Epigenetic Changes of CXCR4 and Its Ligand CXCL12 as Prognostic Factors for Sporadic Breast Cancer

Chemokines and their receptors are involved in the development and cancer progression. The chemokine CXCL12 interacts with its receptor, CXCR4, to promote cellular adhesion, survival, proliferation and migration. The CXCR4 gene is upregulated in several types of cancers, including skin, lung, pancreas, brain and breast tumors. In pancreatic cancer and melanoma, CXCR4 expression is regulated by DNA methylation within its promoter region. In this study we examined the role of cytosine methylation in the regulation of CXCR4 expression in breast cancer cell lines and also correlated the methylation pattern with the clinicopathological aspects of sixty-nine primary breast tumors from a cohort of Brazilian women. RT-PCR showed that the PMC-42, MCF7 and MDA-MB-436 breast tumor cell lines expressed high levels of CXCR4. Conversely, the MDA-MB-435 cell line only expressed CXCR4 after treatment with 5-Aza-CdR, which suggests that CXCR4 expression is regulated by DNA methylation. To confirm this hypothesis, a 184 bp fragment of the CXCR4 gene promoter region was cloned after sodium bisulfite DNA treatment. Sequencing data showed that cell lines that expressed CXCR4 had only 15% of methylated CpG dinucleotides, while the cell line that not have CXCR4 expression, had a high density of methylation (91%). Loss of DNA methylation in the CXCR4 promoter was detected in 67% of the breast cancer analyzed. The absence of CXCR4 methylation was associated with the tumor stage, size, histological grade, lymph node status, ESR1 methylation and CXCL12 methylation, metastasis and patient death. Kaplan-Meier curves demonstrated that patients with an unmethylated CXCR4 promoter had a poorer overall survival and disease-free survival. Furthermore, patients with both CXCL12 methylation and unmethylated CXCR4 had a shorter overall survival and disease-free survival. These findings suggest that the DNA methylation status of both CXCR4 and CXCL12 genes could be used as a biomarker for prognosis in breast cancer

ADAM33 gene silencing by promoter hypermethylation as a molecular marker in breast invasive lobular carcinoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>ADAM33 protein is a member of the family of transmembrane glycoproteins composed of multidomains. ADAM family members have different activities, such as proteolysis and adhesion, making them good candidates to mediate the extracellular matrix remodelling and changes in cellular adhesion that characterise certain pathologies and cancer development. It was reported that one family member, <it>ADAM23</it>, is down-regulated by promoter hypermethylation. This seems to correlate with tumour progression and metastasis in breast cancer. In this study, we explored the involvement of ADAM33, another ADAM family member, in breast cancer.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>First, we analysed <it>ADAM33 </it>expression in breast tumour cell lines by RT-PCR and western blotting. We also used 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5azadCR) treatment and DNA bisulphite sequencing to study the promoter methylation of ADAM33 in breast tumour cell lines. We evaluated ADAM33 methylation in primary tumour samples by methylation specific PCR (MSP). Finally, <it>ADAM33 </it>promoter hypermethylation was correlated with clinicopathological data using the chi-square test and Fisher's exact test.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The expression analysis of <it>ADAM33 </it>in breast tumour cell lines by RT-PCR revealed gene silencing in 65% of tumour cell lines. The corresponding lack of ADAM33 protein was confirmed by western blotting. We also used 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dCR) demethylation and bisulphite sequencing methodologies to confirm that gene silencing is due to <it>ADAM33 </it>promoter hypermethylation. Using MSP, we detected <it>ADAM33 </it>promoter hypermethylation in 40% of primary breast tumour samples. The correlation between methylation pattern and patient's clinicopathological data was not significantly associated with histological grade; tumour stage (TNM); tumour size; ER, PR or ERBB2 status; lymph node status; metastasis or recurrence. Methylation frequency in invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) was 76.2% compared with 25.5% in invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), and this difference was statistically significant (p = 0.0002).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p><it>ADAM33 </it>gene silencing may be related to the discohesive histological appearance of ILCs. We suggest that <it>ADAM33 </it>promoter methylation may be a useful molecular marker for differentiating ILC and IDC.</p

Influence of HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1 Alleles on IgG Antibody Response to the P. vivax MSP-1, MSP-3α and MSP-9 in Individuals from Brazilian Endemic Area

Background: the antibody response generated during malaria infections is of particular interest, since the production of specific IgG antibodies is required for acquisition of clinical immunity. However, variations in antibody responses could result from genetic polymorphism of the HLA class II genes. Given the increasing focus on the development of subunit vaccines, studies of the influence of class II alleles on the immune response in ethnically diverse populations is important, prior to the implementation of vaccine trials.Methods and Findings: in this study, we evaluated the influence of HLA-DRB1* and -DQB1* allelic groups on the naturally acquired humoral response from Brazilian Amazon individuals (n = 276) against P. vivax Merozoite Surface Protein-1 (MSP-1), MSP-3 alpha and MSP-9 recombinant proteins. Our results provide information concerning these three P. vivax antigens, relevant for their role as immunogenic surface proteins and vaccine candidates. Firstly, the studied population was heterogeneous presenting 13 HLA-DRB1* and 5 DQB1* allelic groups with a higher frequency of HLA-DRB1*04 and HLA-DQB1*03. the proteins studied were broadly immunogenic in a naturally exposed population with high frequency of IgG antibodies against PvMSP1-19 (86.7%), PvMSP-3 (77%) and PvMSP-9 (76%). Moreover, HLA-DRB1*04 and HLA-DQB1*03 alleles were associated with a higher frequency of IgG immune responses against five out of nine antigens tested, while HLA-DRB1* 01 was associated with a high frequency of non-responders to repetitive regions of PvMSP-9, and the DRB1*16 allelic group with the low frequency of responders to PvMSP3 full length recombinant protein.Conclusions: HLA-DRB1*04 alleles were associated with high frequency of antibody responses to five out of nine recombinant proteins tested in Rondonia State, Brazil. These features could increase the success rate of future clinical trials based on these vaccine candidates.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Yerkes National Primate Research Center BaseNational Center for Research Resources of the National Institutes of HealthNIHCoordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Inst Oswaldo Cruz, Lab Immunoparasitol, BR-20001 Rio de Janeiro, BrazilOswaldo Cruz Fdn Fiocruz, Ctr Technol Dev Hlth CDTS, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilInst Oswaldo Cruz, Lab Simulideos & Oncocercose, BR-20001 Rio de Janeiro, BrazilEmory Univ, Emory Vaccine Ctr, Atlanta, GA 30322 USAUniv Estado Rio de Janeiro, Histocompatibil & Cryopreservat Lab, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Ctr Terapia Celular & Mol CTCMol, Escola Paulista Med, São Paulo, BrazilEmory Univ, Sch Med, Div Infect Dis, Atlanta, GA USACDC Natl Ctr Infect Dis, Div Parasit Dis, Atlanta, GA USAUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Ctr Terapia Celular & Mol CTCMol, Escola Paulista Med, São Paulo, BrazilFAPESP: 2009/15132-4Yerkes National Primate Research Center Base: RR00165NIH: RO1 AI0555994Web of Scienc

Evidence for Reductive Genome Evolution and Lateral Acquisition of Virulence Functions in Two Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis Strains

Ruiz JC, D'Afonseca V, Silva A, et al. Evidence for Reductive Genome Evolution and Lateral Acquisition of Virulence Functions in Two Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis Strains. PLoS ONE. 2011;6(4): e18551.Background: Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, a Gram-positive, facultative intracellular pathogen, is the etiologic agent of the disease known as caseous lymphadenitis (CL). CL mainly affects small ruminants, such as goats and sheep; it also causes infections in humans, though rarely. This species is distributed worldwide, but it has the most serious economic impact in Oceania, Africa and South America. Although C. pseudotuberculosis causes major health and productivity problems for livestock, little is known about the molecular basis of its pathogenicity. Methodology and Findings: We characterized two C. pseudotuberculosis genomes (Cp1002, isolated from goats; and CpC231, isolated from sheep). Analysis of the predicted genomes showed high similarity in genomic architecture, gene content and genetic order. When C. pseudotuberculosis was compared with other Corynebacterium species, it became evident that this pathogenic species has lost numerous genes, resulting in one of the smallest genomes in the genus. Other differences that could be part of the adaptation to pathogenicity include a lower GC content, of about 52%, and a reduced gene repertoire. The C. pseudotuberculosis genome also includes seven putative pathogenicity islands, which contain several classical virulence factors, including genes for fimbrial subunits, adhesion factors, iron uptake and secreted toxins. Additionally, all of the virulence factors in the islands have characteristics that indicate horizontal transfer. Conclusions: These particular genome characteristics of C. pseudotuberculosis, as well as its acquired virulence factors in pathogenicity islands, provide evidence of its lifestyle and of the pathogenicity pathways used by this pathogen in the infection process. All genomes cited in this study are available in the NCBI Genbank database (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genbank/) under accession numbers CP001809 and CP001829