Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0027651 (tumor)
685,946 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Colorectal tumors frequently contain activating mutations in KRAS. ReovirusT3D is an oncolytic virus that preferentially kills tumor cells with an activated Ras pathway. Here we have assessed the contribution of endogenous mutant KRAS in human colorectal cancer cell lines to ReovirusT3D replication and to tumor cell oncolysis. In addition, treatment combinations involving ReovirusT3D, oxaliplatin, and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) were tested for their efficacy in tumor cell killing. The mutation status of KRAS did not predict the sensitivity of a panel of human colorectal cancer cell lines to ReovirusT3D. Virus replication was observed in all cell lines tested regardless of KRAS status and was not affected by deletion of endogenous mutant KRAS(D13). However, deletion of KRAS(D13) or p53 did reduce apoptosis induction by ReovirusT3D whereas deletion of beta-catenin(DeltaS45) had no effect. Likewise, KRAS(D13)- or p53-deficient cells display reduced sensitivity to oxaliplatin but not to death receptor activation by TRAIL. Finally, the treatment of colorectal cancer cells with ReovirusT3D combined with either oxaliplatin or TRAIL resulted in a nonsynergistic increase in tumor cell killing. We conclude that oncolysis of human tumor cells by ReovirusT3D is not determined by the extent of virus replication but by their sensitivity to apoptosis induction. Oncogenic KRAS(D13) increases tumor cell sensitivity to activation of the cell-intrinsic apoptosis pathway without affecting ReovirusT3D replication.
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PMID:KRAS(D13) Promotes apoptosis of human colorectal tumor cells by ReovirusT3D and oxaliplatin but not by tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand. 1670 68

Sequence mutations and gene amplifications lead to activation of the PIK3CA-AKT2 signaling pathway and have been reported in several types of neoplasms including ovarian cancer. Analysis of such genetic alterations, however, is usually complicated by contamination of normal cell DNA, artifacts associated with formalin-fixed tissues and the sensitivity of the techniques employed. In this study, we analyzed the sequence mutations in PIK3CA and AKT2 genes using purified tumor cells that were isolated from high-grade ovarian serous carcinomas and serous borderline tumors (SBTs) and assessed gene amplification using a dual-color FISH on tissue microarrays. Somatic sequence mutations in the kinase domain of AKT2 were not detected in any of the 65 ovarian tumors analyzed. Mutations of PIK3CA were rare, occurring only in one (2.3%) of 44 high-grade serous carcinomas and in only one (4.8%) of 21 SBTs. Dual-color FISH demonstrated that PIK3CA and AKT2 were not amplified in SBTs but amplified in 13.3% and 18.2% high-grade carcinomas, respectively. High-level amplification (>3 fold) was more frequently observed in AKT2 than in PIK3CA. Unlike mutations in ERBB2, KRAS and BRAF which are mutually exclusive in SBTs, coamplification of PIK3CA and AKT2 was present in five high-grade carcinomas including the OVCAR3 cells. Amplification in either of the genes occurred in 27% high-grade serous carcinomas. In conclusion, the methods we employed provide unambiguous evidence that somatic sequence mutations of PIK3CA and ATK2 are rare in ovarian serous tumors but amplification of both genes may play an important role in the development of high-grade ovarian serous carcinoma.
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PMID:Sequence mutations and amplification of PIK3CA and AKT2 genes in purified ovarian serous neoplasms. 1692 Dec 59

Constitutive activation of the kinase cascade involving RAS, RAF, MEK and ERK is common to human cancers, and mutations of KRAS and BRAF are mutually exclusive and serve as alternatives to activate the RAS/RAF/ERK signaling pathway. RAS mutations are known to occur in prostate adenocarcinomas, but little is known about BRAF mutations in these tumors. In the present study, BRAF and KRAS mutations were characterized in 206 prostate adenocarcinomas by enhanced PCR-RFLP and direct sequencing. The identified KRAS and BRAF mutations were then analyzed with respect to preoperative serum PSA levels, Gleason scores and tumor stages. Mutations in codon 600 of BRAF were identified in 21 (10.2%) of 206 prostate adenocarcinomas. KRAS mutations in codons 12 or 13 were found in 15 (7.3%) of 206 prostate adenocarcinomas. However, no tumor specimen contained both BRAF and KRAS mutations. Prostate adenocarcinomas with a BRAF mutation tended to show higher preoperative serum PSA levels, Gleason scores and tumor stages than prostate adenocarcinomas with a KRAS mutation. The results obtained show that BRAF mutations are as uncommon as KRAS mutations in prostate adenocarcinoma. Although BRAF and KRAS are members of the same RAS/ERK signaling pathway, prostate adenocarcinomas with a BRAF mutation showed clinicopathologic features that differed from those of prostate adenocarcinoma with a KRAS mutation.
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PMID:BRAF and KRAS mutations in prostatic adenocarcinoma. 1672 85

Although activating mutations in KRAS are identified in most pancreatic cancers and a large number of other neoplasms, our understanding of the precise molecular and cellular mechanisms that constitute the oncogenic effects of mutant KRAS has been insufficient to formulate an effective therapeutic strategy for affected patients. Interestingly, we have observed that supraphysiological expression of oncogenic Ras causes premature senescence, while endogenous expression of oncogenic Ras confers immortalization in primary murine cells. This suggests that the predominant biological systems previously used to evaluate oncogenic Ras may not reflect the true molecular or cellular properties of this oncogene. Here, we review the use of conditional oncogenic mutations in the endogenous Kras allele as a system for exploring oncogenic Kras biochemistry, cell biology, and tumor modeling.
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PMID:Physiological analysis of oncogenic K-ras. 1675 61

Numerous genetic alterations are accumulated during the process of hepatocarcinogenesis. These genetic alterations can be divided into two groups. The first set of genetic alterations is specific of hepatocellular tumor risk factors. It includes integration of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, R249S TP53 (tumor protein p53) mutation in aflatoxin B1-exposed patients, KRAS mutations related to vinyl chloride exposure, hepatocyte nuclear factor 1alpha (HNF1alpha) mutations associated to hepatocellular adenomas and adenomatosis polyposis coli (APC) germline mutations predisposing to hepatoblastomas. The second set of genetic alterations are etiological nonspecific, it includes recurrent gains and losses of chromosomes, alteration of TP53 gene, activation of WNT/beta-catenin pathway through CTNNB1/beta-catenin and AXIN (axis inhibition protein) mutations, inactivation of retinoblastoma and IGF2R (insulin-like growth factor 2 receptor) pathways through inactivation of RB1 (retinoblastoma 1), P16 and IGF2R. Comprehensive analyses of these genetic alterations have defined two pathways of hepatocarcinogenesis according to the presence or the absence of chromosomal instability. Hepatitis B virus and poorly differentiated tumors are related to chromosome instable tumors associated with frequent TP53 mutations, whereas non-HBV and well-differentiated tumors are related to chromosomal stable samples that are frequently beta-catenin activated. These classifications have clinical relevance as genetic alterations may also be related to prognosis.
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PMID:Genetics of hepatocellular tumors. 1679 19

Previous uranium mining in the "Wismut" region in Germany enhanced environmental distribution of heavy metals and radionuclides. Carryover effects may now lead to contamination of locally produced foods. Compounds of "Wismut" origin are probably genotoxic via their irradiating components (radon) or by interacting directly with cellular macromolecules. To assess possible hazards, we investigated the genotoxic effects of uranyl nitrilotriacetate (U-NTA) in human colon tumor cells (HT29 clone 19A), adenoma cells (LT97), and nontransformed primary colon cells. These are target cells of oral exposure to environmentally contaminated foods and represent different cellular stages during colorectal carcinogenesis. Colon cells were incubated with U-NTA. Cell survival, cytotoxicity, cellular glutathione (GSH) levels, genotoxicity, and DNA repair capacity (comet assay), as well as gene- and chromosome-specific damage combination of comet assay and fluorescence in situ hybridization [FISH], 24-color FISH) were determined. U-NTA inhibited growth of HT29 clone 19A cells (75-2000 microM, 72 h) and increased GSH (125-2000 microM, 24 h). U-NTA was genotoxic (1000 microM, 30 min) but did not inhibit the repair of DNA damage caused by hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), 4-hydroxynonenal, and 2-hydroxyamino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]-pyridine. U-NTA was also genotoxic in LT97 cells and primary colon cells, where it additionally increased migration of TP53 into the comet tail. In LT97 cells, 0.5-2mM U-NTA increased chromosomal aberrations in chromosomes 5, 12, and 17, which harbor the tumor-related genes APC, KRAS, and TP53. It may be concluded that uranium compounds could increase alimentary genotoxic exposure in humans if they reach the food chain in sufficient amounts.
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PMID:Uranyl nitrilotriacetate, a stabilized salt of uranium, is genotoxic in nontransformed human colon cells and in the human colon adenoma cell line LT97. 1684 May 63

Alterations in the cadherin-catenin expression and activation of the Wnt signaling have been related to the pathology of ovarian carcinomas. Here, we evaluated the immunoreactivity of cadherins (E-, P-, and N-cadherin and cadherin-11) and catenins (alpha-, beta-, and gamma-catenin and p120) in 86 ovarian tumors. We found significant differences in the expression of all cadherins and catenins among the distinct histologic tumor types. Clear cell tumors were rarely N-cadherin- and P-cadherin-positive and showed reduced membranous expression in all the catenins; Serous carcinomas were frequently N-cadherin- and P-cadherin-positive, mucinous tumors strongly expressed E-cadherin and the catenins in the membrane, and endometrioid tumors characteristically expressed nucleocytoplasmic beta-catenin in most of the cases. We next studied whether allelic losses in the chromosomal regions containing various cadherin genes (16q22) or APC gene (5q21) occurred in ovarian tumors and observed a high frequency of loss of heterozygosity in 16q22 (78%) and 5q21 (33%) regions, but there were no differences among the tumor types analyzed. Finally, we also assessed the molecular alterations responsible for beta-catenin nuclear accumulation in endometrioid tumors by screening for mutations in AXIN1, AXIN2, APC, and KRAS genes. Mutations in KRAS were observed in 2 of 19 tumors, but no mutations were detected in AXIN1, AXIN2, or APC genes. Only beta-catenin gene mutations were associated with nuclear beta-catenin staining in these tumors. In conclusion, different cadherin-catenin expression patterns are associated with distinct histologic types. Oncogenic Wnt signaling plays a role only in endometrioid tumors, where beta-catenin mutations seem to be the main cause of its aberrant expression.
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PMID:Expression of cadherins and catenins correlates with distinct histologic types of ovarian carcinomas. 1686 67

Erlotinib and gefitinib are small-molecule inhibitors of the epidermal growth factor tyrosine kinase. Erlotinib is approved for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer after failure of at least one prior chemotherapy regimen. Although it is active in unselected patients, clinical characteristics and tumor molecular markers associated with enhanced benefit have been identified. Notably, never-smoker status or a positive EGFR FISH test has been consistently predictive of greater erlotinib benefit. Other markers, such as EGFR mutations and EGFR protein expression, as determined by immunohistochemistry, and KRAS mutation status have not proven to be consistently associated with differential benefit.
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PMID:Predicting clinical benefit in non-small-cell lung cancer patients treated with epidermal growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitors. 1686 87

Human adenocarcinomas commonly harbor mutations in the KRAS and MYC proto-oncogenes and the TP53 tumor suppressor gene. All three genetic lesions are potentially pro-angiogenic, as they sustain production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Yet Kras-transformed mouse colonocytes lacking p53 formed indolent, poorly vascularized tumors, whereas additional transduction with a Myc-encoding retrovirus promoted vigorous vascularization and growth. In addition, VEGF levels were unaffected by Myc, but enhanced neovascularization correlated with downregulation of anti-angiogenic thrombospondin-1 (Tsp1) and related proteins, such as connective tissue growth factor (CTGF). Both Tsp1 and CTGF are predicted targets for repression by the miR-17-92 microRNA cluster, which was upregulated in colonocytes coexpressing K-Ras and c-Myc. Indeed, miR-17-92 knockdown with antisense 2'-O-methyl oligoribonucleotides partly restored Tsp1 and CTGF expression; in addition, transduction of Ras-only cells with a miR-17-92-encoding retrovirus reduced Tsp1 and CTGF levels. Notably, miR-17-92-transduced cells formed larger, better-perfused tumors. These findings establish a role for microRNAs in non-cell-autonomous Myc-induced tumor phenotypes.
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PMID:Augmentation of tumor angiogenesis by a Myc-activated microRNA cluster. 1687 33

Epigenetic mechanisms in carcinogenesis may have a significant role in the development of colorectal cancer. To investigate this phenomenon in early-stage disease, promoter methylation status in the tumour suppressor genes APC, MGMT, hMLH1, P14/P14ARF, and CDKN2A/P16 was investigated in 78 colorectal adenomas. These had previously been characterized for mutations of APC, KRAS, and TP53 genes and for chromosomal abnormality by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). APC hypermethylation was seen in 52 tumours (66.7%). APC showed either methylation or mutation in 66 lesions (84.6%), but these events were not statistically associated. MGMT methylation was detected in 39 cases (50%). Adenomas with this abnormality showed a significantly lower number of chromosomal changes by CGH (p < 0.02), confirming that DNA repair defect of this type is associated with a lower level of chromosomal instability. An hMLH1 methylation defect was seen in only one adenoma (1.3%), from a patient who had a synchronous cancer showing the same defect. Methylation of P14 (P14ARF) was seen in 31 adenomas (39.7%) and CDKN2A (P16) abnormality in 25 (32.1%). DNA methylation at two or more loci was seen in 46 tumours (59%), while 11 lesions (14.1%) showed no evidence of hypermethylation at any of the loci studied. Methylation at any or all of MGMT, P14 or P16 was significantly associated with APC methylation (p = 0.01). Those neoplasms with more than two methylated genes showed significantly fewer chromosomal abnormalities than adenomas with one or no methylated loci (p < 0.001). There was no association between specific individual chromosomal abnormalities, APC, KRAS or TP53 mutations and any pattern of methylation abnormality. We conclude that methylation abnormality is very common in pre-invasive colorectal neoplasia, and that high level methylation is associated with low level chromosomal instability.
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PMID:Relationship between point gene mutation, chromosomal abnormality, and tumour suppressor gene methylation status in colorectal adenomas. 1690 13


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