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12 Cancer+Genetics+2014s+v2+-+post
12 Cancer+Genetics+2014s+v2+-+post
12 Cancer+Genetics+2014s+v2+-+post
Q603
Spring 2014
Objectives
• Understand that cancer is a genetic disease and a multistep
process.
Br ca, dx 50
Br ca, dx 35 Br ca, dx 45
SOMATIC
MUTATIONS
• Analysis:
– heterogeneous populations
(normal, abnormal cells)
compared to normal
• Tumor chromosomes: poor morphology, more condensed,
fewer bands are visible (normal cells have optimal banding)
Constitutional vs. Cancer Abnormalities
Constitutional karyogram
bands normal
Constitutional vs. Cancer Abnormalities
Cancer karyogram shorter chromosomes, bands
are closer together
• MODAL NUMBER
The most common chromosome number in a tumor population
count the number of chromosomes from numerous tumors
Diploid – 46 chromosomes
Hypodiploid – <46 chromosomes
Near Haploid – close to 23 chromosomes
Hyperdiploid – >46 chromosomes
High Hyperdiploid – ≥55 chromosomes
Pseudodiploid – 46 chromosomes with structural abnormalities
Cytogenetic Definitions
=stem line
46,XY,t(9;22)(q34;q11.2) 47,XY,t(9;22)(q34;q11.2),+8,i(17)(q10)
translocation of 9 & 22 written as
stem line has this chromosomal
abnormality 47,sl,+8,i(17)(q10)
Genes involved with controlling
cell proliferation and cell death
Apoptosis
numerous checkpoints in
cell cycle where proliferation
can be stopped & DNA
repaired
Oncogenes
• Dominantly acting gene(s) involved in up-regulating cell growth
and prolifieration
– Identified because of their ability to cause transformation
(promote tumors/cancer) promote tumor development
• Oncogenes are normal genes (proto-oncogenes) that have gone
awry (e.g., become activated)
• Proto-oncogenes: Normal genes involved in some aspect of cell
division or proliferation
normal gene=proto-oncogene
Activation of an oncogene
via point mutation
• Chromosomal translocations
changing a proto-oncogene to
– Often in leukemias an oncogene
Burkitt lymphoma
• B-cell tumor of the jaw (Most common tumor in
children in equatorial Africa, rare elsewhere)
• Translocations & chromosomal rearrangements driving cell proliferation &
tumor growth
– Myc proto-oncogene, 8q24 Myc on chrom. 8
t(8;14) [Also t(8;22) and t(2;8)] translocations between 8 & 14
or * and 22 or 2&8
– Immunoglobulin genes these chromosomes contain Ig genes, as a result
of translocation, myc is activated
Chromosomes: 2 (kappa light), 14 (heavy chain),
22 (lambda light).
translocation of myc
to area nearby enhancer
drives proliferation of myc
“derivative 8”
bottom of 8 was put onto bottom of 14, ∴ myc overexpression
and part of 14 was put onto 8.
14, 2, and 22 all have
enhancers by Ig gene
Chronic myelogenous leukemia
(CML, Clinical case #8)
Chimeric gene
Chimeric protein
contains part of BCR and
part of ABL
translocation of 22 onto
9
BCR ABL
Text fig 16-4 Philadelphia chromosome ∴ ⇑ activity of tyrosine
kinase/ABL driving prolif.
tx of CML is based on knowledge of philadelphia chromosome & chimeric protein
Gleevec, the first specific anti-cancer drug based on a known molecular mechanism
• Telomerase
• Needed to maintain structure / length of telomeres.
• Expression of telomerase reappears and/or is
maintained in tumors.
in cells that are proliferating more than they should, telomerase level
comes back up (in cells where they don’t divide much, telomerase levels are normally
lowered)
lomerase is required to maintain the end of chromosome during DNA replic
(Telomeres shorten in each cell division and causes senescence. Many types of cancer have
elevated levels of telomerase, thus increasing the replicative potential of the cell)
telomerase maintain end of chromosomes,
numerous divisions w/ out telomerase leads
to shorter chromosomes eventually into
nothing. Telomerase levels are ⇑ in cancer
cells, ⇑ their reproductive potential
Tumor suppressor genes
• Normally block abnormal growth and malignant
transformation.
unlike oncogenes,
• Mutations are recessive at the cellular level.
– Two hit theory > Alfred Knudson
(retinoblastoma)
• Mutations can act as dominants at the organismal
level. person has inherited one mutant gene
• Concept of loss of heterozygosity (LOH).
• Many examples. We will only discuss some.
Retinoblastoma
(Clinical case #34)
• Retinal tumors
• 1/23,000 live births
• Most common eye tumor in
early childhood
• May begin forming prenatally
• Average age of onset 18
months
• Can be inherited as autosomal
dominant trait
• Treat - removal of orbit Text fig C-34
Text fig 16-5
Retinoblastoma (cont.)
• 40% inherited, 60% sporadic
– 10% of all patients have a history of affected family members
– inherited forms from affected/carrier parent (usually high
penetrance, e.g., null alleles) or germline mutation
one eye • Most new germline mutations are on the paternal allele
• Unilateral (70% of patients) vs bilateral (30% of patients)
both eyes involved
– if bilateral, likely inherited (less likely to be sporadic)
– but, 15% of unilateral have germline mutation
• Unifocal vs multifocal same idea—multiple tumors in same eye of independent
origin more likely to be genetic origin
• Onset age early more likely to be inherited
• Patients have increased risk of other cancers / tumors
– E.g., osteosarcoma —RB mutations also have ⇑ risk for osteosarcoma
“Two hit hypothesis”
LOH for RB but not recomb put loss of normal chrom. and only normal chrom
for markers 1 & rb on chrom2 copies of mutant copies is gone
homologues may
mutant rb ∴ no LOH for rb
pair w/ each other &
supression and for flanking marke
recombine
Not LOH for distal Loss of Heterozygosity (LOH) for rb and also for distal
marker(s) marker(s)
Modified text fig 16-7
begin with this then look for evidence of LOH for markers
normal tumor
DNA
TF-binding site
Cyclins (e.g., CYCD1) and cyclin-
dependent kinases (e.g. CDK4)
Phosphorylation of Rb causes it cyclins phosphorylate Rb
to dissociate from other proteins
and allows transcription of
genes to promote cell division
RB blocking
Transcription factors
a
phosphorylate c
t
RB, shutting it down i
v
e
gene transcription
factor
∴ RB dissociated from TF
LiFraumeni Syndrome (LFS)
• Cancer families
• History of various types of cancer including soft
tissue sarcomas, breast cancer, brain cancer,
osteosarcoma, leukemia and other neoplasms at an
unusually early age. were caused by mutations of p53
—helps anti-apoptotic
activity as well (prevents
senesence) Text fig 16-1
Neurofibromatosis (Revisited, Types I and II)
Autosomal dominant neurocutaneous pleiotropic syndromes –
tumors and malformations involving the skin and nervous system
Wikipedia
Medscape
Breast cancer
(Clinical case # 5)
10%
• Familial - clustering of cases with or without obvious
Mendelian (e.g., AD) inheritance or early onset
viewed as a multifactorial
– Risk ↑ 3X if one 1o relative affected disorder (even if gene
o
– Risk ↑ 10X if more than one 1 relative affected not identified)
– Risk ↑ if relative has early onset (e.g., < 40y) or bilateral disease
not identified
familial cause
Breast Cancer
– p53 and others can also cause breast cancer (LiFraumeneis has breast cancer)
– Locus Heterogeneity
similar phenotypes due to mutations at 2 or more loci/genes
Breast ca. risk Ovarian ca. risk
by age 70 by age 70
(Pop risk 10-12%) (Pop risk 1-2%)
Ashkenazi Jews (1/40 carriers): BRCA1: 185del AG, 5382insC - BRCA2: 6174delT
Colorectal cancer (CRC)
APC gene
Tumor
suppressor
• 1 case ofearly
CRC onset
before 50 years of age.
HNPCC Genetics
caused by Mutations in DNA mismatch repair genes
important in maintaining
genomic stability
2 bands
in normal
tissue=2
chrom.
more
bands
tumors have here
other bands show
up—MSI
Text fig 16-12 due to changes in sizes of microsatellites
Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP)
(Clinical case # 43)
Protect from
sun exposure!
Studies with cell-fusion experiments helped to identify
the different types / complementation groups of XP
—became genes
XPC—protein important in
letting cell recognize original
DNA damage.
In transcription coupled repair,
DNA damage recognition occurs overlap in this section
simultaneously w/ transcription
and uses cockayne syndrome
protein
Gene expression changes and cancer
can find a mutation but in many cases you don’t know what it’s
going to do
_______________
GINA
Ethical and Social
• Principles
– Respect for Individual Autonomy
• Right of individual for self determination and to control
• This requires that the physician provide sufficient information
to allow the individual to make an informed judgment
– Beneficence
• Doing good for the patient
– Avoid Maleficence
• Do no harm
– Justice
• Ensure that all individuals are treated fairly
• 36-year old female with strong family history of breast and ovarian
cancer. Her older sister has a 2 bp deletion in BRCA.
• After education/counseling the proband elects to be tested and is
found to have the same mutation as her sister.
• She is deeply concerned and after extensive discussion elects
bilateral prophylactic mastectomy followed a year later by removal
of her ovaries.
• Her 32-year-old sister elects to not undergo testing, fearful of losing
her health insurance if found to be positive.
• Other family members including the proband are deeply concerned
and pressure the physician to talk some sense into her .
Case 2- APC colon cancer
• Couple and three children (under 18) come for counseling.
• Family history of colon cancer on the father s side indicative of
familial polyposis coli.
• Linkage analysis shows disease in family traveling with B
allele of APC.
• With full informed consent, testing (by linkage analysis) is
carried out on the three children.
– Two children received normal APC allele
– Third child, high likelihood of different father
• Separately, the mother admits the child could have had a
different father but pleads with clinic staff to keep this
confidential.
• Staff simply informed the family that the father s APC
mutation had not been passed on to any children.
Case 3 – HNPCC colon cancer
• Asymptomatic 25 yr old woman with family history of
colon and endometrial cancer suggestive of HNPCC.
• In a research protocol, a mutation is found in the MSH2
gene in the family.
• She wishes to know her status and after extensive
education about possible outcomes, she is tested and found
to carry the mutation.
• She has an MBA and six months later interviews with and
receives a tentative offer of employment with a major
company.
• She reports her family history in a pre-employment health
survey and the company contacts her physician who copies
and sends her mutation results to the company.
• The employment director withdraws the offer. before GINA,
doesn’t happen
anymore
Indiana Familial Cancer Clinic