Telomere length as a predictor of therapy response and survival in patients diagnosed with ovarian carcinoma.

Impaired telomere length (TL) maintenance in ovarian tissue may play a pivotal role in the onset of epithelial ovarian cancer (OvC). TL in either target or surrogate tissue (blood) is currently being investigated for use as a predictor in anti-OvC therapy or as a biomarker of the disease progression, respectively. There is currently an urgent need for an appropriate approach to chemotherapy response prediction. We performed a monochrome multiplex qPCR measurement of TL in peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) and tumor tissues of 209 OvC patients. The methylation status and gene expression of the shelterin complex and telomerase catalytic subunit (hTERT) were determined within tumor tissues by High-Throughput DNA methylation profiling and RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis, respectively. The patients sensitive to cancer treatment (n = 46) had shorter telomeres in PBL compared to treatment-resistant patients (n = 93; P = 0.037). In the patients with a different therapy response, transcriptomic analysis showed alterations in the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway (q = 0.001). Moreover, tumor TL shorter than the median corresponded to better overall survival (OS) (P = 0.006). TPP1 gene expression was positively associated with TL in tumor tissue (P = 0.026). TL measured in PBL could serve as a marker of platinum therapy response in OvC patients. Additionally, TL determined in tumor tissue provides information on OvC patients' OS.

The dynamics of telomere length in primary and metastatic colorectal cancer lesions.

Telomeric sequences, the structures comprised of hexanucleotide repeats and associated proteins, play a pivotal role in chromosome end protection and preservation of genomic stability. Herein we address telomere length (TL) dynamics in primary colorectal cancer (CRC) tumour tissues and corresponding liver metastases. TL was measured by multiplex monochrome real-time qPCR in paired samples of primary tumours and liver metastases along with non-cancerous reference tissues obtained from 51 patients diagnosed with metastatic CRC. Telomere shortening was observed in the majority of primary tumour tissues compared to non-cancerous mucosa (84.1%, p < 0.0001). Tumours located within the proximal colon had shorter TL than those in the rectum (p < 0.05). TL in liver metastases was not significantly different from that in primary tumours (p = 0.41). TL in metastatic tissue was shorter in the patients diagnosed with metachronous liver metastases than in those diagnosed with synchronous liver metastases (p = 0.03). The metastatic liver lesions size correlated with the TL in metastases (p < 0.05). Following the neoadjuvant treatment, the patients with rectal cancer had shortened telomeres in tumour tissue than prior to the therapy (p = 0.01). Patients with a TL ratio between tumour tissue and the adjacent non-cancerous mucosa of ≥ 0.387 were associated with increased overall survival (p = 0.01). This study provides insights into TL dynamics during progression of the disease. The results show TL differences in metastatic lesions and may help in clinical practice to predict the patient's prognosis.

Monitoring of telomere dynamics in peripheral blood leukocytes in relation to colorectal cancer patients' outcomes.

We investigated the possible associations between leukocyte telomere length, therapy outcomes, and clinicopathological features in patients with colorectal cancer. Additionally, telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) expression was evaluated. Telomere length was measured using singleplex qPCR in 478 consecutive leukocyte DNA samples from 198 patients. Blood was drawn at diagnosis prior to any therapy and then at 6-month intervals for 18 months. Following diagnosis, the telomeres gradually shortened during the course of the treatment regardless of the patient's age. The most pronounced decrease was observed 12 months after the diagnosis (p < 0.0001). Based on tumor localization, the decrease in telomere length one year after the diagnosis followed different trajectories (p = 0.03). In patients treated with adjuvant therapy, telomere length correlated with the time elapsed after completion of therapy (p = 0.03). TERT expression did not correlate with the telomere length; however, it was higher in women than men (1.35-fold, 95% CI 1.11-1.65, p = 0.003) and in smokers than non-smokers (1.27-fold, 95% CI 1.01-1.61, p = 0.04). Leukocyte telomere length declines naturally during aging, but the accelerated shortening observed in our patients was age-independent. Telomere length manifestly reflected chemotherapy impact and could be linked to therapy toxicity.

TElomeric repeat-containing RNA (TERRA): Physiological functions and relevance in cancer.

Telomeres are complex protective structures located at the ends of linear eukaryotic chromosomes. Their purpose is to prevent genomic instability. Research progress in telomere biology during the past decades has identified a network of telomeric transcripts of which the best-studied is TElomeric Repeat-containing RNA (TERRA). TERRA was shown to be important not only for the preservation of telomere homeostasis and genomic stability but also for the expression of hundreds of genes across the human genome. These findings added a new level of complexity to telomere biology. Herein we provide insights on the telomere transcriptome, its relevance for proper telomere function, and its implications in human pathology. We also discuss possible clinical opportunities of exosomal telomere transcripts detection as a biomarker in cancer precision medicine.

Oxidative Damage in Sporadic Colorectal Cancer: Molecular Mapping of Base Excision Repair Glycosylases MUTYH and hOGG1 in Colorectal Cancer Patients.

Oxidative stress, oxidative DNA damage and resulting mutations play a role in colorectal carcinogenesis. Impaired equilibrium between DNA damage formation, antioxidant status, and DNA repair capacity is responsible for the accumulation of genetic mutations and genomic instability. The lesion-specific DNA glycosylases, e.g., hOGG1 and MUTYH, initiate the repair of oxidative DNA damage. Hereditary syndromes (MUTYH-associated polyposis, NTHL1-associated tumor syndrome) with germline mutations causing a loss-of-function in base excision repair glycosylases, serve as straight forward evidence on the role of oxidative DNA damage and its repair. Altered or inhibited function of above glycosylases result in an accumulation of oxidative DNA damage and contribute to the adenoma-adenocarcinoma transition. Oxidative DNA damage, unless repaired, often gives rise G:C > T:A mutations in tumor suppressor genes and proto-oncogenes with subsequent occurrence of chromosomal copy-neutral loss of heterozygosity. For instance, G>T transversions in position c.34 of a KRAS gene serves as a pre-screening tool for MUTYH-associated polyposis diagnosis. Since sporadic colorectal cancer represents more complex and heterogenous disease, the situation is more complicated. In the present study we focused on the roles of base excision repair glycosylases (hOGG1, MUTYH) in colorectal cancer patients by investigating tumor and adjacent mucosa tissues. Although we found downregulation of both glycosylases and significantly lower expression of hOGG1 in tumor tissues, accompanied with G>T mutations in KRAS gene, oxidative DNA damage and its repair cannot solely explain the onset of sporadic colorectal cancer. In this respect, other factors (especially microenvironment) per se or in combination with oxidative DNA damage warrant further attention. Base excision repair characteristics determined in colorectal cancer tissues and their association with disease prognosis have been discussed as well.

DNA Repair Gene Polymorphisms and Chromosomal Aberrations in Exposed Populations.

DNA damage and unrepaired or insufficiently repaired DNA double-strand breaks as well as telomere shortening contribute to the formation of structural chromosomal aberrations (CAs). Non-specific CAs have been used in the monitoring of individuals exposed to potential carcinogenic chemicals and radiation. The frequency of CAs in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) has been associated with cancer risk and the association has also been found in incident cancer patients. CAs include chromosome-type aberrations (CSAs) and chromatid-type aberrations (CTAs) and their sum CAtot. In the present study, we used data from our published genome-wide association studies (GWASs) and extracted the results for 153 DNA repair genes for 607 persons who had occupational exposure to diverse harmful substances/radiation and/or personal exposure to tobacco smoking. The analyses were conducted using linear and logistic regression models to study the association of DNA repair gene polymorphisms with CAs. Considering an arbitrary cutoff level of 5 × 10-3, 14 loci passed the threshold, and included 7 repair pathways for CTA, 4 for CSA, and 3 for CAtot; 10 SNPs were eQTLs influencing the expression of the target repair gene. For the base excision repair pathway, the implicated genes PARP1 and PARP2 encode poly(ADP-ribosyl) transferases with multiple regulatory functions. PARP1 and PARP2 have an important role in maintaining genome stability through diverse mechanisms. Other candidate genes with known roles for CSAs included GTF2H (general transcription factor IIH subunits 4 and 5), Fanconi anemia pathway genes, and PMS2, a mismatch repair gene. The present results suggest pathways with mechanistic rationale for the formation of CAs and emphasize the need to further develop techniques for measuring individual sensitivity to genotoxic exposure.

DNA repair gene polymorphisms and chromosomal aberrations in healthy, nonsmoking population.

Nonspecific structural chromosomal aberrations (CAs) can be found at around 1% of circulating lymphocytes from healthy individuals but the frequency may be higher after exposure to carcinogenic chemicals or radiation. The frequency of CAs has been measured in occupational monitoring and an increased frequency of CAs has also been associated with cancer risk. Alterations in DNA damage repair and telomere maintenance are thought to contribute to the formation of CAs, which include chromosome type of aberrations and chromatid type of aberrations. In the present study, we used the result of our published genome-wide association studies to extract data on 153 DNA repair genes from 866 nonsmoking persons who had no known occupational exposure to genotoxic substances. Considering an arbitrary cut-off level of P< 5 × 10-3, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) tagging 22 DNA repair genes were significantly associated with CAs and they remained significant at P < 0.05 when adjustment for multiple comparisons was done by the Binomial Sequential Goodness of Fit test. Nucleotide excision repair pathway genes showed most associations with 6 genes. Among the associated genes were several in which mutations manifest CA phenotype, including Fanconi anemia, WRN, BLM and genes that are important in maintaining genome stability, as well as PARP2 and mismatch repair genes. RPA2 and RPA3 may participate in telomere maintenance through the synthesis of the C strand of telomeres. Errors in NHEJ1 function may lead to translocations. The present results show associations with some genes with known CA phenotype and suggest other pathways with mechanistic rationale for the formation of CAs in healthy nonsmoking population.

Telomere length in peripheral blood lymphocytes related to genetic variation in telomerase, prognosis and clinicopathological features in breast cancer patients.

Disruption of telomere length (TL) homeostasis in peripheral blood lymphocytes has been previously assessed as a potential biomarker of breast cancer (BC) risk. The present study addressed the relationship between lymphocyte TL (LTL), prognosis and clinicopathological features in the BC patients since these associations are insufficiently explored at present. LTL was measured in 611 BC patients and 154 healthy controls using the monochrome multiplex quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction assay. In addition, we genotyped nine TL-associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms that had been identified through genome-wide association studies. Our results showed that the patients had significantly (P = 0.001, Mann-Whitney U-test) longer LTL [median (interquartile range); 1.48 (1.22-1.78)] than the healthy controls [1.27 (0.97-1.82)]. Patients homozygous (CC) for the common allele of hTERT rs2736108 or the variant allele (CC) of hTERC rs16847897 had longer LTL. The latter association remained statistically significant in the recessive genetic model after the Bonferroni correction (P = 0.004, Wilcoxon two-sample test). We observed no association between LTL and overall survival or relapse-free survival of the patients. LTL did not correlate with cancer staging based on Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), The tumor node metastasis (TNM) staging system classification, tumour grade or molecular BC subtypes. Overall, we observed an association between long LTL and BC disease and an association of the hTERC rs16847897 CC genotype with increased LTL. However, no association between LTL, clinicopathological features and survival of the patients was found.

Impact of genetic polymorphisms in kinetochore and spindle assembly genes on chromosomal aberration frequency in healthy humans.

Genomic instability is a characteristic of a majority of human malignancies. Chromosomal instability is a common form of genomic instability that can be caused by defects in mitotic checkpoint genes. Chromosomal aberrations in peripheral blood are also indicative of genotoxic exposure and potential cancer risk. We evaluated associations between inherited genetic variants in 33 mitotic checkpoint genes and the frequency of chromosomal aberrations (CAs) in the presence and absence of environmental genotoxic exposure. Associations with both chromosome and chromatid type of aberrations were evaluated in two cohorts of healthy individuals, namely an exposed and a reference group consisting of 607 and 866 individuals, respectively. Binary logistic and linear regression analyses were performed for the association studies. Bonferroni-corrected significant p-value was 5 × 10-4 for 99 tests based on the number of analyzed genes and phenotypes. In the reference group the most prominent associations were found with variants in CCNB1, a master regulator of mitosis, and in genes involved in kinetochore function, including CENPH and TEX14, whereas in the exposed group the main association was found with variants in TTK, also an important gene in kinetochore function. How the identified variants may affect the fidelity of mitotic checkpoint remains to be investigated, however, the present study suggests that genetic variation may partly explain interindividual variation in the formation of CAs.

Chromosomal damage and telomere length in peripheral blood lymphocytes of cancer patients.

Accumulation of non­specific structural chromosomal aberrations (CAs) and telomere shortening contribute to genome instability, which constitutes as one of the hallmarks of cancer. CAs arise due to direct DNA damage or telomere shortening. CAs in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), which are considered to be markers of exposure, have been previously reported to serve a role in the pathophysiology and progression of cancer through mechanisms that are poorly understood. In addition, the prognostic relevance of telomere length (TL) in patients with cancer remains to be elucidated. In the present study, CAs and TL in PBL isolated from patients with newly diagnosed cancer (151 breast, 96 colorectal, 90 lung) and 335 cancer­free control individuals were investigated. These results were then correlated with clinicopathological factors and follow­up data. The accumulation of CAs in PBL was observed with increased susceptibility to breast and lung cancer (P<0.0001), while individuals with longer TL were found to be at a higher risk of breast cancer (P<0.0001). Increased chromatid­type aberrations were also revealed to be associated with lower overall survival of patients with breast and colorectal cancers using a multivariate model. Compared with control individuals, no association was observed between TL and CAs or age in patients with cancer. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates the association between CAs/TL in PBL and the susceptibility, prognosis and survival of patients with breast, colorectal and lung cancer.

Oxidative Damage in Sporadic Colorectal Cancer: Molecular Mapping of Base Excision Repair Glycosylases in Colorectal Cancer Patients.

Oxidative stress with subsequent premutagenic oxidative DNA damage has been implicated in colorectal carcinogenesis. The repair of oxidative DNA damage is initiated by lesion-specific DNA glycosylases (hOGG1, NTH1, MUTYH). The direct evidence of the role of oxidative DNA damage and its repair is proven by hereditary syndromes (MUTYH-associated polyposis, NTHL1-associated tumor syndrome), where germline mutations cause loss-of-function in glycosylases of base excision repair, thus enabling the accumulation of oxidative DNA damage and leading to the adenoma-colorectal cancer transition. Unrepaired oxidative DNA damage often results in G:C>T:A mutations in tumor suppressor genes and proto-oncogenes and widespread occurrence of chromosomal copy-neutral loss of heterozygosity. However, the situation is more complicated in complex and heterogeneous disease, such as sporadic colorectal cancer. Here we summarized our current knowledge of the role of oxidative DNA damage and its repair on the onset, prognosis and treatment of sporadic colorectal cancer. Molecular and histological tumor heterogeneity was considered. Our study has also suggested an additional important source of oxidative DNA damage due to intestinal dysbiosis. The roles of base excision repair glycosylases (hOGG1, MUTYH) in tumor and adjacent mucosa tissues of colorectal cancer patients, particularly in the interplay with other factors (especially microenvironment), deserve further attention. Base excision repair characteristics determined in colorectal cancer tissues reflect, rather, a disease prognosis. Finally, we discuss the role of DNA repair in the treatment of colon cancer, since acquired or inherited defects in DNA repair pathways can be effectively used in therapy.

Telomere maintenance in interplay with DNA repair in pathogenesis and treatment of colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) continues to be one of the leading malignancies and causes of tumour-related deaths worldwide. Both impaired DNA repair mechanisms and disrupted telomere length homeostasis represent key culprits in CRC initiation, progression and prognosis. Mechanistically, altered DNA repair results in the accumulation of mutations in the genome and, ultimately, in genomic instability. DNA repair also determines the response to chemotherapeutics in CRC treatment, suggesting its utilisation in the prediction of therapy response and individual approach to patients. Telomere attrition resulting in replicative senescence, simultaneously by-passing cell cycle checkpoints, is a hallmark of malignant transformation of the cell. Telomerase is almost ubiquitous in advanced solid cancers, including CRC, and its expression is fundamental to cell immortalisation. Therefore, there is a persistent effort to develop therapeutics, which are telomerase-specific and gentle to non-malignant tissues. However, in practice, we are still at the level of clinical trials. The current state of knowledge and the route, which the research takes, gives us a positive perspective that the problem of molecular models of telomerase activation and telomere length stabilisation will finally be solved. We summarise the current literature herein, by pointing out the crosstalk between proteins involved in DNA repair and telomere length homeostasis in relation to CRC.

Distinct pathways associated with chromosomal aberration frequency in a cohort exposed to genotoxic compounds compared to general population.

Non-specific structural chromosomal aberrations (CAs) observed in peripheral blood lymphocytes of healthy individuals can be either chromosome-type aberrations (CSAs) or chromatid-type aberrations (CTAs) depending on the stage of cell division they are induced in and mechanism of formation. It is important to study the genetic basis of chromosomal instability as it is a marker of genotoxic exposure and a predictor of cancer risk. For that purpose, we conducted two genome-wide association studies (GWASs) on healthy individuals in the presence and absence of apparent genotoxic exposure from the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The pre-GWAS cytogenetic analysis reported the frequencies of CSA, CTA and total CA (CAtot). We performed both linear and binary logistic regression analysis with an arbitrary cut-off point of 2% for CAtot and 1% for CSA and CTA. Using the statistical threshold of 1.0 × 10-5, we identified five loci with in silico predicted functionality in the reference group and four loci in the exposed group, with no overlap between the associated regions. A meta-analysis on the two GWASs identified further four loci with moderate associations in each of the studies. From the reference group mainly loci within genes related to DNA damage response/repair were identified. Other loci identified from both the reference and exposed groups were found to be involved in the segregation of chromosomes and chromatin modification. Some of the discovered regions in each group were implicated in tumourigenesis and autism.

Relationship of telomere length in colorectal cancer patients with cancer phenotype and patient prognosis.

BACKGROUND: Telomeres, repetitive DNA capping ends of eukaryotic chromosomes, are important in the maintenance of genomic integrity. Perturbed telomeres are common features of many human malignancies, including colorectal cancer. METHODS: Telomere length (TL), measured by a Monochrome Multiplex Real-Time qPCR, was investigated in tumour tissues, adjacent mucosa, and blood from patients with colorectal cancer with different clinicopathological features and its impact on patient survival. TL was also measured in a limited number of liver metastases, non-cancerous liver tissues or corresponding tissues from the same patients. RESULTS: TL in tumour tissues was shorter than in the adjacent mucosa (P < 0.0001). Shorter TL was observed in tumours with lower stage than in those with advanced stages (P = 0.001). TL was shorter in tumours at the proximal than at the distal sites of the colon (P < 0.0001). Shorter TL was also associated with microsatellite instability (P = 0.001) and mucinous tumour histology (P < 0.0001). Patients with a smaller TL ratio between tumour tissues and the adjacent mucosa were associated with increased overall survival (P = 0.022). Metastasised tumours had shorter telomeres than the adjacent non-cancerous liver tissues (P = 0.0005). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the results demonstrate differences in TL between tumours and the adjacent mucosa, between tumours located at different sites and association with patient survival.

Genetic variation associated with chromosomal aberration frequency: A genome-wide association study.

Chromosomal aberrations (CAs) in human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) measured with the conventional cytogenetic assay have been used for human biomonitoring of genotoxic exposure for decades. CA frequency in peripheral blood is a marker of cancer susceptibility. Previous studies have shown associations between genetic variants in metabolic pathway, DNA repair and major mitotic checkpoint genes and CAs. We conducted a genome-wide association study on 576 individuals from the Czech Republic and Slovakia followed by a replication in two different sample sets of 482 (replication 1) and 1288 (replication 2) samples. To have a broad look at the genetic susceptibility associated with CA frequency, the sample sets composed of individuals either differentially exposed to smoking, occupational/environmental hazards, or they were untreated cancer patients. Phenotypes were divided into chromosome- and chromatid-type aberrations (CSAs and CTAs, respectively) and total chromosomal aberrations (CAtot). The arbitrary cutoff point between individuals with high and low CA frequency was 2% for CAtot and 1% for CSA and CTA. The data were analyzed using age, sex, occupation/cancer and smoking history as covariates. Altogether 11 loci reached the P-value of 10-5 in the GWAS. Replication 1 supported the association of rs1383997 (8q13.3) and rs2824215 (21q21.1) in CAtot and rs983889 (5p15.1) in CTA analysis. These loci were found to be associated with genes involved in mitosis, response to environmental and chemical factors and genes involved in syndromes linked to chromosomal abnormalities. Identification of new genetic variants for the frequency of CAs offers prediction tools for cancer risk in future. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 60:17-28, 2019. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Genetic variation of acquired structural chromosomal aberrations.

Human malignancies are often hallmarked with genomic instability, which itself is also considered a causative event in malignant transformation. Genomic instability may manifest itself as genetic changes in the nucleotide sequence of DNA, or as structural or numerical changes of chromosomes. Unrepaired or insufficiently repaired DNA double-strand breaks, as well as telomere shortening, are important contributors in the formation of structural chromosomal aberrations (CAs). In the present review, we discuss potential mechanisms behind the formation of CAs and their relation to cancer. Based on our own studies, we also illustrate how inherited genetic variation may modify the frequency and types of CAs occurring in humans. Recently, we published a series of studies on variations in genes relevant to maintaining genomic integrity, such as those encoding xenobiotic-metabolising enzymes, DNA repair, the tumour suppressor TP53, the spindle assembly checkpoint, and cyclin D1 (CCND1). While individually genetic variation in these genes exerted small modulating effects, in interactions they were associated with CA frequencies in peripheral blood lymphocytes of healthy volunteers. Moreover, we observed opposite associations between the CCND1 splice site polymorphism rs9344 G870A and the frequency of CAs compared to their association with translocation t(11,14). We discuss the functional consequences of the CCND1 gene in interplay with DNA damage response and DNA repair during malignant transformation. Our review summarizes existing evidence that gene variations in relevant cellular pathways modulate the frequency of CAs, predominantly in a complex interaction. More functional/mechanistic studies elucidating these observations are required. Several questions emerge, such as the role of CAs in malignancies with respect to a particular phenotype and heterogeneity, the formation of CAs during the process of malignant transformation, and the formation of CAs in individual types of lymphocytes in relation to the immune response.

Base excision repair capacity as a determinant of prognosis and therapy response in colon cancer patients.

The DNA-damaging agent 5-fluorouracil represents the most commonly used chemotherapeutic drug for colorectal cancer patients. DNA lesions associated with 5-fluorouracil therapy are primarily repaired by base excision repair (BER) and mismatch repair (MMR) pathways. Published evidence suggests that the individual DNA repair capacity (DRC) may affect a patient's prognosis and response to chemotherapy. With this in mind, we designed a prospective study of which the main aim was to investigate BER-DRC in relation to 5-fluorouracil response as potential predictive and/or prognostic biomarker. BER-DRC was supplemented by a microsatellite instability (MSI) analysis which represents an indirect marker of MMR activity in the tumor. All parameters were measured in paired samples of tumor tissue and non-malignant adjacent mucosa of 123 incident colon cancer patients. Our results indicate that BER-DRC in non-malignant adjacent mucosa was positively associated with overall survival (P = 0.007) and relapse-free survival (P = 0.04). Additionally, in multivariate analysis, good therapy responders in TNM stage II and III with an elevated BER-DRC in mucosa exhibited better overall survival. Moreover, the overall survival of these patients was even better in the presence of a decreased BER-DRC in tumor tissue. The ratio of BER-DRC in tumor tissue over BER-DRC in mucosa positively correlated with advanced tumor stage (P = 0.003). With respect to MSI, we observed that MSI-high tumors were mostly localized in proximal colon; however, in our cohort, the MSI status affected neither patients' prognosis nor survival. In summary, the results of the present study suggest that the level of BER-DRC is associated with patients' survival. BER-DRC represents a potential prognostic biomarker, applicable for prediction of therapy response and useful for individual approach to patients.

Bleomycin-induced chromosomal damage and shortening of telomeres in peripheral blood lymphocytes of incident cancer patients.

Disruption of genomic integrity due to deficient DNA repair capacity and telomere shortening constitute hallmarks of malignant diseases. Incomplete or deficient repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) is manifested by chromosomal aberrations and their frequency reflects inter-individual differences of response to exposure to mutagenic compounds. In this study, we investigated chromosomal integrity in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from newly diagnosed cancer patients, including 47 breast (BC) and 44 colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and 90 matched healthy controls. Mutagen sensitivity was evaluated by measuring chromatid breaks (CTAs) induced by bleomycin and supplemented by the chemiluminescent measurement of γ-H2AX phosphorylation in 19 cancer patients (11 BC, 8 CRC). Relative telomere length (RTL) was determined in 22 BC, 32 CRC, and 64 controls. We observed statistically significant increased level of CTAs (P = .03) and increased percentage of aberrant cells (ACs) with CTAs (P = .05) in CRC patients compared with controls after bleomycin treatment. No differences were observed between BC cases and corresponding controls. CRC and BC patients with shorter RTL (below median) exhibited significantly higher amount of ACs (P = .02), CTAs (P = .02), and cells with high frequency of CTAs (≥12 CTAs/PBL; P = .03) after bleomycin treatment. No such associations were observed in healthy controls. γ-H2AX phosphorylation after bleomycin treatment in PBL did not differ between CRC and BC patients. Our results suggest that altered DSB repair measured by sensitivity towards mutagen in PBL occurs particularly in CRC carcinogenesis. Irrespective of cancer type, telomere shortening may be associated with a decreased capacity to repair DSB.

Genetic variation in the major mitotic checkpoint genes associated with chromosomal aberrations in healthy humans.

Non-specific chromosomal aberrations (CAs) are microscopically detected in about 1% of lymphocytes drawn from healthy persons. Causes of CAs in general population are not known but they may be related to risk of cancer. In view of the importance of the mitotic checkpoint machinery on maintaining chromosomal integrity we selected 9 variants in main checkpoint related genes (BUB1B, BUB3, MAD2L1, CENPF, ESPL1/separase, NEK2, PTTG1/securin, ZWILCH and ZWINT) for a genotyping study on samples from healthy individuals (N = 330 to 729) whose lymphocytes had an increased number of CAs compared to persons with a low number of CAs. Genetic variation in individual genes played a minor importance, consistent with the high conservation and selection pressure of the checkpoint system. However, gene pairs were significantly associated with CAs: PTTG1-ZWILCH and PTTG1-ZWINT. MAD2L1 and PTTG1 were the most common partners in any of the two-way interactions. The results suggest that interactions at the level of cohesin (PTTG1) and kinetochore function (ZWINT, ZWILCH and MAD2L1) contribute to the frequency of CAs, suggesting that gene variants at different checkpoint functions appeared to be required for the formation of CAs.