Project description:Background: Mutation of the RB1 gene is necessary but not sufficient for the development of retinoblastoma. The nature of events occurring subsequent to RB1 mutation is unclear, as is the retinal cell-of-origin of this tumour. Methods: Gene expression profiling of 21 retinoblastomas was carried out to identify genetic events that contribute to tumorigenesis and to obtain information about tumour histogenesis. Results: Expression analysis showed a clear separation of retinoblastomas into two groups. Group 1 retinoblastomas express genes associated with a range of different retinal cell types, suggesting derivation from a retinal progenitor cell type. Recurrent chromosomal alterations typical of retinoblastoma, for example, chromosome 1q and 6p gain and 16q loss were also a feature of this group, and clinically they were characterised by an invasive pattern of tumour growth. In contrast, group 2 retinoblastomas were found to retain many characteristics of cone photoreceptor cells and appear to exploit the high metabolic capacity of this cell type in order to promote tumour proliferation. Conclusion: Retinoblastoma is a heterogeneous tumour with variable biology and clinical characteristics. Kapatai, G et al. Br J Cancer (2013) 109, 512-525 doi: 10.1038/bjc.2013.283
Project description:Mutation of the RB1 gene is necessary but not sufficient for the development of retinoblastoma. The nature of events occurring subsequent to RB1 mutation is unclear, as is the retinal cell-of-origin of this tumour.Gene expression profiling of 21 retinoblastomas was carried out to identify genetic events that contribute to tumorigenesis and to obtain information about tumour histogenesis.Expression analysis showed a clear separation of retinoblastomas into two groups. Group 1 retinoblastomas express genes associated with a range of different retinal cell types, suggesting derivation from a retinal progenitor cell type. Recurrent chromosomal alterations typical of retinoblastoma, for example, chromosome 1q and 6p gain and 16q loss were also a feature of this group, and clinically they were characterised by an invasive pattern of tumour growth. In contrast, group 2 retinoblastomas were found to retain many characteristics of cone photoreceptor cells and appear to exploit the high metabolic capacity of this cell type in order to promote tumour proliferation.Retinoblastoma is a heterogeneous tumour with variable biology and clinical characteristics.
Project description:The functional relationships and properties of different sub-types of dendritic cells (DC) remain largely undefined. We used a global gene profiling approach to determine gene expression patterns among murine splenic CD11c high DC subsets in an effort to better characterise these cells.
Project description:Retinoblastoma are childhood eye tumors arising from retinal precursor cells. Two distinct retinoblastoma subtypes with different clinical behavior have been described based on gene expression and methylation profiling. Using consensus clustering of DNA methylation analysis from retinoblastomas, we identified a MYCN-driven cluster of subtype 2 retinoblastomas characterized by DNA hypomethylation and high expression of genes involved in protein synthesis. Subtype 2 retinoblastomas outside the MYCN-driven cluster were characterized by high expression of genes from mesodermal development, including NKX2-5. Knockdown of MYCN expression in retinoblastoma cell models caused growth arrest and reactivated a subtype 1-specific photoreceptor signature. These molecular changes suggest that removing the driving force of MYCN oncogenic activity rescues molecular circuitry driving subtype 1 biology. The MYCN-RB gene signature generated from the cell models better identified MYCN-driven retinoblastoma than MYCN amplification and could identify cases that may benefit from MYCN-targeted therapy. MYCN drives tumor progression in a molecularly defined retinoblastoma subgroup, and inhibiting MYCN activity could restore a more differentiated and less aggressive tumor biology
Project description:Retinoblastoma are childhood eye tumors arising from retinal precursor cells. Two distinct retinoblastoma subtypes with different clinical behavior have been described based on gene expression and methylation profiling. Using consensus clustering of DNA methylation analysis from retinoblastomas, we identified a MYCN-driven of subtype 2 retinoblastomas characterized by DNA hypomethylation and high expression of genes involved in protein synthesis. Subtype 2 retinoblastomas outside the MYCN-driven were characterized by high expression of genes from mesodermal development, including NKX2-5. Knockdown of MYCN expression in retinoblastoma cell models caused growth arrest and reactivated a subtype 1-specific photoreceptor signature. These molecular changes suggest that removing the driving force of MYCN oncogenic activity rescues molecular circuitry driving subtype 1 biology. The MYCN-RB gene signature generated from the cell models better identified MYCN-driven retinoblastoma than MYCN amplification and could identify cases that may benefit from MYCN-targeted therapy. MYCN drives tumor progression in a molecularly defined retinoblastoma subgroup, and inhibiting MYCN activity could restore a more differentiated and less aggressive tumor biology