scholarly journals Defining common principles of gene co-expression refines molecular stratification in cancer

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew A. Care ◽  
David R. Westhead ◽  
Reuben M. Tooze

AbstractCancers converge onto shared patterns that arise from constraints placed by the biology of the originating cell lineage and microenvironment on recurrent programs driven by oncogenic events. This structure should be transferable to molecular stratification. We exploit expression data resources and a parsimonious and computationally efficient network analysis method to define consistent expression modules in colon and breast cancer. Comparison between cancer types identifies principles of gene co-expression: cancer hallmarks, functional and structural gene batteries, copy number variation and biology of originating lineage. Mapping outcome data at gene and module level onto these networks generates a detailed interactive resource. Testing the utility of the resulting modules in TCGA data defines specific associations of module expression with mutation state, identifying striking associations such as mast cell gene expression and mutation pattern in breast cancer. These analyses provide evidence for a generalizable framework to enhance molecular stratification in cancer.

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 833
Author(s):  
Jesús Fuentes-Antrás ◽  
Ana Lucía Alcaraz-Sanabria ◽  
Esther Cabañas Morafraile ◽  
María del Mar Noblejas-López ◽  
Eva María Galán-Moya ◽  
...  

The dysregulation of post-translational modifications (PTM) transversally impacts cancer hallmarks and constitutes an appealing vulnerability for drug development. In breast cancer there is growing preclinical evidence of the role of ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like SUMO and Nedd8 peptide conjugation to the proteome in tumorigenesis and drug resistance, particularly through their interplay with estrogen receptor signaling and DNA repair. Herein we explored genomic alterations in these processes using RNA-seq and mutation data from TCGA and METABRIC datasets, and analyzed them using a bioinformatic pipeline in search of those with prognostic and predictive capability which could qualify as subjects of drug research. Amplification of UBE2T, UBE2C, and BIRC5 conferred a worse prognosis in luminal A/B and basal-like tumors, luminal A/B tumors, and luminal A tumors, respectively. Higher UBE2T expression levels were predictive of a lower rate of pathological complete response in triple negative breast cancer patients following neoadjuvant chemotherapy, whereas UBE2C and BIRC5 expression was higher in luminal A patients with tumor relapse within 5 years of endocrine therapy or chemotherapy. The transcriptomic signatures of USP9X and USP7 gene mutations also conferred worse prognosis in luminal A, HER2-enriched, and basal-like tumors, and in luminal A tumors, respectively. In conclusion, we identified and characterized the clinical value of a group of genomic alterations in ubiquitination, SUMOylation, and neddylation enzymes, with potential for drug development in breast cancer.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Seongyeong Kim ◽  
Dongjin Shin ◽  
Ahrum Min ◽  
Minjung Kim ◽  
Deukchae Na ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Metastatic breast cancer (mBC) is a complex and life-threatening disease and although it is difficult to cure, patients can benefit from sequential anticancer treatment, including endocrine therapy, targeted therapy and cytotoxic chemotherapy. The patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model is suggested as a practical tool to predict the clinical outcome of this disease as well as to screen novel drugs. This study aimed to establish PDX models in Korean patients and analyze their genomic profiles and utility for translational research. Methods Percutaneous core needle biopsy or punch biopsy samples were used for xenotransplantation. Whole exome sequencing and transcriptome analysis were performed to assess the genomic and RNA expression profiles, respectively. Copy number variation and mutational burden were analyzed and compared with other metastatic breast cancer genomic results. Mutational signatures were also analyzed. The antitumor effect of an ATR inhibitor was tested in the relevant PDX model. Results Of the 151 cases studied, 40 (26%) PDX models were established. Notably, the take rate of all subtypes, including the hormone receptor-positive (HR +) subtype, exceeded 20%. The PDX model had genomic fidelity and copy number variation that represented the pattern of its donor sample. TP53, PIK3CA, ESR1, and GATA3 mutations were frequently found in our samples, with TP53 being the most frequently mutated, and the somatic mutations in these genes strengthened their frequency in the PDX model. The ESR1 mutation, CCND1 amplification, and the APOBEC signature were significant features in our HR + HER2- PDX model. Fulvestrant in combination with palbociclib showed a partial response to the relevant patient’s tumor harboring the ESR1 mutation, and CCND1 amplification was found in the PDX model. AZD6738, an ATR inhibitor, delayed tumor growth in a relevant PDX model. Conclusions Our PDX model was established using core needle biopsy samples from primary and metastatic tissues. Genomic profiles of the samples reflected their original tissue characteristics and could be used for the interpretation of clinical outcomes.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virginia Valori ◽  
Katalin Tus ◽  
Christina Laukaitis ◽  
David T. Harris ◽  
Lauren LeBeau ◽  
...  

AbstractEpigenetic silencing, including the formation of heterochromatin, silent chromosome territories, and repressed gene promoters, acts to stabilize patterns of gene regulation and the physical structure of the genome. Reduction of epigenetic silencing can result in genome rearrangements, particularly at intrinsically unstable regions of the genome such as transposons, satellite repeats, and repetitive gene clusters including the rRNA gene clusters (rDNA). It is thus expected that mutational or environmental conditions that compromise heterochromatin function might cause genome instability, and diseases associated with decreased epigenetic stability might exhibit genome changes as part of their etiology. We find support of this hypothesis in invasive ductal breast carcinoma, in which reduced epigenetic silencing has been previously described, by using a facile method to quantify rDNA copy number in biopsied breast tumors and pair-matched healthy tissue. We found that rDNA and satellite DNA sequences had significant copy number variation – both losses and gains of copies – compared to healthy tissue, arguing that these genome rearrangements are common in developing breast cancer. Thus, any proposed etiology onset or progression of breast cancer should consider alterations to the epigenome, but must also accommodate concomitant changes to genome sequence at heterochromatic loci.Authors’ StatementOne of the common hallmarks of cancer is genome instability, including hypermutation and changes to chromosome structure. Using tumor tissues obtained from women with invasive ductal carcinoma, we find that a sensitive area of the genome – the ribosomal DNA gene repeat cluster – shows hypervariability in copy number. The patterns we observe as not consistent with an adaptive loss leading to increased tumor growth, but rather we conclude that copy number variation at repeat DNA is a general consequence of reduced heterochromatin function in cancer progression.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 6039
Author(s):  
Bo Xu ◽  
Hao Wang ◽  
Li Tan

DNA methylation (5-methylcytosine, 5mC) was once viewed as a stable epigenetic modification until Rao and colleagues identified Ten-eleven translocation 1 (TET1) as the first 5mC dioxygenase in 2009. TET family genes (including TET1, TET2, and TET3) encode proteins that can catalyze 5mC oxidation and consequently modulate DNA methylation, not only regulating embryonic development and cellular differentiation, but also playing critical roles in various physiological and pathophysiological processes. Soon after the discovery of TET family 5mC dioxygenases, aberrant 5mC oxidation and dysregulation of TET family genes have been reported in breast cancer as well as other malignancies. The impacts of aberrant 5mC oxidation and dysregulated TET family genes on the different aspects (so-called cancer hallmarks) of breast cancer have also been extensively investigated in the past decade. In this review, we summarize current understanding of the causes and consequences of aberrant 5mC oxidation in the pathogenesis of breast cancer. The challenges and future perspectives of this field are also discussed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 87 ◽  
pp. 200-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zigao Yuan ◽  
Shaopeng Chen ◽  
Chunmei Gao ◽  
Qiuzi Dai ◽  
Cunlong Zhang ◽  
...  

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyoung-Mu Lee ◽  
Miey Park ◽  
Sang-Hoon Moon ◽  
Hyung-Chol Kim ◽  
Ji-Young Lee ◽  
...  

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chun-Chao Wang ◽  
Leen Jamal ◽  
Sameer S. Bajikar ◽  
Kristen A. Atkins ◽  
Kevin A. Janes

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