Project description:Gestational choriocarcinoma arises from the cells of conception and is usually characterized as a fast growing, invasive and aggressive malignancy. The overall incidence is approximately 1 case per 50,000 pregnancies and aside from increasing maternal age does not appear to have any other risk factors. In contrast to most malignancies, gestational choriocarcinoma is frequently treated on a clinical diagnosis without a biopsy and therefore tumor samples of sufficient quantity to permit detailed genetic analysis are exceptionally rare. As a result, no previous whole genome sequencing or methylation studies have been reported for this rare diagnosis. With the aim of investigating the potential contribution of epigenetic changes to the pathogenesis of this rare malignancy, we have performed a methylation analysis from routine processed FFPE material in a case of intra-placental choriocarcinoma.
Project description:Non-gestational choriocarcinoma (NGC) is a rare subtype of malignant germ cell tumor. We established a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model using tumor tissue from an 18-year-old patient with NGC. Then, we performed mRNA-seq analysis using the fresh-frozen tissues of the original tumor and the PDX model.
Project description:Background: Gestational age determination by traditional tools (last menstrual period, ultrasonography measurements and Ballard Maturational Assessment in newborns) have major limitations and therefore there is a need to find molecular marker approaches that can be used to determine the accurate gestational age of the newborn. Methods: We performed RRBS (Reduced Representation Bisulfite Sequencing) on 41 cord blood and matching placenta samples. Results: We identified a set of 316 Differentially Methylated Regions (DMRs) that undergo demethylation in late gestational age in cord blood cells and can predict the gestational age (r = -0.7, p value<0.0001). Once the set of 411 DMRs that undergo de novo methylation in late gestational age was used in combination with the first set it generated a more accurate clock (r=0.77, p value=1.87E-05). Conclusion: Taken together, this study demonstrates that DNA methylation can accurately predict gestational age. The clinical use of this predictor should be further investigated.
Project description:Choriocarcinoma is one of the rare gynecological malignancies with aggressive behavior. Vorinostat is an approved HDAC inhibitor, and HDACs play important roles in regulating gene expression and modulating various cellular processes. Here, the human choriocarcinoma cell lines (JAR and JEG-3) were treated with 1 μM vorinostat or DMSO for 48 h. Then, total RNA was extracted, and transcriptome analysis was performed.
Project description:MicroRNAs play fundamental roles in the development of various cancers; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying choriocarcinoma remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the gene expression profiles of miR-517a-3p overexpressing choriocarcinoma cells.
Project description:MicroRNAs play fundamental roles in the development of various cancers. In this study, we investigated the miRNA profiles of choriocarcinoma (CC) and complete hydatidiform mole (CHM) samples.
Project description:The term gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) describes a range of pathologies derived from the villous trophoblasts of the placenta. These include benign entities such as partial and complete hydatidiform mole as well as invasive cancers such as gestational choriocarcinoma, placental site trophoblastic tumors, and epithelioid trophoblastic tumors. Collectively, the malignant forms of GTD are known as gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN). The risk of GTN following a complete molar pregnancy ranges between 8-25%. Low risk patients are expected to have a high likelihood of response to single agent chemotherapy with methotrexate or actinomycin D, but the incidence of resistance to single agent chemotherapy among low risk patients remains 25-50%. We used gene expression microarrays to compare methotrexate sensitive trophoblastic cell lines to sublines that were conditioned to become methotrexate resistant.