5 properties of a malignant cancer cell
Describe the multi-step process of carcinogenesis
Cancer cells are the accumulation of mutations in the DNA over an individuals lifetime.
For example - somatic mutations early in life (ex damage from UV light) that mutate genes involved in the DNA repair pathway will lead to cells with accumulated DNA damage over time (genetic instability).
Types of genes that are often mutated in tumor initation
Oncogene: drive cellular proliferation
Anti-oncogenes (tumor suppressors): inhibit cellular proliferation
Cytogenetic abnormalities associated with malignancy
Describe the inheritance pattern of retinoblastoma
While the disease is considered to have an autosomal dominant inheritance, the mechanism of expression of the disease is actually autosomal recessive.
Rb gene (location in genome)
13q14
Mechanisms for loss of heterozygosity
Rare events!
Biochemical properties of Rb protein
Rb protein and cell cycle
Rb protein inhibits entry of cell into S phase - and is controlled by phosphorylation by CDKs. Mutation or loss of Rb protein lead to uninhibited growth (in absence of growth-factors, DNA checkpoint inhibition etc.)
Why Rb mutation effects eye
Cells in the eye only pathway for inhibition of cell cycle is through the Rb pathway, whereas many other cells have backup mechanisms with genes in the Rb family (p107, p130) - Fun fact - in mice, Rb deletion leads to 100% penetrant pituitary tumors!
APC gene - associated cancer
Familial Adenomatous Polyposis
APC tumor suppression mechamism
Inhibitory protein of the Wnt signaling pathway - APC protein binds and signals for degradation of the beta-catenin protein - a transcription factor that is activated in the Wnt pathway
BRCA1 and BRCA2 - tumor suppression mechanism
BRCA1 and BRCA2 are involved in the DNA repair pathway and in regulate checkpoint during DNA replication (damaged cells cannot proliferate until repaired) - mutations lead to accumulative damage that increases risk of developing cancer - particularly in breast cancers
typical pattern of cancer inheritance mechanism - dominant vs recessive
Why p53 was originally incorrectly thought to be an oncogene
heterozygotes had the cancer phenotype! this pattern is seen because p53 forms a tetramer of 4 homologous subunits, and if 1 of these subunits is mutated then the whole protein will cease to function - in fact - mutant form of p53 is often more stable, exacerbating the effect
Oncogenic viruses - examples
Adenovirus, HPV
Ongogenic viruses, mechanism
These viruses have oncogenes that inactivate p53, and can also inactivate Rb protein. This is done in order to drive the cell to proliferate and produce viral proteins - and bypass of cells normal inhibitions is necessary for this process for some viruses
Oncogene discovery
Oncogenes were discovered looking at oncogenic retroviruses in animals
Many of these genes were tested in the laboratory by using the property of cancer cells called anchorage independence - aka cells with oncogenic properties can grow regardless of the medium of the culture, and in much higher density
Mechanisms of viral oncogenes
interfere with pathway of cell growth in response to environmental stimulation via growth factors. Can interfere in any part of this pathway.
Can either cause quantitative changes (increased number of proteins) or qualitative changes (altered function)
Specifics: v-src
v-src gene codes for a protein kinase that phosphorylates tyrosine - effects gene expression
Specifics: v-erb-B
v-erb-B codes for protein that mimics cell surface receptor for epidermal growth factor (EGFR)
Specifics: V-ABL
v-abl codes for protein kinase, similar in function to ABL gene seen in BCR-ABL CML.
Oncogenes as molecular markers for prognosis
Gene amplification of certain c-onc genes can be detected in some cancers, with increased amount of gene expression indicating a poorer prognosis. Underlines a quantitative mechanism of carcinogenesis. Cytogenetic analysis indicating translocation of c-onc genes to regions that increase expression also indicate poor prognosis (aka BCR-ABL translocation)
oncogenetic molecular markers example: N-myc
FISH analysis of N-myc shows amplification of this gene in neuroblastoma. Those with less than 10 copies of N-myc have a much better prognosis.