Project description:BackgroundUpper tract urothelial carcinomas (UT-UC) can invade the pelvicalyceal system making differential diagnosis of the various histologically distinct renal cell carcinoma (RCC) subtypes and UT-UC, difficult. Correct diagnosis is critical for determining appropriate surgery and post-surgical treatments. We aimed to identify microRNA (miRNA) signatures that can accurately distinguish the most prevalent RCC subtypes and UT-UC form the normal kidney.Methods and findingsmiRNA profiling was performed on FFPE tissue sections from RCC and UT-UC and normal kidney and 434 miRNAs were significantly deregulated in cancerous vs. the normal tissue. Hierarchical clustering distinguished UT-UCs from RCCs and classified the various RCC subtypes among them. qRT-PCR validated the deregulated expression profile for the majority of the miRNAs and ROC analysis revealed their capability to discriminate between tumour and normal kidney. An independent cohort of freshly frozen RCC and UT-UC samples was used to validate the deregulated miRNAs with the best discriminatory ability (AUC>0.8, p<0.001). Many of them were located within cytogenetic regions that were previously reported to be significantly aberrated. miRNA targets were predicted using the miRWalk algorithm and ingenuity pathway analysis identified the canonical pathways and curated networks of the deregulated miRNAs. Using the miRWalk algorithm, we further identified the top anti-correlated mRNA/miRNA pairs, between the deregulated miRNAs from our study and the top co-deregulated mRNAs among 5 independent ccRCC GEO datasets. The AB8/13 undifferentiated podocyte cells were used for functional assays using luciferase reporter constructs and the developmental transcription factor TFCP2L1 was proved to be a true target of miR-489, which was the second most upregulated miRNA in ccRCC.ConclusionsWe identified novel miRNAs specific for each RCC subtype and UT-UC, we investigated their putative targets, the networks and pathways in which they participate and we functionally verified the true targets of the top deregulated miRNAs.

Project description:Recurrent upper tract urothelial carcinomas (UTUCs) arise in the context of nephropathy linked to exposure to the herbal carcinogen aristolochic acid (AA). Here we delineated the molecular programs underlying UTUC tumorigenesis in patients from endemic aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN) regions in Southern Europe. We applied an integrative multiomics analysis of UTUCs, corresponding unaffected tissues and of patient urines. Quantitative microRNA (miRNA) and messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression profiling, immunohistochemical analysis by tissue microarrays and exome and transcriptome sequencing were performed in UTUC and nontumor tissues. Urinary miRNAs of cases undergoing surgery were profiled before and after tumor resection. Ribonucleic acid (RNA) and protein levels were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests and trend assessment. Dedicated bioinformatic tools were used for analysis of pathways, mutational signatures and result visualization. The results delineate UTUC-specific miRNA:mRNA networks comprising 89 miRNAs associated with 1,862 target mRNAs, involving deregulation of cell cycle, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage response, DNA repair, bladder cancer, oncogenes, tumor suppressors, chromatin structure regulators and developmental signaling pathways. Key UTUC-specific transcripts were confirmed at the protein level. Exome and transcriptome sequencing of UTUCs revealed AA-specific mutational signature SBS22, with 68% to 76% AA-specific, deleterious mutations propagated at the transcript level, a possible basis for neoantigen formation and immunotherapy targeting. We next identified a signature of UTUC-specific miRNAs consistently more abundant in the patients' urine prior to tumor resection, thereby defining biomarkers of tumor presence. The complex gene regulation programs of AAN-associated UTUC tumors involve regulatory miRNAs prospectively applicable to noninvasive urine-based screening of AAN patients for cancer presence and recurrence.

Project description:Despite a similar histologic appearance, upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) and urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB) tumors have distinct epidemiologic and clinicopathologic differences.To investigate whether the differences between UTUC and UCB result from intrinsic biological diversity.Tumor and germline DNA from patients with UTUC (n=83) and UCB (n=102) were analyzed using a custom next-generation sequencing assay to identify somatic mutations and copy number alterations in 300 cancer-associated genes.We described co-mutation patterns and copy number alterations in UTUC. We also compared mutation frequencies in high-grade UTUC (n=59) and high-grade UCB (n=102).Comparison of high-grade UTUC and UCB revealed significant differences in the prevalence of somatic alterations. Genes altered more commonly in high-grade UTUC included FGFR3 (35.6% vs 21.6%; p=0.065), HRAS (13.6% vs 1.0%; p=0.001), and CDKN2B (15.3% vs 3.9%; p=0.016). Genes less frequently mutated in high-grade UTUC included TP53 (25.4% vs 57.8%; p<0.001), RB1 (0.0% vs 18.6%; p<0.001), and ARID1A (13.6% vs 27.5%; p=0.050). Because our assay was restricted to genomic alterations in a targeted panel, rare mutations and epigenetic changes were not analyzed.High-grade UTUC tumors display a spectrum of genetic alterations similar to high-grade UCB. However, there were significant differences in the prevalence of several recurrently mutated genes including HRAS, TP53, and RB1. As relevant targeted inhibitors are being developed and tested, these results may have important implications for the site-specific management of patients with urothelial carcinoma.Comparison of next-generation sequencing of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) with urothelial bladder cancer identified that similar mutations were present in both cancer types but at different frequencies, indicating a potential need for unique management strategies. UTUC tumors were found to have a high rate of mutations that could be targeted with novel therapies.

Project description:This study presents a comprehensive multi-omic analysis of upper urinary tract urothelial tumours (UTUC) and urines of patients with past exposure to carcinogenic aristolochic acid (AA). We determined complex miRNA:mRNA tumor networks and their key protein components. Tumor exome and transcriptome sequencing revealed a burden of AA-specific mutations in UTUC and identified deleteriously mutated genes and their mRNA transcripts. A subset of identified urinary miRNAs presents potential biomarkers of UTUC development or presence. Recurrent upper urinary tract carcinomas (UTUC) arise in the context of nephropathy linked to exposure to the herbal carcinogen aristolochic acid (AA). We aimed to delineate the detailed biological programs underlying UTUC tumorigenesis in patients from endemic aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN) regions in Southern Europe, by using an integrative multi-omics analysis of UTUCs, corresponding unaffected tissues and of patient urines. Quantitative miRNA and mRNA expression profiling, immunohistochemical analysis by tissue microarrays, and exome and transcriptome sequencing were performed in UTUC and non-tumor tissues. Urinary miRNAsof cases undergoing surgery were profiled before and after UTUC resection. RNA and protein levels were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests and trend assessment. Dedicated bioinformatic tools were used for analysis of pathways, mutational signatures and result visualization. The results delineate UTUC-specific miRNA:mRNA networks comprising 89 miRNAs associated with 1862 target mRNAs and involving deregulation of cell cycle, DNA damage response, DNA repair, bladder cancer, oncogenes, tumor suppressors, chromatin structure regulators and developmental signaling pathways. Key UTUC-specific transcriptome components were confirmed at the protein level. Exome and transcriptome sequencing of UTUC revealed AA-specific COSMIC mutational signature 22, with 68-76% AA-specific, deleterious mutations propagated at the mRNA level. We next identified a signature of UTUC-specific miRNAs consistently more abundant in the patients’ urine prior to tumor resection. The gene regulation programs of AAN-associated UTUC tumors are highly complex and involve regulatory miRNAs prospectively applicable to non-invasive urine-based screening of AAN patients for cancer recurrence.

Dataset Information

Unique Transcriptomic Profile of Collecting Duct Carcinomas Relative to Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinomas and other Kidney Carcinomas.

Publications

Unique Transcriptomic Profile of Collecting Duct Carcinomas Relative to Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinomas and other Kidney Carcinomas.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets