patients.
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Holdsworth-Carson SJ, Churchill M, Donoghue JF, Mortlock S, Fung JN, Sloggett C, Chung J, Cann L, Teh WT, Campbell KR, Luwor R, Healey M, Montgomery G, Girling JE, Rogers PAW. Elucidating the role of long intergenic non-coding RNA 339 in human endometrium and endometriosis. Mol Hum Reprod 2021; 27:6130796. [PMID: 33576410 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaab010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Endometriosis is a complex disease, influenced by genetic factors. Genetic markers associated with endometriosis exist at chromosome 1p36.12 and lead to altered expression of the long intergenic non-coding RNA 339 (LINC00339), however, the role of LINC00339 in endometriosis pathophysiology remains unknown. The aim of this work was to characterize the expression patterns of LINC00339 mRNA in endometrium and endometriotic lesions in situ and to determine the functional role of LINC00339 in human endometrium. We employed RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq), quantitative RT-PCR and in situ hybridization to investigate the abundance of LINC00339 transcripts in endometrium and endometrial cell lines and to describe the pattern and localization of LINC00339 expression in endometrium and endometriotic lesions. LINC00339 mRNA expression was manipulated (overexpressed and silenced) in endometrial stromal cell lines and RNA-seq data from overexpression models were analysed using online bioinformatics platforms (STRING and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis) to determine functional processes. We demonstrated the expression of LINC00339 in endometriotic lesions for the first time; we found LINC00339 expression was restricted to the lesion foci and absent in surrounding non-lesion tissue. Furthermore, manipulation of LINC00339 expression in endometrial stromal cell lines significantly impacted the expression of genes involved in immune defence pathways. These studies identify a novel mechanism for LINC00339 activity in endometrium and endometriosis, paving the way for future work, which is essential for understanding the pathogenesis of endometriosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J Holdsworth-Carson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Gynaecology Research Centre, Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville VIC 3052, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Molly Churchill
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Gynaecology Research Centre, Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville VIC 3052, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jacqueline F Donoghue
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Gynaecology Research Centre, Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville VIC 3052, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Sally Mortlock
- The Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Jenny N Fung
- The Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Clare Sloggett
- Melbourne Bioinformatics, University of Melbourne, Parkville VIC 3010, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jessica Chung
- Melbourne Bioinformatics, University of Melbourne, Parkville VIC 3010, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Leonie Cann
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Gynaecology Research Centre, Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville VIC 3052, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Wan Tinn Teh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Gynaecology Research Centre, Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville VIC 3052, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Katie-Rose Campbell
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Gynaecology Research Centre, Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville VIC 3052, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Rodney Luwor
- Department of Surgery, University of Melbourne, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Martin Healey
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Gynaecology Research Centre, Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville VIC 3052, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Grant Montgomery
- The Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Jane E Girling
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Gynaecology Research Centre, Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville VIC 3052, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand
| | - Peter A W Rogers
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Gynaecology Research Centre, Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville VIC 3052, Melbourne, Australia
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