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Spinazzola JM, Lambert MR, Gibbs DE, Conner JR, Krikorian GL, Pareek P, Rago C, Kunkel LM. Effect of serotonin modulation on dystrophin-deficient zebrafish. Biol Open 2020; 9:bio053363. [PMID: 32718931 PMCID: PMC7473644 DOI: 10.1242/bio.053363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive muscle-wasting disease caused by mutation of the dystrophin gene. Pharmacological therapies that function independently of dystrophin and complement strategies aimed at dystrophin restoration could significantly improve patient outcomes. Previous observations have suggested that serotonin pathway modulation ameliorates dystrophic pathology, and re-application of serotonin modulators already used clinically would potentially hasten availability to DMD patients. In our study, we used dystrophin-deficient sapje and sapje-like zebrafish models of DMD for rapid and easy screening of several classes of serotonin pathway modulators as potential therapeutics. None of the candidate drugs tested significantly decreased the percentage of zebrafish exhibiting the dystrophic muscle phenotype in the short-term birefringence assay or lengthened the lifespan in the long-term survival assay. Although we did not identify an effective drug, we believe our data is of value to the DMD research community for future studies, and there is evidence that suggests serotonin modulation may still be a viable treatment strategy with further investigation. Given the widespread clinical use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants and reversible inhibitors of monoamine oxidase, their reapplication to DMD is an attractive strategy in the field's pursuit to identify pharmacological therapies to complement dystrophin restoration strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janelle M Spinazzola
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Matthias R Lambert
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Devin E Gibbs
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - James R Conner
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Georgia L Krikorian
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Prithu Pareek
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Louis M Kunkel
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- The Stem Cell Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
- The Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research at Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
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2
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Yun J, Mullarky E, Lu C, Bosch KN, Kavalier A, Rivera K, Roper J, Chio IIC, Giannopoulou EG, Rago C, Muley A, Asara JM, Paik J, Elemento O, Chen Z, Pappin DJ, Dow LE, Papadopoulos N, Gross SS, Cantley LC. Vitamin C selectively kills KRAS and BRAF mutant colorectal cancer cells by targeting GAPDH. Science 2015; 350:1391-6. [PMID: 26541605 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaa5004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 608] [Impact Index Per Article: 67.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2014] [Accepted: 10/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
More than half of human colorectal cancers (CRCs) carry either KRAS or BRAF mutations and are often refractory to approved targeted therapies. We found that cultured human CRC cells harboring KRAS or BRAF mutations are selectively killed when exposed to high levels of vitamin C. This effect is due to increased uptake of the oxidized form of vitamin C, dehydroascorbate (DHA), via the GLUT1 glucose transporter. Increased DHA uptake causes oxidative stress as intracellular DHA is reduced to vitamin C, depleting glutathione. Thus, reactive oxygen species accumulate and inactivate glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). Inhibition of GAPDH in highly glycolytic KRAS or BRAF mutant cells leads to an energetic crisis and cell death not seen in KRAS and BRAF wild-type cells. High-dose vitamin C impairs tumor growth in Apc/Kras(G12D) mutant mice. These results provide a mechanistic rationale for exploring the therapeutic use of vitamin C for CRCs with KRAS or BRAF mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihye Yun
- Meyer Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Edouard Mullarky
- Meyer Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA. Biological and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Changyuan Lu
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Kaitlyn N Bosch
- Meyer Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Adam Kavalier
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Keith Rivera
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Jatin Roper
- Molecular Oncology Research Institute and Division of Gastroenterology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | | | - Eugenia G Giannopoulou
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Carlo Rago
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Ashlesha Muley
- Meyer Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - John M Asara
- Division of Signal Transduction, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jihye Paik
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Olivier Elemento
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Zhengming Chen
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Darryl J Pappin
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Lukas E Dow
- Meyer Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Nickolas Papadopoulos
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Steven S Gross
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Lewis C Cantley
- Meyer Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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3
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Yun J, Kavalier A, Mullarky E, Bosch K, Roper J, Rago C, Paik J, Asara J, Gross S, Vogelstein B, Papadopoulos N, Cantley L. Abstract 2951: Vitamin C is selectively toxic to cancer cells harboring KRAS or BRAF mutations by targeting GAPDH. Cancer Res 2014. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2014-2951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Although more than half of colorectal cancer patients have either KRAS or BRAF mutations, targeted therapies for these subgroups of cancer patients are still lacking. Here, we report that KRAS or BRAF mutant cells exhibit a significant increase in the uptake of oxidized vitamin C, dehydroascorbate (DHA), via the GLUT1 glucose transporter. Increased uptake of DHA in the mutant cell lines causes oxidative stress as intracellular DHA is immediately reduced back to vitamin C by reduced glutathione. Elevated reactive oxygen species inactivate GAPDH and thus divert glycolytic flux into the pentose phosphate pathway. Because KRAS or BRAF mutant cells are highly dependent on glycolysis, this altered glucose metabolism induced by vitamin C ultimately leads to an energy deficit in KRAS or BRAF mutant cells and thereby cell death. There are currently a growing number of clinical trials in phases I/II examining the effect of high dose vitamin C as a treatment for cancers, including colorectal cancers. Our results provide a rationale for the pharmacological use of vitamin C as a therapeutic agent to treat colorectal cancer patients with oncogenic KRAS or BRAF mutations.
Citation Format: Jihye Yun, Adam Kavalier, Edouard Mullarky, Kaitlyn Bosch, Jatin Roper, Carlo Rago, Jihye Paik, John Asara, Steven Gross, Bert Vogelstein, Nickolas Papadopoulos, Lewis Cantley. Vitamin C is selectively toxic to cancer cells harboring KRAS or BRAF mutations by targeting GAPDH. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 2951. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-2951
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihye Yun
- 1Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY
| | | | | | | | | | - Carlo Rago
- 3The Johns Hopkins Institutions, Baltimore, MD
| | - Jihye Paik
- 1Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY
| | - John Asara
- 4Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA
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4
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Ghosh S, Sur S, Yerram SR, Rago C, Bhunia AK, Hossain MZ, Paun BC, Ren YR, Iacobuzio-Donahue CA, Azad NA, Kern SE. Hypersensitivities for acetaldehyde and other agents among cancer cells null for clinically relevant Fanconi anemia genes. Am J Pathol 2013; 184:260-70. [PMID: 24200853 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2013.09.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2013] [Revised: 07/29/2013] [Accepted: 09/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Large-magnitude numerical distinctions (>10-fold) among drug responses of genetically contrasting cancers were crucial for guiding the development of some targeted therapies. Similar strategies brought epidemiological clues and prevention goals for genetic diseases. Such numerical guides, however, were incomplete or low magnitude for Fanconi anemia pathway (FANC) gene mutations relevant to cancer in FANC-mutation carriers (heterozygotes). We generated a four-gene FANC-null cancer panel, including the engineering of new PALB2/FANCN-null cancer cells by homologous recombination. A characteristic matching of FANCC-null, FANCG-null, BRCA2/FANCD1-null, and PALB2/FANCN-null phenotypes was confirmed by uniform tumor regression on single-dose cross-linker therapy in mice and by shared chemical hypersensitivities to various inter-strand cross-linking agents and γ-radiation in vitro. Some compounds, however, had contrasting magnitudes of sensitivity; a strikingly high (19- to 22-fold) hypersensitivity was seen among PALB2-null and BRCA2-null cells for the ethanol metabolite, acetaldehyde, associated with widespread chromosomal breakage at a concentration not producing breaks in parental cells. Because FANC-defective cancer cells can share or differ in their chemical sensitivities, patterns of selective hypersensitivity hold implications for the evolutionary understanding of this pathway. Clinical decisions for cancer-relevant prevention and management of FANC-mutation carriers could be modified by expanded studies of high-magnitude sensitivities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soma Ghosh
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Surojit Sur
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Sashidhar R Yerram
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Carlo Rago
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Anil K Bhunia
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - M Zulfiquer Hossain
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Bogdan C Paun
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Yunzhao R Ren
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Christine A Iacobuzio-Donahue
- Department of Pathology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Nilofer A Azad
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Scott E Kern
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.
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Yun J, Kavalier A, Roper J, Gross S, Rago C, Papadopoulos N, Vogelstein B, Cantley L. Abstract C60: Vitamin C inhibits the survival and growth of colorectal cancer cells with KRAS or BRAF mutations. Cancer Res 2013. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.fbcr13-c60] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Although more than half of colorectal cancer patients have either KRAS or BRAF mutations, targeted therapies for these subgroups of cancer patients are lacking. We previously showed that isogenic human colorectal cancer cell (CRC) lines harboring a KRAS or BRAF mutation up-regulate the expression of glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), and increase glucose uptake and glycolysis. In this study, we go on to show that KRAS or BRAF mutant cells exhibit a significant increase in the uptake of vitamin C, mainly in its oxidized form, dehydroascorbic acid (DHA), relative to their wild-type counterparts through GLUT1. Notably, CRCs did not uptake vitamin C in its reduced form, possibly due to the fact that its known transporters, sodium vitamin C cotransporters (SVCTs) were generally not present in CRCs. Deletion of GLUT1 in mutant cells, overexpression of GLUT1 in wild-type cells and competition assays between glucose and DHA confirmed that GLUT1 is both necessary and sufficient for the uptake of vitamin C in CRCs. Both mutant and wild-type cells were able to grow in low glucose (1-2 mM) at a similar rate. In the same condition, we found vitamin C to be selectively toxic to KRAS and BRAF mutant cells, causing them to undergo apoptosis. In contrast, in high glucose levels (>10 mM), a similar concentration of vitamin C had no effect on the survival and growth of mutant cells. In addition, vitamin C significantly inhibited the growth of cancer cells with KRAS or BRAF mutations in vivo xenografts models. To find the mechanism by which vitamin C induces cell death in KRAS or BRAF mutant cells, we performed targeted metabolomics using LC/MS. Both unlabeled total metabolite analysis and flux analysis with C13-Glucose isotope strongly suggested that vitamin C re-routes glucose usage from aerobic glycolysis and non-oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) to the oxidative PPP to compensate for the lower levels of NADPH which was rapidly consumed to reduce GSSH to GSH. Having taken up exclusively DHA, the oxidized state of vitamin C, the mutant cells immediately use GSH to reduce Vitamin C, resulting in the accumulation of GSSH. Shunting glucose to the oxidative PPP reduces aerobic glycolysis, lowering ATP levels, and decreases glucose anabolism, disfavoring the synthesis of nucleic acids, lipid and amino acids, all needed for the survival and growth of mutant cells. Surprisingly the level of reactive oxidative stress (ROS) was largely unchanged following vitamin C treatment possibly because increased levels of vitamin C served as an anti-oxidant in mutant cells. There are currently more than three clinical trials phase I/II examining the effect of high dose vitamin C via intravenous administration in patients against lymphoma or solid cancers including CRCs. Our findings will provide proof of concept that KRAS or BRAF mutations in CRC can be predictive biomarkers for vitamin C therapy.
Citation Format: Jihye Yun, Adam Kavalier, Jatin Roper, Steve Gross, Carlo Rago, Nickolas Papadopoulos, Bert Vogelstein, Lewis Cantley. Vitamin C inhibits the survival and growth of colorectal cancer cells with KRAS or BRAF mutations. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Third AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Basic Cancer Research; Sep 18-22, 2013; National Harbor, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(19 Suppl):Abstract nr C60.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihye Yun
- 1Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY,
| | | | - Jatin Roper
- 2Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Boston. MA,
| | - Steve Gross
- 1Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY,
| | - Carlo Rago
- 3The Ludwig Center and The Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD
| | - Nickolas Papadopoulos
- 3The Ludwig Center and The Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD
| | - Bert Vogelstein
- 3The Ludwig Center and The Howard Hughes Medical Institute at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD
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6
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Ghosh S, Sur S, Yerram SR, Rago C, Bhunia AK, Hossain MZ, Paun BC, Ren YR, Iacobuzio-Donahue CA, Azad NA, Kern SE. Abstract 3580: Acetaldehyde and drug hypersensitivities of Fanconi anemia defects: Implications for cancer initiation, prevention, and therapy. Cancer Res 2013. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2013-3580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Studies of cells harboring Fanconi anemia (FA) pathway defects have aided clinical understanding of inherited cancer risks and therapeutic strategies. Here, we observed a novel and large (27X) hypersensitivity of BRCA2- and PALB2-null genotypes to the epidemiologically important ethanol metabolite, acetaldehyde. This prominent acetaldehyde sensitivity may hold evolutionary and clinical significance. Interrogation of a novel panel of cells engineered to be null for various FA genes also revealed two classes of chemical hypersensitivities: the shared and divergent phenotypes. Prominent chemical hypersensitivities to various interstrand crosslinking (ICL) agents in vitro (melphalan, mitomycin C, and cisplatin), to γ-radiation in vitro, and to mitomycin C in vivo were essentially similar among the tested genotypes. A large divergence of responsiveness existed, however, between the cell lines when using the PARP inhibitor KU0058948, the topoisomerase II inhibitor etoposide, and acetaldehyde. These results indicate that, toward some agents, not all FA defects are necessarily equivalent; this divergence among phenotypes may dissect functions differing among FA genes and may presage differing clinical and epidemiological implications. We additionally present the first engineered PALB2-null human cancer cells. The results suggest new applications in cancer epidemiology, prevention, and targeted therapy.
Citation Format: Soma Ghosh, Surojit Sur, Sashidhar R. Yerram, Carlo Rago, Anil K. Bhunia, M. Zulfiquer Hossain, Bogdan C. Paun, Yunzhao R. Ren, Christine A. Iacobuzio-Donahue, Nilofer A. Azad, Scott E. Kern. Acetaldehyde and drug hypersensitivities of Fanconi anemia defects: Implications for cancer initiation, prevention, and therapy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3580. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3580
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Affiliation(s)
- Soma Ghosh
- Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD
| | - Surojit Sur
- Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD
| | | | - Carlo Rago
- Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD
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7
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Duncan CG, Barwick BG, Jin G, Rago C, Kapoor-Vazirani P, Powell DR, Chi JT, Bigner DD, Vertino PM, Yan H. A heterozygous IDH1R132H/WT mutation induces genome-wide alterations in DNA methylation. Genome Res 2012; 22:2339-55. [PMID: 22899282 PMCID: PMC3514664 DOI: 10.1101/gr.132738.111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Monoallelic point mutations of the NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenases IDH1 and IDH2 occur frequently in gliomas, acute myeloid leukemias, and chondromas, and display robust association with specific DNA hypermethylation signatures. Here we show that heterozygous expression of the IDH1R132H allele is sufficient to induce the genome-wide alterations in DNA methylation characteristic of these tumors. Using a gene-targeting approach, we knocked-in a single copy of the most frequently observed IDH1 mutation, R132H, into a human cancer cell line and profiled changes in DNA methylation at over 27,000 CpG dinucleotides relative to wild-type parental cells. We find that IDH1R132H/WT mutation induces widespread alterations in DNA methylation, including hypermethylation of 2010 and hypomethylation of 842 CpG loci. We demonstrate that many of these alterations are consistent with those observed in IDH1-mutant and G-CIMP+ primary gliomas and can segregate IDH wild-type and mutated tumors as well as those exhibiting the G-CIMP phenotype in unsupervised analysis of two primary glioma cohorts. Further, we show that the direction of IDH1R132H/WT-mediated DNA methylation change is largely dependent upon preexisting DNA methylation levels, resulting in depletion of moderately methylated loci. Additionally, whereas the levels of multiple histone H3 and H4 methylation modifications were globally increased, consistent with broad inhibition of histone demethylation, hypermethylation at H3K9 in particular accompanied locus-specific DNA hypermethylation at several genes down-regulated in IDH1R132H/WT knock-in cells. These data provide insight on epigenetic alterations induced by IDH1 mutations and support a causal role for IDH1R132H/WT mutants in driving epigenetic instability in human cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher G Duncan
- The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center, The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation Institute, The Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
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8
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Yun J, Rago C, Cheong I, Pagliarini R, Angenendt P, Rajagopalan H, Schmidt K, Willson JKV, Markowitz S, Zhou S, Diaz LA, Velculescu VE, Lengauer C, Kinzler KW, Vogelstein B, Papadopoulos N. Glucose deprivation contributes to the development of KRAS pathway mutations in tumor cells. Science 2009; 325:1555-9. [PMID: 19661383 DOI: 10.1126/science.1174229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 682] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Tumor progression is driven by genetic mutations, but little is known about the environmental conditions that select for these mutations. Studying the transcriptomes of paired colorectal cancer cell lines that differed only in the mutational status of their KRAS or BRAF genes, we found that GLUT1, encoding glucose transporter-1, was one of three genes consistently up-regulated in cells with KRAS or BRAF mutations. The mutant cells exhibited enhanced glucose uptake and glycolysis and survived in low-glucose conditions, phenotypes that all required GLUT1 expression. In contrast, when cells with wild-type KRAS alleles were subjected to a low-glucose environment, very few cells survived. Most surviving cells expressed high levels of GLUT1, and 4% of these survivors had acquired KRAS mutations not present in their parents. The glycolysis inhibitor 3-bromopyruvate preferentially suppressed the growth of cells with KRAS or BRAF mutations. Together, these data suggest that glucose deprivation can drive the acquisition of KRAS pathway mutations in human tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jihye Yun
- Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
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9
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Abstract
The enormous scope of natural human genetic variation is now becoming defined. To accurately annotate these variants, and to identify those with clinical importance, is often difficult to assess through functional assays. We explored systematic annotation by using homologous recombination to modify a native gene in hemizygous (wt/Deltaexon) human cancer cells, generating a novel syngeneic variance library (SyVaL). We created a SyVaL of BRCA2 variants: nondeleterious, proposed deleterious, deleterious, and of uncertain significance. We found that the null states BRCA2(Deltaex11/Deltaex11) and BRCA2(Deltaex11/Y3308X) were deleterious as assessed by a loss of RAD51 focus formation on genotoxic damage and by acquisition of toxic hypersensitivity to mitomycin C and etoposide, whereas BRCA2(Deltaex11/Y3308Y), BRCA2(Deltaex11/P3292L), and BRCA2(Deltaex11/P3280H) had wild-type function. A proposed phosphorylation site at codon 3291 affecting function was confirmed by substitution of an acidic residue (glutamate, BRCA2(Deltaex11/S3291E)) for the native serine, but in contrast to a prior report, phosphorylation was dispensable (alanine, BRCA2(Deltaex11/S3291A)) for BRCA2-governed cellular phenotypes. These results show that SyVaLs offer a means to comprehensively annotate gene function, facilitating numerical and unambiguous readouts. SyVaLs may be especially useful for genes in which functional assays using exogenous expression are toxic or otherwise unreliable. They also offer a stable, distributable cellular resource for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Hucl
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Carlo Rago
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Eike Gallmeier
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Jonathan R. Brody
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Myriam Gorospe
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, National Institute on Aging-Intramural Research Program, NIH, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Scott E. Kern
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
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Rago C, Huso DL, Diehl F, Karim B, Liu G, Papadopoulos N, Samuels Y, Velculescu VE, Vogelstein B, Kinzler KW, Diaz LA. Serial assessment of human tumor burdens in mice by the analysis of circulating DNA. Cancer Res 2007; 67:9364-70. [PMID: 17909045 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-07-0605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Internal human xenografts provide valuable animal models to study the microenvironments and metastatic processes occurring in human cancers. However, the use of such models is hampered by the logistical difficulties of reproducibly and simply assessing tumor burden. We developed a high-sensitivity assay for quantifying human DNA in small volumes of mouse plasma, enabling in-life monitoring of systemic tumor burden. Growth kinetics analyses of various xenograft models showed the utility of circulating human DNA as a biomarker. We found that human DNA concentration reproducibly increased with disease progression and decreased after successful therapeutic intervention. A marked, transient spike in circulating human tumor DNA occurred immediately after cytotoxic therapy or surgery. This simple assay may find broad utility in target validation studies and preclinical drug development programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Rago
- The Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics and The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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11
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Gallmeier E, Calhoun ES, Rago C, Brody JR, Cunningham SC, Hucl T, Gorospe M, Kohli M, Lengauer C, Kern SE. Targeted disruption of FANCC and FANCG in human cancer provides a preclinical model for specific therapeutic options. Gastroenterology 2006; 130:2145-54. [PMID: 16762635 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2006.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2005] [Accepted: 03/01/2006] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS How specifically to treat pancreatic and other cancers harboring Fanconi anemia gene mutations has raised great interest recently, yet preclinical studies have been hampered by the lack of well-controlled human cancer models. METHODS We endogenously disrupted FANCC and FANCG in a human adenocarcinoma cell line and determined the impact of these genes on drug sensitivity, irradiation sensitivity, and genome maintenance. RESULTS FANCC and FANCG disruption abrogated FANCD2 monoubiquitination, confirming an impaired Fanconi anemia pathway function. On treatment with DNA interstrand-cross-linking agents, FANCC and FANCG disruption caused increased clastogenic damage, G2/M arrest, and decreased proliferation. The extent of hypersensitivity varied among agents, with ratios of inhibitory concentration 50% ranging from 2-fold for oxaliplatin to 14-fold for melphalan, a drug infrequently used in solid tumors. No hypersensitivity was observed on gemcitabine, etoposide, 3-aminobenzamide, NU1025, or hydrogen peroxide. FANCC and FANCG disruption also resulted in increased clastogenic damage on irradiation, but only FANCG disruption caused a subsequent decrease in relative survival. Finally, FANCC and FANCG disruption increased spontaneous chromosomal breakage, supporting the role of these genes in genome maintenance and likely explaining why they are mutated in sporadic cancer. CONCLUSIONS Our human cancer cell model provides optimal controls to elucidate fundamental biologic features of individual Fanconi anemia gene defects and facilitates preclinical studies of therapeutic options. The impact of Fanconi gene defects on drug and irradiation sensitivity renders these genes promising targets for a specific, genotype-based therapy for individual cancer patients, providing a strong rationale for clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eike Gallmeier
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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12
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Valente M, Calabrese F, Angelini A, Castiglione AG, Rigotti P, Ragani M, Torelli R, Barraco F, Rago C. Role of the Pathologist in Organ Transplantation: The North Italy Transplant Program Experience. Transplant Proc 2006; 38:983-5. [PMID: 16757238 DOI: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2006.03.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [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: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The North Italy Transplant program (NITp) is one of the three organ exchange organizations in Italy together with AIRT and OCST, supervised by the Centro Nazionale Trapianti. It started its activity on June 18, 1972 and serves an area of about 18 million inhabitants in northern Italy. From June 18, 1972 to December 31, 2004, 5761 cadaveric donors have been used and 18,390 transplants performed in the NITp. At December 31, 2004, the NITp waiting list included 3407 patients (2261 kidney, 425 heart, 387 liver, 153 pancreas, 181 lung). From January 1 to August 31, 2005, 13 donors with cancer were used, namely, 4.2% of the overall number of procured donors. The yearly projection of this figure is more than twofold above that in the previous year. Pathologists play a crucial role in NITp activity, by assessing donor suitability and organ quality, by performing the autopsy control of donors, and by participating in transplant follow-up. In addition the pathologist responsible for the Veneto-centralized pathology unit plays the role of expert for second opinion for the NITp area. Pathologists are involved in expanding the pool of donors by analyzing organ biopsies in specific programs. Eight HBV(+) and/or HCV(+) liver biopsies have been evaluated during 2003 and 18 during 2004 and 12 livers, according to the protocol, were suitable for transplantation, and 14 double kidney transplantations were performed in 2003 and 35 in 2004.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Valente
- Institute of Pathological Anatomy, University of Padua, Medical School, Italy.
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13
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Dang DT, Chen F, Gardner LB, Cummins JM, Rago C, Bunz F, Kantsevoy SV, Dang LH. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha promotes nonhypoxia-mediated proliferation in colon cancer cells and xenografts. Cancer Res 2006; 66:1684-936. [PMID: 16452228 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-05-2887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) is a transcription factor that directly transactivates genes important for the growth and metabolism of solid tumors. HIF-1alpha is overexpressed in cancer, and its level of expression is correlated with patient mortality. Increased synthesis or stability of HIF-1alpha can be induced by hypoxia-dependent or hypoxia-independent factors. Thus, HIF-1alpha is expressed in both nonhypoxic and hypoxic cancer cells. The role of HIF-1alpha in nonhypoxia-mediated cancer cell proliferation remains speculative. We have disrupted HIF-1alpha by targeted homologous recombination in HCT116 and RKO human colon cancer cells. Loss of HIF-1alpha significantly reduced nonhypoxia-mediated cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Paradoxically, loss of HIF-1alpha expression did not grossly affect the hypoxic compartments within tumor xenografts in vivo, although HIF-1alpha promoted cell proliferation and survival under hypoxia in vitro. To further test the role of HIF-1alpha within tumor compartments, we generated cells with combined disruptions of both HIF-1alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In all xenografts, disruption of VEGF led to marked expansion of the hypoxic compartments and growth delay. Nonetheless, the presence or absence of HIF-1alpha did not grossly affect these expanded hypoxic compartments. These data provide compelling evidence that, in a subset of colon cancers, (a) HIF-1alpha is a positive factor for nonhypoxia-mediated cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo and (b) HIF-1alpha is a positive factor for cell proliferation and survival under hypoxic conditions in vitro, but does not grossly contribute to the tumor hypoxic compartments in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duyen T Dang
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, 1150 West Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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14
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Abstract
GSTP1 is a member of the glutathione S-transferase enzyme superfamily, which catalyzes the conjugation of electrophiles with glutathione in the process of detoxification. GSTP1 is widely overexpressed in colorectal cancer, from aberrant crypt foci to advanced carcinomas. Increased expression of GSTP1 is associated with multidrug resistance and a worse clinical prognosis. However, GSTP1-null mice have an increased risk of tumor formation. Thus, the biological function of GSTP1 in colorectal cancer biology remains speculative. In an effort to gain further insights into the role of GSTP1 in tumorigenesis, we disrupted the GSTP1 gene in HCT116 human colorectal cancer cells using targeted homologous recombination. We find that loss of GSTP1 resulted in impaired clonogenic survival and proliferation. Specifically, under growth-limiting conditions, (a) GSTP1 protected HCT116 cells from oxidative stress and associated apoptosis and (b) promoted mitogen-activated protein kinase-extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase-mediated G1-S cell cycle progression. In vivo, GSTP1 was critical for engraftment and growth of HCT116 tumor xenografts. These studies directly show that GSTP1 promotes clonogenic survival and proliferation in HCT116 human colon cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duyen T Dang
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, MI 48109-0682, USA
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15
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Valente M, Calabrese F, Angelini A, Rago C. [Autopsy control: norms and recommendations]. Pathologica 2005; 97:195-6. [PMID: 16440656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- M Valente
- Istituto di Anatomia Patologica, Università di Padova
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16
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Samuels Y, Diaz LA, Schmidt-Kittler O, Cummins JM, Delong L, Cheong I, Rago C, Huso DL, Lengauer C, Kinzler KW, Vogelstein B, Velculescu VE. Mutant PIK3CA promotes cell growth and invasion of human cancer cells. Cancer Cell 2005; 7:561-73. [PMID: 15950905 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2005.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 708] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2004] [Revised: 04/06/2005] [Accepted: 05/20/2005] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
PIK3CA is mutated in diverse human cancers, but the functional effects of these mutations have not been defined. To evaluate the consequences of PIK3CA alterations, the two most common mutations were inactivated by gene targeting in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. Biochemical analyses of these cells showed that mutant PIK3CA selectively regulated the phosphorylation of AKT and the forkhead transcription factors FKHR and FKHRL1. PIK3CA mutations had little effect on growth under standard conditions, but reduced cellular dependence on growth factors. PIK3CA mutations resulted in attenuation of apoptosis and facilitated tumor invasion. Treatment with the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 abrogated PIK3CA signaling and preferentially inhibited growth of PIK3CA mutant cells. These data have important implications for therapy of cancers harboring PIK3CA alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yardena Samuels
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center and The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Johns Hopkins University Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
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17
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Cho-Vega JH, Troncoso P, Do KA, Rago C, Wang X, Tsavachidis S, Medeiros LJ, Spurgers K, Logothetis C, McDonnell TJ. Combined laser capture microdissection and serial analysis of gene expression from human tissue samples. Mod Pathol 2005; 18:577-84. [PMID: 15529182 DOI: 10.1038/modpathol.3800327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Cell-specific gene expression profiling from heterogeneous human tissues is confounded by cell purification limitations. Here, we describe a technique to generate gene expression profiles of pure populations of prostate cancer cells obtained from fresh-frozen prostatectomy specimens and small initial quantities of RNA by combining laser capture microdissection and microserial analysis of gene expression (LCM-microSAGE). Two microSAGE libraries were obtained from approximately 100,000 laser pulses, estimated to contain fewer than 3 x 10(5) cells and 20-30 ng mRNA. Two libraries were sequenced to a depth of 10,111 and 10,463 unique tags from normal and cancer cells, representing 6453 and 6923 genes, respectively. Most transcripts were expressed at similar levels, but cancer cells compared with normal cells had increased expression of 385 tags and decreased expression of 389 tags. A total of 20 genes were differentially expressed (P<0.05); five of these genes were upregulated and 15 were downregulated in cancer cells. Quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction results from three selected genes corroborated the existence of cell-specific gene expression in LCM-microSAGE-derived libraries. In conclusion, the LCM-microSAGE approach demonstrates that large-scale expression profiles of known and unknown transcripts can be generated from pure populations of target cells obtained from human tissue samples comprised of heterogeneous mixtures of cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeong Hee Cho-Vega
- Department of Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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18
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Cummins JM, Kohli M, Rago C, Kinzler KW, Vogelstein B, Bunz F. X-Linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein (XIAP) Is a Nonredundant Modulator of Tumor Necrosis Factor-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand (TRAIL)- Mediated Apoptosis in Human Cancer Cells. Cancer Res 2004; 64:3006-8. [PMID: 15126334 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-04-0046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Although the tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) has been shown to play an important role in the immunosurveillance of neoplasia, apoptotic factors that modulate the sensitivity of cancer cells to TRAIL are poorly understood. The inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) have generated considerable interest as potential targets for cancer therapy, but the lack of a phenotype in X-linked IAP (XIAP) knockout mice has generated speculation that IAP function may be redundant. Using gene targeting technology, we show that disruption of the gene encoding XIAP in human cancer cells did not interfere with basal proliferation, but caused a remarkable sensitivity to TRAIL. These results demonstrate that XIAP is a nonredundant modulator of TRAIL-mediated apoptosis and provide a rationale for XIAP as a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan M Cummins
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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19
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan M Cummins
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland 21231, USA
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20
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Rajagopalan H, Jallepalli PV, Rago C, Velculescu VE, Kinzler KW, Vogelstein B, Lengauer C. Inactivation of hCDC4 can cause chromosomal instability. Nature 2004; 428:77-81. [PMID: 14999283 DOI: 10.1038/nature02313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 429] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2003] [Accepted: 01/05/2004] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Aneuploidy, an abnormal chromosome number, has been recognized as a hallmark of human cancer for nearly a century; however, the mechanisms responsible for this abnormality have remained elusive. Here we report the identification of mutations in hCDC4 (also known as Fbw7 or Archipelago) in both human colorectal cancers and their precursor lesions. We show that genetic inactivation of hCDC4, by means of targeted disruption of the gene in karyotypically stable colorectal cancer cells, results in a striking phenotype associated with micronuclei and chromosomal instability. This phenotype can be traced to a defect in the execution of metaphase and subsequent transmission of chromosomes, and is dependent on cyclin E--a protein that is regulated by hCDC4 (refs 2-4). Our data suggest that chromosomal instability is caused by specific genetic alterations in a large fraction of human cancers and can occur before malignant conversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harith Rajagopalan
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21231, USA
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21
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Kohli M, Rago C. An efficient method for generating human somatic cell gene knockouts. Discov Med 2004; 4:37-40. [PMID: 20705018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Extract: The Human Genome Project has produced a map detailing a vast genetic frontier that will continue to provide useful insights for the treatment of human diseases. The large number of uncharacterized genes reflects the degree of our progress and the wealth of opportunity. Functional genomics will broadly impact our understanding of disease and illuminate the path to better therapeutics. One of the most definitive ways to determine gene function is to specifically inactivate a gene through knockout approaches, thereby permitting comparisons between genetically matched (i.e., isogenic) knockout and wild-type controls. Gene knockout technologies have been performed in a variety of model organisms, including bacteria, yeast, chickens, and rodents. Though these studies might be useful for inferring human gene function, it is clear that homologues are not always functionally identical. One of the best ways to study gene function in human cells is to generate a human somatic cell gene knockout. However, this approach has historically been inefficient, resulting in the widespread use of "knockdown" approaches employing antisense or RNA interference (siRNA, short interfering RNA) technologies. These approaches reduce, rather than eliminate, the expression of a particular gene and often have non-specific effects that complicate the analysis of gene function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manu Kohli
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center and The Cellular and Molecular Medicine Program, The Johns Hopkins University Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
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22
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Kohli M, Rago C, Lengauer C, Kinzler KW, Vogelstein B. Facile methods for generating human somatic cell gene knockouts using recombinant adeno-associated viruses. Nucleic Acids Res 2004; 32:e3. [PMID: 14704360 PMCID: PMC373311 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gnh009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2003] [Revised: 11/04/2003] [Accepted: 11/19/2003] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that recombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAV) vectors can be used for specific gene targeting in human somatic cells. We have developed an rAAV vector construction procedure employing fusion PCR and a single cloning step that considerably simplifies the knockout process. We demonstrate its utility by disrupting genes at specific positions within human colon cancer cells as well as within immortalized normal epithelial cells. This technology should be broadly applicable to in vitro studies that require the manipulation of the human genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manu Kohli
- The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, and The Cellular and Molecular Medicine Program, The Johns Hopkins University Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
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23
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Abstract
A remaining challenge for the human genome project involves the identification and annotation of expressed genes. The public and private sequencing efforts have identified approximately 15,000 sequences that meet stringent criteria for genes, such as correspondence with known genes from humans or other species, and have made another approximately 10,000-20,000 gene predictions of lower confidence, supported by various types of in silico evidence, including homology studies, domain searches, and ab initio gene predictions. These computational methods have limitations, both because they are unable to identify a significant fraction of genes and exons and because they are unable to provide definitive evidence about whether a hypothetical gene is actually expressed. As the in silico approaches identified a smaller number of genes than anticipated, we wondered whether high-throughput experimental analyses could be used to provide evidence for the expression of hypothetical genes and to reveal previously undiscovered genes. We describe here the development of such a method--called long serial analysis of gene expression (LongSAGE), an adaption of the original SAGE approach--that can be used to rapidly identify novel genes and exons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saurabh Saha
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
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24
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Wang TL, Rago C, Silliman N, Ptak J, Markowitz S, Willson JKV, Parmigiani G, Kinzler KW, Vogelstein B, Velculescu VE. Prevalence of somatic alterations in the colorectal cancer cell genome. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2002; 99:3076-80. [PMID: 11867767 PMCID: PMC122475 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.261714699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Although a small fraction of human cancers have increased rates of somatic mutation because of known deficiencies in DNA repair, little is known about the prevalence of somatic alterations in the vast majority of human cancers. To systematically assess nonsynonymous somatic alterations in colorectal neoplasia, we used DNA sequencing to analyze approximately 3.2 Mb of coding tumor DNA comprising 1,811 exons from 470 genes. In total, we identified only three distinct somatic mutations, comprising two missense changes and one 14-bp deletion, each in a different gene. The accumulation of approximately one nonsynonymous somatic change per Mb of tumor DNA is consistent with a rate of mutation in tumor cells that is similar to that of normal cells. These data suggest that most sporadic colorectal cancers do not display a mutator phenotype at the nucleotide level. They also have significant implications for the interpretation of somatic mutations in candidate tumor-suppressor genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian-Li Wang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
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25
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Saha S, Bardelli A, Buckhaults P, Velculescu VE, Rago C, St Croix B, Romans KE, Choti MA, Lengauer C, Kinzler KW, Vogelstein B. A phosphatase associated with metastasis of colorectal cancer. Science 2001; 294:1343-6. [PMID: 11598267 DOI: 10.1126/science.1065817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 479] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
To gain insights into the molecular basis for metastasis, we compared the global gene expression profile of metastatic colorectal cancer with that of primary cancers, benign colorectal tumors, and normal colorectal epithelium. Among the genes identified, the PRL-3 protein tyrosine phosphatase gene was of particular interest. It was expressed at high levels in each of 18 cancer metastases studied but at lower levels in nonmetastatic tumors and normal colorectal epithelium. In 3 of 12 metastases examined, multiple copies of the PRL-3 gene were found within a small amplicon located at chromosome 8q24.3. These data suggest that the PRL-3 gene is important for colorectal cancer metastasis and provide a new therapeutic target for these intractable lesions.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Saha
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Oncology Center, Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
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26
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Buckhaults P, Rago C, St Croix B, Romans KE, Saha S, Zhang L, Vogelstein B, Kinzler KW. Secreted and cell surface genes expressed in benign and malignant colorectal tumors. Cancer Res 2001; 61:6996-7001. [PMID: 11585723] [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] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/21/2023]
Abstract
Serial analysis of gene expression was used to identify transcripts encoding secreted or cell surface proteins that were expressed in benign and malignant tumors of the colorectum. A total of 290,394 tags were analyzed from normal, adenomatous, and cancerous colonic epithelium. Of the 21,343 different transcripts observed, 957 were found to be differentially expressed between normal tissue and adenoma or between normal tissue and cancer. Forty-nine transcripts were elevated > or =20-fold in adenomas, 40 transcripts were elevated > or =20-fold in cancers, and 9 transcripts were elevated > or =20-fold in both. Products of six of these nine transcripts (TGFBI, LYS, RDP, MIC-1, REGA, and DEHL) were predicted to be secreted or to reside on the cell surface, and these were analyzed in more detail. The abnormal expression levels predicted by serial analysis of gene expression were confirmed by quantitative PCR analyses of each of these six genes. Moreover, the cell types responsible for the elevated expression were identified by in situ hybridization and by PCR analyses of epithelial cells immunoaffinity purified from primary tumors. This study extends knowledge of the differences in gene expression that underlie various stages of neoplasia and suggests specific diagnostic approaches that may be useful for the early detection of colorectal neoplasia.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Buckhaults
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins Medical Institution, Baltimore, Maryland 21231, USA
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27
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Hwang PM, Bunz F, Yu J, Rago C, Chan TA, Murphy MP, Kelso GF, Smith RA, Kinzler KW, Vogelstein B. Ferredoxin reductase affects p53-dependent, 5-fluorouracil-induced apoptosis in colorectal cancer cells. Nat Med 2001; 7:1111-7. [PMID: 11590433 PMCID: PMC4086305 DOI: 10.1038/nm1001-1111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 335] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Loss of p53 gene function, which occurs in most colon cancer cells, has been shown to abolish the apoptotic response to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). To identify genes downstream of p53 that might mediate these effects, we assessed global patterns of gene expression following 5-FU treatment of isogenic cells differing only in their p53 status. The gene encoding mitochondrial ferredoxin reductase (protein, FR; gene, FDXR) was one of the few genes significantly induced by p53 after 5-FU treatment. The FR protein was localized to mitochondria and suppressed the growth of colon cancer cells when over-expressed. Targeted disruption of the FDXR gene in human colon cancer cells showed that it was essential for viability, and partial disruption of the gene resulted in decreased sensitivity to 5-FU-induced apoptosis. These data, coupled with the effects of pharmacologic inhibitors of reactive oxygen species, indicate that FR contributes to p53-mediated apoptosis through the generation of oxidative stress in mitochondria.
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Affiliation(s)
- P M Hwang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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28
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Abstract
Superantigens (SAgs) activate TH cells and induce their differentiation into cytokine-producing effector cells. Supranormal cytokine production is characteristic of SAg-induced polyclonal TH activation. Study of this interaction has focused upon TH cell function to the relative exclusion of other lymphocyte populations. SAgs also impact cells dependent upon TH cells for their differentiation and disrupt the normal homeostasis of the immune system. In this report, several changes in lymphocyte biology that result from SAg activation of TH cells are described. SCID mice, reconstituted with the SAg-expressing cells of DBA/2J mice, were employed as secondary recipients of SAg-reactive TH cells. Significant increases in serum IgM and IgG2a production were noted after the transfer of SAg-reactive It cells. Both B and CD8 T lymphocyte numbers increased with those of CD8 T cells surpassing levels found in normal mice. These results illustrate the ability of the TH-SAg interaction to disrupt B and CD8+ T lymphocyte homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Rago
- Department of Biology, Rider University, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648-3099, USA
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29
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St Croix B, Rago C, Velculescu V, Traverso G, Romans KE, Montgomery E, Lal A, Riggins GJ, Lengauer C, Vogelstein B, Kinzler KW. Genes expressed in human tumor endothelium. Science 2000; 289:1197-202. [PMID: 10947988 DOI: 10.1126/science.289.5482.1197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1353] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
To gain a molecular understanding of tumor angiogenesis, we compared gene expression patterns of endothelial cells derived from blood vessels of normal and malignant colorectal tissues. Of over 170 transcripts predominantly expressed in the endothelium, 79 were differentially expressed, including 46 that were specifically elevated in tumor-associated endothelium. Several of these genes encode extracellular matrix proteins, but most are of unknown function. Most of these tumor endothelial markers were expressed in a wide range of tumor types, as well as in normal vessels associated with wound healing and corpus luteum formation. These studies demonstrate that tumor and normal endothelium are distinct at the molecular level, a finding that may have significant implications for the development of anti-angiogenic therapies.
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MESH Headings
- Biomarkers, Tumor
- Cell Separation
- Cells, Cultured
- Colon/blood supply
- Colon/metabolism
- Colorectal Neoplasms/blood supply
- Colorectal Neoplasms/genetics
- Colorectal Neoplasms/metabolism
- Colorectal Neoplasms/pathology
- Corpus Luteum/blood supply
- Corpus Luteum/metabolism
- Endothelium, Vascular/cytology
- Endothelium, Vascular/metabolism
- Endothelium, Vascular/pathology
- Extracellular Matrix Proteins/genetics
- Female
- Gene Expression
- Gene Expression Profiling
- Humans
- Intestinal Mucosa/blood supply
- Intestinal Mucosa/cytology
- Intestinal Mucosa/pathology
- Neoplasms/blood supply
- Neoplasms/genetics
- Neoplasms/metabolism
- Neovascularization, Pathologic/genetics
- Neovascularization, Physiologic/genetics
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- RNA, Messenger/metabolism
- Rectum/blood supply
- Rectum/metabolism
- Tumor Cells, Cultured
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Affiliation(s)
- B St Croix
- Johns Hopkins Oncology Center, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
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30
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Abstract
HYPOTHESIS Closed postoperative peritoneal lavage (CPPL) with chlorhexidine gluconate reduces the number of intraperitoneal bacteria and improves the outcome of intra-abdominal infection. DESIGN Laboratory animal trial. INTERVENTIONS Intra-abdominal infection was produced in mice by the cecal ligation and puncture technique. After 16 to 18 hours, the animals underwent relaparotomy and placement of an intra-abdominal catheter for CPPL. In the first experiment animals were randomly divided into 4 groups: no lavage (served as a control), CPPL with chlorhexidine. CPPL with cefoxitin, and CPPL with lactated Ringer solution (LR). Lavage was continued intermittently every 8 hours for 24 hours. All animals received systemic cefoxitin every 8 hours for 7 days. Mortality was recorded every 8 hours for 10 days. In the second experiment, animals were divided into 3 groups: no lavage (served as a control), CPPL with chlorhexidine, and CPPL with LR. Lavage was continued intermittently every 8 hours for 24 hours. The animals were killed 48 hours after reoperation. Bacterial counts from peritoneal fluid and biopsy specimens, as well as peritoneal white blood cell counts, were measured before and after lavage. RESULTS Closed postoperative peritoncal lavage with chlorhexidine reduced mortality from 71% in a control group to 37% (P = .003). There was no survival benefit in either the CPPL with cefoxitin (91% mortality) (P = .14) or CPPL with LR groups (90% mortality) (P = .17). The statistically significant findings of analysis of variance evaluation demonstrated a decrease in bacterial counts after cecal excision in all 3 groups. There was a greater reduction in bacterial counts in the chlorhexidine group compared with the control group (P<.05). Bacterial counts decreased in peritoneal fluid, as well as in tissue biopsy specimens, after cecal excision. White blood cell counts significantly decreased after cecal excision in all 3 groups. There was no difference in white blood cell counts between the groups. Correlation analyses demonstrated weak interaction between bacterial and white blood cell counts before or after treatment in all the groups. Pearson r ranged from -0.37 to +0.35, none of which were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS In our experiments chlorhexidine lavage resulted in a 50% reduction in mortality and a significant reduction in bacterial counts compared with the control group. There was no survival benefit from lavage with either cefoxitin or LR. There was no reduction in bacterial counts in the LR group relative to the control group. Thus, the survival benefit and the reduction in bacterial numbers are attributed to the antibacterial properties of chlorhexidine rather than to the mechanical washing of the abdominal cavity. Closed postoperative peritoneal lavage with 0.05% chlorhexidine gluconate might be useful in the multimodal treatment of intra-abdominal infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- V M Bondar
- Department of Surgery, St Francis Medical Center, Trenton, NJ, USA.
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31
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Hermeking H, Rago C, Schuhmacher M, Li Q, Barrett JF, Obaya AJ, O'Connell BC, Mateyak MK, Tam W, Kohlhuber F, Dang CV, Sedivy JM, Eick D, Vogelstein B, Kinzler KW. Identification of CDK4 as a target of c-MYC. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2000; 97:2229-34. [PMID: 10688915 PMCID: PMC15783 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.050586197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 362] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The prototypic oncogene c-MYC encodes a transcription factor that can drive proliferation by promoting cell-cycle reentry. However, the mechanisms through which c-MYC achieves these effects have been unclear. Using serial analysis of gene expression, we have identified the cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) gene as a transcriptional target of c-MYC. c-MYC induced a rapid increase in CDK4 mRNA levels through four highly conserved c-MYC binding sites within the CDK4 promoter. Cell-cycle progression is delayed in c-MYC-deficient RAT1 cells, and this delay was associated with a defect in CDK4 induction. Ectopic expression of CDK4 in these cells partially alleviated the growth defect. Thus, CDK4 provides a direct link between the oncogenic effects of c-MYC and cell-cycle regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Hermeking
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Johns Hopkins Oncology Center, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 424 North Bond Street, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
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32
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Abstract
Studies of superantigens (SAg) have focused primarily on their impact on CD4+ T cells, largely bypassing the impact of the sequelae of this interaction upon the antigen-presenting cell (APC). Sequelae of SAg-induced CD4+ T-cell activation include the 'bathing' of the SAg-presenting cell with cytokines that promote the differentiation of the APC. In this report, the SAg-induced differentiation of Mls+ DBA/2J B cells was studied in vivo by their transplantation into B-cell-defective BALB.xid recipients. Rapid, high-level serum immunoglobulin M (IgM) production was noted shortly after transfer, disappearing by 3 weeks. Donor B cells, as evidenced after their chemical and genetic impairment and by the use of an IgM allotype-disparate donor-recipient combination, contributed to this transient IgM production. These results clarify a discrepancy in the literature regarding donor B-cell contribution to IgM production and illustrate a model system to utilize SAg to study B-lymphocyte diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Tocce
- Department of Biology, Rider University, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648-3099, USA
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33
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Abstract
Sequence-specific transactivation by p53 is essential to its role as a tumor suppressor. A modified tetracycline-inducible system was established to search for transcripts that were activated soon after p53 induction. Among 9,954 unique transcripts identified by serial analysis of gene expression, 34 were increased more than 10-fold; 31 of these had not previously been known to be regulated by p53. The transcription patterns of these genes, as well as previously described p53-regulated genes, were evaluated and classified in a panel of widely studied colorectal cancer cell lines. "Class I" genes were uniformly induced by p53 in all cell lines; "class II" genes were induced in a subset of the lines; and "class III" genes were not induced in any of the lines. These genes were also distinguished by the timing of their induction, their induction by clinically relevant chemotherapeutic agents, the absolute requirement for p53 in this induction, and their inducibility by p73, a p53 homolog. The results revealed substantial heterogeneity in the transcriptional responses to p53, even in cells derived from a single epithelial cell type, and pave the way to a deeper understanding of p53 tumor suppressor action.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Yu
- Graduate Program in Human Genetics, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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34
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Velculescu VE, Madden SL, Zhang L, Lash AE, Yu J, Rago C, Lal A, Wang CJ, Beaudry GA, Ciriello KM, Cook BP, Dufault MR, Ferguson AT, Gao Y, He TC, Hermeking H, Hiraldo SK, Hwang PM, Lopez MA, Luderer HF, Mathews B, Petroziello JM, Polyak K, Zawel L, Kinzler KW. Analysis of human transcriptomes. Nat Genet 1999; 23:387-8. [PMID: 10581018 DOI: 10.1038/70487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 506] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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35
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Abstract
The adenomatous polyposis coli gene (APC) is a tumor suppressor gene that is inactivated in most colorectal cancers. Mutations of APC cause aberrant accumulation of beta-catenin, which then binds T cell factor-4 (Tcf-4), causing increased transcriptional activation of unknown genes. Here, the c-MYC oncogene is identified as a target gene in this signaling pathway. Expression of c-MYC was shown to be repressed by wild-type APC and activated by beta-catenin, and these effects were mediated through Tcf-4 binding sites in the c-MYC promoter. These results provide a molecular framework for understanding the previously enigmatic overexpression of c-MYC in colorectal cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- T C He
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Johns Hopkins Oncology Center, 424 North Bond Street, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
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36
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Tocce K, Masters G, Rago C, Prior L, Suppiah K, Glysing-Jensen T, Leary S, Riggs J. Increased serum IgG1 levels and reduced numbers of B-1 B cells in DBA/2J mice. Immunology 1998; 94:403-9. [PMID: 9767424 PMCID: PMC1364260 DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2567.1998.00531.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
B-cell heterogeneity studies have historically focused upon BALB/c mice and their derivatives. In contrast, the B cells of DBA/2J mice, a prototype strain for the study of the endogenous minor lymphocyte stimulatory (Mls) viral superantigen Mls-1a, have not been extensively investigated. DBA/2J B cells, by functioning as Mls-1a antigen-presenting cells, influence their own differentiation and diversity by inducing the proliferation and differentiation of specific CD4 T-cell subsets. In this report, the B cells of DBA/2J and BALB/c mice were compared for their ability to restore B-cell function in severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) recipients. Although spleen and bone marrow cells from these strains exhibited similar restoration of serum IgM production, the transfer of DBA/2J B cells into SCID mice led to greater IgG1 production. The peritoneal cells of DBA/2J mice consisted of a lower percentage of B-1 B cells and were less capable of restoring B-cell function after transfer into SCID recipients. These differences are discussed with respect to the possible role of viral superantigens in influencing B-lymphocyte diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Tocce
- Department of Biology, Rider University, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648-3099, USA
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