| 1. |
- Arendt, Maja Louise, et al.
(author)
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PIK3CA is recurrently mutated in canine mammary tumors, similarly to in human mammary neoplasia
- 2023
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In: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Nature. - 2045-2322. ; 13
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Biological features of neoplastic disease affecting mammary gland tissue are shared between canines and humans. Research performed in either species has translational value and early phase clinical trials performed in canines with spontaneous disease could be informative for human trials. The purpose of this study was to investigate the somatic genetic aberrations occurring in canine mammary neoplasia by exome capture and next generation sequencing. Based on 55 tumor-normal pairs we identified the PIK3CA gene as the most commonly mutated gene in canine mammary tumors, with 25% of samples carrying mutations in this gene. A recurrent missense mutation was identified, p.H1047R, which is homologous to the human PIK3CA hotspot mutation found in different types of breast neoplasia. Mutations homologous to other known human mutation hotspots such as the PIK3CA p.E545K and the KRAS p.G12V/D were also identified. We identified copy number aberrations affecting important tumor suppressor and oncogenic pathways including deletions affecting the PTEN tumor suppressor gene. We suggest that activation of the KRAS or PIK3CA oncogenes or loss of the PTEN suppressor gene may be important for mammary tumor development in dogs. This data endorses the conservation of cancer across species and the validity of studying cancer in non-human species.
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| 2. |
- Cavalli, Marco, et al.
(author)
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Allele-specific transcription factor binding to common and rare variants associated with disease and gene expression
- 2016
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In: Human Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0340-6717 .- 1432-1203. ; 135:5, s. 485-497
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified a large number of disease-associated SNPs, but in few cases the functional variant and the gene it controls have been identified. To systematically identify candidate regulatory variants, we sequenced ENCODE cell lines and used public ChIP-seq data to look for transcription factors binding preferentially to one allele. We found 9962 candidate regulatory SNPs, of which 16 % were rare and showed evidence of larger functional effect than common ones. Functionally rare variants may explain divergent GWAS results between populations and are candidates for a partial explanation of the missing heritability. The majority of allele-specific variants (96 %) were specific to a cell type. Furthermore, by examining GWAS loci we found >400 allele-specific candidate SNPs, 141 of which were highly relevant in our cell types. Functionally validated SNPs support identification of an SNP in SYNGR1 which may expose to the risk of rheumatoid arthritis and primary biliary cirrhosis, as well as an SNP in the last intron of COG6 exposing to the risk of psoriasis. We propose that by repeating the ChIP-seq experiments of 20 selected transcription factors in three to ten people, the most common polymorphisms can be interrogated for allele-specific binding. Our strategy may help to remove the current bottleneck in functional annotation of the genome.
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| 3. |
- Elvers, Ingegerd, et al.
(author)
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CHK1 activity is required for continuous replication fork elongation but not stabilization of post-replicative gaps after UV irradiation
- 2012
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In: Nucleic Acids Research. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0305-1048 .- 1362-4962. ; 40:17, s. 8440-8448
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ultraviolet (UV)-induced DNA damage causes an efficient block of elongating replication forks. The checkpoint kinase, CHK1 has been shown to stabilize replication forks following hydroxyurea treatment. Therefore, we wanted to test if the increased UV sensitivity caused by the unspecific kinase inhibitor caffeine-inhibiting ATM and ATR amongst other kinases-is explained by inability to activate the CHK1 kinase to stabilize replicative structures. For this, we used cells deficient in polymerase eta (Pol eta), a translesion synthesis polymerase capable of properly bypassing the UV-induced cis-syn TT pyrimidine dimer, which blocks replication. These cells accumulate gaps behind progressing replication forks after UV exposure. We demonstrate that both caffeine and CHK1 inhibition, equally retards continuous replication fork elongation after UV treatment. Interestingly, we found more pronounced UV-sensitization by caffeine than with the CHK1 inhibitor in clonogenic survival experiments. Furthermore, we demonstrate an increased collapse of replicative structures after caffeine treatment, but not after CHK1 inhibition, in UV-irradiated cells. This demonstrates that CHK1 activity is not required for stabilization of gaps induced during replication of UV-damaged DNA. These data suggest that elongation and stabilization of replicative structures at UV-induced DNA damage are distinct mechanisms, and that CHK1 is only involved in replication elongation.
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| 4. |
- Elvers, Ingegerd, et al.
(author)
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CHK1 activity is required for replication fork elongation but not stabilisation after UV irradiation
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- UV-induced DNA damage cause an efficient block for elongating replication forks. Since CHK1 has been shown to stabilise replication forks following hydroxyurea treatment, we wanted to test if the increased killing with the unspecific kinase inhibitor caffeine, inhibiting ATM and ATR amongst other kinases, is explained by inability to activate the CHK1 kinase to stabilise UV-stalled replication forks. For this, we used cells deficient in Polη, a translesion synthesis polymerase capable of properly bypassing the UV-induced cis-syn TT pyrimidine dimer, which blocks replication. These cells, derived from the variant type of xeroderma pigmentosum, are sensitised to UV irradiation by caffeine treatment. We demonstrate that both caffeine and CHK1 inhibition, using CEP-3891, equally retards replication fork elongation after UV treatment in Polη deficient cells. Interestingly, we found more pronounced UV-sensitisation by caffeine than with the CHK1 inhibitor in clonogenic survival experiments. Furthermore, we demonstrate an increased collapse of UV-stalled forks after caffeine treatment, but not after CHK1 inhibition, demonstrating that CHK1 activity is not required for stabilisation of UV-stalled replication forks. These data suggest that stabilisation and elongation at UV-stalled forks are distinct mechanisms, and that CHK1 is only involved in fork elongation.
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| 5. |
- Elvers, Ingegerd, et al.
(author)
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Exome sequencing of lymphomas from three dog breeds reveals somatic mutation patterns reflecting genetic background
- 2015
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In: Genome Research. - : Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. - 1088-9051 .- 1549-5469. ; 25:11, s. 1634-1645
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Lymphoma is the most common hematological malignancy in developed countries. Outcome is strongly determined by molecular subtype, reflecting a need for new and improved treatment options. Dogs spontaneously develop lymphoma, and the predisposition of certain breeds indicates genetic risk factors. Using the dog breed structure, we selected three lymphoma predisposed breeds developing primarily T-cell (boxer), primarily B-cell (cocker spaniel), and with equal distribution of B- and T-cell lymphoma (golden retriever), respectively. We investigated the somatic mutations in B- and T-cell lymphomas from these breeds by exome sequencing of tumor and normal pairs. Strong similarities were evident between B-cell lymphomas from golden retrievers and cocker spaniels, with recurrent mutations in TRAF3-MAP3K14 (28% of all cases), FBXW7 (25%), and POT1 (17%). The FBXW7 mutations recurrently occur in a specific codon; the corresponding codon is recurrently mutated in human cancer. In contrast, T-cell lymphomas from the predisposed breeds, boxers and golden retrievers, show little overlap in their mutation pattern, sharing only one of their 15 most recurrently mutated genes. Boxers, which develop aggressive T-cell lymphomas, are typically mutated in the PTEN-mTOR pathway. T-cell lymphomas in golden retrievers are often less aggressive, and their tumors typically showed mutations in genes involved in cellular metabolism. We identify genes with known involvement in human lymphoma and leukemia, genes implicated in other human cancers, as well as novel genes that could allow new therapeutic options.
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| 6. |
- Elvers, Ingegerd, 1983-
(author)
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Replication Fork Stability in Mammalian Cells
- 2011
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Maintaining replication fork integrity is vital to preserve genomic stability and avoid cancer. Physical DNA damage and altered nucleotide or protein pools represent replication obstacles, generating replicative stress. Numerous cellular responses have evolved to ensure faithful DNA replication despite such challenges. Understanding those responses is essential to understand and prevent or treat replication-associated diseases, such as cancer. Re-priming is a mechanism to allow resumption of DNA synthesis past a fork-stalling lesion. This was recently suggested in yeast and explains the formation of gaps during DNA replication on damaged DNA. Using a combination of assays, we indicate the existence of re-priming also in human cells following UV irradiation. The gap left behind a re-primed fork must be stabilised to avoid replication-associated collapse. Our results show that the checkpoint signalling protein CHK1 is dispensable for stabilisation of replication forks after UV irradiation, despite its role in replication fork progression on UV-damaged DNA. It is not known what proteins are necessary for collapse of an unsealed gap or a stalled fork. We exclude one, previously suggested, endonuclease from this mechanism in UV-irradiated human fibroblasts. We also show that focus formation of repair protein RAD51 is not necessarily associated with cellular sensitivity to agents inducing replicative stress, in rad51d CHO mutant cells. Multiple factors are required for replication fork stability, also under unperturbed conditions. We identify the histone methyltransferase SET8 as an important player in the maintenance of replication fork stability. SET8 is required for replication fork progression, and depletion of SET8 led to the formation of replication-associated DNA damage. In summary, our results increase the knowledge about mechanisms and signalling at replication forks in unperturbed cells and after induction of replicative stress.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Elvers, Ingegerd, et al.
(author)
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UV-induced replication fork collapse in DNA polymerase η deficient cells is independent of the MUS81 endonuclease
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Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The MUS81 endonuclease was initially identified in resonse to UV and MMS lesions, and has been implicated in replication fork collapse after exposure to cross-linking agents. After stalling of replication forks by hydroxyurea treatment, the forks collapse independently of MUS81 but the endonuclease is required for replication fork restart. However in cells deficient in the Werner helicase, MUS81 is needed for collapse of replication forks after hydroxyurea treatment, indicating that the endonuclease might play a role in replication fork collapse in cells with impaired replication. UV irradiation induces DNA damage that physically block replication fork elongation but may be bypassed by translesion synthesis polymerases. Here we have investigated the role of MUS81 after UV irradiation of human fibroblasts deficient in Polη, and restored (wild-type) cells. We show that in wild-type cells, depletion of MUS81 does not affect survival after UV irradiation. However in Polη deficient cells, MUS81 depletion further lowers the survival after exposure to UV. In spite of this, replication forks collapse in UV irradiated Polη deficient cells independently of MUS81.
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| 9. |
- Elvers, Ingegerd, et al.
(author)
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UV stalled replication forks restart by re-priming in human fibroblasts
- 2011
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In: Nucleic Acids Research. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0305-1048 .- 1362-4962. ; 39:16, s. 7049-7057
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Restarting stalled replication forks is vital to avoid fatal replication errors. Previously, it was demonstrated that hydroxyurea-stalled replication forks use an active restart mechanism or rescue replication by new origin firing. Using the DNA fiber assay, we find to our surprise no evidence that UV-damaged replication forks are arrested and only detect a slightly reduced fork speed on a UV-damaged template. Interestingly, no evidence for UV-induced fork stalling was observed even in translesion synthesis defective, Polηmut cells. In contrast, using an assay to measure DNA molecule elongation at the fork, we observe that DNA elongation is severely blocked, particularly in UV-damaged Polηmut cells. In conclusion, these data suggest that UV-blocked replication forks restart effectively through re-priming. If left unfilled, the gap behind a re-primed fork may collapse into a DNA double-strand break that is repaired by a recombination pathway, similar to the fate of replication forks collapsed after hydroxyurea treatment.
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| 10. |
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| 11. |
- Groth, Petra, et al.
(author)
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Homologous recombination repairs secondary replication induced dna double strand breaks after ionizing radiation
- 2012
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In: Nucleic Acids Research. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0305-1048 .- 1362-4962. ; 40:14, s. 6585-6594
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ionizing radiation (IR) produces direct two-ended DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) primarily repaired by non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). It is, however, well established that homologous recombination (HR) is induced and required for repair of a subset of DSBs formed following IR. Here, we find that HR induced by IR is drastically reduced when post-DNA damage replication is inhibited in mammalian cells. Both IR-induced RAD51 foci and HR events in the hprt gene are reduced in the presence of replication polymerase inhibitor aphidicolin (APH). Interestingly, we also detect reduced IR-induced toxicity in HR deficient cells when inhibiting post-DNA damage replication. When studying DSB formation following IR exposure, we find that apart from the direct DSBs the treatment also triggers formation of secondary DSBs peaking at 7-9 h after exposure. These secondary DSBs are restricted to newly replicated DNA and abolished by inhibiting post-DNA damage replication. Further, we find that IR-induced RAD51 foci are decreased by APH only in cells replicating at the time of IR exposure, suggesting distinct differences between IR-induced HR in S- and G2-phases of the cell cycle. Altogether, our data indicate that secondary replication-associated DSBs formed following exposure to IR are major substrates for IR-induced HR repair.
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| 12. |
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| 13. |
- Jorgensen, Stine, et al.
(author)
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The histone methyltransferase SET8 is required for S-phase progression
- 2007
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In: Journal of Cell Biology. - : Rockefeller University Press. - 0021-9525 .- 1540-8140. ; 179:7, s. 1337-1345
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Chromatin structure and function is influenced by histone posttranslational modifications. SET8 (also known as PR-Set7 and SETD8) is a histone methyltransferase that monomethylates histone H4-K20. However, a function for SET8 in mammalian cell proliferation has not been determined. We show that small interfering RNA inhibition of SET8 expression leads to decreased cell proliferation and accumulation of cells in S phase. This is accompanied by DNA double-strand break (DSB) induction and recruitment of the DNA repair proteins replication protein A, Rad51, and 53BP1 to damaged regions. SET8 depletion causes DNA damage specifically during replication, which induces a Chk1-mediated S-phase checkpoint. Furthermore, we find that SET8 interacts with proliferating cell nuclear antigen through a conserved motif, and SET8 is required for DNA replication fork progression. Finally, codepletion of Rad51, an improtant homologous recombination repair protein, abrogates the DNA damage after SET8 depletion. Overall, we show that SET8 is essential for genomic stability in mammalian cells and that decreased expression of SET8 results in DNA damage and Chk1-dependent S-phase arrest.
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| 14. |
- Karlsson, Elinor K, et al.
(author)
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Genome-wide analyses implicate 33 loci in heritable dog osteosarcoma, including regulatory variants near CDKN2A/B
- 2013
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In: Genome Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1465-6906 .- 1474-760X .- 1474-7596. ; 14:12
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Canine osteosarcoma is clinically nearly identical to the human disease, but is common and highly heritable, making genetic dissection feasible.RESULTS: Through genome-wide association analyses in three breeds (greyhounds, Rottweilers, and Irish wolfhounds), we identify 33 inherited risk loci explaining 55% to 85% of phenotype variance in each breed. The greyhound locus exhibiting the strongest association, located 150 kilobases upstream of the genes CDKN2A/B, is also the most rearranged locus in canine osteosarcoma tumors. The top germline candidate variant is found at a >90% frequency in Rottweilers and Irish wolfhounds, and alters an evolutionarily constrained element that we show has strong enhancer activity in human osteosarcoma cells. In all three breeds, osteosarcoma-associated loci and regions of reduced heterozygosity are enriched for genes in pathways connected to bone differentiation and growth. Several pathways, including one of genes regulated by miR124, are also enriched for somatic copy-number changes in tumors.CONCLUSIONS: Mapping a complex cancer in multiple dog breeds reveals a polygenic spectrum of germline risk factors pointing to specific pathways as drivers of disease.
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| 15. |
- Kim, Jong Hyuk, et al.
(author)
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Genomically Complex Human Angiosarcoma and Canine Hemangiosarcoma Establish Convergent Angiogenic Transcriptional Programs Driven by Novel Gene Fusions
- 2021
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In: Molecular Cancer Research. - : American Association For Cancer Research (AACR). - 1541-7786 .- 1557-3125. ; 19:5, s. 847-861
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Sporadic angiosarcomas are aggressive vascular sarcomas whose rarity and genomic complexity present significant obstacles in deciphering the pathogenic significance of individual genetic alterations. Numerous fusion genes have been identified across multiple types of cancers, but their existence and significance remain unclear in sporadic angiosarcomas. In this study, we leveraged RNA-sequencing data from 13 human angiosarcomas and 76 spontaneous canine hemangiosarcomas to identify fusion genes associated with spontaneous vascular malignancies. Ten novel protein-coding fusion genes, including TEX2-PECAM1 and ATP8A2-FLT1, were identified in seven of the 13 human tumors, with two tumors showing mutations of TP53. HRAS and NRAS mutations were found in angiosarcomas without fusions or TP53 mutations. We found 15 novel protein-coding fusion genes including MYO16-PTK2, GABRA3-FLT1, and AKT3-XPNPEP1 in 11 of the 76 canine hemangiosarcomas; these fusion genes were seen exclusively in tumors of the angiogenic molecular subtype that contained recurrent mutations in TP53, PIK3CA, PIK3R1, and NRAS. In particular, fusion genes and mutations of TP53 cooccurred in tumors with higher frequency than expected by random chance, and they enriched gene signatures predicting activation of angiogenic pathways. Comparative transcriptomic analysis of human angiosarcomas and canine hemangiosarcomas identified shared molecular signatures associated with activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways. Our data suggest that genome instability induced by TP53 mutations might create a predisposition for fusion events that may contribute to tumor progression by promoting selection and/or enhancing fitness through activation of convergent angiogenic pathways in this vascular malignancy. Implications: This study shows that, while drive events of malignant vasoformative tumors of humans and dogs include diverse mutations and stochastic rearrangements that create novel fusion genes, convergent transcriptional programs govern the highly conserved morphologic organization and biological behavior of these tumors in both species.
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| 16. |
- Köpper, Frederik, et al.
(author)
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Damage-induced DNA replication stalling relies on MAPK-activated protein kinase 2 activity
- 2013
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In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 110:42, s. 16856-16861
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- DNA damage can obstruct replication forks, resulting in replicative stress. By siRNA screening, we identified kinases involved in the accumulation of phosphohistone 2AX (gamma H2AX) upon UV irradiation-induced replication stress. Surprisingly, the strongest reduction of phosphohistone 2AX followed knockdown of the MAP kinase-activated protein kinase 2 (MK2), a kinase currently implicated in p38 stress signaling and G2 arrest. Depletion or inhibition of MK2 also protected cells from DNA damage-induced cell death, and mice deficient for MK2 displayed decreased apoptosis in the skin upon UV irradiation. Moreover, MK2 activity was required for damage response, accumulation of ssDNA, and decreased survival when cells were treated with the nucleoside analogue gemcitabine or when the checkpoint kinase Chk1 was antagonized. By using DNA fiber assays, we found that MK2 inhibition or knockdown rescued DNA replication impaired by gemcitabine or by Chk1 inhibition. This rescue strictly depended on transiesion DNA polymerases. In conclusion, instead of being an unavoidable consequence of DNA damage, alterations of replication speed and origin firing depend on MK2-mediated signaling.
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| 17. |
- Labadie, Julia D., et al.
(author)
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Genome-wide association analysis of canine T zone lymphoma identifies link to hypothyroidism and a shared association with mast-cell tumors
- 2020
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In: BMC Genomics. - : BMC. - 1471-2164. ; 21:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background T zone lymphoma (TZL), a histologic variant of peripheral T cell lymphoma, represents about 12% of all canine lymphomas. Golden Retrievers appear predisposed, representing over 40% of TZL cases. Prior research found that asymptomatic aged Golden Retrievers frequently have populations of T zone-like cells (phenotypically identical to TZL) of undetermined significance (TZUS), potentially representing a pre-clinical state. These findings suggest a genetic risk factor for this disease and caused us to investigate potential genes of interest using a genome-wide association study of privately-owned U.S. Golden Retrievers. Results Dogs were categorized as TZL (n = 95), TZUS (n = 142), or control (n = 101) using flow cytometry and genotyped using the Illumina CanineHD BeadChip. Using a mixed linear model adjusting for population stratification, we found association with genome-wide significance in regions on chromosomes 8 and 14. The chromosome 14 peak included four SNPs (Odds Ratio = 1.18-1.19,p = .3 x 10(- 5)-5.1 x 10(- 5)) near three hyaluronidase genes (SPAM1, HYAL4,andHYALP1). Targeted resequencing of this region using a custom sequence capture array identified missense mutations in all three genes; the variant inSPAM1was predicted to be damaging. These mutations were also associated with risk for mast cell tumors among Golden Retrievers in an unrelated study. The chromosome 8 peak contained 7 SNPs (Odds Ratio = 1.24-1.42,p = 2.7 x 10(- 7)-7.5 x 10(- 5)) near genes involved in thyroid hormone regulation (DIO2andTSHR). A prior study from our laboratory found hypothyroidism is inversely associated with TZL risk. No coding mutations were found with targeted resequencing but identified variants may play a regulatory role for all or some of the genes. Conclusions The pathogenesis of canine TZL may be related to hyaluronan breakdown and subsequent production of pro-inflammatory and pro-oncogenic byproducts. The association on chromosome 8 may indicate thyroid hormone is involved in TZL development, consistent with findings from a previous study evaluating epidemiologic risk factors for TZL. Future work is needed to elucidate these mechanisms.
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| 18. |
- Megquier, Kate
(author)
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Analysis of inherited and somatic variants to decipher canine complex traits
- 2018
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This thesis presents several investigations of the dog as a model for complex diseases, focusing on cancers and the effect of genetic risk factors on clinical presentation.In Papers I and II, we performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to identify germline risk factors predisposing US golden retrievers to hemangiosarcoma (HSA) and B-cell lymphoma (BLSA). Paper I identified two loci predisposing to both HSA and BLSA, approximately 4 megabases (Mb) apart on chromosome 5. Carrying the risk haplotype at these loci was associated with separate changes in gene expression, both relating to T-cell activation and proliferation.Paper II followed up on the HSA GWAS by performing a meta-analysis with additional cases and controls. This confirmed three previously reported GWAS loci for HSA and revealed three new loci, the most significant on chromosome 18. This locus contains several candidate genes with a clear role in carcinogenesis, including KMT5B and LRP5. Overall, carriers of the risk alleles at the top six loci are diagnosed with HSA earlier in life.In Paper III we investigated the somatic mutations which occur in HSA tumor tissue by performing tumor-normal exome sequencing of 47 golden retrievers. We identified 7 recurrently mutated genes, including the tumor suppressor TP53 (mutated in 59.6% of tumors) and oncogene PIK3CA (mutated in 29.8% of tumors). Additional somatically mutated genes overlap those found in human angiosarcomas, suggesting that angiosarcomas in dogs and humans are genetically very similar.In Paper IV, we investigated the variable penetrance of a SOD1 mutation in Pembroke Welsh corgis causing degenerative myelopathy (DM), a model of the human motor neuron disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). We discovered that regulatory variants near the SP110 gene were associated with an increased risk of DM and an earlier age at diagnosis, suggesting a role for immune response in the pathogenesis of the disease.Taken together, these findings provide new insight into the pathophysiology of both hemangiosarcoma and degenerative myelopathy, which could guide future diagnostics and therapeutic strategies both in humans and veterinary patients. In addition, they demonstrate the power of the dog as a biomedical model for human complex diseases.
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| 19. |
- Megquier, Katherine, et al.
(author)
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Comparative Genomics Reveals Shared Mutational Landscape in Canine Hemangiosarcoma and Human Angiosarcoma
- 2019
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In: Molecular Cancer Research. - 1541-7786 .- 1557-3125. ; 17:12, s. 2410-2421
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Angiosarcoma is a highly aggressive cancer of blood vessel-forming cells with few effective treatment options and high patient mortality. It is both rare and heterogenous, making large, well-powered genomic studies nearly impossible. Dogs commonly suffer from a similar cancer, called hemangiosarcoma, with breeds like the golden retriever carrying heritable genetic factors that put them at high risk. If the clinical similarity of canine hemangiosarcoma and human angiosarcoma reflects shared genomic etiology, dogs could be a critically needed model for advancing angiosarcoma research. We assessed the genomic landscape of canine hemangiosarcoma via whole-exome sequencing (47 golden retriever hemangiosarcomas) and RNA sequencing (74 hemangiosarcomas from multiple breeds). Somatic coding mutations occurred most frequently in the tumor suppressor TP53 (59.6% of cases) as well as two genes in the PI3K pathway: the oncogene PIK3CA (29.8%) and its regulatory subunit PIK3R1 (8.5%). The predominant mutational signature was the age-associated deamination of cytosine to thymine. As reported in human angiosarcoma, CDKN2A/B was recurrently deleted and VEGFA, KDR, and KIT recurrently gained. We compared the canine data to human data recently released by The Angiosarcoma Project, and found many of the same genes and pathways significantly enriched for somatic mutations, particularly in breast and visceral angiosarcomas. Canine hemangiosarcoma closely models the genomic landscape of human angiosarcoma of the breast and viscera, and is a powerful tool for investigating the pathogenesis of this devastating disease. IMPLICATIONS: We characterize the genomic landscape of canine hemangiosarcoma and demonstrate its similarity to human angiosarcoma.
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| 20. |
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| 21. |
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| 22. |
- Melin, Malin, et al.
(author)
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Genome-Wide Analysis Identifies Germ-Line Risk Factors Associated with Canine Mammary Tumours
- 2016
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In: PLOS Genetics. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1553-7390 .- 1553-7404. ; 12:5
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Canine mammary tumours (CMT) are the most common neoplasia in unspayed female dogs. CMTs are suitable naturally occurring models for human breast cancer and share many characteristics, indicating that the genetic causes could also be shared. We have performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in English Springer Spaniel dogs and identified a genome-wide significant locus on chromosome 11 (p(raw) = 5.6x10(-7), p(perm) = 0.019). The most associated haplotype spans a 446 kb region overlapping the CDK5RAP2 gene. The CDK5RAP2 protein has a function in cell cycle regulation and could potentially have an impact on response to chemotherapy treatment. Two additional loci, both on chromosome 27, were nominally associated (p(raw) = 1.97x10(-5) and p(raw) = 8.30x10(-6)). The three loci explain 28.1 +/- 10.0% of the phenotypic variation seen in the cohort, whereas the top ten associated regions account for 38.2 +/- 10.8% of the risk. Furthermore, the ten GWAS loci and regions with reduced genetic variability are significantly enriched for snoRNAs and tumour-associated antigen genes, suggesting a role for these genes in CMT development. We have identified several candidate genes associated with canine mammary tumours, including CDK5RAP2. Our findings enable further comparative studies to investigate the genes and pathways in human breast cancer patients.
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| 23. |
- Sakthikumar, Sharadha, et al.
(author)
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SETD2 Is Recurrently Mutated in Whole-Exome Sequenced Canine Osteosarcoma
- 2018
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In: Cancer Research. - : AMER ASSOC CANCER RESEARCH. - 0008-5472 .- 1538-7445. ; 78:13, s. 3421-3431
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Osteosarcoma is a debilitating bone cancer that affects humans, especially children and adolescents. A homologous form of osteosarcoma spontaneously occurs in dogs, and its differential incidence observed across breeds allows for the investigation of tumor mutations in the context of multiple genetic backgrounds. Using whole-exome sequencing and dogs from three susceptible breeds (22 golden retrievers, 21 Rottweilers, and 23 greyhounds), we found that osteosarcoma tumors show a high frequency of somatic copy-number alterations (SCNA), affecting key oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes. The across-breed results are similar to what has been observed for human osteosarcoma, but the disease frequency and somatic mutation counts vary in the three breeds. For all breeds, three mutational signatures (one of which has not been previously reported) and 11 significantly mutated genes were identified. TP53 was the most frequently altered gene (83% of dogs have either mutations or SCNA in TP53), recapitulating observations in human osteosarcoma. The second most frequently mutated gene, histone methyltransferase SETD2, has known roles in multiple cancers, but has not previously been strongly implicated in osteosarcoma. This study points to the likely importance of histone modifications in osteosarcoma and highlights the strong genetic similarities between human and dog osteosarcoma, suggesting that canine osteosarcoma may serve as an excellent model for developing treatment strategies in both species. Significance: Canine osteosarcoma genomics identify SETD2 as a possible oncogenic driver of osteosarcoma, and findings establish the canine model as a useful comparative model for the corresponding human disease.
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| 24. |
- Stoimenov, Ivaylo, et al.
(author)
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Polymerase η proficiency sensitises cells to 6-thioguanine
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Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Severe photosensitivity of the skin and predisposition to cancer development are two important features whichcharacterising a genetic syndrome known as Xeroderma pigmentosum. An interesting class of patients has beendescribed, characterised by a proficiency in nucleotide excision repair and a defect in the DNA damage avoidancepathways. This class is termed Xeroderma pigmentosum variant (XP-V) and is known to be caused by a deficiencyin the function of the specific DNA Polymerase η. Cells derived from XP-V patients are sensitivie not only to UVlight but also to crosslinkers such as cisplatin, and Polη overexpression is potentially relevant to development ofcisplatin resistance. In this paper we investigate the importance of the Polη status in the response to treatment withthe chemotherapeutic agent 6-thioguanine (6TG). Our results show that Polη deficient cells are more resistant totreatment with 6TG in comparison to Polη complemented cells. This is in contrast to the typical UV sensitivity ofPolη deficient cells, which is confirmed in the same cells. We also show that 6TG has a growth retardation effect,regardless of the Polη status. There were no DNA double-strand breaks detected in a short period after theexposure to 6TG in physiologically relevant doses, although a DNA damage response was observed in high doses.It was previously demonstrated that 6TG can be used to kill cisplatin resistant cells and these data may indicateone potential explanation.
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| 25. |
- Tonomura, Noriko, et al.
(author)
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Genome-wide Association Study Identifies Shared Risk Loci Common to Two Malignancies in Golden Retrievers
- 2015
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In: PLOS Genetics. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1553-7390 .- 1553-7404. ; 11:2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Dogs, with their breed-determined limited genetic background, are great models of human disease including cancer. Canine B-cell lymphoma and hemangiosarcoma are both malignancies of the hematologic system that are clinically and histologically similar to human B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma and angiosarcoma, respectively. Golden retrievers in the US show significantly elevated lifetime risk for both B-cell lymphoma (6%) and hemangiosarcoma (20%). We conducted genome-wide association studies for hemangiosarcoma and B-cell lymphoma, identifying two shared predisposing loci. The two associated loci are located on chromosome 5, and together contribute similar to 20% of the risk of developing these cancers. Genome-wide p-values for the top SNP of each locus are 4.6x10(-7) and 2.7x10(-6), respectively. Whole genome resequencing of nine cases and controls followed by genotyping and detailed analysis identified three shared and one B-cell lymphoma specific risk haplotypes within the two loci, but no coding changes were associated with the risk haplotypes. Gene expression analysis of B-cell lymphoma tumors revealed that carrying the risk haplotypes at the first locus is associated with down-regulation of several nearby genes including the proximal gene TRPC6, a transient receptor Ca2+-channel involved in T-cell activation, among other functions. The shared risk haplotype in the second locus overlaps the vesicle transport and release gene STX8. Carrying the shared risk haplotype is associated with gene expression changes of 100 genes enriched for pathways involved in immune cell activation. Thus, the predisposing germ-line mutations in B-cell lymphoma and hemangio-sarcoma appear to be regulatory, and affect pathways involved in T-cell mediated immune response in the tumor. This suggests that the interaction between the immune system and malignant cells plays a common role in the tumorigenesis of these relatively different cancers.
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| 26. |
- Urbin, Salustra S., et al.
(author)
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Uncoupling of RAD51 focus formation and cell survival after replication fork stalling in RAD51D null CHO cells
- 2012
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In: Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis. - : Wiley. - 0893-6692 .- 1098-2280. ; 53:2, s. 114-124
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In vertebrate cells, the five RAD51 paralogs (XRCC2/3 and RAD51B/C/D) enhance the efficiency of homologous recombination repair (HRR). Stalling and breakage of DNA replication forks is a common event, especially in the large genomes of higher eukaryotes. When cells are exposed to agents that arrest DNA replication, such as hydroxyurea or aphidicolin, fork breakage can lead to chromosomal aberrations and cell killing. We assessed the contribution of the HRR protein RAD51D in resistance to killing by replication-associated DSBs. In response to hydroxyurea, the isogenic rad51d null CHO mutant fails to show any indication of HRR initiation, as assessed by induction RAD51 foci, as expected. Surprisingly, these cells have normal resistance to killing by replication inhibition from either hydroxyurea or aphidicolin, but show the expected sensitivity to camptothecin, which also generates replication-dependent DSBs. In contrast, we confirm that the V79 xrcc2 mutant does show increased sensitivity to hydroxyurea under some conditions, which was correlated to its attenuated RAD51 focus response. In response to the PARP1 inhibitor KU58684, rad51d cells, like other HRR mutants, show exquisite sensitivity (>1000-fold), which is also associated with defective RAD51 focus formation. Thus, rad51d cells are broadly deficient in RAD51 focus formation in response to various agents, but this defect is not invariably associated with increased sensitivity. Our results indicate that RAD51 paralogs do not contribute equally to cellular resistance of inhibitors of DNAreplication, and that the RAD51 foci associated with replication inhibition may not be a reliable indicator of cellular resistance to such agents.
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| 27. |
- Urbin, Salustra, et al.
(author)
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Uncoupling of RAD51 focus formation and cell survival after replication fork stalling in RAD51D null CHO cells
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In vertebrate cells the five RAD51 paralogs (XRCC2/3, RAD51B/C/D) enhance the efficiency of homologous reocmbination repair (HRR). Stalling and breakage of DNA replication forks is a common event in the large genomes of higher eukaryotes. When cells are exposed to agents that arrest DNA replicaiton, such as hydroxyurea or aphidicolin, fork breakage can lead to chromosomal aberrations and cell killing. We assessed the contribution of the HRR protein RAD51D in resistance to killing by replication-associated DSBs. In repsonse to hydroxyurea, the isogenic rad51d null CHO mutant fails to show any indication of HRR initiation, as assessed by induction of RAD51 foci, as expected. Surprisingly, these cells have normal resistance to killing by replication inhibition from either hydroxyurea or aphidicolin, but show the expected sensitivity to camptothecin, which also generates replication-dependent DSBs. In contrast, we confirm that the V79 xrcc2 mutant does show increased sensitivity to hydroxyurea under some conditinos, which was correlated to its attenuated RAD51 focus response. In response to a PARP1 inhibitor PARP1, rad51d cells, like other HRR mutants, show exquisite sensitivity (>1000 fold), which is also associated with defective RAD51 focus formation. Thus, rad51d cells are broadly deficient in RAD51 focus formation in response to various agents, but this defect is not invariably associated with increased sensitivity. Our results indicate that RAD51 paralogs do not contribute equally to cellular resistance of inhibitors of DNA replication, and that the RAD51 foci associated with replication inhibition may not be a reliable indicator of cellular resistance to such agents.
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| 28. |
- Vieira, Natassia M., et al.
(author)
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Jagged 1 Rescues the Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Phenotype
- 2015
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In: Cell. - : Elsevier BV. - 0092-8674 .- 1097-4172. ; 163:5, s. 1204-1213
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), caused by mutations at the dystrophin gene, is the most common form of muscular dystrophy. There is no cure for DMD and current therapeutic approaches to restore dystrophin expression are only partially effective. The absence of dystrophin in muscle results in dysregulation of signaling pathways, which could be targets for disease therapy and drug discovery. Previously, we identified two exceptional Golden Retriever muscular dystrophy (GRMD) dogs that are mildly affected, have functional muscle, and normal lifespan despite the complete absence of dystrophin. Now, our data on linkage, whole-genome sequencing, and transcriptome analyses of these dogs compared to severely affected GRMD and control animals reveals that increased expression of Jagged1 gene, a known regulator of the Notch signaling pathway, is a hallmark of the mild phenotype. Functional analyses demonstrate that Jagged1 overexpression ameliorates the dystrophic phenotype, suggesting that Jagged1 may represent a target for DMD therapy in a dystrophin-independent manner.
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