Project description:BackgroundThe fallopian tube fimbria is regarded as the main tissue of origin and incessant ovulation as the main risk factor of ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma. Previously, we discovered the tumorigenesis activity of human ovulatory follicular fluid (FF) upon injection to the mammary fat pad of Trp53-null mice. We also found a mutagenesis activity of FF-ROS and a apoptosis-rescuing activity of Hb from retrograde menstruation. However, neither of them can explain the tumorigenesis activities of FF.MethodsFrom two cohorts of ovulatory FF retrieved from IVF patients, the main growth factor responsible for the transformation of human fimbrial epithelial cells was identified. Mechanism of activation, ways of signal transduction of the growth factor, as well as the cellular and genetic phenotypes of the malignant transformation was characterized.FindingsIn this study, we showed that insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-axis proteins, including IGFBP-bound IGF2 as well as the IGFBP-lytic enzyme PAPP-A, are abundantly present in FF. Upon engaging with glycosaminoglycans on the membrane of fimbrial epithelial cells, PAPP-A cleaves IGFBPs and releases IGF2 to bind with IGF-1R. Through the IGF-1R/AKT/mTOR and IGF-1R/AKT/NANOG pathways, FF-IGF leads to stemness and survival, and in the case of TP53/Rb or TP53/CCNE1 loss, to clonal expansion and malignant transformation of fimbrial epithelial cells. By depleting each IGF axis component from FF, we proved that IGF2, IGFBP2/6, and PAPP-A are all essential and confer the majority of the transformation and regeneration activities.InterpretationThis study revealed that the FF-IGF axis functions to regenerate tissue damage after ovulation and promote the transformation of fimbrial epithelial cells that have been initiated by p53- and Rb-pathway disruptions. FUND: The study was supported by grants of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST 106-2314-B-303-001-MY2; MOST 105-2314-B-303-017-MY2; MOST 107-2314-B-303-013-MY3), and Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Taiwan (TCMMP104-04-01).

Project description:The cell and tissue of origin of high grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) is controversial. While the disease was traditionally assumed to arise from the ovarian surface epithelium (OSE), recent work supports an alternative model implicating the fallopian tube fimbriae epithelium (FTE). We used comparative DNA methylome analyses as a means to test these two competing models, hypothesizing that the HGSC methylome should more closely resemble its tissue of origin. Using two separate analysis methods, analysis within distinct genomic contexts, and validation studies using large-scale publically available HGSC methylome data, we consistently observed that the DNA methylome of HGSC more closely resembles FTE than OSE. These data support the FTE origin model, and suggest DNA methylome analysis as a useful approach to examine cell/tissue lineage origin in cancer. HGSC is the most common and lethal form of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Two distinct tissues have been hypothesized as the tissue of origin of HGSC: OSE and FTE. We hypothesized that the DNA methylome of HGSC would more closely resemble the methylome of its tissue of origin. To test this, we profiled HGSC (n=10), OSE (n=7), and FTE (n=7) primary fresh-frozen tissues, and analyzed DNA methylome using Illumina 450K arrays (n=24) and Agilent Sure Select methyl-seq (n=7). We compared methylomes using statistical analyses of differentially methylated CpG sites (DMC) and differentially methylated regions (DMR), and methylation within a variety of different genomic contexts, including CpG island shores. We also analyzed methylation specifically at Homeobox (HOX) genes, due to their role in tissue specification. We used publically available HGSC methylome data (n=628) to provide additional comparison with FTE and OSE and potential validation. This analysis revealed that HGSC and FTE methylomes were significantly and consistently more highly conserved than were HGSC and OSE. Pearson correlations and hierarchal clustering of genes, promoters, CpG islands, CpG island shores, and HOX genes all revealed the increased relatedness of HGSC and FTE methylomes. In addition, two different large data sets of publically-available HGSC methylome data confirmed these relationships. In summary, our findings support the FTE origin model for HGSC, the most common and deadly EOC subtype. Due to its tissue-specificity and biochemical stability, interrogation of the DNA methylome appears to be a valuable approach to examine cell/tissue lineage in cancer.

Dataset Information

Integrative Transcriptome Analyses of the Human Fallopian Tube: Fimbria and Ampulla-Site of Origin of Serous Carcinoma of the Ovary.

Publications

Integrative Transcriptome Analyses of the Human Fallopian Tube: Fimbria and Ampulla-Site of Origin of Serous Carcinoma of the Ovary.

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