A novel mutation detection approach of hMLH1 and hMSH2 genes for screening of colorectal cancer

Assessing pathogenicity of MLH1 variants by co-expression of human MLH1 and PMS2 genes in yeast

Background

Loss of DNA mismatch repair (MMR) in humans, mainly due to mutations in the hMLH1 gene, is linked to hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC). Because not all MLH1 alterations result in loss of MMR function, accurate characterization of variants and their classification in terms of their effect on MMR function is essential for reliable genetic testing and effective treatment. To date, in vivo assays for functional characterization of MLH1 mutations performed in various model systems have used episomal expression of the modified MMR genes. We describe here a novel approach to determine accurately the functional significance of hMLH1 mutations in vivo, based on co-expression of human MLH1 and PMS2 in yeast cells.

Methods

Yeast MLH1 and PMS1 genes, whose protein products form the MutLα complex, were replaced by human orthologs directly on yeast chromosomes by homologous recombination, and the resulting MMR activity was tested.

Results

The yeast strain co-expressing hMLH1 and hPMS2 exhibited the same mutation rate as the wild-type. Eight cancer-related MLH1 variants were introduced, using the same approach, into the prepared yeast model, and their effect on MMR function was determined. Five variants (A92P, S93G, I219V, K618R and K618T) were classified as non-pathogenic, whereas variants T117M, Y646C and R659Q were characterized as pathogenic.

Conclusion

Results of our in vivo yeast-based approach correlate well with clinical data in five out of seven hMLH1 variants and the described model was thus shown to be useful for functional characterization of MLH1 variants in cancer patients found throughout the entire coding region of the gene.

Single nucleotide polymorphism detection in the hMSH2 gene using conformation-sensitive CE

CE allows for highly reproducible analysis of DNA fragments which can be used to detect DNA mutations including SNPs. We have utilized a simple and direct CE analysis method for SNP analysis called conformation-sensitive CE (CSCE), based on the principle of single nucleotide different to produce conformational changes in the mildly denaturing solvent system. This method was applied to analysis of a mutation in the promoter region of the hMSH2 gene. This gene belongs to the human DNA mismatch repair system, which is responsible for recognizing and repairing mispaired nucleotides, and mutations in the hMSH2 gene are known to cause hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC). PCR fragments generated from the promoter region of the hMSH2 gene, displaying either a C/C homozygote, C/T heterozygote, or T/T homozygote genotype, did not require further pretreatment before electrokinetic injection. The CE separation, using a 1xTris-borate-EDTA (TBE) buffer containing 3% w/v hydroxylethyl cellulose (HEC) and 6 M urea, was performed under reverse polarity with a separation temperature of 15 degrees C. The genotypes of 204 healthy volunteers and 13 colorectal cancer patients were determined using CSCE, and the results confirmed by DNA sequencing. While the CSCE separations were shown to be highly reproducible and sensitive for screening large populations, no correlation was observed between cancer patients and this hMSH2 gene polymorphism.