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Cancer of the microsatellite mutator phenotype.

This review focuses on the genomic instability underlying the microsatellite mutator phenotype (MMP) pathway for cancer. MMP was discovered by the application of DNA fingerprinting by Arbitrarily Primed PCR (AP-PCR) to the analysis of somatic genetic alterations in colon tumors. The unbiased nature of AP-PCR permitted to infer, from the mobility shifts observed in some fingerprint bands, the accumulation by a subset of colon tumors of hundreds of thousands of somatic mutations in simple repeated sequences or microsatellites. We deduced that this enormous agglomeration of clonal mutations was due to the previous occurrence of 'mutator mutations' in DNA replication or repair factors leading to a decreased fidelity of replication. These mutator mutations appeared to be the remote cause for the development of these MMP tumors, whose existence unmistakably validated the hypothesis of 'cancer as a mutator phenotype'. Since these original observations, rapid progress has occurred in the field. The mutator mutations were identified as those occurring in members of the DNA mismatch repair gene family, which are also associated with hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HN-PCC). In this review I discuss the experimental approach that allowed the discovery of MMP and the features of the genomic instability of these tumors. I also review recent developments that affect the understanding of the role of the mismatch repair mutator mutations in the unfolding of MMP during carcinogenesis.

Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis↗

CpG island methylator phenotype is an independent predictor of survival benefit from 5-fluorouracil in stage III colorectal cancer.

PURPOSE: The CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) is observed in approximately 30% of colorectal cancer (CRC) cases and is characterized by the concurrent methylation of multiple CpG islands in tumor DNA. This phenotype (CIMP+) is more frequently observed in tumors with proximal location, microsatellite instability, and normal p53. Because it has previously been observed that each of these features is associated with a good survival benefit from 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-based adjuvant chemotherapy, we investigated in the present study whether CIMP+ has independent predictive value. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: CIMP+ status was evaluated in 103 stage III CRCs from patients treated with surgery alone and for an additional 103 cases from patients treated with surgery and adjuvant 5-FU-based chemotherapy. The two cohorts were randomly pair-matched for age, sex, and tumor site, and the median length of follow-up time was 39 months. RESULTS: CIMP+ status predicted survival benefit from 5-FU treatment independently of microsatellite instability and p53 mutation status (relative risk = 0.22; 95% confidence interval, 0.06-0.84; P = 0.027). Unmeasured, high-risk confounding factors could only account for this association if they were unequally distributed between the two patient cohorts by a factor of at least 2-fold. CONCLUSIONS: CIMP+ has independent predictive significance for the survival benefit from 5-FU chemotherapy in CRC. This molecular marker should be incorporated into prospective clinical trials of fluorouracil-based therapies to confirm its clinical value.

Aged↗

Identification of mismatch repair gene mutations in young patients with colorectal cancer and in patients with multiple tumours associated with hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Patients with early-onset colorectal cancer (CRC) or those with multiple tumours associated with hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) raise suspicion of the presence of germline DNA mismatch repair (MMR) gene mutations. AIM: To analyse the value of family history, microsatellite instability (MSI) analysis and MMR protein staining in the tumour to predict the presence of an MMR gene mutation in such patients. METHODS: In 281 patients diagnosed with CRC before the age of 50 years or with CRC and at least one additional HNPCC-associated cancer, germline mutation analysis in MLH1, MSH2 and MSH6 was carried out with denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification. MSI analysis with five consensus markers and MMR protein staining for MLH1, MSH2 and MSH6 were carried out in the tumours. RESULTS: 25 pathogenic mutations (8 in MLH1, 9 in MSH2 and 8 in MSH6) were found. MSI analysis missed three and immunohistochemistry (IHC) missed two mutation carriers. Sensitivities of family history, MSI analysis and IHC for the presence of a mutation were 76%, 82% and 88%, specificities were 64%, 70% and 84%, and positive predictive values were 19%, 23% and 38%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed the highest odds ratio for IHC (38.3, 95% confidence interval 9.0 to 184). Prevalence of pathogenic germline MMR gene mutations in patients with CRC before the age of 50 years was 6% and in those with > or =2 HNPCC-associated tumours was 22%. In the second group, no mutation carriers were found among the 29 patients who were diagnosed with their first tumour after the age of 60 years. CONCLUSION: Family history, MSI analysis and IHC are indicative parameters to select patients with CRC for MMR gene mutation analysis. The data show that IHC is the best single selection criterion.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Oncogenic pathway of sporadic colorectal cancer with novel germline missense mutations in the hMSH2 gene.

The deficiency of the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system is involved in tumorigenesis of either familial or sporadic colorectal cancers showing microsatellite instability (MSI). To investigate the involvement of the mutated hMSH2 gene in carcinogenesis, we searched for alteration of the gene in 15 MSI tumors of Japanese patients with sporadic colorectal cancer by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and DNA sequencing analyses. We found 20 alterations including 7 novel mutations, 6 germline and one somatic. To assume an oncogenic pathway of tumor of two patients carrying germline missense mutations, G40S located in an evolutionarily conserved amino-terminal motif and Y619C in a domain interacting with either hMSH3 or hMSH6, somatic mutations in 9 target genes of the MMR defect and in the p53 and K-ras genes and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at the hMLH1 and p53 gene loci were then studied. In the tumor carrying G40S, other somatic hMSH2 mutations, G203R and 687delA in the (A)(7) repeat, and 5 one-bp deletions in the target genes were found, while no mutation in the p53 and K-ras genes. These results indicate that G40S may affect the hMSH2 function and the tumor may be developed by a typical MSI pathway. In another tumor with Y619C, LOH at the hMLH1 gene locus, no mutation in MMR target genes, and two-hit inactivation of the p53 gene were detected. This MSI tumor seems to be developed by another than MSI pathway. These results indicate that there are different oncogenic pathways in the MSI sporadic colorectal cancers with germline missense mutations in the hMSH2 gene. We conclude that familial colorectal cancer-suspected cases exist in a small population of sporadic colorectal cancers.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Microsatellite-stable diploid carcinoma: a biologically distinct and aggressive subset of sporadic colorectal cancer.

Chromosomal instability and microsatellite instability represent the major pathways for colorectal cancer (CRC) progression. However, a significant percentage of CRC shows neither pattern of instability, and thus represents a potentially distinctive form of the disease. Flow cytometry was used to determine the degree of DNA aneuploidy in 46 consecutive sporadic colorectal cancers. Microsatellite status was determined by PCR amplification using standard markers, while immunostaining was used to examine the expression of p53. K- ras status was determined by restriction-mediated PCR assay. Twenty-five (54%) tumours were aneuploid, 14 (30%) were diploid and microsatellite-stable and seven (15%) were diploid and microsatellite-unstable. Tumours with microsatellite instability were more likely to be right sided, to occur in women and to be associated with an improved survival. Aneuploid tumours were significantly more common in men and were likely to be left sided. The diploid microsatellite-stable (MSS) tumours did not show a sex or site predilection, but were strongly associated with the presence of metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis. Our data suggests that diploid, MSS tumours represent a biologically and phenotypically distinct subset of colorectal carcinoma, and one that is associated with the early development of metastases. We suggest that the genetic stability that characterizes these tumours may favour the maintenance of an invasive phenotype, and thus facilitate disease progression. These findings may have important implications for treatment options in this disease subset.

Aged↗

A comparison of microsatellite instability in early onset gastric carcinomas from relatively low and high incidence European populations.

We have investigated the genetic basis of gastric carcinomas occurring in patients aged under 40 years from a Portuguese population with a relatively high incidence of gastric cancer. We analysed a panel of 12 microsatellite loci in DNA extracted from gastric carcinomas arising in 16 patients aged 24-39 years from Braga, Portugal. Overall, microsatellite instability (MI) in at least 1 locus was detected in 44% (7 of 16) of carcinomas. A single patient demonstrated a mutator phenotype suggestive of the hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer syndrome with instability in 82% of loci. This carcinoma showed loss of expression of the hMLH1 mismatch repair protein. In a previous study, we found no evidence of MI among 10 cases of early onset gastric carcinomas from an English population, which has a relatively low incidence of gastric cancer. Comparing the 2 series, we found that there was a significant difference (p = 0.04) in the prevalence of MI (at least 1 marker affected). This geographical difference in low-level MI may be related to a significantly higher prevalence of background chronic atrophic gastritis (8 of 16 vs. 0 of 8) and Helicobacter pylori infection (15 of 16 vs. 2 of 8) in Portuguese carcinomas compared with English cases. Genetic mechanisms underlying the hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer syndrome may play a role in a small number of early onset gastric carcinomas. The difference in prevalence of low-level MI between these relatively high and low incidence European populations requires further investigation.

Adult↗

Allelic imbalances in endometrial stromal neoplasms: frequent genetic alterations in the nontumorous normal-appearing endometrial and myometrial tissues.

OBJECTIVES: Endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS) is among the rarest primary malignant tumors of the uterus. The aim of this study was to examine the possibility of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and microsatellite instability (MIS) in different tissue components of ESS. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Using PCR, we examined DNA extracts from microdissected tissues of 27 uterus samples containing malignant stromal cells of ESS (20 low grade and 3 high grade sarcomas), benign tumor cells of endometrial stromal nodules (ESN, 4 cases) as well as tumor-free myometrial and endometrial tissues close to and distant from the tumors. Normal cervical tissues (epithelial cells, stroma cells) were also microdissected and analyzed. Fifteen polymorphic DNA markers (chromosomes 2p, 3p, 5q, 10q, 11q, 13q, and 17p) were tested to identify possible genetic alterations. Samples from 10 women with prolapsed uteri without any histopathologic abnormalities were also selected as controls. RESULTS: While no genetic alterations could be identified in 12 (44.5%) ESS cases, 15 (55.5%) revealed LOH with at least one polymorphic DNA marker. LOH were found in 3 (100%) high-grade sarcomas, 10 (50%) low-grade ESS, and 2 (50%) benign ESN. Although LOH was found more often in the neoplastic stromal cells, several cases showed concurrent and independent LOH in the tumor-free myometrial or endometrial tissues either close to or distant from the tumors. The most common genetic abnormality (LOH) was observed at PTEN, a tumor suppressor gene located on chromosome 10q. No tumor was associated with microsatellite instability (MSI). The control group without any histologic abnormalities did not show LOH or MSI. CONCLUSIONS: The frequent occurrence of LOH and the lack of MSI suggest that loss of function(s) of tumor suppressor genes and not mismatch repair deficiency plays a key role in the pathogenesis of endometrial stromal neoplasms. The concurrent and independent occurrence of LOH in the stromal tumor cells and the tumor-free and normal-appearing myometrial and endometrial tissues strongly support the concept of genetic alterations in microenvironmental tissues and the interaction(s) between different tissue components in the development and progression of endometrial stromal neoplasms.

Endometrial Neoplasms↗

A substantial proportion of microsatellite-unstable colon tumors carry TP53 mutations while not showing chromosomal instability.

Chromosomal instability in colon tumors implies the presence of numerical and structural chromosome aberrations and is further characterized by the absence of microsatellite instability and the occurrence of KRAS and/or TP53 mutations. In a previous screening of 194 colon tumors for both microsatellite instability and TP53 mutation, we found 25 microsatellite-unstable tumors, in 9 (36%) of which, presumed to be chromosomally stable, there were TP53 mutations. This prompted us to investigate whether a TP53 mutation in these microsatellite-unstable tumors would be an indicator of chromosomal instability, that is, whether this would be a category of tumors showing both microsatellite and chromosomal instability. For chromosomal instability assessment, we performed array-comparative genomic hybridization analysis of tumor and control DNA extracted from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded stage III colon tumor specimens. The array consisted of 435 subtelomere-specific BACs. We compared all but one (whose DNA was of bad quality) of the microsatellite-unstable TP53 mutation-containing tumors (8) with a similarly sized group of microsatellite-unstable tumors without TP53 mutation (11). Microsatellite-unstable tumors with a TP53 mutation showed on average 0.9 aberrations (range 0-3) when assessed with this array system. Those without a TP53 mutation showed on average 0.7 aberrations (range 0-2). Thus, microsatellite-unstable tumors showed few chromosomal abnormalities regardless of TP53 mutation status. Because, in our study, the microsatellite-stable tumors had on average 3.4chromosomal abnormalities (range 0-7), a clear difference exists between microsatellite-unstable and -stable tumors. Because a substantial proportion of microsatellite-unstable colon tumors carry a TP53 mutation while showing relativelyfewchromosomal aberrations, a TP53 mutation in these tumors cannot be considered to be an indicator of chromosomal instability.

Chromosomes, Artificial, Bacterial↗

Meeting report - First international symposium on circulating nucleic acids in plasma/serum - Implications in cancer diagnostics, prognosis or follow up and in prenatal diagnosis - Menthon France, August 18-20, 1999.

The sessions were dedicated to the following topics: Detection of ras-gene mutations, Detection of other mutated oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes, Alterations in microsatellite sequences (LOH and instability), Status of gene-methylation of free circulating DNA, Detection of circulating tumor cells and RT-PCR, Detection of fetal DNA in maternal plasma and Technical aspects.

Female↗

Frequent loss of heterozygosity at the DNA mismatch-repair loci hMLH1 and hMSH3 in sporadic breast cancer.

To study the involvement of DNA mismatch-repair genes in sporadic breast cancer, matched normal and tumoral DNA samples of 22 patients were analysed for genetic instability and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) with 42 microsatellites at or linked to hMLH1 (3p21), hMSH2 (2p16), hMSH3 (5q11-q13), hMSH6 (2p16), hPMS1 (2q32) and hPMS2 (7p22) loci. Chromosomal regions 3p21 and 5q11-q13 were found hemizygously deleted in 46% and 23% of patients respectively. Half of the patients deleted at hMLH1 were also deleted at hMSH3. The shortest regions of overlapping (SRO) deletions were delimited by markers D3S1298 and D3S1266 at 3p21 and by D5S647 and D5S418 at 5q11-q13. Currently, the genes hMLH1 (3p21) and hMSH3 (5q11-q13) are the only known candidates located within these regions. The consequence of these allelic losses is still unclear because none of the breast cancers examined displayed microsatellite instability, a hallmark of mismatch-repair defect during replication error correction. We suggest that hMLH1 and hMSH3 could be involved in breast tumorigenesis through cellular functions other than replication error correction.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Mismatch repair defects in human carcinogenesis.

Mismatch repair defects are carcinogenic. This conclusion comes some 80 years after the original description of a type of familial colorectal cancer in which mismatch repair defects are involved, and from decades of dedicated basic science research into fundamental mechanisms cells use to repair their DNA. Mismatch repair (MMR) was described first in bacteria, later in yeast and finally in higher eukaryotes. In bacteria, one of its roles is the rapid repair of replicative errors thereby providing the genome with a 100-1000-fold level of protection against mutation. It also guards the genome by preventing recombination between non-homologous regions of DNA. The information gained from bacteria suddenly became relevant to human neoplasia in 1993 when the RER phenotype of microsatellite instability was discovered in human cancers and was rapidly shown to be due to defects in mismatch repair. Evidence supporting the role of MMR defects in carcinogenesis comes from a variety of independent sources including: (i) theoretical considerations of the requirement for a mutator phenotype as a step in multistage carcinogenesis; (ii) discovering that MMR defects cause a 'mutator phenotype' destabilizing endogenous expressed genes including those integral to carcinogenesis; (iii) finding MMR defects in the germline of HNPCC kindred members; (iv) finding that such defects behave as classic tumor suppressor genes in both familial and sporadic colorectal cancers; (v) discovering that MMR 'knockout' mice have an increased incidence of tumors; and (vi) discovering that genetic complementation of MMR defective cells stabilizes the MMR deficiency-associated microsatellite instability. Models of carcinogenesis now must integrate the concepts of a MMR defect induced mutator phenotype (Loeb) with the concepts of multistep colon carcinogenesis (Fearon and Vogelstein) and clonal heterogeneity/selection (Nowell).

Animals↗

Defective mismatch repair in extracts of colorectal and endometrial cancer cell lines exhibiting microsatellite instability.

A replication error (RER+) phenotype, characterized by somatic instability in simple repeated sequences, is associated with several types of cancer. To determine if a defect in DNA replication fidelity or repair of replication errors might explain this instability, we compared both processes in cell-free extracts from RER+ endometrial and colorectal cancer cell lines to RER- cell lines. SV40 origin-dependent replication of a microsatellite sequence is highly accurate in cell extracts regardless of their RER phenotype. However, extracts from RER+ cell lines are defective in mismatch repair, while extracts of RER- cell lines are not. Lack of repair was observed when the signal (a nick) for strand-specific repair was either 3' or 5' to the mispair. One colorectal cancer cell line contained deletions in both alleles of the putative mismatch repair gene hMSH2, and one endometrial cancer cell line contained a 4-base pair duplication in one hMSH2 allele. No hMSH2 mutation was detected in the other allele or in the other five RER+ cell lines. Repair was readily detected when each of the defective extracts was mixed with a repair-proficient extract, demonstrating that no trans-acting inhibitor is present. Attempts to complement the repair deficiencies by mixing two different defective extracts identified three combinations that restored repair. The data suggest that: (i) defective repair is associated with colorectal and endometrial cancer and, by extrapolation, with other types of cancer; (ii) mutations in the hMSH2 gene, and possibly other genes, result in defective mismatch repair; (iii) the defect(s) in these lines likely involves pre-incision events or the excision step, but not the incision, polymerization, or ligation steps; and (iv) at least four functional complementation groups for mismatch repair may be involved in human cancer.

Cell Line↗

Microsatellite instability and immunohistochemical analysis of MLH1 and MSH2 in normal endometrium, endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial cancer from a hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer patient.

Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC)-related endometrial cancer is associated with mutations in DNA mismatch repair genes. However, chronological changes of these genes in the endometrium have not been studied in women from HNPCC families. Tissue samples of normal endometrium, endometrial hyperplasia without atypia and endometrial cancer were collected at different times from a 41-year-old Japanese woman with a family history of HNPCC. Combined microsatellite instability (MSI) and immunohistochemical analysis of MLH1 and MSH2 predicted the presence of a mutation in MSH2 when she had endometrial hyperplasia without atypia 7 months before the diagnosis of endometrial cancer. Endometrial hyperplasia without atypia may indicate an early development of endometrial cancer in women from HNPCC families.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Reduction of stability of arabidopsis genomic and transgenic DNA-repeat sequences (microsatellites) by inactivation of AtMSH2 mismatch-repair function.

Highly conserved mismatch repair (MMR) systems promote genomic stability by correcting DNA replication errors, antagonizing homeologous recombination, and responding to various DNA lesions. Arabidopsis and other plants encode a suite of MMR protein orthologs, including MSH2, the constant component of various specialized eukaryotic mismatch recognition heterodimers. To study MMR roles in plant genomic stability, we used Arabidopsis AtMSH2::TDNA mutant SALK_002708 and AtMSH2 RNA-interference (RNAi) lines. AtMSH2::TDNA and RNAi lines show normal growth, development, and fertility. To analyze AtMSH2 effects on germ line DNA fidelity, we measured insertion-deletion mutation of dinucleotide-repeat sequences (microsatellite instability) at nine loci in 16 or more progeny of two to four different wild-type or AtMSH2-deficient plants. Scoring 992 total alleles revealed 23 (2.3%) unique and 51 (5.1%) total repeat length shifts ([+2], [-2], [+4], or [-4] bp). For the six longest repeat loci, the corresponding frequencies were 22/608 and 50/608. Two of four AtMSH2-RNAi plants showed similar microsatellite instability. In wild-type progeny, only one unique repeat length allele was found in 576 alleles tested. This endogenous microsatellite instability, shown for the first time in MMR-defective plants, is similar to that seen in MMR-defective yeast and mice, indicating that plants also use MMR to promote germ line fidelity. We used a frameshifted reporter transgene, (G)(7)GUS, to measure insertion-deletion reversion as blue-staining beta-glucuronidase-positive leaf spots. Reversion rates increased only 5-fold in AtMSH2::TDNA plants, considerably less than increases in MSH2-deficient yeast or mammalian cells for similar mononucleotide repeats. Thus, MMR-dependent error correction may be less stringent in differentiated leaf cells than in plant equivalents of germ line tissue.

Arabidopsis↗