Development and progress of Ireland's biobank network: Ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI), standardized documentation, sample and data release, and international perspective

Biobank Ireland Trust (BIT) was established in 2004 to promote and develop an Irish biobank network to benefit patients, researchers, industry, and the economy. The network commenced in 2008 with two hospital biobanks and currently consists of biobanks in the four main cancer hospitals in Ireland. The St. James's Hospital (SJH) Biobank coordinates the network. Procedures, based on ISBER and NCI guidelines, are standardized across the network. Policies and documents-Patient Consent Policy, Patient Information Sheet, Biobank Consent Form, Sample and Data Access Policy (SAP), and Sample Application Form have been agreed upon (after robust discussion) for use in each hospital. An optimum sequence for document preparation and submission for review is outlined. Once consensus is reached among the participating biobanks, the SJH biobank liaises with the Research and Ethics Committees, the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, The National Cancer Registry (NCR), patient advocate groups, researchers, and other stakeholders. The NCR provides de-identified data from its database for researchers via unique biobank codes. ELSI issues discussed include the introduction of prospective consent across the network and the return of significant research results to patients. Only 4 of 363 patients opted to be re-contacted and re-consented on each occasion that their samples are included in a new project. It was decided, after multidisciplinary discussion, that results will not be returned to patients. The SAP is modeled on those of several international networks. Biobank Ireland is affiliated with international biobanking groups-Marble Arch International Working Group, ISBER, and ESBB. The Irish government continues to deliberate on how to fund and implement biobanking nationally. Meanwhile BIT uses every opportunity to promote awareness of the benefits of biobanking in events and in the media.

Abstract A62: Human endogenous retrovirus activation in prostate cancer: Association with disease progression

Introduction: In recent years scientists have observed that several tumor types, including prostate cancer, show increased expression of human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) when compared to normal tissue. The HERVs originated from germ cell infections by exogenous retroviruses during the course of evolution and became incorporated into the human genome. These elements are widely dispersed throughout the genome and are estimated to comprise of greater than >8% of genomic material. The HERV-K family, evolutionarily the youngest HERV, is the only HERV family with complete open reading frames for all viral genes, and thus are the most likely to be biologically active and potentially pathogenic. The HERV-K provirus encodes for the gag, pol and env genes flanked by two long terminal repeat regions. Both HERV-K type I and HERV-K type II proviruses exist: Type II proviruses are complete (and a such are chronological “older” with regard to their insertion into the genome), while Type I proviruses contain a 292-bp deletion at the boundary of the pol and env genes.

Hypothesis: We hypothesize that HERV-K expression is activated with advancing prostate cancer progression and that as a result of this, HERV-K leads to a sustained inflammatory response and subsequent promotion of tumor progression. We believe that HERV-K is suitable target of therapeutic intervention.

Experimental Procedures: RNA sequences for type II HERV-K108 (AF074086) were blasted against type I HERV-K102 (AF164610). Sequences were 99% homologous between nucleotides 1-6492 (K108) & 1-1691 (K102) (5′LTR-gag-pro-pol region), the type 1 del in K102 occurred between nucleotides 6493-6793 of K108, subsequent nucleotides 6794-9472 (K108) & 6501-9178 (K102) were 99% homologous (env-3′LTR region). For the detection of HERV-K gag, pol and env mRNA proteins were designed in Primer3, and verified for specificity in Primer-BLAST. Levels of HERV-K gag, pol and env type I or II mRNA were quantified in RWPE1 normal immortalized prostate cells, and CRW22 androgen dependent prostate cancer cell lines, and 22Rv1, PC-3 and DU145 androgen independent prostate cancer cell lines (22Rv1 AI variant of CRW22, PC-3 and DU145 derived from prostate cancer metastasis). HERV-K gag and env protein expression was detected in cell lines by western blotting and in prostate cancer tissue microarrays of hyperplasia and adenocarcinoma using anti-HERV-K gag monoclonal antibody (MAb) and anti-HERV-K env MAb. Effects of HERV-K env inhibition in prostate cancer cells were examined by inhibiting HERV-K env using a HERV-K env targeted MAb, and assessing its effect on cell proliferation and cell invasion using the xCelligence Real-Time Cell Analyser.

Results: We found that HERV-K is activated in CRW22, 22Rv1, PC3 and DU145 prostate cancer cell lines, but not in RWPE1 normal prostate cells. Additionally, we observed the HERV-K levels were highest in the bone metastasis derived PC3 and brain metastasis derived DU145 cell lines. We also found that HERV-K was differentially expressed between prostate hyperplasia and adenocarcinoma. Inhibition of HERV-K env resulted in inhibition of PC3 and DU145 cell proliferation and cell invasion.

Conclusions: HERV-K is activated in prostate cancer and represents a potential therapeutic target for metastatic prostate cancer.

Citation Format: Ronan Downey, Amy Burke, Francis J. Giles, Frank Sullivan, Feng Wang-Johanning, Blanaid Mee, Eoin Gaffney, Sharon Anneve Glynn. Human endogenous retrovirus activation in prostate cancer: Association with disease progression [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Prostate Cancer Research; 2012 Feb 6-9; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(4 Suppl):Abstract nr A62.

Aldo-keto reductase from Helicobacter pylori--role in adaptation to growth at acid pH

Pyridine-linked oxidoreductase enzymes of Helicobacter pylori have been implicated in the pathogenesis of gastric disease. Previous studies in this laboratory examined a cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase that was capable of detoxifying a range of aromatic aldehydes. In the present work, we have extended these studies to identify and characterize an aldoketo reductase (AKR) enzyme present in H. pylori. The gene encoding this AKR was identified in the sequenced strain of H. pylori, 26695. The gene, referred to as HpAKR, was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli as a His-tag fusion protein, and purified using nickel chelate chromatography. The gene product (HpAKR) has been assigned to the AKR13C1 family, although it differs in specificity from the two other known members of this family. The enzyme is a monomer with a molecular mass of approximately 39 kDa on SDS/PAGE. It reduces a range of aromatic aldehyde substrates with high catalytic efficiency, and exhibits dual cofactor specificity for both NADPH and NADH. HpAKR can function over a broad pH range (pH 4-9), and has a pH optimum of 5.5. It is inhibited by sodium valproate. Its substrate specificity complements that of the cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase activity in H. pylori, giving the organism the capacity to reduce a wide range of aldehydes. Generation of an HpAKR isogenic mutant of H. pylori demonstrated that HpAKR is required for growth under acidic conditions, suggesting an important role for this enzyme in adaptation to growth in the gastric mucosa. This AKR is a member of a hitherto little-studied class.

Characterization of cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase of Helicobacter pylori. An aldehyde dismutating enzyme

Cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenases (CAD; 1.1.1.195) catalyse the reversible conversion of p-hydroxycinnamaldehydes to their corresponding alcohols, leading to the biosynthesis of lignin in plants. Outside of plants their role is less defined. The gene for cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase from Helicobacter pylori (HpCAD) was cloned in Escherichia coli and the recombinant enzyme characterized for substrate specificity. The enzyme is a monomer of 42.5 kDa found predominantly in the cytosol of the bacterium. It is specific for NADP(H) as cofactor and has a broad substrate specificity for alcohol and aldehyde substrates. Its substrate specificity is similar to the well-characterized plant enzymes. High substrate inhibition was observed and a mechanism of competitive inhibition proposed. The enzyme was found to be capable of catalysing the dismutation of benzaldehyde to benzyl alcohol and benzoic acid. This dismutation reaction has not been shown previously for this class of alcohol dehydrogenase and provides the bacterium with a means of reducing aldehyde concentration within the cell.

Properties of alpha-dehydrobiotin-resistant mutants of Escherichia coli K-12

We have isolated four classes of mutants resistant to alpha-dehydrobiotin, a biotin analogue. One mutant group, referred to as bioR shows high excretion levels of biotin vitamers, derepressed levels of the biotin biosynthetic enzymes, and resistance to repression by biotin. The mutation has been mapped between argC and bfe at min 79. A second class of mutants, with lesions in the bioA operon at min 17.5, shows derepressed levels of the dethiobiotin synthetase enzyme and has been tentatively designated as bioO mutants. The other two mutant groups show alterations in permeability: biotin uptake is markedly reduced in one, whereas in the other proline uptake is also affected. The former mutation lies near metE at min 75 and has been designated as bioP. The permeability mutants in the second group also show poor growth on minimal media, suggesting a generalized permeability effect. This mutation, designated as P, has not been mapped.