Project description:Constitutively active MYC and reactivated telomerase often co-exist in cancers. While the reactivation of telomerase is thought to be essential for replicative immortality, MYC, in conjunction with co-factors, confers several growth advantages to cancer cells. However, it is unclear which co-factors sustain elevated MYC activity in tumours . Here, we identify TERT, the catalytic subunit of telomerase, as a novel regulator of MYC stability in cancers. Binding of TERT to MYC stabilizes its levels on chromatin, contributing to either activation or repression of its target genes. Mechanistically, TERT regulates MYC ubiquitination and stability, and this effect of TERT is independent of its role on telomeres. Genetic inhibition and knocking out of TERT phenocopied the loss of MYC, resulting in reduced disease burden of early- and late-stage MYC-driven murine lymphomas. Conversly, the ectopic expression of TERT could substitute for reduced MYC in these functions. Finally we show that TERT null mice, unlike Terc null mice, show delayed onset of MYC induced lymphomagenesis. Accordingly, inhibiting TERT function in primary human leukemia cells blocked the expression of MYC targets, while Terc depletion had no effects . Based on our data, we conclude that the re-expression of TERT, a direct MYC target in tumors, provides a feed-forward mechanism to potentiate MYC-dependent oncogenesis. ChIP was performed using anti-MYC (sc-764) in primary lymphoma cells from Eµ-Myc;Tert -/- mice, Eµ-Myc;Tert +/+ mice, or in P493 cells treated with shTert, P493 shTerc and shControl.
Project description:Children are considered more sensitive to radiation-induced cancer than adults, yet any differences in genomic alterations associated with age at exposure and their underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We analyzed the mutation of key tumor suppressor genes in T-cell lymphomas arising after weekly irradiation of female B6C3F1 mice with 1.2 Gy X-rays for 4 consecutive weeks starting during infancy (1 week old), adolescence (4 weeks old) or as young adults (8 weeks old). T-cell lymphoma incidence did not show any statistical differences among three irradiated groups; however, the frequency of loss of heterozygosity on chromosomes 11 and 19 showed opposing correlations with age at exposure. Ikaros on chromosome 11 was mutated frequently in the young adultâ??irradiation group (63%; 5/8), frequently incurring multiple independent hits (including deletions and mutations) or suffering a single hit predicted to result in a dominant negative protein (such as those lacking exon 4, an isoform we have designated Ik11, which lacks two of the four zincâ??finger domains important for DNA binding). Pten on chromosome 19 was mutated more frequently in tumors from infant- (67%; 10/15) compared with young adult-irradiated mice (13%; 1/8, P = 0.041). Despite the presence of homozygous Pten mutations, DNA copy number was unchanged in the infant-irradiation group, suggesting duplication of the mutated allele by chromosome mis-segregation or mitotic recombination. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that while deletions on chromosome 11 affecting the Ikaros locus are a prominent feature of young adult irradiation-induced T-cell lymphoma, tumors arising after infant irradiation suffer a second hit in the Pten gene by chromosome mis-segregation or recombination. This is the first report showing age-at-exposure associated radiation-induced genomic alterations in two key tumor suppressor genes linked to T-cell lymphomagenesis. These data are important for considering the risks associated with childhood exposure to radiation. 38 T-cell lymphomas arising after weekly irradiation of female B6C3F1 mice with 1.2 Gy X-rays for 4 consecutive weeks starting at different ages (Infant: 1 week old (15 tumors), Adolescent: 4 weeks old (13 tumors), Young adult: 8 weeks old (10 tumors)) were analyzed.
Project description:Here, male and female B6C3F1 mice were given single or fractionated whole-body exposure(s) to a monoenergetic carbon ion radiotherapy beam at the Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba, Japan, matching the radiation quality delivered to the normal tissue ahead of the tumour volume. These mice were then monitored for the remainder of their lifespan and a large number of T cell lymphomas were analysed, alongside those arising in mice exposed to equivalent doses of standard Cs137 gamma ray-irradiation. Using genome-wide DNA copy number analysis to identify genomic loci involved in radiation-induced lymphomagenesis and subsequent detailed analysis of Notch1, Ikaros, Pten, Trp53 and Bcl11b genes we compared the genetic profile of the carbon ion- and gamma ray-induced tumours. The canonical set of genes previously associated with radiation-induced T cell lymphoma was identified in both radiation groups. While the pattern of disruption of the various pathways was somewhat different between the radiation types, most notably Pten mutation frequency and loss of heterozygosity flanking Bcl11b, the most striking finding was the observation of large interstitial deletions at various sites across the genome in carbon ion-induced tumours, which were only seen infrequently in the gamma ray-induced tumours analysed. 32 unique tumours (12 gamma ray-induced, 20 carbon ion-induced) each with sex-matched reference DNA
Project description:Amino acid levels analysis of lymphomas isolated from Eu-Myc;CD19-Cre;Odc fl/fl mic and their wild-type counterparts Eu-Myc;CD19-Cre;Odc +/+
Project description:MALT lymphoma is characterized by t(11;18)(q21;q21)/API2-MALT1, t(1;14)(p22;q32)/BCL10-IGH and t(14;18)(q32;q21)/IGH-MALT1, which commonly activate the NF-κB pathway. Gastric MALT lymphomas harboring such translocation do not respond to H. pylori eradication, while those without translocation can be cured by antibiotics. To understand the molecular mechanism of these different MALT lymphoma subgroups, we performed gene expression profiling analysis of 24 MALT lymphomas (15 translocation-positive, 9 translocation-negative). Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) of the NF-κB target genes and 4394 additional gene sets covering various cellular pathways, biological processes and molecular functions showed that translocation-positive MALT lymphomas are characterized by an enhanced expression of NF-κB target genes, particularly TLR6, CCR2, CD69 and BCL2, while translocation-negative cases were featured by active inflammatory and immune responses, such as IL8, CD86, CD28 and ICOS. Separate analyses of the genes differentially expressed between translocation-positive and negative cases and measurement of gene ontology term in these differentially expressed genes by hypergeometric test reinforced the above findings by GSEA. Finally, expression of TLR6, in the presence of TLR2, enhanced both API2-MALT1 and BCL10 mediated NF-κB activation in vitro. Our findings provide novel insights into the molecular mechanism of MALT lymphomas with and without translocation, potentially explaining their different clinical behaviors. This study compares MALT with other lymphomas, namely follicular lymphomas (FL) and mantle cell lymphomas (MCL), and investigates the molecular mechanisms of the lymphomagenesis between translocation-positive versus -negative MALT lymphoma cases in order to derive the pathways leading to MALT lymphoma pathogenesis. The study uses fresh frozen tissues from 24 MALT lymphoma cases with 7 FL and 7 MCL. Samples were run on the HG-U133A, HG-U133B, and HG-U133 plus2 GeneChips.
Project description:MALT lymphoma is characterized by t(11;18)(q21;q21)/API2-MALT1, t(1;14)(p22;q32)/BCL10-IGH and t(14;18)(q32;q21)/IGH-MALT1, which commonly activate the NF-κB pathway. Gastric MALT lymphomas harboring such translocation do not respond to H. pylori eradication, while those without translocation can be cured by antibiotics. To understand the molecular mechanism of these different MALT lymphoma subgroups, we performed gene expression profiling analysis of 24 MALT lymphomas (15 translocation-positive, 9 translocation-negative). Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) of the NF-κB target genes and 4394 additional gene sets covering various cellular pathways, biological processes and molecular functions showed that translocation-positive MALT lymphomas are characterized by an enhanced expression of NF-κB target genes, particularly TLR6, CCR2, CD69 and BCL2, while translocation-negative cases were featured by active inflammatory and immune responses, such as IL8, CD86, CD28 and ICOS. Separate analyses of the genes differentially expressed between translocation-positive and negative cases and measurement of gene ontology term in these differentially expressed genes by hypergeometric test reinforced the above findings by GSEA. Finally, expression of TLR6, in the presence of TLR2, enhanced both API2-MALT1 and BCL10 mediated NF-κB activation in vitro. Our findings provide novel insights into the molecular mechanism of MALT lymphomas with and without translocation, potentially explaining their different clinical behaviors. This study compares MALT with other lymphomas namely follicular and mantle cell lymphomas, and investigates the molecular mechanisms of the lymphomagenesis between translocation positive versus negative MALT lymphoma cases in order to derive the pathways leading to MALT lymphoma pathogenesis using GSEA, GO, dynamic pathway analysis as well as other bioinformatics analysis. Samples were run on the Affymetrix HG-U133A and HG-U133 plus2 GeneChips.
Project description:Cancer cells have an altered distribution of DNA methylation and express aberrant DNA methyltransferase 3B transcripts, which encode truncated proteins. To test if a truncated DNMT3B isoform disrupts DNA methylation in vivo, we constructed transgenic mice expressing DNMT3B7, a common truncated DNMT3B isoform in cancer cells. DNMT3B7 transgenic mice exhibit altered embryonic development, including lymphopenia, craniofacial abnormalities, and cardiac defects, similar to Dnmt3b-deficient animals, but rarely develop cancer. However, DNMT3B7 expression increases the frequency of mediastinal lymphomas in Eμ−myc animals. Eμ-myc/DNMT3B7 lymphomas have more chromosomal rearrangements, increased global methylation levels, and more locus-specific perturbations in DNA methylation patterns compared to Eμ-myc lymphomas. Our results demonstrate that a truncated DNMT3B protein can alter tumorigenesis, suggesting a similar role in human tumors. Direct comparison of DNA methylation in lymphoma samples from Eu-Myc vs Eu-Myc/Dnmt3b7 mice.
Project description:Unique and shared cytogenetic abnormalities have been documented for marginal zone lymphomas (MZLs) arising at different sites. Recently, homozygous deletions of the chromosomal band 6q23, involving the tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced protein 3 (TNFAIP3, A20) gene, a negative regulator of NF-kappa B, were described in ocular adnexal MZL, suggesting a role for A20 as a tumor suppressor in this disease entity. Here, we investigated inactivation of A20 by DNA mutations or deletions in a panel of extranodal (EMZL), nodal (NMZL) and splenic (SMZL) MZLs. Inactivating mutations encoding truncated A20 proteins were identified in 6/32 (18.8%) MZLs, including 3/11 (27.3%) EMZLs, 2/9 (22.2%) NMZLs, and 1/12 (8.3%) SMZLs. Two additional unmutated non-splenic MZLs also showed mono- or biallelic A20 deletions by FISH and/or array-CGH. Thus, A20 loss by both somatic mutations and/or deletions represents a common genetic aberration across all MZL subtypes, which may contribute to lymphomagenesis by inducing constitutive NF-kappa B activation. Keywords: Genome variation profiling by SNP array 27 MZL samples. No technical replications.
Project description:A disappointingly small proportion (10-30%) of patients with cancer show lasting responses to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB)-based monotherapies. The RNA-editing enzyme ADAR1 is an emerging determinant of resistance to ICB therapy, and prevents ICB responsiveness by repressing immunogenic double-stranded (ds)RNAs, such as those arising from the dysregulated expression of endogenous retroelements (EREs). These dsRNAs trigger an interferon (IFN)-dependent antitumor response by activating the A-form dsRNA (A-RNA) sensing proteins MDA-5, PKR, and OAS1. Here, we show that ADAR1 also prevents accrual of endogenous Z-form dsRNA elements (Z-RNAs) which were enriched in the 3’UTRs of IFN-stimulated mRNAs. Depleting ADAR1 resulted in Z-RNA accumulation and activation of the Z-RNA sensor ZBP1, culminating in RIPK3-mediated necroptosis. As no clinically viable ADAR1 inhibitors currently exist, we searched for a compound that can override the requirement for ADAR1 inhibition and directly activate ZBP1. We identified a small molecule, the curaxin CBL0137, which potently activates ZBP1 by triggering Z-DNA formation in cells. CBL0137 induced ZBP1-dependent necroptosis in cancer-associated fibroblasts and strongly reversed ICB unresponsiveness in mouse models of melanoma. Collectively, these results demonstrate that ADAR1 represses endogenous Z-RNAs and identifies ZBP1-mediated necroptosis as a new determinant of tumor immunogenicity masked by ADAR1. Therapeutic activation of ZBP1-induced necroptosis provides a readily-translatable avenue for rekindling immune responsiveness of ICB-resistant human cancers.