| 1. |
- Barazeghi, Elham
(författare)
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Studies of epigenetic deregulation in parathyroid tumors and small intestinal neuroendocrine tumors
- 2017
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Deregulation of the epigenome is associated with the initiation and progression of various types of human cancers. Here we investigated the level of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), expression and function of TET1 and TET2, and DNA methylation in parathyroid tumors and small intestinal neuroendocrine tumors (SI-NETs).In Paper I, an undetectable/very low level of 5hmC in parathyroid carcinomas (PCs) compared to parathyroid adenomas with positive staining, suggested that 5hmC may represent a novel biomarker for parathyroid malignancy. Immunohistochemistry revealed that increased tumor weight in adenomas was associated with a more aberrant staining pattern of 5hmC and TET1. A growth regulatory role of TET1 was demonstrated in parathyroid tumor cells.Paper II revealed that the expression of TET2 was also deregulated in PCs, and promoter hypermethylation was detected in PCs when compared to normal parathyroid tissues. 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine treatment of a primary PC cell culture induced TET2 expression and further supported involvement of promoter hypermethylation in TET2 gene repression. TET2 knockout demonstrated a role for TET2 in cell growth and migration, and as a candidate tumor suppressor gene.In Paper III, variable levels of 5hmC, and aberrant expression of TET1 and TET2 were observed in SI-NETs. We demonstrated a growth regulatory role for TET1, and cytoplasmic expression with absent nuclear localization for TET2 in SI-NETs. In vitro experiments supported the involvement of exportin-1 in TET2 mislocalization, and suggested that KPT-330/selinexor, an orally bioavailable selective inhibitor of exportin-1 and nuclear export, with anti-cancer effects, could be further investigated as a therapeutic option in patients with SI-NETs.In Paper IV, DNA methylation was compared between SI-NET primary tumors and metastases by reduced representation bisulfite sequencing. Three differentially methylated regions (DMR) on chromosome 18 were detected and chosen for further analyses. The PTPRM gene, at 18p11, displayed low expression in SI-NETs with high levels of methylation in the presumed CpG island shores, and in the DMR rather than the promoter region or exon 1/intron 1 boundary. PTPRM overexpression resulted in inhibition of cell growth, proliferation, and induction of apoptosis in SI-NET cells, suggesting a role for PTPRM as an epigenetically deregulated candidate tumor suppressor gene in SI-NETs.
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| 2. |
- Delgado Verdugo, Alberto
(författare)
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Genetic Aspects of Endocrine Tumorigenesis : A Hunt for the Endocrine Neoplasia Gene
- 2014
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Endocrine tumors arise from endocrine glands. Most endocrine tumors are benign but malignant variants exist. Several endocrine neoplasms display loss of parts of chromosome 11 or 18, produce hormones and responds poorly to conventional chemotherapeutics. The multiple endocrine neoplasia syndromes are mainly confined to endocrine tumors. This opens the question if there exists a single or several endocrine tumor genes.The aim of the study was to describe genetic derangements in endocrine tumors.Paper I: Investigation of mutational status of SDHAF2 in parathyroid tumors. SDHAF2 is located in the proximity of 11q13, a region that frequently displays loss in parathyroid tumors. We established that mutations in SDHAF2 are infrequent in parathyroid tumors.Paper II: Study of SDHAF2 gene expression in a cohort of benign pheochromocytomas (PCC) (n=40) and malignant PCC (n=10). We discovered a subset of benign PCC (28/40) and all malignant PCC (10/10) with significantly lower SDHAF2 expression. Benign PCC with low SDHAF2 expression and malignant tumors consistently expressing low levels of SDHAF2 were methylated in the promoter region. SDHAF2 expression was restored in vitro after treatment with 5- aza-2-deoxycytidine.Paper III: HumanMethylation27 array (Illumina) covering 27578 CpG sites spanning over 14495 genes were analyzed in a discovery cohort of 10 primary small neuroendocrine tumors (SI-NETs) with matched metastases. 2697 genes showed different methylation pattern between the primary tumor and its metastasis. We identified several hypermethylated genes in key regions. Unsupervised clustering of the tumors identified three distinct clusters, one with a highly malignant behavior.Paper IV: Loss of chromosome 18 is the most frequent genetic aberration in SI-NETs. DNA from SI-NETs were subjected to whole exome capture sequencing and high resolution SNP array. Genomic profiling revealed loss of chromosome 18 in 5 out of 7 SI-NETs. No tumor-specific somatic mutation on chromosome 18 was identified which suggests involvement of other mechanisms than point mutations in SI-NET tumorigenesis.Paper V: The cost for diagnostic genetic screening of common susceptibility genes in PCC is expensive and labor intensive. Three PCC from three patients with no known family history were chosen for exome capture sequencing. We identified three variants in known candidate genes. We suggest that exome-capture sequencing is a quick and cost-effective tool.
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| 3. |
- Johansson, Térèse A., 1978-
(författare)
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Pancreatic Endocrine Tumourigenesis : Genes of potential importance
- 2008
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Understanding signalling pathways that control pancreatic endocrine tumour (PET) development and proliferation may reveal novel targets for therapeutic intervention. The pathogenesis for sporadic and hereditary PETs, apart from mutations of the MEN1 and VHL tumour suppressor genes, is still elusive. The protein product of the MEN1 gene, menin, regulates many genes. The aim of this thesis was to identify genes involved in pancreatic endocrine tumourigenesis, with special reference to Notch signalling.Messenger RNA and protein expression of NOTCH1, HES1, HEY1, ASCL1, NEUROG3, NEUROD1, DLK1, POU3F4, PDX1, RPL10, DKK1 and TPH1 were studied in human PETs, sporadic and MEN 1, as well as in tumours from heterozygous Men1 mice. For comparison, normal and MEN1 non-tumourous human and mouse pancreatic specimens were used. Nuclear expression of HES1 was consistently absent in PETs. In mouse tumours this coincided with loss of menin expression, and there was a correlation between Men1 expression and several Notch signalling factors. A new phenotype consisting of numerous menin-expressing endocrine cell clusters, smaller than islets, was found in Men1 mice. Expression of NEUROG3 and NEUROD1 was predominantly localised to the cytoplasm in PETs and islets from MEN 1 patients and Men1 mice, whereas expression was solely nuclear in wt mice. Differences in expression levels of Pou3f4, Rpl10 and Dlk1 between islets of Men1 and wt mice were observed.In addition, combined RNA interference and microarray expression analysis in the pancreatic endocrine cell line BON1 identified 158 target genes of ASCL1. For two of these, DKK1 (a negative regulator of the WNT/β-catenin signalling pathway) and TPH1, immunohistochemistry was performed on PETs. In concordance with the microarray finding, DKK1 expression showed an inverse relation to ASCL1 expression.Altered subcellular localisation of HES1, NEUROD1 and NEUROG3 and down-regulation of DKK1 may contribute to tumourigenesis.
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| 4. |
- Sandgren, Johanna, 1979-
(författare)
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Array-based Genomic and Epigenomic Studies in Healthy Individuals and Endocrine Tumours
- 2010
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The human genome is a dynamic structure, recently recognized to present with significant large-scale structural variation. DNA-copy number changes represent one common type of such variation and is found both between individuals and within the somatic cells of the same individual, especially in disease states like cancer. Apart from DNA-rearrangements, epigenomic changes are increasingly acknowledged as important events in the maintenance of genomic integrity. In this thesis, different array-based methods have been applied for global genomic and epigenomic profiling of both normal and cancer cells. In paper I, a genomic microarray was established and used to determine DNA-copy number variants (CNVs) in a cohort of 76 healthy individuals from three ethnic populations. We identified 315 CNV regions that in total encompassed ~3,5% of the genome. In paper II, the array was utilized to discover CNVs within several differentiated tissues from the same subject. Six variants were identified providing evidence for somatic mosaicism. In paper III and IV we studied pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas, rare endocrine tumours that most often present as benign and sporadic with unclear genetic/epigenetic cause. Genome-wide DNA-copy number analysis of 53 benign and malignant samples in paper III revealed numerous common and novel chromosomal regions of losses and gains. High frequencies of relatively small overlapping regions of deletions were detected on chromosome 1p arm, encompassing several candidate tumour suppressor genes. In paper IV, an epigenomic map for two histone modifications associated with silent (H3K27me3) or active (H3K4me3) gene transcription, was generated for one malignant pheochromocytoma. Integrated analysis of global histone methylation, copy number alterations and gene expression data aided in the identification of candidate tumour genes. In conclusion, the performed studies have contributed to gain knowledge of CNVs in healthy individuals, and identified regions and genes which are likely associated with the development and progression of pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma.
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| 5. |
- Svedlund, Jessica
(författare)
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Wnt/β-catenin Signaling and Epigenetic Deregulation in Breast Cancer and Parathyroid Tumours
- 2012
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is often deregulated in cancer. Here we investigate Wnt/β-catenin signaling, aberrant accumulation of β-catenin, and epigenetic deregulation in breast cancer and parathyroid tumours.An aberrantly spliced Wnt coreceptor LRP5 (LRP5Δ) is important for accumulation of nonphosphorylated active β-catenin and tumour growth in parathyroid tumours. Paper I demonstrated frequent expression of LRP5Δ in breast tumours and substantiated that breast tumour cell growth was dependent on continuous activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by LRP5Δ. A LRP5 antibody reduced the levels of active β-catenin, inhibited tumour cell growth and caused apoptosis in breast cancer cells. Antibody therapy may have a significant role in the treatment of breast cancer.Paper II revealed lost expression of the tumour suppressor gene APC in parathyroid carcinomas, likely due to CpG methylation. Also accumulation of nonphosporylated active β-catenin was observed, indicating activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Treatment of primary parathyroid carcinoma cells with the demethylating agent 5-aza-2’-deoxycytidine reduced the levels of active β-catenin, inhibited cell growth and caused apoptosis, suggesting that adjuvant epigenetic therapy could be considered in patients with metastatic or recurrent parathyroid carcinoma.In paper III we showed that the expression of the tumour suppressor gene HIC1 was generally reduced in parathyroid tumours of primary and secondary origin, and parathyroid carcinomas. Overexpressing HIC1 reduced cell viability and suppressed colony formation, supporting a tumour suppressor role in the parathyroid gland. Results suggested that the observed underexpression of HIC1 could be explained by epigenetic deregulation involving histone methylation rather than CpG methylation.Paper IV demonstrated increased expression of the histone methyltransferase EZH2 in parathyroid tumours of primary and secondary origin, and most apparent in parathyroid carcinomas. Decreasing EZH2 resulted in reduced cell viability and colony formation capacity suggesting that EZH2 may function as an oncogene in parathyroid tumours. Furthermore, depletion of EZH2 also reduced the amount of active β-catenin. EZH2 may represent a novel therapeutic target in parathyroid tumours.The fact that HIC1 was underexpressed and EZH2 overexpressed in parathyroid tumours regardless of the hyperparathyroid disease state may represent a possibility for a common pathway in parathyroid tumour development.
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