1
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Zheng C, Sarin KY. Unveiling the genetic landscape of hereditary melanoma: From susceptibility to surveillance. Cancer Treat Res Commun 2024; 40:100837. [PMID: 39137473 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctarc.2024.100837] [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: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
The multifactorial etiology underlying melanoma development involves an array of genetic, phenotypic, and environmental factors. Genetic predisposition for melanoma is further influenced by the complex interplay between high-, medium-, and low-penetrance genes, each contributing to varying degrees of susceptibility. Within this network, high-penetrance genes, including CDKN2A, CDK4, BAP1, and POT1, are linked to a pronounced risk for disease, whereas medium- and low-penetrance genes, such as MC1R, MITF, and others, contribute only moderately to melanoma risk. Notably, these genetic factors not only heighten the risk of melanoma but may also increase susceptibility towards internal malignancies, such as pancreatic cancer, renal cell cancer, or neural tumors. Genetic testing and counseling hold paramount importance in the clinical context of suspected hereditary melanoma, facilitating risk assessment, personalized surveillance strategies, and informed decision-making. As our understanding of the genomic landscape deepens, this review paper aims to comprehensively summarize the genetic underpinnings of hereditary melanoma, as well as current screening and management strategies for the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenming Zheng
- Stanford University Department of Dermatology, Redwood City, CA, USA
| | - Kavita Y Sarin
- Stanford University Department of Dermatology, Redwood City, CA, USA.
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2
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Martino S, De Summa S, Pilato B, Digennaro M, Laera L, Tommasi S, Patruno M. Case report: Germline POT1 mutation in a patient with GIST and lung adenocarcinoma. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1419739. [PMID: 39156708 PMCID: PMC11327130 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1419739] [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: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The gene protection of telomere 1 (POT1) is involved in telomere maintenance and stability and plays a crucial role in the preservation of genomic stability. POT1 is considered a high-penetrance melanoma susceptibility gene; however, the number of cancer types associated with the pathogenic germline variants of POT1 is gradually increasing, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), angiosarcomas, and gliomas, even though many associations are still elusive. Here, we reported a case of a 60-year-old man who showed early-onset multiple neoplasms, including multiple melanomas, gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), and lung adenocarcinoma. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) analyses revealed a germline heterozygous pathogenic variant in the POT1 gene. Notably, GIST and lung adenocarcinoma were not previously reported in association with the POT1 germline variant. Lung cancer susceptibility syndrome is very rare and the actual knowledge is limited to a few genes although major genetic factors are unidentified. Recently, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have pointed out an association between POT1 variants and lung cancer. This case report highlights the clinical relevance of POT1 alterations, particularly their potential involvement in lung cancer. It also suggests that POT1 testing may be warranted in patients with familial cancer syndrome, particularly those with a history of melanoma and other solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Martino
- Center for Study of Heredo-Familial Tumors, IRCCS Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”, Bari, Italy
| | - Simona De Summa
- Molecular Diagnostics and Pharmacogenetics Unit, IRCCS Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”, Bari, Italy
| | - Brunella Pilato
- Molecular Diagnostics and Pharmacogenetics Unit, IRCCS Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”, Bari, Italy
| | - Maria Digennaro
- Center for Study of Heredo-Familial Tumors, IRCCS Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”, Bari, Italy
| | - Letizia Laera
- Department of Oncology, “F. Miulli” General Regional Hospital, Acquaviva Delle Fonti, Italy
| | - Stefania Tommasi
- Molecular Diagnostics and Pharmacogenetics Unit, IRCCS Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”, Bari, Italy
| | - Margherita Patruno
- Center for Study of Heredo-Familial Tumors, IRCCS Istituto Tumori “Giovanni Paolo II”, Bari, Italy
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3
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Baptista Freitas M, Desmyter L, Badoer C, Smits G, Vandernoot I, T Kint de Roodenbeke D. POT1 tumour predisposition: a broader spectrum of associated malignancies and proposal for additional screening program. Eur J Hum Genet 2024; 32:980-986. [PMID: 38839987 PMCID: PMC11291874 DOI: 10.1038/s41431-024-01611-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Protection of Telomeres Protein 1 (POT1) protein is an essential subunit of the shelterin telomere binding complex, regulating telomere length. Some POT1 gene pathogenic variants (PV) lead to telomere elongation, genomic instability and higher risk of cancer. POT1 tumour predisposition syndrome (POT1-TPD) has autosomal dominant inheritance and unknown penetrance. It is associated with increased risk of cutaneous melanoma, chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, angiosarcoma and gliomas. In this work, we aim to describe a broader cancer phenotype related to POT1-TPD, in three families (two with a four generation pedigree, one with a five generation pedigree). The three index cases were referred to our oncogenetic centre for genetic counselling due to their personal history of cancer. Two underwent clinical exome sequencing of 4,867 genes associated with Mendelian genetic diseases, and another underwent gene panel sequencing including POT1, which identified three different POT1 PV: NC_000007.14(NM_015450.2):c.349C>T; NC_000007.14(NM_015450.2):c.233T>C and NC_000007.14(NM_015450.2):c.818G>A; already described in the literature. Referenced relatives, did a target genetic test (according to the POT1 PV identified in the family). In total, 37 individuals were tested (51.4% females), median age of 46 (22-81) years, with POT1 PV detected in 22. POT1-TPD was observed, but also a higher incidence of other cancers (other sarcomas, papillary thyroid cancer, early onset prostate cancer and leukaemia). These findings contribute to an increase in our knowledge about POT1 PV, and it can play a role in the definition of future POT1 PV screening criteria, POT1 carrier surveillance protocols (possibly considering screening for all types of sarcomas) and in genetic counselling.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laurence Desmyter
- Center for Human Genetics, Hôpital Erasme, Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Cindy Badoer
- Center for Human Genetics, Hôpital Erasme, Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Guillaume Smits
- Department of Genetics, Hôpital Universitaire Des Enfants Reine Fabiola, Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Isabelle Vandernoot
- Center for Human Genetics, Hôpital Erasme, Hôpital Universitaire de Bruxelles, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
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4
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Lim RMH, Lee JY, Kannan B, Ko TK, Chan JY. Molecular and immune pathobiology of human angiosarcoma. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2024; 1879:189159. [PMID: 39032539 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2024.189159] [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: 05/05/2024] [Revised: 07/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Angiosarcoma is a rare endothelial-derived malignancy that is extremely diverse in anatomy, aetiology, molecular and immune characteristics. While novel therapeutic approaches incorporating targeted agents and immunotherapy have yielded significant improvements in patient outcomes across several cancers, their impact on angiosarcoma remains modest. Contributed by its heterogeneous nature, there is currently a lack of novel drug targets in this disease entity and no reliable biomarkers that predict response to conventional treatment. This review aims to examine the molecular and immune landscape of angiosarcoma in association with its aetiology, anatomical sites, prognosis and therapeutic options. We summarise current efforts to characterise angiosarcoma subtypes based on molecular and immune profiling. Finally, we highlight promising technologies such as single-cell spatial "omics" that may further our understanding of angiosarcoma and propose strategies that can be similarly applied for the study of other rare cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jing Yi Lee
- Cancer Discovery Hub, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore; Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | - Bavani Kannan
- Cancer Discovery Hub, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore
| | - Tun Kiat Ko
- Cancer Discovery Hub, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jason Yongsheng Chan
- Cancer Discovery Hub, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore; Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore; Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore.
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5
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Zilberg C, Ferguson AL, Lyons JG, Gupta R, Fuller SJ, Damian DL. Cutaneous malignancies in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. J Dermatol 2024; 51:353-364. [PMID: 38291978 DOI: 10.1111/1346-8138.17126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a common lymphoid malignancy that is associated with an increased risk of developing cutaneous malignancies. Clinical outcomes for these malignancies, including melanoma and keratinocyte cancers (KC), are worse for patients with CLL. Individuals with CLL develop an immunodeficiency of both the adaptive and innate immune system, which plays a role in the increased prevalence of skin cancers. This review focuses on the complex interplay between genetics, immunity, and pathogens that influence the cellular composition and biology of skin tumors and their microenvironment in CLL patients, and in comparison with other chronic hematological malignancies. It is paramount for dermatologists to be aware of the association between CLL (and chronic hematological malignancies more broadly) and cutaneous malignancies. This is a high-risk population who require regular and vigorous dermatologic follow-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Zilberg
- Department of Dermatology, The University of Sydney at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
- Melanoma Institute Australia, Wollstonecraft, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Angela L Ferguson
- Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - James G Lyons
- Department of Dermatology, The University of Sydney at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
- Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ruta Gupta
- Department of Tissue Pathology and Diagnostic Oncology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, NSW Health Pathology, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Stephen J Fuller
- Sydney Medical School, Nepean Clinical School, The Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia
- Nepean Hospital, Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Diona L Damian
- Department of Dermatology, The University of Sydney at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
- Melanoma Institute Australia, Wollstonecraft, New South Wales, Australia
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6
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Soares de Sá BC, Moredo LF, Torrezan GT, Fidalgo F, de Araújo ÉSS, Formiga MN, Duprat JP, Carraro DM. Characterization of Potential Melanoma Predisposition Genes in High-Risk Brazilian Patients. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15830. [PMID: 37958811 PMCID: PMC10649559 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242115830] [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: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Increased genetic risk for melanoma can occur in the context of germline pathogenic variants in high-penetrance genes, such as CDKN2A and CDK4, risk variants in low- to moderate-penetrance genes (MC1R and MITF), and possibly due to variants in emerging genes, such as ACD, TERF2IP, and TERT. We aimed to identify germline variants in high- and low- to moderate-penetrance melanoma risk genes in Brazilian patients with clinical criteria for familial melanoma syndrome. We selected patients with three or more melanomas or melanoma patients from families with three tumors (melanoma and pancreatic cancer) in first- or second-degree relatives. Genetic testing was performed with a nine-gene panel (ACD, BAP1, CDK4, CDKN2A, POT1, TERT, TERF2IP, MC1R, and MITF). In 36 patients, we identified 2 (5.6%) with germline pathogenic variants in CDKN2A and BAP1 and 4 (11.1%) with variants of uncertain significance in the high-penetrance genes. MC1R variants were found in 86.5%, and both red hair color variants and unknown risk variants were enriched in patients compared to a control group. The low frequency of germline pathogenic variants in the high-penetrance genes and the high prevalence of MC1R variants found in our cohort show the importance of the MC1R genotype in determining the risk of melanoma in the Brazilian melanoma-prone families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Costa Soares de Sá
- Skin Cancer Department, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo 01529-001, Brazil; (B.C.S.d.S.); (L.F.M.); (J.P.D.)
| | - Luciana Facure Moredo
- Skin Cancer Department, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo 01529-001, Brazil; (B.C.S.d.S.); (L.F.M.); (J.P.D.)
| | - Giovana Tardin Torrezan
- Clinical and Functional Genomics Group, International Research Center/CIPE, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, 440 Taguá St., São Paulo 01508-010, Brazil; (G.T.T.); (F.F.); (É.S.S.d.A.)
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Oncogenomics and Therapeutic Innovation, 440 Taguá St., São Paulo 01508-010, Brazil
| | - Felipe Fidalgo
- Clinical and Functional Genomics Group, International Research Center/CIPE, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, 440 Taguá St., São Paulo 01508-010, Brazil; (G.T.T.); (F.F.); (É.S.S.d.A.)
| | - Érica Sara Souza de Araújo
- Clinical and Functional Genomics Group, International Research Center/CIPE, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, 440 Taguá St., São Paulo 01508-010, Brazil; (G.T.T.); (F.F.); (É.S.S.d.A.)
| | | | - João Pereira Duprat
- Skin Cancer Department, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo 01529-001, Brazil; (B.C.S.d.S.); (L.F.M.); (J.P.D.)
| | - Dirce Maria Carraro
- Clinical and Functional Genomics Group, International Research Center/CIPE, A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, 440 Taguá St., São Paulo 01508-010, Brazil; (G.T.T.); (F.F.); (É.S.S.d.A.)
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Oncogenomics and Therapeutic Innovation, 440 Taguá St., São Paulo 01508-010, Brazil
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7
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Takasugi T, Gu P, Liang F, Staco I, Chang S. Pot1b -/- tumors activate G-quadruplex-induced DNA damage to promote telomere hyper-elongation. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:9227-9247. [PMID: 37560909 PMCID: PMC10516629 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad648] [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: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Malignant cancers must activate telomere maintenance mechanisms to achieve replicative immortality. Mutations in the human Protection of Telomeres 1 (POT1) gene are frequently detected in cancers with abnormally long telomeres, suggesting that the loss of POT1 function disrupts the regulation of telomere length homeostasis to promote telomere elongation. However, our understanding of the mechanisms leading to elongated telomeres remains incomplete. The mouse genome encodes two POT1 proteins, POT1a and POT1b possessing separation of hPOT1 functions. We performed serial transplantation of Pot1b-/- sarcomas to better understand the role of POT1b in regulating telomere length maintenance. While early-generation Pot1b-/- sarcomas initially possessed shortened telomeres, late-generation Pot1b-/- cells display markedly hyper-elongated telomeres that were recognized as damaged DNA by the Replication Protein A (RPA) complex. The RPA-ATR-dependent DNA damage response at telomeres promotes telomerase recruitment to facilitate telomere hyper-elongation. POT1b, but not POT1a, was able to unfold G-quadruplex present in hyper-elongated telomeres to repress the DNA damage response. Our findings demonstrate that the repression of the RPA-ATR DDR is conserved between POT1b and human POT1, suggesting that similar mechanisms may underly the phenotypes observed in human cancers harboring human POT1 mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor Takasugi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Peili Gu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Fengshan Liang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Isabelle Staco
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Sandy Chang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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8
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Sharaf R, Jin DX, Grady J, Napier C, Ebot E, Frampton GM, Albacker LA, Thomas DM, Montesion M. A pan-sarcoma landscape of telomeric content shows that alterations in RAD51B and GID4 are associated with higher telomeric content. NPJ Genom Med 2023; 8:26. [PMID: 37709802 PMCID: PMC10502097 DOI: 10.1038/s41525-023-00369-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor cells need to activate a telomere maintenance mechanism, enabling limitless replication. The bulk of evidence supports that sarcomas predominantly use alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) mechanism, commonly associated with alterations in ATRX and DAXX. In our dataset, only 12.3% of sarcomas harbored alterations in these genes. Thus, we checked for the presence of other genomic determinants of high telomeric content in sarcomas. Our dataset consisted of 13555 sarcoma samples, sequenced as a part of routine clinical care on the FoundationOne®Heme platform. We observed a median telomeric content of 622.3 telomeric reads per GC-matched million reads (TRPM) across all samples. In agreement with previous studies, telomeric content was significantly higher in ATRX altered and POT1 altered sarcomas. We further observed that sarcomas with alterations in RAD51B or GID4 were enriched in samples with high telomeric content, specifically within uterus leiomyosarcoma for RAD51B and soft tissue sarcoma (not otherwise specified, nos) for GID4, Furthermore, RAD51B and POT1 alterations were mutually exclusive with ATRX and DAXX alterations, suggestive of functional redundancy. Our results propose a role played by RAD51B and GID4 in telomere elongation in sarcomas and open research opportunities for agents aimed at targeting this critical pathway in tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - John Grady
- Omico Australian Genomic Cancer Medicine, Sydney, Australia
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, Australia
- St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Christine Napier
- Omico Australian Genomic Cancer Medicine, Sydney, Australia
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, Australia
- St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Ericka Ebot
- Foundation Medicine Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | | | - David M Thomas
- Omico Australian Genomic Cancer Medicine, Sydney, Australia
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, Australia
- St Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
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9
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van Ipenburg JA, van den Bosch QCC, Paridaens D, Dubbink HJ, Kiliç E, Naus N, Verdijk RM. ATRX Loss in the Development and Prognosis of Conjunctival Melanoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12988. [PMID: 37629169 PMCID: PMC10454703 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612988] [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: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Metastatic disease is linked to TERT promoter mutations in conjunctival melanomas (CM). Both TERT promoter and ATRX mutations are associated with faulty telomere maintenance. This study aimed to determine the prognostic value of ATRX loss in conjunctival melanocytic lesions. Eighty-six conjunctival melanocytic lesions from the Rotterdam Ocular Melanoma Study group were collected. ATRX status and TERT promoter status were determined using immunohistochemical staining and molecular diagnostics, respectively. None of the nevi (n = 16) and primary acquired melanosis (PAM) without atypia (n = 6) showed ATRX loss. ATRX loss was found in 2/5 PAM with atypia without CM and in 8/59 CM. No cases with a TERT promoter mutation (n = 26) showed ATRX loss. Eight/eleven metastatic CM harbored a TERT promoter mutation, two other metastatic CM showed ATRX loss and one metastatic case showed no TERT promoter/ATRX alterations. In conclusion ATRX loss and TERT promoter mutations are only found in (pre)malignant conjunctival melanocytic lesions, with most metastatic cases harboring one of these alterations, suggesting that both alterations are associated with adverse behavior. Similar to TERT promoter mutations, ATRX loss may be used as a diagnostic tool in determining whether a conjunctival melanocytic lesion is prone to having an adverse course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolique A. van Ipenburg
- Department of Pathology, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 10, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Quincy C. C. van den Bosch
- Department of Ophthalmology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Doctor Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Dion Paridaens
- Department of Ophthalmology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Doctor Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Ocular Oncology, The Rotterdam Eye Hospital, Schiedamse Vest 180, 3011 BH Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hendrikus J. Dubbink
- Department of Pathology, Section Ophthalmic Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Doctor Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Emine Kiliç
- Department of Ophthalmology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Doctor Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Nicole Naus
- Department of Ophthalmology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Doctor Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Robert M. Verdijk
- Department of Ocular Oncology, The Rotterdam Eye Hospital, Schiedamse Vest 180, 3011 BH Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Pathology, Section Ophthalmic Pathology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Doctor Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
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10
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Zade NH, Khattar E. POT1 mutations cause differential effects on telomere length leading to opposing disease phenotypes. J Cell Physiol 2023; 238:1237-1255. [PMID: 37183325 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.31034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The protection of telomere protein (POT1) is a telomere-binding protein and is an essential component of the six-membered shelterin complex, which is associated with the telomeres. POT1 directly binds to the 3' single-stranded telomeric overhang and prevents the activation of DNA damage response at telomeres thus preventing the telomere-telomere fusions and genomic instability. POT1 also plays a pivotal role in maintaining telomere length by regulating telomerase-mediated telomere elongation. Mutations in POT1 proteins result in three different telomere phenotypes, which include long, short, or aberrant telomere length. Long telomeres predispose individuals to cancer, while short or aberrant telomere phenotypes result in pro-aging diseases referred to as telomeropathies. Here, we review the function of POT1 proteins in telomere length hemostasis and how the spectrum of mutations reported in POT1 can be segregated toward developing very distinct disease phenotypes of cancer and telomeropathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikita Harish Zade
- Sunandan Divatia School of Science, SVKM's NMIMS (Deemed to be) University, Mumbai, India
| | - Ekta Khattar
- Sunandan Divatia School of Science, SVKM's NMIMS (Deemed to be) University, Mumbai, India
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11
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Telomere Length as a New Risk Marker of Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24043526. [PMID: 36834938 PMCID: PMC9965248 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC; age younger than 50 years) incidence has been steadily increasing in recent decades worldwide. The need for new biomarkers for EOCRC prevention strategies is undeniable. In this study, we aimed to explore whether an aging factor, such as telomere length (TL), could be a useful tool in EOCRC screening. The absolute leukocyte TL from 87 microsatellite stable EOCRC patients and 109 healthy controls (HC) with the same range of age, was quantified by Real Time Quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Then, leukocyte whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed to study the status of the genes involved in TL maintenance (hTERT, TERC, DKC1, TERF1, TERF2, TERF2IP, TINF2, ACD, and POT1) in 70 sporadic EOCRC cases from the original cohort. We observed that TL was significantly shorter in EOCRC patients than in healthy individuals (EOCRC mean: 122 kb vs. HC mean: 296 kb; p < 0.001), suggesting that telomeric shortening could be associated with EOCRC susceptibility. In addition, we found a significant association between several SNPs of hTERT (rs79662648), POT1 (rs76436625, rs10263573, rs3815221, rs7794637, rs7784168, rs4383910, and rs7782354), TERF2 (rs251796 and rs344152214), and TERF2IP (rs7205764) genes and the risk of developing EOCRC. We consider that the measurement of germline TL and the status analysis of telomere maintenance related genes polymorphisms at early ages could be non-invasive methods that could facilitate the early identification of individuals at risk of developing EOCRC.
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Revy P, Kannengiesser C, Bertuch AA. Genetics of human telomere biology disorders. Nat Rev Genet 2023; 24:86-108. [PMID: 36151328 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-022-00527-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres are specialized nucleoprotein structures at the ends of linear chromosomes that prevent the activation of DNA damage response and repair pathways. Numerous factors localize at telomeres to regulate their length, structure and function, to avert replicative senescence or genome instability and cell death. In humans, Mendelian defects in several of these factors can result in abnormally short or dysfunctional telomeres, causing a group of rare heterogeneous premature-ageing diseases, termed telomeropathies, short-telomere syndromes or telomere biology disorders (TBDs). Here, we review the TBD-causing genes identified so far and describe their main functions associated with telomere biology. We present molecular aspects of TBDs, including genetic anticipation, phenocopy, incomplete penetrance and somatic genetic rescue, which underlie the complexity of these diseases. We also discuss the implications of phenotypic and genetic features of TBDs on fundamental aspects related to human telomere biology, ageing and cancer, as well as on diagnostic, therapeutic and clinical approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Revy
- INSERM UMR 1163, Laboratory of Genome Dynamics in the Immune System, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, Paris, France.
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Paris, France.
| | - Caroline Kannengiesser
- APHP Service de Génétique, Hôpital Bichat, Paris, France
- Inserm U1152, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Alison A Bertuch
- Departments of Paediatrics and Molecular & Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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13
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Mandelker D, Ladanyi M. Germline study points to sarcoma pathways. Science 2023; 379:238-239. [PMID: 36656937 DOI: 10.1126/science.adf8572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Pathogenic variants related to mitosis and telomere integrity are enriched in sarcoma patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Mandelker
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Marc Ladanyi
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.,Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
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14
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Oh KS, Mahalingam M. Melanoma and Glioblastoma-Not a Serendipitous Association. Adv Anat Pathol 2023; 30:00125480-990000000-00051. [PMID: 36624550 DOI: 10.1097/pap.0000000000000393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Recently, we came across a patient with malignant melanoma and primary glioblastoma. Given this, we parsed the literature to ascertain the relationship, if any, between these 2 malignancies. We begin with a brief overview of melanoma and glioma in isolation followed by a chronologic overview of case reports and epidemiologic studies documenting both neoplasms. This is followed by studies detailing genetic abnormalities common to both malignancies with a view to identifying unifying genetic targets for therapeutic strategies as well as to explore the possibility of a putative association and an inherited cancer susceptibility trait. From a scientific perspective, we believe we have provided evidence favoring an association between melanoma and glioma. Future studies that include documentation of additional cases, as well as a detailed molecular analyses, will lend credence to our hypothesis that the co-occurrence of these 2 conditions is likely not serendipitous.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kei Shing Oh
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL
| | - Meera Mahalingam
- Dermatopathology Section, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, VA-Integrated-Service-Network-1 (VISN1), West Roxbury, MA
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15
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Fanelli A, Marconato L, Licenziato L, Minoli L, Rouquet N, Aresu L. POT1 mutations are frequent and associated with Ki-67 index in canine diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:968807. [PMID: 36016811 PMCID: PMC9396242 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.968807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) represents one of the most frequent and deadliest neoplasia in dogs worldwide and is characterized by a remarkable degree of clinical heterogeneity, with poor chances to anticipate the outcome. Even if in the last years some recurrently mutated genes have been identified, the genetic origin of canine DLBCL (cDLBCL) is not yet completely understood. The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of POT1 mutations in cDLBCL and to elucidate the role of such gene in the pathogenesis of this tumor. Mutations in POT1 were retrieved in 34% of cases, in line with previous reports, but no significant associations with any clinico-pathological variable were identified. Likewise, POT1 mutations are not predictive of worse prognosis. Interestingly, Ki-67 index was significantly higher in dogs harboring POT1 mutations compared to wild-type ones. These results suggest that POT1 mutations may exert their pathogenic role in cDLBCL by promoting cellular proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Fanelli
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- *Correspondence: Antonella Fanelli
| | - Laura Marconato
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Luca Licenziato
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Lucia Minoli
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Luca Aresu
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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16
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Choi BE, Lee HT. DNA-RNA hybrid G-quadruplex tends to form near the 3' end of telomere overhang. Biophys J 2022; 121:2962-2980. [PMID: 35769005 PMCID: PMC9388385 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.06.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomeric repeat-containing RNA (TERRA) has been suggested to participate in telomere maintenance. TERRA consisting of UUAGGG repeats is capable of forming an intermolecular G-quadruplex (GQ) with single-stranded TTAGGG-repeat DNA in the telomere 3' overhang. To explore the structural features and potential functions of this DNA-RNA hybrid GQ (HGQ), we used single-molecule FRET to study the folding patterns of DNA with four to seven telomeric tandem repeats annealed with a short RNA consisting of two or five telomeric repeats. Our data highlight that RNA prefers to form DNA-RNA HGQ near the 3' end of telomeric DNA. Furthermore, the unfolding of secondary structures by a complementary C-rich sequence was observed for DNA GQ but not for DNA-RNA HGQ, which demonstrated the enhanced stability of the telomere 3' end via hybridization with RNA. These conformational and physical properties of telomeric DNA-RNA HGQ suggest that TERRA might limit access to the 3' end of the telomeric DNA overhang, which is known to be critical for the interaction with telomerase and other telomere-associated proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bok-Eum Choi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Hui-Ting Lee
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama.
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17
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Martínez P, Sánchez-Vázquez R, Ferrara-Romeo I, Serrano R, Flores JM, Blasco MA. A mouse model for Li-Fraumeni-Like Syndrome with cardiac angiosarcomas associated to POT1 mutations. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010260. [PMID: 35727838 PMCID: PMC9212151 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The shelterin protein POT1 has been found mutated in many different familial and sporadic cancers, however, no mouse models to understand the pathobiology of these mutations have been developed so far. To address the molecular mechanisms underlying the tumorigenic effects of POT1 mutant proteins in humans, we have generated a mouse model for the human POT1R117C mutation found in Li-Fraumeni-Like families with cases of cardiac angiosarcoma by introducing this mutation in the Pot1a endogenous locus, knock-in for Pot1aR117C. We find here that both mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and tissues from Pot1a+/ki mice show longer telomeres than wild-type controls. Longer telomeres in Pot1a+/ki MEFs are dependent on telomerase activity as they are not found in double mutant Pot1a+/kiTert-/- telomerase-deficient MEFs. By using complementation assays we further show that POT1a pR117C exerts dominant-negative effects at telomeres. As in human Li-Fraumeni patients, heterozygous Pot1a+/ki mice spontaneously develop a high incidence of angiosarcomas, including cardiac angiosarcomas, and this is associated to the presence of abnormally long telomeres in endothelial cells as well as in the tumors. The Pot1a+/R117C mouse model constitutes a useful tool to understand human cancers initiated by POT1 mutations. We have generated a mouse model for the human POT1R117C mutation found in Li-Fraumeni-Like (LFL) families with cases of cardiac angiosarcoma by introducing this mutation in the Pot1a endogenous locus, knock-in for Pot1aR117C. The Pot1a+/ki mice show longer telomeres than wild-type controls. Longer telomeres in mutant mice are dependent on telomerase activity as they are not found in a telomerase deficient background. As in human Li-Fraumeni patients, heterozygous Pot1a+/ki mice spontaneously develop a high incidence of angiosarcomas, including cardiac angiosarcomas, and this is associated to the presence of abnormally long telomeres in endothelial cells as well as in the tumors. The ki-Pot1aR117C mouse constitutes a potential pre-clinical mouse model for LFL syndrome presenting with high angiosarcoma incidence that could provide in the future a very useful tool for the study of treatments for these tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Martínez
- Telomeres and Telomerase Group, Molecular Oncology Program, Spanish National Cancer Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Raúl Sánchez-Vázquez
- Telomeres and Telomerase Group, Molecular Oncology Program, Spanish National Cancer Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Iole Ferrara-Romeo
- Telomeres and Telomerase Group, Molecular Oncology Program, Spanish National Cancer Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosa Serrano
- Telomeres and Telomerase Group, Molecular Oncology Program, Spanish National Cancer Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Juana M. Flores
- Animal Surgery and Medicine Department, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria A. Blasco
- Telomeres and Telomerase Group, Molecular Oncology Program, Spanish National Cancer Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
- * E-mail:
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18
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Kelich J, Aramburu T, van der Vis JJ, Showe L, Kossenkov A, van der Smagt J, Massink M, Schoemaker A, Hennekam E, Veltkamp M, van Moorsel CH, Skordalakes E. Telomere dysfunction implicates POT1 in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. J Exp Med 2022; 219:e20211681. [PMID: 35420632 PMCID: PMC9014792 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20211681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Exonic sequencing identified a family with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) containing a previously unreported heterozygous mutation in POT1 p.(L259S). The family displays short telomeres and genetic anticipation. We found that POT1(L259S) is defective in binding the telomeric overhang, nuclear accumulation, negative regulation of telomerase, and lagging strand maintenance. Patient cells containing the mutation display telomere loss, lagging strand defects, telomere-induced DNA damage, and premature senescence with G1 arrest. Our data suggest POT1(L259S) is a pathogenic driver of IPF and provide insights into gene therapy options.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Joanne J. van der Vis
- Department of Pulmonology, Interstitial Lung Disease Center of Excellence, St Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein, Netherlands
| | | | | | - Jasper van der Smagt
- Department of Pharmacy and Biomedical Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Maarten Massink
- Department of Pharmacy and Biomedical Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Angela Schoemaker
- Department of Pharmacy and Biomedical Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Eric Hennekam
- Department of Pharmacy and Biomedical Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Marcel Veltkamp
- Department of Pulmonology, Interstitial Lung Disease Center of Excellence, St Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein, Netherlands
| | - Coline H.M. van Moorsel
- Department of Pulmonology, Interstitial Lung Disease Center of Excellence, St Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein, Netherlands
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19
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Michler P, Schedel A, Witschas M, Friedrich UA, Wagener R, Mehtonen J, Brozou T, Menzel M, Walter C, Nabi D, Pearce G, Erlacher M, Göhring G, Dugas M, Heinäniemi M, Borkhardt A, Stölzel F, Hauer J, Auer F. Germline POT1 Deregulation Can Predispose to Myeloid Malignancies in Childhood. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222111572. [PMID: 34769003 PMCID: PMC8583981 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
While the shelterin complex guards and coordinates the mechanism of telomere regulation, deregulation of this process is tightly linked to malignant transformation and cancer. Here, we present the novel finding of a germline stop-gain variant (p.Q199*) in the shelterin complex gene POT1, which was identified in a child with acute myeloid leukemia. We show that the cells overexpressing the mutated POT1 display increased DNA damage and chromosomal instabilities compared to the wildtype counterpart. Protein and mRNA expression analyses in the primary patient cells further confirm that, physiologically, the variant leads to a nonfunctional POT1 allele in the patient. Subsequent telomere length measurements in the primary cells carrying heterozygous POT1 p.Q199* as well as POT1 knockdown AML cells revealed telomeric elongation as the main functional effect. These results show a connection between POT1 p.Q199* and telomeric dysregulation and highlight POT1 germline deficiency as a predisposition to myeloid malignancies in childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia Michler
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital “Carl Gustav Carus”, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (P.M.); (A.S.); (M.W.); (U.A.F.); (M.M.)
| | - Anne Schedel
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital “Carl Gustav Carus”, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (P.M.); (A.S.); (M.W.); (U.A.F.); (M.M.)
| | - Martha Witschas
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital “Carl Gustav Carus”, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (P.M.); (A.S.); (M.W.); (U.A.F.); (M.M.)
| | - Ulrike Anne Friedrich
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital “Carl Gustav Carus”, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (P.M.); (A.S.); (M.W.); (U.A.F.); (M.M.)
| | - Rabea Wagener
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Duesseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany; (R.W.); (T.B.); (A.B.)
| | - Juha Mehtonen
- Institute of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland; (J.M.); (M.H.)
| | - Triantafyllia Brozou
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Duesseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany; (R.W.); (T.B.); (A.B.)
| | - Maria Menzel
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital “Carl Gustav Carus”, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (P.M.); (A.S.); (M.W.); (U.A.F.); (M.M.)
| | - Carolin Walter
- Institute of Medical Informatics, University of Muenster, 48149 Muenster, Germany;
| | - Dalileh Nabi
- Department of Neuropediatrics Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, 10117 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Glen Pearce
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, Medical Faculty “Carl Gustav Carus”, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany;
| | - Miriam Erlacher
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University Medical Center Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany;
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Gudrun Göhring
- Department of Human Genetics, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany;
| | - Martin Dugas
- Institute of Medical Informatics, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany;
| | - Merja Heinäniemi
- Institute of Biomedicine, School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland; (J.M.); (M.H.)
| | - Arndt Borkhardt
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Duesseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany; (R.W.); (T.B.); (A.B.)
| | - Friedrich Stölzel
- Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital “Carl Gustav Carus”, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany;
| | - Julia Hauer
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital “Carl Gustav Carus”, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (P.M.); (A.S.); (M.W.); (U.A.F.); (M.M.)
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), 01307 Dresden, Germany;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-351-458-3522
| | - Franziska Auer
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), 01307 Dresden, Germany;
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20
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Truderung OAH, Sagi JC, Semsei AF, Szalai C. Melanoma susceptibility: an update on genetic and epigenetic findings. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND GENETICS 2021; 12:71-89. [PMID: 34853632 PMCID: PMC8611230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Malignant melanoma is one of the most highly ranked cancers in terms of years of life lost. Hereditary melanoma with its increased familial susceptibility is thought to affect up to 12% of all melanoma patients. In the past, only a few high-penetrance genes associated with familial melanoma, such as CDKN2A and CDK4, have been clinically tested. However, findings now indicate that melanoma is a cancer most likely to develop not only due to high-penetrance variants but also due to polygenic inheritance patterns, leaving no clear division between the hereditary and sporadic development of malignant melanoma. Various pathogenic low-penetrance variants were recently discovered through genome-wide association studies, and are now translated into polygenic risk scores. These can show superior sensitivity rates for the prediction of melanoma susceptibility and related mixed cancer syndromes than risk scores based on phenotypic traits of the patients, with odds ratios of up to 5.7 for patients in risk groups. In addition to describing genetic findings, we also review the first results of epigenetic research showing constitutional methylation changes that alter the susceptibility to cutaneous melanoma and its risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ole AH Truderung
- Department of Genetics, Cell- and Immunobiology, Semmelweis UniversityH-1089 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Judit C Sagi
- Department of Genetics, Cell- and Immunobiology, Semmelweis UniversityH-1089 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Agnes F Semsei
- Department of Genetics, Cell- and Immunobiology, Semmelweis UniversityH-1089 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Csaba Szalai
- Department of Genetics, Cell- and Immunobiology, Semmelweis UniversityH-1089 Budapest, Hungary
- Heim Pal Children’s HospitalH-1089 Budapest, Hungary
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21
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Schratz KE, Gaysinskaya V, Cosner ZL, DeBoy EA, Xiang Z, Kasch-Semenza L, Florea L, Shah PD, Armanios M. Somatic reversion impacts evolution of myelodysplastic syndromes and acute myeloid leukemia in the short telomere disorders. J Clin Invest 2021; 131:e147598. [PMID: 34343137 DOI: 10.1172/jci147598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Germline mutations in telomerase and other telomere maintenance genes manifest in the premature aging short telomere syndromes. Myelodysplastic syndromes and acute myeloid leukemia (MDS/AML) account for 75% of associated malignancies, but how these cancers overcome the inherited telomere defect is unknown. METHODS We used ultra-deep targeted sequencing to detect somatic reversion mutations in 17 candidate telomere lengthening genes among controls and short telomere syndrome patients with and without MDS/AML and we tested the functional significance of these mutations. RESULTS While no controls carried somatic mutations in telomere maintenance genes, 29% (16 of 56) of adults with germline telomere maintenance defects carried at least one (P<0.001) and 13% (7 of 56) had 2 or more. In addition to TERT promoter mutations which were present in 19%, we identified POT1 and TERF2IP mutations in 13%. POT1 mutations impaired telomere binding in vitro and some mutations were identical to ones seen in familial melanoma associated with longer telomere length. Exclusively in patients with germline defects in telomerase RNA (TR), we identified somatic mutations in nuclear RNA exosome genes, RBM7, SKIV2L2, and DIS3, where loss-of-function upregulates mature TR levels. Somatic reversion events in six telomere-related genes were more prevalent in patients who were MDS/AML-free (P = 0.02, RR 4.4, 95% CI 1.2-16.7), and no MDS/AML patient had more than one reversion mutation. CONCLUSIONS Our data identify diverse adaptive somatic mechanisms in the short telomere syndrome; they raise the possibility that their presence alleviates the telomere crisis that promotes transformation to MDS/AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen E Schratz
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States of America
| | - Valeriya Gaysinskaya
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States of America
| | - Zoe L Cosner
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States of America
| | - Emily A DeBoy
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States of America
| | - Zhimin Xiang
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States of America
| | - Laura Kasch-Semenza
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States of America
| | - Liliana Florea
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States of America
| | - Pali D Shah
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States of America
| | - Mary Armanios
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States of America
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22
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Germline POT1 variants can predispose to myeloid and lymphoid neoplasms. Leukemia 2021; 36:283-287. [PMID: 34193977 PMCID: PMC8716670 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-021-01335-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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23
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Claus EB, Cannataro VL, Gaffney SG, Townsend JP. Environmental and sex-specific molecular signatures of glioma causation. Neuro Oncol 2021; 24:29-36. [PMID: 33942853 PMCID: PMC8730771 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noab103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The relative importance of genetic and environmental risk factors in gliomagenesis remains uncertain. Methods Using whole-exome sequencing data from 1105 adult gliomas, we evaluate the relative contribution to cancer cell lineage proliferation and survival of single-nucleotide mutations in tumors by IDH mutation subtype and sex. We also quantify the contributions of COSMIC cancer mutational signatures to these tumors, identifying possible risk exposures. Results IDH-mutant tumors exhibited few unique recurrent substitutions—all in coding regions, while IDH wild-type tumors exhibited many substitutions in non-coding regions. The importance of previously reported mutations in IDH1/2, TP53, EGFR, PTEN, PIK3CA, and PIK3R1 was confirmed; however, the largest cancer effect in IDH wild-type tumors was associated with mutations in the low-prevalence BRAF V600E. Males and females exhibited mutations in a similar set of significantly overburdened genes, with some differences in variant sites—notably in the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway. In IDH-mutant tumors, PIK3CA mutations were located in the helical domain for females and the kinase domain for males; variants of import also differed by sex for PIK3R1. Endogenous age-related mutagenesis was the primary molecular signature identified; a signature associated with exogenous exposure to haloalkanes was identified and noted more frequently in males. Conclusions Cancer-causing mutations in glioma primarily originated as a consequence of endogenous rather than exogenous factors. Mutations in helical vs kinase domains of genes in the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway are differentially selected in males and females. Additionally, a rare environmental risk factor is suggested for some cases of glioma—particularly in males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth B Claus
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Neurosurgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Stephen G Gaffney
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Jeffrey P Townsend
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
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24
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Chang X, Gurung RL, Wang L, Jin A, Li Z, Wang R, Beckman KB, Adams-Haduch J, Meah WY, Sim KS, Lim WK, Davila S, Tan P, Teo JX, Yeo KK, M Y, Liu S, Lim SC, Liu J, van Dam RM, Friedlander Y, Koh WP, Yuan JM, Khor CC, Heng CK, Dorajoo R. Low frequency variants associated with leukocyte telomere length in the Singapore Chinese population. Commun Biol 2021; 4:519. [PMID: 33941849 PMCID: PMC8093266 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02056-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of low frequency variants associated with telomere length homeostasis in chronic diseases and mortalities is relatively understudied in the East-Asian population. Here we evaluated low frequency variants, including 1,915,154 Asian specific variants, for leukocyte telomere length (LTL) associations among 25,533 Singapore Chinese samples. Three East Asian specific variants in/near POT1, TERF1 and STN1 genes are associated with LTL (Meta-analysis P 2.49×10-14-6.94×10-10). Rs79314063, a missense variant (p.Asp410His) at POT1, shows effect 5.3 fold higher and independent of a previous common index SNP. TERF1 (rs79617270) and STN1 (rs139620151) are linked to LTL-associated common index SNPs at these loci. Rs79617270 is associated with cancer mortality [HR95%CI = 1.544 (1.173, 2.032), PAdj = 0.018] and 4.76% of the association between the rs79617270 and colon cancer is mediated through LTL. Overall, genetically determined LTL is particularly associated with lung adenocarcinoma [HR95%CI = 1.123 (1.051, 1.201), Padj = 0.007]. Ethnicity-specific low frequency variants may affect LTL homeostasis and associate with certain cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuling Chang
- Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children's Medical Institute, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Resham L Gurung
- Clinical Research Unit, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ling Wang
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Aizhen Jin
- Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Zheng Li
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Renwei Wang
- Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kenneth B Beckman
- University of Minnesota Genomics Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Jennifer Adams-Haduch
- Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Wee Yang Meah
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kar Seng Sim
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Weng Khong Lim
- SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute of Precision Medicine, Singapore, Singapore
- Cancer & Stem Cell Biology Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
- SingHealth Duke-NUS Genomic Medicine Centre, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sonia Davila
- SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute of Precision Medicine, Singapore, Singapore
- Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Patrick Tan
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore, Singapore
- SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute of Precision Medicine, Singapore, Singapore
- Cancer & Stem Cell Biology Program, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jing Xian Teo
- SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute of Precision Medicine, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Khung Keong Yeo
- SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute of Precision Medicine, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Cardiology, National Heart Centre Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yiamunaa M
- Clinical Research Unit, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sylvia Liu
- Clinical Research Unit, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Su Chi Lim
- Clinical Research Unit, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
- Diabetes Centre, Admiralty Medical Centre, Singapore, Singapore
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jianjun Liu
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Rob M van Dam
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yechiel Friedlander
- School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Woon-Puay Koh
- Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jian-Min Yuan
- Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Chiea Chuen Khor
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore, Singapore
- Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Chew-Kiat Heng
- Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
- Khoo Teck Puat-National University Children's Medical Institute, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - Rajkumar Dorajoo
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science, Technology, and Research, Singapore, Singapore.
- Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
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25
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Jalali A, Yu K, Beechar V, Bosquez Huerta NA, Grichuk A, Mehra D, Lozzi B, Kong K, Scott KL, Rao G, Bainbridge MN, Bondy ML, Deneen B. POT1 Regulates Proliferation and Confers Sexual Dimorphism in Glioma. Cancer Res 2021; 81:2703-2713. [PMID: 33782098 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-20-3755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Germline POT1 mutations are found in a spectrum of cancers and confer increased risk. Recently, we identified a series of novel germline POT1 mutations that predispose carrier families to the development of glioma. Despite these strong associations, how these glioma-associated POT1 mutations contribute to glioma tumorigenesis remains undefined. Here we show that POT1-G95C increases proliferation in glioma-initiating cells in vitro and in progenitor populations in the developing brain. In a native mouse model of glioma, loss of Pot1a/b resulted in decreased survival in females compared with males. These findings were corroborated in human glioma, where low POT1 expression correlated with decreased survival in females. Transcriptomic and IHC profiling of Pot1a/b-deficient glioma revealed that tumors in females exhibited decreased expression of immune markers and increased expression of cell-cycle signatures. Similar sex-dependent trends were observed in human gliomas that had low expression of POT1. Together, our studies demonstrate context-dependent functions for POT1 mutation or loss in driving progenitor proliferation in the developing brain and sexual dimorphism in glioma. SIGNIFICANCE: This study shows that manipulation of POT1 expression in glioma has sex-specific effects on tumorigenesis and associated immune signatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Jalali
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Kwanha Yu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.,Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Vivek Beechar
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Navish A Bosquez Huerta
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.,Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Anthony Grichuk
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Deepika Mehra
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Brittney Lozzi
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Kathleen Kong
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Kenneth L Scott
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Ganesh Rao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Matthew N Bainbridge
- Rady Children's Institute of Genomic Medicine, Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego, California
| | - Melissa L Bondy
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California
| | - Benjamin Deneen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas. .,Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.,Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
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26
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Wu Y, Poulos RC, Reddel RR. Role of POT1 in Human Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12102739. [PMID: 32987645 PMCID: PMC7598640 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12102739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Revised: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The segmentation of eukaryotic genomes into discrete linear chromosomes requires processes to solve several major biological problems, including prevention of the chromosome ends being recognized as DNA breaks and compensation for the shortening that occurs when linear DNA is replicated. A specialized set of six proteins, collectively referred to as shelterin, is involved in both of these processes, and mutations in several of these are now known to be involved in cancer. Here, we focus on Protection of Telomeres 1 (POT1), the shelterin protein that appears to be most commonly involved in cancer, and consider the clinical significance of findings about its biological functions and the prevalence of inherited and acquired mutations in the POT1 gene. Abstract Telomere abnormalities facilitate cancer development by contributing to genomic instability and cellular immortalization. The Protection of Telomeres 1 (POT1) protein is an essential subunit of the shelterin telomere binding complex. It directly binds to single-stranded telomeric DNA, protecting chromosomal ends from an inappropriate DNA damage response, and plays a role in telomere length regulation. Alterations of POT1 have been detected in a range of cancers. Here, we review the biological functions of POT1, the prevalence of POT1 germline and somatic mutations across cancer predisposition syndromes and tumor types, and the dysregulation of POT1 expression in cancers. We propose a framework for understanding how POT1 abnormalities may contribute to oncogenesis in different cell types. Finally, we summarize the clinical implications of POT1 alterations in the germline and in cancer, and possible approaches for the development of targeted cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangxiu Wu
- Cancer Research Unit, Children’s Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead NSW 2145, Australia;
- ProCan® Cancer Data Science Group, Children’s Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead NSW 2145, Australia;
| | - Rebecca C. Poulos
- ProCan® Cancer Data Science Group, Children’s Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead NSW 2145, Australia;
| | - Roger R. Reddel
- Cancer Research Unit, Children’s Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead NSW 2145, Australia;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +61-2-8865-2901
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27
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Peltomäki P, Olkinuora A, Nieminen TT. Updates in the field of hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer. Expert Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2020; 14:707-720. [PMID: 32755332 DOI: 10.1080/17474124.2020.1782187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Up to one third of colorectal cancers show familial clustering and 5% are hereditary single-gene disorders. Hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer comprises DNA mismatch repair-deficient and -proficient subsets, represented by Lynch syndrome (LS) and familial colorectal cancer type X (FCCTX), respectively. Accurate knowledge of molecular etiology and genotype-phenotype correlations are critical for tailored cancer prevention and treatment. AREAS COVERED The authors highlight advances in the molecular dissection of hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer, based on recent literature retrieved from PubMed. Future possibilities for novel gene discoveries are discussed. EXPERT COMMENTARY LS is molecularly well established, but new information is accumulating of the associated clinical and tumor phenotypes. FCCTX remains poorly defined, but several promising candidate genes have been discovered and share some preferential biological pathways. Multi-level characterization of specimens from large patient cohorts representing multiple populations, combined with proper bioinformatic and functional analyses, will be necessary to resolve the outstanding questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paivi Peltomäki
- Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, University of Helsinki , Helsinki, Finland
| | - Alisa Olkinuora
- Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, University of Helsinki , Helsinki, Finland
| | - Taina T Nieminen
- Department of Medical and Clinical Genetics, University of Helsinki , Helsinki, Finland
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28
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MiR-185 targets POT1 to induce telomere dysfunction and cellular senescence. Aging (Albany NY) 2020; 12:14791-14807. [PMID: 32687062 PMCID: PMC7425516 DOI: 10.18632/aging.103541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Protection of telomere 1 (POT1), the telomeric single-stranded DNA (ssDNA)-binding protein in the shelterin complex, has been implicated in the DNA damage response, tumorigenesis and aging. Telomere dysfunction induced by telomere deprotection could accelerate cellular senescence in primary human cells. While previous work demonstrated the biological mechanism of POT1 in aging and cancer, how POT1 is posttranscriptionally regulated remains largely unknown. To better understand the POT1 regulatory axis, we performed bioinformatic prediction, and selected candidates were further confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Collectively, our results revealed that miR-185 can significantly reduce POT1 mRNA and protein levels by directly targeting the POT1 3’-untranslated region (3’-UTR). Overexpression of miR-185 increased telomere dysfunction-induced foci (TIF) signals in both cancer cells and primary human fibroblasts. Elevated miR-185 led to telomere elongation in the telomerase-positive cell line HTC75, which was phenotypically consistent with POT1 knocking down. Moreover, miR-185 accelerated the replicative senescence process in primary human fibroblasts in a POT1-dependent manner. Interestingly, increased serum miR-185 could represent a potential aging-related biomarker. Taken together, our findings reveal miR-185 as a novel aging-related miRNA that targets POT1 and provide insight into the telomere and senescence regulatory network at both the intracellular and extracellular levels.
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29
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Fernandes SG, Dsouza R, Pandya G, Kirtonia A, Tergaonkar V, Lee SY, Garg M, Khattar E. Role of Telomeres and Telomeric Proteins in Human Malignancies and Their Therapeutic Potential. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E1901. [PMID: 32674474 PMCID: PMC7409176 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12071901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomeres are the ends of linear chromosomes comprised of repetitive nucleotide sequences in humans. Telomeres preserve chromosomal stability and genomic integrity. Telomere length shortens with every cell division in somatic cells, eventually resulting in replicative senescence once telomere length becomes critically short. Telomere shortening can be overcome by telomerase enzyme activity that is undetectable in somatic cells, while being active in germline cells, stem cells, and immune cells. Telomeres are bound by a shelterin complex that regulates telomere lengthening as well as protects them from being identified as DNA damage sites. Telomeres are transcribed by RNA polymerase II, and generate a long noncoding RNA called telomeric repeat-containing RNA (TERRA), which plays a key role in regulating subtelomeric gene expression. Replicative immortality and genome instability are hallmarks of cancer and to attain them cancer cells exploit telomere maintenance and telomere protection mechanisms. Thus, understanding the role of telomeres and their associated proteins in cancer initiation, progression and treatment is very important. The present review highlights the critical role of various telomeric components with recently established functions in cancer. Further, current strategies to target various telomeric components including human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) as a therapeutic approach in human malignancies are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stina George Fernandes
- Sunandan Divatia School of Science, SVKM’s NMIMS (Deemed to be University), Vile Parle West, Mumbai 400056, India; (S.G.F.); (R.D.)
| | - Rebecca Dsouza
- Sunandan Divatia School of Science, SVKM’s NMIMS (Deemed to be University), Vile Parle West, Mumbai 400056, India; (S.G.F.); (R.D.)
| | - Gouri Pandya
- Amity Institute of Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research (AIMMSCR), Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida 201313, India; (G.P.); (A.K.)
| | - Anuradha Kirtonia
- Amity Institute of Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research (AIMMSCR), Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida 201313, India; (G.P.); (A.K.)
| | - Vinay Tergaonkar
- Laboratory of NF-κB Signaling, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore 138673, Singapore; (V.T.); (S.Y.L.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore 117597, Singapore
- Department of Pathology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore 117597, Singapore
| | - Sook Y. Lee
- Laboratory of NF-κB Signaling, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore 138673, Singapore; (V.T.); (S.Y.L.)
| | - Manoj Garg
- Amity Institute of Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research (AIMMSCR), Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida 201313, India; (G.P.); (A.K.)
| | - Ekta Khattar
- Sunandan Divatia School of Science, SVKM’s NMIMS (Deemed to be University), Vile Parle West, Mumbai 400056, India; (S.G.F.); (R.D.)
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30
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Frequent Mutations of POT1 Distinguish Pulmonary Sarcomatoid Carcinoma From Other Lung Cancer Histologies. Clin Lung Cancer 2020; 21:e523-e527. [PMID: 32414627 DOI: 10.1016/j.cllc.2020.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma (PSC) is a rare subtype of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring mutations in many canonical NSCLC-driver genes (eg, TP53, KRAS, MET). Protection of telomeres 1 (POT1) mutations are observed in angiosarcoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, but their frequency in other solid tumors, including NSCLC subtypes, has not been rigorously explored. MATERIALS AND METHODS We analyzed next-generation sequencing data from 62,368 tumors, including 11,134 NSCLCs and 100 PSCs. We performed logistic regression to identify associations between POT1 mutation frequency and tumor histology across 184 tumor categories, adjusting for tumor mutational burden. We further explored co-occurring gene mutations in genes previously reported to underlie PSC tumorigenesis. RESULTS Across 184 tumor categories, POT1 mutations were most frequent in PSC and were 14 times more common in PSC (28%) than in other tumor types (P = 1.23 × 10-31) and 6.7 times more common in PSC than other NSCLCs (P = 5.1 × 10-17). PSCs harboring KRAS mutations were significantly more likely to harbor POT1 mutations (P = 1.3 × 10-3), whereas those with TP53 mutations were less likely to harbor POT1 mutations (P = .037). One-fourth of POT1-mutated PSCs harbored a second POT1 mutation. Across all PSCs, 83% of POT1 mutations were in the OB1/OB2 (DNA-binding) domain (P = 1.5 × 10-5), an enrichment not observed in other tumor types. CONCLUSION We report an unanticipated association between POT1 mutation and PSC. Unlike other molecular alterations that are frequent across NSCLC subtypes, POT1 mutations are largely unique to PSC. This finding may help to develop disease-defining molecular subgroups within PSC and presents opportunities for molecularly stratified prognostication and therapy.
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