Dataset Information

A new assay for measuring chromosome instability (CIN) and identification of drugs that elevate CIN in cancer cells.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Aneuploidy is a feature of most cancer cells that is often accompanied by an elevated rate of chromosome mis-segregation termed chromosome instability (CIN). While CIN can act as a driver of cancer genome evolution and tumor progression, recent findings point to the existence of a threshold level beyond which CIN becomes a barrier to tumor growth and therefore can be exploited therapeutically. Drugs known to increase CIN beyond the therapeutic threshold are currently few in number, and the clinical promise of targeting the CIN phenotype warrants new screening efforts. However, none of the existing methods, including the in vitro micronuclei (MNi) assay, developed to quantify CIN, is entirely satisfactory.

Methods

We have developed a new assay for measuring CIN. This quantitative assay for chromosome mis-segregation is based on the use of a non-essential human artificial chromosome (HAC) carrying a constitutively expressed EGFP transgene. Thus, cells that inherit the HAC display green fluorescence, while cells lacking the HAC do not. This allows the measurement of HAC loss rate by routine flow cytometry.

Results

Using the HAC-based chromosome loss assay, we have analyzed several well-known anti-mitotic, spindle-targeting compounds, all of which have been reported to induce micronuclei formation and chromosome loss. For each drug, the rate of HAC loss was accurately measured by flow cytometry as a proportion of non-fluorescent cells in the cell population which was verified by FISH analysis. Based on our estimates, despite their similar cytotoxicity, the analyzed drugs affect the rates of HAC mis-segregation during mitotic divisions differently. The highest rate of HAC mis-segregation was observed for the microtubule-stabilizing drugs, taxol and peloruside A.

Conclusion

Thus, this new and simple assay allows for a quick and efficient screen of hundreds of drugs to identify those affecting chromosome mis-segregation. It also allows ranking of compounds with the same or similar mechanism of action based on their effect on the rate of chromosome loss. The identification of new compounds that increase chromosome mis-segregation rates should expedite the development of new therapeutic strategies to target the CIN phenotype in cancer cells.

SUBMITTER: Lee HS

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3671967 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Samples were taken from colorectal cancers in surgically resected specimens in 35 colorectal cancer patients. The expression profiles were determined using Affymetrix Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0 arrays. Comparison between the sample groups allow to identify a set of discriminating genes that can be used for molecular markers for CIN phynotype. Specimens from 35 consecutive stage II and stage III patients who had undergone surgical resection of CRC were studied. Patients with familial adenomatous polyposis and HNPCC were excluded from the study. Specimens from tumors and corresponding normal tissues in surgically resected specimens were snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at -80 ºC until use. Parallel tumor specimens were formalin fixed and paraffin embedded for histological examination. DNA and RNA was extracted from paired tumor and normal tissue using frozen samples. The patients provided written, informed consent to the collection of specimens, and the local Ethics Committee approved the study protocol. MSI and LOH phenotype analysis were done as follows; Using DNA, we performed the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and determined the MSI status. In addition to five microsatellite markers recommended by the National Cancer Institute workshop, we also used TP53, D18S46, D18S363 and D18S474.9 We determined LOH status in non–MSI-high tumors, because LOH is rare in MSI-high tumors and also interpretation of LOH is difficult in MSI-high tumors. We defined LOH at each locus as a 50% reduction in the height of one of two allele peaks in tumor DNA relative to non-neoplastic control DNA. LOH was defined as present if any of the markers on the same chromosome show LOH. In order to evaluate the severity of chromosomal instability based on the actual frequency of LOH among evaluable loci, we defined the LOH Ratio (%) as: LOH Ratio (%) = Total number of chromosomes with LOH / Total number of chromosomes that could be evaluated for LOH × 100. Depending on the LOH Ratio, we classified tumors as having high levels of chromosomal instability (CIN-high) (33% < LOH Ratio < 100%) or low levels of chromosomal instability (CIN-low) (0% < LOH Ratio <33%). Furthermore, CIN-high tumors were divided into two subgroups; CIN-high (mild type) (33% < LOH Ratio < 75%) and CIN-high (severe type) (75% < LOH Ratio <100%).

Project description:Samples were taken from colorectal cancers in surgically resected specimens in 33 colorectal cancer patients. The expression profiles were determined using Affymetrix Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0 arrays. Comparison between the sample groups allow to identify a set of discriminating genes that can be used for molecular markers for CIN phynotype Specimens from 33 consecutive stage II and stage III patients who had undergone surgical resection of CRC were studied. Patients with familial adenomatous polyposis and HNPCC were excluded from the study. Specimens from tumors and corresponding normal tissues in surgically resected specimens were snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at -80degreesC until use. Parallel tumor specimens were formalin fixed and paraffin embedded for histological examination. DNA and RNA was extracted from paired tumor and normal tissue using frozen samples. The patients provided written, informed consent to the collection of specimens, and the local Ethics Committee approved the study protocol. MSI and LOH phenotype analysis were done as follows; Using DNA, we performed the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and determined the MSI status. In addition to five microsatellite markers recommended by the National Cancer Institute workshop, we also used TP53, D18S46, D18S363 and D18S474.9 We determined LOH status in non–MSI-high tumors, because LOH is rare in MSI-high tumors and also interpretation of LOH is difficult in MSI-high tumors. We defined LOH at each locus as a 50% reduction in the height of one of two allele peaks in tumor DNA relative to non-neoplastic control DNA. LOH was defined as present if any of the markers on the same chromosome show LOH. In order to evaluate the severity of chromosomal instability based on the actual frequency of LOH among evaluable loci, we defined the LOH Ratio (%) as: LOH Ratio (%) = Total number of chromosomes with LOH / Total number of chromosomes that could be evaluated for LOH × 100. Depending on the LOH Ratio, we classified tumors as having high levels of chromosomal instability (CIN-high) (33% < LOH Ratio < 100%) or low levels of chromosomal instability (CIN-low) (0% < LOH Ratio <33%). Furthermore, CIN-high tumors were divided into two subgroups; CIN-high (mild type) (33% < LOH Ratio < 75%) and CIN-high (severe type) (75% < LOH Ratio <100%).