乳腺癌分子分型的研究进展

乳腺癌是目前世界上女性最为常见的恶性肿瘤之一。随着个体化的乳腺癌的化疗、内分泌治疗和靶向治疗的广泛使用,乳腺癌的分子分型检测也因此得到高度重视和广泛使用。2013年St.Gallen国际乳腺癌会议上重新定义了乳腺癌的分子分型标准,使Luminal A型和Luminal B型乳腺癌的比例有所改变,导致原本分类为Luminal A型的部分患者重新分类为Luminal B型而使Luminal B型患者数量有所增加。人上皮生长因子受体-2(human epidermalgrowth factor receptor-2,HER2)型乳腺癌的靶向药物曲妥珠单抗与其他化疗药物的联合应用及不同时间应用的治疗效果有了进一步研究。雄激素受体(Androgen Receptor,AR)认为可用于常规评估三阴性乳腺癌,除此之外,三阴性乳腺癌的小亚型的分型也为三阴性乳腺癌的个体化治疗提供了新的思路。尽管乳腺癌分子分型方面已取得一定进展,并获得国际同行间的认可,给乳腺癌患者的治疗和预后复发预测提供了重要依据,但目前所有的分子标记物仍不能够满足治疗需求使其临床实用性仍旧具有局限性,因此还期待更多更深入的研究。     

Circadian Clock and Breast Cancer: A Molecular Link

The circadian clock controls a large array of behavioral and physiological systems of fundamental importance to most organisms. Consequently, abnormal functioning of the clock results in severe dysfunctions and pathologies. Although epidemiological studies show a clear correlation between disruption of circadian rhythms and incidence of breast cancer, a molecular interpretation of how clock-related mechanisms may link to tumor development remains elusive. Here we speculate on the molecular pathways that may couple the circadian machinery to breast cancer.     

转录因子KLF5调控宫颈癌细胞上皮-间充质转化的分子机制

上皮-间充质转化(epithelial-mesenchymal transition, EMT)是上皮细胞来源的恶性肿瘤细胞获得迁移和侵袭能力的重要生物学过程。为了探究Krüppel样因子5 (Krüppel-like factor 5, KLF5)调控宫颈癌细胞发生EMT过程的分子机制,首先在宫颈癌HeLa细胞瞬时转染Flag-KLF5质粒进行KLF5过表达,并通过MTT法、细胞划痕和Transwell实验证实, KLF5可以显著地抑制HeLa细胞的侵袭和迁移能力。然后采用Western-blot和实时定量PCR技术检测HeLa细胞中EMT相关基因的表达水平,结果显示E-cadherin表达升高, N-cadherin和MMP9表达降低;而且, E-cadherin基因的上游调控因子如SNAI1、SLUG、ZEB1/2和TWIST1等的m RNA表达下降。进一步开展对比研究,在Si Ha细胞中用si RNA沉默KLF5基因,再次验证了KLF5对EMT相关基因表达水平的影响。随后构建不同长度的SNAI1启动子截短体,用荧光素酶报告基因实验检测KLF5对SNAI1启动子活性的影响,结果显示KLF5可以抑制SNAI1启动子区域的活性,并且在HeLa细胞中过表达SNAI1基因后,可显著地促进细胞的EMT过程。以上结果表明, KLF5可通过调控SNAI1基因的表达来调节宫颈癌细胞的EMT过程,进而抑制宫颈癌细胞的迁移和侵袭能力。     

Molecular Alterations Associated with Breast Cancer Mortality

Background

Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease and patients with similar pathologies and treatments may have different clinical outcomes. Identification of molecular alterations associated with disease outcome may improve risk assessment and treatments for aggressive breast cancer.

Methods

Allelic imbalance (AI) data was generated for 122 invasive breast tumors with known clinical outcome. Levels and patterns of AI were compared between patients who died of disease (DOD) and those with ≥5 years disease-free survival (DFS) using Student t-test and chi-square analysis with a significance value of P<0.05.

Results

Levels of AI were significantly higher in tumors from the 31 DOD patients (28.6%) compared to the 91 DFS patients (20.1%). AI at chromosomes 7q31, 8p22, 13q14, 17p13.3, 17p13.1 and 22q12.3 was associated with DOD while AI at 16q22–q24 was associated with DFS. After multivariate analysis, AI at chromosome 8p22 remained an independent predictor of breast cancer mortality. The frequency of AI at chromosome 13q14 was significantly higher in patients who died ≥5 years compared to those who died <5 years from diagnosis.

Conclusion

Tumors from DOD compared to DFS patients are marked by increased genomic instability and AI at chromosome 8p22 is significantly associated with breast cancer morality, independent of other clinicopathological factors. AI at chromosome 13q14 was associated with late (>5-years post-diagnosis) mortality but not with death from disease within five years, suggesting that patients with short- and long-term mortality may have distinct genetic diseases.     

ELF5在正常乳腺发育和乳腺肿瘤发生中的作用

ELF5(E74-like factor 5)也被称为ESE2,属于ETS(E-twenty-six)转录因子家族成员之一,它在调控胚胎发育以及乳腺组织发育中起到重要作用。在桑椹胚时期,ELF5在调控胚胎内细胞团向胚胎形成过程中或是在胎盘发育的细胞命运决定中起到关键作用。在哺乳动物正常乳腺发育中,ELF5可通过诱导细胞定向分化而获得孕期乳腺分泌细胞类型,从而调控乳腺干/祖细胞的命运。在人类乳腺癌中,ELF5是诱导乳腺肿瘤细胞由表达雌激素受体阳性(ER+)的luminal亚型向表达雌激素受体阴性(ER-)的basal亚型转化的一个关键调控因子,并抑制细胞获得雌激素敏感表型。现主要综述了ELF5的结构特点、功能以及其在哺乳动物乳腺发育中的调控作用。     

转录因子二聚化配体3（TFDP3）在乳腺癌组织中的表达及其与乳腺癌分子分型的相关性研究

目的:本研究旨在分析总结癌-睾丸抗原TFDP3在乳腺癌中的表达规律,探究TFDP3表达与乳腺癌分型及发病进程关系。方法:通过对不同分型及分期的乳腺癌组织切片进行免疫组化检测,分析TFDP3在其中的表达情况,并结合样本来源患者的临床信息,对TFDP3的表达与乳腺癌分子分型、分期及预后的相关性进行统计分析。同时,通过Western Blot检测了5种乳腺癌细胞系(MDA-MB-231、MCF-7、SK-BR-3、T47D及MCF-10A)中TFDP3的表达情况,并通过细胞免疫荧光实验,检测TFDP3在细胞中的定位。结果:TFDP3在已检测的乳腺癌样本中的表达率为49%。乳腺癌临床分子分型标记物HER2的表达与TFDP3的表达呈正相关,但乳腺癌的分期、临床病理分型以及临床分子分型标记物ER、PR的表达均与肿瘤组织中TFDP3的表达无相关性。结论:TFDP3在各在乳腺癌组织中高表达,其表达量与HER2的表达量呈正性相关。这为研究已TFDP3为靶点的乳腺癌免疫治疗,提供了新的依据。     

Sodium-coupled electrogenic transport of pyroglutamate (5-oxoproline) via SLC5A8, a monocarboxylate transporter

Pyroglutamate, also known as 5-oxoproline, is a structural analog of proline. This amino acid derivative is a byproduct of glutathione metabolism, and is reabsorbed efficiently in kidney by Na⁺-coupled transport mechanisms. Previous studies have focused on potential participation of amino acid transport systems in renal reabsorption of this compound. Here we show that it is not the amino acid transport systems but instead the Na⁺-coupled monocarboxylate transporter SLC5A8 that plays a predominant role in this reabsorptive process. Expression of cloned human and mouse SLC5A8 in mammalian cells induces Na⁺-dependent transport of pyroglutamate that is inhibitable by various SLC5A8 substrates. SLC5A8-mediated transport of pyroglutamate is saturable with a Michaelis constant of 0.36 ± 0.04 mM. Na⁺-activation of the transport process exhibits sigmoidal kinetics with a Hill coefficient of 1.8 ± 0.4, indicating involvement of more than one Na⁺ in the activation process. Expression of SLC5A8 in Xenopuslaevis oocytes induces Na⁺-dependent inward currents in the presence of pyroglutamate under voltage-clamp conditions. The concentration of pyroglutamate necessary for induction of half-maximal current is 0.19 ± 0.01 mM. The Na⁺-activation kinetics is sigmoidal with a Hill coefficient of 2.3 ± 0.2. Ibuprofen, a blocker of SLC5A8, suppressed pyroglutamate-induced currents in SLC5A8-expressing oocytes; the concentration of the blocker necessary for causing half-maximal inhibition is 14 ± 1 μM. The involvement of SLC5A8 can be demonstrated in rabbit renal brush border membrane vesicles by showing that the Na⁺-dependent uptake of pyroglutamate in these vesicles is inhibitable by known substrates of SLC5A8. The Na⁺ gradient-driven pyroglutamate uptake was stimulated by an inside-negative K⁺ diffusion potential induced by valinomycin, showing that the uptake process is electrogenic.     

A Variant of SLC1A5 Is a Mitochondrial Glutamine Transporter for Metabolic Reprogramming in Cancer Cells

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乳腺癌基因分型及其临床病理意义

乳腺癌是一类高度异质性的肿瘤,组织学类型、TNM分期都相同的肿瘤如采取相同的治疗方案,患者对治疗的反应和预后并不一致,这种差异被认为是由于肿瘤的分子差异所造成的。最近研究人员应用基因芯片技术,通过对乳腺癌基因表达谱的检测分析,提出了乳腺癌的5个基因亚型,即LuminalA、LuminalB、ERBB2＋、basal-like和normal-like亚型,初步研究显示乳腺癌的基因分型与病人的预后、化疗反应等具有更好的相关性。     

分子诊断技术在乳腺癌检测中的最新进展

乳腺癌是一种严重危害女性健康的恶性肿瘤,对其致病基因的检测有助于肿瘤早期诊断、精准治疗及预后评估.本文总结了近年来乳腺癌相关的热点基因,并对相关基因的分子诊断技术、检测方法及应用进行了综述.首次评述了数字PCR方法用于乳腺癌分子检测的进展.全面对比不同分子诊断技术的差别与优缺点,为乳腺癌关键基因的检测提供指导建议与理论支持,并对未来发展趋势做出展望.     

Molecular Characteristics and Metastasis Predictor Genes of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: A Clinical Study of Triple-Negative Breast Carcinomas

Background

Triple-negative breast cancer is a subtype of breast cancer with aggressive tumor behavior and distinct disease etiology. Due to the lack of an effective targeted medicine, treatment options for triple-negative breast cancer are few and recurrence rates are high. Although various multi-gene prognostic markers have been proposed for the prediction of breast cancer outcome, most of them were proven clinically useful only for estrogen receptor-positive breast cancers. Reliable identification of triple-negative patients with a favorable prognosis is not yet possible.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Clinicopathological information and microarray data from 157 invasive breast carcinomas were collected at National Taiwan University Hospital from 1995 to 2008. Gene expression data of 51 triple-negative and 106 luminal breast cancers were generated by oligonucleotide microarrays. Hierarchical clustering analysis revealed that the majority (94%) of triple-negative breast cancers were tightly clustered together carrying strong basal-like characteristics. A 45-gene prognostic signature giving 98% predictive accuracy in distant recurrence of our triple-negative patients was determined using the receiver operating characteristic analysis and leave-one-out cross validation. External validation of the prognostic signature in an independent microarray dataset of 59 early-stage triple-negative patients also obtained statistical significance (hazard ratio 2.29, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04–5.06, Cox P = 0.04), outperforming five other published breast cancer prognostic signatures. The 45-gene signature identified in this study revealed that TGF-β signaling of immune/inflammatory regulation may play an important role in distant metastatic invasion of triple-negative breast cancer.

Conclusions/Significance

Gene expression data and recurrence information of triple-negative breast cancer were collected and analyzed in this study. A novel set of 45-gene signature was found to be statistically predictive in disease recurrence of triple-negative breast cancer. The 45-gene signature, if further validated, may be a clinically useful tool in risk assessment of distant recurrence for early-stage triple-negative patients.     

胃癌发生过程分子作用机制的研究进展

胃癌是常见的恶性肿瘤之一,综述了近一年来在胃癌相关基因的分子遗传学和分子病理学研究方面取得的进展,它们包括抑癌基因(PTEN、p16、p27Kip1、p21、p5 3、TGF-βII、Smad4、Caspases-3、Fas、maspin、KAI 1、RECK、E-Cad、MHC)和癌基因(ras、VEGF、Survivin、hTRT、Bcl-2、c-myc、Ki-67、CDK4、MMPs),通过介绍这些生物大分子在胃癌组织中上调或下调机制,以期为胃癌的检测和治疗提供科学依据。