Mutation profling of cancer drivers in Brazilian colorectal cancer

The molecular basis of colorectal cancer (CRC) can guide patient prognosis and therapy. In Brazil, knowledge on the CRC mutation landscape is limited. Here, we investigated the mutation profile of 150 cancer-related genes by next-generation sequencing and associated with microsatellite instability (MSI) and genetic ancestry in a series of 91 Brazilian CRC patients. Driver mutations were found in the APC (71.4%), TP53 (56.0%), KRAS (52.7%), PIK3CA (15.4%) and FBXW7 (10.9%) genes. Overall, genes in the MAPK/ERK, PIK3/AKT, NOTCH and receptor tyrosine kinase signaling pathways were mutated in 68.0%, 23.1%, 16.5%, and 15.3% of patients, respectively. MSI was found in 13.3% of tumors, most of which were proximal (52.4%, P< 0.001) and had a high mutation burden. European genetic ancestry was predominant (median of 83.1%), followed by Native American (4.1%), Asian (3.4%) and African (3.2%). NF1 and BRAF mutations were associated with African ancestry, while TP53 and PIK3CA mutations were inversely correlated with Native American ancestry. Our study suggests that Brazilian CRC patients exhibit a mutation profile similar to other populations and identify the most frequently mutated genes, which could be useful in future target therapies and molecular cancer screening strategies.We are thankful to Barretos Cancer Hospital. This work was supported by the Brazilian Federal Agency for the Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education (CAPES, Brazil), the National Council for Scientifc and Technological Development (CNPq, Brazil), and the Public Ministry of Labor Campinas (Research, Prevention and Education of Occupational Cancer, Brazil)

Identifying common and specific microRNAs expressed in peripheral blood mononuclear cell of type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes mellitus patients

Abstract\ud \ud \ud \ud Background\ud Regardless the regulatory function of microRNAs (miRNA), their differential expression pattern has been used to define miRNA signatures and to disclose disease biomarkers. To address the question of whether patients presenting the different types of diabetes mellitus could be distinguished on the basis of their miRNA and mRNA expression profiling, we obtained peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) RNAs from 7 type 1 (T1D), 7 type 2 (T2D), and 6 gestational diabetes (GDM) patients, which were hybridized to Agilent miRNA and mRNA microarrays. Data quantification and quality control were obtained using the Feature Extraction software, and data distribution was normalized using quantile function implemented in the Aroma light package. Differentially expressed miRNAs/mRNAs were identified using Rank products, comparing T1DxGDM, T2DxGDM and T1DxT2D. Hierarchical clustering was performed using the average linkage criterion with Pearson uncentered distance as metrics.\ud \ud \ud \ud Results\ud The use of the same microarrays platform permitted the identification of sets of shared or specific miRNAs/mRNA interaction for each type of diabetes. Nine miRNAs (hsa-miR-126, hsa-miR-1307, hsa-miR-142-3p, hsa-miR-142-5p, hsa-miR-144, hsa-miR-199a-5p, hsa-miR-27a, hsa-miR-29b, and hsa-miR-342-3p) were shared among T1D, T2D and GDM, and additional specific miRNAs were identified for T1D (20 miRNAs), T2D (14) and GDM (19) patients. ROC curves allowed the identification of specific and relevant (greater AUC values) miRNAs for each type of diabetes, including: i) hsa-miR-1274a, hsa-miR-1274b and hsa-let-7f for T1D; ii) hsa-miR-222, hsa-miR-30e and hsa-miR-140-3p for T2D, and iii) hsa-miR-181a and hsa-miR-1268 for GDM. Many of these miRNAs targeted mRNAs associated with diabetes pathogenesis.\ud \ud \ud \ud Conclusions\ud These results indicate that PBMC can be used as reporter cells to characterize the miRNA expression profiling disclosed by the different diabetes mellitus manifestations. Shared miRNAs may characterize diabetes as a metabolic and inflammatory disorder, whereas specific miRNAs may represent biological markers for each type of diabetes, deserving further attention.This study was funded by the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP - (FAPESP #2008/56594-8, FAPESP #2010/05622-1, FAPESP #210/00932-2, FAPESP #2010/12069-7), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq # 563731/2010-9), and NAP-DIN (Núcleo de Apoio à Pesquisa em Doenças Inflamatórias)

Integrative Analysis of Transcriptional Profiles in Type 1, Type 2 and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, Compared with Demographic, Clinical, Laboratory, Physiopathology and Therapeutic Manifestations.

O diabetes mellitus tipo 1 (DM1) tem etiologia autoimune, enquanto o diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DM2) e o diabetes mellitus gestacional (DMG) são considerados como distúrbios metabólicos. Neste trabalho, foi realizada análise do transcriptoma das células mononucleares do sangue periférico (do inglês, peripheral mononuclear blood cells - PBMCs), obtidas de pacientes com DM1, DM2 e DMG, realizando análises por module maps a fim de comparar características patogênicas e aspectos gerais do tratamento com anotações disponíveis de genes modulados, tais como: a) análises disponíveis a partir de estudos de associação em larga escala (do inglês genome-wide association studies GWAS); b) genes associados ao diabetes em estudos clássicos de ligação disponíveis em bancos de dados públicos; c) perfis de expressão de células imunológicas fornecidos pelo grupo ImmGen (Immunological Project). Foram feitos microarrays do transcriptoma total da plataforma Agilent (Whole genome onecolor Agilent 4x44k) para 56 pacientes (19 DM1, 20 DM2 e 17 DMG). Para a compreensão dos resultados foram aplicados filtros não-informativos e as listas de genes diferencialmente expressos foram obtidas por análise de partição e análise estatística não-paramétrica (rank products), respectivamente. Posteriormente, análises de enriquecimento funcional foram feitas pelo DAVID e os module maps construídos usando a ferramenta Genomica. As análises funcionais contribuíram para discriminar os pacientes a partir de genes envolvidos na inflamação, em especial DM1 e DMG. Os module maps de genes diferencialmente expressos revelaram: a) genes modulados exibiram perfis de transcrição típicos de macrófagos e células dendríticas, b) genes modulados foram associados com genes previamente descritos como genes de complicação ao diabetes a partir de estudos de ligação e de meta-análises; c) a duração da doença, obesidade, número de gestações, níveis de glicose sérica e uso de medicações, tais como metformina, influenciaram a expressão gênica em pelo menos um tipo de diabetes. Esse é o primeiro estudo de module maps mostrando a influência de padrões epidemiológicos, clínicos, laboratoriais, imunopatogênicos e de tratamento na modulação dos perfis transcricionais em pacientes com os três tipos clássicos de diabetes: DM1, DM2 e DMG.Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease while type 2 (T2D) and gestational diabetes (GDM) are considered as metabolic disturbances. We performed a transcriptome analysis of peripheral mononuclear blood cells obtained from T1D, T2D and GDM patients, and we took advantage of the module map approach to compare pathogenic and treatment features of our patient series with available annotation of modulated genes from i) genome-wide association studies; ii) genes provided by diabetes meta-analysis in public databases, iii) immune cell gene expression profiles provided by the ImmGen project. Whole genome one-color Agilent 4x44k microarray was performed for 56 (19 T1D, 20 T2D, 17 GDM) patients. Noninformative filtered and differentially expressed genes were obtained by partitioning and rank product analysis, respectively. Functional analyses were carried out using the DAVID software and module maps were constructed using the Genomica tool. Functional analyses contributed to discriminate patients on the basis of genes involved in inflammation, primarily for T1D and GDM. Module maps of differentially expressed genes revealed that: i) modulated genes exhibited transcription profiles typical of macrophage and dendritic cells, ii) modulated genes were associated with previously reported diabetes complication genes disclosed by association and meta-analysis studies, iii) disease duration, obesity, number of gestations, glucose serum levels and the use of medications, such as metformin, influenced gene expression profiles in at least one type of diabetes. This is the first module map study to show the influence of epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, immunopathogenic and treatment features on the modulation of the transcription profiles of T1D, T2D and GDM patients

Identification of MicroRNA Expression Profiles Related to the Aggressiveness of Salivary Gland Adenoid Cystic Carcinomas

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) has been reported as the second most common carcinoma of the salivary glands. Few studies have associated miRNA expression with ACC aggressiveness. In this study, we evaluated the miRNA profile of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples of salivary gland ACC patients using the NanoString platform. We studied the miRNA expression levels associated with the solid growth pattern, the more aggressive histologic feature of ACCs, compared with the tubular and cribriform growth patterns. Moreover, the perineural invasion status, a common clinicopathological feature of the disease that is frequently associated with the clinical progression of ACC, was investigated. The miRNAs showing significant differences between the study groups were selected for target prediction and functional enrichment, which included associations with the disease according to dedicated databases. We observed decreased expression of miR-181d, miR-23b, miR-455, miR-154-5p, and miR-409 in the solid growth pattern compared with tubular and cribriform growth patterns. In contrast, miR-29c, miR-140, miR-195, miR-24, miR-143, and miR-21 were overexpressed in patients with perineural invasion. Several target genes of the miRNAs identified have been associated with molecular processes involved in cell proliferation, apoptosis, and tumor progression. Together, these findings allowed the characterization of miRNAs potentially associated with aggressiveness in salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma. Our results highlight important new miRNA expression profiles involved in ACC carcinogenesis that could be associated with the aggressive behavior of this tumor type

Differential Transcript Profiles of MHC Class Ib(Qa-1, Qa-2, and Qa-10) and Aire Genes during the Ontogeny of Thymus and Other Tissues

Qa-2 and Qa-1 are murine nonclassical MHC class I molecules involved in the modulation of immune responses by interacting with T CD8+ and NK cell inhibitory receptors. During thymic education, the Aire gene imposes the expression of thousands of tissue-related antigens in the thymic medulla, permitting the negative selection events. Aiming to characterize the transcriptional profiles of nonclassical MHC class I genes in spatial-temporal association with the Aire expression, we evaluated the gene expression of H2-Q7(Qa-2), H2-T23(Qa-1), H2-Q10(Qa-10), and Aire during fetal and postnatal development of thymus and other tissues. In the thymus, H2-Q7(Qa-2) transcripts were detected at high levels throughout development and were positively correlated with Aire expression during fetal ages. H2-Q7(Qa-2) and H2-T23(Qa-1) showed distinct expression patterns with gradual increasing levels according to age in most tissues analyzed. H2-Q10(Qa-10) was preferentially expressed by the liver. The Aire transcriptional profile showed increased levels during the fetal period and was detectable in postnatal ages in the thymus. Overall, nonclassical MHC class I genes started to be expressed early during the ontogeny. Their levels varied according to age, tissue, and mouse strain analyzed. This differential expression may contribute to the distinct patterns of mouse susceptibility/resistance to infectious and noninfectious disorders

Differential Transcript Profiles of MHC Class Ib(Qa-1, Qa-2, and Qa-10) and Aire Genes during the Ontogeny of Thymus and Other Tissues

Qa-2 and Qa-1 are murine nonclassical MHC class I molecules involved in the modulation of immune responses by interacting with T CD8+ and NK cell inhibitory receptors. During thymic education, the Aire gene imposes the expression of thousands of tissue-related antigens in the thymic medulla, permitting the negative selection events. Aiming to characterize the transcriptional profiles of nonclassical MHC class I genes in spatial-temporal association with the Aire expression, we evaluated the gene expression of H2-Q7(Qa-2), H2-T23(Qa-1), H2-Q10(Qa-10), and Aire during fetal and postnatal development of thymus and other tissues. In the thymus, H2-Q7(Qa-2) transcripts were detected at high levels throughout development and were positively correlated with Aire expression during fetal ages. H2-Q7(Qa-2) and H2-T23(Qa-1) showed distinct expression patterns with gradual increasing levels according to age in most tissues analyzed. H2-Q10(Qa-10) was preferentially expressed by the liver. The Aire transcriptional profile showed increased levels during the fetal period and was detectable in postnatal ages in the thymus. Overall, nonclassical MHC class I genes started to be expressed early during the ontogeny. Their levels varied according to age, tissue, and mouse strain analyzed. This differential expression may contribute to the distinct patterns of mouse susceptibility/resistance to infectious and noninfectious disorders

Semi-synthetic ingenol derivative from euphorbia tirucalli inhibits protein kinase C isotypes and promotes autophagy and S-phase arrest on glioma cell lines

The identification of signaling pathways that are involved in gliomagenesis is crucial for targeted therapy design. In this study we assessed the biological and therapeutic effect of ingenol-3-dodecanoate (IngC) on glioma. IngC exhibited dose-time-dependent cytotoxic effects on large panel of glioma cell lines (adult, pediatric cancer cells, and primary cultures), as well as, effectively reduced colonies formation. Nevertheless, it was not been able to attenuate cell migration, invasion, and promote apoptotic effects when administered alone. IngC exposure promoted S-phase arrest associated with p21CIP/WAF1 overexpression and regulated a broad range of signaling effectors related to survival and cell cycle regulation. Moreover, IngC led glioma cells to autophagy by LC3B-II accumulation and exhibited increased cytotoxic sensitivity when combined to a specific autophagic inhibitor, bafilomycin A1. In comparison with temozolomide, IngC showed a mean increase of 106-fold in efficacy, with no synergistic effect when they were both combined. When compared with a known compound of the same class, namely ingenol-3-angelate (I3A, Picato®), IngC showed a mean 9.46-fold higher efficacy. Furthermore, IngC acted as a potent inhibitor of protein kinase C (PKC) activity, an emerging therapeutic target in glioma cells, showing differential actions against various PKC isotypes. These findings identify IngC as a promising lead compound for the development of new cancer therapy and they may guide the search for additional PKC inhibitors.This research received was funded by Amazonia Fitomedicamentos Ltda, and Barretos Cancer Hospital, all from Brazil