A novel recurrent mutation in MITF predisposes to familial and sporadic melanoma.

So far, two genes associated with familial melanoma have been identified, accounting for a minority of genetic risk in families. Mutations in CDKN2A account for approximately 40% of familial cases, and predisposing mutations in CDK4 have been reported in a very small number of melanoma kindreds. Here we report the whole-genome sequencing of probands from several melanoma families, which we performed in order to identify other genes associated with familial melanoma. We identify one individual carrying a novel germline variant (coding DNA sequence c.G1075A; protein sequence p.E318K; rs149617956) in the melanoma-lineage-specific oncogene microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF). Although the variant co-segregated with melanoma in some but not all cases in the family, linkage analysis of 31 families subsequently identified to carry the variant generated a log of odds (lod) score of 2.7 under a dominant model, indicating E318K as a possible intermediate risk variant. Consistent with this, the E318K variant was significantly associated with melanoma in a large Australian case-control sample. Likewise, it was similarly associated in an independent case-control sample from the United Kingdom. In the Australian sample, the variant allele was significantly over-represented in cases with a family history of melanoma, multiple primary melanomas, or both. The variant allele was also associated with increased naevus count and non-blue eye colour. Functional analysis of E318K showed that MITF encoded by the variant allele had impaired sumoylation and differentially regulated several MITF targets. These data indicate that MITF is a melanoma-predisposition gene and highlight the utility of whole-genome sequencing to identify novel rare variants associated with disease susceptibility.

Protective Effects of APOE ε2 Genotype on Cognition in Older Breast Cancer Survivors: The Thinking and Living With Cancer Study.

Background: Cancer-related cognitive decline (CRCD) has been linked to apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene ε4 polymorphisms. APOE ε4 polymorphisms are also the strongest genetic risk for late-onset Alzheimer disease (AD), whereas ε2 polymorphisms protect against AD. However, the effects of ε2 polymorphisms on CRCD have not been evaluated. Methods: We evaluated nonmetastatic breast cancer survivors (n = 427) and matched noncancer controls (n = 407) ages 60-98 years assessed presystemic therapy from August 2010 to December 2017 with annual follow-up to 24 months. Neuropsychological assessment measured attention, processing speed, executive function, and learning and memory. Linear mixed-effects models tested the effects of having an ε2 allele (vs none) on longitudinal cognitive domain z scores by treatment group (chemotherapy with or without hormonal therapy, hormonal therapy, and control) controlling for covariates; participants with ε2/ε4 genotype were excluded. Sensitivity analyses examined effects of other covariates and any ε4 positivity. Results: There was an interaction with genotype for attention, processing speed, and executive functioning domain scores (Beta = 0.32, 95% confidence interval = 0.00 to 0.65); the chemotherapy group with an ε2 allele had higher scores at baseline and maintained higher scores over time compared with those without an ε2 allele, and this protective effect was not seen for other groups. There was no effect of ε2 on learning and memory domain scores. Conclusions: APOE ε2 polymorphisms may protect against CRCD in older breast cancer survivors receiving chemotherapy. With replication, this information could be useful for survivorship care and informing future studies of possible links to AD and defining mechanisms of protection.

Neuroimaging, cancer, and cognition: state of the knowledge.

OBJECTIVES: To review neuroimaging research concerning cancer- and cancer treatment-related changes in brain structure and function, clinical perspectives, and future directions. DATA SOURCES: Peer-reviewed literature. CONCLUSION: Cancer and chemotherapy are associated with cerebral structural and functional alterations in breast cancer patients that may persist for years; many of these changes are correlated with cognitive complaints or performance. In other cancers there is some evidence that metabolism is altered by cancer, but more research is needed. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Understanding the role of neuroimaging is important to identify the basis of cognitive changes associated with cancer and cancer treatment.

Functional microRNAs in Alzheimer's disease and cancer: differential regulation of common mechanisms and pathways.

Two of the main research priorities in the United States are cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, which are attributed to abnormal patterns of cellular behavior. MicroRNAs (miRNA) have been implicated as regulators of cellular metabolism, and thus are an active topic of investigation in both disease areas. There is presently a more extensive body of work on the role of miRNAs in cancer compared to neurodegenerative diseases, and therefore it may be useful to examine whether there is any concordance between the functional roles of miRNAs in these diseases. As a case study, the roles of miRNAs in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and their functions in various cancers will be compared. A number of miRNA expression patterns are altered in individuals with AD compared with healthy older adults. Among these, some have also been shown to correlate with neuropathological changes including plaque and tangle accumulation, as well as expression levels of other molecules known to be involved in disease pathology. Importantly, these miRNAs have also been shown to have differential expression and or functional roles in various types of cancer. To examine possible intersections between miRNA functions in cancer and AD, we review the current literature on these miRNAs in cancer and AD, focusing on their roles in known biological pathways. We propose a pathway-driven model in which some molecular processes show an inverse relationship between cancer and neurodegenerative disease (e.g., proliferation and apoptosis) whereas others are more parallel in their activity (e.g., immune activation and inflammation). A critical review of these and other molecular mechanisms in cancer may shed light on the pathophysiology of AD, and highlight key areas for future research. Conclusions from this work may be extended to other neurodegenerative diseases for which some molecular pathways have been identified but which have not yet been extensively researched for miRNA involvement.

Genome-wide pathway analysis of memory impairment in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) cohort implicates gene candidates, canonical pathways, and networks.

Memory deficits are prominent features of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). The genetic architecture underlying these memory deficits likely involves the combined effects of multiple genetic variants operative within numerous biological pathways. In order to identify functional pathways associated with memory impairment, we performed a pathway enrichment analysis on genome-wide association data from 742 Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) participants. A composite measure of memory was generated as the phenotype for this analysis by applying modern psychometric theory to item-level data from the ADNI neuropsychological test battery. Using the GSA-SNP software tool, we identified 27 canonical, expertly-curated pathways with enrichment (FDR-corrected p-value < 0.05) against this composite memory score. Processes classically understood to be involved in memory consolidation, such as neurotransmitter receptor-mediated calcium signaling and long-term potentiation, were highly represented among the enriched pathways. In addition, pathways related to cell adhesion, neuronal differentiation and guided outgrowth, and glucose- and inflammation-related signaling were also enriched. Among genes that were highly-represented in these enriched pathways, we found indications of coordinated relationships, including one large gene set that is subject to regulation by the SP1 transcription factor, and another set that displays co-localized expression in normal brain tissue along with known AD risk genes. These results 1) demonstrate that psychometrically-derived composite memory scores are an effective phenotype for genetic investigations of memory impairment and 2) highlight the promise of pathway analysis in elucidating key mechanistic targets for future studies and for therapeutic interventions.