Amplicon mapping and expression profiling identify the Fas-associated death domain gene as a new driver in the 11q13.3 amplicon in laryngeal/pharyngeal cancer

FADD amplification is associated with CD8+ T-cell exclusion and malignant progression in HNSCC

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to clarify the relationship between FADD amplification and overexpression and the tumor immune microenvironment.

METHODS

Immunohistochemical staining and bioanalysis were used to analyze the association between FADD expression in tumor cells and cells in tumor microenvironment. RNA-seq analysis was used to detect the differences in gene expression upon FADD overexpression. Flow cytometry and multicolor immunofluorescence staining (mIHC) were used to detect the differences in CD8+ T-cell infiltration in FADD-overexpressed cells or tumor tissues.

RESULTS

Overexpression of FADD significantly promoted tumor growth. Cells with high FADD expression presented high expression of CD276 and FGFBP1 and low expression of proinflammatory factors (such as IFIT1-3 and CXCL8), which reduced the percentage of CD8+ T cells and created a "cold tumor" immune microenvironment, thus promoting tumor progression. In vivo and in vitro experiment confirmed that tumor tissues with excessive FADD expression exhibited CD8+ T-cell exclusion in the microenvironment.

CONCLUSION

Our preliminary investigation has discovered the association between FADD expression and the immunosuppressive microenvironment in HNSCC. Due to the high frequent amplification of the chromosomal region 11q13.3, where FADD is located, targeting FADD holds promise for improving the immune-inactive state of tumors, subsequently inhibiting HNSCC tumor progression.

Identification of PANoptosis-related biomarkers and analysis of prognostic values in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

PANoptosis plays a crucial role in cancer initiation and progression. However, the roles of PANoptosis-related genes (PARGs) in the prognosis and immune landscape of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remain unclear. Integrated bioinformatics analyses based on the data of HNSCC patients in the TCGA database were conducted. We extracted 48 PARGs expression profile and then conducted differentially expressed analysis, following building a Cox model to predict the survival of HNSCC patients. Subsequently, the relationships between the risk score, immune landscape, chemo-, and immune-therapy responses were analyzed, respectively. Moreover, we investigated the prognostic value, and further predicted the pathways influenced by PARGs. Finally, we identified the biological function of crucial PARGs. A total of 18 differentially expressed PARGs were identified in HNSCC, and a Cox model including CASP8, FADD, NLRP1, TNF, and ZBP1 was constructed, which showed that the risk score was associated with the prognosis as well as immune infiltration of HNSCC patients, and the risk score could be regarded as an independent biomarker. Additionally, patients with high-risk score might be an indicator of lymph node metastasis and advanced clinical stage. High-risk scores also contributed to the chemotherapy resistance and immune escape of HNSCC patients. In addition, FADD and ZBP1 played a crucial role in various cancer-related pathways, such as the MAPK, WNT, and MTOR signaling pathways. On the other hand, we suggested that FADD facilitated the progression and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) resistance of HNSCC cells. A signature based on PANoptosis showed great predictive power for lymph node metastasis and advanced stage, suggesting that the risk score might be an independent prognostic biomarker for HNSCC. Meanwhile, FADD, identified as a prognostic biomarker, may represent an effective therapeutic target for HNSCC.

Identifying prognostic genes related PANoptosis in lung adenocarcinoma and developing prediction model based on bioinformatics analysis

Cell death-related genes indicate prognosis in cancer patients. PANoptosis is a newly observed form of cell death that researchers have linked to cancer cell death and antitumor immunity. Even so, its significance in lung adenocarcinomas (LUADs) has yet to be elucidated. We extracted and analyzed data on mRNA gene expression and clinical information from public databases in a systematic manner. These data were utilized to construct a reliable risk prediction model for six regulators of PANoptosis. The Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database validated six genes with risk characteristics. The prognosis of LUAD patients could be accurately estimated by the six-gene-based model: NLR family CARD domain-containing protein 4 (NLRC4), FAS-associated death domain protein (FADD), Tumor necrosis factor receptor type 1-associated DEATH domain protein (TRADD), Receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (RIPK1), Proline-serine-threonine phosphatase-interacting protein 2 (PSTPIP2), and Mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL). Group of higher risk and Cluster 2 indicated a poor prognosis as well as the reduced expression of immune infiltrate molecules and human leukocyte antigen. Distinct expression of PANoptosis-related genes (PRGs) in lung cancer cells was verified using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Furthermore, we evaluated the relationship between PRGs and somatic mutations, tumor immune dysfunction exclusion, tumor stemness indices, and immune infiltration. Using the risk signature, we conducted analyses including nomogram construction, stratification, prediction of small-molecule drug response, somatic mutations, and chemotherapeutic response.

The adapter protein FADD provides an alternate pathway for entry into the cell cycle by regulating APC/C-Cdh1 E3 ubiquitin ligase activity

The E3 ubiquitin ligase APC/C-Cdh1 maintains the G0/G1 state, and its inactivation is required for cell cycle entry. We reveal a novel role for Fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD) in the cell cycle through its function as an inhibitor of APC/C-Cdh1. Using real-time, single-cell imaging of live cells combined with biochemical analysis, we demonstrate that APC/C-Cdh1 hyperactivity in FADD-deficient cells leads to a G1 arrest despite persistent mitogenic signaling through oncogenic EGFR/KRAS. We further show that FADDWT interacts with Cdh1, while a mutant lacking a consensus KEN-box motif (FADDKEN) fails to interact with Cdh1 and results in a G1 arrest due to its inability to inhibit APC/C-Cdh1. Additionally, enhanced expression of FADDWT but not FADDKEN, in cells arrested in G1 upon CDK4/6 inhibition, leads to APC/C-Cdh1 inactivation and entry into the cell cycle in the absence of retinoblastoma protein phosphorylation. FADD's function in the cell cycle requires its phosphorylation by CK1α at Ser-194 which promotes its nuclear translocation. Overall, FADD provides a CDK4/6-Rb-E2F-independent "bypass" mechanism for cell cycle entry and thus a therapeutic opportunity for CDK4/6 inhibitor resistance.

Prognostic significance and immune correlates of FADD in penile squamous cell carcinoma

Penile squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) with a poor prognosis lacks reliable biomarkers for stratifying patients. Fas-associated death domain (FADD) could regulate cell proliferation and has shown promising diagnostic and prognostic significance in multiple cancers. However, researchers have not determined how FADD exerts its effect on PSCC. In this study, we set out to investigate the clinical features of FADD and the prognostic impact of PSCC. Additionally, we also assessed the role of affecting the immune environment in PSCC. Immunohistochemistry was carried out to evaluate the protein expression of FADD. The difference between FADD^high and FADD^low was explored by RNA sequencing from available cases. The immune environment evaluation of CD4, CD8, and Foxp3 was performed by immunohistochemical. In this study, we found that FADD was overexpressed in 19.6 (39/199) patients, and the overexpression of FADD was associated with phimosis (p=0.007), N stage (p<0.001), clinical stage (p=0.001), and histologic grade (p=0.005). The overexpression of FADD was an independent prognostic factor for both PFS (HR 3.976, 95% CI 2.413-6.553, p<0.001) and OS (HR 4.134, 95% CI 2.358-7.247, p<0.001). In addition, overexpression of FADD was mainly linked to T cell activation and PD-L1 expression combined with PD-L1 checkpoint in cancer. Further validation demonstrated that overexpression of FADD was positively correlated with the infiltration of Foxp3 in PSCC (p=0.0142). It is the first time to show that overexpression of FADD is an adjunct biomarker with poor prognosis in PSCC and could also serve as a tumor immune environment regulator.

FADD as a key molecular player in cancer progression

Cancer is a leading disease-related cause of death worldwide. Despite advances in therapeutic interventions, cancer remains a major global public health problem. Cancer pathogenesis is extremely intricate and largely unknown. Fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD) was initially identified as an adaptor protein for death receptor-mediated extrinsic apoptosis. Recent evidence suggests that FADD plays a vital role in non-apoptotic cellular processes, such as proliferation, autophagy, and necroptosis. FADD expression and activity of are modulated by a complicated network of processes, such as DNA methylation, non-coding RNA, and post-translational modification. FADD dysregulation has been shown to be closely associated with the pathogenesis of numerous types of cancer. However, the detailed mechanisms of FADD dysregulation involved in cancer progression are still not fully understood. This review mainly summarizes recent findings on the structure, functions, and regulatory mechanisms of FADD and focuses on its role in cancer progression. The clinical implications of FADD as a biomarker and therapeutic target for cancer patients are also discussed. The information reviewed herein may expand researchers’ understanding of FADD and contribute to the development of FADD-based therapeutic strategies for cancer patients.

Cancer of the Larynx and Hypopharynx

The Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 91-11 trial and US Veterans Affairs trial revolutionized the way locally advanced laryngeal cancers are treated. Adjuvant therapies exist aimed toward laryngeal preservation using docetaxel, cisplatin, and fluorouracil. Cetuximab is a cornerstone of treatment due to the large role of epidermal growth factor receptor in laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinomas. In addition, the immune system is vital in the prevention of recurrence, and various immunomodulators against programmed cell death receptor 1 are being investigated. Multidisciplinary management of the patient with laryngeal and hypopharyngeal is key, as many vital functions are affected by this devastating disease.

Novel Autophagy-Related Gene Signature Investigation for Patients With Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

The correlation between autophagy defects and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has been previously studied, but only based on a limited number of autophagy-related genes in cell lines or animal models. The aim of the present study was to analyze differentially expressed autophagy-related genes through The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database to explore enriched pathways and potential biological function. Based on TCGA database, a signature composed of four autophagy-related genes (CDKN2A, NKX2-3, NRG3, and FADD) was established by using multivariate Cox regression models and two Gene Expression Omnibus datasets were applied for external validation. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were performed to study the function of autophagy-related genes and their pathways. The most significant GO and KEGG pathways were enriched in several key pathways that were related to the progression of autophagy and OSCC. Furthermore, a prognostic risk score was constructed based on the four genes; patients were then divided into two groups (i.e., high risk and low risk) in terms of the median of risk score. Prognosis of the two groups and results showed that patients at the low-risk group had a much better prognosis than those at the high-risk group, regardless of whether they were in the training datasets or validation datasets. Multivariate Cox regression results indicated that the risk score of the autophagy-related gene signatures could greatly predict the prognosis of patients after controlling for several clinical covariates. The findings of the present study revealed that autophagy-related gene signatures play an important role in OSCC and are potential prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Cortactin expression assessment improves patient selection for a watchful waiting strategy in pT1cN0-staged oral squamous cell carcinomas with a tumor infiltration depth below 4 mm

BACKGROUND

In this feasibility study we aimed to evaluate the value of previously reported molecular tumor biomarkers associated with lymph node metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) to optimize neck strategy selection criteria.

METHODS

The association between expression of cortactin, cyclin D1, FADD, RAB25, and S100A9 and sentinel lymph node status was evaluated in a series of 87 (cT1-2N0) patients with OSCC treated with primary resection and SLNB procedure.

RESULTS

Tumor infiltration depth and tumor pattern of invasion were independent prognostic markers for SLN status, while none of the tumor makers showed a better prognostic value to replace SLNB as neck staging technique in the total cohort. However, in the subgroup of patients with pT1N0 OSCC, cortactin expression (OR 16.0, 95%CI 2.0-127.9) was associated with SLN classification.

CONCLUSIONS

Expression of cortactin is a promising immunohistochemical tumor marker to identify patients at low risk that may not benefit from SLNB or END.

Prognostic and Clinicopathological Significance of FADD Upregulation in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Fas-associated death domain (FADD) upregulation, i.e., gene amplification, protein phosphorylation and/or overexpression, has shown promising prognostic implications in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the clinicopathological and prognostic significance of FADD upregulation in HNSCC. We searched studies published before February 2020 through PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar. We evaluated the quality of the studies included using the QUIPS tool. The impact of FADD upregulation on survival and clinicopathological variables was meta-analysed. We explored heterogeneity and their sources, conducted sensitivity analyses and investigated small-study effects. Thirteen studies (1,923 patients) met inclusion criteria. FADD immunohistochemical overexpression was statistically associated with worse overall survival (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.52, 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 1.28-1.81, p < 0.001), disease-specific survival (HR = 2.52, 95% CI = 1.61-3.96, p < 0.001), disease-free survival (HR = 1.67, 95% CI=1.29-2.15, p < 0.001), higher clinical stage (odds ratio [OR] = 1.72, 95% CI = 1.17-2.51, p = 0.005) and a large magnitude of effect with N+ status (OR = 2.36, 95% CI = 1.85-3.00, p < 0.001). FADD phosphorylation in ser-194 demonstrated no prognostic value, while no conclusive results can be drawn for FADD gene amplification. In conclusion, our findings indicate that immunohistochemical assessment of FADD overexpression could be incorporated into the prognostic evaluation of HNSCC.

Distinct Biomarker Profiles and Clinical Characteristics in T1-T2 Glottic and Supraglottic Carcinomas

Background

In early stage laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) radiotherapy with curative intent is a major treatment modality. TNM classification is used to define patients eligible for radiotherapy. Studies in early stage glottic LSCC identified several predictive biomarkers associated with local control. However, we recently reported that this predictive value could not be confirmed in supraglottic LSCC.

Objective

To examine whether clinical behavior and protein expression patterns of these biomarkers differ between glottic and supraglottic LSCC.

Study Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Methods

Tumor tissue sections of 196 glottic and 80 supraglottic T1‐T2 LSCC treated primarily with RT were assessed immunohistochemically for expression of pAKT, Ki‐67 and β‐Catenin. Expression data of HIF‐1α, CA‐IX, OPN, FADD, pFADD, Cyclin D1, Cortactin and EGFR in the same cohort of glottic and supraglottic LSCC, were retrieved from previously reported data. The relationship between glottic and supraglottic sublocalization and clinicopathological, follow‐up, and immunohistochemical staining characteristics were evaluated using logistic regression and Cox regression analyses.

Results

Glottic LSCC were correlated with male gender (P = .001), hoarseness as a primary symptom (P < .001), T1 tumor stage (P < .001), negative lymph node status (P < .001), and an older age at presentation (P = .004). Supraglottic LSCC patients developed more post‐treatment distant metastasis when adjusted for gender, age, and T‐status. While supraglottic LSCC was associated with higher expression of HIF‐1α (P = .001), Cortactin (P < .001), EGFR (P < .001), and Ki‐67 (P = .027), glottic LSCC demonstrated higher expression of CA‐IX (P = .005) and Cyclin D1 (P = .001).

Conclusion

Differences in clinicopathological and immunohistochemical staining characteristics suggest that T1‐T2 glottic and supraglottic LSCC should be considered as different entities.

Level of Evidence

N/A. Laryngoscope, 2020

The emerging role of SPOP protein in tumorigenesis and cancer therapy

The nuclear speckle-type pox virus and zinc finger (POZ) protein (SPOP), a representative substrate-recognition subunit of the cullin-RING E3 ligase, has been characterized to play a dual role in tumorigenesis and cancer progression. Numerous studies have determined that SPOP suppresses tumorigenesis in a variety of human malignancies such as prostate, lung, colon, gastric, and liver cancers. However, several studies revealed that SPOP exhibited oncogenic function in kidney cancer, suggesting that SPOP could exert its biological function in a cancer type-specific manner. The role of SPOP in thyroid, cervical, ovarian, bone and neurologic cancers has yet to be determined. In this review article, we describe the structure and regulation of SPOP in human cancer. Moreover, we highlight the critical role of SPOP in tumorigenesis based on three major categories: physiological evidence (animal models), pathological evidence (human cancer specimens) and biochemical evidence (downstream ubiquitin substrates). Furthermore, we note that SPOP could be a promising therapeutic target for cancer treatment.

The emerging role of SPOP protein in tumorigenesis and cancer therapy

The nuclear speckle-type pox virus and zinc finger (POZ) protein (SPOP), a representative substrate-recognition subunit of the cullin-RING E3 ligase, has been characterized to play a dual role in tumorigenesis and cancer progression. Numerous studies have determined that SPOP suppresses tumorigenesis in a variety of human malignancies such as prostate, lung, colon, gastric, and liver cancers. However, several studies revealed that SPOP exhibited oncogenic function in kidney cancer, suggesting that SPOP could exert its biological function in a cancer type-specific manner. The role of SPOP in thyroid, cervical, ovarian, bone and neurologic cancers has yet to be determined. In this review article, we describe the structure and regulation of SPOP in human cancer. Moreover, we highlight the critical role of SPOP in tumorigenesis based on three major categories: physiological evidence (animal models), pathological evidence (human cancer specimens) and biochemical evidence (downstream ubiquitin substrates). Furthermore, we note that SPOP could be a promising therapeutic target for cancer treatment.

FADD in Cancer: Mechanisms of Altered Expression and Function, and Clinical Implications

FADD was initially described as an adaptor molecule for death receptor-mediated apoptosis, but subsequently it has been implicated in nonapoptotic cellular processes such as proliferation and cell cycle control. During the last decade, FADD has been shown to play a pivotal role in most of the signalosome complexes, such as the necroptosome and the inflammasome. Interestingly, various mechanisms involved in regulating FADD functions have been identified, essentially posttranslational modifications and secretion. All these aspects have been thoroughly addressed in previous reviews. However, FADD implication in cancer is complex, due to pleiotropic effects. It has been reported either as anti- or protumorigenic, depending on the cell type. Regulation of FADD expression in cancer is a complex issue since both overexpression and downregulation have been reported, but the mechanisms underlying such alterations have not been fully unveiled. Posttranslational modifications also constitute a relevant mechanism controlling FADD levels and functions in tumor cells. In this review, we aim to provide detailed, updated information on alterations leading to changes in FADD expression and function in cancer. The participation of FADD in various biological processes is recapitulated, with a mention of interesting novel functions recently proposed for FADD, such as regulation of gene expression and control of metabolic pathways. Finally, we gather all the available evidence regarding the clinical implications of FADD alterations in cancer, especially as it has been proposed as a potential biomarker with prognostic value.

FGF19 amplification reveals an oncogenic dependency upon autocrine FGF19/FGFR4 signaling in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

The fibroblast growth factor 19 gene FGF19 has previously been reported to be amplified in several cancer types and encodes for a key autocrine signaler known to promote tumorigenic growth. Thus, it is imperative to understand which cancers are oncogenically addicted to FGF19 amplification as well as the role it serves in these cancer types. We report for the first time high FGF19 amplification in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC), which is associated with increased autocrine secretion of FGF19 and poor patient outcome in HNSCC. FGF19 amplification corresponded with constitutive activation of FGF receptor 4 (FGFR4)-dependent ERK/AKT-p70S6K-S6 signaling activation in HNSCC cells, and addition of human recombinant FGF19 could promote cell proliferation and soft agar colony formation in HNSCC cells with low FGF19 expression through activation of FGFR4 and downstream signaling cascades. In contrast, FGF19 knockout counteracts the observed effects in HNSCC cells carrying high endogenous FGF19, with knockout of FGF19 significantly suppressing tumor growth in an orthotopic mouse model of HNSCC. Collectively, this study demonstrates that FGF19 gene amplification corresponds with an increased dependency upon FGF19/FGFR4 autocrine signaling in HNSCC, revealing a therapeutic target for this cancer type.

S194-P-FADD as a marker of aggressiveness and poor prognosis in human T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma

T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma is a haematological disease with an urgent need for reliable prognostic biomarkers that allow therapeutic stratification and dose adjustment. The scarcity of human samples is responsible for the delayed progress in the study and the clinical management of this disease, especially compared with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, its leukemic counterpart. In the present work, we have determined by immunohistochemistry that S194-P-FADD protein is significantly reduced in a cohort of 22 samples from human T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma. Notably, the extent of such reduction varies significantly among samples and has revealed determinant for the outcome of the tumour. We demonstrate that Fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD) phosphorylation status affects protein stability, subcellular localization and non-apoptotic functions, specifically cell proliferation. Phosphorylated FADD would be more stable and preferentially localized to the cell nucleus; there, it would favour cell proliferation. We show that patients with higher levels of S194-P-FADD exhibit more proliferative tumours and that they present worse clinical characteristics and a significant enrichment to an oncogenic signature. This supports that FADD phosphorylation may serve as a predictor for T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma aggressiveness and clinical status. In summary, we propose FADD phosphorylation as a new biomarker with prognostic value in T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma.

An insight into the anticancer mechanism of Tribulus terrestris extracts on human breast cancer cells

Tribulus terrestris (TT), a herb belonging to Zygophyllaceae family is widely used due to its medicinal properties. This study was undertaken to elucidate the anticancer mechanism of TT on MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Cytotoxic effect of the herb was assessed by 3-(4,5-diethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Apoptotic potential was assessed through DNA fragmentation, TUNEL and caspase 3 activity assays. Expressions of genes regulating the apoptotic pathway were examined by RT-PCR and expression of proteins was analyzed by immunocytochemistry. The result of MTT assay revealed that methanolic and saponin extracts from leaves and seeds of TT were cytotoxic to MCF-7 cells. Cytotoxicity studies on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) proved that TT extracts were non-toxic to non-malignant cells. Treatment of human breast cancer MCF-7 cells with seed and leaf methanol and saponin extracts of TT resulted in fragmentation of DNA and induction of apoptosis. This was evident by agarose gel electrophoresis of DNA and TUNNEL assay. The extracts of TT also caused a significant increase in caspase 3 activity in MCF-7 cells. TT extracts caused an induction of intrinsic apoptotic pathway which was evident by the upregulation in the expression of Bax and p53 genes and downregulation in the expression of Bcl-2. FADD, AIF and caspase 8 genes were also upregulated indicating the possible induction of extrinsic apoptotic pathway. Therefore, our results suggest that the Tribulus terrestris (TT) extracts may exert their anticancer activity by both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways.

FADD at the Crossroads between Cancer and Inflammation

Initially described as an adaptor molecule for death receptor (DR)-mediated apoptosis, Fas-associated death domain (FADD) was later implicated in nonapoptotic cellular processes. During the last decade, FADD has been shown to participate and regulate most of the signalosome complexes, including necrosome, FADDosome, innateosome, and inflammasome. Given the role of these signaling complexes, FADD has emerged as a new actor in innate immunity, inflammation, and cancer development. Concomitant to these new roles, a surprising number of mechanisms deemed to regulate FADD functions have been identified, including post-translational modifications of FADD protein and FADD secretion. This review focuses on recent knowledge of the biological roles of FADD, a pleiotropic molecule having multiple partners, and its impact in cancer, innate immunity, and inflammation.

The chromosome 11q13.3 amplification associated lymph node metastasis is driven by miR-548k through modulating tumor microenvironment

Background

The prognosis for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients with lymph node metastasis (LNM) is still dismal. Elucidation of the LNM associated genomic alteration and underlying molecular mechanisms may provide clinical therapeutic strategies for ESCC treatment.

Methods

Joint analysis of ESCC sequencing data were conducted to comprehensively survey SCNAs and identify driver genes which significantly associated with LNM. The roles of miR-548k in lymphangiogensis and lymphatic metastasis were validated both in vitro and in vivo. ESCC tissue and blood samples were analyzed for association between miR-548k expression and patient clinicopathological features and prognosis and diagnosis.

Results

In the pooled cohort of 314 ESCC patients, we found 76 significant focused regions including 43 amplifications and 33 deletions. Clinical implication analysis revealed a panel of genes associated with LNM with the most frequently amplified gene being MIR548K harbored in the 11q13.3 amplicon. Overexpression of miR-548k remarkably promotes lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we demonstrated that miR-548k modulating the tumor microenvironment by promoting VEGFC secretion and stimulating lymphangiogenesis through ADAMTS1/VEGFC/VEGFR3 pathways, while promoting metastasis by regulating KLF10/EGFR axis. Importantly, we found that serum miR-548k and VEGFC of early stage ESCC patients were significantly higher than that in healthy donators, suggesting a promising application of miR-548k and VEGFC as biomarkers in early diagnosis of ESCC.

Conclusions

Our study comprehensively characterized SCNAs in ESCC and highlighted the crucial role of miR-548k in promoting lymphatic metastasis, which might be employed as a new diagnostic and prognostic marker for ESCC.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12943-018-0871-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD) regulates autophagy through promoting the expression of Ras homolog enriched in brain (Rheb) in human breast adenocarcinoma cells

FADD (Fas-associated protein with death domain) is a classical adaptor protein in apoptosis. Increasing evidences have shown that FADD is also implicated in cell cycle progression, proliferation and tumorigenesis. The role of FADD in cancer remains largely unexplored. In this study, In Silico Analysis using Oncomine and Kaplan Meier plotter revealed that FADD is significantly up-regulated in breast cancer tissues and closely associated with a poor prognosis in patients with breast cancer. To better understanding the FADD functions in breast cancer, we performed proteomics analysis by LC-MS/MS detection and found that Rheb-mTORC1 pathway was dysregulated in MCF-7 cells when FADD knockdown. The mTORC1 pathway is a key regulator in many processes, including cell growth, metabolism and autophagy. Here, FADD interference down-regulated Rheb expression and repressed mTORC1 activity in breast cancer cell lines. The autophagy was induced by FADD deficiency in MCF7 or MDA-231 cells but rescued by recovering Rheb expression. Similarly, growth defect in FADD-knockdown cells was also restored by Rheb overexpression. These findings implied a novel role of FADD in tumor progression via Rheb-mTORC1 pathway in breast cancer.

Genomic profiling of intestinal-type sinonasal adenocarcinoma reveals subgroups of patients with distinct clinical outcomes

BACKGROUND

Patients with intestinal-type sinonasal adenocarcinoma (ITAC) have an unfavorable prognosis and new therapeutic approaches are needed to improve clinical management.

METHODS

Genetic analysis of 96 ITACs was performed by microarray comparative genomic hybridization and immunohistochemistry and correlated to previously obtained mutation, methylation, and protein expression data, and with pathological characteristics and clinical outcome.

RESULTS

Seven copy number alterations (CNAs) were significantly associated with unfavorable clinical outcome: gains at 1q22-23, 3q28-29, 6p22, and 13q31-33, and losses at 4p15-16, 4q32-35, and 10q24. Unsupervised cluster analysis resulted in 5 subgroups of ITAC with significantly distinct genetic signatures and clinical outcomes, independently of disease stage or histological subtype.

CONCLUSION

These data may guide studies to identify driver genes and signaling pathways involved in ITAC. In addition, the subclassification of genetic subgroups of patients with distinct clinical behavior can aid therapeutic decision making and may ultimately lead to personalized therapy with targeted inhibitors.

MicroRNA-130a is highly expressed in the esophageal mucosa of achalasia patients

Esophageal achalasia is considered as a risk factor of esophageal cancer. The etiologies of esophageal achalasia remain unknown. Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) has recently been established as a minimally invasive method with high curability. The aims of the present study were to identify the microRNAs (miRs) specific to esophageal achalasia, to determine their potential target genes and to assess their alteration following POEM. RNA was extracted from biopsy samples from middle esophageal mucosa and analyzed using a microarray. Differentially expressed miRs in achalasia patients compared with control samples were identified and analyzed using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Correlations between specific miR expression levels and the patients' clinical background were also investigated. In addition, alterations of selected miR expression levels before and after POEM were analyzed. The results of RT-qPCR analysis demonstrated that the miR-130a expression levels were significantly higher in patients with achalasia (P<0.0001). In addition, miR-130a expression was significantly correlated with male sex and smoking history in patients with achalasia. However, no significant change in miR-130a expression was observed between before and after POEM. In conclusion, miR-130a is highly expressed in the esophageal mucosa of patients with achalasia and may be a biomarker of esophageal achalasia.

Genetic and epigenetic characterization of the tumors in a patient with a tongue primary tumor, a recurrence and a pharyngoesophageal second primary tumor

Background

The choice of therapeutic modality for oral carcinoma in recurrent or second primary tumors remains controversial, as the treatment modalities available might be reduced by the treatment of the first tumor, and the overall survival is lower when compared with patients with a single or first tumor. Identifying biomarkers that predict the risk of relapse and the response to treatment is an emerging clinical issue.

Case presentation

A Caucasian 49-years-old man was treated with chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy for a primary left side tongue tumor, achieving a complete response. After 49-months of follow-up, a local recurrence was diagnosed. After 3 months, a second primary tumor at the pharyngoesophageal region was detected. Genomic and epigenetic characterization of these three tumors was performed using array Comparative Genomic Hybridization, Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA) and Methylation Specific MLPA.

Results

The three tumors of this patient shared several imbalances in all chromosomes excluding chromosomes 9, 20 and 22, where genes related to important functional mechanisms of tumorigenesis are mapped. The shared genomic imbalances, such as losses at 1p, 2p, 3p, 4q, 5q, 6q, 7q, 8p, 10p, 11q, 12p, 12q, 13q, 15q, 16p, 16q, 17p, 17q, 18q, 19p, 19q, 21q and Xp and gains at 3q, 7q, 14q and 15q showed a common clonal origin for the diagnosed relapses.

We identified some chromosomal imbalances and genes mapped in the chromosomes 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 11, 14, 17, 18 and 22 as putative linked to chemoradioresistance and chemoradiosensitivity. We also observed that gains in short arm of chromosomes 6, 7, 8 and 18 were acquired after treatment of the primary tumor. We identified losses of VHL gene and promoter methylation of WT1 and GATA5 genes, as predictors of relapses.

Conclusions

A common clonal origin for the diagnosed relapses was observed and we identified some putative candidate biomarkers of prognosis, relapse risk and treatment response that could guide the development of management strategies for these patients.

Phosphorylated FADD is not prognostic for local control in T1-T2 supraglottic laryngeal carcinoma treated with radiotherapy

OBJECTIVE

The Fas-Associated Death Domain (FADD) gene is located in the chromosome 11q13-region and frequently is amplified in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Expression of FADD and its phosphorylated isoform (pFADD) have been associated with aggressive tumor growth, lymph node metastasis, and overall survival. Previously, we demonstrated that pFADD expression was related to a significantly improved local control in early stage (tumor [T]1 to T2) glottic laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). The aim of this study was to examine the prognostic value of pFADD and FADD in T1 to T2 supraglottic LSCC treated with primarily radiotherapy.

METHODS

Tumor tissue sections of 60 patients with T1 to T2 supraglottic LSCC treated with primarily radiotherapy were assessed immunohistochemically for expression of pFADD and FADD. Expression percentages and clinical parameters and their associations with clinical outcome were studied using Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses. Expression percentages in supraglottic and glottic LSCC were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test.

RESULTS

Expression of pFADD and FADD in supraglottic and glottic LSCC did not significantly differ. In supraglottic LSCC, both pFADD and FADD did not show prognostic value for local control (hazard ratio [HR] 1.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.98-1.03; HR 1.03, 95% CI 0.60-1.78, respectively) and overall survival (HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.98-1.01; HR 1.19, 95% CI 0.83-1.71 respectively). In this cohort, lymph node status was the best predictor for local control (HR 3.73, 95% CI 1.30-10.67).

CONCLUSION

In this homogeneous cohort of T1 to T2 supraglottic LSCC primarily treated with radiotherapy, lymph node status was associated with local recurrence, whereas the expression of pFADD was not.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

NA. Laryngoscope, 127:E301-E307, 2017.

The role of FADD in pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and drug resistance

Pancreatic cancer has one of the poorest patient outcomes and is highly resistant to chemotherapy. Identifying the molecular mechanisms involved in drug resistance is critical in the development of novel strategies to treat pancreatic cancer. The results of the present study demonstrate that Fas-associated death domain protein (FADD), a classical adaptor protein mediating apoptotic stimuli-induced cell death, protects pancreatic cancer cells from drug-induced apoptosis. In contrast to its classical apoptotic roles, it was observed that FADD is required for pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and that it is overexpressed to varying degrees in various types of pancreatic cancer cell. This leads to differing levels of drug resistance in pancreatic cancer cells, where drug resistance is positively correlated with FADD expression. Notably, the results of the present study demonstrate that FADD protects pancreatic cancer cells from drug-induced apoptosis, while RNA interference of FADD sensitizes drug-resistant cells to Adriamycin^®-mediated apoptosis. The results of the present study reveal unexpected roles for FADD in pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and drug resistance.

Clinical Implications of FADD Gene Amplification and Protein Overexpression in Taiwanese Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinomas

Amplification of 11q13.3 is a frequent event in human cancers, including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. This chromosome region contains several genes that are potentially cancer drivers, including FADD (Fas associated via death domain), an apoptotic effector that was previously identified as a novel oncogene in laryngeal/pharyngeal cancer. This study was designed to explore the role of FADD in oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) samples from Taiwanese patients, by assessing copy number variations (CNVs) and protein expression and the clinical implications of these factors in 339 male OSCCs. The intensity of FADD protein expression, as determined by immunohistochemistry, was strongly correlated with gene copy number amplification, as analyzed using a TaqMan CNV assay. Both FADD gene copy number amplification and high protein expression were significantly associated with lymph node metastasis (P < 0.001). Patients with both FADD copy number amplification and high protein expression had the shortest disease-free survival (DFS; P = 0.074 and P = 0.002) and overall survival (OS; P = 0.011 and P = 0.027). After adjusting for primary tumor status, tumor differentiation, lymph node metastasis and age at diagnosis, DFS was still significantly lower in patients with either copy number amplification or high protein expression (hazard ratio [H.R.] = 1.483; 95% confidence interval [C.I.], 1.044–2.106). In conclusion, our data reveal that FADD gene copy number and protein expression can be considered potential prognostic markers and are closely associated with lymph node metastasis in patients with OSCC in Taiwan.

Tracking Cancer Genetic Evolution using OncoTrack

It is difficult for existing methods to quantify, and track the constant evolution of cancers due to high heterogeneity of mutations. However, structural variations associated with nucleotide number changes show repeatable patterns in localized regions of the genome. Here we introduce SPKMG, which generalizes nucleotide number based properties of genes, in statistical terms, at the genome-wide scale. It is measured from the normalized amount of aligned NGS reads in exonic regions of a gene. SPKMG values are calculated within OncoTrack. SPKMG values being continuous numeric variables provide a statistical metric to track DNA level changes. We show that SPKMG measures of cancer DNA show a normative pattern at the genome-wide scale. The analysis leads to the discovery of core cancer genes and also provides novel dynamic insights into the stage of cancer, including cancer development, progression, and metastasis. This technique will allow exome data to also be used for quantitative LOH/CNV analysis for tracking tumour progression and evolution with a higher efficiency.

Meta-Analyses of Microarray Datasets Identifies ANO1 and FADD as Prognostic Markers of Head and Neck Cancer

The head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) transcriptome has been profiled extensively, nevertheless, identifying biomarkers that are clinically relevant and thereby with translational benefit, has been a major challenge. The objective of this study was to use a meta-analysis based approach to catalog candidate biomarkers with high potential for clinical application in HNSCC. Data from publically available microarray series (N = 20) profiled using Agilent (4X44K G4112F) and Affymetrix (HGU133A, U133A_2, U133Plus 2) platforms was downloaded and analyzed in a platform/chip-specific manner (GeneSpring software v12.5, Agilent, USA). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and clustering analysis was carried out iteratively for segregating outliers; 140 normal and 277 tumor samples from 15 series were included in the final analysis. The analyses identified 181 differentially expressed, concordant and statistically significant genes; STRING analysis revealed interactions between 122 of them, with two major gene clusters connected by multiple nodes (MYC, FOS and HSPA4). Validation in the HNSCC-specific database (N = 528) in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) identified a panel (ECT2, ANO1, TP63, FADD, EXT1, NCBP2) that was altered in 30% of the samples. Validation in treatment naïve (Group I; N = 12) and post treatment (Group II; N = 12) patients identified 8 genes significantly associated with the disease (Area under curve>0.6). Correlation with recurrence/re-recurrence showed ANO1 had highest efficacy (sensitivity: 0.8, specificity: 0.6) to predict failure in Group I. UBE2V2, PLAC8, FADD and TTK showed high sensitivity (1.00) in Group I while UBE2V2 and CRYM were highly sensitive (>0.8) in predicting re-recurrence in Group II. Further, TCGA analysis showed that ANO1 and FADD, located at 11q13, were co-expressed at transcript level and significantly associated with overall and disease-free survival (p<0.05). The meta-analysis approach adopted in this study has identified candidate markers correlated with disease outcome in HNSCC; further validation in a larger cohort of patients will establish their clinical relevance.

Clinical significance of Anoctamin-1 gene at 11q13 in the development and progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas

This study investigates the clinical significance of Anoctamin-1 gene mapping at 11q13 amplicon in both the development and progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). ANO1 protein expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in a cohort of 372 surgically treated HNSCC patients and also in 35 laryngeal precancerous lesions. ANO1 gene amplification was determined by real-time PCR in all the laryngeal premalignancies and 60 of the HNSCCs, and molecular data correlated with clinical outcome. ANO1 gene amplification was frequently detected in both premalignant lesions (63%) and HNSCC tumours (58%), whereas concomitant ANO1 expression occurred at a much lower frequency (20 and 22%). Interestingly, laryngeal dysplasias harbouring ANO1 gene amplification showed a higher risk of malignant transformation (HR = 3.62; 95% CI 0.79-16.57; P = 0.097; Cox regression). ANO1 expression and gene amplification showed no significant associations with clinicopathological parameters in HNSCC. However, remarkably ANO1 expression differentially influenced patient survival depending on the tumour site. Collectively, this study provides original evidence demonstrating the distinctive impact of ANO1 expression on HNSCC prognosis depending on the tumour site.

Chromosome instability predicts progression of premalignant lesions of the larynx

The histopathology of premalignant laryngeal lesions does not provide reliable information on the risk of malignant transformation, hence we examined new molecular markers which can easily be implemented in clinical practice. Dual-target fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) for chromosome 1 and 7 centromeres was performed on tissue sections of laryngeal premalignancies in 69 patients. Chromosome instability was indicated by numerical imbalances and/or polysomy for chromosomes 1 and 7. Additionally, immunostainings for p53, Cyclin D1 and (p)FADD expression were evaluated. Malignant progression was recorded. Eighteen patients with carcinoma in situ (CIS) were treated after diagnosis and excluded from follow-up. Chromosome instability was strongly associated with a high risk of malignant transformation, especially in lower grade lesions (hyperplasia, mild and moderate dysplasia; odds ratio = 8.4, p = 0.004). Patients with lesions containing chromosome instability showed a significantly worse 5-year progression-free survival than those with premalignancies without chromosome instability (p = 0.002). Neither histopathology nor the protein markers predicted progression in univariate analysis, although histopathological diagnosis, p53 and FADD contributed positively to chromosome instability in multivariate analysis. Chromosome instability is associated with malignant progression of laryngeal premalignancies, especially in lower grade lesions. These results may contribute to better risk counselling, provided that they can be validated in a larger patient set.

The diagnostic value of 11q13 amplification and protein expression in the detection of nodal metastasis from oral squamous cell carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Despite improvements in both diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, the prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has not changed significantly over the last decades. Prognosis of OSCC particularly depends on the presence of nodal metastasis in the neck. Therefore, proper determination of the nodal status is pivotal for appropriate treatment. Unfortunately, current available imaging techniques (magnetic resonance imaging or ultrasound even with fine needle aspiration of suspected lymph nodes (LNs)) fail to detect occult nodal disease accurately. Clinicians in head and neck oncology urgently need new diagnostic tools to reliably determine the presence of nodal metastasis of the neck. Gain of the chromosomal region 11q13 is one of the most prominent genetic alterations in head and neck cancer and is associated with poor prognosis and metastasis. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the diagnostic value of either 11q13 amplification or amplification/protein overexpression of individual genes located on 11q13 to detect nodal metastasis in OSCC. A search was conducted in Pubmed, EMBASE, and Cochrane, and 947 unique citations were retrieved. Two researchers independently screened all articles and only 18 were found to meet our inclusion criteria and were considered of sufficient quality for meta-analysis. Pooled results of those show that both amplification of CCND1 and protein overexpression of cyclin D1 significantly correlate with lymph node metastasis (LNM) in OSCC. In addition, amplification of CCND1 shows a negative predictive value of 80 % in the detection of LNM in early stage OSCCs which are clinically lymph node negative although this evidence is sparse and should be validated in a larger homogeneous cohort of T1-2 OSCC.

Phosphorylation of FADD by the kinase CK1α promotes KRASG12D-induced lung cancer

Genomic amplification of the gene encoding and phosphorylation of the protein FADD (Fas-associated death domain) is associated with poor clinical outcome in lung cancer and in head and neck cancer. Activating mutations in the guanosine triphosphatase RAS promotes cell proliferation in various cancers. Increased abundance of phosphorylated FADD in patient-derived tumor samples predicts poor clinical outcome. Using immunohistochemistry analysis and in vivo imaging of conditional mouse models of KRAS(G12D)-driven lung cancer, we found that the deletion of the gene encoding FADD suppressed tumor growth, reduced the proliferative index of cells, and decreased the activation of downstream effectors of the RAS-MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) pathway that promote the cell cycle, including retinoblastoma (RB) and cyclin D1. In mouse embryonic fibroblasts, the induction of mitosis upon activation of KRAS required FADD and the phosphorylation of FADD by CK1α (casein kinase 1α). Deleting the gene encoding CK1α in KRAS mutant mice abrogated the phosphorylation of FADD and suppressed lung cancer development. Phosphorylated FADD was most abundant during the G2/M phase of the cell cycle, and mass spectrometry revealed that phosphorylated FADD interacted with kinases that mediate the G2/M transition, including PLK1 (Polo-like kinase 1), AURKA (Aurora kinase A), and BUB1 (budding uninhibited by benzimidazoles 1). This interaction was decreased in cells treated with a CKI-7, a CK1α inhibitor. Therefore, as the kinase that phosphorylates FADD downstream of RAS, CK1α may be a therapeutic target for KRAS-driven lung cancer.

Analysis of methylation and mRNA expression status of FADD and FAS genes in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma

Background: Apoptosis is an important mechanism that is responsible for the physiological deletion of harmful, damaged, or unwanted cells. Changed expression of apoptosis-related genes may lead to abnormal cell proliferation and finally to tumorigenesis. Our aims were to analyze the promoter methylation and gene expression profiles of FADD and FAS genes in risk of OSCC. Material and Methods: we analyze the promoter methylation status of FADD and FAS genes using Methylation - Specific PCR (MSP) in 86 OSCC tissues were kept in paraffin and 68 normal oral tissues applied as control. Also, FADD and FAS genes expression were analyzed in 19 cases and 20 normal specimens by Real-Time Reverse-Transcripts PCR. Results: Aberrant promoter methylation of FADD and FAS genes were detected in 12.79 % (11 of 86) and 60.46 % (52 of 86) of the OSCC cases, respectively, with a significant difference between cases and healthy controls for both FADD and FAS genes (P<0.001). The gene expression analysis showed statistically significant difference between cases and healthy controls for both FADD (p<0.02) and FAS (p<0.007) genes. Conclusions: To the best our knowledge, the data of this study are the first report regarding, the effect of promoter hypermethylation of the FADD and FAS genes in development of OSCC. To confirm the data, it is recommended doing further study in large sample sizes in various genetic populations.

Key words:OSCC, FADD, FAS, DNA methylation, gene expression.

Cytogenetic alterations and their molecular genetic correlates in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a next generation window to the biology of disease

Cytogenetic alterations underlie the development of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), whether tobacco and alcohol use, betel nut chewing, snuff or human papillomavirus (HPV) causes the disease. Many of the molecular genetic aberrations in HNSCC result from these cytogenetic alterations. This review presents a brief introduction to the epidemiology of HNSCC, and discusses the role of HPV in the disease, cytogenetic alterations and their frequencies in HNSCC, their molecular genetic and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) correlates, prognostic implications, and possible therapeutic considerations. The most frequent cytogenetic alterations in HNSCC are gains of 5p14-15, 8q11-12, and 20q12-13, gains or amplifications of 3q26, 7p11, 8q24, and 11q13, and losses of 3p, 4q35, 5q12, 8p23, 9p21-24, 11q14-23, 13q12-14, 18q23, and 21q22. To understand their effects on tumor cell biology and response to therapy, the cytogenetic findings in HNSCC are increasingly being examined in the context of the biochemical pathways they disrupt. The goal is to minimize morbidity and mortality from HNSCC using cytogenetic abnormalities to identify valuable diagnostic biomarkers for HNSCC, prognostic biomarkers of tumor behavior, recurrence risk, and outcome, and predictive biomarkers of therapeutic response to identify the most efficacious treatment for each individual patient's tumor, all based on a detailed understanding of the next generation biology of HNSCC.

Increased Expression of Phosphorylated FADD in Anaplastic Large Cell and Other T-Cell Lymphomas

FAS-associated protein with death domain (FADD) is a major adaptor protein involved in extrinsic apoptosis, embryogenesis, and lymphocyte homeostasis. Although abnormalities of the FADD/death receptor apoptotic pathways have been established in tumorigenesis, fewer studies have analyzed the expression and role of phosphorylated FADD (pFADD). Our identification of FADD as a lymphoma-associated autoantigen in T-cell lymphoma patients raises the possibility that pFADD, with its correlation with cell cycle, may possess role(s) in human T-cell lymphoma development. This immunohistochemical study investigated pFADD protein expression in a range of normal tissues and lymphomas, particularly T-cell lymphomas that require improved therapies. Whereas pFADD was expressed only in scattered normal T cells, it was detected at high levels in T-cell lymphomas (eg, 84% anaplastic large cell lymphoma and 65% peripheral T cell lymphomas, not otherwise specified). The increased expression of pFADD supports further study of its clinical relevance and role in lymphomagenesis, highlighting phosphorylation of FADD as a potential therapeutic target.

Identification of druggable cancer driver genes amplified across TCGA datasets

The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) projects have advanced our understanding of the driver mutations, genetic backgrounds, and key pathways activated across cancer types. Analysis of TCGA datasets have mostly focused on somatic mutations and translocations, with less emphasis placed on gene amplifications. Here we describe a bioinformatics screening strategy to identify putative cancer driver genes amplified across TCGA datasets. We carried out GISTIC2 analysis of TCGA datasets spanning 16 cancer subtypes and identified 486 genes that were amplified in two or more datasets. The list was narrowed to 75 cancer-associated genes with potential "druggable" properties. The majority of the genes were localized to 14 amplicons spread across the genome. To identify potential cancer driver genes, we analyzed gene copy number and mRNA expression data from individual patient samples and identified 42 putative cancer driver genes linked to diverse oncogenic processes. Oncogenic activity was further validated by siRNA/shRNA knockdown and by referencing the Project Achilles datasets. The amplified genes represented a number of gene families, including epigenetic regulators, cell cycle-associated genes, DNA damage response/repair genes, metabolic regulators, and genes linked to the Wnt, Notch, Hedgehog, JAK/STAT, NF-KB and MAPK signaling pathways. Among the 42 putative driver genes were known driver genes, such as EGFR, ERBB2 and PIK3CA. Wild-type KRAS was amplified in several cancer types, and KRAS-amplified cancer cell lines were most sensitive to KRAS shRNA, suggesting that KRAS amplification was an independent oncogenic event. A number of MAP kinase adapters were co-amplified with their receptor tyrosine kinases, such as the FGFR adapter FRS2 and the EGFR family adapters GRB2 and GRB7. The ubiquitin-like ligase DCUN1D1 and the histone methyltransferase NSD3 were also identified as novel putative cancer driver genes. We discuss the patient tailoring implications for existing cancer drug targets and we further discuss potential novel opportunities for drug discovery efforts.

Functional role of the Ca²⁺-activated Cl⁻ channel DOG1/TMEM16A in gastrointestinal stromal tumor cells

DOG1, a Ca(2+)-activated Cl(-) channel (CaCC), was identified in 2004 to be robustly expressed in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). It was rapidly included as a tumor marker in routine diagnostics, but the functional role remained unknown. CaCCs are important regulators of normal physiological functions, but also implicated in tumorigenesis, cancer progression, metastasis, cell migration, apoptosis, proliferation and viability in several malignancies. We therefore investigated whether DOG1 plays a role in the three latter in GIST by utilizing in vitro cell model systems. Confocal microscopy identified different subcellular localizations of DOG1 in imatinib-sensitive and imatinib-resistant cells. Electrophysiological studies confirmed that DOG1-specific pharmacological agents possess potent activating and inhibiting properties. Proliferation assays showed small effects up to 72 h, and flow cytometric analysis of adherent cells with 7-AAD/Annexin V detected no pharmacological effects on viable GIST cells. However, inhibition of DOG1 conveyed pro-apoptotic effects among early apoptotic imatinib-resistant cells. In conclusion, DOG1 generates Cl(-) currents in GIST that can be regulated pharmacologically, with small effects on cell viability and proliferation in vitro. Inhibition of DOG1 might act pro-apoptotic on some early apoptotic GIST cell populations. Further studies are warranted to fully illuminate the function of DOG1 and its potential as therapeutic target.

Prognostic significance of TMEM16A, PPFIA1, and FADD expression in invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast

Background

11q13 region is a frequently amplified locus in human malignancies. Among the genes located in this region, FADD is one of the alleged driving genes. Because amplification is not generally confined to a single gene and amplified genes may not show increased expression, we need to evaluate clinical significance of changes occurring in 11q13 region to understand their roles in carcinogenesis. Therefore, we screened expressions of FADD and closely located genes (PPFIA1 and TMEM16A) and evaluated the expressions to find clinical significance in invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast.

Methods

Ninety-eight cases of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast were collected. Using archival tissues resected from the cases, we built a tissue microarray and used it in immunohistochemistry. We evaluated the association of FADD, PPFIA1, and TMEM16A expression scores with clinicopathological parameters, including disease-free survival.

Results

FADD expression was associated with T stage (P = 0.046). The combined score of FADD, PPFIA1, and TMEM16A gene expressions was associated with perineural invasion (P = 0.022). Although individual gene expressions of TMEM16A, FADD, and PPFIA1 failed to show significant association with disease-free survival, combined gene expression scores did show association with disease-free survival (P = 0.034).

Conclusions

FADD, TMEM16A, and PPFIA1 gene expressions as a whole were associated with disease-free survival in breast cancer.

Genetic imbalances detected by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification in a cohort of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma-the first step towards clinical personalized medicine

Oral tumors are a growing health problem worldwide; thus, it is mandatory to establish genetic markers in order to improve diagnosis and early detection of tumors, control relapses and, ultimately, delineate individualized therapies. This study was the first to evaluate and discuss the clinical applicability of a multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) probe panel directed to head and neck cancer. Thirty primary oral squamous cell tumors were analyzed using the P428 MLPA probe panel. We detected genetic imbalances in 26 patients and observed a consistent pattern of distribution of genetic alterations in terms of losses and gains for some chromosomes, particularly for chromosomes 3, 8, and 11. Regarding the latter, some specific genes were highlighted due to frequent losses of genetic material--RARB, FHIT, CSMD1, GATA4, and MTUS1--and others due to gains--MCCC1, MYC, WISP1, PTK2, CCND1, FGF4, FADD, and CTTN. We also verified that the gains of MYC and WISP1 genes seem to suggest higher propensity of tumors localized in the floor of the mouth. This study proved the value of this MLPA probe panel for a first-tier analysis of oral tumors. The probemix was developed to include target regions that have been already shown to be of diagnostic/prognostic relevance for oral tumors. Furthermore, this study emphasized several of those specific genetic targets, suggesting its importance to oral tumor development, to predict patients' outcomes, and also to guide the development of novel molecular therapies.

A Fas-associated via death domain promoter polymorphism (rs10898853, -16C/T) as a risk factor for papillary thyroid cancer

PURPOSE

To determine whether a Fas-associated via death domain (FADD) promoter single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) is associated with susceptibility to papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and clinicopathological features of PTC.

METHODS

To identify a possible association with PTC, 94 patients with PTC and 346 healthy controls were recruited. One promoter SNP (rs10898853, -16C/T) was analyzed by direct sequencing. Multiple logistic regression models (co-dominant, dominant, recessive, and log-additive models) were applied, and odds ratios (ORs), 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and p values were calculated.

RESULTS

The genotype of the promoter SNP (rs10898853) of FADD was found to be significantly associated with PTC in the co-dominant model 2 (T/T vs. C/C; p = 0.002, OR = 2.80, 95% CI = 1.39-5.65), the recessive model (p = 0.003, OR = 2.21, 95% CI = 1.31-3.71), and the log-additive model (p = 0.002, OR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.20-2.44). Allele frequency analysis showed that the C allele of rs10898853 was significantly associated with an increased risk of PTC (p = 0.002, OR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.21-2.32).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that the FADD promoter polymorphism is associated with susceptibility to PTC.

FADD expression is associated with regional and distant metastasis in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

AIMS

The Fas-associated death domain gene (FADD) is often overexpressed in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC), and is considered to be a driver gene in amplification of the chromosomal 11q13.3 region. Amplification of 11q13.3 is associated with increased metastasis in HNSCC and breast cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between FADD protein expression in advanced-stage HNSCC and clinicopathological features and outcome.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Tumour tissues of 177 HNSCC patients uniformly treated with primary surgery and postoperative radiotherapy were collected. FADD expression was assessed on pretreatment tumour biopsies using immunohistochemistry. High FADD expression was detected in 44% of the HNSCC patients. High expression was associated with an increased rate of lymph node metastasis (P = 0.001) and with a shorter distant metastasis-free interval (DMFI) (HR 2.6, 95% CI 1.0-6.7, P = 0.046) when lymph node metastases were present.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data show that an increase in FADD expression is associated with a higher incidence of lymph node metastasis at presentation, and with shorter DMFI when lymph node metastases are present. High FADD expression in the primary tumour could be a useful marker to select patients for systemic treatment strategies that reduce the risk of distant metastases.

Heterogeneity of 11q13 region rearrangements in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma analyzed by microarray platforms and fluorescence in situ hybridization

We reinvestigated rearrangements occurring in region q13 of chromosome 11 aiming to: (i) describe heterogeneity of the observed structural alterations, (ii) estimate amplicon size and (iii) identify of oncogenes involved in laryngeal cancer progression as potential targets for therapy. The study included 17 cell lines derived from laryngeal cancers and 34 specimens from primary laryngeal tumors. The region 11q13 was analyzed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) and gene expression microarray. Next, quantitative real time PCR was used for chosen genes to confirm results from aCGH and gene expression microarray. The observed pattern of aberrations allows to distinguish three ways, in which gain and amplification involving 11q13 region may occur: formation of a homogeneously staining region; breakpoints in/near 11q13, which lead to the three to sevenfold increase of the copy number of 11q13 region; the presence of additional copies of the whole chromosome 11. The minimal altered region of gain and/or amplification was limited to ~1.8 Mb (chr.11:69,395,184-71,209,568) and comprised mostly 11q13.3 band which contain 12 genes. Five, out of these genes (CCND1, ORAOV1, FADD, PPFIA1, CTTN) had higher expression levels in comparison to healthy controls. Apart from CCND1 gene, which has an established role in pathogenesis of head and neck cancers, CTTN, ORAOV1 and FADD genes appear to be oncogene-candidates in laryngeal cancers, while a function of PPFIA1 requires further studies.

Prognostic impact of Fas-associated death domain, a key component in death receptor signaling, is dependent on the presence of lymph node metastasis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

FAS-associated death domain (FADD) is a key adaptor protein that bridges a death receptor (e.g., death receptor 5; DR5) to caspase-8 to form the death-inducing signaling complex during apoptosis. The expression and prognostic impact of FADD in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) have not been well studied. This study focuses on detecting FADD expression and analyzing its prognostic impact in primary and metastatic HNSCCs. We found a significant increase in FADD expression in primary tumors with lymph node metastasis (LNM) in comparison with primary tumors with no LNM. This increase was significantly less in the matched LNM tissues. Both univariate and multivariable analyses indicated that lower FADD expression was significantly associated with better disease-free survival and overall survival in HNSCC patients with LNM although FADD expression did not significantly affect survival of HNSCC patients without LNM . When combined with DR5 or caspase-8 expression, patients with LNM expressing both low FADD and DR5 or both low FADD and caspase-8 had significantly better prognosis than those expressing both high FADD and DR5 or both high FADD and caspase-8. However, the expression of both low FADD and caspase-8 was significantly linked to worse overall survival compared with both high FADD and caspase-8 expression in HNSCC patients without LNM. Hence, we suggest that FADD alone or together with DR5 and caspase-8 participates in metastatic process of HNSCC.

Loss of fragile histidine triad and amplification of 1p36.22 and 11p15.5 in primary gastric adenocarcinomas

AIM: To investigate the genomic copy number alterations that may harbor key driver genes in gastric tumorigenesis.

METHODS: Using high-resolution array comparative genomic hybridization (CGH), we investigated the genomic alterations of 20 advanced primary gastric adenocarcinomas (seventeen tubular and three mucinous) of Chinese patients from the Jilin province. Ten matching adjacent normal regions from the same patients were also studied.

RESULTS: The most frequent imbalances detected in these cancer samples were gains of 3q26.31-q27.2, 5p, 8q, 11p, 18p, 19q and 20q and losses of 3p, 4p, 18q and 21q. The use of high-resolution array CGH increased the resolution and sensitivity of the observed genomic changes and identified focal genetic imbalances, which included 54 gains and 16 losses that were smaller than 1 Mb in size. The most interesting focal imbalances were the intergenic loss/homozygous deletion of the fragile histidine triad gene and the amplicons 11q13, 18q11.2 and 19q12, as well as the novel amplicons 1p36.22 and 11p15.5.

CONCLUSION: These regions, especially the focal amplicons, may harbor key driver genes that will serve as biomarkers for either the diagnosis or the prognosis of gastric cancer, and therefore, a large-scale investigation is recommended.