Rapid induction of large chromosomal deletions by a Cre/inverted loxP system in mouse ES Cell hybrids

Loss of heterozygosity by whole or partial loss of chromosomal regions is crucial to genetic disorders, cancers and diseases. It is difficult to analyze the mechanisms of pathogenesis caused by large-scale chromosomal abnormalities due to the extreme rarity of this mutagenesis. Using a Cre/inverted loxP system, we have generated a chromosome elimination cassette (CEC) that induces a selective loss of embryonic-stem-cell-derived chromosomes in undifferentiated embryonic stem cell-somatic cell hybrids. Here, due to the increased expression of Cre, rapid formation of Cre recombination products and immediate loss of CEC-tagged chromosomes were detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Cre also initiated intrachromosomal recombination between identical short sequences outside loxP, leading to large chromosomal deletions of CEC-tagged regions. The Cre-mediated antiparallel synapses likely act as a scaffold to bring the identical short sequences into close proximity for recombination. This CEC technology might allow better understanding of the modulator sequences responsible for the tangled structure formation and its solution mechanism, inducing mitotic recombination leading to chromosomal deletions.     

中国人卵巢上皮性肿瘤nm23H1基因遗传不稳定性的研究

采用石蜡包埋组织抽提DNA,PCR-单链构象多态性(PCR-SSCP),常规银染、Envision免疫组织化学染色和Leica-Qwin计算机图像分析等方法,研究人类17号染色体D17S396位点微卫星不稳定(microsatellite instablility,MSI)和杂合性缺失(loss of heterozygosity,LOH),对卵巢上皮性肿瘤nm23H1蛋白表达的影响,阐明nm23H1基因遗传不稳定性与卵巢肿瘤进展的关系,为揭示nm23H1基因作用机制和肿瘤转移机制提供实验依据。本实验中,卵巢上皮性癌D17S396位点遗传不稳定发生率为40%,明显高于交界性肿瘤的9.52%,而在良性肿瘤和正常卵巢组织中,未见该位点遗传不稳定的发生。其中,LOH的发生率,随肿瘤恶性程度的增高而增加(P<0.05)。在卵巢上皮性癌中,淋巴转移组的LOH发生率高于无淋巴转移组(P<0.01)。FIGO Ⅲ Ⅳ期的LOH发生率高于Ⅰ Ⅱ期(P<0.05)。MSI发生率与卵巢上皮癌组织类型、分化程度、淋巴转移及FIGO分期均无关。nm23H1 蛋白阳性率在卵巢上皮性癌和交界性肿瘤组织中分别为56.00%和57.14%,高于良性肿瘤的13.64%和正常卵巢组织的8.33%(P<0.01)。卵巢上皮性癌中,淋巴转移组nm23H1蛋白阳性率低于无淋巴转移组;FIGO Ⅲ Ⅳ期nm23H1蛋白阳性率低于Ⅰ Ⅱ期(P<0.05)。此外,计算机图像定量分析显示,在各临床病理参数影响下,nm23H1蛋白的表达强度没有差异。在卵巢上皮性癌中,LOH阳性组中nm23H1蛋白阳性率为0.00%,显著低于LOH阴性组的73.68%(P<0.01)。实验结果提示, nm23H1基因的遗传不稳定性可能是卵巢上皮性癌发生、发展的一个重要机制。LOH的发生可作为卵巢组织恶变的判断指标。nm23H1基因的MSI和LOH,通过相互独立的途径调控卵巢上皮癌的发生和转移,后者可抑制卵巢上皮癌局部nm23H1蛋白的表达,并赋予卵巢上皮癌高淋巴结转移、低预后的特性。提高卵巢上皮癌局部nm23H1蛋白的表达,可减缓肿瘤的淋巴转移并提高预后率。     

喉鳞癌Apaf-1基因表达及启动子区甲基化研究

喉鳞癌细胞存在多种癌基因和抑癌基因异常,Apaf-1(apoptotic protease activating factor-1)基因是诱导细胞凋亡的肿瘤抑制基因。为探讨Apaf-1基因在喉鳞癌发生中的作用,应用半定量PCR方法分析Apaf-1的表达,用比较基因组杂交(Comparative Genomic Hybrodization,CGH)和杂合性丢失(Loss of Heterozygosity,LOH)分析方法对喉鳞癌病人Apaf-1基因所在的12q22—23区域缺失情况进行研究．并用甲基化特异PCR对该基因启动子区甲基化情况进行了分析。结果表明：11例喉鳞癌组织出现Apaf-1 mRNA表达明显下调,占40．7％(11／27),而6例良性喉肿瘤未发现缺失或下调;CGH分析发现,18例喉鳞癌仅发现2例存在12q22-23区域缺失,未发现扩增;LOH分析发现,72例喉癌组织Apaf-1基因的5个多态位点LOH发生频率低,分别为18．2％(D12S346)、13．9％(D12S1706)、18．2％(D12S327)、22．2％(D12S1657)和16．6％(D12S393),11例出现Apaf-1 mRNA下调的喉癌组织均检测到启动子区甲基化,而16例Apaf-1 mRNA表达未下调者仅1例有甲基化,两者有显著差异(x^2检验,P=0．0001)。通过以上结果,首次证实Apaf-1基因与喉鳞癌相关,在喉鳞癌中Apaf-1基因缺失发生率低．提示启动子区甲基化是该基因失活的首要机制。     

Effect of Bcl11b genotypes and gamma-radiation on the development of mouse thymic lymphomas

Bcl11b is a haploinsufficient tumor suppressor gene and expressed in many tissues such as thymus, brain and skin. Irradiated Bcl11b^+/− heterozygous mice mostly develop thymic lymphomas, but the preference of Bcl11b inactivation for thymic lymphomas remains to be addressed. We produced Bcl11b^+/− heterozygous and Bcl11b wild-type mice of p53^+/− background and compared their incidence of γ-ray induced thymic lymphomas. Majority of the tumors in p53^+/− mice were skin tumors, and only 5 (36%) of the 14 tumors were thymic lymphomas. In contrast, Bcl11b^+/−p53^+/− doubly heterozygous mice developed thymic lymphomas at the frequency of 27 (79%) of the 34 tumors developed (P = 0.008). This indicates the preference of Bcl11b impairment for thymic lymphoma development. We also analyzed loss of the wild-type alleles in the 27 lymphomas, a predicted consequence given by γ-irradiation. However, the loss frequency was low, only six (22%) for Bcl11b and five (19%) for p53. The frequencies did not differ from those of spontaneously developed thymic lymphomas in the doubly heterozygous mice, though the latency of lymphoma development markedly differed between them. This suggests that the main contribution of irradiation at least in those mice is not for the tumor initiation by inducing allelic losses but probably for the promotion of thymic lymphoma development.     

磷酸化蛋白50(EBP50)——一种新的抑癌蛋白

磷酸化蛋白50(ERM-binding phosphoprotein-50,EBP50)是由358个氨基酸组成的多功能连接蛋白.EBP50通过其PDZ-Ⅰ、PDZ-Ⅱ和ERM结合结构域与多种蛋白质结合,对PI3K/Akt、PLCβ等生长信号途径及对细胞迁移进行调控.目前有很多证据提示,ebp50是一种新的抑癌基因.在乳腺癌病人临床标本和细胞系中可检测到ebp50基因的杂合性丢失(LOH)和突变,其抑癌作用可能是通过它与多种抑癌蛋白(如抑癌蛋白PTEN、MERLIN和SYK)的相互作用并增强它们的稳定性,并与致癌蛋白结合从而抑制其致癌功能来达到的.通过对其分子结构、调控的信号途径及其与乳腺癌发生、发展的关系进行综述,为乳腺癌的防治提供新线索.     

中国人结肠癌nm23H1基因遗传不稳定性的研究

采用石蜡包埋组织抽提DNA、PCR-单链构象多态性(SSCP)、常规银染、Envision免疫组织化学和Leica-Qwin计算机图像分析等方法,研究中国人17号染色体D17S396位点微卫星不稳定性和杂合性缺失,对nm23H_1基因表达的影响,阐明nm23H_1基因遗传不稳定性与结肠癌进展的关系,为临床治疗提供实验依据。实验中,30例结肠癌D17S396位点MSI、LOH检出率和nm23H_1蛋白阳性率分别为26.67%、20.00%和53.33%。在肿瘤TNM分期中,Ⅰ+Ⅱ期的MSI检出率和nm23H_1蛋白阳性率分别为43.75%和81.25%,高于Ⅲ+Ⅳ期的7.14%(MSI,p<0.05)和21.43%(nm23H_1,p<0.01)。而LOH检出率在Ⅲ+Ⅳ期35.71%高于Ⅰ+Ⅱ期6.25%(p<0.05)。随着结肠癌病理Duke’s分期的升高,LOH检出率呈现增加趋势。nm23H_1蛋白阳性率在管状腺癌组为60.00%,明显高于粘液腺癌组的20.00%(p<0.01)。随着管状腺癌分化程度的升高,其阳性率呈增高趋势。此外,nm23H_1蛋白阳性率在MSI阳性组为75%,也高于MSI阴性组的45.45%(p<0.05)。计算机图像定量分析显示,nm23H_1蛋白在各临床病理参数影响下的表达强度没有差异。实验结果提示MSI和LOH通过相互独立的途径调控散发性结肠癌的进展。LOH多发生于散发性结肠癌的晚期阶段并赋予散发性结肠癌细胞高侵袭、低预后的表型。相反,MSI是散发性结肠癌的早期分子标志,提高结肠癌局部nm23H_1蛋白表达量可有效抑制结肠癌转移并改善散发性结肠癌患者预后。     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">K-ras,BRCA1/2</Emphasis>, and <Emphasis Type="Italic">CHEK2</Emphasis> mutations and loss of heterozygosity at 9p, 17p,and 18q in sporadic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas

The diagnostic significance of molecular markers was assessed for the most common somatic aberrations at the K-ras, TP53, CDKN2A, and MADH4 loci, as well as less common mutations of BRCA1, BRCA2, and CHEK2, arising in preinvasive stages of sporadic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. The study was performed on paired primary pancreatic adenocarcinoma and normal pancreatic tissue specimens obtained from 37 Russian patients. Surgical adenocarcinoma specimens were subjected to manual microdissection. Mutations of K-ras codon 12 were found in 24 tumor specimens (0.65), but not in normal pancreatic tissue specimens. Mutations of BRCA1 (185delAG, 300T > G, 4153delA, 4158A > G, 5382insC), BRCA2 (695insT, 6174delT), and CHEK2 (1100delC) were not found. The informativeness of allelic losses did not differ significantly among the three tumor suppressor loci and was 60% for TP53 (GDB186817) and CDKN2A (D9S974 + D9S162) and 65.7% for MADH4 (D18S363 + D18S474) (t = 0.48). The CDKN2A locus had the highest LOH frequency of 0.95. For TP53 and MADH4 the LOH frequency was 0.62 and 0.70, respectively. In 80% of adenocarcinomas, at least one locus was characterized with LOH. The overall informativeness of the combined data on K-ras mutations and loss of heterozygosity at 9p, 17p, and 18q was 85.7%. Only 9% of the tumors were characterized with microsatellite instability.     

DNA diagnostics in oncology

The most topical areas of oncological molecular diagnostics are reviewed with reference to DNA diagnostics for syndromes and malignancies known to be of hereditary predisposition. The data on some prognostically important tumor-specific markers are summarized. The possible implications of micrometastasis diagnosis are presented, and its essential role is shown. Some DNA polymorphisms predisposing to tumorigenesis are described. Consideration is given to a new aspect of carcinogenesis, epigenetic regulation of the genes involved in the malignant process. Highlighted is the need to develop these basically and practically important studies. Diagnostic protocols for various forms of malignancies are shown to practically result from the tumor cell genome studies.     

Genome-scale patterns in the loss of heterozygosity incidence in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Former studies have established that loss of heterozygosity can be a key driver of sequence evolution in unicellular eukaryotes and tissues of metazoans. However, little is known about whether the distribution of loss of heterozygosity events is largely random or forms discernible patterns across genomes. To initiate our experiments, we introduced selectable markers to both arms of all chromosomes of the budding yeast. Subsequent extensive assays, repeated over several genetic backgrounds and environments, provided a wealth of information on the genetic and environmental determinants of loss of heterozygosity. Three findings stand out. First, the number of loss of heterozygosity events per unit time was more than 25 times higher for growing than starving cells. Second, loss of heterozygosity was most frequent when regions of homology around a recombination site were identical, about a half-% sequence divergence was sufficient to reduce its incidence. Finally, the density of loss of heterozygosity events was highly dependent on the genome’s physical architecture. It was several-fold higher on short chromosomal arms than on long ones. Comparably large differences were seen within a single arm where regions close to a centromere were visibly less affected than regions close, though usually not strictly adjacent, to a telomere. We suggest that the observed uneven distribution of loss of heterozygosity events could have been caused not only by an uneven density of initial DNA damages. Location-depended differences in the mode of DNA repair, or its effect on fitness, were likely to operate as well.     

Genetic instability in the <Emphasis Type="Italic">RAD51</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">BRCA1</Emphasis> regions in breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer type in women. Accumulating evidence indicates that the fidelity of double-strand break repair in response to DNA damage is an important step in mammary neoplasias. The RAD51 and BRCA1 proteins are involved in the repair of double-strand DNA breaks by homologous recombination. In this study, we evaluated loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in the RAD51 and BRCA1 regions, and their association with breast cancer. The polymorphic markers D15S118, D15S214 and D15S1006 were the focus for RAD51, and D17S855 and D17S1323 for BRCA1. Genomic deletion detected by allelic loss varied according to the regions tested, and ranged from 29 to 46% of informative cases for the RAD51 region and from 38 to 42% of informative cases for the BRCA1 region. 25% of breast cancer cases displayed LOH for at least one studied marker in the RAD51 region exclusively. On the other hand, 31% of breast cancer cases manifested LOH for at least one microsatellite marker concomitantly in the RAD51 and BRCA1 regions. LOH in the RAD51 region, similarly as in the BRCA1 region, appeared to correlate with steroid receptor status. The obtained results indicate that alteration in the RAD51 region may contribute to the disturbances of DNA repair involving RAD51 and BRCA1 and thus enhance the risk of breast cancer development.