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Query: UMLS:C0699790 (colon cancer)
 28,837 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

hMLH1 and hPMS2 are part of the DNA mismatch repair complex. Mutations in these genes have been linked to hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer; they also occur in a variety of sporadic cancers. Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry demonstrated that hMLH1 and hPMS2 are widely expressed nuclear proteins with a distribution pattern very similar to that previously described for hMSH2. These observations showing similar localization of hMLH1 and hPMS2 with hMSH2 are consistent with the biochemical function of these proteins in DNA mismatch repair.
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PMID:Expression of the DNA mismatch repair proteins hMLH1 and hPMS2 in normal human tissues. 932 48

Hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer (HNPCC) is a common hereditary disease characterized by a predisposition to an early onset of colorectal cancer. The majority of the HNPCC families carry germline mutations of either hMSH2 or hMLH1 genes, whereas germline mutations of hPMS1 and hPMS2 genes have rarely been observed. Almost all of the germline mutations reported so far concern typical HNPCC families. However, there are families that display aggregations of colon cancer even though they do not fulfil all HNPCC criteria (incomplete HNPCC families) as well as sporadic cases of early onset colon cancers that could be related to germline mutations of these genes. Therefore, we screened germline mutations of hMSH2 and hMLH1 genes in 3 groups of patients from France and Turkey: typical HNPCC (n = 3), incomplete HNPCC (n = 9) and young patients without apparent familial history (n = 7). By in vitro synthesis of protein assay, heteroduplex analysis and direct genomic sequencing, we identified 1 family with hMSH2 mutation and 5 families with hMLH1 mutations. Two of the 3 HNPCC families (66%) displayed hMLH1 germline mutations. Interestingly, 4 of 9 families with incomplete HNPCC (44%) also displayed mutations of hMSH2 or hMLH1 genes. In contrast, no germline mutation of these genes was found in 7 young patients. Our results show that germline mutations of hMSH2 and hMLH1 genes contribute to a significant fraction of familial predisposition to colon cancer cases that do not fulfil all diagnostic criteria of HNPCC.
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PMID:Germline hMSH2 and hMLH1 gene mutations in incomplete HNPCC families. 939 61

Colorectal cancer is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in Western populations. This cancer develops as a result of the pathologic transformation of normal colonic epithelium to an adenomatous polyp and ultimately an invasive cancer. The multistep progression requires years and possibly decades and is accompanied by a number of recently characterized genetic alterations. Mutations in two classes of genes, tumor-suppressor genes and proto-oncogenes, are thought to impart a proliferative advantage to cells and contribute to development of the malignant phenotype. Inactivating mutations of both copies (alleles) of the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene--a tumor-suppressor gene on chromosome 5q--mark one of the earliest events in colorectal carcinogenesis. Germline mutation of the APC gene and subsequent somatic mutation of the second APC allele cause the inherited familial adenomatous polyposis syndrome. This syndrome is characterized by the presence of hundreds to thousands of colonic adenomatous polyps. If these polyps are left untreated, colorectal cancer develops. Mutation leading to dysregulation of the K-ras protooncogene is also thought to be an early event in colon cancer formation. Conversely, loss of heterozygosity on the long arm of chromosome 18 (18q) occurs later in the sequence of development from adenoma to carcinoma, and this mutation may predict poor prognosis. Loss of the 18q region is thought to contribute to inactivation of the DCC tumor-suppressor gene. More recent evidence suggests that other tumor-suppressor genes--DPC4 and MADR2 of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) pathway--also may be inactivated by allelic loss on chromosome 18q. In addition, mutation of the tumor-suppressor gene p53 on chromosome 17p appears to be a late phenomenon in colorectal carcinogenesis. This mutation may allow the growing tumor with multiple genetic alterations to evade cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Neoplastic progression is probably accompanied by additional, undiscovered genetic events, which are indicated by allelic loss on chromosomes 1q, 4p, 6p, 8p, 9q, and 22q in 25% to 50% of colorectal cancers. Recently, a third class of genes, DNA repair genes, has been implicated in tumorigenesis of colorectal cancer. Study findings suggest that DNA mismatch repair deficiency, due to germline mutation of the hMSH2, hMLH1, hPMS1, or hPMS2 genes, contributes to development of hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer. The majority of tumors in patients with this disease and 10% to 15% of sporadic colon cancers display microsatellite instability, also know as the replication error positive (RER+) phenotype. This molecular marker of DNA mismatch repair deficiency may predict improved patient survival. Mismatch repair deficiency is thought to lead to mutation and inactivation of the genes for type II TGF-beta receptor and insulin-like growth-factor II receptor. Individuals from families at high risk for colorectal cancer (hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer or familial adenomatous polyposis) should be offered genetic counseling, predictive molecular testing, and when indicated, endoscopic surveillance at appropriate intervals. Recent studies have examined colorectal carcinogenesis in the light of other genetic processes. Telomerase activity is present in almost all cancers, including colorectal cancer, but rarely in benign lesions such as adenomatous polyps or normal tissues. Furthermore, genetic alterations that allow transformed colorectal epithelial cells to escape cell cycle arrest or apoptosis also have been recognized. In addition, hypomethylation or hypermethylation of DNA sequences may alter gene expression without nucleic acid mutation.
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PMID:Molecular biology of colorectal cancer. 943 4

Abnormalities in at least 1 of 5 mismatch repair (MMR) genes (hMSH2, hMLH1, hPMS1, hPMS2 and GTBP/hMSH6) are found in hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer and sporadic colon cancers. We used a single-reaction multiplex reverse transcription (RT)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR), with the beta-actin gene as an internal control, to simultaneously evaluate expression of these 5 known human MMR genes in normal and tumor cell lines with known or uncharacterized mutations in MMR genes. The relative quantitation of the transcripts is demonstrated by controlling the number of PCR cycles and titrating cDNA with a dose-curve. The 13 normal cell lines tested were derived from normal lymphocytes, skin, thymus, breast, lung, colon, liver and kidney. The 26 cancer cell lines were derived from melanoma and cancers of the brain, breast, lung, colon, pancreas and prostate. All 5 MMR genes were ubiquitously expressed in all normal cell lines tested, suggesting their housekeeping roles. Aberrant MMR gene expression was only observed in the colon cancer cell lines. Two previously uncharacterized colon cancer cell lines did not express hMLH1. These data suggest that this nonradioactive multiplex RT-PCR assay for MMR gene expression may be useful for fast screening for genetic alterations that may affect gene expression and so may aid molecular analysis of MMR-related colon cancer.
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PMID:Expression of five selected human mismatch repair genes simultaneously detected in normal and cancer cell lines by a nonradioactive multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. 949 49

Recent studies have demonstrated the presence of microsatellite instability (MSI) in tumors from patients with hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer and in a large number of sporadic tumors. To further characterize the type of alterations at these loci and their frequency of involvement in colon cancer, we studied DNA extracted from paraffin-embedded tissue from 508 patients using 11 microsatellites localized to chromosomes 5, 8, 15, 17, and 18. Overall, MSI at each locus varied in character and frequency and was observed with at least one marker in 191 cases (37.6%). Based on the number of markers displaying instability per tumor, three groups of patients were defined: those with <30% of the markers showing instability (MSI-L,, n = 109, 21.5%); those with > or = 30% (MSI-H, n = 82, 16.1%); and those showing no instability (MSS, n = 317, 62.4%). These groups were tested for correlations with a number of clinical and pathological parameters, including age, sex, stage, ploidy status, and site of tumor. Comparing across the three groups and verified by pair-wise comparisons, the MSI-H group was associated with tumor site (proximal colon, P = 0.001), sex (females, P = 0.005), stage (Dukes' B, P = 0.01), and ploidy status (diploid, P = 0.03). No significant differences were noted between the MSI-L and MSS group for any of the parameters tested. An additional 188 consecutive surgical colorectal cancer cases were examined for the presence of MSI and for the immunohistochemical expression of hMLH1 and hMSH2 proteins. Of this group, 129 (68.6%) were classified as MSS, 17 (9.0%) as MSI-L, and 42 (22.3%) as MSI-H. None of the MSS and none of the MSI-L tumors had altered expression of either hMLH1 or hMSH2. However, the majority of MSI-H (40 of 42, 95%) cases demonstrated absence of staining for these proteins. The most frequently altered protein was hMLH1, occurring in 95% of the tumors with altered expression. Cumulatively, these data suggest that the tumor phenotype MSI-H is distinct from tumor phenotypes MSI-L and MSS, with no apparent differences between MSI-L and MSS. Furthermore, altered hMLH1 protein expression appears to be responsible for the mutator phenotype in the vast majority of MSI-H tumors.
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PMID:Microsatellite instability in colorectal cancer: different mutator phenotypes and the principal involvement of hMLH1. 956 88

An Egyptian hospital-based pilot case-control study was conducted to investigate the relationship between the expression level of mismatch repair (MMR) genes and the risk of colorectal cancer. The relative expression of five known MMR genes, i.e., hMSH2, hMLH1, hPMS1, hPMS2, and GTBP/hMSH6, was measured by a multiplex reverse transcriptase (RT)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in peripheral blood lymphocytes from 31 colorectal cancer patients and 47 age- and-sex matched controls. The expression of hMSH2, GTBP/hMSH6, hPMS1 and hPMS2 tended to be lower in patients than controls, but only the difference in hPMS2 expression was statistically significant (p<0. 01). Although 50% of the cases had chemotherapy or radiotherapy within the last six months before the blood was drawn, their gene expression was not statistically different from those who had not undergone such therapies. After adjustment for age and sex, the odds ratios (OR) calculated from a logistical regression model, using the median levels of gene expression of controls as cut-off values, indicated that increased risk was associated with reduced expressions of both hPMS1 (OR = 3.97, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.04 to 7.65) and hPMS2 (OR = 2.86, 95% CI = 1.05 to 7.76). Although the results of this study were inconclusive because of the small sample size and use of prevalent cases, it is biologically plausible that patients with colorectal cancers may have a lower expression of MMR genes than healthy controls because malfunction of these genes has been shown in hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer. The involvement of low hPMS2 expression in colon cancer risk seems to be unique in the Egyptian population. Further studies with newly diagnosed patients before they begin therapy will provide more convincing data about the role of MMR gene expression in the etiology of colorectal cancers in Egypt.
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PMID:Reduced expression of mismatch repair genes in colorectal cancer patients in Egypt. 959 92

Oxaliplatin, the first available diaminocyclohexane platinum, has clinical activity in colorectal and ovarian cancers. Its mechanism of action is thought to be similar to that of cisplatin, its main mechanism being the intrastrand DNA adduct between two adjacent guanins or two adjacent guanine and adenine adducts. Ongoing molecular pharmacological studies of the mechanism of action of cisplatin suggest that platinated adducts are recognized by proteins of the mismatch repair system, including the products of the hMLH1 and hMSH2 genes. DNA mismatch repair defects occur in a wide variety of sporadic human cancers, are the main genetic factor in hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer and a frequent de novo or acquired phenomenon in ovarian cancer and other solid tumours. Moreover, they have recently been reported to be a cause of resistance to cisplatin but not to oxaliplatin, as diaminocyclohexane platinum adducts do not appear to be recognized by the mismatch repair complex. These findings explain the oxaliplatin activity in some cisplatin-resistant tumours. In addition, the good safety profile of oxaliplatin makes it a drug of choice for combination therapy, and it has been shown to be synergistic with other cytotoxic agents, including 5-fluorouracil, cisplatin, carboplatin, topotecan, gemcitabine and CPT-11. The results of several ongoing trials are awaited, but available data demonstrate that oxaliplatin is highly effective in the treatment of advanced colorectal and ovarian cancers. Promising early results suggest that it is also efficacious in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, breast and non-small-cell lung cancers. As a result of its mechanism of action, its favourable safety profile and the differential profile of its antitumoral activity, the full potential of oxaliplatin as an active, versatile antitumoral agent is yet to be fully explored.
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PMID:Ongoing and unsaid on oxaliplatin: the hope. 964 13

Mutations of DNA mismatch repair genes, including the hMLH1 gene, have been linked to human colon and other cancers in which defective DNA repair is evidenced by the associated instability of DNA microsatellite sequences (MSI). Germ-line hMLH1 mutations are causally associated with inherited MSI colon cancer, and somatic mutations are causally associated with sporadic MSI colon cancer. Previously however, we demonstrated that in many sporadic MSI colon cancers hMLH1 and all other DNA mismatch repair genes are wild type. To investigate this class of tumors further, we examined a group of MSI cancer cell lines, most of which were documented as established from antecedent MSI-positive malignant tumors. In five of six such cases we found that hMLH1 protein was absent, even though hMLH1-coding sequences were wild type. In each such case, absence of hMLH1 protein was associated with the methylation of the hMLH1 gene promoter. Furthermore, in each case, treatment with the demethylating agent 5-azacytidine induced expression of the absent hMLH1 protein. Moreover, in single cell clones, hMLH1 expression could be turned on, off, and on again by 5-azacytidine exposure, washout, and reexposure. This epigenetic inactivation of hMLH1 additionally accounted for the silencing of both maternal and paternal tumor hMLH1 alleles, both of which could be reactivated by 5-azacytidine. In summary, substantial numbers of human MSI cancers appear to arise by hMLH1 silencing via an epigenetic mechanism that can inactivate both of the hMLH1 alleles. Promoter methylation is intimately associated with this epigenetic silencing mechanism.
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PMID:Biallelic inactivation of hMLH1 by epigenetic gene silencing, a novel mechanism causing human MSI cancers. 967 41

Germ-line mutations in DNA mismatch-repair genes impart a markedly elevated cancer risk, often presenting as autosomal dominant hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC). However, there are no pathognomonic features of HNPCC, not all gene carriers have a family history of the disease, and families fulfilling the Amsterdam criteria are relatively uncommon. Genetic testing of probands with early-onset colorectal cancer, irrespective of family history, is one approach that would allow predictive genetic testing of at-risk relatives. We cloned and sequenced hMSH2 and hMLH1 introns, to optimize genomic sequencing. We then systematically analyzed the entire hMSH2 and hMLH1 genes, by genomic sequencing and in vitro synthesized-protein-truncation assay (IVSP), in 50 colorectal cancer patients <30 years of age at diagnosis. To determine polymorphic variants, 26 anonymous donors also were sequenced. All subjects analyzed had at least 1 of 37 different polymorphic or pathogenic variants. IVSP complemented genomic sequencing, by detection of mutations not identified by genomic analysis. Fourteen cancer patients (28%) had pathogenic mutations, and a number of other variants also may have had a pathogenic significance that remains to be elucidated. Tumor replication-error status was useful in targeting sequencing efforts for this cohort of young patients: sensitivity was 86%, specificity 73%, and positive and negative predictive values 63% and 90%, respectively. These data indicate that an appreciable proportion of young colon cancer probands carry a germ-line mutation in a DNA mismatch-repair gene.
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PMID:Systematic analysis of hMSH2 and hMLH1 in young colon cancer patients and controls. 971 27

We have studied the possible interactions between the mismatch repair system and p53 in a human colon cancer cell line, HCT-116 (known to have a homozygous mutation in mismatch repair gene hMLH1 on chromosome 3) and in a clone obtained after insertion of a single copy of chromosome 3 (HCT-116+ ch3). Loss of DNA mismatch repair activity resulted in resistance to cisplatin (DDP). p53 accumulated differently in these cell lines after treatment with DDP. Initially at similar high levels after DDP treatment, p53 maintained the increase in HCT-116 cells, even 72-96 h after drug exposure, whereas HCT-116+ch3 mismatch-proficient cell line p53 declined to basal levels after 48 h. The higher levels of p53 in mismatch-deficient HCT-116 cells were accompanied by increased transcriptional activity as assessed by the gel-retardation assay and by activation of a promoter containing a p53 DNA binding site. To better understand the role of p53, if any, in cell sensitivity to DDP, we disrupted p53 in both cell lines by stable transfection with the human papillomavirus type 16 E6 gene. HCT-116/E6 cells were more sensitive to DDP than the parental cell line, whereas HCT-116+ch3/E6 were fairly similar to HCT-116+ch3 with normal p53 function. Although in our system the transfer of the entire chromosome 3 was used (thus not excluding a possible role of other genes localized on this chromosome), our data indicate that p53 can cooperate with the mismatch repair system. In fact, the lack of hLMH1, at least in these cells, enhances the role of p53 in protecting the cells from DDP-induced DNA damage.
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PMID:Cooperation between p53 and hMLH1 in a human colocarcinoma cell line in response to DNA damage. 1021 32


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