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Condello V, Poma AM, Macerola E, Vignali P, Paulsson JO, Zedenius J, Basolo F, Juhlin CC. Prevalence, Molecular Landscape, and Clinical Impact of DICER1 and DGCR8 Mutated Follicular-Patterned Thyroid Nodules. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2024; 109:1733-1744. [PMID: 38252873 PMCID: PMC11180504 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgae034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mutations in micro-RNA (miRNA) regulators DICER1 and DGCR8 have recently been uncovered, revealing a potential novel mechanism driving thyroid tumor development. However, the true frequency of these hotspot mutations in follicular-patterned thyroid tumors (FTs) and their relation to established driver gene events remain elusive. METHODS A total of 440 FTs from 2 institutions were interrogated for DICER1, DGCR8, and RAS family hotspot mutations using Sanger sequencing. Whole-exome sequencing was also performed to identify additional driver gene aberrations in DICER1/DGCR8-mutant cases. Subsets of cases were further analyzed using miRNA expression profiling, and key dysregulated miRNAs were validated as markers of DICER1 mutations using quantitative RT-PCR analysis. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was also probed for DICER1/DGCR8 mutations and miRNA dysregulation. RESULTS Fourteen (3.2%) and 4 (1%) FTs harbored DICER1 and DGCR8 hotspot mutations, respectively, in the combined cohort, and no cases with normal tissue available were found to exhibit a constitutional variant. Two DGCR8-mutant cases also harbored oncogenic RAS mutations. Whole-exome sequencing analysis did not identify additional driver gene events in DICER1/DGCR8-positive cases. Comprehensive miRNA expression profiling revealed a unique pattern of dysregulated miRNAs in DICER1/DGCR8-mutant cases compared with wild-type lesions. Moreover, DICER1-mutant cases showed a remarkable reduction of 5' arm miRNAs, findings corroborated in the TCGA cohort. CONCLUSION DICER1 and DGCR8 hotspot mutations are rare in unselected cohorts of FTs, and mutated cases exhibit a specific miRNA profile. Although DGCR8 mutations may coexist with established RAS gene alterations, FTs with DICER1 variants were devoid of other driver gene events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Condello
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, 171 64 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anello M Poma
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Macerola
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Paola Vignali
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Johan O Paulsson
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, 171 64 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jan Zedenius
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, 171 64 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Breast, Endocrine Tumors, and Sarcoma, Karolinska University Hospital, 171 64 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Fulvio Basolo
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - C Christofer Juhlin
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, 171 64 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Pathology and Cancer Diagnostics, Karolinska University Hospital, 171 64 Stockholm, Sweden
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Hatton JN, Frone MN, Cox HC, Crowley SB, Hiraki S, Yokoyama NN, Abul-Husn NS, Amatruda JF, Anderson MJ, Bofill-De Ros X, Carr AG, Chao EC, Chen KS, Gu S, Higgs C, Machado J, Ritter D, Schultz KA, Soper ER, Wu MK, Mester JL, Kim J, Foulkes WD, Witkowski L, Stewart DR. Specifications of the ACMG/AMP Variant Classification Guidelines for Germline DICER1 Variant Curation. Hum Mutat 2023; 2023:9537832. [PMID: 38084291 PMCID: PMC10713350 DOI: 10.1155/2023/9537832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Germline pathogenic variants in DICER1 predispose individuals to develop a variety of benign and malignant tumors. Accurate variant curation and classification is essential for reliable diagnosis of DICER1-related tumor predisposition and identification of individuals who may benefit from surveillance. Since 2015, most labs have followed the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics and the Association for Molecular Pathology (ACMG/AMP) sequence variant classification guidelines for DICER1 germline variant curation. However, these general guidelines lack gene-specific nuances and leave room for subjectivity. Consequently, a group of DICER1 experts joined ClinGen to form the DICER1 and miRNA-Processing Genes Variant Curation Expert Panel (VCEP), to create DICER1- specific ACMG/AMP guidelines for germline variant curation. The VCEP followed the FDA-approved ClinGen protocol for adapting and piloting these guidelines. A diverse set of 40 DICER1 variants were selected for piloting, including 14 known Pathogenic/Likely Pathogenic (P/LP) variants, 12 known Benign/Likely Benign (B/LB) variants, and 14 variants classified as variants of uncertain significance (VUS) or with conflicting interpretations in ClinVar. Clinically meaningful classifications (i.e., P, LP, LB, or B) were achieved for 82.5% (33/40) of the pilot variants, with 100% concordance among the known P/LP and known B/LB variants. Half of the VUS or conflicting variants were resolved with four variants classified as LB and three as LP. These results demonstrate that the DICER1-specific guidelines for germline variant curation effectively classify known pathogenic and benign variants while reducing the frequency of uncertain classifications. Individuals and labs curating DICER1 variants should consider adopting this classification framework to encourage consistency and improve objectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica N Hatton
- Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Megan N Frone
- Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Hannah C Cox
- PreventionGenetics LLC, Marshfield, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | | | | | - Noura S Abul-Husn
- Institute for Genomic Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - James F Amatruda
- Cancer and Blood Disease Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | | | - Xavier Bofill-De Ros
- RNA Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Elizabeth C Chao
- Ambry Genetics, Aliso Viejo, California, USA
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Kenneth S Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Shuo Gu
- RNA Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland, USA
| | - Cecilia Higgs
- Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Jerry Machado
- Exact Sciences Laboratories, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | - Kris Ann Schultz
- Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children's Minnesota, International Pleuropulmonary Blastoma/DICER1 Registry, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Emily R Soper
- Institute for Genomic Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Mona K Wu
- Cancer and Blood Disease Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | | | - Jung Kim
- Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - William D Foulkes
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Leora Witkowski
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Douglas R Stewart
- Clinical Genetics Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland, USA
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Juhlin CC. On the Chopping Block: Overview of DICER1 Mutations in Endocrine and Neuroendocrine Neoplasms. Surg Pathol Clin 2023; 16:107-118. [PMID: 36739158 DOI: 10.1016/j.path.2022.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Mutational inactivation of the DICER1 gene causes aberrant micro-RNA maturation, which in turn may have consequences for the posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression, thereby contributing to tumor formation in various organs. Germline DICER1 mutations cause DICER1 syndrome, a pleiotropic condition with an increased risk of various neoplastic conditions in the pleura, ovaries, thyroid, pituitary, pineal gland, and mesenchymal tissues. Somatic DICER1 mutations are also frequently observed in a wide variety of solid tumors, thereby highlighting the importance of this gene in tumor development. In this review, the importance of DICER1 inactivation in endocrine tumors is discussed.
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Niedziela M, Muchantef K, Foulkes WD. Ultrasound features of multinodular goiter in DICER1 syndrome. Sci Rep 2022; 12:15888. [PMID: 36151231 PMCID: PMC9508228 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19709-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
DICER1 syndrome is caused by germline pathogenic mutations in the DICER1 gene. Multinodular goiter (MNG) is a common clinical feature of DICER1 syndrome in children and adults. The aim of this study was to determine the ultrasound (US) characteristics of MNG in patients with DICER1 syndrome. This retrospective study evaluated thyroid US in patients with DICER1 germline mutations (DICER1mut+) performed between 2011 and 2018 at a single center by the same pediatric endocrinologist, and the images were re-examined by an independent pediatric radiologist from another academic center. Patients < 18 years with DICER1mut+ and DICER1mut+ parents without previous thyroidectomy were included. Ultrasound phenotypes of MNG in the setting of DICER1 mutations were compared with known US features of thyroid malignancy. Thirteen DICER1mut+ patients were identified (10 children, 3 adults). Three children had a normal thyroid US; therefore, thyroid abnormalities were assessed in seven children and three adults. In both children and adults, multiple (≥ 3) mixed (cystic/solid) nodules predominated with single cystic, single cystic septated and single solid nodules, occasionally with a “spoke-like” presentation. All solid lesions were isoechogenic, and in only one with multiple solid nodules, intranodular blood flow on power/color Doppler was observed. Remarkably, macrocalcifications were present in all three adults. The spectrum of ultrasonographic findings of MNG in DICER1mut+ patients is characteristic and largely distinct from typical features of thyroid malignancy and therefore should inform physicians performing thyroid US of the possible presence of underlying DICER1 syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marek Niedziela
- Institute of Pediatrics, Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Rheumatology, Karol Jonscher's Clinical Hospital, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 27/33 Szpitalna Street, 60-572, Poznan, Poland.
| | - Karl Muchantef
- Department of Radiology, Montreal Children's Hospital, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - William D Foulkes
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.,Department of Medical Genetics, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
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