1
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Alontaga AY, Cano P, Ozakinci H, Puskas JA, Stewart PA, Welsh EA, Yoder SJ, Hicks JK, Saltos AN, Bossler AD, Haura EB, Koomen JM, Boyle TA. Implementation of a High-Accuracy Targeted Gene Expression Panel for Clinical Care. J Mol Diagn 2024:S1525-1578(24)00101-6. [PMID: 38777037 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmoldx.2024.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
This study describes the validation of a clinical RNA expression panel with evaluation of concordance between gene copy gain by a next-generation sequencing (NGS) assay and high gene expression by an RNA expression panel. The RNA Salah Targeted Expression Panel (RNA STEP) was designed with input from oncologists to include 204 genes with utility for clinical trial prescreening and therapy selection. RNA STEP was validated with the nanoString platform using remnant formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded-derived RNA from 102 patients previously tested with a validated clinical NGS panel. The repeatability, reproducibility, and concordance of RNA STEP results with NGS results were evaluated. RNA STEP demonstrated high repeatability and reproducibility, with excellent correlation (r > 0.97, P < 0.0001) for all comparisons. Comparison of RNA STEP high gene expression (log2 ratio ≥ 2) versus NGS DNA-based gene copy number gain (copies ≥ 5) for 38 mutually covered genes revealed an accuracy of 93.0% with a positive percentage agreement of 69.4% and negative percentage agreement of 93.8%. Moderate correlation was observed between platforms (r = 0.53, P < 0.0001). Concordance between high gene expression and gene copy number gain varied by specific gene, and some genes had higher accuracy between assays. Clinical implementation of RNA STEP provides gene expression data complementary to NGS and offers a tool for prescreening patients for clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aileen Y Alontaga
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Pedro Cano
- Department of Pathology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Hilal Ozakinci
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - John A Puskas
- Department of Pathology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Paul A Stewart
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Eric A Welsh
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Shared Resource, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Sean J Yoder
- Molecular Genomics Core Facility, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - J Kevin Hicks
- Department of Pathology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Andreas N Saltos
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Aaron D Bossler
- Department of Pathology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Eric B Haura
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - John M Koomen
- Department of Pathology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida; Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida
| | - Theresa A Boyle
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida; Department of Pathology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, Florida.
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2
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Villodre ES, Nguyen APN, Debeb BG. NDRGs in Breast Cancer: A Review and In Silico Analysis. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1342. [PMID: 38611020 PMCID: PMC11011033 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16071342] [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: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The N-myc downstream regulated gene family (NDRGs) includes four members: NDRG1, NDRG2, NDRG3, and NDRG4. These members exhibit 53-65% amino acid identity. The role of NDRGs in tumor growth and metastasis appears to be tumor- and context-dependent. While many studies have reported that these family members have tumor suppressive roles, recent studies have demonstrated that NDRGs, particularly NDRG1 and NDRG2, function as oncogenes, promoting tumor growth and metastasis. Additionally, NDRGs are involved in regulating different signaling pathways and exhibit diverse cellular functions in breast cancers. In this review, we comprehensively outline the oncogenic and tumor suppressor roles of the NDRG family members in breast cancer, examining evidence from in vitro and in vivo breast cancer models as well as tumor tissues from breast cancer patients. We also present analyses of publicly available genomic and transcriptomic data from multiple independent cohorts of breast cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilly S. Villodre
- Department of Breast Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (E.S.V.); (A.P.N.N.)
- MD Anderson Morgan Welch Inflammatory Breast Cancer Clinic and Research Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Anh P. N. Nguyen
- Department of Breast Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (E.S.V.); (A.P.N.N.)
- MD Anderson Morgan Welch Inflammatory Breast Cancer Clinic and Research Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Bisrat G. Debeb
- Department of Breast Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (E.S.V.); (A.P.N.N.)
- MD Anderson Morgan Welch Inflammatory Breast Cancer Clinic and Research Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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3
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Martin-Broto J, Martinez-Garcia J, Moura DS, Redondo A, Gutierrez A, Lopez-Pousa A, Martinez-Trufero J, Sevilla I, Diaz-Beveridge R, Solis-Hernandez MP, Carnero A, Perez M, Marcilla D, Garcia-Foncillas J, Romero P, Fernandez-Jara J, Lopez-Lopez D, Arribas I, Hindi N. Phase II trial of CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib in advanced sarcoma based on mRNA expression of CDK4/ CDKN2A. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:405. [PMID: 37875500 PMCID: PMC10598203 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01661-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors demonstrated activity in terms of progression-free survival (PFS) in advanced dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DD-LPS), a sarcoma with CDK4 amplification. CDK4 overexpression is by far more common than amplification in sarcomas and it might be a rational target for CDK inhibitors. Preclinical investigators of this study found that CDK4 overexpression, while not of CDKN2A, was the most consistent predictive factor for palbociclib efficacy in sarcomas. Advanced adult-type soft-tissue sarcoma, excluding DD-LPS, or bone sarcoma patients, progressing after at least one systemic line, whose tumors overexpressed CDK4, but not CDKN2A at baseline biopsy, were accrued in this single-arm phase II trial (EudraCT number: 2016-004039-19). With the main endpoint of a 6-month PFS rate, 40% was considered promising in this population. Palbociclib was administered orally at 125 mg/day for 21 days in 28-day cycles. A total of 214 patients with 236 CDK4/CDKN2A determinations were assessed for prescreening, archival material (141), and screening, baseline biopsy (95). There were 28 (29%) with favorable mRNA profiles from 95 screened patients at baseline. From 23 enrolled patients, 21 evaluable, the 6-month PFS rate was 29% (95% CI 9-48), and there were 6 patients out of 21 with a PFS longer than 6 months. The median PFS and overall survival were 4.2 (95% CI 3.6-4.8) and 12 (95% CI 8.7-15.4) months, respectively. Translational research showed a significant correlation between CDK4 mRNA and protein expression. Palbociclib was active in a variety of sarcoma subtypes, selected by CDK4/CDKN2A, and deserves further investigation in the sarcoma context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Martin-Broto
- Health Research Institute-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), 28040, Madrid, Spain.
- Medical Oncology Department, Fundación Jimenez Diaz University Hospital, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
- General de Villalba University Hospital, 28400, Madrid, Spain.
| | | | - David S Moura
- Health Research Institute-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Andres Redondo
- Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario La Paz-IdiPAZ, P. Castellana, 261, 28046, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Gutierrez
- Hematology Department, University Hospital Son Espases, 07120, Mallorca, Spain
| | | | | | - Isabel Sevilla
- Investigación Clínica y Traslacional en Cáncer/ Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Malaga (IBIMA)/ Hospitales Universitarios Regional y Virgen de la Victoria de Malaga, Malaga, Spain
| | - Roberto Diaz-Beveridge
- Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Universitari i Politècnic La Fe, 46026, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Amancio Carnero
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBiS; HUVR, CSIC, US), 41013, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Marco Perez
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBiS; HUVR, CSIC, US), 41013, Sevilla, Spain
- Pathology Department, Virgen del Rocio University Hospital, 41013, Sevilla, Spain
| | - David Marcilla
- Pathology Department, Virgen del Rocio University Hospital, 41013, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Jesus Garcia-Foncillas
- Health Research Institute-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), 28040, Madrid, Spain
- Medical Oncology Department, Fundación Jimenez Diaz University Hospital, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pablo Romero
- Health Research Institute-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Fernandez-Jara
- Radiology Department, Fundación Jimenez Diaz University Hospital, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Daniel Lopez-Lopez
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBiS; HUVR, CSIC, US), 41013, Sevilla, Spain
- Computational Medicine Platform, Fundación progreso y salud (FPS), Hospital Virgen del Rocío, 41013, Seville, Spain
- Bioinformatics in Rare Diseases (BiER). Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), FPS, Hospital Virgen del Rocio, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Ivan Arribas
- Universitat de València - ERI-CES, 46010, Valencia, Spain
| | - Nadia Hindi
- Health Research Institute-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), 28040, Madrid, Spain
- Medical Oncology Department, Fundación Jimenez Diaz University Hospital, 28040, Madrid, Spain
- General de Villalba University Hospital, 28400, Madrid, Spain
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4
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Asghariazar V, Amini M, Pirdel Z, Fekri R, Asadi A, Nejati-Koshki K, Baradaran B, Panahi Y. The Schiff base hydrazine copper(II) complexes induce apoptosis by P53 overexpression and prevent cell migration through protease-independent pathways. Med Oncol 2023; 40:271. [PMID: 37594547 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-023-02150-2] [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: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Although chemotherapy has increased the life expectancy of cancer patients, its toxic side effects remain a major challenge. Recently, organometallic compounds, such as Schiff base copper complexes, have become promising candidates for next-generation anticancer drugs owing to their unique anticancer activities. In this study, binuclear copper(II) complex-1 and mononuclear copper(II) complex-2 were examined to analyze their anticancer mechanisms further. For this purpose, a viability test, flow cytometry analysis of apoptosis and the cell cycle, migration assay, and gene expression analysis were performed. According to our results, complex-1 was more cytotoxic than complex-2 at 24/48-h intervals. Our findings also demonstrated that both complexes induced apoptosis at IC50 concentrations and arrested the cell cycle at the G1-S checkpoint. However, complex-1 accelerates cell cycle arrest at the sub-G0/G1 phase more than complex-2 does. Furthermore, gene expression analysis showed that only complex-1 induces the expression of p53. Interestingly, both complexes induced Bcl-2 overexpression. However, they did not affect MMP-13 expression. More interestingly, both complexes inhibited cell migration in different ways, including amoeboid and collective, by recruiting protease-independent pathways. This study confirmed that adding several metal cores and co-ligands increased the activity of the complex. It also appeared that Cu-containing complexes could prevent the migration of cancer cells through protease-independent pathways, which can be used for novel therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vahid Asghariazar
- Deputy of Research & Technology, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Mohammad Amini
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Zahra Pirdel
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Roghayeh Fekri
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Asadollah Asadi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Kazem Nejati-Koshki
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Behzad Baradaran
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Yasin Panahi
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran.
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Khoy University of Medical Sciences, Khoy, 5816753464, Iran.
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5
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Li J, Shaikh SN, Uqaili AA, Nasir H, Zia R, Akram MA, Jawad FA, Sohail S, AbdelGawwad MR, Almutairi SM, Elshikh MS, Jamil M, Rasheed RA. A pan-cancer analysis of pituitary tumor-transforming 3, pseudogene. Am J Transl Res 2023; 15:5408-5424. [PMID: 37692950 PMCID: PMC10492052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although evidence regarding pituitary tumor-transforming 3, pseudogene (PTTG3P) involvement in human cancers has been acquired via human and animal model-based molecular studies, there is a lack of pan-cancer analysis of this gene in human tumors. METHODS Tumor-causing effects of PTTG3P in 24 human tumors were explored using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets from different bioinformatics databases and applying in silico tools such as The University of ALabama at Birmingham CANcer (UALCAN), Human Protein Atlas (HPA), Kaplan Meier (KM) plotter, cBioPortal, Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING), Cytoscape, Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID), Tumor IMmune Estimation Resource (TIMER), and Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD). Then, via in vitro experiments, including RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and targeted bisulfite sequencing (bisulfite-seq), expression and promoter methylation levels of PTTG3P were verified in cell lines. RESULTS The PTTG3P expression was overexpressed across 23 malignancies and its overexpression was further found significantly effecting the overall survival (OS) durations of the esophageal carcinoma (ESCA) and head and neck cancer (HNSC) patients. This important information helps us to understand that PTTG3P plays a significant role in the development and progression of ESCA and HNSC. As for PTTG3P functional mechanisms, this gene along with its other binding partners was significantly concentrated in "Oocyte meiosis", "Cell cycle", "Ubiquitin mediated proteolysis", and "Progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation". Moreover, ESCA and HNSC tissues having the higher expression of PTTG3P were found to have lower promoter methylation levels of PTTG3P and higher CD8+ T immune cells level. Additionally, PTTG3P expression-regulatory drugs were also explored in the current manuscript for designing appropriate treatment strategies for ESCA and HNSC with respect to PTTG3P expression. CONCLUSION Our pan-cancer based findings provided a comprehensive account of the oncogenic role and utilization of PTTG3P as a novel molecular biomarker of ESCA and HNSC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Li
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University Health Management CenterHaikou 570311, Hainan, China
| | - Saima Naz Shaikh
- Department of Physiology, Liaquat University of Medical and Health SciencesJamshoro, Sindh 76090, Pakistan
| | - Arsalan Ahmed Uqaili
- Department of Physiology, Liaquat University of Medical and Health SciencesJamshoro, Sindh 76090, Pakistan
| | - Hilal Nasir
- Clinical and Translational Oncology, Scuola Superiore Meridionale, Naples Federico II UniversityNapoli 80138, Italy
| | - Rabeea Zia
- Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute and ResearchLahore, Punjab 54000, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Aitzaz Akram
- University Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, PMAS-Arid Agriculture UniversityRawalpindi 46000, Pakistan
| | - Fahim Ali Jawad
- Centre of Agricultural Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Agriculture FaisalabadFaisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Salman Sohail
- Registrar Ophthalmology, Al Shifa Trust Eye HospitalRawalpindi 46000, Pakistan
| | - Mohamed Ragab AbdelGawwad
- Genetics and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, International University of SarajevoSarajevo 71210, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Saeedah Musaed Almutairi
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud UniversityP.O. 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohamed S Elshikh
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud UniversityP.O. 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muhammad Jamil
- PARC Arid Zone Research CenterDera Ismail Khan 29050, Pakistan
| | - Rabab Ahmed Rasheed
- Histology & Cell Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, King Salman International UniversitySouth Sinai, Egypt
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6
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Memon R, Prieto Granada CN, Harada S, Winokur T, Reddy V, Kahn AG, Siegal GP, Wei S. Discordance Between Immunohistochemistry and In Situ Hybridization to Detect HER2 Overexpression/Gene Amplification in Breast Cancer in the Modern Age: A Single Institution Experience and Pooled Literature Review Study. Clin Breast Cancer 2021; 22:e123-e133. [PMID: 34120846 DOI: 10.1016/j.clbc.2021.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) amplification and/or overexpression occurs in 12% to 25% of breast cancers. Accurate detection of HER2 is critical in predicting response to HER2-targeted therapy. Both immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridization (ISH) are FDA-approved methods for detecting HER2 status because its protein overexpression is largely attributable to gene amplification. However, variable discordant results between IHC and ISH have been reported. METHODS We determined the frequency of HER2 IHC/ISH discordance in these patients and also performed a pooled literature review analysis. RESULTS Of the 1125 consecutive primary or metastatic breast cancers with HER2 IHC and ISH performed simultaneously between 2015 and 2020, 84.6% had an unequivocal HER2 status. Discordance was found in 30 cases from 26 patients, including 13 IHC-/ISH+ and 17 IHC+/ISH-, representing 1.6% and 11.9% of IHC- and IHC+ cases, respectively. Review of the literature between 2001 and 2020 identified 46 relevant studies, with a total of 43,468 cases with IHC and ISH performed. The IHC-/ISH+ and IHC+/ISH- discordances were seen in all antibody clones and ISH methods used. The IHC+/ISH- discordance was significantly higher than IHC-/ISH+ (13.8% vs. 3%, P < .0001). The overall discordance constituted 4% of all cases and 5.4% of those with an unequivocal IHC status. Significantly lower incongruities for both IHC-/ISH+ and IHC+/ISH- were found in those published after 2018. The discordances probably reflect altered biology of HER2 oncogene/oncoprotein. Routinely performing both IHC and ISH may uncover such cases to prevent denial of potentially beneficial targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Shuko Harada
- Department of Pathology; O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
| | | | | | | | - Gene P Siegal
- Department of Pathology; O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
| | - Shi Wei
- Department of Pathology; O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.
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7
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Iqbal W, Demidova EV, Serrao S, ValizadehAslani T, Rosen G, Arora S. RRM2B Is Frequently Amplified Across Multiple Tumor Types: Implications for DNA Repair, Cellular Survival, and Cancer Therapy. Front Genet 2021; 12:628758. [PMID: 33868369 PMCID: PMC8045241 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.628758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
RRM2B plays a crucial role in DNA replication, repair and oxidative stress. While germline RRM2B mutations have been implicated in mitochondrial disorders, its relevance to cancer has not been established. Here, using TCGA studies, we investigated RRM2B alterations in cancer. We found that RRM2B is highly amplified in multiple tumor types, particularly in MYC-amplified tumors, and is associated with increased RRM2B mRNA expression. We also observed that the chromosomal region 8q22.3–8q24, is amplified in multiple tumors, and includes RRM2B, MYC along with several other cancer-associated genes. An analysis of genes within this 8q-amplicon showed that cancers that have both RRM2B-amplified along with MYC have a distinct pattern of amplification compared to cancers that are unaltered or those that have amplifications in RRM2B or MYC only. Investigation of curated biological interactions revealed that gene products of the amplified 8q22.3–8q24 region have important roles in DNA repair, DNA damage response, oxygen sensing, and apoptosis pathways and interact functionally. Notably, RRM2B-amplified cancers are characterized by mutation signatures of defective DNA repair and oxidative stress, and at least RRM2B-amplified breast cancers are associated with poor clinical outcome. These data suggest alterations in RR2MB and possibly the interacting 8q-proteins could have a profound effect on regulatory pathways such as DNA repair and cellular survival, highlighting therapeutic opportunities in these cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waleed Iqbal
- Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University College of Engineering, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Elena V Demidova
- Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia
| | - Samantha Serrao
- Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Taha ValizadehAslani
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Gail Rosen
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Sanjeevani Arora
- Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Department of Radiation Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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8
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Gorski JW, Ueland FR, Kolesar JM. CCNE1 Amplification as a Predictive Biomarker of Chemotherapy Resistance in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer. Diagnostics (Basel) 2020; 10:diagnostics10050279. [PMID: 32380689 PMCID: PMC7277958 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics10050279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is the most-deadly gynecologic malignancy, with greater than 14,000 women expected to succumb to the disease this year in the United States alone. In the front-line setting, patients are treated with a platinum and taxane doublet. Although 40–60% of patients achieve complete clinical response to first-line chemotherapy, 25% are inherently platinum-resistant or refractory with a median overall survival of about one year. More than 80% of women afflicted with ovarian cancer will recur. Many attempts have been made to understand the mechanism of platinum and taxane based chemotherapy resistance. However, despite decades of research, few predictive markers of chemotherapy resistance have been identified. Here, we review the current understanding of one of the most common genetic alterations in epithelial ovarian cancer, CCNE1 (cyclin E1) amplification, and its role as a potential predictive marker of cytotoxic chemotherapy resistance. CCNE1 amplification has been identified as a primary oncogenic driver in a subset of high grade serous ovarian cancer that have an unmet clinical need. Understanding the interplay between cyclin E1 amplification and other common ovarian cancer genetic alterations provides the basis for chemotherapeutic resistance in CCNE1 amplified disease. Exploration of the effect of cyclin E1 amplification on the cellular machinery that causes dysregulated proliferation in cancer cells has allowed investigators to explore promising targeted therapies that provide the basis for emerging clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin W. Gorski
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center, 800 Rose Street, Lexington, KY 40536-0263, USA;
- Correspondence:
| | - Frederick R. Ueland
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center, 800 Rose Street, Lexington, KY 40536-0263, USA;
| | - Jill M. Kolesar
- Department of Pharmacy Practice & Science, University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy, 567 TODD Building, 789 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40539-0596, USA;
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9
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Cassandri M, Butera A, Amelio I, Lena AM, Montanaro M, Mauriello A, Anemona L, Candi E, Knight RA, Agostini M, Melino G. ZNF750 represses breast cancer invasion via epigenetic control of prometastatic genes. Oncogene 2020; 39:4331-4343. [PMID: 32313225 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-020-1277-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Revised: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women, largely due to the progression of a significant fraction of primary tumours to the metastatic stage. Here, we show that zinc-finger protein 750 (ZNF750) opposes the migration and invasion of breast cancer cells by repressing a prometastatic transcriptional programme, which includes genes involved in focal adhesion and extracellular matrix interactions, such as LAMB3 and CTNNAL1. Mechanistically, ZNF750 recruits the epigenetic modifiers KDM1A and HDAC1 to the promoter regions of LAMB3 and CTNNAL1, influencing histone marks and transactivating these genomic sites. Gene expression analysis in cancer patient datasets indicated that ZNF750 and its targets were negative prognostic factors in breast cancer. Together, our findings shed light on the molecular mechanism by which ZNF750 regulates cell migration and invasion, suggesting a role in breast cancer metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Cassandri
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133, Rome, Italy
- Department of Oncohematology, Bambino Gesu' Children's Hospital, 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessio Butera
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Ivano Amelio
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133, Rome, Italy
- Department of Pathology, MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QP, UK
| | - Anna Maria Lena
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Manuela Montanaro
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Mauriello
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Lucia Anemona
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Eleonora Candi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133, Rome, Italy
- IDI-IRCCS, via Monti di Creta, 106, 00166, Rome, Italy
| | - Richard A Knight
- Department of Pathology, MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QP, UK
| | - Massimiliano Agostini
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133, Rome, Italy.
| | - Gerry Melino
- Department of Experimental Medicine, TOR, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133, Rome, Italy.
- Department of Pathology, MRC Toxicology Unit, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QP, UK.
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10
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Targeted PARP Inhibition Combined with FGFR1 Blockade is Synthetically Lethal to Malignant Cells in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer. Cells 2020; 9:cells9040911. [PMID: 32276472 PMCID: PMC7226837 DOI: 10.3390/cells9040911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The role and therapeutic promise of poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors in anticancer chemotherapy are increasingly being explored, particularly in adjuvant or maintenance therapy, considering their low efficacy as monotherapy agents and their potentiating effects on concurrently administered contemporary chemotherapeutics. Against the background of increasing acquired resistance to FGFR1 inhibitors and our previous work, which partially demonstrated the caspase-3/PARP-mediated antitumor and antimetastatic efficacy of PD173074, a selective FGFR1 inhibitor, against ALDH-high/FGFR1-rich pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells, we investigated the probable synthetic lethality and therapeutic efficacy of targeted PARP inhibition combined with FGFR1 blockade in patients with PDAC. Using bioinformatics-based analyses of gene expression profiles, co-occurrence and mutual exclusivity, molecular docking, immunofluorescence staining, clonogenicity, Western blotting, cell viability or cytotoxicity screening, and tumorsphere formation assays, we demonstrated that FGFR1 and PARP co-occur, form a complex, and reduce survival in patients with PDAC. Furthermore, FGFR1 and PARP expression was upregulated in FGFR1 inhibitor (dasatinib)-resistant PDAC cell lines SU8686, MiaPaCa2, and PANC-1 compared with that in sensitive cell lines Panc0403, Panc0504, Panc1005, and SUIT-2. Compared with the limited effect of single-agent olaparib (PARP inhibitor) or PD173074 on PANC-1 and SUIT-2 cells, low-dose combination (olaparib + PD173074) treatment significantly, dose-dependently, and synergistically reduced cell viability, upregulated cleaved PARP, pro-caspase (CASP)-9, cleaved-CASP9, and cleaved-CASP3 protein expression, and downregulated Bcl-xL protein expression. Furthermore, combination treatment markedly suppressed the clonogenicity and tumorsphere formation efficiency of PDAC cells regardless of FGFR1 inhibitor-resistance status and enhanced RAD51 and γ-H2AX immunoreactivity. In vivo studies have shown that both early and late initiation of combination therapy markedly suppressed tumor xenograft growth and increase in weight, although the effect was more pronounced in the early initiation group. In conclusion, FGFR1 inhibitor-resistant PDAC cells exhibited sensitivity to PD173074 after olaparib-mediated loss of PARP signaling. The present FGFR1/PARP-mediated synthetic lethality proof-of-concept study provided preclinical evidence of the feasibility and therapeutic efficacy of combinatorial FGFR1/PARP1 inhibition in human PDAC cell lines.
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11
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Qu J, Zhang J, Zellmer L, He Y, Liu S, Wang C, Yuan C, Xu N, Huang H, Liao DJ. About three-fourths of mouse proteins unexpectedly appear at a low position of SDS-PAGE, often as additional isoforms, questioning whether all protein isoforms have been eliminated in gene-knockout cells or organisms. Protein Sci 2020; 29:978-990. [PMID: 31930537 DOI: 10.1002/pro.3823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Revised: 01/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Most genes in evolutionarily complex genomes are expressed to multiple protein isoforms, but there is not yet any simple high-throughput approach to identify these isoforms. Using an oversimplified top-down LC-MS/MS strategy, we detected, around the 26-kD position of SDS-PAGE, proteins produced from 782 genes in a Cdk4-/- mouse embryonic fibroblast cell line. Interestingly, only 213 (27.24%, about one-fourth) of these 782 genes have their proteins with a theoretical molecular mass (TMM) 10% smaller or larger than 26 kD, that is, between 23 and 29 kD, the range set as allowed variation in SDS-PAGE. These 213 proteins are considered as the wild type (WT). The remaining three-fourths includes proteins from 66 (9.44%) genes with a TMM smaller than 23 kD and proteins from 503 (64.32%, nearly two-thirds) genes with a TMM larger than 29 kD; these proteins are categorized into a larger-group or a smaller-group, respectively, for their appearance at a higher or lower position of SDS-PAGE. For instance, at this 26-kD position we detected proteins from the Rps27a, Snrpf, Hist1h4a, and Rps25 genes whose proteins' TMM is 8.6, 9.7, 11.4, and 13.7 kD, respectively, and detected proteins from the Plelc1 and Prkdc genes, whose largest isoform is 533.9 and 471.1 kD, respectively. We extrapolate that many of those proteins migrating unexpectedly in SDS-PAGE may be isoforms besides the WT protein. Moreover, we also detected a Cdk4 protein in this Cdk4-/- cell line, thus wondering whether some of other gene-knockout cells or organisms show similar incompleteness of the knockout.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayuan Qu
- Department of Biochemistry, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, Hubei Province, China
| | - Ju Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lucas Zellmer
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Yan He
- Key Lab of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases of The Ministry of Education of China in Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou Province, P. R., China
| | - Siqi Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | | | - Chengfu Yuan
- Department of Biochemistry, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, Hubei Province, China
| | - Ningzhi Xu
- National Cancer Center/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Hai Huang
- Center for Clinical Laboratories, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou Province, China
| | - Dezhong J Liao
- Laboratory for Core Facilities, The Second Hospital, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, Guizhou Province, China
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12
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In Silico Analysis of Gene Expression Change Associated with Copy Number of Enhancers in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20143582. [PMID: 31336658 PMCID: PMC6679006 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20143582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2019] [Revised: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the gene regulatory network governing cancer initiation and progression is necessary, although it remains largely unexplored. Enhancer elements represent the center of this regulatory circuit. The study aims to identify the gene expression change driven by copy number variation in enhancer elements of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD). The pancreatic tissue specific enhancer and target gene data were taken from EnhancerAtlas. The gene expression and copy number data were taken from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and copy number variations (CNVs) were identified between matched tumor-normal samples of PAAD. Significant CNVs were matched onto enhancer coordinates by using genomic intersection functionality from BEDTools. By combining the gene expression and CNV data, we identified 169 genes whose expression shows a positive correlation with the CNV of enhancers. We further identified 16 genes which are regulated by a super enhancer and 15 genes which have high prognostic potential (Z-score > 1.96). Cox proportional hazard analysis of these genes indicates that these are better predictors of survival. Taken together, our integrative analytical approach identifies enhancer CNV-driven gene expression change in PAAD, which could lead to better understanding of PAAD pathogenesis and to the design of enhancer-based cancer treatment strategies.
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13
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Kuo WY, Lin JJ, Hsu HJ, Chen HS, Yang AS, Wu CY. Noninvasive assessment of characteristics of novel anti-HER2 antibodies by molecular imaging in a human gastric cancer xenograft-bearing mouse model. Sci Rep 2018; 8:13735. [PMID: 30214017 PMCID: PMC6137128 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-32094-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) overexpression occurs in various types of cancers. Regarding the anti-HER2 targeted therapies showed superior treatment outcomes in several (pre)clinical studies, we used multimodality image to rapidly select novel HER2-targeting antibodies for further therapeutics development. The four anti-HER2 antibodies (H32 IgG, 75 IgG, 61 IgG, and trastuzumab) labeled with either In-111 or a DyLight680 fluorescent dye were applied to perform cellular uptake, endocytosis, optical/microSPECT/CT imaging and biodistribution studies. In vitro and in vivo relative effectiveness of these antibodies were also compared in an N87 gastric cancer xenograft model. The internalized radioactivity of [111In]61 IgG in N87 cells increased from 33% at 12 hr to 56% at 48 hr after incubation, while the majority of other antibodies stayed on the cell membranes. Among these antibodies, 61 IgG showed the highest accumulation in tumors with the tumor-to-muscle ratio (T/M) of 131 ± 61.4 and 19.13 ± 3.42 conducted by IVIS and microSPECT/CT, respectively. We demonstrated that multimodality imaging is a reliable approach for selecting potential antibodies and found that 61 IgG manifested significant tumor accumulation with elevated internalization rate thus could be a suitable candidate for further development of new HER2-targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Ying Kuo
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jia-Jia Lin
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Hung-Ju Hsu
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hong-Sen Chen
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - An-Suei Yang
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Chun-Yi Wu
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. .,Master Program for Biomedical Engineering, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
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14
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Barone G, Arora A, Ganesh A, Abdel-Fatah T, Moseley P, Ali R, Chan SY, Savva C, Schiavone K, Carmell N, Myers KN, Rakha EA, Madhusudan S, Collis SJ. The relationship of CDK18 expression in breast cancer to clinicopathological parameters and therapeutic response. Oncotarget 2018; 9:29508-29524. [PMID: 30034634 PMCID: PMC6047673 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.25686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cyclin-Dependent Kinases (CDKs) are established anti-cancer drug targets and a new generation of CDK inhibitors are providing clinical benefits to a sub-set of breast cancer patients. We have recently shown that human CDK18 promotes efficient cellular responses to replication stress. In the current study, we have investigated the clinicopathological and functional significance of CDK18 expression levels in breast cancers. Results High CDK18 protein expression was associated with a triple negative and basal-like phenotype (p = 0.021 and 0.027 respectively) as well as improved patient survival, which was particularly significant in ER negative breast cancers (n = 594, Log Rank 6.724, p = 0.01) and those treated with chemotherapy (n = 270, Log Rank 4.575, p = 0.03). In agreement with these clinical findings, breast cancer cells genetically manipulated using a dCRISPR approach to express high levels of endogenous CDK18 exhibited an increased sensitivity to replication stress-inducing chemotherapeutic agents, as a consequence to defective replication stress signalling at the molecular level. Conclusions These data reveal that CDK18 protein levels may predict breast cancer disease progression and response to chemotherapy, and provide further rationale for potential targeting of CDK18 as part of novel anti-cancer strategies for human cancers. Materials and Methods CDK18 protein expression was evaluated in 1650 breast cancers and correlated to clinicopathological parameters and survival outcomes. Similar analyses were carried out for genetic and transcriptomic changes in CDK18 within several publically available breast cancer cohorts. Additionally, we used a deactivated CRISPR/Cas9 approach (dCRISPR) to elucidate the molecular consequences of heightened endogenous CDK18 expression within breast cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giancarlo Barone
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids (SInFoNiA), Academic Unit of Molecular Oncology, Department of Oncology and Metabolism, University of Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield, UK
| | - Arvind Arora
- Academic Unit of Oncology, Division of Cancer and Stem Cells, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Anil Ganesh
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids (SInFoNiA), Academic Unit of Molecular Oncology, Department of Oncology and Metabolism, University of Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield, UK
| | - Tarek Abdel-Fatah
- Academic Unit of Oncology, Division of Cancer and Stem Cells, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Paul Moseley
- Academic Unit of Oncology, Division of Cancer and Stem Cells, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Reem Ali
- Academic Unit of Oncology, Division of Cancer and Stem Cells, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Stephen Yt Chan
- Academic Unit of Oncology, Division of Cancer and Stem Cells, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Constantinos Savva
- Academic Unit of Oncology, Division of Cancer and Stem Cells, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Kristina Schiavone
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids (SInFoNiA), Academic Unit of Molecular Oncology, Department of Oncology and Metabolism, University of Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield, UK
| | - Natasha Carmell
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids (SInFoNiA), Academic Unit of Molecular Oncology, Department of Oncology and Metabolism, University of Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield, UK
| | - Katie N Myers
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids (SInFoNiA), Academic Unit of Molecular Oncology, Department of Oncology and Metabolism, University of Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield, UK
| | - Emad A Rakha
- Academic Unit of Oncology, Division of Cancer and Stem Cells, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Srinivasan Madhusudan
- Academic Unit of Oncology, Division of Cancer and Stem Cells, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Spencer J Collis
- Sheffield Institute for Nucleic Acids (SInFoNiA), Academic Unit of Molecular Oncology, Department of Oncology and Metabolism, University of Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield, UK
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15
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He Y, Yuan C, Chen L, Lei M, Zellmer L, Huang H, Liao DJ. Transcriptional-Readthrough RNAs Reflect the Phenomenon of "A Gene Contains Gene(s)" or "Gene(s) within a Gene" in the Human Genome, and Thus Are Not Chimeric RNAs. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:E40. [PMID: 29337901 PMCID: PMC5793191 DOI: 10.3390/genes9010040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Revised: 12/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/07/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Tens of thousands of chimeric RNAs, i.e., RNAs with sequences of two genes, have been identified in human cells. Most of them are formed by two neighboring genes on the same chromosome and are considered to be derived via transcriptional readthrough, but a true readthrough event still awaits more evidence and trans-splicing that joins two transcripts together remains as a possible mechanism. We regard those genomic loci that are transcriptionally read through as unannotated genes, because their transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulations are the same as those of already-annotated genes, including fusion genes formed due to genetic alterations. Therefore, readthrough RNAs and fusion-gene-derived RNAs are not chimeras. Only those two-gene RNAs formed at the RNA level, likely via trans-splicing, without corresponding genes as genomic parents, should be regarded as authentic chimeric RNAs. However, since in human cells, procedural and mechanistic details of trans-splicing have never been disclosed, we doubt the existence of trans-splicing. Therefore, there are probably no authentic chimeras in humans, after readthrough and fusion-gene derived RNAs are all put back into the group of ordinary RNAs. Therefore, it should be further determined whether in human cells all two-neighboring-gene RNAs are derived from transcriptional readthrough and whether trans-splicing truly exists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan He
- Key Lab of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases of the Ministry of Education of China in Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou, China.
| | - Chengfu Yuan
- Department of Biochemistry, China Three Gorges University, Yichang City 443002, Hubei, China.
| | - Lichan Chen
- Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, MN 55912, USA.
| | - Mingjuan Lei
- Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, MN 55912, USA.
| | - Lucas Zellmer
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, 435 E. River Road, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
| | - Hai Huang
- School of Clinical Laboratory Science, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou, China.
| | - Dezhong Joshua Liao
- Key Lab of Endemic and Ethnic Diseases of the Ministry of Education of China in Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou, China.
- Department of Pathology, Guizhou Medical University Hospital, Guiyang 550004, Guizhou, China.
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16
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Massicano AVF, Marquez-Nostra BV, Lapi SE. Targeting HER2 in Nuclear Medicine for Imaging and Therapy. Mol Imaging 2018; 17:1536012117745386. [PMID: 29357745 PMCID: PMC5784567 DOI: 10.1177/1536012117745386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2017] [Revised: 09/17/2017] [Accepted: 09/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Since its discovery, the human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) has been extensively studied. Presently, there are 2 standard diagnostic techniques to assess HER2 status in biopsies: immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization. While these techniques have played an important role in the treatment of patients with HER2-positive cancer, they both require invasive biopsies for analysis. Moreover, the expression of HER2 is heterogeneous in breast cancer and can change over the course of the disease. Thus, the degree of HER2 expression in the small sample size of biopsied tumors at the time of analysis may not represent the overall status of HER2 expression in the whole tumor and in between tumor foci in the metastatic setting as the disease progresses. Unlike biopsy, molecular imaging using probes against HER2 allows for a noninvasive, whole-body assessment of HER2 status in real time. This technique could potentially select patients who may benefit from HER2-directed therapy and offer alternative treatments to those who may not benefit. Several antibodies and small molecules against HER2 have been labeled with different radioisotopes for nuclear imaging and/or therapy. This review presents the most recent advances in HER2 targeting in nuclear medicine focusing on preclinical and clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Suzanne E. Lapi
- Department of Radiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
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17
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Rogers DW, McConnell E, Miller EL, Greig D. Diminishing Returns on Intragenic Repeat Number Expansion in the Production of Signaling Peptides. Mol Biol Evol 2017; 34:3176-3185. [PMID: 28961820 PMCID: PMC5850478 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msx243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Signaling peptides enable communication between cells, both within and between individuals, and are therefore key to the control of complex physiological and behavioral responses. Since their small sizes prevent direct transmission to secretory pathways, these peptides are often produced as part of a larger polyprotein comprising precursors for multiple related or identical peptides; the physiological and behavioral consequences of this unusual gene structure are not understood. Here, we show that the number of mature-pheromone-encoding repeats in the yeast α-mating-factor gene MFα1 varies considerably between closely related isolates of both Saccharomyces cerevisiae and its sister species Saccharomyces paradoxus. Variation in repeat number has important phenotypic consequences: Increasing repeat number caused higher pheromone production and greater competitive mating success. However, the magnitude of the improvement decreased with increasing repeat number such that repeat amplification beyond that observed in natural isolates failed to generate more pheromone, and could actually reduce sexual fitness. We investigate multiple explanations for this pattern of diminishing returns and find that our results are most consistent with a translational trade-off: Increasing the number of encoded repeats results in more mature pheromone per translation event, but also generates longer transcripts thereby reducing the rate of translation—a phenomenon known as length-dependent translation. Length-dependent translation may be a powerful constraint on the evolution of genes encoding repetitive or modular proteins, with important physiological and behavioral consequences across eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W Rogers
- Experimental Evolution Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany.,Department of Evolutionary Theory, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany
| | - Ellen McConnell
- Experimental Evolution Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany.,Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany
| | - Eric L Miller
- Experimental Evolution Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany.,Department of Veterinary Medicine, Cambridge Veterinary School, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Duncan Greig
- Experimental Evolution Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany.,Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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18
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It Is Imperative to Establish a Pellucid Definition of Chimeric RNA and to Clear Up a Lot of Confusion in the Relevant Research. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18040714. [PMID: 28350330 PMCID: PMC5412300 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18040714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2017] [Revised: 03/15/2017] [Accepted: 03/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
There have been tens of thousands of RNAs deposited in different databases that contain sequences of two genes and are coined chimeric RNAs, or chimeras. However, "chimeric RNA" has never been lucidly defined, partly because "gene" itself is still ill-defined and because the means of production for many RNAs is unclear. Since the number of putative chimeras is soaring, it is imperative to establish a pellucid definition for it, in order to differentiate chimeras from regular RNAs. Otherwise, not only will chimeric RNA studies be misled but also characterization of fusion genes and unannotated genes will be hindered. We propose that only those RNAs that are formed by joining two RNA transcripts together without a fusion gene as a genomic basis should be regarded as authentic chimeras, whereas those RNAs transcribed as, and cis-spliced from, single transcripts should not be deemed as chimeras. Many RNAs containing sequences of two neighboring genes may be transcribed via a readthrough mechanism, and thus are actually RNAs of unannotated genes or RNA variants of known genes, but not chimeras. In today's chimeric RNA research, there are still several key flaws, technical constraints and understudied tasks, which are also described in this perspective essay.
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