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1.
Nature ; 629(8013): 910-918, 2024 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38693263

ABSTRACT

International differences in the incidence of many cancer types indicate the existence of carcinogen exposures that have not yet been identified by conventional epidemiology make a substantial contribution to cancer burden1. In clear cell renal cell carcinoma, obesity, hypertension and tobacco smoking are risk factors, but they do not explain the geographical variation in its incidence2. Underlying causes can be inferred by sequencing the genomes of cancers from populations with different incidence rates and detecting differences in patterns of somatic mutations. Here we sequenced 962 clear cell renal cell carcinomas from 11 countries with varying incidence. The somatic mutation profiles differed between countries. In Romania, Serbia and Thailand, mutational signatures characteristic of aristolochic acid compounds were present in most cases, but these were rare elsewhere. In Japan, a mutational signature of unknown cause was found in more than 70% of cases but in less than 2% elsewhere. A further mutational signature of unknown cause was ubiquitous but exhibited higher mutation loads in countries with higher incidence rates of kidney cancer. Known signatures of tobacco smoking correlated with tobacco consumption, but no signature was associated with obesity or hypertension, suggesting that non-mutagenic mechanisms of action underlie these risk factors. The results of this study indicate the existence of multiple, geographically variable, mutagenic exposures that potentially affect tens of millions of people and illustrate the opportunities for new insights into cancer causation through large-scale global cancer genomics.


Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Renal Cell , Environmental Exposure , Geography , Kidney Neoplasms , Mutagens , Mutation , Female , Humans , Male , Aristolochic Acids/adverse effects , Carcinoma, Renal Cell/genetics , Carcinoma, Renal Cell/epidemiology , Carcinoma, Renal Cell/chemically induced , Environmental Exposure/adverse effects , Environmental Exposure/analysis , Genome, Human/genetics , Genomics , Hypertension/epidemiology , Incidence , Japan/epidemiology , Kidney Neoplasms/genetics , Kidney Neoplasms/epidemiology , Kidney Neoplasms/chemically induced , Mutagens/adverse effects , Obesity/epidemiology , Risk Factors , Romania/epidemiology , Serbia/epidemiology , Thailand/epidemiology , Tobacco Smoking/adverse effects , Tobacco Smoking/genetics
2.
Nature ; 580(7805): 640-646, 2020 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32350471

ABSTRACT

All normal somatic cells are thought to acquire mutations, but understanding of the rates, patterns, causes and consequences of somatic mutations in normal cells is limited. The uterine endometrium adopts multiple physiological states over a lifetime and is lined by a gland-forming epithelium1,2. Here, using whole-genome sequencing, we show that normal human endometrial glands are clonal cell populations with total mutation burdens that increase at about 29 base substitutions per year and that are many-fold lower than those of endometrial cancers. Normal endometrial glands frequently carry 'driver' mutations in cancer genes, the burden of which increases with age and decreases with parity. Cell clones with drivers often originate during the first decades of life and subsequently progressively colonize the epithelial lining of the endometrium. Our results show that mutational landscapes differ markedly between normal tissues-perhaps shaped by differences in their structure and physiology-and indicate that the procession of neoplastic change that leads to endometrial cancer is initiated early in life.


Subject(s)
DNA Mutational Analysis , Endometrium/cytology , Endometrium/metabolism , Epithelium/metabolism , Health , Mutation , Adult , Age of Onset , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Aging/genetics , Carcinogenesis/genetics , Clone Cells/cytology , Endometrial Neoplasms/genetics , Endometrium/pathology , Epithelial Cells/cytology , Epithelial Cells/metabolism , Epithelial Cells/pathology , Epithelium/pathology , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Parity/genetics , Time Factors , Young Adult
3.
Nature ; 567(7747): 187-193, 2019 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30814737

ABSTRACT

Dysregulation of lipid homeostasis is a precipitating event in the pathogenesis and progression of hepatosteatosis and metabolic syndrome. These conditions are highly prevalent in developed societies and currently have limited options for diagnostic and therapeutic intervention. Here, using a proteomic and lipidomic-wide systems genetic approach, we interrogated lipid regulatory networks in 107 genetically distinct mouse strains to reveal key insights into the control and network structure of mammalian lipid metabolism. These include the identification of plasma lipid signatures that predict pathological lipid abundance in the liver of mice and humans, defining subcellular localization and functionality of lipid-related proteins, and revealing functional protein and genetic variants that are predicted to modulate lipid abundance. Trans-omic analyses using these datasets facilitated the identification and validation of PSMD9 as a previously unknown lipid regulatory protein. Collectively, our study serves as a rich resource for probing mammalian lipid metabolism and provides opportunities for the discovery of therapeutic agents and biomarkers in the setting of hepatic lipotoxicity.


Subject(s)
Lipid Metabolism/genetics , Lipids/analysis , Lipids/genetics , Proteomics , Animals , HEK293 Cells , Humans , Lipid Metabolism/physiology , Lipids/blood , Lipids/classification , Liver/chemistry , Liver/metabolism , Liver/pathology , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Mice, Inbred DBA , Obesity/genetics , Obesity/metabolism , Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex/chemistry , Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex/genetics , Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex/metabolism
4.
Bioinformatics ; 39(12)2023 12 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38096571

ABSTRACT

MOTIVATION: Analysis of mutational signatures is a powerful approach for understanding the mutagenic processes that have shaped the evolution of a cancer genome. To evaluate the mutational signatures operative in a cancer genome, one first needs to quantify their activities by estimating the number of mutations imprinted by each signature. RESULTS: Here we present SigProfilerAssignment, a desktop and an online computational framework for assigning all types of mutational signatures to individual samples. SigProfilerAssignment is the first tool that allows both analysis of copy-number signatures and probabilistic assignment of signatures to individual somatic mutations. As its computational engine, the tool uses a custom implementation of the forward stagewise algorithm for sparse regression and nonnegative least squares for numerical optimization. Analysis of 2700 synthetic cancer genomes with and without noise demonstrates that SigProfilerAssignment outperforms four commonly used approaches for assigning mutational signatures. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: SigProfilerAssignment is available under the BSD 2-clause license at https://github.com/AlexandrovLab/SigProfilerAssignment with a web implementation at https://cancer.sanger.ac.uk/signatures/assignment/.


Subject(s)
Neoplasms , Humans , Mutation , Neoplasms/genetics , Algorithms , Genome
5.
BMC Psychiatry ; 24(1): 409, 2024 May 30.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38816707

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Eating disorders (EDs) are serious, often chronic, conditions associated with pronounced morbidity, mortality, and dysfunction increasingly affecting young people worldwide. Illness progression, stages and recovery trajectories of EDs are still poorly characterised. The STORY study dynamically and longitudinally assesses young people with different EDs (restricting; bingeing/bulimic presentations) and illness durations (earlier; later stages) compared to healthy controls. Remote measurement technology (RMT) with active and passive sensing is used to advance understanding of the heterogeneity of earlier and more progressed clinical presentations and predictors of recovery or relapse. METHODS: STORY follows 720 young people aged 16-25 with EDs and 120 healthy controls for 12 months. Online self-report questionnaires regularly assess ED symptoms, psychiatric comorbidities, quality of life, and socioeconomic environment. Additional ongoing monitoring using multi-parametric RMT via smartphones and wearable smart rings ('Oura ring') unobtrusively measures individuals' daily behaviour and physiology (e.g., Bluetooth connections, sleep, autonomic arousal). A subgroup of participants completes additional in-person cognitive and neuroimaging assessments at study-baseline and after 12 months. DISCUSSION: By leveraging these large-scale longitudinal data from participants across ED diagnoses and illness durations, the STORY study seeks to elucidate potential biopsychosocial predictors of outcome, their interplay with developmental and socioemotional changes, and barriers and facilitators of recovery. STORY holds the promise of providing actionable findings that can be translated into clinical practice by informing the development of both early intervention and personalised treatment that is tailored to illness stage and individual circumstances, ultimately disrupting the long-term burden of EDs on individuals and their families.


Subject(s)
Feeding and Eating Disorders , Humans , Adolescent , Young Adult , Adult , Feeding and Eating Disorders/psychology , Feeding and Eating Disorders/physiopathology , Feeding and Eating Disorders/diagnosis , Prospective Studies , Female , Male , Disease Progression , Remote Sensing Technology/methods , Remote Sensing Technology/instrumentation , Smartphone , Longitudinal Studies , Quality of Life/psychology
6.
Law Hum Behav ; 47(2): 307-319, 2023 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36480409

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: False confessions are prevalent in wrongful convictions, and much research has examined investigation factors and interrogation methods that can contribute to false confessions. However, not all these factors are under the control of the legal system, and improving the effectiveness of interrogation methods has a limited effect on evaluating the veracity of confessions. We suggest incorporating an important but often-neglected factor in interrogations: suspects' prior probability of guilt ("the prior," a Bayesian term meaning suspects' likelihood of being guilty before police conduct an interrogation). METHOD: By connecting interrogation practices to probability concepts, we discuss a gap in the literature between questions traditionally answered by lab research and a distinct question faced by the legal system. RESULTS: On the basis of our analysis, we argue that police should increase priors by collecting additional evidence to satisfy an evidence-based suspicion of guilt before interrogating suspects. CONCLUSIONS: Implementing the evidence-based suspicion practice can help police reduce false confessions, reallocate investigation time and resources, and assist prosecutors in building strong cases for trial. Likewise, researchers should expand the empirical and legal questions they ask and incorporate priors into their interrogation experiments to improve the generalizability of findings to the criminal justice system. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).


Subject(s)
Police , Truth Disclosure , Humans , Bayes Theorem , Law Enforcement , Guilt
7.
Int J Cancer ; 151(11): 1947-1959, 2022 Dec 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35837755

ABSTRACT

The incidence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is disproportionately high in the eastern corridor of Africa and parts of Asia. Emerging research has identified a potential association between poor oral health and ESCC. One possible link between poor oral health and ESCC involves the alteration of the microbiome. We performed an integrated analysis of four independent sequencing efforts of ESCC tumors from patients from high- and low-incidence regions of the world. Using whole genome sequencing (WGS) and RNA sequencing (RNAseq) of ESCC tumors from 61 patients in Tanzania, we identified a community of bacteria, including members of the genera Fusobacterium, Selenomonas, Prevotella, Streptococcus, Porphyromonas, Veillonella and Campylobacter, present at high abundance in ESCC tumors. We then characterized the microbiome of 238 ESCC tumor specimens collected in two additional independent sequencing efforts consisting of patients from other high-ESCC incidence regions (Tanzania, Malawi, Kenya, Iran, China). This analysis revealed similar ESCC-associated bacterial communities in these cancers. Because these genera are traditionally considered members of the oral microbiota, we next explored whether there was a relationship between the synchronous saliva and tumor microbiomes of ESCC patients in Tanzania. Comparative analyses revealed that paired saliva and tumor microbiomes were significantly similar with a specific enrichment of Fusobacterium and Prevotella in the tumor microbiome. Together, these data indicate that cancer-associated oral bacteria are associated with ESCC tumors at the time of diagnosis and support a model in which oral bacteria are present in high abundance in both saliva and tumors of some ESCC patients.


Subject(s)
Esophageal Neoplasms , Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma , Microbiota , Bacteria/genetics , Esophageal Neoplasms/genetics , Humans , Kenya , Microbiota/genetics
8.
Histochem Cell Biol ; 158(4): 345-368, 2022 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35829816

ABSTRACT

Fetal testis growth involves cell influx and extensive remodeling. Immediately after sex determination in mouse, macrophages enable normal cord formation and removal of inappropriately positioned cells. This study provides new information about macrophages and other immune cells after cord formation in fetal testes, including their density, distribution, and close cellular contacts. C57BL6J mouse testes from embryonic day (E) 13.5 to birth (post-natal day 0; PND0), were examined using immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, and RT-qPCR to identify macrophages (F4/80, CD206, MHCII), T cells (CD3), granulocytes/neutrophils (Ly6G), and germ cells (DDX4). F4/80+ cells were the most abundant, comprising 90% of CD45+ cells at E13.5 and declining to 65% at PND0. Changes in size, shape, and markers (CD206 and MHCII) documented during this interval align with the understanding that F4/80+ cells have different origins during embryonic life. CD3+ cells and F4/80-/MHCII+ were absent to rare until PND0. Ly6G+ cells were scarce at E13.5 but increased robustly by PND0 to represent half of the CD45+ cells. These immunofluorescence data were in accord with transcript analysis, which showed that immune marker mRNAs increased with testis age. F4/80+ and Ly6G+ cells were frequently inside cords adjacent to germ cells at E13.5 and E15.5. F4/80+ cells were often in clusters next to other immune cells. Macrophages inside cords at E13.5 and E15.5 (F4/80Hi/CD206+) were different from macrophages at PND0 (F4/80Dim/CD206-), indicating that they have distinct origins. This histological quantification coupled with transcript information identifies new cellular interactions for immune cells in fetal testis morphogenesis, and highlights new avenues for studies of their functional significance.


Subject(s)
Macrophages , Testis , Animals , Fetal Development , Germ Cells , Male , Mice , Morphogenesis
9.
Reproduction ; 160(1): 141-154, 2020 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32484162

ABSTRACT

Disrupted fetal germline development underpins testicular germ cell neoplasia, which is increasing worldwide. The complex signaling milieu during normal testis development includes TGFß superfamily ligands; this study tests the hypothesis that, activin A, a TGFß superfamily member, can influence gonocyte development. The human seminoma-derived cell line, TCam-2, a model of fetal gonocytes, was cultured with activin A (1.25-25 ng/mL) for 48 h, or with 5 ng/mL activin A for short- (6, 24, and 48 h) and long-term (13 days) exposures, and downstream targets measured by qRT-PCR. Transcripts that exhibited significant dose-dependent responses to activin A included the early germ cell markers KIT, NODAL, and CRIPTO (NODALl co-receptor and activin inhibitor) which all increased and the differentiation marker DNMT3L which decreased. After 48 h, KIT, NODAL, and CRIPTO levels were significantly higher, while the differentiation marker NANOS2 was significantly lower. Interestingly, activin A exposure also significantly reduced both transcript and protein levels of the PIWI/piRNA pathway component DNMT3L. Because TCam-2 cells produce the activin inhibitor CRIPTO, CRIPTO was reduced using siRNA prior to activin A exposure. This selectively increased KIT in response to activin A. Other ligands present in the fetal testis (BMP4, FGF9, TGFß1, and TGFß2) induced distinct effects on germline marker expression. This study showed that activin A can directly modulate germline markers in this human gonocyte-like cell, promoting a less-differentiated phenotype. Additional findings indicate evidence of signaling crosstalk between activin A and NODAL, leading to target-specific effects on gonocyte differentiation.


Subject(s)
Activins/pharmacology , Cell Differentiation , Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects , Germ Cells/pathology , Nodal Protein/metabolism , Seminoma/pathology , Transforming Growth Factor beta/pharmacology , Gene Expression Profiling , Germ Cells/metabolism , Humans , Male , Nodal Protein/genetics , Seminoma/drug therapy , Seminoma/genetics , Testicular Neoplasms/drug therapy , Testicular Neoplasms/genetics , Testicular Neoplasms/pathology
10.
Arch Toxicol ; 94(12): 4173-4196, 2020 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32886187

ABSTRACT

Acrylamide is a suspected human carcinogen formed during high-temperature cooking of starch-rich foods. It is metabolised by cytochrome P450 2E1 to its reactive metabolite glycidamide, which forms pre-mutagenic DNA adducts. Using the human TP53 knock-in (Hupki) mouse embryo fibroblasts (HUFs) immortalisation assay (HIMA), acrylamide- and glycidamide-induced mutagenesis was studied in the tumour suppressor gene TP53. Selected immortalised HUF clones were also subjected to next-generation sequencing to determine mutations across the whole genome. The TP53-mutant frequency after glycidamide exposure (1.1 mM for 24 h, n = 198) was 9% compared with 0% in cultures treated with acrylamide [1.5 (n = 24) or 3 mM (n = 6) for 48 h] and untreated vehicle (water) controls (n = 36). Most glycidamide-induced mutations occurred at adenines with A > T/T > A and A > G/T > C mutations being the most common types. Mutations induced by glycidamide occurred at specific TP53 codons that have also been found to be mutated in human tumours (i.e., breast, ovary, colorectal, and lung) previously associated with acrylamide exposure. The spectrum of TP53 mutations was further reflected by the mutations detected by whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and a distinct WGS mutational signature was found in HUF clones treated with glycidamide that was again characterised by A > G/T > C and A > T/T > A mutations. The WGS mutational signature showed similarities with COSMIC mutational signatures SBS3 and 25 previously found in human tumours (e.g., breast and ovary), while the adenine component was similar to COSMIC SBS4 found mostly in smokers' lung cancer. In contrast, in acrylamide-treated HUF clones, only culture-related background WGS mutational signatures were observed. In summary, the results of the present study suggest that glycidamide may be involved in the development of breast, ovarian, and lung cancer.


Subject(s)
Acrylamide/toxicity , Epoxy Compounds/toxicity , Fibroblasts/drug effects , Mutagenesis , Mutagens/toxicity , Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/genetics , Animals , Cell Line , DNA Mutational Analysis , Fibroblasts/metabolism , Fibroblasts/pathology , Gene Expression Regulation , Gene Knock-In Techniques , Humans , Mice , Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/metabolism , Whole Genome Sequencing
11.
Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab ; 316(2): E293-E304, 2019 02 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30512991

ABSTRACT

Mitochondrial dynamics refers to the constant remodeling of mitochondrial populations by multiple cellular pathways that help maintain mitochondrial health and function. Disruptions in mitochondrial dynamics often lead to mitochondrial dysfunction, which is frequently associated with disease in rodents and humans. Consistent with this, obesity is associated with reduced mitochondrial function in white adipose tissue, partly via alterations in mitochondrial dynamics. Several proteins, including the E3 ubiquitin ligase membrane-associated RING-CH-type finger 5 (MARCH5), are known to regulate mitochondrial dynamics; however, the role of these proteins in adipocytes has been poorly studied. Here, we show that MARCH5 is regulated by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) during adipogenesis and is correlated with fat mass across a panel of genetically diverse mouse strains, in ob/ob mice, and in humans. Furthermore, manipulation of MARCH5 expression in vitro and in vivo alters mitochondrial function, affects cellular metabolism, and leads to differential regulation of several metabolic genes. Thus our data demonstrate an association between mitochondrial dynamics and metabolism that defines MARCH5 as a critical link between these interconnected pathways.


Subject(s)
Adipocytes/metabolism , Adipose Tissue/metabolism , Membrane Proteins/metabolism , Metabolic Syndrome/metabolism , Mitochondria/metabolism , Mitochondrial Proteins/metabolism , Obesity/metabolism , Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases/metabolism , 3T3-L1 Cells , Adipogenesis , Adult , Animals , Gene Knockdown Techniques , Humans , Male , Mice , Mice, Knockout , Middle Aged , Mitochondrial Proteins/genetics , PPAR gamma/genetics , PPAR gamma/metabolism , Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases/genetics
12.
Law Hum Behav ; 43(5): 468-476, 2019 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31524435

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: In custodial interrogations, suspects tend to give disproportionate weight to immediate outcomes relative to future outcomes when deciding whether to confess or deny guilt. The current research examined whether the perceived (un)certainty of an immediate outcome influences suspects' short-sighted confession decisions. HYPOTHESES: We hypothesized that suspects are more likely to make short-sighted confession decisions when an immediate punishment is certain versus uncertain and that the effects of a certain immediate punishment become stronger the longer suspects are interrogated. METHOD: Using the repetitive question paradigm, college student participants (N = 164, 57% women, 87% Caucasian, M age 18.9 years) admitted or denied 20 illegal and unethical behaviors in an interview. Participants' admissions and denials received either an immediate punishment (answering repetitive questions) or a future punishment (meeting with a police officer in several weeks to discuss their misconduct). In addition, we manipulated participants' perceptions of the immediate punishment to be either certain or uncertain. RESULTS: Participants showed greater short-sightedness in their admission decisions when they perceived the immediate punishment to be certain versus uncertain. Moreover, the influence of the certain immediate punishment on participants' admission decisions tended to increase over time. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide empirical evidence that the certainty of immediate outcomes may contribute to suspects' shorted-sighted confession decisions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).


Subject(s)
Decision Making , Punishment/psychology , Truth Disclosure , Adult , Analysis of Variance , Female , Humans , Interviews as Topic , Male , Midwestern United States , Police , Students , Universities , Young Adult
13.
Law Hum Behav ; 43(3): 205-219, 2019 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31045389

ABSTRACT

This article presents an expected cost model for evaluating and comparing the performance of eyewitness identification procedures. The model estimates the expected cost of an identification procedure in order to quantify how well the procedure helps the police achieve the investigation goal of identifying and incriminating the culprit. We first apply the expected cost model to analyze five major procedural reforms, including showups versus lineups, filler similarity, administrator influence, lineup instruction, and presentation format. Our analysis reveals that when there is a trade-off between accurate and mistaken identifications, conclusions about procedural superiority depend on the prior probability of guilt and relative costs of different identification outcomes. We then conduct an additional analysis based on a simultaneous consideration of all identification outcomes (i.e., suspect identifications, filler identifications, and rejections). Our analysis shows that assuming different costs for filler identifications and rejections can change conclusions about procedural superiority. We conclude by discussing insights provided by the expected cost model regarding how the legal system can reduce expected costs of eyewitness identification-by changing the conditional probabilities, by reducing the costs of identification outcomes, or by increasing the prior probability of guilt. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).


Subject(s)
Costs and Cost Analysis , Criminal Law/economics , Mental Recall , Probability , Criminal Law/methods , Humans , Recognition, Psychology
14.
Haematologica ; 103(8): 1329-1336, 2018 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29674500

ABSTRACT

Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma originates from a background of diverse chronic inflammatory disorders at various anatomic sites. The genetics underlying its development, particularly in those associated with autoimmune disorders, is poorly characterized. By whole exome sequencing of 21 cases of MALT lymphomas of the salivary gland and thyroid, we have identified recurrent somatic mutations in 2 G-protein coupled receptors (GPR34 and CCR6) not previously reported in human malignancies, 3 genes (PIK3CD, TET2, TNFRSF14) not previously implicated in MALT lymphoma, and a further 2 genes (TBL1XR1, NOTCH1) recently described in MALT lymphoma. The majority of mutations in GPR34 and CCR6 were nonsense and frameshift changes clustered in the C-terminal cytoplasmic tail, and would result in truncated proteins that lack the phosphorylation motif important for ß-arrestin-mediated receptor desensitization and internalization. Screening of these newly identified mutations, together with previously defined genetic changes, revealed distinct mutation profiles in MALT lymphoma of various sites, with those of salivary gland characterized by frequent TBL1XR1 and GPR34 mutations, thyroid by frequent TET2, TNFRSF14 and PIK3CD mutations, and ocular adnexa by frequent TNFAIP3 mutation. Interestingly, in MALT lymphoma of the salivary gland, there was a significant positive association between TBL1XR1 mutation and GPR34 mutation/translocation (P=0.0002). In those of ocular adnexa, TBL1XR1 mutation was mutually exclusive from TNFAIP3 mutation (P=0.049), but significantly associated with IGHV3-23 usage (P=0.03) and PIK3CD mutation (P=0.009). These findings unravel novel insights into the molecular mechanisms of MALT lymphoma and provide further evidence for potential oncogenic co-operation between receptor signaling and genetic changes.


Subject(s)
Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone/genetics , Mutation , Receptors, CCR6/genetics , Receptors, Lysophospholipid/genetics , Genetic Profile , Humans , Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone/pathology , Salivary Gland Neoplasms/genetics , Thyroid Neoplasms/genetics , Exome Sequencing
15.
J Pathol ; 243(1): 3-8, 2017 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28682481

ABSTRACT

Both antigenic drive and genetic change play critical roles in the development of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma, but neither alone is sufficient for malignant transformation, and lymphoma development critically depends on their cooperation. However, which of these different events concur and how they cooperate in MALT lymphomagenesis is totally unknown. To explore this, we investigated somatic mutations of 17 genes and immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region (IGHV) usage in 179 MALT lymphomas from various sites. We showed that: (1) there was a significant association between the biased usage of IGHV4-34 (binds to the carbohydrate I/i antigens) and inactivating mutation of TNFAIP3 [encoding a global negative regulator of the canonical nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway] in ocular adnexal MALT lymphoma; (2) IGHV1-69 was significantly overrepresented (54%) in MALT lymphoma of the salivary gland, but was not associated with mutation in any of the 17 genes investigated; and (3) MALT lymphoma lacked mutations that are frequently seen in other B-cell lymphomas characterized by constitutive NF-κB activities, including mutations in CD79B, CARD11, MYD88, TNFRSF11A, and TRAF3. Our findings show, for the first time, a significant association between biased usage of autoreactive IGHV and somatic mutation of NF-κB regulators in MALT lymphoma, arguing for their cooperation in sustaining chronic B-cell receptor signalling and driving oncogenesis in lymphoma development. Copyright © 2017 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Subject(s)
Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics , Eye Neoplasms/genetics , Gene Rearrangement , Gene Silencing , Genes, Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain , Immunoglobulin Variable Region/genetics , Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone/genetics , Mutation , Neoplasms, Adnexal and Skin Appendage/genetics , Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha-Induced Protein 3/genetics , Biomarkers, Tumor/immunology , DNA Mutational Analysis , Eye Neoplasms/immunology , Eye Neoplasms/pathology , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Humans , Immunoglobulin Variable Region/immunology , Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone/immunology , Lymphoma, B-Cell, Marginal Zone/pathology , Neoplasms, Adnexal and Skin Appendage/immunology , Neoplasms, Adnexal and Skin Appendage/pathology , Phenotype , Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha-Induced Protein 3/immunology
16.
New Phytol ; 209(1): 319-33, 2016 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26214613

ABSTRACT

The legume genus Mimosa has > 500 species, with two major centres of diversity, Brazil (c. 350 spp.) and Mexico (c. 100 spp.). In Brazil most species are nodulated by Burkholderia. Here we asked whether this is also true of native and endemic Mexican species. We have tested this apparent affinity for betaproteobacteria by examining the symbionts of native and endemic species of Mimosa in Mexico, especially from the central highlands where Mimosa spp. have diversified. Nodules were tested for betaproteobacteria using in situ immunolocalization. Rhizobia isolated from the nodules were genetically characterized and tested for their ability to nodulate Mimosa spp. Immunological analysis of 25 host taxa suggested that most (including all the highland endemics) were not nodulated by betaproteobacteria. Phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA, recA, nodA, nodC and nifH genes from 87 strains isolated from 20 taxa confirmed that the endemic Mexican Mimosa species favoured alphaproteobacteria in the genera Rhizobium and Ensifer: this was confirmed by nodulation tests. Host phylogeny, geographic isolation and coevolution with symbionts derived from very different soils have potentially contributed to the striking difference in the choice of symbiotic partners by Mexican and Brazilian Mimosa species.


Subject(s)
Mimosa/microbiology , Rhizobium/genetics , Symbiosis , Bacterial Proteins/genetics , Base Sequence , Biological Evolution , Host Specificity , Mexico , Phylogeny , Plant Root Nodulation , Rhizobium/classification , Rhizobium/physiology , Sequence Analysis, DNA
17.
Community Ment Health J ; 52(1): 66-72, 2016 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26643528

ABSTRACT

The Housing Program Measure (HPM) was designed to document critical elements of a range of housing program types and associated services. Qualitative methods, including literature review and open-ended interviews, were used to determine pertinent HPM domains and to develop the pool of items. The measure was pre-tested, and reliability and validity analyses were applied to revise and strengthen the measure. The resulting measure furthers homelessness research by providing a tool that can be used to define housing and housing services interventions across diverse projects and disciplines, to facilitate program management by matching housing resources to the needs of homeless individuals, and to support model development by measuring progress to goals.


Subject(s)
Housing , Program Evaluation/methods , Social Welfare , Ill-Housed Persons , Humans , Interviews as Topic , Qualitative Research , Veterans
18.
medRxiv ; 2024 Apr 17.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38699364

ABSTRACT

Tobacco smoke, alone or combined with alcohol, is the predominant cause of head and neck cancer (HNC). Here, we further explore how tobacco exposure contributes to cancer development by mutational signature analysis of 265 whole-genome sequenced HNC from eight countries. Six tobacco-associated mutational signatures were detected, including some not previously reported. Differences in HNC incidence between countries corresponded with differences in mutation burdens of tobacco-associated signatures, consistent with the dominant role of tobacco in HNC causation. Differences were found in the burden of tobacco-associated signatures between anatomical subsites, suggesting that tissue-specific factors modulate mutagenesis. We identified an association between tobacco smoking and three additional alcohol-related signatures indicating synergism between the two exposures. Tobacco smoking was associated with differences in the mutational spectra and repertoire of driver mutations in cancer genes, and in patterns of copy number change. Together, the results demonstrate the multiple pathways by which tobacco smoke can influence the evolution of cancer cell clones.

19.
J Eat Disord ; 11(1): 109, 2023 Jul 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37400909

ABSTRACT

Individuals seeking support or inspiration for eating disorder recovery may turn to pro-recovery content on social media sites such as TikTok. While research has thus far treated pro-recovery social media as a fairly homogeneous space, many pro-recovery hashtags single out particular eating disorder diagnoses. This exploratory study used codebook thematic analysis of 241 popular pro-recovery videos on TikTok to compare the presentation of eating disorders and eating disorder recovery across five different diagnosis-specific hashtags: #anarecovery, #arfidrecovery, #bedrecovery, #miarecovery, and #orthorexiarecovery. These hashtags refer to the following eating disorder diagnoses respectively: anorexia nervosa, avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, binge eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, and orthorexia nervosa. Our analysis generated the following qualitative themes across the entire dataset: (1) centrality of food to eating disorders and recovery, (2) what eating disorders look and feel like, (3) recovery as a process, (4) getting and giving help, and (5) negotiating diet culture in recovery. To supplement our qualitative findings and facilitate cross-diagnostic comparisons, we also conducted one-way ANOVAs and chi-square tests to probe for statistically significant differences in audience engagement and code prevalence across the different hashtags. Our results indicate that there are clear differences in how recovery is envisioned on TikTok based on which diagnostic hashtags are employed. Such variations in how different eating disorders are imagined on popular social media demand further investigation and clinical consideration.


Hashtags related to eating disorder recovery on TikTok often name particular eating disorder diagnoses. This study compared five of these diagnosis-specific hashtags: #anarecovery, #arfidrecovery, #bedrecovery, #miarecovery, and #orthorexiarecovery. We found some similarities among these hashtags such as the centrality of food and eating in the posts and the emphasis on recovery as a process. However, we also found significant differences between the hashtags. For example, while diet culture promotion was a key aspect of many #bedrecovery posts, #orthorexiarecovery posts tended to focus instead on critiques of diet culture. Levels of user engagement also varied across the five hashtags. Notably, #anarecovery posts received the most likes. This study points to the existence of subcommunities within pro-recovery social media and suggests that way eating disorder recovery is portrayed online differs across diagnostic labels.

20.
bioRxiv ; 2023 Jul 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37502962

ABSTRACT

Analysis of mutational signatures is a powerful approach for understanding the mutagenic processes that have shaped the evolution of a cancer genome. Here we present SigProfilerAssignment, a desktop and an online computational framework for assigning all types of mutational signatures to individual samples. SigProfilerAssignment is the first tool that allows both analysis of copy-number signatures and probabilistic assignment of signatures to individual somatic mutations. As its computational engine, the tool uses a custom implementation of the forward stagewise algorithm for sparse regression and nonnegative least squares for numerical optimization. Analysis of 2,700 synthetic cancer genomes with and without noise demonstrates that SigProfilerAssignment outperforms four commonly used approaches for assigning mutational signatures. SigProfilerAssignment is freely available at https://github.com/AlexandrovLab/SigProfilerAssignment with a web implementation at https://cancer.sanger.ac.uk/signatures/assignment/.

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