Genetic pathways in colorectal and other cancers

Cancer genetics fundamentals

It is often said that cancer is genetic. What exactly does that mean? This article is our answer to that question at the turn of the millennium. We present models of carcinogenesis, review basic cancer genetics terminology, and explain some of the fundamental genetic changes common to all types of cancer. These are organized into 6 sections of (1) self-sufficiency in growth signals, (2) insensitivity to growth-inhibitory signals, (3) evasion of programmed cell death, (4) limitless replicative potential, (5) sustained angiogenesis, and (6) tissue invasion and metastases. Underlying all of these changes are the even more fundamental enabling factors of genetic instability on both the chromosomal and the gene level. Finally, we look toward the future in a field where the future is now!

Phenotypic and genetic alterations in mammary stroma: implications for tumour progression

In addition to the well documented role of cytokines in mediating tissue-level interactions, it is now clear that matrix macromolecules fulfil a complementary regulatory function. Data highlighted in the present review extend the repertoire of matrix signalling mechanisms, (1) introducing the concept of 'matrikines', these defined as proteinase-generated fragments of matrix macromolecules that display cryptic bioactivities not manifested by the native, full-length form of the molecule, and (2) indicating that a previously identified motogenic factor (migration stimulating factor [MSF]) produced by foetal and cancer patient fibroblasts is a genetically generated truncated isoform of fibronectin, which displays bioactivities cryptic in all previously identified fibronectin isoforms. These observations are discussed in the context of the contribution of a 'foetal-like' stroma to the progression of breast cancer.

Contrasting molecular pathology of colorectal carcinoma in Egyptian and Western patients

Colorectal carcinoma is uncommon in Egypt, but a high proportion of cases occurs before age 40 years and in the rectum. We compared the molecular pathology of 59 representative Egyptian patients aged 10-72 to Western patients with sporadic, young-onset, or hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer syndrome (HNPCC)-associated carcinoma and found significant differences. Most Egyptian cancers were rectal (51%) and poorly differentiated (58%). High levels of microsatellite instability (MSI-H) were frequent (37%) and attributable in some cases (36%) to methylation of the promoter of the hMLH1 mismatch repair gene, but no MSI-H cancer had loss of hMSH2 mismatch repair gene product of the type seen with germline hMSH2 mutation in HNPCC. K-ras mutation was uncommon (11%). In subset analyses, high frequencies of MSI-H in rectal carcinomas (36%) and p53 gene product overexpression in MSI-H cancers (50%) were found. MSI-H and K-ras mutation in Egyptians under age 40 were unusual (17% and 0%, respectively), and schistosomiasis was associated with MSI and K-ras mutation. Cluster analysis identified 2 groups: predominantly young men with poorly differentiated mucinous and signet-ring cell colorectal carcinoma lacking K-ras mutation; older patients who had well- or moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma often with MSI-H, K-ras mutation and schistosomiasis. Our findings show that the molecular pathology of colorectal cancer in older as well as younger Egyptians has unique differences from Western patients, and schistosomiasis influences the molecular pathogenesis of some tumours.

Paired human fibrosarcoma cell lines that possess or lack endogenous mutant N-ras alleles as experimental model for Ras signaling pathways

We present here a human cell model for examination of mutant N-ras function. The HT1080 human fibrosarcoma cell line is pseudodiploid and contains a single endogenous mutant N-ras allele. MCH603c8 cells are a variant of HT1080 cells, in which the mutant allele has been deleted. The two cell lines differ dramatically in the constitutive levels of activation of downstream members of the Ras signaling pathways, and in biological features of transformation and tumorigenicity. Downregulation or activation of individual Ras-dependent pathways can be accomplished via transfection of dominant negatives or activated mutant cDNAs into HT1080 and MCH603c8 cells, respectively. The biochemical and biological consequences of expression of these mutant cDNAs can be assessed. There are dramatic effects on both the transformed and tumorigenic phenotype, depending on the cell line and mutant cDNA that is transfected.

Aberrant expression of G1-phase cell cycle regulators in flat and exophytic adenomas of the human colon

BACKGROUND & AIMS

The G1/S-phase controlling mechanism known as the RB pathway is commonly deregulated in human malignancies. Here, the abundance and localization of key components of the retinoblastoma (RB) pathway were determined in exophytic and flat colorectal adenomas.

METHODS

Samples of normal colonic mucosa (n = 41) and flat (n = 45) and exophytic (n = 26) adenomas were examined immunohistochemically using antibodies to cyclins D1, D2, D3, cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4, retinoblastoma protein (pRB), and the CDK inhibitors p16INK4a, p18INK4c, and p19INK4d.

RESULTS

In normal colonic epithelium, cyclin D2 was undetectable; expression of cyclin D1, CDK4, and pRB correlated with proliferation; and p16, p18, p19, and cyclin D3 were most abundant in quiescent, differentiated cells. Adenomas showed elevated expression of cyclin D1 and pRB, frequent induction of cyclin D2, and absence of p16. No obvious abnormalities were found for p18, p19, or cyclin D3. Overexpressed cyclin D2 was more common among exophytic and pRB among flat adenomas, respectively. Elevated cyclin D1, D2, and CDK4 correlated with enhanced dysplasia.

CONCLUSIONS

Aberrant expression of cyclins D1, D2, CDK4, p16, and pRB occur in significant subsets of exophytic and flat adenomas, particularly among cases with high-grade dysplasia. Such defects of the RB pathway may perturb cell-cycle control and thereby contribute an early step in colorectal tumorigenesis.

p53-dependent transcriptional regulation of the APC promoter in colon cancer cells treated with DNA alkylating agents

The APC (adenomatous polyposis coli) gene product is involved in cell cycle arrest and in apoptosis. The loss of APC function is associated with the development of colorectal carcinogenesis. In previous studies, we have shown that the APC gene is inducible and that the DNA damage-induced level of APC mRNA requires p53. In the present study, we examined the role of p53 in the transcriptional regulation of APC promoter and characterized two p53-binding sites on the cloned APC promoter (pAPCP). Results of electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed specific interactions of p53 protein with p53-binding site oligonucleotides. The DNA-protein complex formed in electrophoretic mobility shift assay was competed with unlabeled excess of p53-binding site oligonucleotide, unaffected with p53-binding site mutant or Sp1-binding site oligonucleotides, and supershifted with anti-p53 antibodies. In a transient transfection assay, the pAPCP promoter activity was lower in HCT-116(p53(+/+)) cells versus HCT-116(p53(-/-)) cells. p53-dependent down-regulation was further confirmed after co-transfection of pAPCP plasmid with pCMV-p53 into HCT-116(p53(-/-)) and SAOS-2 (p53-negative) cells. However, the treatment of cells with DNA alkylating agents methylmethane sulfonate and N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, which cause phosphorylation of p53 at Ser(15) and Ser(392), induced pAPCP promoter activity in HCT-116(p53(+/+)) cells. Other than p53-binding sites, using deletion mutation constructs, we have shown that N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine-induced transcriptional activation of the pAPCP promoter in HCT-116(p53(+/+)) cells depended upon the Sp1-binding site and the E-box B site. From these results, we conclude that unphosphorylated p53 can down-regulate and phosphorylated p53 can up-regulate the pAPCP promoter activity involving the p53, Sp1, or E-box B elements. These studies are important to understanding the role of p53 and APC in DNA damage-induced cell cycle arrest and/or apoptosis of cancer cells.

Suppression of spontaneous chromosomal rearrangements by S phase checkpoint functions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Cancer cells show increased genome rearrangements, although it is unclear what defects cause these rearrangements. Mutations in Saccharomyces cerevisiae RFC5, DPB11, MEC1, DDC2 MEC3, RAD53, CHK1, PDS1, and DUN1 increased the rate of genome rearrangements up to 200-fold whereas mutations in RAD9, RAD17, RAD24, BUB3, and MAD3 had little effect. The rearrangements were primarily deletion of a portion of a chromosome arm along with TEL1-dependent addition of a new telomere. tel1 mutations increased the proportion of translocations observed, and in some cases showed synergistic interactions when combined with mutations that increased the genome rearrangement rate. These data suggest that one role of S phase checkpoint functions in normal cells is to suppress spontaneous genome rearrangements resulting from DNA replication errors.