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Constantin M, Chifiriuc MC, Bleotu C, Vrancianu CO, Cristian RE, Bertesteanu SV, Grigore R, Bertesteanu G. Molecular pathways and targeted therapies in head and neck cancers pathogenesis. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1373821. [PMID: 38952548 PMCID: PMC11215092 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1373821] [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: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The substantial heterogeneity exhibited by head and neck cancer (HNC), encompassing diverse cellular origins, anatomical locations, and etiological contributors, combined with the prevalent late-stage diagnosis, poses significant challenges for clinical management. Genomic sequencing endeavors have revealed extensive alterations in key signaling pathways that regulate cellular proliferation and survival. Initiatives to engineer therapies targeting these dysregulated pathways are underway, with several candidate molecules progressing to clinical evaluation phases, including FDA approval for agents like the EGFR-targeting monoclonal antibody cetuximab for K-RAS wild-type, EGFR-mutant HNSCC treatment. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), owing to their enhanced stability in biological fluids and their important roles in intracellular and intercellular signaling within HNC contexts, are now recognized as potent biomarkers for disease management, catalyzing further refined diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, edging closer to the personalized medicine desideratum. Enhanced comprehension of the genomic and immunological landscapes characteristic of HNC is anticipated to facilitate a more rigorous assessment of targeted therapies benefits and limitations, optimize their clinical deployment, and foster innovative advancements in treatment approaches. This review presents an update on the molecular mechanisms and mutational spectrum of HNC driving the oncogenesis of head and neck malignancies and explores their implications for advancing diagnostic methodologies and precision therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marian Constantin
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biology of Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania
- The Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, ICUB, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Mariana Carmen Chifiriuc
- The Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, ICUB, Bucharest, Romania
- Microbiology Immunology Department, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
- Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Coralia Bleotu
- The Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, ICUB, Bucharest, Romania
- Cellular and Molecular Pathology Department, Ştefan S. Nicolau Institute of Virology, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Corneliu Ovidiu Vrancianu
- The Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, ICUB, Bucharest, Romania
- Microbiology Immunology Department, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
- DANUBIUS Department, National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Roxana-Elena Cristian
- The Research Institute of the University of Bucharest, ICUB, Bucharest, Romania
- DANUBIUS Department, National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences, Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Serban Vifor Bertesteanu
- ENT, Head& Neck Surgery Department, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Coltea Clinical Hospital, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Raluca Grigore
- ENT, Head& Neck Surgery Department, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Coltea Clinical Hospital, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Gloria Bertesteanu
- ENT, Head& Neck Surgery Department, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Coltea Clinical Hospital, Bucharest, Romania
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Gaździcka J, Biernacki K, Gołąbek K, Miśkiewicz-Orczyk K, Zięba N, Misiołek M, Strzelczyk JK. Global DNA Methylation Level in Tumour and Margin Samples in Relation to Human Papilloma Virus and Epstein-Barr Virus in Patients with Oropharyngeal and Oral Squamous Cell Carcinomas. Biomedicines 2024; 12:914. [PMID: 38672268 PMCID: PMC11047928 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12040914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aberrant DNA methylation is a common epigenetic modification in cancers, including oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Therefore, the analysis of methylation levels appears necessary to improve cancer therapy and prognosis. METHODS The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to analyse global DNA methylation levels in OPSCC and OSCC tumours and the margin samples after DNA isolation. HPV detection was conducted by hybridisation using GenoFlow HPV Array Test Kits (DiagCor Bioscience Inc., Hong Kong, China). EBV detection was performed using real-time PCR with an EBV PCR Kit (EBV/ISEX/100, GeneProof, Brno, Czech Republic). RESULTS OPSCC tumour samples obtained from women showed lower global DNA methylation levels than those from men (1.3% vs. 3.5%, p = 0.049). The margin samples from OPSCC patients with HPV and EBV coinfection showed global DNA methylation lower than those without coinfection (p = 0.042). G3 tumours from OSCC patients had significantly lower levels of global DNA methylation than G2 tumours (0.98% ± 0.74% vs. 3.77% ± 4.97%, p = 0.010). Additionally, tumours from HPV-positive OSCC patients had significantly lower global DNA methylation levels than those from HPV-negative patients (p = 0.013). In the margin samples, we observed a significant negative correlation between global DNA methylation and the N stage of OSCC patients (rS = -0.33, p = 0.039). HPV-positive OPSCC patients had higher global DNA methylation levels than HPV-positive OSCC patients (p = 0.015). CONCLUSION We confirmed that methylation could be changed in relation to viral factors, such as HPV and EBV, as well as clinical and demographical parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jadwiga Gaździcka
- Department of Medical and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 19 Jordana Street, 41-808 Zabrze, Poland (J.K.S.)
| | - Krzysztof Biernacki
- Department of Medical and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 19 Jordana Street, 41-808 Zabrze, Poland (J.K.S.)
| | - Karolina Gołąbek
- Department of Medical and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 19 Jordana Street, 41-808 Zabrze, Poland (J.K.S.)
| | - Katarzyna Miśkiewicz-Orczyk
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Oncological Laryngology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 10 C. Skłodowskiej Street, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland
| | - Natalia Zięba
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Oncological Laryngology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 10 C. Skłodowskiej Street, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland
| | - Maciej Misiołek
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Oncological Laryngology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 10 C. Skłodowskiej Street, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland
| | - Joanna Katarzyna Strzelczyk
- Department of Medical and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 19 Jordana Street, 41-808 Zabrze, Poland (J.K.S.)
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Mandić K, Milutin Gašperov N, Božinović K, Dediol E, Krasić J, Sinčić N, Grce M, Sabol I, Barešić A. Integrative analysis in head and neck cancer reveals distinct role of miRNome and methylome as tumour epigenetic drivers. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9062. [PMID: 38643268 PMCID: PMC11032388 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59312-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Head and neck cancer is the sixth most common malignancy worldwide, with the relatively low 5-year survival rate, mainly because it is diagnosed at a late stage. Infection with HPV is a well known aetiology, which affects the nature of these cancers and patients' survival. Besides, it is considered that the main driving force for this type of cancer could be epigenetics. In this study we aimed to find potential epigenetic biomarkers, by integrating miRNome, methylome, and transcriptome analyses. From the fresh head and neck cancer tissue samples, we chose a group for miRNome, methylome and transcriptome profiling, in comparison to adequate control samples. Bioinformatics analyses are performed in R v4.2.2. Count normalisation and group differential expression for mRNA and the previously obtained miRNA count data was performed with DESeq2 v1.36. Gene set enrichment analysis was performed and visualised using gProfiler2 v0.2.1 Identification of miRNA targets was performed by querying in miRTarBase using multiMiR v1.18.0. Annotation of CpG sites merging into islands was obtained from RnBeads.hg19 v1.28.0. package. For the integrative analysis we performed kmeans clustering using stats v4.2.2 package, using 8-12 clusters and nstart 100. We found that transcriptome analysis divides samples into cancers and controls clusters, with no relation to HPV status or cancer anatomical location. Differentially expressed genes (n = 2781) were predominantly associated with signalling pathways of tumour progression. We identified a cluster of genes under the control of the transcription factor E2F that are significantly underexpressed in cancer tissue, as well as T cell immunity genes and genes related to regulation of transcription. Among overexpressed genes in tumours we found those that belong to cell cycle regulation and vasculature. A small number of genes were found significantly differentially expressed in HPV-positive versus HPV-negative tumours (for example NEFH, ZFR2, TAF7L, ZNF541, and TYMS). In this comprehensive study on an overlapping set of samples where the integration of miRNome, methylome and transcriptome analysis were performed for head and neck cancer, we demonstrated that the majority of genes were associated exclusively with miRNome or methylome and, to a lesser extent, under the control of both epigenetic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarina Mandić
- Division of Electronics, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
| | | | - Ksenija Božinović
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Emil Dediol
- Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Clinical Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Jure Krasić
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Nino Sinčić
- Department of Medical Biology, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
- Centre of Excellence in Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
- Biomedical Research Centre Šalata, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Magdalena Grce
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ivan Sabol
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia.
| | - Anja Barešić
- Division of Electronics, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
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Liu Y, Chen S, Zhang E, Xu Y, Deng X, Hu Z, Nie S, Lin Y, Huang Y. Exploring the potential of VGLL3 methylation as a prognostic indicator for intracranial aneurysm with gender-specific considerations. Biosci Rep 2024; 44:BSR20231374. [PMID: 38348744 PMCID: PMC10912501 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20231374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation is widely recognized to play a role in intracranial aneurysm (IA) pathogenesis. We investigated the levels of methylation of vestigial-like 3 (VGLL3) in IA and explored its potential as a prognostic indicator. A total of 48 patients with IA and 48 healthy controls were included in the present study. Methylation levels of CpG sites were assessed using bisulfite pyrosequencing, and levels of VGLL3, TEAD, and YAP in the blood were measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction testing. VGLL3 methylation was significantly higher in controls than in IA patients (P=0.001), and this phenomenon was more pronounced in females (P<0.001). Compared with the control group, the expression levels of VGLL3 and TEAD in the blood of IA patients were significantly increased, while YAP was significantly decreased. VGLL3 methylation was positively correlated with HDL (P=0.003) and female Lpa concentration (r = 0.426, P=0.03), and was also negatively correlated with age (P=0.003), APOE (P=0.005), and VGLL3 mRNA expression (P<0.001). Methylation and mRNA expression of VGLL3 may serve as indicators of IA risk in females (AUC = 0.810 and 0.809). VGLL3 methylation may participate in the pathogenesis of IA by regulating the expression of the VGLL3/TEAD/YAP pathway, and its gene methylation and expression levels have IA risk prediction value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuchun Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, China
- Laboratory of Neurological Diseases and Brain Function, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, China
| | - Siqi Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, China
- Laboratory of Neurological Diseases and Brain Function, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Atherosclerotic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, China
| | - Enhao Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, China
- Laboratory of Neurological Diseases and Brain Function, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Atherosclerotic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, China
| | - Yinbin Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, China
- Laboratory of Neurological Diseases and Brain Function, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Atherosclerotic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, China
| | - Xinpeng Deng
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, China
- Laboratory of Neurological Diseases and Brain Function, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Atherosclerotic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, China
| | - Ziliang Hu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, China
- Laboratory of Neurological Diseases and Brain Function, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Atherosclerotic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, China
| | - Sheng Nie
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, China
- Laboratory of Neurological Diseases and Brain Function, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, China
| | - Yinglu Lin
- Department of Neurology, The Second People’s Hospital of Pingyang County, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325400, China
| | - Yi Huang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, China
- Laboratory of Neurological Diseases and Brain Function, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine for Atherosclerotic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315010, China
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Rivera-Peña B, Folawiyo O, Turaga N, Rodríguez-Benítez RJ, Felici ME, Aponte-Ortiz JA, Pirini F, Rodríguez-Torres S, Vázquez R, López R, Sidransky D, Guerrero-Preston R, Báez A. Promoter DNA methylation patterns in oral, laryngeal and oropharyngeal anatomical regions are associated with tumor differentiation, nodal involvement and survival. Oncol Lett 2024; 27:89. [PMID: 38268779 PMCID: PMC10804364 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2024.14223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Differentially methylated regions (DMRs) can be used as head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic targets in precision medicine workflows. DNA from 21 HNSCC and 10 healthy oral tissue samples was hybridized to a genome-wide tiling array to identify DMRs in a discovery cohort. Downstream analyses identified differences in promoter DNA methylation patterns in oral, laryngeal and oropharyngeal anatomical regions associated with tumor differentiation, nodal involvement and survival. Genome-wide DMR analysis showed 2,565 DMRs common to the three subsites. A total of 738 DMRs were unique to laryngeal cancer (n=7), 889 DMRs were unique to oral cavity cancer (n=10) and 363 DMRs were unique to pharyngeal cancer (n=6). Based on the genome-wide analysis and a Gene Ontology analysis, 10 candidate genes were selected to test for prognostic value and association with clinicopathological features. TIMP3 was associated with tumor differentiation in oral cavity cancer (P=0.039), DAPK1 was associated with nodal involvement in pharyngeal cancer (P=0.017) and PAX1 was associated with tumor differentiation in laryngeal cancer (P=0.040). A total of five candidate genes were selected, DAPK1, CDH1, PAX1, CALCA and TIMP3, for a prevalence study in a larger validation cohort: Oral cavity cancer samples (n=42), pharyngeal cancer tissues (n=25) and laryngeal cancer samples (n=52). PAX1 hypermethylation differed across HNSCC anatomic subsites (P=0.029), and was predominantly detected in laryngeal cancer. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis (P=0.043) and Cox regression analysis of overall survival (P=0.001) showed that DAPK1 methylation is associated with better prognosis in HNSCC. The findings of the present study showed that the HNSCC subsites oral cavity, pharynx and larynx display substantial differences in aberrant DNA methylation patterns, which may serve as prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Rivera-Peña
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00925, Puerto Rico
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan 00936, Puerto Rico
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan 00936, Puerto Rico
| | - Oluwasina Folawiyo
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Nitesh Turaga
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Rosa J. Rodríguez-Benítez
- Department of General Social Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00925, Puerto Rico
| | - Marcos E. Felici
- Oral Health Division, Puerto Rico Department of Health, San Juan 00927, Puerto Rico
| | - Jaime A. Aponte-Ortiz
- Department of General Surgery, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan 00936, Puerto Rico
| | - Francesca Pirini
- Biosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Instituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori ‘Dino Amadori’, Meldola I-47014, Italy
| | | | - Roger Vázquez
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00925, Puerto Rico
| | - Ricardo López
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan 00925, Puerto Rico
| | - David Sidransky
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Rafael Guerrero-Preston
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
- Department of Research and Development, LifeGene-Biomarks, San Juan 00909, Puerto Rico
| | - Adriana Báez
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan 00936, Puerto Rico
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan 00936, Puerto Rico
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Grossi I, Assoni C, Lorini L, Smussi D, Gurizzan C, Grisanti S, Paderno A, Mattavelli D, Piazza C, Pelisenco IA, De Petro G, Salvi A, Bossi P. Evaluation of DNA methylation levels of SEPT9 and SHOX2 in plasma of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma using droplet digital PCR. Oncol Rep 2024; 51:52. [PMID: 38299234 PMCID: PMC10865173 DOI: 10.3892/or.2024.8711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the seventh most commonly diagnosed cancer globally. HNSCC develops from the mucosa of the oral cavity, pharynx and larynx. Methylation levels of septin 9 (SEPT9) and short stature homeobox 2 (SHOX2) genes in circulating cell‑free DNA (ccfDNA) are considered epigenetic biomarkers and have shown predictive value in preliminary reports in HNSCC. Liquid biopsy is a non‑invasive procedure that collects tumor‑derived molecules, including ccfDNA. In the present study, a droplet digital PCR (ddPCR)‑based assay was developed to detect DNA methylation levels of circulating SEPT9 and SHOX2 in the plasma of patients with HNSCC. The assay was first set up using commercial methylated and unmethylated DNA. The dynamic changes in the methylation levels of SEPT9 and SHOX2 were then quantified in 20 patients with HNSCC during follow‑up. The results highlighted: i) The ability of the ddPCR‑based assay to detect very low copies of methylated molecules; ii) the significant decrease in SEPT9 and SHOX2 methylation levels in the plasma of patients with HNSCC at the first time points of follow‑up with respect to T0; iii) a different trend of longitudinally DNA methylation variations in small groups of stratified patients. The absolute and precise quantification of SEPT9 and SHOX2 methylation levels in HNSCC may be useful for studies with translational potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Grossi
- Division of Biology and Genetics, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, I-25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Claudia Assoni
- Unit of Medical Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, University of Brescia, I-25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Luigi Lorini
- Unit of Medical Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, University of Brescia, I-25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Davide Smussi
- Unit of Medical Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, University of Brescia, I-25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Cristina Gurizzan
- Unit of Medical Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, University of Brescia, I-25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Salvatore Grisanti
- Unit of Medical Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, University of Brescia, I-25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Alberto Paderno
- Unit of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, University of Brescia, I-25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Davide Mattavelli
- Unit of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, University of Brescia, I-25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Cesare Piazza
- Unit of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, University of Brescia, I-25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Iulia Andreea Pelisenco
- Division of Biology and Genetics, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, I-25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Giuseppina De Petro
- Division of Biology and Genetics, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, I-25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Alessandro Salvi
- Division of Biology and Genetics, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, I-25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Paolo Bossi
- Unit of Medical Oncology, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, ASST Spedali Civili of Brescia, University of Brescia, I-25123 Brescia, Italy
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Wan M, Yang X, He L, Meng H. Elucidating the clonal relationship of esophageal second primary tumors in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Infect Agent Cancer 2023; 18:75. [PMID: 38017473 PMCID: PMC10685475 DOI: 10.1186/s13027-023-00558-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Laryngeal cancer ranks as the second most prevalent upper airway malignancy, following Lung cancer. Although some progress has been made in managing laryngeal cancer, the 5-year survival rate is disappointing. The gradual increase in the incidence of second primary tumors (SPTs) plays a crucial role in determining survival outcomes during long-term follow-up, and the esophagus was the most common site with a worse prognosis. In clinical practice, the treatment of esophageal second primary tumors (ESPT) in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) has always been challenging. For patients with synchronous tumors, several treatment modalities, such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy and potentially curative surgery are necessary but are typically poorly tolerated. Secondary cancer therapy options for metachronous patients are always constrained by index cancer treatment indications. Therefore, understanding the clonal origin of the second primary tumor may be an important issue in the treatment of patients. LSCC cells demonstrate genetic instability because of two distinct aetiologies (human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative and HPV-positive) disease. Various etiologies exhibit distinct oncogenic mechanisms, which subsequently impact the tissue microenvironment. The condition of the tissue microenvironment plays a crucial role in determining the destiny and clonal makeup of mutant cells during the initial stages of tumorigenesis. This review focuses on the genetic advances of LSCC, the current research status of SPT, and the influence of key carcinogenesis of HPV-positive and HPV-negative LSCC on clonal evolution of ESPT cells. The objective is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the molecular basis underlying the clonal origins of SPT, thereby offering novel perspectives for future investigations in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meixuan Wan
- Department of Pathology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Xinxin Yang
- Precision Medicine Center, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Lin He
- Department of Stomatology, Heilongjiang Province Hospital, Harbin, 150081, China
| | - Hongxue Meng
- Department of Pathology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, 150081, China.
- Precision Medicine Center, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, 150081, China.
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Zygouras I, Leventakou D, Pouliakis A, Panagiotou S, Tsakogiannis D, Konstantopoulos G, Logotheti E, Samaras M, Kyriakopoulou Z, Beloukas A, Pateras IS, Delides A, Psyrri A, Panayiotides IG, Yiangou M, Kottaridi C. Human Papillomavirus 16 DNA Methylation Patterns and Investigation of Integration Status in Head and Neck Cancer Cases. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14593. [PMID: 37834041 PMCID: PMC10572864 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Persistent high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a pivotal factor in the progression of cervical cancer. In recent years, an increasing interest has emerged in comprehending the influence of HPV on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Notably, it is well established that HPV-associated HNSCC show cases with distinct molecular and clinical attributes compared to HPV-negative cases. The present study delves into the epigenetic landscape of HPV16, specifically its L1 gene and untranslated region (UTR), through pyrosequencing, while the HPV16 DNA physical status was evaluated using E2/E6 ratio analysis in HPV16-positive HNSCC FFPE biopsies. Our findings reveal substantial methylation across six sites within the HPV16 L1 gene and seven sites in the UTR. Specifically, methylation percentages of two L1 CpG sites (7136, 7145) exhibit significant associations with tumor histological grade (p < 0.01), while proving concurrent methylation across multiple sites. The HPV16 DNA physical status was not correlated with the methylation of viral genome or tumor characteristics. This is the first study that examines epigenetic modifications and the HPV16 DNA physical status in Greek HNSCC patients. Our findings suggest an orchestrated epigenetic modulation among specific sites, impacting viral gene expression and intricate virus-host interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Zygouras
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (I.Z.); (S.P.); (G.K.); (E.L.); (M.Y.)
| | - Danai Leventakou
- 2nd Department of Pathology, University General Hospital “Attikon”, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12464 Athens, Greece; (D.L.); (A.P.); (M.S.); (I.S.P.); (I.G.P.)
| | - Abraham Pouliakis
- 2nd Department of Pathology, University General Hospital “Attikon”, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12464 Athens, Greece; (D.L.); (A.P.); (M.S.); (I.S.P.); (I.G.P.)
| | - Styliana Panagiotou
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (I.Z.); (S.P.); (G.K.); (E.L.); (M.Y.)
| | | | - Georgios Konstantopoulos
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (I.Z.); (S.P.); (G.K.); (E.L.); (M.Y.)
| | - Eirini Logotheti
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (I.Z.); (S.P.); (G.K.); (E.L.); (M.Y.)
| | - Menelaos Samaras
- 2nd Department of Pathology, University General Hospital “Attikon”, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12464 Athens, Greece; (D.L.); (A.P.); (M.S.); (I.S.P.); (I.G.P.)
| | - Zaharoula Kyriakopoulou
- Department of Environment, School of Technology, University of Thessaly, Gaiopolis Campus, 41500 Larissa, Greece;
| | - Apostolos Beloukas
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of West Attica, 12243 Athens, Greece;
- National AIDS Reference Centre of Southern Greece, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, 11521 Athens, Greece
| | - Ioannis S. Pateras
- 2nd Department of Pathology, University General Hospital “Attikon”, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12464 Athens, Greece; (D.L.); (A.P.); (M.S.); (I.S.P.); (I.G.P.)
| | - Alexandros Delides
- 2nd Department of Otolaryngology, University General Hospital “Attikon”, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12464 Athens, Greece;
| | - Amanda Psyrri
- 2nd Department of Internal Medicine-Propaedeutic, University General Hospital “Attikon”, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12464 Athens, Greece;
| | - Ioannis G. Panayiotides
- 2nd Department of Pathology, University General Hospital “Attikon”, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12464 Athens, Greece; (D.L.); (A.P.); (M.S.); (I.S.P.); (I.G.P.)
| | - Minas Yiangou
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (I.Z.); (S.P.); (G.K.); (E.L.); (M.Y.)
| | - Christine Kottaridi
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (I.Z.); (S.P.); (G.K.); (E.L.); (M.Y.)
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Qin T, Li S, Henry LE, Chou E, Cavalcante RG, Garb BF, D'Silva NJ, Rozek LS, Sartor MA. Whole-genome CpG-resolution DNA Methylation Profiling of HNSCC Reveals Distinct Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis for Fine-scale HPV+ Cancer Subtypes. CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 3:1701-1715. [PMID: 37654626 PMCID: PMC10467604 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-23-0009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation is a vital early step in carcinogenesis. Most findings of aberrant DNA methylation in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are array based with limited coverage and resolution, and mainly explored by human papillomavirus (HPV) status, ignoring the high heterogeneity of this disease. In this study, we performed whole-genome bisulfite sequencing on a well-studied HNSCC cohort (n = 36) and investigated the methylation changes between fine-scaled HNSCC subtypes in relation to genomic instability, repetitive elements, gene expression, and key carcinogenic pathways. The previously observed hypermethylation phenotype in HPV-positive (HPV+) tumors compared with HPV-negative tumors was robustly present in the immune-strong (IMU) HPV+ subtype but absent in the highly keratinized (KRT) HPV+ subtype. Methylation levels of IMU tumors were significantly higher in repetitive elements, and methylation showed a significant correlation with genomic stability, consistent with the IMU subtype having more genomic stability and better prognosis. Expression quantitative trait methylation (cis-eQTM) analysis revealed extensive functionally-relevant differences, and differential methylation pathway analysis recapitulated gene expression pathway differences between subtypes. Consistent with their characteristics, KRT and HPV-negative tumors had high regulatory potential for multiple regulators of keratinocyte differentiation, which positively correlated with an expression-based keratinization score. Together, our findings revealed distinct mechanisms of carcinogenesis between subtypes in HPV+ HNSCC and uncovered previously ignored epigenomic differences and clinical implications, illustrating the importance of fine-scale subtype analysis in cancer. Significance This study revealed that the previously observed hypermethylation of HPV(+) HNSCC is due solely to the IMU subtype, illustrating the importance of fine-scale subtype analysis in such a heterogeneous disease. Particularly, IMU has significantly higher methylation of transposable elements, which can be tested as a prognosis biomarker in future translational studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Qin
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Shiting Li
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Leanne E. Henry
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Elysia Chou
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Raymond G. Cavalcante
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Bailey F. Garb
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Nisha J. D'Silva
- Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Laura S. Rozek
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Maureen A. Sartor
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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10
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Xu Y, Wang Z, Wei P, Gairola R, Kelsey KT, Sikora AG, Li G, Gu J. Hypermethylation of nc886 in HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer and its clinical implications: An epigenome-wide association study. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2022; 30:596-605. [PMID: 36514351 PMCID: PMC9722395 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2022.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The incidence of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) has increased rapidly in the United States, driven by rising human papillomavirus (HPV) infections in the U.S. population. HPV-positive OPSCC patients have a better prognosis than HPV-negative patients. To gain insights into the unique biology of HPV(+) OPSCC that may contribute to its clinical behaviors, we performed a multi-stage epigenome-wide methylation profiling of leukocyte and tumor DNA in OPSCC patients and compared the methylation levels of CpG sites between HPV(+) and HPV(-) OPSCC patients. We identified and validated a significantly differentially methylated region (DMR) of 1,355 bp encompassing non-coding RNA 886 (nc886) gene and its promoter region. Nc886 is hypermethylated in both leukocytes and tumor DNA of HPV(+) OPSCC patients. Homozygous knockout of nc886 by CRISPR-Cas9 in head and neck cell lines was lethal, but nc886 could be knocked out on the background of protein kinase R (PKR) knockout. Our data suggest that HPV induces nc886 hypermethylation, and nc886 acts as both a viral sensor and a tumor sensor in OPSCC patients and contribute to the better prognosis of HPV(+) OPSCC patients. Nc886 may become a therapeutic target in OPSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Xu
- Department of Epidemiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ziqiao Wang
- Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Peng Wei
- Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Richa Gairola
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Karl T. Kelsey
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI 02912, USA
- Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Andrew G. Sikora
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Guojun Li
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jian Gu
- Department of Epidemiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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11
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Murphy RM, Tasoulas J, Porrello A, Carper MB, Tsai YH, Coffey AR, Kumar S, Zeng PYF, Schrank TP, Midkiff BR, Cohen S, Salazar AH, Hayward MC, Hayes DN, Olshan A, Gupta GP, Nichols AC, Yarbrough WG, Pecot CV, Amelio AL. Tumor Cell Extrinsic Synaptogyrin 3 Expression as a Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarker in Head and Neck Cancer. CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2022; 2:987-1004. [PMID: 36148399 PMCID: PMC9491693 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-21-0135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Over 70% of oropharyngeal head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) cases in the United States are positive for human papillomavirus (HPV) yet biomarkers for stratifying oropharyngeal head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) patient risk are limited. We used immunogenomics to identify differentially expressed genes in immune cells of HPV(+) and HPV(-) squamous carcinomas. Candidate genes were tested in clinical specimens using both quantitative RT-PCR and IHC and validated by IHC using the Carolina Head and Neck Cancer Study (CHANCE) tissue microarray of HNSC cases. We performed multiplex immunofluorescent staining to confirm expression within the immune cells of HPV(+) tumors, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses, and assessed survival outcomes. The neuronal gene Synaptogyrin-3 (SYNGR3) is robustly expressed in immune cells of HPV(+) squamous cancers. Multiplex immunostaining and single cell RNA-seq analyses confirmed SYNGR3 expression in T cells, but also unexpectedly in B cells of HPV(+) tumors. ROC curve analyses revealed that combining SYNGR3 and p16 provides more sensitivity and specificity for HPV detection compared to p16 IHC alone. SYNGR3-high HNSC patients have significantly better prognosis with five-year OS and DSS rates of 60% and 71%, respectively. Moreover, combining p16 localization and SYNGR3 expression can further risk stratify HPV(+) patients such that high cytoplasmic, low nuclear p16 do significantly worse (Hazard Ratio, 8.6; P = 0.032) compared to patients with high cytoplasmic, high nuclear p16. SYNGR3 expression in T and B cells is associated with HPV status and enhanced survival outcomes of HNSC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan M. Murphy
- Graduate Curriculum in Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Division of Oral and Craniofacial Health Sciences, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Jason Tasoulas
- Division of Oral and Craniofacial Health Sciences, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Alessandro Porrello
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Miranda B. Carper
- Division of Oral and Craniofacial Health Sciences, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Yi-Hsuan Tsai
- Bioinformatics Core, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, UNC School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Alisha R. Coffey
- Bioinformatics Core, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, UNC School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Sunil Kumar
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Technology Development, Naveris Inc., Natick, Massachusetts
| | - Peter YF. Zeng
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Travis P. Schrank
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Bentley R. Midkiff
- Pathology Services Core, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, UNC School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Stephanie Cohen
- Pathology Services Core, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, UNC School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Ashley H. Salazar
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Michele C. Hayward
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - D. Neil Hayes
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Center for Cancer Research, University of Tennessee Health Sciences, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Andrew Olshan
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Gaorav P. Gupta
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Department of Radiation Oncology, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Anthony C. Nichols
- Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Wendell G. Yarbrough
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Chad V. Pecot
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Antonio L. Amelio
- Division of Oral and Craniofacial Health Sciences, Adams School of Dentistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Cancer Cell Biology Program, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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12
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FBXL7 Body Hypomethylation Is Frequent in Tumors from the Digestive and Respiratory Tracts and Is Associated with Risk-Factor Exposure. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23147801. [PMID: 35887149 PMCID: PMC9316635 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147801] [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: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Squamous cell carcinoma is the main histological tumor type in the upper aerodigestive tract (UADT), including the esophagus (ESCC) and the head and neck sites, as well as the oral cavity (OCSCC), larynx (LSCC) and oropharynx (OPSCC). These tumors are induced by alcohol and tobacco exposure, with the exception of a subgroup of OPSCC linked to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Few genes are frequently mutated in UADT tumors, pointing to other molecular mechanisms being involved during carcinogenesis. The F-box and leucine-rich repeat protein 7 (FBXL7) is a potential tumor-suppressing gene, one that is frequently hypermethylated in pancreatic cancer and where the encoded protein promotes the degradation of AURKA, BIRC5 and c-SRC. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the methylation and expression profile of FBXL7 in the UADT and the gene’s association with the clinical, etiological and pathological characteristics of patients, as well as the expression of its degradation targets. Here we show that the FBXL7 gene’s body is hypomethylated in the UADT, independently of histology, but not in virus-associated tumors. FBXL7 body methylation and gene expression levels were correlated in the ESCC, LSCC, OCSCC and OPSCC. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that FBXL7 protein levels are not correlated with the levels of its degradation targets, AURKA and BIRC5, in the UADT. The high discriminatory potential of FBXL7 body hypomethylation between non-tumor and tumor tissues makes it a promising biomarker.
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Du P, Chai Y, Zong S, Yue J, Xiao H. Identification of a Prognostic Model Based on Fatty Acid Metabolism-Related Genes of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Front Genet 2022; 13:888764. [PMID: 35846149 PMCID: PMC9280184 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.888764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The fatty acid metabolism (FAM) is known to impact tumorigenesis, tumor progression and treatment resistance via enhancing lipid synthesis, storage and catabolism. However, the role of FAM in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has remained elusive. In the present study, we obtained a total of 69 differentially expressed FAM-related genes between 502 HNSCC samples and 44 normal samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The HNSCC samples were divided into 2 clusters according to 69 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) via cluster analysis. Then DEGs in the two clusters were found, and 137 prognostic DEGs were identified by univariate analysis. Subsequently, combined with the clinical information of 546 HNSCC patients from TCGA database, a 12-gene prognostic risk model was established (FEPHX3, SPINK7, FCRLA, MASP1, ZNF541, CD5, BEST2 and ZAP70 were down-regulation, ADPRHL1, DYNC1I1, KCNG1 and LINC00460 were up-regulation) using multivariate Cox regression and LASSO regression analysis. The risk scores of 546 HNSCC samples were calculated. According to the median risk score, 546 HNSCC patients were divided into the high- and low-risk (high- and low score) groups. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the survival time of HNSCC patients was significantly shorter in the high-risk group than that in the low-risk group (p < 0.001). The same conclusion was obtained in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset. After that, the multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that the risk score was an independent factor for patients with HNSCC in the TCGA cohort. In addition, single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) indicated that the level of infiltrating immune cells was relatively low in the high-risk group compared with the low-risk group. In summary, FAM-related gene expression-based risk signature could predict the prognosis of HNSCC independently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiyu Du
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yue Chai
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Cente, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Shimin Zong
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jianxin Yue
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Jianxin Yue, ; Hongjun Xiao,
| | - Hongjun Xiao
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Jianxin Yue, ; Hongjun Xiao,
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14
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High Risk-Human Papillomavirus in HNSCC: Present and Future Challenges for Epigenetic Therapies. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23073483. [PMID: 35408843 PMCID: PMC8998945 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23073483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) is a highly heterogeneous group of tumors characterized by an incidence of 650,000 new cases and 350,000 deaths per year worldwide and a male to female ratio of 3:1. The main risk factors are alcohol and tobacco consumption and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infections. HNSCC cases are divided into two subgroups, the HPV-negative (HPV−) and the HPV-positive (HPV+) which have different clinicopathological and molecular profiles. However, patients are still treated with the same therapeutic regimens. It is thus of utmost importance to characterize the molecular mechanisms underlying these differences to find new biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets towards personalized therapies. Epigenetic alterations are a hallmark of cancer and can be exploited as both promising biomarkers and potential new targets. E6 and E7 HPV oncoviral proteins besides targeting p53 and pRb, impair the expression and the activity of several epigenetic regulators. While alterations in DNA methylation patterns have been well described in HPV+ and HPV− HNSCC, accurate histone post-translational modifications (hPTMs) characterization is still missing. Herein, we aim to provide an updated overview on the impact of HPV on the hPTMs landscape in HNSCC. Moreover, we will also discuss the sex and gender bias in HNSCC and how the epigenetic machinery could be involved in this process, and the importance of taking into account sex and/or gender also in this field.
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15
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Transposable Elements and Human Diseases: Mechanisms and Implication in the Response to Environmental Pollutants. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23052551. [PMID: 35269693 PMCID: PMC8910135 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23052551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are recognized as major players in genome plasticity and evolution. The high abundance of TEs in the human genome, especially the Alu and Long Interspersed Nuclear Element-1 (LINE-1) repeats, makes them responsible for the molecular origin of several diseases. This involves several molecular mechanisms that are presented in this review: insertional mutation, DNA recombination and chromosomal rearrangements, modification of gene expression, as well as alteration of epigenetic regulations. This literature review also presents some of the more recent and/or more classical examples of human diseases in which TEs are involved. Whether through insertion of LINE-1 or Alu elements that cause chromosomal rearrangements, or through epigenetic modifications, TEs are widely implicated in the origin of human cancers. Many other human diseases can have a molecular origin in TE-mediated chromosomal recombination or alteration of gene structure and/or expression. These diseases are very diverse and include hemoglobinopathies, metabolic and neurological diseases, and common diseases. Moreover, TEs can also have an impact on aging. Finally, the exposure of individuals to stresses and environmental contaminants seems to have a non-negligible impact on the epigenetic derepression and mobility of TEs, which can lead to the development of diseases. Thus, improving our knowledge of TEs may lead to new potential diagnostic markers of diseases.
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Head and Neck Cancers Are Not Alike When Tarred with the Same Brush: An Epigenetic Perspective from the Cancerization Field to Prognosis. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13225630. [PMID: 34830785 PMCID: PMC8616074 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13225630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Squamous cell carcinomas affect different head and neck subsites and, although these tumors arise from the same epithelial lining and share risk factors, they differ in terms of clinical behavior and molecular carcinogenesis mechanisms. Differences between HPV-negative and HPV-positive tumors are those most frequently explored, but further data suggest that the molecular heterogeneity observed among head and neck subsites may go beyond HPV infection. In this review, we explore how alterations of DNA methylation and microRNA expression contribute to head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) development and progression. The association of these epigenetic alterations with risk factor exposure, early carcinogenesis steps, transformation risk, and prognosis are described. Finally, we discuss the potential application of the use of epigenetic biomarkers in HNSCC. Abstract Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are among the ten most frequent types of cancer worldwide and, despite all efforts, are still diagnosed at late stages and show poor overall survival. Furthermore, HNSCC patients often experience relapses and the development of second primary tumors, as a consequence of the field cancerization process. Therefore, a better comprehension of the molecular mechanisms involved in HNSCC development and progression may enable diagnosis anticipation and provide valuable tools for prediction of prognosis and response to therapy. However, the different biological behavior of these tumors depending on the affected anatomical site and risk factor exposure, as well as the high genetic heterogeneity observed in HNSCC are major obstacles in this pursue. In this context, epigenetic alterations have been shown to be common in HNSCC, to discriminate the tumor anatomical subsites, to be responsive to risk factor exposure, and show promising results in biomarker development. Based on this, this review brings together the current knowledge on alterations of DNA methylation and microRNA expression in HNSCC natural history, focusing on how they contribute to each step of the process and on their applicability as biomarkers of exposure, HNSCC development, progression, and response to therapy.
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