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%).
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:Aneuploidy and chromosomal instability are both commonly found in cancer. Chromosomal instability leads to karyotype heterogeneity in tumors and is associated with therapy resistance, metastasis and poor prognosis. It has been hypothesized that aneuploidy per se is sufficient to drive CIN, however due to limited models and heterogenous results, it has remained controversial which aspects of aneuploidy can drive CIN. In this study we systematically tested the impact of different types of aneuploidies on the induction of CIN. We generated a plethora of isogenic aneuploid clones harboring whole chromosome or segmental aneuploidies in human p53-deficient RPE-1 cells. We observed increased segregation errors in cells harboring trisomies that strongly correlated to the number of gained genes. Strikingly, we found that clones harboring only monosomies do not induce a CIN phenotype. Finally, we found that an initial chromosome breakage event and subsequent fusion can instigate breakage-fusion-bridge cycles. By investigating the impact of monosomies, trisomies and segmental aneuploidies on chromosomal instability we further deciphered the complex relationship between aneuploidy and CIN.
Project description:Chromosomal instability (CIN), an ongoing rate of chromosome missegregation during mitosis, is a defining feature of cancer. However, high chromosomal aberrations are detrimental for cell fitness. Here we investigated mechanisms allowing lethal prostate cancer (PCa) to tolerate and survive increasing CIN. Transcriptomic and proteomic analysis of patient datasets and experimental models showed a concomitant increase of CIN and cell division fidelity kinases in lethal PCa. Functional studies identified MASTL as a key kinase to which therapy-resistant PCa cells become addicted to restrain lethal CIN and ensure survival. Combined analysis of transcription factors increased in high CIN PCa patient datasets with detailed promoter analysis identified that MASTL expression is regulated by the Androgen Receptor variant 7 (AR-V7) and E2F7. Finally, targeting MASTL addiction vulnerability in vivo using the small molecule inhibitor GKI-1, improves survival of pre-clinical models. These findings provide proof-of-concept for exploiting CIN levels as a therapeutic approach in cancer.
Project description:Tumors that overexpress the MYC oncogene frequently demonstrate aneuploidy, numerical chromosome alterations associated with highly aggressive cancers, rapid tumor evolution, and poor patient outcome. Here, we identify that MYC overexpression induces defects in microtubule nucleation and mitotic spindle assembly, promoting chromosome segregation defects, micronuclei and chromosomal instability (CIN). High TPX2 expression is permissive for mitotic spindle assembly and chromosome segregation in cells with MYC overexpression; whereas TPX2 depletion blocks mitotic progression, induces cell death and prevents tumor growth. Attenuating MYC expression reverses mitotic defects, even in established tumor cell lines, implicating an ongoing role for high MYC in the persistence of CIN in tumors. Our studies implicate the MYC oncogene as a regulator of spindle assembly and identify a new MYC-TPX2 synthetic-lethal interaction that could represent a future therapeutic strategy in MYC-overexpressing cancers. Moreover, our studies suggest that blocking MYC activity can attenuate the emergence of CIN and tumor evolution.
Project description:Tumors that overexpress the MYC oncogene frequently demonstrate aneuploidy, numerical chromosome alterations associated with highly aggressive cancers, rapid tumor evolution, and poor patient outcome. Here, we identify that MYC overexpression induces defects in microtubule nucleation and mitotic spindle assembly, promoting chromosome segregation defects, micronuclei and chromosomal instability (CIN). High TPX2 expression is permissive for mitotic spindle assembly and chromosome segregation in cells with MYC overexpression; whereas TPX2 depletion blocks mitotic progression, induces cell death and prevents tumor growth. Attenuating MYC expression reverses mitotic defects, even in established tumor cell lines, implicating an ongoing role for high MYC in the persistence of CIN in tumors. Our studies implicate the MYC oncogene as a regulator of spindle assembly and identify a new MYC-TPX2 synthetic-lethal interaction that could represent a future therapeutic strategy in MYC-overexpressing cancers. Moreover, our studies suggest that blocking MYC activity can attenuate the emergence of CIN and tumor evolution.
Project description:Skull-base chordoma (SBC) is a rare, aggressive bone cancer with a high recurrent rate. Genomic studies of SBC have improved our understanding of the disease’s biology. However, the molecular biological characteristics and the effective therapy of SBC remain unknown. Here, we carried out an integrative genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and phosphoproteomics analysis of 187 skull-base chordoma tumors. We identified chromosome instability (CIN) as a prognostic predictor and a potential therapeutic target in SBCs. Multi-omic data revealed downstream effects of CIN, in which, RPRD1B served as a putative therapeutic target for radiotherapy resistant SBC patients. Chromosome 1q gain was significantly enriched in CIN+ SBCs, and associated with upregulated mitochondrial functions, which led to inferior clinical outcomes. Immune subtyping identified an immune cold SBC subtype with CIN+ feature, and elucidated an association between losses of chromosome 9p/10q and immune evasion. In addition, proteomics-based classification of SBCs revealed that P-II and P-III subtype tumors had both CIN+ and immune cold features; however, P-II tumors with apoptosis suppression features were more invasive. These identified molecular features of CIN were further confirmed in 17 pairwise SBC patients. Our observations and the multi-omic data resources might guide research into the biology and treatment of SBC.
Project description:Aneuploidy, a hallmark of cancer, often arises from whole chromosome instability (W-CIN). Many cancers exhibiting W-CIN, however, show no direct insult to the mitotic proteins that ensure proper segregation of chromosomes. This has stimulated interest in identifying defects in non-mitotic processes that might disrupt chromosome behavior in mitosis. Here we show in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that re-replication of centromeric DNA, caused by deregulation of replication initiation proteins, efficiently induces chromosome instability––either by causing missegregation of both sister chromatids to one daughter cell or by triggering formation of an extra chromatid through a pathway dependent on homologous recombination. Given the emerging connections between the deregulation of replication initiation proteins and oncogenesis, our findings offer the possibility of a new non-mitotic source of W-CIN and aneuploidy that may be relevant to cancer. Diploid strains containing a re-replicating locus were induced to re-replicate through a centromere. This compilation includes the analysis of the re-replication, as well as the copy-number determination of alleged aneuploid colonies from various backgrounds. Series contains a total of 194 copy number hybridizations and 8 re-replication profile hybridizations. Note that the VALUE field reported for all of the sample tables in this series are the log2 of the normalized Cy3/Cy5 ratio. To convert these into usable copy number profiles raise 2 to the indicated VALUE.
Project description:Chromosomal instability (CIN), defined as an increased occurrence of chromosome segregation errors during cell division, is a prominent form of genomic instability (Bakhoum and Avi Landau, 2017). It is the major cause of aneuploidy, an imbalanced complement of whole chromosomes or chromosome arms, which is the most prevalent genetic alteration in human cancers (Vasudevan et al., 2021; Santaguida and Amon, 2015). Importantly, aneuploidy is commonly associated with ongoing CIN through consecutive cell divisions (Shelzer et al. 2011; Passerini et al., 2016), resulting in intratumor genetic heterogeneity, a central driver of cancer evolution and therapeutic resistance (Sansregret et al., 2018; Ben-David and Amon, 2019). Indeed, aneuploidy has been shown to act both as a tumor suppressor and as a tumor initiator (Weaver et al., 2007; Silk et al., 2013; Vasudevan et al., 2020), most likely depending on the specific chromosomes that are gained or lost (Ben-David et al., 2011; Sack et al., 2018; Adell et al., 2023). Despite the ubiquitous presence of CIN in several aneuploid cancer types and its clinical relevance, its presence in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) remains largely unexplored owing to the impaired proliferation of leukemic cells in vitro and the lack of reliable experimental models to comprehensively assess chromosome segregation in vivo. B-ALL is the most frequent childhood cancer, with 75% of cases occurring in children under 6 years of age, and it is characterized by the accumulation of highly proliferative immature B-cell precursors in the bone marrow (BM) (Hunger and Mullighan, 2015). The presence of CIN and its contribution to aneuploid cB-ALL progression is largely unknown due to the lack of preclinical models to study actively dividing cells. Accordingly, studies of CIN in cB-ALL are limited to the characterization of chromosomal copy-number heterogeneity (chr-CNH) in primary cB-ALL samples, but there is controversy over its presence due to the different techniques used to assess karyotype variability (Raimondi et al., 1996; Talamo et al., 2010; Alpar et al., 2014; Heerema et al.; 2007; Ramos-Muntada et al., 2022). Here, we explored the presence and the levels of CIN in different clinically-relevant aneuploid subtypes of cB-ALL using single-cell whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of primary samples to reliably assess chr-CNH, and by generating a large cohort of PDX models from primary cB-ALL samples (cB-ALL-PDX). Our results in cB-ALL-PDX models revealed variable levels of CIN in aneuploid cB-ALL subtypes, which significantly correlate with intraclonal karyotype heterogeneity and with disease progression. Additionally, mass-spectrometry analyses of cB-ALL-PDX samples revealed a CIN “signature” enriched in mitosis and chromosome segregation regulatory pathways. We speculate that this signature identifies adaptive mechanisms to ongoing CIN in aneuploid cB-ALL cells, which displayed a transcriptional signature characterized by an impaired mitotic spindle as observed by RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) analyses of a large cohort of primary cB-ALL patient samples. Our work might help to improve stratification of patients with cB-ALL with different levels of CIN who could benefit in the future from new therapeutic approaches aiming to target ongoing CIN.