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Scuderi C, Di Bella V, Privitera AP, Giustolisi FM, Barresi V, Condorelli DF. Gain-Type Aneuploidies Influence the Burden of Selective Long Non-Coding Transcripts in Colorectal Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5538. [PMID: 38791575 PMCID: PMC11122260 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105538] [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: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Chromosomal instability is a hallmark of colorectal carcinogenesis and produces an accumulation of different forms of aneuploidies or broad copy number aberrations. Colorectal cancer is characterized by gain-type broad copy number aberrations, specifically in Chr20, Chr8q, Chr13 and Chr7, but their roles and mechanisms in cancer progression are not fully understood. It has been suggested that broad copy number gains might contribute to tumor development through the so-called caricature transcriptomic effect. We intend to investigate the impact of broad copy number gains on long non-coding RNAs' expression in colorectal cancer, given their well-known role in oncogenesis. The influence of such chromosomal aberrations on lncRNAs' transcriptome profile was investigated by SNP and transcriptome arrays in our series of colorectal cancer samples and cell lines. The correlation between aneuploidies and transcriptomic profiles led us to obtain a class of Over-UpT lncRNAs, which are transcripts upregulated in CRC and further overexpressed in colon tumors bearing specific chromosomal aberrations. The identified lncRNAs can contribute to a wide interaction network to establish the cancer driving effect of gain-type aneuploidies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Vincenza Barresi
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (C.S.); (V.D.B.); (A.P.P.); (F.M.G.); (D.F.C.)
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2
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Zhai X, Chen B, Hu H, Deng Y, Chen Y, Hong Y, Ren X, Jiang C. Identification of the molecular subtypes and signatures to predict the prognosis, biological functions, and therapeutic response based on the anoikis-related genes in colorectal cancer. Cancer Med 2024; 13:e7315. [PMID: 38785271 PMCID: PMC11117457 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.7315] [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: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumors that resist anoikis, a programmed cell death triggered by detachment from the extracellular matrix, promote metastasis; however, the role of anoikis-related genes (ARGs) in colorectal cancer (CRC) stratification, prognosis, and biological functions remains unclear. METHODS We obtained transcriptomic profiles of CRC and 27 ARGs from The Cancer Genome Atlas, the Gene Expression Omnibus, and MSigDB databases, respectively. CRC tissue samples were classified into two clusters based on the expression pattern of ARGs, and their functional differences were explored. Hub genes were screened using weighted gene co-expression network analysis, univariate analysis, and least absolute selection and shrinkage operator analysis, and validated in cell lines, tissues, or the Human Protein Atlas database. We constructed an ARG-risk model and nomogram to predict prognosis in patients with CRC, which was validated using an external cohort. Multifaceted landscapes, including stemness, tumor microenvironment (TME), immune landscape, and drug sensitivity, between high- and low-risk groups were examined. RESULTS Patients with CRC were divided into C1 and C2 clusters. Cluster C1 exhibited higher TME scores, whereas cluster C2 had favorable outcomes and a higher stemness index. Eight upregulated hub ARGs (TIMP1, P3H1, SPP1, HAMP, IFI30, ADAM8, ITGAX, and APOC1) were utilized to construct the risk model. The qRT-PCR, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry results were consistent with those of the bioinformatics analysis. Patients with high risk exhibited worse overall survival (p < 0.01), increased stemness, TME, immune checkpoint expression, immune infiltration, tumor mutation burden, and drug susceptibility compared with the patients with low risk. CONCLUSION Our results offer a novel CRC stratification based on ARGs and a risk-scoring system that could predict the prognosis, stemness, TME, immunophenotypes, and drug susceptibility of patients with CRC, thereby improving their prognosis. This stratification may facilitate personalized therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Zhai
- Department of Colorectal and Anal SurgeryZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Clinical Center of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases of Hubei Province (Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University)WuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases (Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University)WuhanChina
| | - Baoxiang Chen
- Department of Colorectal and Anal SurgeryZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Clinical Center of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases of Hubei Province (Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University)WuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases (Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University)WuhanChina
| | - Heng Hu
- Department of Colorectal and Anal SurgeryZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Clinical Center of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases of Hubei Province (Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University)WuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases (Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University)WuhanChina
| | - Yanrong Deng
- Department of Colorectal and Anal SurgeryZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Clinical Center of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases of Hubei Province (Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University)WuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases (Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University)WuhanChina
| | - Yazhu Chen
- West China Hospital of Sichuan universityChengduChina
| | - Yuntian Hong
- Department of Colorectal and Anal SurgeryZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Clinical Center of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases of Hubei Province (Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University)WuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases (Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University)WuhanChina
| | - Xianghai Ren
- Department of Colorectal and Anal SurgeryZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Clinical Center of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases of Hubei Province (Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University)WuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases (Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University)WuhanChina
| | - Congqing Jiang
- Department of Colorectal and Anal SurgeryZhongnan Hospital of Wuhan UniversityWuhanChina
- Clinical Center of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases of Hubei Province (Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University)WuhanChina
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases (Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University)WuhanChina
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Cosentini I, Condorelli DF, Locicero G, Ferro A, Pulvirenti A, Barresi V, Alaimo S. Measuring cancer driving force of chromosomal aberrations through multi-layer Boolean implication networks. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0301591. [PMID: 38593144 PMCID: PMC11003681 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Multi-layer Complex networks are commonly used for modeling and analysing biological entities. This paper presents the advantage of using COMBO (Combining Multi Bio Omics) to suggest a new role of the chromosomal aberration as a cancer driver factor. Exploiting the heterogeneous multi-layer networks, COMBO integrates gene expression and DNA-methylation data in order to identify complex bilateral relationships between transcriptome and epigenome. We evaluated the multi-layer networks generated by COMBO on different TCGA cancer datasets (COAD, BLCA, BRCA, CESC, STAD) focusing on the effect of a specific chromosomal numerical aberration, broad gain in chromosome 20, on different cancer histotypes. In addition, the effect of chromosome 8q amplification was tested in the same TCGA cancer dataset. The results demonstrate the ability of COMBO to identify the chromosome 20 amplification cancer driver force in the different TCGA Pan Cancer project datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Cosentini
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation (IRIB), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Palermo, Italy
| | - Daniele Filippo Condorelli
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Medical Biochemistry, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Giorgio Locicero
- Institute for Biomedical Research and Innovation (IRIB), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Palermo, Italy
| | - Alfredo Ferro
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Bioinformatics Unit, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Alfredo Pulvirenti
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Bioinformatics Unit, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Vincenza Barresi
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Medical Biochemistry, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Salvatore Alaimo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Bioinformatics Unit, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
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Ding J, Su Y, Liu Y, Xu Y, Yang D, Wang X, Hao S, Zhou H, Li H. The role of CSTF2 in cancer: from technology to clinical application. Cell Cycle 2023; 22:2622-2636. [PMID: 38166492 PMCID: PMC10936678 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2023.2299624] [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: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2024] Open
Abstract
A protein called cleavage-stimulating factor subunit 2 (CSTF2, additionally called CSTF-64) binds RNA and is needed for the cleavage and polyadenylation of mRNA. CSTF2 is an important component subunit of the cleavage stimulating factor (CSTF), which is located on the X chromosome and encodes 557 amino acids. There is compelling evidence linking elevated CSTF2 expression to the pathological advancement of cancer and on its impact on the clinical aspects of the disease. The progression of cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma, melanoma, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and pancreatic cancer, is correlated with the upregulation of CSTF2 expression. This review provides a fresh perspective on the investigation of the associations between CSTF2 and various malignancies and highlights current studies on the regulation of CSTF2. In particular, the mechanism of action and potential clinical applications of CSTF2 in cancer suggest that CSTF2 can serve as a new biomarker and individualized treatment target for a variety of cancer types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxiang Ding
- Clinical Trial Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, Anhui, China
- School of Public Foundation, Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, Anhui, China
| | - Yue Su
- Clinical Trial Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, Anhui, China
- School of Public Foundation, Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, Anhui, China
| | - Youru Liu
- The People’s Hospital of Bozhou, Bozhou, Anhui, China
| | - Yuanyuan Xu
- Clinical Trial Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, Anhui, China
- School of Pharmacy, Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, Anhui, China
| | - Dashuai Yang
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province; School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Xuefeng Wang
- Clinical Trial Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, Anhui, China
- School of Pharmacy, Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, Anhui, China
| | - Shuli Hao
- The People’s Hospital of Bozhou, Bozhou, Anhui, China
| | - Huan Zhou
- Clinical Trial Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, Anhui, China
- School of Public Foundation, Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, Anhui, China
- School of Pharmacy, Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, Anhui, China
| | - Hongtao Li
- Clinical Trial Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University, Bengbu, Anhui, China
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Barresi V. The Crucial Findings Derived from the Special Issue "Inside Cancer Genomics: From Structure to Therapy". Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3488. [PMID: 37444598 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15133488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer initiation, growth, and progression are sustained by multiple types of genetic alterations, ranging in size from single point mutations, focal genomic errors to broad chromosomal copy number alterations, gains, and losses [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenza Barresi
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
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Barresi V, Musmeci C, Rinaldi A, Condorelli DF. Transcript-Targeted Therapy Based on RNA Interference and Antisense Oligonucleotides: Current Applications and Novel Molecular Targets. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23168875. [PMID: 36012138 PMCID: PMC9408055 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23168875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of novel target therapies based on the use of RNA interference (RNAi) and antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) is growing in an exponential way, challenging the chance for the treatment of the genetic diseases and cancer by hitting selectively targeted RNA in a sequence-dependent manner. Multiple opportunities are taking shape, able to remove defective protein by silencing RNA (e.g., Inclisiran targets mRNA of protein PCSK9, permitting a longer half-life of LDL receptors in heterozygous familial hypercholesteremia), by arresting mRNA translation (i.e., Fomivirsen that binds to UL123-RNA and blocks the translation into IE2 protein in CMV-retinitis), or by reactivating modified functional protein (e.g., Eteplirsen able to restore a functional shorter dystrophin by skipping the exon 51 in Duchenne muscular dystrophy) or a not very functional protein. In this last case, the use of ASOs permits modifying the expression of specific proteins by modulating splicing of specific pre-RNAs (e.g., Nusinersen acts on the splicing of exon 7 in SMN2 mRNA normally not expressed; it is used for spinal muscular atrophy) or by downregulation of transcript levels (e.g., Inotersen acts on the transthryretin mRNA to reduce its expression; it is prescribed for the treatment of hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis) in order to restore the biochemical/physiological condition and ameliorate quality of life. In the era of precision medicine, recently, an experimental splice-modulating antisense oligonucleotide, Milasen, was designed and used to treat an 8-year-old girl affected by a rare, fatal, progressive form of neurodegenerative disease leading to death during adolescence. In this review, we summarize the main transcriptional therapeutic drugs approved to date for the treatment of genetic diseases by principal regulatory government agencies and recent clinical trials aimed at the treatment of cancer. Their mechanism of action, chemical structure, administration, and biomedical performance are predominantly discussed.
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Methyladenosine Modification in RNAs: From Regulatory Roles to Therapeutic Implications in Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14133195. [PMID: 35804965 PMCID: PMC9264946 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14133195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cancer remains a burden to the public health all over the world. An increasing number of studies have concentrated on the role of methyladenosine modifications on cancers. Methyladenosine modifications mainly include N6-methyladenosine (m6A), N1-methyladenosine (m1A), and 2’-O-methyladenosine (m6Am), of which dynamic changes could modulate the metabolism of RNAs in eukaryotic cells. Mounting evidence has confirmed the crucial role of methyladenosine modification in cancer, offering possibilities for cancer therapy. In this review, we discussed the regulatory role of methyladenosine modification on cancer, as well as their potential for treatment. Abstract Methyladenosine modifications are the most abundant RNA modifications, including N6-methyladenosine (m6A), N1-methyladenosine (m1A), and 2’-O-methyladenosine (m6Am). As reversible epigenetic modifications, methyladenosine modifications in eukaryotic RNAs are not invariable. Drastic alterations of m6A are found in a variety of diseases, including cancers. Dynamic changes of m6A modification induced by abnormal methyltransferase, demethylases, and readers can regulate cancer progression via interfering with the splicing, localization, translation, and stability of mRNAs. Meanwhile, m6A, m1A, and m6Am modifications also exert regulatory effects on noncoding RNAs in cancer progression. In this paper, we reviewed recent findings concerning the underlying biomechanism of methyladenosine modifications in oncogenesis and metastasis and discussed the therapeutic potential of methyladenosine modifications in cancer treatments.
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Zhang MH, Liu J. Cleavage stimulation factor 2 promotes malignant progression of liver hepatocellular carcinoma by activating phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin pathway. Bioengineered 2022; 13:10047-10060. [PMID: 35412944 PMCID: PMC9161829 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2022.2063100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) is the most common type, comprising 75-85% of all liver malignancies. We investigated the roles of cleavage stimulation factor 2 (CSTF2) in LIHC and explored the underlying mechanisms. CSTF2 expression and its association with LIHC patient survival probability were analyzed with The Cancer Genome Atlas. CSTF2 expression in LIHC cells was assessed using western blot and quantitative real-time PCR. Alterations in CSTF2 expression were induced by cell transfection. Cell colony formation, apoptosis, proliferation, invasion, and migration were assessed using colony formation, flow cytometry, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine, and transwell assays. Pathway enrichment analysis was performed using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). The expression of apoptosis-, metastasis-, and pathway-associated factors was determined via western blot. The pathway rescue assay was further performed using 740Y-P or Wortmannin. CSTF2 upregulation was observed in LIHC tissues and cells. Patients with high CSTF2 expression had a lower probability of overall survival. CSTF2 overexpression enhanced colony formation, proliferation, invasion and migration, while repressing apoptosis in LIHC cells. GSEA revealed that CSTF2 was mainly enriched in the phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/AKT/mTOR) pathway. Western blot analysis proved that CSTF2 overexpression activated this pathway. CSTF2 knockdown yielded the opposite effects. 740Y-P, a PI3K activator, reversed the CSTF2 knockdown-triggered effects on cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and migration. Moreover, Wortmannin, a PI3K inhibitor, also reversed the CSTF2 overexpression-induced effects on cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and migration. These results indicated that CSTF2 overexpression might exacerbate the malignant phenotypes of LIHC cells via activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Hui Zhang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Center of Organ Transplantation, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, People's Republic of China.,Department of General Surgery, The Fourth People's Hospital of Jinan, Jinan, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Center of Organ Transplantation, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, People's Republic of China
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9
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Comprehensive characterization of PTEN mutational profile in a series of 34,129 colorectal cancers. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1618. [PMID: 35338148 PMCID: PMC8956741 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29227-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Loss of expression or activity of the tumor suppressor PTEN acts similarly to an activating mutation in the oncogene PIK3CA in elevating intracellular levels of phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-trisphosphate (PIP3), inducing signaling by AKT and other pro-tumorigenic signaling proteins. Here, we analyze sequence data for 34,129 colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, capturing 3,434 PTEN mutations. We identify specific patterns of PTEN mutation associated with microsatellite stability/instability (MSS/MSI), tumor mutational burden (TMB), patient age, and tumor location. Within groups separated by MSS/MSI status, this identifies distinct profiles of nucleotide hotspots, and suggests differing profiles of protein-damaging effects of mutations. Moreover, discrete categories of PTEN mutations display non-identical patterns of co-occurrence with mutations in other genes important in CRC pathogenesis, including KRAS, APC, TP53, and PIK3CA. These data provide context for clinical targeting of proteins upstream and downstream of PTEN in distinct CRC cohorts.
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10
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Golas MM, Gunawan B, Cakir M, Cameron S, Enders C, Liersch T, Füzesi L, Sander B. Evolutionary patterns of chromosomal instability and mismatch repair deficiency in proximal and distal colorectal cancer. Colorectal Dis 2022; 24:157-176. [PMID: 34623739 DOI: 10.1111/codi.15946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
AIM Colorectal carcinomas (CRCs) progress through heterogeneous pathways. The aim of this study was to analyse whether or not the cytogenetic evolution of CRC is linked to tumour site, level of chromosomal imbalance and metastasis. METHOD A set of therapy-naïve pT3 CRCs comprising 26 proximal and 49 distal pT3 CRCs was studied by combining immunohistochemistry of mismatch repair (MMR) proteins, microsatellite analyses and molecular karyotyping as well as clinical parameters. RESULTS A MMR deficient/microsatellite-unstable (dMMR/MSI-H) status was associated with location of the primary tumour proximal to the splenic flexure, and dMMR/MSI-H tumours presented with significantly lower levels of chromosomal imbalances compared with MMR proficient/microsatellite-stable (pMMR/MSS) tumours. Oncogenetic tree modelling suggested two evolutionary clusters characterized by dMMR/MSI-H and chromosomal instability (CIN), respectively, for both proximal and distal CRCs. In CIN cases, +13q, -18q and +20q were predicted as preferentially early events, and -1p, -4 -and -5q as late events. Separate oncogenetic tree models of proximal and distal cases indicated similar early events independent of tumour site. However, in cases with high CIN defined by more than 10 copy number aberrations, loss of 17p occurred earlier in cytogenetic evolution than in cases showing low to moderate CIN. Differences in the oncogenetic trees were observed for CRCs with lymph node and distant metastasis. Loss of 8p was modelled as an early event in node-positive CRC, while +7p and +8q comprised early events in CRC with distant metastasis. CONCLUSION CRCs characterized by CIN follow multiple, interconnected genetic pathways in line with the basic 'Vogelgram' concept proposed for the progression of CRC that places the accumulation of genetic changes at centre of tumour evolution. However, the timing of specific genetic events may favour metastatic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariola Monika Golas
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center Augsburg, University Medical Center Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Bastian Gunawan
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Meliha Cakir
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Silke Cameron
- Department of Gastroenterology and Gastrointestinal Oncology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christina Enders
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Torsten Liersch
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Laszlo Füzesi
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Institute of Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, University Medical Center Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Bjoern Sander
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Institute of Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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Barresi V, Di Bella V, Andriano N, Privitera AP, Bonaccorso P, La Rosa M, Iachelli V, Spampinato G, Pulvirenti G, Scuderi C, Condorelli DF, Lo Nigro L. NUP-98 Rearrangements Led to the Identification of Candidate Biomarkers for Primary Induction Failure in Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22094575. [PMID: 33925480 PMCID: PMC8123909 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Conventional chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia regimens generally encompass an intensive induction phase, in order to achieve a morphological remission in terms of bone marrow blasts (<5%). The majority of cases are classified as Primary Induction Response (PIR); unfortunately, 15% of children do not achieve remission and are defined Primary Induction Failure (PIF). This study aims to characterize the gene expression profile of PIF in children with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), in order to detect molecular pathways dysfunctions and identify potential biomarkers. Given that NUP98-rearrangements are enriched in PIF-AML patients, we investigated the association of NUP98-driven genes in primary chemoresistance. Therefore, 85 expression arrays, deposited on GEO database, and 358 RNAseq AML samples, from TARGET program, were analyzed for “Differentially Expressed Genes” (DEGs) between NUP98+ and NUP98-, identifying 110 highly confident NUP98/PIF-associated DEGs. We confirmed, by qRT-PCR, the overexpression of nine DEGs, selected on the bases of the diagnostic accuracy, in a local cohort of PIF patients: SPINK2, TMA7, SPCS2, CDCP1, CAPZA1, FGFR1OP2, MAN1A2, NT5C3A and SRP54. In conclusion, the integrated analysis of NUP98 mutational analysis and transcriptome profiles allowed the identification of novel putative biomarkers for the prediction of PIF in AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenza Barresi
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Medical Biochemistry, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (V.B.); (V.D.B.); (A.P.P.); (G.S.); (C.S.)
| | - Virginia Di Bella
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Medical Biochemistry, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (V.B.); (V.D.B.); (A.P.P.); (G.S.); (C.S.)
| | - Nellina Andriano
- Cytogenetic-Cytofluorimetric-Molecular Biology Lab, 95123 Catania, Italy; (N.A.); (P.B.); (M.L.R.); (V.I.); (G.P.); (L.L.N.)
- Center of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Azienda Policlinico–San Marco, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Anna Provvidenza Privitera
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Medical Biochemistry, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (V.B.); (V.D.B.); (A.P.P.); (G.S.); (C.S.)
| | - Paola Bonaccorso
- Cytogenetic-Cytofluorimetric-Molecular Biology Lab, 95123 Catania, Italy; (N.A.); (P.B.); (M.L.R.); (V.I.); (G.P.); (L.L.N.)
- Center of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Azienda Policlinico–San Marco, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Manuela La Rosa
- Cytogenetic-Cytofluorimetric-Molecular Biology Lab, 95123 Catania, Italy; (N.A.); (P.B.); (M.L.R.); (V.I.); (G.P.); (L.L.N.)
- Center of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Azienda Policlinico–San Marco, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Valeria Iachelli
- Cytogenetic-Cytofluorimetric-Molecular Biology Lab, 95123 Catania, Italy; (N.A.); (P.B.); (M.L.R.); (V.I.); (G.P.); (L.L.N.)
- Center of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Azienda Policlinico–San Marco, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Giorgia Spampinato
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Medical Biochemistry, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (V.B.); (V.D.B.); (A.P.P.); (G.S.); (C.S.)
| | - Giulio Pulvirenti
- Cytogenetic-Cytofluorimetric-Molecular Biology Lab, 95123 Catania, Italy; (N.A.); (P.B.); (M.L.R.); (V.I.); (G.P.); (L.L.N.)
- Center of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Azienda Policlinico–San Marco, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Chiara Scuderi
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Medical Biochemistry, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (V.B.); (V.D.B.); (A.P.P.); (G.S.); (C.S.)
| | - Daniele F. Condorelli
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Medical Biochemistry, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy; (V.B.); (V.D.B.); (A.P.P.); (G.S.); (C.S.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Luca Lo Nigro
- Cytogenetic-Cytofluorimetric-Molecular Biology Lab, 95123 Catania, Italy; (N.A.); (P.B.); (M.L.R.); (V.I.); (G.P.); (L.L.N.)
- Center of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Azienda Policlinico–San Marco, 95123 Catania, Italy
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12
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Privitera AP, Barresi V, Condorelli DF. Aberrations of Chromosomes 1 and 16 in Breast Cancer: A Framework for Cooperation of Transcriptionally Dysregulated Genes. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:1585. [PMID: 33808143 PMCID: PMC8037453 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13071585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Derivative chromosome der(1;16), isochromosome 1q, and deleted 16q-producing arm-level 1q-gain and/or 16q-loss-are recurrent cytogenetic abnormalities in breast cancer, but their exact role in determining the malignant phenotype is still largely unknown. We exploited The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data to generate and analyze groups of breast invasive carcinomas, called 1,16-chromogroups, that are characterized by a pattern of arm-level somatic copy number aberrations congruent with known cytogenetic aberrations of chromosome 1 and 16. Substantial differences were found among 1,16-chromogroups in terms of other chromosomal aberrations, aneuploidy scores, transcriptomic data, single-point mutations, histotypes, and molecular subtypes. Breast cancers with a co-occurrence of 1q-gain and 16q-loss can be distinguished in a "low aneuploidy score" group, congruent to der(1;16), and a "high aneuploidy score" group, congruent to the co-occurrence of isochromosome 1q and deleted 16q. Another three groups are formed by cancers showing separately 1q-gain or 16q-loss or no aberrations of 1q and 16q. Transcriptome comparisons among the 1,16-chromogroups, integrated with functional pathway analysis, suggested the cooperation of overexpressed 1q genes and underexpressed 16q genes in the genesis of both ductal and lobular carcinomas, thus highlighting the putative role of genes encoding gamma-secretase subunits (APH1A, PSEN2, and NCSTN) and Wnt enhanceosome components (BCL9 and PYGO2) in 1q, and the glycoprotein E-cadherin (CDH1), the E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase WWP2, the deubiquitinating enzyme CYLD, and the transcription factor CBFB in 16q. The analysis of 1,16-chromogroups is a strategy with far-reaching implications for the selection of cancer cell models and novel experimental therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vincenza Barresi
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Medical Biochemistry, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89-97, 95123 Catania, Italy;
| | - Daniele Filippo Condorelli
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Medical Biochemistry, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia 89-97, 95123 Catania, Italy;
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Barresi V, Cosentini I, Scuderi C, Napoli S, Di Bella V, Spampinato G, Condorelli DF. Fusion Transcripts of Adjacent Genes: New Insights into the World of Human Complex Transcripts in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20215252. [PMID: 31652751 PMCID: PMC6862657 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20215252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The awareness of genome complexity brought a radical approach to the study of transcriptome, opening eyes to single RNAs generated from two or more adjacent genes according to the present consensus. This kind of transcript was thought to originate only from chromosomal rearrangements, but the discovery of readthrough transcription opens the doors to a new world of fusion RNAs. In the last years many possible intergenic cis-splicing mechanisms have been proposed, unveiling the origins of transcripts that contain some exons of both the upstream and downstream genes. In some cases, alternative mechanisms, such as trans-splicing and transcriptional slippage, have been proposed. Five databases, containing validated and predicted Fusion Transcripts of Adjacent Genes (FuTAGs), are available for the scientific community. A comparative analysis revealed that two of them contain the majority of the results. A complete analysis of the more widely characterized FuTAGs is provided in this review, including their expression pattern in normal tissues and in cancer. Gene structure, intergenic splicing patterns and exon junction sequences have been determined and here reported for well-characterized FuTAGs. The available functional data and the possible roles in cancer progression are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenza Barresi
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Medical Biochemistry, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - Ilaria Cosentini
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Medical Biochemistry, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - Chiara Scuderi
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Medical Biochemistry, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - Salvatore Napoli
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Medical Biochemistry, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - Virginia Di Bella
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Medical Biochemistry, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - Giorgia Spampinato
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Medical Biochemistry, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - Daniele Filippo Condorelli
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, Section of Medical Biochemistry, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
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