Epigenetic silencing of miRNA-9 is associated with HES1 oncogenic activity and poor prognosis of medulloblastoma.

BACKGROUND: microRNA-9 is a key regulator of neuronal development aberrantly expressed in brain malignancies, including medulloblastoma. The mechanisms by which microRNA-9 contributes to medulloblastoma pathogenesis remain unclear, and factors that regulate this process have not been delineated. METHODS: Expression and methylation status of microRNA-9 in medulloblastoma cell lines and primary samples were analysed. The association of microRNA-9 expression with medulloblastoma patients' clinical outcome was assessed, and the impact of microRNA-9 restoration was functionally validated in medulloblastoma cells. RESULTS: microRNA-9 expression is repressed in a large subset of MB samples compared with normal fetal cerebellum. Low microRNA-9 expression correlates significantly with the diagnosis of unfavourable histopathological variants and with poor clinical outcome. microRNA-9 silencing occurs via cancer-specific CpG island hypermethylation. HES1 was identified as a direct target of microRNA-9 in medulloblastoma, and restoration of microRNA-9 was shown to trigger cell cycle arrest, to inhibit clonal growth and to promote medulloblastoma cell differentiation. CONCLUSIONS: microRNA-9 is a methylation-silenced tumour suppressor that could be a potential candidate predictive marker for poor prognosis of medulloblastoma. Loss of microRNA-9 may confer a proliferative advantage to tumour cells, and it could possibly contribute to disease pathogenesis. Thus, re-expression of microRNA-9 may constitute a novel epigenetic regulation strategy against medulloblastoma.

Loss of FUBP1 expression in gliomas predicts FUBP1 mutation and is associated with oligodendroglial differentiation, IDH1 mutation and 1p/19q loss of heterozygosity.

AIMS: The Far Upstream Element [FUSE] Binding Protein 1 (FUBP1) regulates target genes, such as the cell cycle regulators MYC and p21. FUBP1 is up-regulated in many tumours and acts as an oncoprotein by stimulating proliferation and inhibiting apoptosis. Recently, FUBP1 mutations were identified in approximately 15% of oligodendrogliomas. To date, all reported FUBP1 mutations have been predicted to inactivate FUBP1, which suggests that in contrast to most other tumours FUBP1 may act as a tumour suppressor in oligodendrogliomas. METHODS: As no data are currently available concerning FUBP1 protein levels in gliomas, we examined the FUBP1 expression profiles of human glial tumours by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. We analysed FUBP1 expression related to morphological differentiation, IDH1 and FUBP1 mutation status, 1p/19q loss of heterozygosity (LOH) as well as proliferation rate. RESULTS: Our findings demonstrate that FUBP1 expression levels are increased in all glioma subtypes as compared with normal central nervous system (CNS) control tissue and are associated with increased proliferation. In contrast, FUBP1 immunonegativity predicted FUBP1 mutation with a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 90% in our cohort and was associated with oligodendroglial differentiation, IDH1 mutation and 1p/19q loss of heterozygosity (LOH). Using this approach, we detected a to-date undescribed FUBP1 mutation in an oligodendroglioma. CONCLUSION: In summary, our data indicate an association between of FUBP1 expression and proliferation in gliomas. Furthermore, our findings present FUBP1 immunohistochemical analysis as a helpful additional tool for neuropathological glioma diagnostics predicting FUBP1 mutation.

Carcinogenicity in mice of mutagenic compounds from a tryptophan pyrolyzate.

The compounds 3-amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole and 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole, which are potent mutagens in a tryptophan pyrolyzate, ar hepatic carcinogens when given orally to mice at concentrations of 200 parts per million in a pellet diet. Female mice showed higher susceptibilities to both compounds than male mice.

BCL-xL: time-dependent dissociation between modulation of apoptosis and invasiveness in human malignant glioma cells.

Conditionally BCL-xL-overexpressing LNT-229 Tet-On glioma cell clones were generated to investigate whether the 'antiapoptosis phenotype' and the 'motility phenotype' mediated by BCL-2 family proteins in glioma cells could be separated. BCL-xL induction led to an immediate and concentration-dependent protection of LNT-229 cells from apoptosis. BCL-xL induction for up to 3 days did not result in altered invasiveness. In contrast, long-term BCL-xL induction for 21 days resulted in increased transforming growth factor-beta2 expression, and in metalloproteinase-2 and -14 dependent, but integrin independent, increased invasiveness. Withdrawal of doxycycline (Dox) abolished the protection from apoptosis whereas the 'invasion phenotype' remained stable. Dox stimulation of BCL-xL-inducible LNT-229 cells conferred infiltrative growth to BCL-xL-positive glioma cells in vivo and reduced the survival of tumor-bearing mice. These data allow to dissect a direct antiapoptotic action of BCL-xL from an indirect effect, presumably mediated by altered gene expression, which modifies tumor cell invasiveness in vitro and in vivo.

PCTAIRE3: a putative mediator of growth arrest and death induced by CTS-1, a dominant-positive p53-derived synthetic tumor suppressor, in human malignant glioma cells.

Chimeric tumor suppressor-1 (CTS-1) is based on the sequence of p53 and was designed as a therapeutic tool resisting various mechanisms of p53 inactivation. We previously reported that an adenovirus expressing CTS-1 (Ad-CTS-1) has superior cell death-inducing activity in glioma cells compared with wild-type p53. Here, we used cDNA microarrays to detect changes in gene expression preferentially induced by Ad-CTS-1. The putative serine threonine kinase, PCTAIRE3, and the quinone oxireductase, PIG3, were strongly induced by Ad-CTS-1 compared with wild-type p53. An adenoviral vector encoding PCTAIRE3 (Ad-PCTAIRE3) induced growth arrest and killed a minor proportion of the glioma cells. Ad-PIG3 alone affected neither growth nor viability. However, coinfection with Ad-PCTAIRE3 and Ad-PIG3 resulted in enhanced growth inhibition compared with Ad-PCTAIRE3 infection alone. Ad-CTS1, Ad-PCTAIRE3 or Ad-PIG3 induced the formation of free reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, the prevention of ROS formation induced by Ad-PCTAIRE3 and Ad-CTS-1 did not block growth arrest and cell death, suggesting that ROS formation is not essential for these effects. Altogether, these data identify PCTAIRE3 as one novel growth-inhibitory and death-inducing p53 response gene and suggest that changes in the expression of specific target genes contribute to the superior anti-glioma activity of CTS-1.

Sequential histologic changes during gastric carcinogenesis induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine in susceptible ACI and resistant BUF rats.

Sequential histologic changes of the stomach during carcinogenesis induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG; CAS: 70-25-7) were studied in susceptible ACI and resistant BUF strain rats. Rats were given MNNG at a concentration of 83 micrograms/ml in their drinking water for 32 weeks and then tap water and were sacrificed sequentially between weeks 1 and 57. In ACI rats, erosions, regenerative changes, focal and slightly atypical changes, and diffuse and severe atypical changes were observed sequentially in the pyloric region during the period of MNNG administration, where adenocarcinomas were observed after the cessation of MNNG treatment. In BUF rats, the main histologic changes induced by MNNG were erosions and hyperplasia of the glandular portion of pyloric glands at the margin of erosions. After the cessation of MNNG treatment, the hyperplasia of the pyloric glands subsided and was followed by atrophy of these glands. The results suggested that the responses of the gastric mucosa to MNNG in ACI and BUF rats were qualitatively different.

Induction of gastric carcinomas in nonhuman primates by N-ethyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine.

N-Ethyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine [(ENNG) CAS: 63885-23-4] was administered to 5 Macaca monkeys (Macaca mulatta and M. irus) at a concentration of 200 or 300 micrograms/ml for 11-26 months in their drinking water. Gastric carcinomas in the pyloric region were observed in all 5 monkeys between experimental months 11 and 38. Histologically, these carcinomas were mainly poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas and signet-ring cell carcinomas, and a few moderately and well-differentiated adenocarcinomas were also found. The macroscopic and histologic appearances of these carcinomas were similar to those in humans.

Differential proliferative response of gastric mucosa during carcinogenesis induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine in susceptible ACI rats, resistant Buffalo rats, and their hybrid F1 cross.

The effect of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) on the proliferative characteristics of the pyloric epithelium was investigated in ACI and Buffalo rats and their F1 rats, which are susceptible, resistant, and resistant, respectively, to gastric carcinogenesis by this chemical. After injection of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd), DNA synthesizing cells in the pyloric epithelium were stained immunohistochemically with anti-BrdUrd antibody. The average number and range of distribution of cells labeled with BrdUrd in the pyloric glands were significantly larger in ACI rats than in Buffalo or F1 rats after administration of MNNG (83 micrograms/ml in the drinking water) for 2 or 16 weeks. In control rats given tap water for 2 weeks, there was no significant difference in these values in the three groups (Experiment 1). The distribution of cells that were labeled with [methyl-3H]MNNG in the pyloric epithelium was measured by histoautoradiography, and the distribution of cells double labeled with both [methyl-3H]MNNG and BrdUrd was also analyzed. Rats were given 83 micrograms/ml of MNNG in their drinking water for 2 weeks and then received [methyl-3H]MNNG by gavage and an injection of BrdUrd 2 and 1 h, respectively, before sacrifice. The average number of double labeled cells (i.e., replicating cells exposed to MNNG) was significantly larger in ACI rats than in Buffalo or F1 rats. In control rats given tap water without MNNG for 2 weeks, there was no significant difference in these values in the three groups (Experiment 2). Cells double labeled with [methyl-3H]MNNG and BrdUrd are considered to be cells with the potential to establish mutations (cell population at risk of MNNG-induced carcinogenesis). Our results show that, after MNNG treatment, the size of this cell population is larger in susceptible ACI rats than in resistant Buffalo and F1 rats. Thus, differential responses of the gastric mucosa to MNNG may be a key factor in the difference of susceptibility to gastric carcinogenesis between ACI and Buffalo rats.

Gene expression profiling of low-grade diffuse astrocytomas by cDNA arrays.

Diffuse astrocytoma WHO grade II is a well-differentiated, slowly growing tumor that has an inherent tendency to progress to anaplastic astrocytoma (WHO grade III) and, eventually, to glioblastoma (WHO grade IV). Little is known about its molecular basis, except for p53 mutations that are found in >60% of cases. In a search for additional genetic alterations, we carried out gene expression profiling of 11 diffuse astrocytomas using cDNA expression arrays. Expression of six genes (TIMP3, c-myc, EGFR, DR-nm23, nm23-H4, and GDNPF) was detected in 64-100% of diffuse astrocytomas, but not in nontumorous brain tissue. Seven genes (AAD14, SPARC, LRP, PDGFR-alpha, 60S ribosomal protein L5, PTN, and hBAP) were found to be up-regulated more than 2-fold in 20-60% of cases, whereas 11 genes (IFI 9-27, protein kinase CLK, TDGF1, BIN1, GAB1, TYRO3, LDH-A, adducin 3, GUK1, CDC10, and KRT8) were down-regulated to less than 50% of normal levels in 64-100% of cases. Semiquantitative conventional reverse transcription-PCR was performed for 11 genes, 9 of which showed an expression profile similar to that obtained with cDNA expression arrays. Immunohistochemical staining for SPARC showed cytoplasmic immunoreactivity of neoplastic cells in all diffuse astrocytomas analyzed. These results indicate significant changes in gene expression in diffuse astrocytomas, but it remains to be shown which of these are causally related to the transformation of glial cells.

Up-regulation of Fas (APO-1/CD95) ligand and down-regulation of Fas expression in human esophageal cancer.

Fas (APO-1/CD95) is a cell surface receptor that mediates apoptosis when it reacts with Fas ligand (FasL) or Fas antibody. In this study, we analyzed Fas and FasL expression in normal esophageal mucosa and esophageal squamous cell carcinomas. Reverse transcriptase-PCR revealed that Fas, soluble Fas, and FasL were expressed in all eight esophageal squamous carcinoma cell lines analyzed. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that FasL expressed in esophageal carcinoma cells is functional because coculture experiments using FasL-expressing TE-15 esophageal carcinoma cells resulted in apoptosis of Jurkat T leukemia cells, which are sensitive to Fas-mediated apoptosis. Immunohistochemistry of Fas and FasL showed that they are constitutively expressed in normal esophageal mucosa, FasL being predominantly in the basal and suprabasal layers, whereas Fas is in more differentiated layers, i.e., rows of polyhedral cells of the intermediate layers and squamous cells forming the outer layers. In 18 of 19 invasive esophageal squamous cell carcinomas, FasL expression was found in >50% of tumor cells. In contrast, most tumors (15 of 19, 79%) either showed no Fas expression or showed expression in <5% of tumor cells. These alterations were already detected in dysplasia and carcinoma in situ. These results suggest that up-regulation of FasL and down-regulation of Fas expression are early and frequent events associated with the evolution of esophageal squamous cell carcinomas.

Genetic control of susceptibility of rats to gastric carcinoma.

Genetic control of the induction of gastric tumors by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) was studied in susceptible ACI rats, resistant Buffalo rats, and their F1 and F2 offspring. Both sexes of all strains, initially 7 to 9 weeks old, were given MNNG at a concentration of 83 micrograms/ml in their drinking water for 32 weeks and were sacrificed at experimental Week 72. The incidence of gastric adenocarcinoma in ACI rats was 80% in males and 47% in females; in Buffalo rats, the incidence was 18% in males and 0% in females. F1 hybrids showed the same resistance to MNNG as did Buffalo rats; the incidence of gastric adenocarcinoma was 17% in males and 8% in females. These results suggest that resistance to induction of gastric adenocarcinoma by MNNG is a dominant characteristic. The incidence of gastric adenocarcinoma in the F2 generation was 36% in males and 14% in females, which is close to the 3:1 ratio expected from the segregation of a single resistant gene. In ACI and Buffalo strains and their hybrids, males were more susceptible than females to induction of gastric carcinoma by MNNG. Intestinal tumors were observed mainly in the duodenum and jejunum in both strains and their hybrids, and the incidences were as follows: ACI: males, 67% and females 42%; Buffalo: males, 12% and females, 18%; F1: males, 18% and females, 15%; and F2: males, 15% and females, 19%. Thus, there seems to be a common genetic basis for both gastric and intestinal carcinogenesis by MNNG.

Expression of Fas/APO-1 during the progression of astrocytomas.

Fas/APO-1 (CD95) is an apoptosis-signaling receptor molecule on the surface of cells. To investigate the possible role of Fas during malignant transformation of glial cells, we analyzed the expression of Fas mRNA by reverse transcription-PCR in human astrocytic brain tumors. Expression was found in 1 of 4 (25%) juvenile pilocytic astrocytomas (WHO grade I), 1 of 9 (11%) low-grade astrocytomas (WHO grade II), 6 of 12 (50%) anaplastic astrocytomas (WHO grade III), and all of 9 glioblastomas (WHO grade IV). Thus, the frequency of Fas expression appears to correlate with the malignancy grade of astrocytomas. The soluble form of the Fas mRNA lacking the transmembrane domain was detected in one anaplastic astrocytoma and in two glioblastomas.

p53 mutations in nonastrocytic human brain tumors.

Genomic DNA from 51 primary human brain tumors was screened for the presence of mutations in the tumor suppressor gene, p53, using the polymerase chain reaction and single strand conformation polymorphism analysis, followed by direct DNA sequencing. Mutations leading to an amino acid change were found in 2 of 17 (12%) oligodendrogliomas and 2 of 19 (11%) medulloblastomas but none of 15 ependymomas. Sites of mutations were in exon 5 (codon 141), exon 6 (codon 193 and 213), and exon 7 (codon 246). In addition, there were silent mutations in exon 6 (codon 213) in one oligodendroglioma and in one ependymoma. This study points to the possible role of the p53 tumor suppressor gene in some central nervous system neoplasms of divergent histogenesis.

Selective mutation of codons 204 and 213 of the p53 gene in rat tumors induced by alkylating N-nitroso compounds.

Kidney and esophageal tumors induced by alkylating N-nitroso compounds in rats contain a high incidence (75-100%) of G----A transition mutations in the p53 gene. These are almost selectively (89%) located in the first base of codon 204 and the second base of 213, leading to amino acid substitutions Glu----Lys and Arg----Gln, respectively. In contrast to human neoplasms, a considerable fraction of rat kidney and esophageal tumors carries multiple p53 mutations. All nephroblastomas induced by transplacental exposure to N-nitrosoethylurea and 56% of esophageal tumors induced by N-nitrosomethylurea showed double mutations in codons 204 and 213 of exon 6. The selective targeting of p53 codons by alkylating nitrosamines may provide a basis for molecular epidemiological studies on this class of chemical carcinogens.

Loss of DCC expression and glioma progression.

The deleted in colorectal cancer (DCC) gene, a candidate tumor suppressor gene on chromosome 18q21, encodes a neural cell adhesion molecule family protein that is most highly expressed in the nervous system. To address the hypothesis that DCC may play a role in glioma development and/or progression, we examined DCC expression by immunohistochemistry in 57 resected human astrocytic tumors. Overall, low-grade astrocytomas were predominantly DCC positive (15 of 16, or 94%), whereas high-grade tumors significantly less often expressed the DCC protein (27 of 41, or 66%; P = 0.03). We were able to directly assess the relationship between DCC expression and tumor progression in 15 patients who initially presented with a low-grade astrocytoma and subsequently recurred with a glioblastoma. Within this panel of paired lesions from the same patient, 14 of 15 (93%) low-grade tumors expressed the DCC protein, whereas only 7 of 15 (47%) corresponding glioblastomas were DCC positive. We also observed that secondary glioblastomas resulting from malignant progression of low-grade astrocytomas were more often DCC negative (8 of 15, or 53%) compared with primary or de novo glioblastomas (6 of 26, or 23%; P = 0.05). These findings implicate DCC inactivation in glioma progression and also demonstrate that DCC expression is preferentially, but not exclusively, lost in the genetic pathway to secondary glioblastoma multiforme.

Soluble decoy receptor 3 is expressed by malignant gliomas and suppresses CD95 ligand-induced apoptosis and chemotaxis.

Decoy receptor 3 (DcR3) is a newly identified soluble protein that binds to CD95 ligand (CD95L) and inhibits its proapoptotic activity. Here we report that DcR3 is expressed by the majority of long-term and ex vivo malignant glioma cell lines as well as in human glioblastoma in vivo. Expression of DcR3 correlates with the grade of malignancy: 15 of 18 (83%) glioblastomas (WHO grade IV) but none of 11 diffuse astrocytomas (WHO grade II) exhibited DcR3 immunoreactivity. We also demonstrate that human malignant glioma cells engineered to release high amounts of DcR3 into the cell culture supernatant are protected from CD95L-induced apoptotic cell death. In contrast, DcR3 does not confer protection from the death ligand Apo2 ligand (TRAIL). Importantly, ectopic expression of DcR3 resulted in substantial differences in immune cell infiltration in the 9L rat gliosarcoma model. Thus, the infiltration of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells as well as microglia/macrophages into glioma was substantially decreased in DcR3-producing tumors compared with control tumors. Chemotaxis assays revealed that DcR3 counteracts the chemotactic activity of CD95L against microglial cells in vitro. These findings suggest that DcR3 may be involved in the progression and immune evasion of malignant gliomas.

p53 mutations are associated with 17p allelic loss in grade II and grade III astrocytoma.

Loss of genetic material on the short arm of chromosome 17 is observed in approximately 40% of human astrocytomas (WHO grades II and III) and in approximately 30% of cases of glioblastoma multiforme (WHO grade IV). Previous studies of glioblastoma multiforme have shown that the p53 gene, located on the short arm of chromosome 17, is frequently mutated in these glioblastomas. To explore whether lower-grade astrocytomas are also associated with corresponding mutations of the p53 gene, we have investigated a series of 22 human astrocytomas of WHO grades II and III both for loss of heterozygosity on chromosome 17p and for p53 mutations. Mutations in the conserved regions of the p53 gene were identified by single strand conformation polymorphism analysis of exons 5, 6, 7, and 8 and were verified by direct DNA sequencing of the polymerase chain reaction products. p53 mutations were observed in 3 of 8 grade II astrocytomas and 4 of 14 grade II astrocytomas. In all 22 tumors, allelic loss of the short arm of chromosome 17 was investigated by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. One-half of the grade II astrocytomas (4 of 8) and grade III astrocytomas (7 of 14) exhibited allelic loss on chromosome 17p. Mutations in the p53 gene were exclusively observed in tumors with allelic loss on 17p. Our results show that p53 mutations are not restricted to glioblastoma multiforme and may be important in the tumorigenesis of lower-grade astrocytomas and that p53 mutations in lower-grade astrocytomas are associated with loss of chromosome 17p. These findings are consistent with a recessive mechanism of action of p53 in WHO grade II and III astrocytoma tumorigenesis.

Demonstration by in situ hybridization of ret proto-oncogene mRNA in developing placenta during mid-term of rat gestation.

Expression of the ret proto-oncogene (proto-ret) in rat conceptus tissues during development was examined by in situ hybridization using photobiotin-labeled oligodeoxyribonucleic acid probes corresponding to regions coding for the kinase and transmembrane domains of proto-ret gene product. High levels of the proto-ret transcripts were detected in the cytotrophoblasts in the placenta in the mid-gestational period (days 10 and 11), but on day 14 of gestation, when the placenta was undergoing morphological changes, transcripts could no longer be detected in the trophoblasts. These results suggest that the increased expression of proto-ret may be associated with the proliferation and/or differentiation of trophoblast cells at a specific stage. Improvements in the in situ hybridization technique by introduction of an ultrafast microwave energy fixation method, and repeated-reaction cycling of avidin-alkaline phosphatase and a biotinylated anti-avidin antibody for signal amplification, are also briefly discussed.

CP-31398, a novel p53-stabilizing agent, induces p53-dependent and p53-independent glioma cell death.

CP-31398 is a prototype small molecule that stabilizes the active conformation of p53 and promotes p53 activity in cancer cell lines with mutant or wild-type p53. Here, we report that CP-31398 induces p53 reporter gene activity and p21 expression in all of 11 glioma cell lines harboring wild-type or mutant p53, but not in p53-null LN-308 cells. Upon prolonged exposure to CP-31398, all glioma cell lines undergo caspase-independent and bcl-x(L)-insensitive cell death with EC(50) concentrations of 10-36 microM. By comparing p53 wild-type U87MG and p53-null LN-308 cells expressing the temperature-sensitive p53(V135A) mutant, we delineate two pathways of CP-31398-induced cell death: an early, p53-dependent pathway that requires (new p53) protein synthesis and a late, p53-independent pathway characterized by aurintricarboxylic acid -sensitive calcium release and epiphenomenal free radical formation. Post-transcriptional repression of p53 synthesis by an intracellularly transcribed short interfering RNA confirmed the presence of these two pathways of cell death. These observations point out some of the liabilities of CP-31398 as a prototype p53-based therapeutic and define a rationale for further refinement of small molecules that specifically target the p53 pathway, but lack the p53-independent effects.