PubMed Health⌕ Search

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “DNA MICROSATELLITE INSTABILITY”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 379 records · Page 21Linked to original sources

Frequent Bax frameshift mutations in gastric cancer with high but not low microsatellite instability.

Widespread microsatellite instability (MSI) due to the defective DNA mismatch repair underlies the pathogenesis of the majority of hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer and a subset of various sporadic malignant tumors. Using 5 microsatellite markers and the criteria of MSI proposed by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) workshop, we analyzed 205 gastric adenocarcinomas for MSI. Based on the number of markers showing instability per tumor, the tumors were divided into three groups; those with two or more of the five markers displaying instability (high MSI, MSI-H), those with one of five markers displaying instability (low MSI, MSI-L), and those with no instability (microsatellite stable, MSS). Among 205 tumors, 30 (15%) were MSI-H, 15 (7%) were MSI-L, and 160 (78%) were MSS. All of the 30 MSI-H tumors demonstrated instability at BAT26, a sensitive marker for the widespread MSI, while none of the 15 MSI-L tumors did. MSI-H tumors were significantly associated with distal location and well or moderate differentiation, but MSI-L tumors were indistinguishable from MSS tumors. Bax frameshift mutations were detected in 60% of the 30 MSI-H tumors, while not in any of the 15 MSI-L tumors. These results suggest that microsatellite analysis using the criteria proposed by the NCI workshop may be appropriate for gastric cancers because it unveils real differences in genotype and phenotype.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Microsatellite instability and alteration of E2F-4 gene in adenosquamous and squamous cell carcinomas of the stomach.

Microsatellite instability (MSI) due to defective DNA mismatch repair (MMR) is a form of genomic instability underlying the tumorigenesis of various human neoplasms. To evaluate the roles of MSI in the pathogenesis of gastric carcinomas with squamous differentiation, 17 primary stomach cancer patients (15 adenosquamous and two squamous cell carcinomas) were examined for MSI frequency using five microsatellite markers and the criteria for MSI recommended by the National Cancer Institute Workshop. The molecular causes and consequences of MSI in these neoplasms were further researched through the immunohistochemistry of MMR proteins and the mutational analysis of cancer-associated genes targeted by MSI, respectively. Two of the 17 (12%) cases demonstrated MSI at the most examined loci and were classified as having high level MSI (MSI-H). These tumors also exhibited frame-shift mutations at mononucleotide repeats in the target genes, including TGFbetaRII, IGFIIR, BAX, and hMSH6. It is interesting to note that the mutations of the serine (AGC)13 repeats within the E2F-4 gene were found only in the squamous cell carcinoma portions of them, whereas such alterations were not detected in any of the adenocarcinomatous portions. This suggests that E2F-4 might be implicated in the transformation of adenocarcinoma into squamous cell carcinoma and further studies are needed to understand its role in squamous differentiation.

Carcinoma, Adenosquamous↗

Evidence for an uncommon microsatellite instability on mouse chromosomes 2 and 4 and its possible role in radiation leukemogenesis.

Although microsatellite instability (MSI), usually detected by DNA length polymorphisms, has been implicated in the induction of solid tumors in both humans and animals, its role in leukemogenesis is unclear. The goal of this study was to investigate whether there is an association between MSI and radiation leukemogenesis in CBA/Ca mice. Microsatellite lengths at 55 loci, mapped to eight different mouse chromosomes, were examined in two groups of DNA samples: 1) 10 normal DNA samples collected from the bone marrow cells of control male CBA/Ca mice, and 2) 17 DNA samples isolated from the spleens of mice that developed myeloid leukemia (ML) after exposure to neutrons, or X rays, or gamma rays. Microsatellite markers were amplified using the non-radioisotopic multiplex-touchdown PCR protocols developed in our laboratory, and the sizes of amplicons were examined on 6% non-denaturing polyacrylamide gels. Although no correlation between microsatellite length polymorphisms and radiation leukemogenesis was observed at the 55 CBA/Ca mouse loci tested in this study, an uncommon MSI, manifested as the absence of DNA bands after PCR amplification at 2 loci (D2MIT140 and D4MIT104), was observed in both control and ML samples. However, the frequency of ML samples showing this type of MSI is statistically significant (p<0.05). Although there is no direct evidence that this type of MSI predisposes mice to the development of leukemia, the results suggests that genes flanking the D2MIT140 and D4MIT104 are susceptible to spontaneous mutation and perhaps to damage caused by ionizing radiation.

Animals↗

Detection of occult high graded microsatellite instabilities in MMR gene mutation negative HNPCC tumors by addition of complementary marker analysis.

BACKGROUND: Hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) is an autosomal dominant tumor syndrome predisposing to predominantly colorectal and endometrial cancer. In 90% of the cases, molecular analyses reveal microsatellite instabilities due to germline mutations in DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes, mainly MLH1, MSH2, among these tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Tumors from 40 HNPCC index patients (31 Amsterdam positive, 9 Bethesda positive; 21 females, 19 males; mean age 48.0 +/- 13.2 years) were examined. In contrast to the classical constellation, their tumors revealed only a microsatellite stable (MSS, n=31)--or low instable (MSI-L, n=9)--tumor phenotype following the international reference panel of 5 microsatellites. No MLH1 and MSH2 mutations were detectable. Complementary microsatellites (BAT40, D10S197, D13S153, D18S58, MYCL1) were investigated by PCR and fragment analysis to find other instabilities which might hint to the MIN-pathway of the tumors. RESULTS: Due to ten microsatellites in total tumors were now reclassified in 4 MSI-H (10%), 24 MSI-L (60%) and 12 in MSS (30%) phenotypes. The mean age of onset for CRCs was the lowest in the MSI-H group with 45.7 +/- 9.6 years (vs. 48.7 +/- 14.3 and 49.0 +/- 12.9 years in MSI-L and MSS group). MSI-H-and MSI-L tumors were often localized in the proximal colon (50 and 52%), whereas MSS tumors were preferentially localized in the distal colon (77%). - CONCLUSION: Complementary microsatellites help to subdive "non-classical" HNPCC in subgroups with different clinical appearance. It allows to detect occult MSI-H tumors with up to 10% and to confirm MSS tumors who seem to have a similar biological behaviour like sporadic CRC. Maybe that this genetic reclassification influence the decision of whether to offer patients chemotherapy or not, since it is known that patients with instable tumors do not benefit from chemotherapy as well as patients with microsatellite stable tumors.

Base Pair Mismatch↗

Chemotherapeutic implications in microsatellite unstable colorectal cancer.

Chemotherapy for colorectal cancer is currently offered to patients based on the stage of their cancer, and there is evidence to show an overall survival benefit with 5-fluorouracil-based (5-FU) therapy for patients with lymph node metastasis who receive it. The pathogenesis of colorectal cancer involves genomic instability, with about 15% of tumors demonstrating a form of genomic instability called high-frequency microsatellite instability (MSI-H) and due to loss of DNA mismatch repair function, and the remainder of colorectal tumors lacking MSI-H with retained DNA mismatch repair function and called microsatellite stable (MSS), with a large proportion of these tumors demonstrating another form of genomic instability called chromosomal instability. There is now evidence to show that the form of genomic instability that is present in a patient's colorectal cancer may predict a survival benefit from 5-FU. In particular, patients whose colorectal tumors have MSI-H do not gain a survival benefit with 5-FU as compared to patients with MSS tumors. In vitro evidence supports these findings, as MSI-H colon cancer cell lines are more resistant to 5-FU compared to MSS cell lines. More specifically, components of the DNA mismatch repair system have been shown to recognize and bind to 5-FU that becomes incorporated into DNA and which could be a trigger to induce cell death. The binding and subsequent cell death events would be absent in colorectal tumors with MSI-H, which have lost intact DNA mismatch repair function. These findings suggest that: (a) tumor cytotoxicity of 5-FU is mediated by DNA mechanisms in addition to well-known RNA mechanisms, and (b) patients whose tumors demonstrate MSI-H may not benefit from 5-FU therapy. Future studies should include a better understanding of the cellular mechanisms of the DNA recognition of 5-FU, multi-centered prospective trials investigating the survival benefit of 5-FU based on genomic instability, and the investigation of alternative chemotherapeutic regimens for patients with MSI-H tumors to improve survival.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Amplification of repeat-containing transcribed sequences (ARTS): a transcriptome fingerprinting strategy to detect functionally relevant microsatellite mutations in cancer.

Cancer is a genetic disease caused by mutations in somatic cells. Those that carry advantageous mutations are favoured by natural selection. In most cancers, genetic instability increases mutation rate and facilitates cancer cell evolution. Microsatellite instability (MSI), due to defects of the DNA mismatch repair system, affects in particular repeat sequences (microsatellites) scattered throughout the genome. As mutations in expressed genes are more likely to be functional, we developed a procedure for the systematic identification of mutant repeat-containing expressed sequences (amplification of repeat-containing transcribed sequences, ARTS). The entire cell mRNA was converted into short double-stranded cDNA fragments linked to an adapter at both ends. Repeat-containing cDNA fragments were PCR amplified using the adapter-specific primer in combination with different arbitrary primers including the repeat. ARTS yielded discrete PCR products with lengths that were directly correlated to the lengths of the endogenous repeats. Comparison between ARTS products obtained from control cells and cancer cells with microsatellite instability (MSI+) revealed mRNAs carrying insertions or deletions at repeats. The subsequent sequencing allowed the identification of a series of frameshift-mutated mRNAs in MSI+ cancer cells, including the already described mutant BAX transcript. These data show that ARTS provides an unbiased genome-wide approach to the discovery of functionally relevant genes that could be affected by MSI in cancer.

Acyltransferases↗

Involvement of mouse Mlh1 in DNA mismatch repair and meiotic crossing over.

Mice that are deficient in either the Pms2 or Msh2 DNA mismatch repair genes have microsatellite instability and a predisposition to tumours. Interestingly, Pms2-deficient males display sterility associated with abnormal chromosome pairing in meiosis. Here mice deficient in another mismatch repair gene, Mlh1, possess not only microsatellite instability but are also infertile (both males and females). Mlh1-deficient spermatocytes exhibit high levels of prematurely separated chromosomes and arrest in first division meiosis. We also show that Mlh1 appears to localize to sites of crossing over on meiotic chromosomes. Together these findings suggest that Mlh1 is involved in DNA mismatch repair and meiotic crossing over.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Microsatellite instability and allelic losses in neuroendocrine tumors of the gastro-entero-pancreatic system.

Carcinoids are well differentiated tumors, able to secrete a variety of bioactive and hormonal products. Neuroendocrine tumors occur either sporadically or as part of familial syndromes (MEN1, MEN2). Defective DNA mismatch repair is implicated in a variety of gastrointestinal and other cancers; however, its role in the tumorigenesis of carcinoids has not been assessed. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded archivial pathology tissues from 16 neuroendocrine tumors and 9 related metastases were studied by microdissection and microsatellite analysis of extracted DNA to evaluate the degree of microsatellite instability, a marker of defective mismatch repair. The carcinoid tumors analyzed display no microsatellite instability, but, interestingly, show a number of allelic deletions scattered throughout the genome. Particularly, the vast majority of pancreatic derived tumors display loss of heterozygosity on the short arm of chromosome 8. These results suggest that genomic instability is probably not involved in neuroendocrine carcinogenesis and a tumor suppressor gene involved in pancreatic carcinoid tumorigenesis could probably be localized on chromosome 8p12-22.

Adult↗

Cytology vs molecular analysis for the detection of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in oesopharyngeal brush samples: a prospective study in 56 patients.

Oesopharyngeal brush (OPB) sampling with cytological analysis can yield exfoliated cells from asymptomatic tumours of the upper aero-digestive tract and the oesophagus. In this study, we compared cytological evaluation and molecular analysis for the detection of exfoliated cancer cells sampled with an OPB. A total of 56 patients with a known unique head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and five healthy controls were enrolled prospectively. Exfoliated cells from these 61 patients were collected with an OPB before initial endoscopy. p53 mutations and UT 5085 microsatellite instability (MI) were analysed in the HNSCC tumour, lymphocytes and the corresponding OPB DNA samples. p53 mutations and UT5085 MI were detected in 31 out of 56 and 14 out of 56 HNSCC, respectively, but not in any of the five controls. Direct sequencing of p53 was able to detect mutations in OPB DNA in only two out of 29 patients harbouring a p53-mutated primary tumour. Microsatellite instability was detected in OPB DNA of 11 out of 13 informative (bandshift detected in tumour) patients, whereas cytological analysis detected abnormal cells in only six of the same 13 patients (P=0.03). In informative patients, all positive OPB samples at cytological analysis were also positive at molecular analysis of UT5085, and both analyses confirmed the two negative samples. Molecular analysis of OPB from eight uninformative patients and from five healthy controls were all negative. OPB sampling with MI-based molecular analysis could be efficient for early detection of recurrent HNSCC. This result prompts us to use other microsatellite markers in order to maximise the percentage of informative patients.

Allelic Imbalance↗

Prognosis in DNA mismatch repair deficient colorectal cancer: are all MSI tumours equivalent?

Microsatellite instability (MSI) in colorectal tumours is the hallmark of defective DNA mismatch repair (MMR) and high level MSI can be detected in up to 15% of incident colorectal cancers. MSI in sporadic colorectal tumours is primarily due to epigenetic silencing of MLH1 while MSI is almost universal in tumours from HNPCC family members due to germline MMR gene mutation with loss or mutational inactivation of the second copy as a somatic event. There is evidence that tumour MSI is associated with a better outcome than the generality of large bowel malignancy. However, although MSI occurs in both sporadic colorectal cancer and in tumours arising in patients with germline MMR gene mutations, cancer survival should not be considered to be equivalent for these two groups with MSI tumours simply because both exhibit similarities in molecular phenotype. Here, we review the evidence on prognosis in patients with sporadic MSI tumours compared to those who have inherited a germline DNA MMR repair gene defect. In addition, we explore whether there are variables that afford opportunity to distinguish three groups on the basis of MSI status, namely: sporadic MSI tumours; MSI tumours in carriers of germline MMR gene defects; microsatellite stable (MSS) tumours. Differences in prognosis between these three groups is important because it underpins the rationale for surveillance and early identification of tumours in MMR gene carriers, as well as refining understanding of the influence of MSI on cancer progression. Furthermore, we discuss the effect of MSI on the effectiveness of chemotherapy regimens.

Base Pair Mismatch↗

[Analysis of genomic instability by fluorescence DNA sequencer].

Within the recent four years, there have been substantial advances in understanding the molecular pathogenesis of HNPCC. As one of the result of investigation, microsatellite instability has been observed in hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) and other sporadic cancers. Moreover, there is strong supporting evidence that mismatch repair genes play a role in HNPCC. Here, we present our investigational results and discuss possible molecular mechanisms governing DNA mutation and genomic instability, leading to the development of neoplasm. We investigated replication error (RER) of 4 microsatellite markers (dinucleotide repeats) in 131 patients with colorectal cancer (10 met the criteria of HNPCC group B), using fluorescence-based DNA sequencer. We detected RER positivity (at more than two loci) in 12 of 131 patients (9.2%). PCR-SSCP and direct sequencing of the mismatch repair genes, hMSH2 and hMLH1, revealed that two patients in HNPCC group B had germline mutations of hMSH2. The fluorescence-based techniques, such as the present RER analysis do not require radioactive materials and specialized rooms, and can easily be performed in a clinical laboratory.

Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis↗

Genetic heterogeneity of variable number tandem repeats in thymidylate synthase gene in colorectal cancer patients.

PURPOSE: To analyze the genetic variability in a variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) in the thymidylate synthase (TS) enhancer promoter region and assess the influence of functional alterations in mismatch repair genes by analyzing constitutional and tumoral DNA from patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma with a high microsatellite instability (MSI-H) or microsatellite stability (MSS) status. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients who underwent surgery for colorectal adenocarcinoma were selected from the colorectal database of our institute and, on the basis of MSI status, assigned to a study group and a control group: group A, MSI-H; group B, MSS. Microsatellite status was investigated using the Bethesda recommended panel (BAT-26, BAT-25, D2S123, D5S346, D17S250). In MSI-H patients an additional analysis was made of the microsatellite loci D18S61 and D18S58, both mapping in the region containing the TS gene (18p11.2-11.32). Based on the number of altered microsatellites (> or = 2, 1, or 0), tumors were considered as having high (MSI-H) or low (MSI-L) instability or microsatellite stability (MSS), respectively. Genotyping for thymidylate synthase promoter polymorphism was carried out on constitutional and tumor DNA of each patient by PCR amplification of the polymorphic region. RESULTS: MSI-H was found in 55 patients (group A) and MSS in 50 patients (group B). In none of the MSI-H patients was microsatellite instability found in the additional D18S61 and D18S58 loci. In five group A and ten group B cases the analysis was not performed because constitutional DNA and/or tumoral DNA were not amplifiable. Homozygotes for the triple repeat variant (3R/3R) displayed only the large PCR product, homozygotes for the double repeat variant (2R/2R) displayed only the smaller PCR product, while heterozygotes (2R/3R) displayed both the larger and smaller PCR products. In 3/50 (6%) group A patients and 5/40 (12%) group B patients repeat variations were found in tumoral DNA. CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrate that there is genetic homogeneity between constitutional and tumoral DNA but do not support the hypothesis that mismatch repair genes are involved in VNTR recombinant events in TS gene variability.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Genetic instability and the quasispecies model.

Genetic instability is a defining characteristic of cancers. Microsatellite instability (MIN) leads to by elevated point mutation rates, whereas chromosomal instability (CIN) refers to increased rates of losing or gaining whole chromosomes or parts of chromosomes during cell division. CIN and MIN are, in general, mutually exclusive. The quasispecies model is a very successful theoretical framework for the study of evolution at high mutation rates. It predicts the existence of an experimentally verified error catastrophe. This catastrophe occurs when the mutation rates exceed a threshold value, the error threshold, above which replicative infidelity is incompatible with cell survival. We analyse the semiconservative quasispecies model of both MIN and CIN tumors. We consider the role of post-methylation DNA repair in tumor cells and demonstrate that DNA repair is fundamental to the nature of the error catastrophe in both types of tumors. We find that CIN introduces a plateau in the maximum viable mutation rate for a repair-free model, which does not exist in the case of MIN. This provides a plausible explanation for the mutual exclusivity of CIN and MIN.

Chromosomal Instability↗

Characterization of novel cell lines established from three human oral squamous cell carcinomas.

Human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines (KOSCC-11, -25A, -25B, -25C, -25D, -25E, -33A, and -33B) were established by explantation culture from these oral squamous cell carcinomas. The histopathology of the primary tumors, in vitro growth characteristics, epithelial origin, in vitro anchorage-independency, in vivo tumorigenicity, the frequency of human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, and the status of proto-oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, DNA mismatch repair genes, and microsatellite instability were investigated in the cell lines. KOSCC-11 is a well-differentiated oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) derived from mandibular gingiva. KOSCC-25A, -25B, -25C, -25D, and -25E cell lines were derived from the same OSCC. KOSCC-33A and -33B were established from the same tumor that originated from the maxillary sinus. All tumor lines studied grew as monolayers and showed: i) epithelial origin by the presence of desmosome and keratin; ii) in vitro anchorage-independent growth ability; and iii) tumorigenic potential in nude mice. The cancer cell lines did not contain HPV DNA and did not express viral genes. Northern blot analysis revealed: i) overexpression of EGFR in four cell lines, ii) overexpression of c-H-ras in four cell lines, iii) overexpression of c-myc in three cell lines, iv) decreased expression of TGF-alpha in seven cell lines, and v) decreased expression of c-jun in five cancer cell lines compared with normal human oral keratinocytes. In all KOSCC cell lines and their corresponding tumor tissues, mutations were identified in highly-conserved functional regions of the p53 gene. The KOSCC-11 cell line contained a frameshift mutation and the other cell lines harbored an identical p53 mutation at codon 175 from CGC (Arg) to CTC (Leu). In five cell lines, a significant reduction of p21WAF1/Cip1 protein was evident. Cancer cell lines expressed higher level of Rb protein than normal human oral keratinocytes. DCC, a tumor suppressor gene, was not detected in KOSCC-25C. The KOSCC-33A cell line displayed microsatellite instability and showed a loss of hMSH2 expression. These well-characterized human OSCC cell lines should serve as useful tools for understanding the biological characteristics of oral cancer.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Microsatellite instability in cancer of the proximal colon.

Colorectal tumor DNA was examined for somatic instability at (CA)n repeats on human chromosomes 5q, 15q, 17p, and 18q. Differences between tumor and normal DNA were detected in 25 of the 90 (28 percent) tumors examined. This instability appeared as either a substantial change in repeat length (often heterogeneous in nature) or a minor change (typically two base pairs). Microsatellite instability was significantly correlated with the tumor's location in the proximal colon (P = 0.003), with increased patient survival (P = 0.02), and, inversely, with loss of heterozygosity for chromosomes 5q, 17p, and 18q. These data suggest that some colorectal cancers may arise through a mechanism that does not necessarily involve loss of heterozygosity.

Adult↗

Mutation analysis of the transforming growth factor-beta type II receptor in human cell lines resistant to growth inhibition by transforming growth factor-beta.

The transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) binds the type II TGF-beta growth factor receptor (RII) to inhibit the growth of most epithelial tissues. Most human colon and gastric cancers with microsatellite instability (MI) have frameshift mutations in polynucleotide repeats within the RII coding region; these mutations truncate the receptor protein and disable the serine/threonine kinase to produce TGF-beta resistance. To further investigate the type, frequency and tissue distribution of RII mutations, we selected 24 human cancer cell lines from various tissues which were previously reported to be resistant to the inhibitory effects of TGF-beta. We developed protocols for non-isotopic SSCP analysis of PCR products from genomic DNA samples, and we tested them for microsatellite instability. PCR-SSCP analysis followed by DNA sequencing identified deletion mutations in the exon 3 poly-adenine tract in three colon tumor cell lines: LS174T and SW48 had a single base deletion and LS411 had a two base deletion. Among the 24 previously unreported cell lines, only these three demonstrated microsatellite instability. These and other recent data indicate that RII mutations are essentially confined to colon and gastric cancers with microsatellite instability. The narrow spectrum of tissues containing RII mutations illustrates the complexity of genetic checkpoints in human carcinogenesis.

Cell Division↗

Detection of stool DNA mutations before and after treatment of colorectal neoplasia.

BACKGROUND: Whether stool DNA abnormalities arise solely from colorectal neoplastic lesions or are due to more pervasive field effects is not known. In the current study, the authors conducted a prospective multicenter study to evaluate the performance of stool-based DNA testing in a large cohort and to examine whether the findings before treatment persist after surgical resection and/or adjuvant therapy. METHODS: Patients with newly diagnosed colorectal carcinoma or advanced adenomas (AA) provided stool samples before therapy, 1-3 months after surgical resection, and 6-9 months postresection. Stool samples were analyzed using the multi-target DNA assay panel (MTAP) consisting of 23 markers: 21 mutations in the p53, K-ras, and APC genes, a microsatellite instability marker (BAT-26), and the DNA integrity assay (DIA), a marker of loss of apoptosis. RESULTS: Overall, 49 of 91 individuals (54%) tested positive with the MTAP test. The sensitivity of the MTAP test was 63% for invasive tumors compared with 26% for AA. Individuals whose lesions had a more advanced TNM stage or were located distal to the splenic flexure were significantly more likely to have a positive MTAP test. Of the 79 samples collected at 1-3 months after surgical resection of the neoplasm, 14 (18%) had a positive MTAP result, 12 of which were positive for DIA only. Of those collected at 6-9 months of follow-up, 5 of 72 (7%) tested positive on the MTAP panel. CONCLUSIONS: Although many samples collected 1-3 months after surgical resection of the colorectal neoplasm tested positive on the MTAP, most were negative by 6-9 months, indicating that stool DNA abnormalities disappear after treatment of the neoplastic lesions. Surgery and chemoradiation appear to induce transient DIA abnormalities that may be independent of the presence of neoplasia.

Adult↗

Immunohistochemistry for hMLH1 and hMSH2: a practical test for DNA mismatch repair-deficient tumors.

Inactivation of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) mismatch repair genes, most commonly human mutL homologue 1 (hMLH1) or human mutS homologue 2 (hMSH2), is a recently described alternate pathway in cancer development and progression. The resulting genetic instability is characterized by widespread somatic mutations in tumor DNA, and is termed high-frequency microsatellite instability (MSI-H). Although described in a variety of tumors, mismatch repair deficiency has been studied predominantly in colorectal carcinoma. Most MSI-H colorectal carcinomas are sporadic, but some occur in patients with hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC), and are associated with germline mutations in mismatch repair genes. Until now, the identification of MSI-H cancers has required molecular testing. To evaluate the role of immunohistochemistry as a new screening tool for mismatch repair-deficient neoplasms, the authors studied the expression of hMLH1 and hMSH2, using commercially available monoclonal antibodies, in 72 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumors that had been tested previously for microsatellite instability. They compared immunohistochemical patterns of 38 MSI-H neoplasms, including 16 cases from HNPCC patients with known germline mutations in hMLH1 or hMSH2, with 34 neoplasms that did not show microsatellite instability. Thirty-seven of 38 MSI-H neoplasms were predicted to have a mismatch repair gene defect, as demonstrated by the absence of hMLH1 and/or hMSH2 expression. This included correspondence with all 16 cases with germline mutations. All 34 microsatellite-stable cancers had intact staining with both antibodies. These findings clearly demonstrate that immunohistochemistry can discriminate accurately between MSI-H and microsatellite-stable tumors, providing a practical new technique with important clinical and research applications.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗