Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:2.7.7.49 (reverse transcriptase)
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Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common soft tissue malignancy in children but is rare in adults. The latest World Health Organization classification of soft tissue tumors recognizes embryonal, alveolar, and pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcomas. More recently, a sclerosing variant of rhabdomyosarcoma has been recognized and reported in seven adult patients. We describe a pediatric case of sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma presenting as a sacral mass in a 3-year-old girl. Morphologically, the tumor showed a prominent sclerosing hyaline matrix and demonstrated pseudovascular and microalveolar architectural foci. Focal positivity was seen with desmin, smooth muscle actin, and myogenin. MyoD1 showed uniform diffuse nuclear staining. Fusion transcripts were not demonstrated by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis. The histology, immunohistochemistry, and molecular genetics matched those reported in the seven adult cases of sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma. This is the first case report, to our knowledge, of this rare tumor arising in the pediatric age group, and we compare the features with those reported in adult sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma.
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PMID:Sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma in childhood: case report and review of the literature. 1580 20

In recent reports, investigators have described a variant of adult sclerosing rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) that is characterized by a hyalinizing, matrix-rich stroma. To determine whether this variant occurs in children, we investigated this phenomenon in a recent series of 1207 pediatric patients who had RMS accessioned by the Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study Group, now part of Children's Oncology Group. Thirteen patients had features of sclerosing RMS; 9 had been diagnosed with alveolar RMS (ARMS), 3 with embryonal RMS (ERMS), and 1 with a spindle cell RMS. Primary sites included head and neck (6 patients), extremities (5 patients), scrotum (1 patient), and retroperitoneum (1 patient). Patients' ages ranged from 0.3 to 16 years. All tumors showed positivity for myogenin, MyoD, and desmin, but only 2 patients demonstrated the strong myogenin staining typically seen in ARMS. Three patients diagnosed with ARMS demonstrated embryonal-appearing foci, and 3 of 4 patients who had nonalveolar tumors had ARMS-like foci. Standard reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction performed on RNA isolated from frozen sections showed 1 ARMS with a positivity for PAX3-FKHR with four patients classified as having ARMS and 1 as having spindle cell RMS were negative for both ARMS fusion transcripts (PAX3- and PAX7-FKHR). Cytogenetic testing in 2 patients who had ARMS-like foci demonstrated mild hyperdiploidy in both patients and a near-tetraploid clone in 1 patient. Sclerosing RMS may arise in children, have mixed ERMS-ARMS histology, originate from the head and neck, and lack strong myogenin staining.
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PMID:Sclerosing rhabdomyosarcomas in children and adolescents: a clinicopathologic review of 13 cases from the Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study Group and Children's Oncology Group. 1563 May 26

CTLA-4 (CD152) is a cell surface receptor that behaves as a negative regulator of the proliferation and the effector function of T cells. We have previously shown that CTLA-4 is also expressed on neoplastic lymphoid and myeloid cells, and it can be targeted to induce apoptosis. In our study, we have extended our analysis and have discovered that surface expression of CTLA-4 is detectable by flow cytometry on 30 of 34 (88%) cell lines derived from a variety of human malignant solid tumors including carcinoma, melanoma, neuroblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma and osteosarcoma (but not in primary osteoblast-like cultures). However, by reverse transcriptase-PCR, CTLA-4 expression was detected in all cell lines. We have also found, by immunohistochemistry, cytoplasmic and surface expression of CTLA-4 in the tumor cells of all 6 osteosarcoma specimens examined and in the tumour cells of all 5 cases (but only weakly or no positivity at all in neighbouring nontumor cells) of ductal breast carcinomas. Treatment of cells from CTLA-4-expressing tumor lines with recombinant forms of the CTLA-4-ligands CD80 and CD86 induced apoptosis associated with sequential activation of caspase-8 and caspase-3. The level of apoptosis was reduced by soluble CTLA-4 and by anti-CTLA-4 scFvs antibodies. The novel finding that CTLA-4 molecule is expressed and functional on human tumor cells opens up the possibility of antitumor therapeutic intervention based on targeting this molecule.
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PMID:CTLA-4 is constitutively expressed on tumor cells and can trigger apoptosis upon ligand interaction. 1591 38

A valuable diagnostic adjunct and important prognostic parameter in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS) is the identification of translocations t(2;13)(q35;q14) and t(1;13)(p36;q14), and the associated PAX3-FKHR and PAX7-FKHR fusion transcripts, respectively. Most RMS fusion gene type studies have been based on reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) detection of the fusion transcript, a technique limited by RNA quality and failure of devised primer sets to detect unusual variants. As an alternative approach, we developed a fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay that can: (1) distinguish between the two most common ARMS-associated fusion genes; (2) identify potential unusual variant translocations; (3) assess histologic components in mixed alveolar/embryonal RMS; and (4) be performed on paraffinized tissue. FISH analyses of 75 specimens (40 ARMS, 16 ERMS, 8 mixed ARMS/ERMS, and 11 non-RMS tumors) using selected cosmid clone, bacterial, P1-derived, and yeast artificial chromosome probe sets were successful in all but two cases. Among specimens with informative results for both FISH and RT-PCR or standard karyotyping, PAX/FKHR classification results were concordant in 94.6% (53/56). The three discordant cases included one exhibiting a t(2;13) by FISH that was subsequently confirmed by repeat RT-PCR, a second showing a rearrangement of the PAX3 locus only (consistent with the presence of a PAX3 variant translocation), and a third revealing a t(2;13) by FISH that lacked this translocation cytogenetically. Both alveolar and embryonal components of the mixed ARMS/ERMS subtype were negative for PAX3, PAX7, and FKHR rearrangements, a surprising finding confirmed by RT-PCR and/or conventional karyotyping. These data demonstrate that FISH with newly designed probe sets is a reliable and highly specific method of detecting t(1;13) and t(2;13) in routinely processed tissue and may be useful in differentiating ARMS from other small round cell tumors. The findings also suggest that FISH may be a more sensitive assay than RT-PCR in some settings, capable of revealing variant translocations.
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PMID:Use of a novel FISH assay on paraffin-embedded tissues as an adjunct to diagnosis of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. 1660 81

Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS) is a soft tissue cancer in which chromosomal translocations generate PAX3-FKHR and PAX7-FKHR gene fusions. To improve the approach for fusion detection in archival samples, we developed a real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assay for these fusion transcripts. By incorporating consensus primers and gene-specific probes, both presence and subtype of the fusion were determined in one assay. We applied this approach to a convenience sample of 78 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded ARMS tumors from the Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study (IRS)-III clinical trial and obtained satisfactory results in 59 (76%) cases. The distribution of fusion types was 35 (59%) PAX3-FKHR, 11 (19%) PAX7-FKHR, and 13 fusion-negative (22%). In a subsequent clinical analysis, we found that IRS-III ARMS cases analyzed for fusion status had a significantly improved outcome compared to IRS-III ARMS cases that were not available for fusion analysis. The basis of this outcome could not be explained by known prognostic clinical factors, and multivariate analysis confirmed that our convenience sample was not representative of the whole IRS-III cohort. In conclusion, although these robust assays provide new opportunities for correlative studies of archival material, our first application illustrates an important limitation of using a convenience sample for molecular-clinical correlative studies.
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PMID:Examination of gene fusion status in archival samples of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma entered on the Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study-III trial: a report from the Children's Oncology Group. 1664 6

Comparative expressed sequence hybridization (CESH) is an expression profiling technique which identifies chromosomal regions corresponding to differential gene expression. Here, we observe that various tumor samples including rhabdomyosarcoma show very prominent staining on the short arms of the acrocentric chromosomes suggesting an increase in expression of ribosomal RNA synthesized from the repetitive rDNA of the nucleolar organizer regions located on these chromosomes. Survival analysis showed a correlation with overexpression from this region and a poor prognosis in rhabdomyosarcoma. This phenomenon was studied in an extended set of rhabdomyosarcoma tumor samples using quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-PCR to quantify levels of pre-rRNA (precursor ribosomal RNA). It was demonstrated first that the strong CESH signals did correspond to a marked increase in pre-rRNA expression and second that high pre-rRNA expression correlated with an adverse prognosis in alveolar subtype rhabdomyosarcoma. In addition, we demonstrate that pre-rRNA expression is significantly correlated with tumor stage. We conclude that measuring expression of pre-rRNA by real-time PCR is a useful prognostic marker in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. Furthermore, given that we have observed similar rDNA staining in all cancer types that we have studied by CESH, we propose that pre-rRNA overexpression is a general phenomenon in cancer and that our real-time PCR assay may be applicable as a prognostic marker in other tumor types.
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PMID:Nascent pre-rRNA overexpression correlates with an adverse prognosis in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. 1677 Jul 81

Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (ERMS) is the most common subtype of RMS that predominantly involves the genitourinary tract and the head and neck regions in children younger than 10 years of age. Cytogenetically, ERMS is most frequently hyperdiploid, with extra copies of chromosomes 2, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, and 20. No consistent structural chromosomal alteration has been identified in ERMS. In contrast, a t(2;13)(q35;q14) or t(1;13)(q36;q14) corresponding to PAX3-FOXO1A (previously FKHR) and PAX7-FOXO1A gene fusions are considered tumor-specific anomalies for alveolar RMS (ARMS). Occasionally, a recurrent secondary structural rearrangement involving chromosomes 1 and 16 is seen in translocation-positive ARMS, a der(16)t(1;16) resulting in an imbalance of 1q and 16q material. Conventional cytogenetic analysis of an ERMS arising in the urinary bladder of a 22-month-old male child revealed this nonrandom secondary chromosomal aberration, der(16)(1;16)(q22;q24), in a hyperdiploid complement with extra copies of chromosomes 2, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 19, and 20. Subsequent analyses showed tumor cells to be negative for FOXO1A, PAX3, or PAX7 gene locus rearrangements (by fluorescence in situ hybridization) and also negative for PAX3-FOXO1A and PAX7-FOXO1A fusion transcripts (by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction). These results suggest that the unbalanced t(1;16) translocation may be seen in RMSs lacking a primary genetic rearrangement.
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PMID:Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma with a der(16)t(1;16) translocation. 1735 Apr 70

Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common soft tissue sarcoma of childhood. Improving the management of rhabdomyosarcoma requires a better understanding of growth regulation. Patched haploinsufficient (Ptch+/-) mice spontaneously develop soft tissue sarcomas that resemble human rhabdomyosarcomas. Using microarray profiling and quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, we identified candidate genes differentially expressed in Ptch+/- mouse rhabdomyosarcoma relative to mature muscle. Overexpressed genes include Secreted Phosphoprotein 1 (Spp1, Osteopontin), and Matrix Metalloproteinases-2 and -14 (Mmp2 and Mmp14). Spp1 is an integrin-binding phosphoglycoprotein upregulated in carcinomas, and Mmps regulate tumour invasion. Immunochemical analyses of murine and human rhabdomyosarcoma specimens confirmed increased expression of Spp1, Mmp2, Mmp14, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) p65 and its phosphorylated active isoform. Neutralising Spp1 antibody decreased Mmp14 RNA in murine rhabdomyosarcoma cultures, indicating a positive regulatory role for extracellular Spp1. Plasma from rhabdomyosarcoma patients display elevated levels of SPP1. These results implicate Spp1, NF-kappaB, and Mmp activation as a putative signalling pathway involved in rhabdomyosarcoma growth.
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PMID:Patched haploinsufficient mouse rhabdomyosarcoma overexpress secreted phosphoprotein 1 and matrix metalloproteinases. 1746 79

Chromosomal translocations of t(2;13)(q35;q14) and t(1;13)(p36;q14), resulting in PAX3-FOXO1 (FKHR) and PAX7-FOXO1 (FKHR) gene fusions, have been found to be specific molecular markers for alveolar rhabdomyosarcomas (ARMS) and can be identified in approximately 80% cases. As the prognosis of ARMS is worse than that of embryonal rhabdomyosarcomas (ERMS), it is important to accurately distinguish between these 2 subtypes. This distinction may be difficult on the basis of morphology alone. To detect the genetic alterations, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or dual-color dual-fusion fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) have been used in most studies so far. In this study, we used FOXO1 (FKHR) gene break-apart FISH probe, which can detect both of the translocations involving the FOXO1 gene, and tested 20 cases of rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) including 6 cases of ARMS, 8 ERMS, 1 pleomorphic type, 5 not otherwise specified (RMS-NOS), and 10 non-RMS sarcomas. A home-brew RT-PCR that could detect both PAX3-FOXO1 and PAX7-FOXO1 was also performed. Four pathologists independently reviewed all RMS and a consensus diagnosis was also reached in discrepant cases. Histologic and molecular findings were correlated with clinical outcomes with an average of a 49-month follow-up. FOXO1 break-apart by FISH was positive in 4 of 6 (66%) ARMS and 2 of 5 (40%) RMS-NOS cases. All other cases, including all ERMS, were negative. RT-PCR assay confirmed all FISH results. While 2 of 6 (33%) RMS patients with a FOXO1 break-apart died of the disease, there were no deaths among the patients with negative result. The FOXO1 gene break-apart FISH probe is a simple and accurate tool to detect the translocations associated with ARMS. As characteristic genetic alterations of ARMS can be identified in 40% of RMS-NOS cases in our study, the FISH assay would provide an additional useful tool in the diagnosis and prognosis of ARMS, and an alternative to RT-PCR.
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PMID:Detection of FOXO1 (FKHR) gene break-apart by fluorescence in situ hybridization in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded alveolar rhabdomyosarcomas and its clinicopathologic correlation. 1830 11

Nuclear expression of the Y-box-binding protein-1 (YB-1) has been reported to regulate the expression of both P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and major vault protein (MVP), and to regulate proliferative activities in human malignancies. Based on morphology and molecular biology, rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) can be divided into two major types: embryonal type and the more aggressive alveolar type. Thirty-five cases of embryonal RMS (ERMS) and 28 cases of alveolar RMS (ARMS) were examined immunohistochemically for the nuclear expression of YB-1 and the intrinsic expression of P-gp, multidrug resistance (MDR)-associated protein (MRP) 1, 2, and 3, breast-cancer resistant protein (BCRP) and MVP, and the findings were compared with proliferative activities as evaluated by the MIB-1-labeling index (LI). Moreover, mRNA levels of these MDR-related molecules were assessed using a quantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR method in 18 concordant frozen materials. P-gp expression was more frequently observed ARMS, compared with ERMS (P = 0.0332), whereas immunoreactivity for BCRP was more frequently recognized in ERMS (P = 0.0184). Nuclear expression of YB-1 protein was correlated with P-gp (P = 0.0359) and MVP (P = 0.0044) expression, and a higher MIB-1-labeling index (P = 0.0244) in ERMS, however, in ARMS no such relationships were observed. These immunohistochemical results indicate that different expression profiles of MDR-related molecules and their correlation with YB-1 nuclear expression support the concept that ERMS and ARMS are molecular biologically distinct neoplasms. Apart from ERMS, frequent P-gp expression in ARMS may be independent from YB-1 regulation. However, YB-1 may be a candidate for a molecular target in rhabdomyosarcoma therapy, especially in ERMS.
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PMID:Different expression profiles of Y-box-binding protein-1 and multidrug resistance-associated proteins between alveolar and embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. 1837 24


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