1
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Sánchez-Marín D, Silva-Cázares MB, Porras-Reyes FI, García-Román R, Campos-Parra AD. Breaking paradigms: Long non-coding RNAs forming gene fusions with potential implications in cancer. Genes Dis 2024; 11:101136. [PMID: 38292185 PMCID: PMC10825296 DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2023.101136] [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: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are non-coding RNAs longer than 200 nucleotides with dynamic regulatory functions. They interact with a wide range of molecules such as DNA, RNA, and proteins to modulate diverse cellular functions through several mechanisms and, if deregulated, they can lead to cancer development and progression. Recently, it has been described that lncRNAs are susceptible to form gene fusions with mRNAs or other lncRNAs, breaking the paradigm of gene fusions consisting mainly of protein-coding genes. However, their biological significance in the tumor phenotype is still uncertain. Therefore, their recent identification opens a new line of research to study their biological role in tumorigenesis, and their potential as biomarkers with clinical relevance or as therapeutic targets. The present study aimed to review the lncRNA fusions identified so far and to know which of them have been associated with a potential function. We address the current challenges to deepen their study as well as the reasons why they represent a future therapeutic window in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Sánchez-Marín
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, C.P. 04360, México
| | - Macrina Beatriz Silva-Cázares
- Unidad Académica Multidisciplinaria Región Altiplano, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí (UASLP), Carretera a Cedral Km 5+600, Ejido San José de la Trojes, Matehuala, San Luis Potosí, C.P. 78760, México
| | - Fany Iris Porras-Reyes
- Servicio de Anatomía Patológica, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (INCan), Niño Jesús, Tlalpan, Ciudad de México, C.P. 14080, México
| | - Rebeca García-Román
- Instituto de Salud Pública, Universidad Veracruzana (UV), Av. Dr Luis, Dr. Castelazo Ayala s/n, Col. Industrial Ánimas, Xalapa, Veracruz, C.P. 91190, México
| | - Alma D. Campos-Parra
- Instituto de Salud Pública, Universidad Veracruzana (UV), Av. Dr Luis, Dr. Castelazo Ayala s/n, Col. Industrial Ánimas, Xalapa, Veracruz, C.P. 91190, México
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2
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Zhang T, Yu H, Bai Y, Guo Y. Mutation density analyses on long noncoding RNA reveal comparable patterns to protein-coding RNA and prognostic value. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2023; 21:4887-4894. [PMID: 37860228 PMCID: PMC10582829 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.09.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations and gene expression are the two most studied genomic features in cancer research. In the last decade, the combined advances in genomic technology and computational algorithms have broadened mutation research with the concept of mutation density and expanded the traditional scope of protein-coding RNA to noncoding RNAs. However, mutation density analysis had yet to be integrated with non-coding RNAs. In this study, we examined long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) mutation density patterns of 57 unique cancer types using 80 cancer cohorts. Our analysis revealed that lncRNAs exhibit mutation density patterns reminiscent to those of protein-coding mRNAs. These patterns include mutation peak and dip around transcription start sites of lncRNA. In many cohorts, these patterns justified statistically significant transcription strand bias, and the transcription strand bias was shared between lncRNAs and mRNAs. We further quantified transcription strand biases with a Log Odds Ratio metric and showed that some of these biases are associated with patient prognosis. The prognostic effect may be exerted due to strong Transcription-coupled repair mechanisms associated with the individual patient. For the first time, our study combined mutational density patterns with lncRNA mutations, and the results demonstrated remarkably comparable patterns between protein-coding mRNA and lncRNA, further illustrating lncRNA's potential roles in cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Troy Zhang
- Department of Public Health and Sciences, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Hui Yu
- Department of Public Health and Sciences, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Yongsheng Bai
- Department of Biology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI 48197, USA
| | - Yan Guo
- Department of Public Health and Sciences, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA
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3
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Closa A, Reixachs-Solé M, Fuentes-Fayos AC, Hayer K, Melero J, Adriaanse FRS, Bos R, Torres-Diz M, Hunger S, Roberts K, Mullighan C, Stam R, Thomas-Tikhonenko A, Castaño J, Luque R, Eyras E. A convergent malignant phenotype in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia involving the splicing factor SRRM1. NAR Cancer 2022; 4:zcac041. [DOI: 10.1093/narcan/zcac041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
A significant proportion of infant B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) patients remains with a dismal prognosis due to yet undetermined mechanisms. We performed a comprehensive multicohort analysis of gene expression, gene fusions, and RNA splicing alterations to uncover molecular signatures potentially linked to the observed poor outcome. We identified 87 fusions with significant allele frequency across patients and shared functional impacts, suggesting common mechanisms across fusions. We further identified a gene expression signature that predicts high risk independently of the gene fusion background and includes the upregulation of the splicing factor SRRM1. Experiments in B-ALL cell lines provided further evidence for the role of SRRM1 on cell survival, proliferation, and invasion. Supplementary analysis revealed that SRRM1 potentially modulates splicing events associated with poor outcomes through protein-protein interactions with other splicing factors. Our findings reveal a potential convergent mechanism of aberrant RNA processing that sustains a malignant phenotype independently of the underlying gene fusion and that could potentially complement current clinical strategies in infant B-ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adria Closa
- The Shine-Dalgarno Centre for RNA Innovation, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University , Canberra, Australia
- Centre for Computational Biomedical Sciences, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University , Canberra, Australia
- EMBL Australia Partner Laboratory Network at the Australian National University , Canberra, Australia
| | - Marina Reixachs-Solé
- The Shine-Dalgarno Centre for RNA Innovation, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University , Canberra, Australia
- Centre for Computational Biomedical Sciences, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University , Canberra, Australia
- EMBL Australia Partner Laboratory Network at the Australian National University , Canberra, Australia
| | - Antonio C Fuentes-Fayos
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC) , Cordoba, Spain
- University of Cordoba (UCO) , Cordoba, Spain
- Reina Sofía University Hospital , Cordoba, Spain
| | - Katharina E Hayer
- Division of Cancer Pathobiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia , Philadelphia, USA
| | - Juan L Melero
- The Shine-Dalgarno Centre for RNA Innovation, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University , Canberra, Australia
- Centre for Computational Biomedical Sciences, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University , Canberra, Australia
- EMBL Australia Partner Laboratory Network at the Australian National University , Canberra, Australia
| | | | - Romy S Bos
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology , Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Manuel Torres-Diz
- Division of Cancer Pathobiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia , Philadelphia, USA
| | - Stephen P Hunger
- Division of Oncology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia , Philadelphia, USA
| | - Kathryn G Roberts
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital , Memphis, USA
| | - Charles G Mullighan
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital , Memphis, USA
| | - Ronald W Stam
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology , Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Andrei Thomas-Tikhonenko
- Division of Cancer Pathobiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia , Philadelphia, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, USA
| | - Justo P Castaño
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC) , Cordoba, Spain
- University of Cordoba (UCO) , Cordoba, Spain
- Reina Sofía University Hospital , Cordoba, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición , (CIBERobn), Cordoba, Spain
| | - Raúl M Luque
- Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC) , Cordoba, Spain
- University of Cordoba (UCO) , Cordoba, Spain
- Reina Sofía University Hospital , Cordoba, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición , (CIBERobn), Cordoba, Spain
| | - Eduardo Eyras
- The Shine-Dalgarno Centre for RNA Innovation, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University , Canberra, Australia
- Centre for Computational Biomedical Sciences, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University , Canberra, Australia
- EMBL Australia Partner Laboratory Network at the Australian National University , Canberra, Australia
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA) , Barcelona, Spain
- Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM) , Barcelona, Spain
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4
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Zeng Z, Bromberg Y. Inferring Potential Cancer Driving Synonymous Variants. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:778. [PMID: 35627162 PMCID: PMC9140830 DOI: 10.3390/genes13050778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Synonymous single nucleotide variants (sSNVs) are often considered functionally silent, but a few cases of cancer-causing sSNVs have been reported. From available databases, we collected four categories of sSNVs: germline, somatic in normal tissues, somatic in cancerous tissues, and putative cancer drivers. We found that screening sSNVs for recurrence among patients, conservation of the affected genomic position, and synVep prediction (synVep is a machine learning-based sSNV effect predictor) recovers cancer driver variants (termed proposed drivers) and previously unknown putative cancer genes. Of the 2.9 million somatic sSNVs found in the COSMIC database, we identified 2111 proposed cancer driver sSNVs. Of these, 326 sSNVs could be further tagged for possible RNA splicing effects, RNA structural changes, and affected RBP motifs. This list of proposed cancer driver sSNVs provides computational guidance in prioritizing the experimental evaluation of synonymous mutations found in cancers. Furthermore, our list of novel potential cancer genes, galvanized by synonymous mutations, may highlight yet unexplored cancer mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zishuo Zeng
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08873, USA
| | - Yana Bromberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08873, USA
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
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5
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Shkreta L, Delannoy A, Salvetti A, Chabot B. SRSF10: an atypical splicing regulator with critical roles in stress response, organ development, and viral replication. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2021; 27:1302-1317. [PMID: 34315816 PMCID: PMC8522700 DOI: 10.1261/rna.078879.121] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Serine/arginine splicing factor 10 (SRSF10) is a member of the family of mammalian splicing regulators known as SR proteins. Like several of its SR siblings, the SRSF10 protein is composed of an RNA binding domain (RRM) and of arginine and serine-rich auxiliary domains (RS) that guide interactions with other proteins. The phosphorylation status of SRSF10 is of paramount importance for its activity and is subjected to changes during mitosis, heat-shock, and DNA damage. SRSF10 overexpression has functional consequences in a growing list of cancers. By controlling the alternative splicing of specific transcripts, SRSF10 has also been implicated in glucose, fat, and cholesterol metabolism, in the development of the embryonic heart, and in neurological processes. SRSF10 is also important for the proper expression and processing of HIV-1 and other viral transcripts. We discuss how SRSF10 could become a potentially appealing therapeutic target to combat cancer and viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulzim Shkreta
- RNA group, Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada J1E 4K8
| | - Aurélie Delannoy
- RNA group, Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada J1E 4K8
| | - Anna Salvetti
- INSERM, U1111, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie de Lyon (CIRI), CNRS UMR 5308, Lyon, France
| | - Benoit Chabot
- RNA group, Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada J1E 4K8
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6
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Trincado JL, Reixachs-Solé M, Pérez-Granado J, Fugmann T, Sanz F, Yokota J, Eyras E. ISOTOPE: ISOform-guided prediction of epiTOPEs in cancer. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1009411. [PMID: 34529669 PMCID: PMC8478223 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapies provide effective treatments for previously untreatable tumors and identifying tumor-specific epitopes can help elucidate the molecular determinants of therapy response. Here, we describe a pipeline, ISOTOPE (ISOform-guided prediction of epiTOPEs In Cancer), for the comprehensive identification of tumor-specific splicing-derived epitopes. Using RNA sequencing and mass spectrometry for MHC-I associated proteins, ISOTOPE identified neoepitopes from tumor-specific splicing events that are potentially presented by MHC-I complexes. Analysis of multiple samples indicates that splicing alterations may affect the production of self-epitopes and generate more candidate neoepitopes than somatic mutations. Although there was no difference in the number of splicing-derived neoepitopes between responders and non-responders to immune therapy, higher MHC-I binding affinity was associated with a positive response. Our analyses highlight the diversity of the immunogenic impacts of tumor-specific splicing alterations and the importance of studying splicing alterations to fully characterize tumors in the context of immunotherapies. ISOTOPE is available at https://github.com/comprna/ISOTOPE.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marina Reixachs-Solé
- Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
- EMBL Australia Partner Laboratory Network at the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Judith Pérez-Granado
- Research Programme on Biomedical Informatics (GRIB), Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Dept. of Experimental and Health Sciences, Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Ferran Sanz
- Research Programme on Biomedical Informatics (GRIB), Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Dept. of Experimental and Health Sciences, Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jun Yokota
- National Cancer Center Research Institute (NCCRI), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Eduardo Eyras
- Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
- EMBL Australia Partner Laboratory Network at the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies, Barcelona, Spain
- Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain
- * E-mail:
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7
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Ross JP, Dion PA, Rouleau GA. Exome sequencing in genetic disease: recent advances and considerations. F1000Res 2020; 9:F1000 Faculty Rev-336. [PMID: 32431803 PMCID: PMC7205110 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.19444.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past decade, exome sequencing (ES) has allowed significant advancements to the field of disease research. By targeting the protein-coding regions of the genome, ES combines the depth of knowledge on protein-altering variants with high-throughput data generation and ease of analysis. New discoveries continue to be made using ES, and medical science has benefitted both theoretically and clinically from its continued use. In this review, we describe recent advances and successes of ES in disease research. Through selected examples of recent publications, we explore how ES continues to be a valuable tool to find variants that might explain disease etiology or provide insight into the biology underlying the disease. We then discuss shortcomings of ES in terms of variant discoveries made by other sequencing technologies that would be missed because of the scope and techniques of ES. We conclude with a brief outlook on the future of ES, suggesting that although newer and more thorough sequencing methods will soon supplant ES, its results will continue to be useful for disease research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay P. Ross
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, 3640 University, Montréal, QC, H3A 0C7, Canada
- Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University, Montréal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Patrick A. Dion
- Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University, Montréal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, 3801 University, Montréal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Guy A. Rouleau
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, 3640 University, Montréal, QC, H3A 0C7, Canada
- Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, McGill University, 3801 University, Montréal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, 3801 University, Montréal, QC, H3A 2B4, Canada
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8
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Roles and mechanisms of alternative splicing in cancer - implications for care. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2020; 17:457-474. [PMID: 32303702 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-020-0350-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 377] [Impact Index Per Article: 94.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Removal of introns from messenger RNA precursors (pre-mRNA splicing) is an essential step for the expression of most eukaryotic genes. Alternative splicing enables the regulated generation of multiple mRNA and protein products from a single gene. Cancer cells have general as well as cancer type-specific and subtype-specific alterations in the splicing process that can have prognostic value and contribute to every hallmark of cancer progression, including cancer immune responses. These splicing alterations are often linked to the occurrence of cancer driver mutations in genes encoding either core components or regulators of the splicing machinery. Of therapeutic relevance, the transcriptomic landscape of cancer cells makes them particularly vulnerable to pharmacological inhibition of splicing. Small-molecule splicing modulators are currently in clinical trials and, in addition to splice site-switching antisense oligonucleotides, offer the promise of novel and personalized approaches to cancer treatment.
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9
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Raman Kumar M, Vaegae NK. A new numerical approach for DNA representation using modified Gabor wavelet transform for the identification of protein coding regions. Biocybern Biomed Eng 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbe.2020.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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10
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Teng H, Wei W, Li Q, Xue M, Shi X, Li X, Mao F, Sun Z. Prevalence and architecture of posttranscriptionally impaired synonymous mutations in 8,320 genomes across 22 cancer types. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:1192-1205. [PMID: 31950163 PMCID: PMC7026592 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Somatic synonymous mutations are one of the most frequent genetic variants occurring in the coding region of cancer genomes, while their contributions to cancer development remain largely unknown. To assess whether synonymous mutations involved in post-transcriptional regulation contribute to the genetic etiology of cancers, we collected whole exome data from 8,320 patients across 22 cancer types. By employing our developed algorithm, PIVar, we identified a total of 22,948 posttranscriptionally impaired synonymous SNVs (pisSNVs) spanning 2,042 genes. In addition, 35 RNA binding proteins impacted by these identified pisSNVs were significantly enriched. Remarkably, we discovered markedly elevated ratio of somatic pisSNVs across all 22 cancer types, and a high pisSNV ratio was associated with worse patient survival in five cancer types. Intriguing, several well-established cancer genes, including PTEN, RB1 and PIK3CA, appeared to contribute to tumorigenesis at both protein function and posttranscriptional regulation levels, whereas some pisSNV-hosted genes, including UBR4, EP400 and INTS1, exerted their function during carcinogenesis mainly via posttranscriptional mechanisms. Moreover, we predicted three drugs associated with two pisSNVs, and numerous compounds associated with expression signature of pisSNV-hosted genes. Our study reveals the prevalence and clinical relevance of pisSNVs in cancers, and emphasizes the importance of considering posttranscriptional impaired synonymous mutations in cancer biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huajing Teng
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.,Key laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Radiation Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Wenqing Wei
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Qinglan Li
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Meiying Xue
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaohui Shi
- Sino-Danish college, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xianfeng Li
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.,Key laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Radiation Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Fengbiao Mao
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Zhongsheng Sun
- Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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11
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Frankiw L, Baltimore D, Li G. Alternative mRNA splicing in cancer immunotherapy. Nat Rev Immunol 2019; 19:675-687. [PMID: 31363190 DOI: 10.1038/s41577-019-0195-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapies are yielding effective treatments for several previously untreatable cancers. Still, the identification of suitable antigens specific to the tumour that can be targets for cancer vaccines and T cell therapies is a challenge. Alternative processing of mRNA, a phenomenon that has been shown to alter the proteomic diversity of many cancers, may offer the potential of a broadened target space. Here, we discuss the promise of analysing mRNA processing events in cancer cells, with an emphasis on mRNA splicing, for the identification of potential new targets for cancer immunotherapy. Further, we highlight the challenges that must be overcome for this new avenue to have clinical applicability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke Frankiw
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - David Baltimore
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
| | - Guideng Li
- Center of Systems Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China. .,Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Suzhou, China.
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12
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Li Y, Zhang Y, Li X, Yi S, Xu J. Gain-of-Function Mutations: An Emerging Advantage for Cancer Biology. Trends Biochem Sci 2019; 44:659-674. [PMID: 31047772 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2019.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Revised: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Advances in next-generation sequencing have identified thousands of genomic variants that perturb the normal functions of proteins, further contributing to diverse phenotypic consequences in cancer. Elucidating the functional pathways altered by loss-of-function (LOF) or gain-of-function (GOF) mutations will be crucial for prioritizing cancer-causing variants and their resultant therapeutic liabilities. In this review, we highlight the fundamental function of GOF mutations and discuss the potential mechanistic effects in the context of signaling networks. We also summarize advances in experimental and computational resources, which will dramatically help with studies on the functional and phenotypic consequences of mutations. Together, systematic investigations of the function of GOF mutations will provide an important missing piece for cancer biology and precision therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongsheng Li
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China; Department of Oncology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Yunpeng Zhang
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Xia Li
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China; College of Bioinformatics, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 570100, China.
| | - Song Yi
- Department of Oncology, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cockrell School of Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
| | - Juan Xu
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China.
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13
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Bahrami-Samani E, Xing Y. Discovery of Allele-Specific Protein-RNA Interactions in Human Transcriptomes. Am J Hum Genet 2019; 104:492-502. [PMID: 30827501 PMCID: PMC6407496 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2019.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene expression is tightly regulated at the post-transcriptional level through splicing, transport, translation, and decay. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play key roles in post-transcriptional gene regulation, and genetic variants that alter RBP-RNA interactions can affect gene products and functions. We developed a computational method ASPRIN (Allele-Specific Protein-RNA Interaction) that uses a joint analysis of CLIP-seq (cross-linking and immunoprecipitation followed by high-throughput sequencing) and RNA-seq data to identify genetic variants that alter RBP-RNA interactions by directly observing the allelic preference of RBP from CLIP-seq experiments as compared to RNA-seq. We used ASPRIN to systematically analyze CLIP-seq and RNA-seq data for 166 RBPs in two ENCODE (Encyclopedia of DNA Elements) cell lines. ASPRIN identified genetic variants that alter RBP-RNA interactions by modifying RBP binding motifs within RNA. Moreover, through an integrative ASPRIN analysis with population-scale RNA-seq data, we showed that ASPRIN can help reveal potential causal variants that affect alternative splicing via allele-specific protein-RNA interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emad Bahrami-Samani
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yi Xing
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Center for Computational and Genomic Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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14
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SNPs and Somatic Mutation on Long Non-Coding RNA: New Frontier in the Cancer Studies? High Throughput 2018; 7:ht7040034. [PMID: 30453571 PMCID: PMC6306726 DOI: 10.3390/ht7040034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2018] [Revised: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last decade, it has been demonstrated that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in cancer development. The great majority of studies on lncRNAs report alterations, principally on their expression profiles, in several tumor types with respect to the normal tissues of origin. Conversely, since lncRNAs constitute a relatively novel class of RNAs compared to protein-coding transcripts (mRNAs), the landscape of their mutations and variations has not yet been extensively studied. However, in recent years an ever-increasing number of articles have described mutations of lncRNAs. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that occur within the lncRNA transcripts can affect the structure and function of these RNA molecules, while the presence of a SNP in the promoter region of a lncRNA could alter its expression level. Also, somatic mutations that occur within lncRNAs have been shown to exert important effects in cancer and preliminary data are promising. Overall, the evidence suggests that SNPs and somatic mutation on lncRNAs may play a role in the pathogenesis of cancer, and indicates strong potential for further development of lncRNAs as biomarkers.
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15
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Xu Y, Zhao W, Olson SD, Prabhakara KS, Zhou X. Alternative splicing links histone modifications to stem cell fate decision. Genome Biol 2018; 19:133. [PMID: 30217220 PMCID: PMC6138936 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-018-1512-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding the embryonic stem cell (ESC) fate decision between self-renewal and proper differentiation is important for developmental biology and regenerative medicine. Attention has focused on mechanisms involving histone modifications, alternative pre-messenger RNA splicing, and cell-cycle progression. However, their intricate interrelations and joint contributions to ESC fate decision remain unclear. RESULTS We analyze the transcriptomes and epigenomes of human ESC and five types of differentiated cells. We identify thousands of alternatively spliced exons and reveal their development and lineage-dependent characterizations. Several histone modifications show dynamic changes in alternatively spliced exons and three are strongly associated with 52.8% of alternative splicing events upon hESC differentiation. The histone modification-associated alternatively spliced genes predominantly function in G2/M phases and ATM/ATR-mediated DNA damage response pathway for cell differentiation, whereas other alternatively spliced genes are enriched in the G1 phase and pathways for self-renewal. These results imply a potential epigenetic mechanism by which some histone modifications contribute to ESC fate decision through the regulation of alternative splicing in specific pathways and cell-cycle genes. Supported by experimental validations and extended datasets from Roadmap/ENCODE projects, we exemplify this mechanism by a cell-cycle-related transcription factor, PBX1, which regulates the pluripotency regulatory network by binding to NANOG. We suggest that the isoform switch from PBX1a to PBX1b links H3K36me3 to hESC fate determination through the PSIP1/SRSF1 adaptor, which results in the exon skipping of PBX1. CONCLUSION We reveal the mechanism by which alternative splicing links histone modifications to stem cell fate decision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yungang Xu
- Center for Computational Systems Medicine, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030 USA
- Center for Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157 USA
| | - Weiling Zhao
- Center for Computational Systems Medicine, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030 USA
- Center for Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157 USA
| | - Scott D. Olson
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Karthik S. Prabhakara
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030 USA
| | - Xiaobo Zhou
- Center for Computational Systems Medicine, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030 USA
- Center for Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157 USA
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16
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Tabaglio T, Low DH, Teo WKL, Goy PA, Cywoniuk P, Wollmann H, Ho J, Tan D, Aw J, Pavesi A, Sobczak K, Wee DKB, Guccione E. MBNL1 alternative splicing isoforms play opposing roles in cancer. Life Sci Alliance 2018; 1:e201800157. [PMID: 30456384 PMCID: PMC6238595 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.201800157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Revised: 08/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
MBNL1 proteins lacking exon 7 (−ex7) are antisurvival factors with tumor suppressive role that cancer cells tend to down-regulate in favor of MBNL +ex7 isoforms. The extent of and the oncogenic role played by alternative splicing (AS) in cancer are well documented. Nonetheless, only few studies have attempted to dissect individual gene function at an isoform level. Here, we focus on the AS of splicing factors during prostate cancer progression, as these factors are known to undergo extensive AS and have the potential to affect hundreds of downstream genes. We identified exon 7 (ex7) in the MBNL1 (Muscleblind-like 1) transcript as being the most differentially included exon in cancer, both in cell lines and in patients' samples. In contrast, MBNL1 overall expression was down-regulated, consistently with its described role as a tumor suppressor. This observation holds true in the majority of cancer types analyzed. We first identified components associated to the U2 splicing complex (SF3B1, SF3A1, and PHF5A) as required for efficient ex7 inclusion and we confirmed that this exon is fundamental for MBNL1 protein homodimerization. We next used splice-switching antisense oligonucleotides (AONs) or siRNAs to compare the effect of MBNL1 splicing isoform switching with knockdown. We report that whereas the absence of MBNL1 is tolerated in cancer cells, the expression of isoforms lacking ex7 (MBNL1 Δex7) induces DNA damage and inhibits cell viability and migration, acting as dominant negative proteins. Our data demonstrate the importance of studying gene function at the level of alternative spliced isoforms and support our conclusion that MBNL1 Δex7 proteins are antisurvival factors with a defined tumor suppressive role that cancer cells tend to down-regulate in favor of MBNL +ex7 isoforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso Tabaglio
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore.,Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Diana Hp Low
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore.,Cancer Science Institute, Singapore
| | - Winnie Koon Lay Teo
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
| | - Pierre Alexis Goy
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore.,Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Piotr Cywoniuk
- Department of Gene Expression, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
| | - Heike Wollmann
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
| | - Jessica Ho
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
| | - Damien Tan
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
| | - Joey Aw
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
| | - Andrea Pavesi
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
| | - Krzysztof Sobczak
- Department of Gene Expression, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
| | - Dave Keng Boon Wee
- Institute of High Performance Computing, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore.,Bioinformatics Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
| | - Ernesto Guccione
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore.,Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,Cancer Science Institute, Singapore.,National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Oncological Sciences, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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