Comprehensive molecular characterization of mitochondrial genomes in human cancers.

Mitochondria are essential cellular organelles that play critical roles in cancer. Here, as part of the International Cancer Genome Consortium/The Cancer Genome Atlas Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes Consortium, which aggregated whole-genome sequencing data from 2,658 cancers across 38 tumor types, we performed a multidimensional, integrated characterization of mitochondrial genomes and related RNA sequencing data. Our analysis presents the most definitive mutational landscape of mitochondrial genomes and identifies several hypermutated cases. Truncating mutations are markedly enriched in kidney, colorectal and thyroid cancers, suggesting oncogenic effects with the activation of signaling pathways. We find frequent somatic nuclear transfers of mitochondrial DNA, some of which disrupt therapeutic target genes. Mitochondrial copy number varies greatly within and across cancers and correlates with clinical variables. Co-expression analysis highlights the function of mitochondrial genes in oxidative phosphorylation, DNA repair and the cell cycle, and shows their connections with clinically actionable genes. Our study lays a foundation for translating mitochondrial biology into clinical applications

Risk factors for second-line dactinomycin failure after methotrexate treatment for low-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia: a retrospective study

Contains fulltext : 229494.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access)OBJECTIVE: To find risk factors for second-line dactinomycin failure in patients with low-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN). DESIGN: Retrospective multicentre study. SETTING: Tertiary reference centre. POPULATION: Patients with low-risk GTN, treated with dactinomycin after methotrexate (MTX) failure. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 45 patients with low-risk GTN treated with dactinomycin after MTX failure, registered between 2006 and 2018. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Treatment outcome and risk factors for second-line dactinomycin failure. RESULTS: Thirty patients (66.7%) were cured and 15 patients (33.3%) required third-line therapy. Type of antecedent pregnancy and hCG levels pre-dactinomycin were risk factors for failure in univariate analysis (odds ratio [OR] 19.30, 95% CI 2.04-182.60, P = 0.01 and OR 2.77, 95% CI 1.18-6.50, P = 0.02, respectively). Level of hCG pre-dactinomycin remained a significant risk factor in multivariate analysis (OR 2.93, 95% CI 1.02-8.40, P = 0.045). Complete remission (CR) was achieved in 83.3% of patients with pre-dactinomycin hCG levels 40 ng/ml achieved CR. Patients with dactinomycin failure were treated surgically and/or with multi-chemotherapy; all except one achieved CR. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with dactinomycin after MTX failure in patients with low-risk GTN resulted in CR in 66.7%. Chance of curative treatment with dactinomycin is strongly related to the hCG level. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Chance of curative treatment with dactinomycin after MTX failure in GTN patients is strongly related to the level of hCG pre-dactinomycin

Downregulation of matrix Gla protein is a biomarker for tamoxifen-resistant and radioresistant breast cancer

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Immune cell composition in the endometrium of patients with a complete molar pregnancy: Effects on outcome

Contains fulltext : 229614.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)OBJECTIVE: In 15% of patients with complete hydatidiform mole (CHM), disease progresses to post-molar gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) after curettage. Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are essential in overcoming disease in many tumors. Infiltrating lymphocyte composition and density may influence trophoblast regression and development of post-molar GTN. We analyzed immune cell composition and density in curettaged endometrium of patients with CHM which spontaneously regressed, and of patients with CHM which progressed to post-molar GTN. METHODS: Sixteen patients with CHM and spontaneous regression, and 16 patients with CHM which progressed to post-molar GTN were selected. Immune cell composition and density of natural killer (NK) cells, natural killer T (NKT)-like cells, Cytotoxic T cells, T-Regulatory and T-Helper cells, were determined by multiplex immunohistochemistry (mIHC). RESULTS: Curettaged endometrium of patients with CHM and spontaneous regression contained a slightly higher number of immune cells compared to patients with CHM which progressed to post-molar GTN. NKT-like cell density was significantly higher in patients with spontaneous regression compared to patients with CHM which progressed to post-molar GTN (483 ± 296 vs.295 ± 143 (mean ± SD), p = 0.03) respectively. NKT-like cell density in the spontaneous regression group was split in 'high' and 'low' (i.e. above and below the median number of NKT-like cells). In patients with high NKT-like cell density, hCG normalized earlier than in patients with low NKT-like cell density (9.5 weeks, (range 3.7-14) vs. 12.9 weeks, (range 8.6-17.9), p = 0.05). CONCLUSION: A high number of NKT-like cells in the endometrium of CHMs may contribute to spontaneous regression of molar trophoblast cells

Bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of sublingual oxytocin in male volunteers

Contains fulltext : 21581___.PDF (publisher's version ) (Open Access