Decreased GATA5 mRNA expression associates with CpG island methylation and shortened recurrence-free survival in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Overexpression of GATA5 Inhibits Prostate Cancer Progression by Regulating PLAGL2 via the FAK/PI3K/AKT Pathway

Simple Summary

Prostate cancer (PCa) has the highest incidence of malignant tumors and is the second-ranked tumor-causing death of men. GATA binding protein 5 (GATA5) belongs to the GATA gene family and we found that GATA5 was downregulated in PCa tissues, but the function of GATA5 in PCa remains elusive. We found overexpression GATA5 inhibited tumor proliferation, migration, invasion and the process of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), and upregulation of GATA5 promoted PCa cell apoptosis. In addition, we disclosed that GATA5 could interact with pleomorphic adenoma gene-like-2 (PLAGL2) to regulate PCa cell growth via FAK/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Hence, these findings suggested that GATA5 could serve as a new therapeutic target in the future.

Abstract

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is a malignancy with high incidence and the principal cause of cancer deaths in men. GATA binding protein 5 (GATA5) belongs to the GATA gene family. GATA5 has a close association with carcinogenesis, but the role of GATA5 in PCa remains poorly understood. The aim of our present study was to probe into the effect of GATA5 on PCa progression and to elucidate the involved mechanism. Methods: The expression of GATA5 was detected in both PCa samples and PCa cell lines. GATA5 overexpression, PLAGL2 knockdown, and overexpression cell models were generated, then Western blotting experiments were utilized to validate the efficiency of transfection. The effects of GATA5 on PCa cell proliferation, metastasis, apoptosis, cell cycle progression, and EMT were detected in vitro or in vivo. Furthermore, the mechanism by which GATA5 inhibits prostate cancer progression through regulating PLAGL2 via the FAK/PI3K/AKT pathway was also explored. Results: GATA5 expression was downregulated in PCa samples and cell lines. GATA5 overexpression inhibited PCa cell proliferation and metastasis but increased the rate of apoptosis. In addition, we confirmed that GATA5 inhibited prostate cancer progression, including EMT, by regulating PLAGL2 via the FAK/PI3K/AKT pathway. Conclusion: We demonstrated that GATA5, as a tumor suppressor in PCa, inhibits PCa progression by regulating PLAGL2. These results showed that the GATA5/PLAGL2/FAK/PI3K/AKT pathway may become a new therapeutic direction for the treatment of PCa.

Development of a prognostic risk model for clear cell renal cell carcinoma by systematic evaluation of DNA methylation markers

BACKGROUND

Current risk models for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) based on clinicopathological factors are sub-optimal in accurately identifying high-risk patients. Here, we perform a head-to-head comparison of previously published DNA methylation markers and propose a potential prognostic model for clear cell RCC (ccRCC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Promoter methylation of PCDH8, BNC1, SCUBE3, GREM1, LAD1, NEFH, RASSF1A, GATA5, SFRP1, CDO1, and NEURL was determined by nested methylation-specific PCR. To identify clinically relevant methylated regions, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was used to guide primer design. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples from 336 non-metastatic ccRCC patients from the prospective Netherlands Cohort Study (NLCS) were used to develop a Cox proportional hazards model using stepwise backward elimination and bootstrapping to correct for optimism. For validation purposes, FFPE ccRCC tissue of 64 patients from the University Hospitals Leuven and a series of 232 cases from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were used.

RESULTS

Methylation of GREM1, GATA5, LAD1, NEFH, NEURL, and SFRP1 was associated with poor ccRCC-specific survival, independent of age, sex, tumor size, TNM stage or tumor grade. Moreover, the association between GREM1, NEFH, and NEURL methylation and outcome was shown to be dependent on the genomic region. A prognostic biomarker model containing GREM1, GATA5, LAD1, NEFH and NEURL methylation in combination with clinicopathological characteristics, performed better compared to the model with clinicopathological characteristics only (clinical model), in both the NLCS and the validation population with a c-statistic of 0.71 versus 0.65 and a c-statistic of 0.95 versus 0.86 consecutively. However, the biomarker model had limited added prognostic value in the TCGA series with a c-statistic of 0.76 versus 0.75 for the clinical model.

CONCLUSION

In this study we performed a head-to-head comparison of potential prognostic methylation markers for ccRCC using a novel approach to guide primers design which utilizes the optimal location for measuring DNA methylation. Using this approach, we identified five methylation markers that potentially show prognostic value in addition to currently known clinicopathological factors.

Novel roles for GATAe in growth, maintenance and proliferation of cell populations in the Drosophila renal tubule

The GATA family of transcription factors is implicated in numerous developmental and physiological processes in metazoans. In Drosophila melanogaster, five different GATA factor genes (pannier, serpent, grain, GATAd and GATAe) have been reported as essential in the development and identity of multiple tissues, including the midgut, heart and brain. Here, we present a novel role for GATAe in the function and homeostasis of the Drosophila renal (Malpighian) tubule. We demonstrate that reduced levels of GATAe gene expression in tubule principal cells induce uncontrolled cell proliferation, resulting in tumorous growth with associated altered expression of apoptotic and carcinogenic key genes. Furthermore, we uncover the involvement of GATAe in the maintenance of stellate cells and migration of renal and nephritic stem cells into the tubule. Our findings of GATAe as a potential master regulator in the events of growth control and cell survival required for the maintenance of the Drosophila renal tubule could provide new insights into the molecular pathways involved in the formation and maintenance of a functional tissue and kidney disease.

WT1, MSH6, GATA5 and PAX5 as epigenetic oral squamous cell carcinoma biomarkers - a short report

PURPOSE

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a frequently occurring aggressive malignancy with a heterogeneous clinical behavior. Based on the paucity of specific early diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, which hampers the appropriate treatment and, ultimately the development of novel targeted therapies, we aimed at identifying such biomarkers through a genetic and epigenetic analysis of these tumors.

METHODS

93 primary OSCCs were subjected to DNA copy number alteration (CNA) and methylation status analyses using methylation-specific multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MS-MPLA). The genetic and epigenetic OSCC profiles obtained were associated with the patients' clinic-pathological features.

RESULTS

We found that WT1 gene promoter methylation is a predictor of a better prognosis and that MSH6 and GATA5 gene promoter methylation serve as predictors of a worse prognosis. GATA5 gene promoter methylation was found to be significantly associated with a shorter survival rate. In addition, we found that PAX5 gene promoter methylation was significantly associated with tongue tumors. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that highlights this specific set of genes as epigenetic diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in OSCC.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data highlight the importance of epigenetically assessing OSCCs to identify key genes that may serve as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and, potentially, as candidate therapeutic targets.

Epigenetic and genetic variation in GATA5 is associated with gastric disease risk

Gastric cancer incidence varies considerably among populations, even those with comparable rates of Helicobacter pylori infection. To test the hypothesis that genetic variation plays a role in gastric disease, we assessed the relationship between genotypes and gastric histopathology in a Colombian study population, using a genotyping array of immune-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Two synonymous SNPs (rs6061243 and rs6587239) were associated with progression of premalignant gastric lesions in a dominant-effects model after correction for multiple comparisons (p = 2.63E-07 and p = 7.97E-07, respectively); effect sizes were β = -0.863 and β = -0.815, respectively, where β is an estimate of effect on histopathology scores, which ranged from 1 (normal) to 5 (dysplasia). In our replication cohort, a second Colombian population, both SNPs were associated with histopathology when additively modeled (β = -0.256, 95 % CI = -0.47, -0.039; and β = -0.239, 95 % CI = -0.45, -0.024), and rs6587239 was significantly associated in a dominant-effects model (β = -0.330, 95 % CI = -0.66, 0.00). Because promoter methylation of GATA5 has previously been associated with gastric cancer, we also tested for the association of methylation status with more advanced histopathology scores in our samples and found a significant relationship (p = 0.001). A multivariate regression model revealed that the effects of both the promoter methylation and the exonic SNPs in GATA5 were independent. A SNP-by-methylation interaction term was also significant. This interaction between GATA5 variants and GATA5 promoter methylation indicates that the association of either factor with gastric disease progression is modified by the other.

Spectrum of myeloid neoplasms and immune deficiency associated with germline GATA2 mutations

Guanine-adenine-thymine-adenine 2 (GATA2) mutated disorders include the recently described MonoMAC syndrome (Monocytopenia and Mycobacterium avium complex infections), DCML (dendritic cell, monocyte, and lymphocyte deficiency), familial MDS/AML (myelodysplastic syndrome/acute myeloid leukemia) (myeloid neoplasms), congenital neutropenia, congenital lymphedema (Emberger's syndrome), sensorineural deafness, viral warts, and a spectrum of aggressive infections seen across all age groups. While considerable efforts have been made to identify the mutations that characterize this disorder, pathogenesis remains a work in progress with less than 100 patients described in current literature. Varying clinical presentations offer diagnostic challenges. Allogeneic stem cell transplant remains the treatment of choice. Morbidity, mortality, and social costs due to the familial nature of the disease are considerable. We describe our experience with the disorder in three affected families and a comprehensive review of current literature.

Aberrant methylation of PCDH8 is a potential prognostic biomarker for patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

PCDH8 is a tumor suppressor that regulates cell adhesin, proliferation, and migration. It is often inactivated by aberrant promoter methylation in several human cancers, including clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC). The clinical significance of PCDH8 methylation in CCRCC remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between PCDH8 methylation and clinicopathological characteristics as well as outcome of patients with CCRCC.

MATERIAL/METHODS

The methylation status of PCDH8 in 153 CCRCC tissues and 97 paired adjacent normal renal tissues were examined using methylation-specific PCR (MSP). Then the relationships between PCDH8 methylation and clinicopathological features as well as progression-free survival of CCRCC patients were evaluated.

RESULTS

PCDH8 methylation was significantly more frequent in CCRCC tissues compared with normal renal tissues. Moreover, PCDH8 methylation was significantly correlated with advanced clinical stage (P=0.0141), higher grade (P=0.0190), and lymph node metastasis (P=0.0098). In addition, multivariate analysis showed that PCDH8 methylation was independently associated with poor progression-free survival (P=0.0316).

CONCLUSIONS

PCDH8 methylation is a frequent event in CCRCC and is correlated with unfavorable clinicopathological features. Moreover, PCDH8 methylation may be a useful biomarker to predict the progression of CCRCC.

Decreased mRNA expression of GATA1 and GATA2 is associated with tumor aggressiveness and poor outcome in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

GATA-binding proteins 1 (GATA1) and 2 (GATA2) are zinc-finger transcription factors and belong to the GATA family proteins 1-6. GATA1 interacts with the TP53 tumor suppressor gene, and both GATAs have been shown to be involved in cell growth, apoptosis, and tumorigenesis of several solid tumors. GATA1 and GATA2 expression alterations are associated with poor survival and adverse clinicopathology in prostate and colorectal cancer, while the significance and prognostic value in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) has not been investigated as yet. We investigated relative messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels of GATA1 and GATA2 in 77 ccRCC and 58 paired adjacent noncancerous renal tissues by quantitative real-time reverse-transcribed PCR. Relative mRNA expression levels were determined using the ΔΔCt method. GATA1 and GATA2 expression levels were significantly decreased in tumor tissues compared with normal tissues (p < 0.001, paired t test). In univariate logistic regression analysis, decreased GATA1 and GATA2 expression levels were associated with advanced tumor disease (p = 0.005 and 0.008), positive distant metastasis (p = 0.03 and 0.001), and lymph node metastasis status (p = 0.011 and 0.038). Reduced expression levels of GATA1 and GATA2 were associated with an increased risk of disease recurrence (p = 0.005 and 0.006; hazard ratio = 0.05 and 0.21). Pairwise bivariate analysis after adjusting for clinicopathological parameters revealed relative mRNA expression of GATA1, but not GATA2, as an independent candidate prognosticator for ccRCC. Our results support that GATA1 and GATA2 are involved in ccRCC tumor biology possibly affecting tumor development and aggressiveness.