Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0027627 (metastases)
 103,950 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Invasive cell migration in both normal development and metastatic cancer is regulated by various signaling pathways, transcription factors and cell-adhesion molecules. The coordination between these activities in the context of cell migration is poorly understood. During Drosophila oogenesis, a small group of cells called border cells exit the follicular epithelium to perform a stereotypic, invasive migration. We find that the ETS transcription factor Yan is required for border cell migration and that Yan expression is spatiotemporally regulated as border cells migrate from the anterior pole of the egg chamber towards the nurse cell-oocyte boundary. Yan expression is dependent on inputs from the JAK/STAT, Notch and Receptor Tyrosine Kinase pathways in border cells. Mechanistically, Yan functions to modulate the turnover of DE-Cadherin-dependent adhesive complexes to facilitate border cell migration. Our results suggest that Yan acts as a pivotal link between signal transduction, cell adhesion and invasive cell migration in Drosophila border cells.
 ...
PMID:Function of the ETS transcription factor Yan in border cell migration. 1601 14

The Ewing's sarcoma family of tumors are malignant tumors of bone and soft tissue which occur predominantely in children and adolescents. Whereas cure rates for patients with localized tumors are around 70%, survival rates for patients with metastases or relapse are poor in spite of intensive chemo- and radiation therapy, demonstrating a clear need for new, more effective therapies. Insights into the biology of the tumors of the Ewing's sarcoma family with identification of the EWS/ETS gene rearrangement as the key event in malignant transformation and its influence on the regulation of various pathways involved in proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis has led to the identification of potential targets for the development of new molecular therapeutics. This review will focus on the regulation of major pathways of proliferation and apoptosis in tumors of the Ewing's sarcoma family and point out how modulation of these pathways might be of potential use for future therapy.
 ...
PMID:Regulation of apoptosis and proliferation in Ewing's sarcoma--opportunities for targeted therapy. 1640 Jun 99

Prostate cancer is a common and clinically heterogeneous disease with marked variability in progression. The recent identification of gene fusions of the 5'-untranslated region of TMPRSS2 (21q22.3) with the ETS transcription factor family members, either ERG (21q22.2), ETV1 (7p21.2), or ETV4 (17q21), suggests a mechanism for overexpression of the ETS genes in the majority of prostate cancers. In the current study using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), we identified the TMPRSS2:ERG rearrangements in 49.2% of 118 primary prostate cancers and 41.2% of 18 hormone-naive lymph node metastases. The FISH assay detected intronic deletions between ERG and TMPRSS2 resulting in TMPRSS2:ERG fusion in 60.3% (35 of 58) of the primary TMPRSS2:ERG prostate cancers and 42.9% (3 of 7) of the TMPRSS2:ERG hormone-naive lymph node metastases. A significant association was observed between TMPRSS2:ERG rearranged tumors through deletions and higher tumor stage and the presence of metastatic disease involving pelvic lymph nodes. Using 100K oligonucleotide single nucleotide polymorphism arrays, a homogeneous deletion site between ERG and TMPRSS2 on chromosome 21q22.2-3 was identified with two distinct subclasses distinguished by the start point of the deletion at either 38.765 or 38.911 Mb. This study confirms that TMPRSS2:ERG is fused in approximately half of the prostate cancers through deletion of genomic DNA between ERG and TMPRSS2. The deletion as cause of TMPRSS2:ERG fusion is associated with clinical features for prostate cancer progression compared with tumors that lack the TMPRSS2:ERG rearrangement.
 ...
PMID:TMPRSS2:ERG fusion-associated deletions provide insight into the heterogeneity of prostate cancer. 1695 Nov 39

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in the United States. Recently, fusion of TMPRSS2 with ETS family oncogenic transcription factors has been identified as a common molecular alteration in prostate cancer, where most often the rearrangement places ERG under the androgen-regulated transcriptional control of TMPRSS2. Here, we carried out rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) on a prostate cancer specimen carrying an atypical aberration discovered by array-based comparative genomic hybridization (array CGH), suggesting an alternative fusion partner of ERG. We identified novel transcribed sequences fused to ERG, mapping 4 kb upstream of the TMPRSS2 start site. The sequences derive from an apparent second TMPRSS2 isoform, which we found also expressed in some prostate tumors, suggesting similar androgen-regulated control. In a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-based survey of 63 prostate tumor specimens (54 primary and nine lymph node metastases), 44 (70%) cases expressed either the known or novel variant TMPRSS2-ERG fusion, 28 (44%) expressed both, 10 (16%) expressed only the known, and notably six (10%) expressed only the variant isoform fusion. In this specimen set, the presence of a TMPRSS2-ERG fusion showed no statistical association with tumor stage, Gleason grade or recurrence-free survival. Nonetheless, the discovery of a novel variant TMPRSS2 isoform-ERG fusion adds to the characterization of ETS-family rearrangements in prostate cancer, and has important implications for the accurate molecular diagnosis of TMPRSS2-ETS fusions.
 ...
PMID:A variant TMPRSS2 isoform and ERG fusion product in prostate cancer with implications for molecular diagnosis. 1865 91

Integrative analysis of genomic aberrations in the context of trancriptomic alterations will lead to a more comprehensive perspective on prostate cancer progression. Genome-wide copy number changes were monitored using array comparative genomic hybridization of laser-capture microdissected prostate cancer samples spanning stages of prostate cancer progression, including precursor lesions, clinically localized disease, and metastatic disease. A total of 62 specific cell populations from 38 patients were profiled. Minimal common regions (MCR) of alterations were defined for each sample type, and metastatic samples displayed the most number of alterations. Clinically localized prostate cancer samples with high Gleason grade resembled metastatic samples with respect to the size of altered regions and number of affected genes. A total of 9 out of 13 MCRs in the putative precursor lesion, high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN), showed an overlap with prostate cancer cases (amplifications in 3q29, 5q31.3-q32, 6q27, and 8q24.3 and deletions in 6q22.31, 16p12.2, 17q21.2, and 17q21.31), whereas postatrophic hyperplasia (PAH) did not exhibit this overlap. Interestingly, prostate cancers that do not overexpress ETS family members (i.e., gene fusion-negative prostate cancers) harbor differential aberrations in 1q23, 6q16, 6q21, 10q23, and 10q24. Integrative analysis with matched mRNA profiles identified genetic alterations in several proposed candidate genes implicated in prostate cancer progression.
 ...
PMID:Integrative analysis of genomic aberrations associated with prostate cancer progression. 1780 37

A meta-analysis of recent data from the literature underscores the considerable body of present knowledge concerning prostate carcinogenesis, in part due to the numerous molecular biology tools now at our disposal. As concerns early events, much interest is being paid to modifications in the expression of GSTP1 and NKX3.1 occurring in totipotent stem cell populations. The discovery of fusion genes implicating TMPRSS2 and ERG (and, on rare occasions, other ETS family transcription factors) constitutes a major advance. Under physiological androgenic stimulation, the presence of these fusion genes leads to overexpression of genes involved in cell growth and differentiation. Concomitantly, alterations in numerous signalling pathways (growth factors, Wnt-beta catenine, PI3K/Akt) are responsible for the onset of an aggressive tumor phenotype. Hormono-independence is currently explained by an amplification of, or mutations in, androgenic receptors. These are facilitated by genomic instabilities linked to alterations in proteins which regulate gene expression, such as EZH2, and by the influence of the tumor microenvironment. Disturbances in the interactions between tumor cells and the microenvironment contribute to local extension of the tumor. Changes in the expression of E-cadherin are responsible for modifications in cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix. The expression of metalloproteases and of angiogenic factors favors tumor dissemination. Finally, the bone tropism in prostate metastases is probably linked to osteomimetic properties of prostate tumor cells which are capable of expressing certain proteins involved in bone remodelling, such as Runx-2, BSP (bone sialoprotein) and BMP (bone morphogenetic protein). Numerous studies remain to be carried out in order to correlate the identified genetic profiles and molecular anomalies with tumor prognosis. Nevertheless, the possibility of decrypting these anomalies for use in therapeutic applications is encouraging.
 ...
PMID:[Molecular aspects of prostate cancer: recent data from the literature]. 1784 97

Ewing's sarcoma family tumors (ESFT) are characterized by the presence of EWSR1-ETS fusion genes. Secondary chromosome changes are frequently described, although their clinical significance is not clear. In this study, we have collected and reviewed abnormal karyotypes from 88 patients with primary ESFT and a rearrangement of 22q12. Secondary changes were identified in 80% (70/88) of tumors at diagnosis. Multivariate analysis showed a worse overall and relapse free survival (RFS) for those with a complex karyotype (overall survival, P = 0.005; RFS, P = 0.04), independent of metastatic disease. Univariate survival analysis showed that a chromosome number above 50 or a complex karyotype was associated with a worse overall survival (>50 chromosomes, P = 0.05; complex karyotype, P = 0.04). There was no association between type of cytogenetic abnormality and the presence of metastatic disease at diagnosis. Univariate and multivariate survival analysis of a small subgroup with trisomy 20 indicated that trisomy 20 was associated with a worse overall and RFS. There was no difference in outcome associated with other recurrent trisomies (2, 5, 7, 8, or 12) or the common recurrent secondary structural rearrangements (deletions of 1p36, 9p12, 17p13, and 16q, and gain of 1q), although numbers were small. These data demonstrate the continued value of cytogenetics as a genome-wide screen in ESFT and illustrates the potential importance of secondary chromosome changes for stratification of patients for risk. Specifically, karyotype complexity appears to be a powerful predictor of prognosis, and the presence of trisomy 20 may be a marker of a more aggressive subset of this group.
 ...
PMID:Ploidy and karyotype complexity are powerful prognostic indicators in the Ewing's sarcoma family of tumors: a study by the United Kingdom Cancer Cytogenetics and the Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group. 1806 47

Prostate cancer is a heterogeneous neoplasm both with regard to its development, molecular abnormalities and clinical course. For example, in the United States, 1 in 6 men is diagnosed with prostate cancer whilst only 1 in 34 dies of metastatic disease [A. Jemal, R. Siegel, E. Ward, T. Murray, J. Xu, M.J. Thun, Cancer Statistics, 2007, CA Cancer J. Clin. 57 (2007) 43-66]. In this review, we summarise novel understandings of the early molecular events in prostatic carcinogenesis that may underlie both the molecular and clinical heterogeneity. Issues covered include those related to stem cells and embryonic signalling, oncogene/tumor suppressor abnormalities, androgen signalling, apoptosis and the nature of tumor-stromal interactions. Emphasis is placed on signalling pathway abnormalities, their causation, consequences and interactions. For example, genomic abnormalities involving the TMPRSS2-ETS and PTEN loci and the resulting signalling effects suggest the importance of genomic instability as a crucial factor in the emergence of this neoplasm. Together with new insights into signalling pathways consequent to abnormalities such as these, a greater understanding of the pathophysiology involved in prostatic carcinogenesis will lead to targeted approaches for both therapy and chemoprevention in the future.
 ...
PMID:Prostatic preneoplasia and beyond. 1816 63

The recent identification of fusion genes involving ETS family members in human prostate adenocarcinoma has confirmed the hypothesis that recurrent specific aberrations such as fusion genes may be as frequent in epithelial tumors as they are in leukemias and sarcomas. However, reciprocal translocations with fusion genes are often not detectable in carcinomas by conventional karyotyping because of additional complex chromosomal abnormalities. We retrospectively analyzed a large series of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples including 55 prostate carcinomas and 11 benign prostate tumors. We identified the fusion gene TMPRSS2-ERG by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 40/55 carcinomas (72%). Our study demonstrates that the detection of ETS fusion gene by RT-PCR is feasible on formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded samples. No significant association between the presence of the fusion gene and any clinical feature, such as preoperative serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level (PSA>20 or PSA< or =20), pTNM stage including capsule invasion, seminal vesicle invasion, and lymph nodes metastases, or recurrence was observed in our series.
 ...
PMID:Detection of the TMPRSS2-ETS fusion gene in prostate carcinomas: retrospective analysis of 55 formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded samples with clinical data. 1847 93

A significant number of prostate cancers have been shown to have recurrent chromosomal rearrangements resulting in the fusion of the androgen-regulated TMPRSS2 promoter to a member of the ETS transcription factor family, most commonly ERG. This results in ERG overexpression, which may have a direct causal role in prostate tumorigenesis or progression. However, the clinical significance of the rearrangement is unclear, and in particular, relationship to outcome has been inconsistent in recent reports. We analyzed TMPRSS2-ERG gene rearrangement status by fluorescence in situ hybridization in 521 cases of clinically localized surgically treated prostate cancer with 95 months of median follow-up and also in 40 unmatched metastases. Forty-two percent of primary tumors and 40% of metastases had rearrangements. Eleven percent had copy number increase (CNI) of the TMPRRS2-ERG region. Rearrangement alone was associated with lower grade, but not with stage, biochemical recurrence, metastases, or death. CNI with and without rearrangement was associated with high grade and advanced stage. Further, a subgroup of cancers with CNI and rearrangement by deletion, with two or more copies of the deleted locus, tended to be more clinically aggressive. DNA index assessment revealed that the majority of tumors with CNI of TMPRSS2-ERG had generalized aneuploidy/tetraploidy in contrast to tumors without TMPRSS2-ERG CNI, which were predominantly diploid. We therefore conclude that translocation of TMPRSS2-ERG is not associated with outcome, and the aggressive clinical features associated with CNI of chromosome 21 reflect generalized aneuploidy and are not due to CNI specifically of rearranged TMPRSS2-ERG.
 ...
PMID:TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion is not associated with outcome in patients treated by prostatectomy. 1919 Mar 43


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 Next >>