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Beatrice Knudsen

Publications and source records attributed to Beatrice Knudsen.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

A molecular correlate to the Gleason grading system for prostate adenocarcinoma.

Adenocarcinomas of the prostate can be categorized into tumor grades based on the extent to which the cancers histologically resemble normal prostate glands. Because grades are surrogates of intrinsic tumor behavior, characterizing the molecular phenotype of grade is of potential clinical importance. To identify molecular alterations underlying prostate cancer grades, we used microdissection to obtain specific cohorts of cancer cells corresponding to the most common Gleason patterns (patterns 3, 4, and 5) from 29 radical prostatectomy samples. We paired each cancer sample with matched benign lumenal prostate epithelial cells and profiled transcript abundance levels by microarray analysis. We identified an 86-gene model capable of distinguishing low-grade (pattern 3) from high-grade (patterns 4 and 5) cancers. This model performed with 76% accuracy when applied to an independent set of 30 primary prostate carcinomas. Using tissue microarrays comprising >800 prostate samples, we confirmed a significant association between high levels of monoamine oxidase A expression and poorly differentiated cancers by immunohistochemistry. We also confirmed grade-associated levels of defender against death (DAD1) protein and HSD17 beta4 transcripts by immunohistochemistry and quantitative RT-PCR, respectively. The altered expression of these genes provides functional insights into grade-associated features of therapy resistance and tissue invasion. Furthermore, in identifying a profile of 86 genes that distinguish high- from low-grade carcinomas, we have generated a set of potential targets for modulating the development and progression of the lethal prostate cancer phenotype.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2006

Combining results of microarray experiments: a rank aggregation approach.

As technology for microarray analysis becomes widespread, it is becoming increasingly important to be able to compare and combine the results of experiments that explore the same scientific question. In this article, we present a rank-aggregation approach for combining results from several microarray studies. The motivation for this approach is twofold; first, the final results of microarray studies are typically expressed as lists of genes, rank-ordered by a measure of the strength of evidence that they are functionally involved in the disease process, and second, using the information on this rank-ordered metric means that we do not have to concern ourselves with data on the actual expression levels, which may not be comparable across experiments. Our approach draws on methods for combining top-k lists from the computer science literature on meta-search. The meta-search problem shares several important features with that of combining microarray experiments, including the fact that there are typically few lists with many elements and the elements may not be common to all lists. We implement two meta-search algorithms, which use a Markov chain framework to convert pairwise preferences between list elements into a stationary distribution that represents an aggregate ranking (Dwork et al, 2001). We explore the behavior of the algorithms in hypothetical examples and a simulated dataset and compare their performance with that of an algorithm based on the order-statistics model of Thurstone (Thurstone, 1927). We apply all three algorithms to aggregate the results of five microarray studies of prostate cancer.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2006

The gene expression program of prostate fibroblast senescence modulates neoplastic epithelial cell proliferation through paracrine mechanisms.

The greatest risk factor for developing carcinoma of the prostate is advanced age. Potential molecular and physiologic contributors to the frequency of cancer occurrence in older individuals include the accumulation of somatic mutations through defects in genome maintenance, epigenetic gene silencing, oxidative stress, loss of immune surveillance, telomere dysfunction, chronic inflammation, and alterations in tissue microenvironment. In this context, the process of prostate carcinogenesis can be influenced through interactions between intrinsic cellular alterations and the extrinsic microenvironment and macroenvironment, both of which change substantially as a consequence of aging. In this study, we sought to characterize the molecular alterations that occur during the process of prostate fibroblast senescence to identify factors in the aged tissue microenvironment capable of promoting the proliferation and potentially the neoplastic progression of prostate epithelium. We evaluated three mechanisms leading to cell senescence: oxidative stress, DNA damage, and replicative exhaustion. We identified a consistent program of gene expression that includes a subset of paracrine factors capable of influencing adjacent prostate epithelial growth. Both direct coculture and conditioned medium from senescent prostate fibroblasts stimulated epithelial cell proliferation, 3-fold and 2-fold, respectively. The paracrine-acting proteins fibroblast growth factor 7, hepatocyte growth factor, and amphiregulin (AREG) were elevated in the extracellular environment of senescent prostate fibroblasts. Exogenous AREG alone stimulated prostate epithelial cell growth, and neutralizing antibodies and small interfering RNA targeting AREG attenuated, but did not completely abrogate the growth-promoting effects of senescent fibroblast conditioned medium. These results support the concept that aging-related changes in the prostate microenvironment may contribute to the progression of prostate neoplasia.

Cell Proliferation↗
PubMed2005

Loss of stearoyl-CoA desaturase expression is a frequent event in prostate carcinoma.

Prostate carcinogenesis is influenced by genetic alterations resulting in a biochemical condition that favors cell proliferation and survival. Studies of prostate carcinoma using comparative genomic hybridization and cDNA microarray analysis indicate that numerous biochemical processes may be affected during cellular transformation and progression to an invasive phenotype. Among the consistently observed tumor-associated changes are alterations in fatty acid metabolism that influence diverse cellular activities such as signaling, energy utilization, and membrane fluidity. Increases in fatty acid synthase (FAS) levels have been shown to be one of the earliest and most frequent molecular alterations in prostate carcinogenesis. We sought to identify tumor-associated changes in the expression of genes with functional roles associated with lipid metabolism. Defined populations of normal and neoplastic prostate epithelium were acquired by laser capture microdissection and transcript levels were measured by cDNA microarray hybridization. We determined that stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) transcripts were downregulated in cancer relative to normal epithelium. These results were confirmed by quantitative PCR. Further analysis by immunohistochemical evaluation of radical prostatectomy samples employed a quantitative scoring system with a range of 0-300. The median SCD expression levels were 150, 45 and 10 for normal, PIN and carcinoma samples, respectively. Statistically significant differential SCD expression between normal and cancerous epithelium was determined at the p=0.001 level, and between PIN and prostate carcinoma at the p=0.03 level. Of these cases, 92% overexpressed fatty acid synthase (FAS) in cancerous cells and 84.7% exhibited the signature of FAS overexpression and SCD loss in prostate carcinoma as compared to normal prostate epithelium. These results indicate that loss of SCD expression is a frequent event in prostate adenocarcinoma, and further supports a role for altered lipid metabolism as a factor in the process of carcinogenesis.

Blotting, Northern↗
PubMed2005

C-Met overexpression in node-positive breast cancer identifies patients with poor clinical outcome independent of Her2/neu.

Receptor tyrosine kinases play an important role in malignant transformation of epithelial cells by activating signal transduction pathways important for proliferation, invasion and metastasis. In a pilot study (n = 40), we evaluated expression of the c-Met and Her2/neu receptor tyrosine kinases and the c-Met ligand hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) in primary breast cancers and their lymph node metastases using both conventional immunohistochemistry and confocal immunofluorescence. Neither c-Met and HGF/SF nor Her2/neu expression correlated with established prognostic factors such as age, lymph node involvement, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), tumor size, or grade. Both staining methods confirmed a significant correlation between c-Met overexpression and a high risk of disease progression. Furthermore, among tumors with c-Met overexpression, only 50% also overexpress Her2/neu, thus identifying a subset of patients with aggressive disease in addition to Her2/neu. Median disease-free survival in patients with c-Met overexpressing tumors was 8 months compared to 53 months when c-Met expression was low (p = 0.037; RR = 3.0). This significant impact of c-Met on tumor aggressiveness independent of Her2/neu was also confirmed by multivariate analysis. In conclusion, the role of c-Met expression as a prognostic variable and consequently as an interesting target for novel therapeutic approaches deserves further analysis in a larger cohort of patients.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Analyzing patterns of staining in immunohistochemical studies: application to a study of prostate cancer recurrence.

BACKGROUND: Immunohistochemical studies use antibodies to stain tissues with the goal of quantifying protein expression. However, protein expression is often heterogeneous resulting in variable degrees and patterns of staining. This problem is particularly acute in prostate cancer, where tumors are infiltrative and heterogeneous in nature. In this article, we introduce analytic approaches that explicitly consider both the frequency and intensity of tissue staining. METHODS: Compositional data analysis is a technique used to analyze vectors of unit-sum proportions, such as those obtained from soil sample studies or species abundance surveys. We summarized specimen staining patterns by the proportion of cells staining at mild, moderate, and intense levels and used compositional data analysis to summarize and compare the resulting staining profiles. RESULTS: In a study of Syndecan-1 staining patterns among 44 localized prostate cancer cases with Gleason score 7 disease, compositional data analysis did not detect a statistically significant difference between the staining patterns in recurrent (n = 22) versus nonrecurrent (n = 22) patients. Results indicated only modest increases in the proportion of cells staining at a moderate intensity in the recurrent group. In contrast, an analysis that compared quantitative scores across groups indicated a (borderline) significant increase in staining in the recurrent group (P = 0.05, t test). CONCLUSIONS: Compositional data analysis offers a novel analytic approach for immunohistochemical studies, providing greater insight into differences in staining patterns between groups, but possibly lower statistical power than existing, score-based methods. When appropriate, we recommend conducting a compositional data analysis in addition to a standard score-based analysis.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗
PubMed2004

Adhesion or plasmin regulates tyrosine phosphorylation of a novel membrane glycoprotein p80/gp140/CUB domain-containing protein 1 in epithelia.

Suspension of cultured human foreskin keratinocytes (HKs) with trypsin phosphorylates tyrosine residues on an 80-kDa membrane glycoprotein, p80 (Xia, Y., Gil, S. G., and Carter, W. G. (1996) J. Cell Biol. 132, 727-740). Readhesion dephosphorylates p80. Sequencing of a p80 cDNA established identity to CUB domain-containing protein 1 (CDCP1), a gene elevated in carcinomas. CDCP1/p80 cDNA encodes three extracellular CUB domains, a transmembrane domain, and two putative cytoplasmic Tyr phosphorylation sites. Treatment of adherent HKs with suramin, a heparin analogue, or inhibitors of phosphotyrosine phosphatases (PTPs; vanadate or calpeptin) increases phosphorylation of p80 and a novel 140-kDa membrane glycoprotein, gp140. Phosphorylated gp140 was identified as a trypsin-sensitive precursor to p80. Identity was confirmed by digestion and phosphorylation studies with recombinant gp140-GFP. Plasmin, a serum protease, also converts gp140 to p80, providing biological significance to the cleavage in wounds. Phosphorylation of gp140 and p80 are mediated by Src family kinases at multiple Tyr residues including Tyr(734). Dephosphorylation is mediated by PTP(s). Conversion of gp140 to p80 prolongs phosphorylation of p80 in response to suramin and changes in adhesion. This distinguishes gp140 and p80 and explains the relative abundance of phosphorylated p80 in trypsinized HKs. We conclude that phosphorylation of gp140 is dynamic and balanced by Src family kinase and PTPs yielding low equilibrium phosphorylation. We suggest that the balance is altered by conversion of gp140 to p80 and by adhesion, providing a novel transmembrane phosphorylation signal in epithelial wounds.

Amino Acid Motifs↗
PubMed2004

Oral cavity and esophageal carcinogenesis modeled in carcinogen-treated mice.

PURPOSE: Squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity is one of the most common human neoplasms, and prevention of these carcinomas requires a better understanding of the carcinogenesis process and a model system in which cancer chemoprevention agents can be tested. We have developed a mouse model using the carcinogen 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4-NQO) in the drinking water to induce tumorigenesis in the mouse oral cavity. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: 4-NQO was delivered by tongue painting or drinking water to two mouse strains, CBA and C57Bl/6. The incidences of oral cavity carcinogenesis were then compared. In addition, we examined the expression of some of the molecular markers associated with the process of human oral cavity and esophageal carcinogenesis, such as keratin (K) 1, K14, p16, and epidermal growth factor receptor, by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: After treatment with 4-NQO in the drinking water, massive tumors were observed on the tongues of both CBA and C57Bl/6 female mice. Pathological analyses indicated that flat squamous dysplasias, exophytic papillary squamous tumors (papillomas), and invasive squamous cell carcinomas were present. Immunohistochemistry analyses showed that 4-NQO changed the expression patterns of the intermediate filament proteins K14 and K1. K14 was expressed in the epithelial suprabasal layers, in addition to the basal layer, in tongues from carcinogen-treated animals. In contrast, control animals expressed K14 only in the basal layer. Moreover, we observed more bromodeoxyuridine staining in the tongue epithelia of 4-NQO-treated mice. Reduced expression of the cell cycle inhibitor, p16, was observed, whereas 4-NQO treatment caused an increase in epidermal growth factor receptor expression in the mouse tongues. Interestingly, similar features of carcinogenesis, including multiple, large (up to 0.5 cm) exophytic papillary squamous tumors and invasive squamous cell carcinomas, increased bromodeoxyuridine staining, and increased K14 expression, were also observed in the esophagi of 4-NQO-treated mice. However, no tumors were observed in the remainder of digestive tract (including the forestomach, intestine, and colon) or in the lungs or livers of 4-NQO-treated mice. These results indicate that this murine 4-NQO-induced oral and esophageal carcinogenesis model simulates many aspects of human oral cavity and esophageal carcinogenesis. CONCLUSIONS: The availability of this mouse model should permit analysis of oral cavity and esophageal cancer development in various mutant and transgenic mouse strains. This model will also allow testing of cancer chemopreventive drugs in various transgenic mouse strains.

4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide↗
PubMed2004

Epidermal growth factor receptor-dependent regulation of integrin-mediated signaling and cell cycle entry in epithelial cells.

Integrin-mediated adhesion of epithelial cells to extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins induces prolonged tyrosine phosphorylation and partial activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in an integrin-dependent and EGFR ligand-independent manner. Integrin-mediated activation of EGFR in epithelial cells is required for multiple signal transduction events previously shown to be induced by cell adhesion to matrix proteins, including tyrosine phosphorylation of Shc, Cbl, and phospholipase Cgamma, and activation of the Ras/Erk and phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase/Akt signaling pathways. In contrast, activation of focal adhesion kinase, Src, and protein kinase C, adhesion to matrix proteins, cell spreading, migration, and actin cytoskeletal rearrangements are induced independently of EGFR kinase activity. The ability of integrins to induce the activation of EGFR and its subsequent regulation of Erk and Akt activation permitted adhesion-dependent induction of cyclin D1 and p21, Rb phosphorylation, and activation of cdk4 in epithelial cells in the absence of exogenous growth factors. Adhesion of epithelial cells to the ECM failed to efficiently induce degradation of p27, to induce cdk2 activity, or to induce Myc and cyclin A synthesis; subsequently, cells did not progress into S phase. Treatment of ECM-adherent cells with EGF, or overexpression of EGFR or Myc, resulted in restoration of late-G(1) cell cycle events and progression into S phase. These results indicate that partial activation of EGFR by integrin receptors plays an important role in mediating events triggered by epithelial cell attachment to ECM; EGFR is necessary for activation of multiple integrin-induced signaling enzymes and sufficient for early events in G(1) cell cycle progression. Furthermore, these findings suggest that EGFR or Myc overexpression may provoke ligand-independent proliferation in matrix-attached cells in vivo and could contribute to carcinoma development.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Men with nonobstructive azoospermia have Leydig cell hypertrophy but not hyperplasia.

PURPOSE: We determined whether testicular histology in men with spermatogenic failure due to nonobstructive azoospermia shows true Leydig cell hyperplasia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Testicular biopsy specimens from 17 patients evaluated for infertility were retrospectively analyzed. Interstitial, tubular and Leydig cell volume were quantitatively evaluated. The total volume and number of Leydig cells per testicle were then calculated. RESULTS: In 10 patients with obstructive azoospermia testicular histology showed normal spermatogenic function, while 7 had nonobstructive azoospermia. Average testicular volume plus or minus standard deviation was significantly larger in those with obstructive versus nonobstructive azoospermia (18.0 +/- 7.0 versus 9.3 +/- 8.7 cc, p = 0.025). Interstitial versus tubular volume was 32% of the total testis in the obstructive and 63% in the nonobstructive groups (p = 0.003). Although Leydig cell volume was proportionally greater in men with nonobstructive versus obstructive azoospermia (13.3% versus 0.05%, p = 0.045), there was no significant difference in the average number of Leydig cells per testicle (3.96 x 10 and 6.17 x 10, respectively, p = 0.16). The average volume of individual Leydig cells was significantly greater in men with the nonobstructive condition (253.0 +/- 98.7 versus 174.0 +/- 57.7 microm., p = 0.045). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that men with nonobstructive azoospermia and those with normal spermatogenesis have an equivalent number of Leydig cells. However, the Leydig cells are hypertrophic and occupy a larger proportion of total testis volume in men with nonobstructive azoospermia. Therefore, patients with spermatogenic failure show Leydig cell hypertrophy but not hyperplasia.

Biopsy↗