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Mussa A, Leoni C, Iacoviello M, Carli D, Ranieri C, Pantaleo A, Buonuomo PS, Bagnulo R, Ferrero GB, Bartuli A, Melis D, Maitz S, Loconte DC, Turchiano A, Piglionica M, De Luisi A, Susca FC, Bukvic N, Forleo C, Selicorni A, Zampino G, Onesimo R, Cappuccio G, Garavelli L, Novelli C, Memo L, Morando C, Della Monica M, Accadia M, Capurso M, Piscopo C, Cereda A, Di Giacomo MC, Saletti V, Spinelli AM, Lastella P, Tenconi R, Dvorakova V, Irvine AD, Resta N. Genotypes and phenotypes heterogeneity in PIK3CA-related overgrowth spectrum and overlapping conditions: 150 novel patients and systematic review of 1007 patients with PIK3CA pathogenetic variants. J Med Genet 2023; 60:163-173. [PMID: 35256403 DOI: 10.1136/jmedgenet-2021-108093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Postzygotic activating PIK3CA variants cause several phenotypes within the PIK3CA-related overgrowth spectrum (PROS). Variant strength, mosaicism level, specific tissue involvement and overlapping disorders are responsible for disease heterogeneity. We explored these factors in 150 novel patients and in an expanded cohort of 1007 PIK3CA-mutated patients, analysing our new data with previous literature to give a comprehensive picture. METHODS We performed ultradeep targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) on DNA from skin biopsy, buccal swab or blood using a panel including phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin pathway genes and GNAQ, GNA11, RASA1 and TEK. Additionally, 914 patients previously reported were systematically reviewed. RESULTS 93 of our 150 patients had PIK3CA pathogenetic variants. The merged PROS cohort showed that PIK3CA variants span thorough all gene domains, some were exclusively associated with specific PROS phenotypes: weakly activating variants were associated with central nervous system (CNS) involvement, and strongly activating variants with extra-CNS phenotypes. Among the 57 with a wild-type PIK3CA allele, 11 patients with overgrowth and vascular malformations overlapping PROS had variants in GNAQ, GNA11, RASA1 or TEK. CONCLUSION We confirm that (1) molecular diagnostic yield increases when multiple tissues are tested and by enriching NGS panels with genes of overlapping 'vascular' phenotypes; (2) strongly activating PIK3CA variants are found in affected tissue, rarely in blood: conversely, weakly activating mutations more common in blood; (3) weakly activating variants correlate with CNS involvement, strong variants are more common in cases without; (4) patients with vascular malformations overlapping those of PROS can harbour variants in genes other than PIK3CA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Mussa
- Department of Public Health and Pediatric Sciences, Università degli Studi di Torino, Torino, Italy.,Pediatric Clinical Genetics, Regina Margherita Children's Hospital, Hospital, Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Chiara Leoni
- Center for Rare Diseases and Birth Defects, Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Roma, Italy
| | - Matteo Iacoviello
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Diana Carli
- Department of Public Health and Pediatric Sciences, Università degli Studi di Torino, Torino, Italy.,Pediatric Onco-Hematology, Stem Cell Transplantation and Cell Therapy Division, Regina Margherita Children's Hospital, Città Della Salute e Della Scienza di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Carlotta Ranieri
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Antonino Pantaleo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Paola Sabrina Buonuomo
- Rare Diseases and Medical Genetics Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Roma, Italy
| | - Rosanna Bagnulo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Bartuli
- Rare Diseases and Medical Genetics Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Roma, Italy
| | - Daniela Melis
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Fisciano, Italy
| | - Silvia Maitz
- Clinical Pediatric Genetics Unit, MBBM Foundation, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy
| | - Daria Carmela Loconte
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Antonella Turchiano
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Marilidia Piglionica
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Annunziata De Luisi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Francesco Claudio Susca
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Nenad Bukvic
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Cinzia Forleo
- Cardiology Unit, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppe Zampino
- Center for Rare Diseases and Birth Defects, Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Roma, Italy
| | - Roberta Onesimo
- Center for Rare Diseases and Birth Defects, Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Roma, Italy
| | - Gerarda Cappuccio
- Department of Translational Medicine, Federico II University Hospital, Napoli, Italy
| | - Livia Garavelli
- Medical Genetics Unit, Mother and Child Health Department, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Chiara Novelli
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Luigi Memo
- Department of Pediatrics, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, San Bortolo Hospital of Vicenza, Vicenza, Italy
| | - Carla Morando
- Department of Pediatrics, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, San Bortolo Hospital of Vicenza, Vicenza, Italy
| | | | - Maria Accadia
- Medical Genetics Unit, Hospital "Cardinale G. Panico", Tricase, Italy
| | - Martina Capurso
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Carmelo Piscopo
- Medical Genetics Unit, Cardarelli Hospital, Napoli, Italy, Italy
| | - Anna Cereda
- Pediatric Department, ASST Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy
| | | | - Veronica Saletti
- Department of Pediatric Neuroscience, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milano, Italy
| | | | - Patrizia Lastella
- Centro Sovraziendale di Assistenza e Ricerca per le Malattie Rare, Internal Medicine Unit 'C. Frugoni', Ospedale Consorziale Policlinico di Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Romano Tenconi
- Department of Pediatrics, Clinical Genetics, Universita degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Veronika Dvorakova
- Dermatology Clinic, Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Alan D Irvine
- Dermatology Clinic, Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Nicoletta Resta
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Università degli Studi di Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
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2
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Delvecchio M, Ortolani F, Palumbo O, Aloi C, Salina A, Susca FC, Palumbo P, Carella M, Resta N, Piccinno E. A Novel Genetic Variant in the WFS1 Gene in a Patient with Partial Uniparental Mero-Isodisomy of Chromosome 4. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22158082. [PMID: 34360843 PMCID: PMC8348440 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22158082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Wolfram syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by optic atrophy and diabetes mellitus. Wolfram syndrome type 1 (WFS1) is caused by bi-allelic pathogenic variations in the wolframin gene. We described the first case of WFS1 due to a maternal inherited mutation with uniparental mero-isodisomy of chromosome 4. Diabetes mellitus was diagnosed at 11 years of age, with negative anti-beta cells antibodies. Blood glucose control was optimal with low insulin requirement. No pathogenic variations in the most frequent gene causative of maturity-onset diabetes of the young subtypes were detected. At 17.8 years old, a rapid reduction in visual acuity occurred. Genetic testing revealed the novel homozygous variant c.1369A>G; p.Arg457Gly in the exon 8 of wolframin gene. It was detected in a heterozygous state only in the mother while the father showed a wild type sequence. In silico disease causing predictions performed by Polyphen2 classified it as “likely damaging”, while Mutation Tester and Sift suggested it was “polymorphism” and “tolerated”, respectively. High resolution SNP-array analysis was suggestive of segmental uniparental disomy on chromosome 4. In conclusion, to the best of our knowledge, we describe the first patient with partial uniparental mero-isodisomy of chromosome 4 carrying a novel mutation in the wolframin gene. The clinical phenotype observed in the patient and the analysis performed suggest that the genetic variant detected is pathogenetic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Delvecchio
- Metabolic Disease and Genetics Disorders Unit, Giovanni XXIII Children’s Hospital, 70126 Bari, Italy; (F.O.); (E.P.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-08-0559-6771
| | - Federica Ortolani
- Metabolic Disease and Genetics Disorders Unit, Giovanni XXIII Children’s Hospital, 70126 Bari, Italy; (F.O.); (E.P.)
| | - Orazio Palumbo
- Medical Genetics Unit, IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo (FG), Italy; (O.P.); (P.P.); (M.C.)
| | - Concetta Aloi
- Clinica Pediatrica, LABSIEM, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy; (C.A.); (A.S.)
| | - Alessandro Salina
- Clinica Pediatrica, LABSIEM, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genoa, Italy; (C.A.); (A.S.)
| | - Francesco Claudio Susca
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), Division of Medical Genetics, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70125 Bari, Italy; (F.C.S.); (N.R.)
| | - Pietro Palumbo
- Medical Genetics Unit, IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo (FG), Italy; (O.P.); (P.P.); (M.C.)
| | - Massimo Carella
- Medical Genetics Unit, IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo (FG), Italy; (O.P.); (P.P.); (M.C.)
| | - Nicoletta Resta
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), Division of Medical Genetics, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70125 Bari, Italy; (F.C.S.); (N.R.)
| | - Elvira Piccinno
- Metabolic Disease and Genetics Disorders Unit, Giovanni XXIII Children’s Hospital, 70126 Bari, Italy; (F.O.); (E.P.)
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Lepore Signorile M, Grossi V, Di Franco S, Forte G, Disciglio V, Fasano C, Sanese P, De Marco K, Susca FC, Mangiapane LR, Nicotra A, Di Carlo G, Dituri F, Giannelli G, Ingravallo G, Canettieri G, Stassi G, Simone C. Pharmacological targeting of the novel β-catenin chromatin-associated kinase p38α in colorectal cancer stem cell tumorspheres and organoids. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:316. [PMID: 33767160 PMCID: PMC7994846 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-03572-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The prognosis of locally advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) is currently unsatisfactory. This is mainly due to drug resistance, recurrence, and subsequent metastatic dissemination, which are sustained by the cancer stem cell (CSC) population. The main driver of the CSC gene expression program is Wnt signaling, and previous reports indicate that Wnt3a can activate p38 MAPK. Besides, p38 was shown to feed into the canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Here we show that patient-derived locally advanced CRC stem cells (CRC-SCs) are characterized by increased expression of p38α and are "addicted" to its kinase activity. Of note, we found that stage III CRC patients with high p38α levels display reduced disease-free and progression-free survival. Extensive molecular analysis in patient-derived CRC-SC tumorspheres and APCMin/+ mice intestinal organoids revealed that p38α acts as a β-catenin chromatin-associated kinase required for the regulation of a signaling platform involved in tumor proliferation, metastatic dissemination, and chemoresistance in these CRC model systems. In particular, the p38α kinase inhibitor ralimetinib, which has already entered clinical trials, promoted sensitization of patient-derived CRC-SCs to chemotherapeutic agents commonly used for CRC treatment and showed a synthetic lethality effect when used in combination with the MEK1 inhibitor trametinib. Taken together, these results suggest that p38α may be targeted in CSCs to devise new personalized CRC treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Lepore Signorile
- Medical Genetics, National Institute for Gastroenterology, IRCCS 'S. de Bellis' Research Hospital, 70013, Castellana Grotte (Ba), Italy
| | - Valentina Grossi
- Medical Genetics, National Institute for Gastroenterology, IRCCS 'S. de Bellis' Research Hospital, 70013, Castellana Grotte (Ba), Italy.
| | - Simone Di Franco
- Cellular & Molecular Pathophysiology Laboratory, Department of Surgical & Oncological Sciences, University of Palermo, 90127, Palermo, Italy
| | - Giovanna Forte
- Medical Genetics, National Institute for Gastroenterology, IRCCS 'S. de Bellis' Research Hospital, 70013, Castellana Grotte (Ba), Italy
| | - Vittoria Disciglio
- Medical Genetics, National Institute for Gastroenterology, IRCCS 'S. de Bellis' Research Hospital, 70013, Castellana Grotte (Ba), Italy
| | - Candida Fasano
- Medical Genetics, National Institute for Gastroenterology, IRCCS 'S. de Bellis' Research Hospital, 70013, Castellana Grotte (Ba), Italy
| | - Paola Sanese
- Medical Genetics, National Institute for Gastroenterology, IRCCS 'S. de Bellis' Research Hospital, 70013, Castellana Grotte (Ba), Italy
| | - Katia De Marco
- Medical Genetics, National Institute for Gastroenterology, IRCCS 'S. de Bellis' Research Hospital, 70013, Castellana Grotte (Ba), Italy
| | - Francesco Claudio Susca
- Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124, Bari, Italy
| | - Laura Rosa Mangiapane
- Cellular & Molecular Pathophysiology Laboratory, Department of Surgical & Oncological Sciences, University of Palermo, 90127, Palermo, Italy
| | - Annalisa Nicotra
- Cellular & Molecular Pathophysiology Laboratory, Department of Surgical & Oncological Sciences, University of Palermo, 90127, Palermo, Italy
| | - Gabriella Di Carlo
- Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Operating Unit of Pathological Anatomy, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124, Bari, Italy
| | - Francesco Dituri
- Personalized Medicine, National Institute for Gastroenterology, IRCCS 'S. de Bellis' Research Hospital, 70013, Castellana Grotte (Ba), Italy
| | - Gianluigi Giannelli
- Personalized Medicine, National Institute for Gastroenterology, IRCCS 'S. de Bellis' Research Hospital, 70013, Castellana Grotte (Ba), Italy
| | - Giuseppe Ingravallo
- Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Operating Unit of Pathological Anatomy, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124, Bari, Italy
| | - Gianluca Canettieri
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161, Rome, Italy
| | - Giorgio Stassi
- Cellular & Molecular Pathophysiology Laboratory, Department of Surgical & Oncological Sciences, University of Palermo, 90127, Palermo, Italy
| | - Cristiano Simone
- Medical Genetics, National Institute for Gastroenterology, IRCCS 'S. de Bellis' Research Hospital, 70013, Castellana Grotte (Ba), Italy.
- Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology (DIMO), University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124, Bari, Italy.
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Guaraldi F, Di Nardo G, Tarani L, Bertelli L, Susca FC, Bagnulo R, Resta N. Association of autoimmune thyroiditis and celiac disease with Juvenile Polyposis due to 10q23.1q23.31 deletion: Potential role of PI3K/Akt pathway dysregulation. Eur J Med Genet 2017; 60:380-384. [PMID: 28434922 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmg.2017.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Revised: 04/13/2017] [Accepted: 04/17/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Resta N, Pierannunzio D, Lenato GM, Stella A, Capocaccia R, Bagnulo R, Lastella P, Susca FC, Bozzao C, Loconte DC, Sabbà C, Urso E, Sala P, Fornasarig M, Grammatico P, Piepoli A, Host C, Turchetti D, Viel A, Memo L, Giunti L, Stigliano V, Varesco L, Bertario L, Genuardi M, Lucci Cordisco E, Tibiletti MG, Di Gregorio C, Andriulli A, Ponz de Leon M. Cancer risk associated with STK11/LKB1 germline mutations in Peutz-Jeghers syndrome patients: results of an Italian multicenter study. Dig Liver Dis 2013; 45:606-11. [PMID: 23415580 DOI: 10.1016/j.dld.2012.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2012] [Revised: 11/27/2012] [Accepted: 12/29/2012] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Germline mutations in the STK11/LKB1 gene cause Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, an autosomal-dominantly inherited condition characterized by mucocutaneous pigmentation, hamartomatous gastrointestinal polyposis, and an increased risk for various malignancies. We here report the results of the first Italian collaborative study on Peutz-Jeghers syndrome. AIMS To assess cancer risks in a large homogenous cohort of patients with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, carrying, in large majority, an identified STK11/LKB1 mutation. METHODS One-hundred and nineteen patients with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, ascertained in sixteen different Italian centres, were enrolled in a retrospective cohort study. Relative and cumulative cancer risks and genotype-phenotype correlations were evaluated. RESULTS 36 malignant tumours were found in 31/119 (29 STK11/LKB1 mutation carriers) patients. The mean age at first cancer diagnosis was 41 years. The relative overall cancer risk was 15.1 with a significantly higher risk (p < 0.001) in females (22.0) than in males (8.6). Highly increased relative risks were present for gastrointestinal (126.2) and gynaecological cancers (27.7), in particular for pancreatic (139.7) and cervical cancer (55.6). The Kaplan-Meier estimates for overall cumulative cancer risks were 20%, 43%, 71%, and 89%, at age 40, 50, 60 and 65 years, respectively. CONCLUSION Peutz-Jeghers syndrome entails markedly elevated cancer risks, mainly for pancreatic and cervical cancers. This study provides a helpful reference for improving current surveillance protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicoletta Resta
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Medical Genetics Unit, Aldo Moro, University of Bari, Italy.
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6
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Resta N, De Cosmo L, Susca FC, Capodiferro D, Nardone AM, Pastorivo D, Bertoli M, Serlenga C, Burattini M, Schettini F, Laforgia N. De novo unbalanced translocation leading to monosomy 9p24.3p24.1 and trisomy 19q13.42q13.43 characterized by microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization in a child with partial cortical dysplasia and craniofacial dysmorphisms without trigonocephaly. Am J Med Genet A 2013; 161A:632-6. [PMID: 23401394 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.35777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2012] [Accepted: 10/18/2012] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Zanna P, Maida I, Turpin Sevilla MC, Susca FC, Filotico R, Arciuli M, Cassano N, Vena GA, Cicero R, Guida G. Molecular characterization of novel melanoma cell lines. J BIOL REG HOMEOS AG 2011; 25:239-247. [PMID: 21880213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
We isolated two novel cell lines from different types of sporadic human malignant melanoma: the hmel1 line was obtained from a melanoma skin metastasis and the hmel9 cell line from a primary superficial spreading melanoma. The karyotype and pigmentation parameters were assessed in these cell lines. Cytogenetic analysis in early stages of culture revealed that both cell lines had chromosome instability and simultaneous growth of heteroploid subpopulations. The molecular analysis of some genes involved in melanoma showed that both cell lines harbor BRAF mutations. The unpigmented hmel1 and the pigmented hmel9 lines were found to express the tyrosinase gene. The tyrosine hydroxylase activity was detectable only in hmel9 cells and practically absent in the hmel1 cell line. This activity was found to be correlated with the relative tyrosinase protein amount in both melanoma cell lines. The biological behaviour in the two melanoma cell lines, derived from two different types of melanoma lesions displaying distinct clinical and histopathological features, confirms the heterogeneous characteristics of sporadic melanoma. Similarities and/or differences between cell lines extracted from different melanoma cases could be useful in the future for diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Zanna
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Medical Biology and Medical Physics, School of Medicine, University of Bari, Italy
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Resta N, Giorda R, Bagnulo R, Beri S, Della Mina E, Stella A, Piglionica M, Susca FC, Guanti G, Zuffardi O, Ciccone R. Breakpoint determination of 15 large deletions in Peutz-Jeghers subjects. Hum Genet 2010; 128:373-82. [PMID: 20623358 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-010-0859-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2010] [Accepted: 06/30/2010] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome (PJS) is an autosomal dominant polyposis disorder with increased risk of multiple cancers. STK11/LKB1 (hereafter named STK11) germline mutations account for the large majority of PJS cases whereas large deletions account for about 30% of the cases. We report here the first thorough molecular characterization of 15 large deletions identified in a cohort of 51 clinically well-characterized PJS patients. The deletions were identified by MLPA analysis and characterized by custom CGH-array and quantitative PCR to define their boundaries. The deletions, ranging from 2.9 to 180 kb, removed one or more loci contiguous to the STK11 gene in six patients, while partial STK11 gene deletions were present in the remaining nine cases. By means of DNA sequencing, we were able to precisely characterize the breakpoints in each case. Of the 30 breakpoints, 16 were located in Alu elements, revealing non-allelic homologous recombination (NAHR) as the putative mechanism for the deletions of the STK11 gene, which lays in a region with high Alu density. In the remaining cases, other mechanisms could be hypothesized, such as microhomology-mediated end-joining (MMEJ) or non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ). In conclusion we here demonstrated the non-random occurrence of large deletions associated with PJS. All our patients had a classical PJS phenotype, which shows that haploinsufficiency for SBNO2, C19orf26, ATP5D, MIDN, C19orf23, CIRBP, C19orf24,and EFNA2, does not apparently affect their clinical phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicoletta Resta
- Dipartimento di Biomedicina dell'Età Evolutiva, Sezione di Genetica Medica, Università di Bari Aldo Moro, Policlinico Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124, Bari, Italy.
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9
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Comes F, Matrone A, Lastella P, Nico B, Susca FC, Bagnulo R, Ingravallo G, Modica S, Lo Sasso G, Moschetta A, Guanti G, Simone C. A novel cell type-specific role of p38alpha in the control of autophagy and cell death in colorectal cancer cells. Cell Death Differ 2006; 14:693-702. [PMID: 17159917 DOI: 10.1038/sj.cdd.4402076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer develops when molecular pathways that control the fine balance between proliferation, differentiation, autophagy and cell death undergo genetic deregulation. The prospects for further substantial advances in the management of colorectal cancer reside in a systematic genetic and functional dissection of these pathways in tumor cells. In an effort to evaluate the impact of p38 signaling on colorectal cancer cell fate, we treated HT29, Caco2, Hct116, LS174T and SW480 cell lines with the inhibitor SB202190 specific for p38alpha/beta kinases. We report that p38alpha is required for colorectal cancer cell homeostasis as the inhibition of its kinase function by pharmacological blockade or genetic inactivation causes cell cycle arrest, autophagy and cell death in a cell type-specific manner. Deficiency of p38alpha activity induces a tissue-restricted upregulation of the GABARAP gene, an essential component of autophagic vacuoles and autophagosomes, whereas simultaneous inhibition of autophagy significantly increases cell death by triggering apoptosis. These data identify p38alpha as a central mediator of colorectal cancer cell homeostasis and establish a rationale for the evaluation of the pharmacological manipulation of the p38alpha pathway in the treatment of colorectal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Comes
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedicine in Childhood, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
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Resta N, Susca FC, Di Giacomo MC, Stella A, Bukvic N, Bagnulo R, Simone C, Guanti G. A homozygous frameshift mutation in the ESCO2 gene: evidence of intertissue and interindividual variation in Nmd efficiency. J Cell Physiol 2006; 209:67-73. [PMID: 16775838 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.20708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Roberts syndrome (RS) is a rare disorder characterized by tetraphocomelia and several other clinical features. Cells from RS patients exhibit characteristic premature separation of heterochromatic region of many chromosomes and abnormalities in cell cycle. Mutations in the ESCO2 gene have recently been identified in 20 RS families. We performed mutational analysis of the ESCO2 gene in two fetuses diagnosed with RS and their normal parents. In both fetuses, we identified homozygosity for the c. 745_746delGT mutation, while the non-consanguineous parents were both heterozygous for the same mutation. Considering the position of the mutation identified, we carried out qualitative and quantitative real-time ESCO2 cDNA analysis on RNA isolated from CVS-stromal cells in one fetus, amniocytes in the second fetus, and lymphocytes from the heterozygous parents. The results of this analysis showed that despite the presence of a premature termination codon (PTC) 112 nucleotides upstream of the next exon3-exon4 junction, the mutant ESCO2 mRNA was present in both fetuses, albeit at low levels, indicating a partial resistance to nonsense mediated decay (NMD). Interestingly, when cells derived from the two fetuses were treated with an inhibitor of translation, they revealed the presence of tissue and individual variability in NMD efficiency, despite the identical mutational status. The existence of such a variation in the NMD efficiency could explain the broad intrafamilial and interfamilial variability in the clinical presentation of RS patients, and in other genetic diseases where nonsense mutations are responsible for most of the mutation load. Moreover, considering that a mutated full length mRNA was produced in both fetuses, we used Western blot analysis to demonstrate the absence of the ESCO2-truncated protein in cells derived from both fetuses and in a lymphoblastoid cell line derived from the parents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicoletta Resta
- Dipartimento di Biomedicina dell'Età Evolutiva, Sezione di Genetica Medica, Università di Bari, Italy.
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Resta N, Stella A, Susca FC, Di Giacomo M, Forleo G, Miccolis I, Rossini FP, Genuardi M, Piepoli A, Grammatico P, Guanti G. Two novel mutations and a new STK11/LKB1 gene isoform in Peutz-Jeghers patients. Hum Mutat 2002; 20:78-9. [PMID: 12112668 DOI: 10.1002/humu.9046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) is a rare autosomal dominantly inherited disorder with variable expression and incomplete penetrance characterized by mucocutaneous pigmentation, predisposition to hamartomatous intestinal polyposis, and various other neoplasms. It occurs in approximately 1 in 8,300 to 29,000 live births. In nearly 50% of patients PJS is caused by germ line mutations in the STK11/LKB1 serine/threonine kinase gene, the only kinase gene currently known to act as a tumor suppressor. We have performed a mutation search in the STK11/LKB1 gene in 8 sporadic cases and 3 PJS families using a combination of different screening techniques. We have identified four mutations, two of which I177N and the IVS2+1A->G, were previously unreported. We have also evaluated the presence of cDNA alterations by means of RT-PCR analysis and direct cDNA sequencing and have found two aberrant transcripts in a single PJS case despite the lack of any apparent genomic alteration. Finally, we report the presence of a novel STK11/LKB1 cDNA isoform observed in all the normal subjects studied as well as in the majority of the PJS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Resta
- Sez. Genetica Medica DIMIMP, Università di Bari, Italy
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