28 research outputs found

    Comprehensive Pan-Genomic Characterization of Adrenocortical Carcinoma

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    SummaryWe describe a comprehensive genomic characterization of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC). Using this dataset, we expand the catalogue of known ACC driver genes to include PRKAR1A, RPL22, TERF2, CCNE1, and NF1. Genome wide DNA copy-number analysis revealed frequent occurrence of massive DNA loss followed by whole-genome doubling (WGD), which was associated with aggressive clinical course, suggesting WGD is a hallmark of disease progression. Corroborating this hypothesis were increased TERT expression, decreased telomere length, and activation of cell-cycle programs. Integrated subtype analysis identified three ACC subtypes with distinct clinical outcome and molecular alterations which could be captured by a 68-CpG probe DNA-methylation signature, proposing a strategy for clinical stratification of patients based on molecular markers

    Differential expression of senescence tumour markers and its implications on survival outcomes of breast cancer patients

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    Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease displaying different histopathological characteristics, molecular profiling and clinical behavior. This study describes the expression patterns of senescence markers P53, DEC1 and DCR2 and assesses their significance on patient survival as a single or combined marker with P16 or P14 using breast cancer progression series. One thousand and eighty (1080) patients with primary invasive ductal carcinoma, no special type, were recruited through an 11-year retrospective study period. We constructed tissue microarrays of normal, benign hyperplasia, ductal carcinoma in situ and invasive ductal carcinoma from each patient and performed immunohistochemical staining to study the protein expression. Statistical analysis includes Pearson chi-square, Kaplan-Meier log ran test and Cox proportional hazard regression were undertaken to determine the associations and predict the survival outcomes. P53, DEC1 and DCR2 expression correlated significantly with normal, benign, premalignant and malignant tissues with (p<0.05). The expression profile of these genes increases from normal to benign to premalignant and plateaued from premalignant to malignant phenotype. There is a significant association between P53 protein expression and age, grade, staging, lymphovascular invasion, estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and HER2 whereas DCR2 protein expression significantly correlated with tumour grade, hormone receptors status and HER2 (p<0.05 respectively). P53 overexpression correlated with increased risk of relapse (p = 0.002) specifically in patients who did not receive hormone therapy (p = 0.005) or chemotherapy (p<0.0001). The combination of P53+/P16+ is significantly correlated with poor overall and disease-free survival, whereas a combination of P53+/P14+ is associated with worse outcome in disease-free survival (p<0.05 respectively). P53 overexpression appears to be a univariate predictor of poor disease-free survival. The expression profiles of DEC1 and DCR2 do not appear to correlate with patient survival outcomes. The combination of P53 with P16, rather P53 expression alone, appears to provide more useful clinical information on patient survival outcomes in breast cancer

    Comparison of Methodologies to Detect Low Levels of Hemolysis in Serum for Accurate Assessment of Serum microRNAs

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    <div><p>microRNAs have emerged as powerful regulators of many biological processes, and their expression in many cancer tissues has been shown to correlate with clinical parameters such as cancer type and prognosis. Present in a variety of biological fluids, microRNAs have been described as a ‘gold mine’ of potential noninvasive biomarkers. Release of microRNA content of blood cells upon hemolysis dramatically alters the microRNA profile in blood, potentially affecting levels of a significant number of proposed biomarker microRNAs and, consequently, accuracy of serum or plasma-based tests. Several methods to detect low levels of hemolysis have been proposed; however, a direct comparison assessing their sensitivities is currently lacking. In this study, we evaluated the sensitivities of four methods to detect hemolysis in serum (listed in the order of sensitivity): measurement of hemoglobin using a Coulter® AcT diff™ Analyzer, visual inspection, the absorbance of hemoglobin measured by spectrophotometry at 414 nm and the ratio of red blood cell-enriched miR-451a to the reference microRNA miR-23a-3p. The miR ratio detected hemolysis down to approximately 0.001%, whereas the Coulter® AcT diff™ Analyzer was unable to detect hemolysis lower than 1%. The spectrophotometric method could detect down to 0.004% hemolysis, and correlated with the miR ratio. Analysis of hemolysis in a cohort of 86 serum samples from cancer patients and healthy controls showed that 31 of 86 (36%) were predicted by the miR ratio to be hemolyzed, whereas only 8 of these samples (9%) showed visible pink discoloration. Using receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analyses, we identified absorbance cutoffs of 0.072 and 0.3 that could identify samples with low and high levels of hemolysis, respectively. Overall, this study will assist researchers in the selection of appropriate methodologies to test for hemolysis in serum samples prior to quantifying expression of microRNAs.</p></div

    Assessment of performance of the spectrophotometric absorbance of hemoglobin at 414 nm for predicting the miR ratio.

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    <p>Assessment of performance of the spectrophotometric absorbance of hemoglobin at 414 nm for predicting the miR ratio.</p

    Sensitivities of four methods to detect hemolysis.

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    <p><b>(A)</b> A hemolysis series was prepared by diluting 100% hemolyzed sample with unhemolyzed serum (0%), and the sensitivity of each method determined by its ability to detect hemolysis (indicated by arrows). <b>(B—E)</b> Detection of hemolysis using four methods. For visual inspection, samples were scored from 0 (unhemolyzed sample) to 5 (100% hemolysis). Averages of technical replicates are shown where appropriate. ‘Unhem’ denotes unhemolyzed serum. Absorbance measures (D) and miR ratios (E) are noted on the graphs.</p

    Hemolysis-sensitive high and low abundant microRNAs are significantly altered between categories defined by the miR ratio.

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    <p><b>(A)</b> Levels of hemolysis-sensitive highly abundant serum microRNA miR−16−5p was found to be significantly altered across low, moderate and severely hemolyzed serum samples defined by miR ratios <b>(B)</b> Levels of a hemolysis-sensitive low abundant microRNA miR−15b−3p were also different across all miR ratio categories. <b>(C)</b> miR−23a−3p was present at a similar level amongst three categories, supporting its use as a reference microRNA in determining the miR ratio. * <i>P</i> <0.05, ** <i>P</i> < 0.001 and *** <i>P</i> < 0.0001.</p

    Assessment of hemolysis in serum samples.

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    <p>All serum samples exhibiting pink discoloration were found to be strongly affected by hemolysis for microRNA profiling according to the miR ratio. After exclusion of the visibly hemolyzed samples, samples with absorbance at 414 nm of >0.3 are also likely to be have miR ratio >7, predicting severe hemolysis. In contrast, samples with an absorbance at 414 nm of <0.072 are predicted to have a miR ratio <5. Samples meeting these criteria may be excluded from miR ratio for the purpose of determining hemolysis; however, the miR ratio should be determined for samples with absorbance between 0.072 and 0.3. PPV and NPV refer to positive and negative predictive values after removal of visibly hemolyzed or cloudy samples, respectively.</p
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