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Ye BJ, Li DF, Li XY, Hao JL, Liu DJ, Yu H, Zhang CD. Methylation synthetic lethality: Exploiting selective drug targets for cancer therapy. Cancer Lett 2024; 597:217010. [PMID: 38849016 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.217010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2024] [Revised: 05/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
In cancer, synthetic lethality refers to the drug-induced inactivation of one gene and the inhibition of another in cancer cells by a drug, resulting in the death of only cancer cells; however, this effect is not present in normal cells, leading to targeted killing of cancer cells. Recent intensive epigenetic research has revealed that aberrant epigenetic changes are more frequently observed than gene mutations in certain cancers. Recently, numerous studies have reported various methylation synthetic lethal combinations involving DNA damage repair genes, metabolic pathway genes, and paralogs with significant results in cellular models, some of which have already entered clinical trials with promising results. This review systematically introduces the advantages of methylation synthetic lethality and describes the lethal mechanisms of methylation synthetic lethal combinations that have recently demonstrated success in cellular models. Furthermore, we discuss the future opportunities and challenges of methylation synthetic lethality in targeted anticancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing-Jie Ye
- Clinical Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110032, China
| | - Di-Fei Li
- Clinical Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110032, China
| | - Xin-Yun Li
- Clinical Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110032, China
| | - Jia-Lin Hao
- Central Laboratory, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110032, China
| | - Di-Jie Liu
- Central Laboratory, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110032, China
| | - Hang Yu
- Department of Surgical Oncology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110032, China
| | - Chun-Dong Zhang
- Central Laboratory, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110032, China; Department of Surgical Oncology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110032, China.
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Helderman NC, Andini KD, van Leerdam ME, van Hest LP, Hoekman DR, Ahadova A, Bajwa-Ten Broeke SW, Bosse T, van der Logt EMJ, Imhann F, Kloor M, Langers AMJ, Smit VTHBM, Terlouw D, van Wezel T, Morreau H, Nielsen M. MLH1 Promotor Hypermethylation in Colorectal and Endometrial Carcinomas from Patients with Lynch Syndrome. J Mol Diagn 2024; 26:106-114. [PMID: 38061582 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoldx.2023.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Screening for Lynch syndrome (LS) in colorectal cancer (CRC) and endometrial cancer patients generally involves immunohistochemical staining of the mismatch repair (MMR) proteins. In case of MLH1 protein loss, MLH1 promotor hypermethylation (MLH1-PM) testing is performed to indirectly distinguish the constitutional MLH1 variants from somatic epimutations. Recently, multiple studies have reported that MLH1-PM and pathogenic constitutional MMR variants are not mutually exclusive. This study describes 6 new and 86 previously reported MLH1-PM CRCs or endometrial cancers in LS patients. Of these, methylation of the MLH1 gene promotor C region was reported in 30 MLH1, 6 MSH2, 6 MSH6, and 3 PMS2 variant carriers at a median age at diagnosis of 48.5 years [interquartile range (IQR), 39-56.75 years], 39 years (IQR, 29-51 years), 58 years (IQR, 53.5-67 years), and 68 years (IQR, 65.6-68.5 years), respectively. For 31 MLH1-PM CRCs in LS patients from the literature, only the B region of the MLH1 gene promotor was tested, whereas for 13 cases in the literature the tested region was not specified. Collectively, these data indicate that a diagnosis of LS should not be excluded when MLH1-PM is detected. Clinicians should carefully consider whether follow-up genetic MMR gene testing should be offered, with age <60 to 70 years and/or a positive family history among other factors being suggestive for a potential constitutional MMR gene defect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah C Helderman
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Katarina D Andini
- Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Monique E van Leerdam
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands; Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Liselotte P van Hest
- Department of Human Genetics, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Daniël R Hoekman
- Department of Human Genetics, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Aysel Ahadova
- Department of Applied Tumor Biology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Biology, German Cancer Research Centre, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sanne W Bajwa-Ten Broeke
- Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Tjalling Bosse
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | - Floris Imhann
- Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Matthias Kloor
- Department of Applied Tumor Biology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Biology, German Cancer Research Centre, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alexandra M J Langers
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Vincent T H B M Smit
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Diantha Terlouw
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands; Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Tom van Wezel
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Hans Morreau
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Maartje Nielsen
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
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Plotkin A, Olkhov-Mitsel E, Nofech-Mozes S. MLH1 Methylation Testing as an Integral Component of Universal Endometrial Cancer Screening-A Critical Appraisal. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5188. [PMID: 37958361 PMCID: PMC10650699 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15215188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
MLH1/PMS2 loss due to MLH1 promoter hypermethylation (MLH1-PHM) is the most common cause of mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency in endometrial cancer (EC). This study aimed to determine the proportion of MLH1-deficient EC with PHM, assess the impact of the reflex MLH1-PHM testing strategy, and evaluate the associated costs within the publicly funded Canadian healthcare system. In a cohort of 2504 EC samples, 534 (21.4%) exhibited dual MLH1/PMS2 loss, prompting MLH1-PHM testing. Among 418 cases with available testing results, 404 (96.7%) were MLH1-hypermethylated, while 14 (3.3%) were non-methylated. The incidence of MLH1 non-methylated cases in our cohort was 14/2504 (0.56%) of all ECs, underscoring the prevalence of hypermethylation-driven MLH1/PMS2 loss in ECs universally screened for MMR deficiency. Reflex MLH1-PHM testing incurs substantial costs and resource utilization. Assay cost is CAD 231.90 per case, amounting to CAD 123,834.60 for 534 cases, with 30 tests needed per additional candidate for MLH1 germline analysis (CAD 6957.00 per candidate). This raises a provocative question: can we assume that the majority of the MLH1-deficient ECs are due to PHM and forgo further testing in healthcare systems with finite resources? It is imperative to assess resource utilization efficiency and explore optimized approaches that encompass clinical correlation, family history and judicious utilization of methylation testing to ensure it is provided only to those who stand to benefit from it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Plotkin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Molecular Diagnostics, Division of Anatomic Pathology, Precision Diagnostics and Therapeutics Program, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada
- Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Ekaterina Olkhov-Mitsel
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Molecular Diagnostics, Division of Anatomic Pathology, Precision Diagnostics and Therapeutics Program, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - Sharon Nofech-Mozes
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Molecular Diagnostics, Division of Anatomic Pathology, Precision Diagnostics and Therapeutics Program, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada
- Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
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Association of immunohistochemical profiles with histotypes in endometrial carcinomas. Taiwan J Obstet Gynecol 2022; 61:823-829. [PMID: 36088051 DOI: 10.1016/j.tjog.2022.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Although a large number of endometrial cancer patients are cured with surgery alone, there are significant numbers of patients with more aggressive variants of endometrial carcinoma for whom the prognosis remains poor. We investigated the effects of prevalence, histotypes, and immunohistochemical profiles on prognostic value in a hospital-based population. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective study of surgically resected primary endometrial carcinoma was included. Immunohistochemical stains were performed on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue microarray sections for β-Catenin, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), HER-2, MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2, and p53. RESULTS Loss of mismatch repair expression was detected in 25.4% of samples (29/114, mean age 57 years) of the tumors. The following loss of expression was observed in patients: MLH1/PMS2 in 16.6% of patients, MSH6 in 7.0% of patients, MLH1 in 0.9% of patients, and MSH6/PMS2/MLH1 in 0.9% of patients. Immunohistochemistry of p53 was analyzed for 111 patients. A total of 13 patients (11.7%, mean age 64 years) had p53-abnormal expression (absent, cytoplasmic or diffuse strong positive patterns), and more than half (9/13, 69.2%) had endometrioid histotype. Abnormalities in p53 were significantly associated with histotype (p = 0.001), advanced tumor stage (p = 0.038), death of disease (p = 0.002), PR percentage (p = 0.002), and HER-2 expression (p = 0.018). Immunohistochemical nuclear localization of β-Catenin was detected in 7.1% of the cohort. The combination of p53 and nuclear β-Catenin expressions was not significantly predictive of disease-free or overall survival. CONCLUSION The results of this study are useful for management of endometrial cancer in patients with DNA mismatch repair, abnormal p53 expression, or nuclear localization of β-Catenin.
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