Targeted sequencing of cancer-related genes in nasopharyngeal carcinoma identifies mutations in the TGF-? pathway.

ABSTRACT: Approximately, 25% of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients develop recurrent disease. NPC may involve relatively few genomic alterations compared to other cancers due to its association with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). We envisioned that in-depth sequencing of tumor tissues might provide new insights into the genetic alterations of this cancer. Thirty-three NPC paired tumor/adjacent normal or peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples were deep-sequenced (>1000×) with respect to a panel of 409 cancer-related genes. Newly identified mutations and its correlation with clinical outcomes were evaluated. Profiling of somatic mutations and copy number variations (CNV) in NPC tumors identified alterations in RTK/RAS/PI3K, NOTCH, DNA repair, chromatin remodeling, cell cycle, NF-?B, and TGF-? pathways. In addition, patients harbored CNV among 409 cancer-related genes and missense mutations in TGF-?/SMAD signaling were associated with poor overall survival and poor recurrence-free survival, respectively. The CNV events were correlated with plasma EBV copies, while mutations in TGFBR2 and SMAD4 abrogate SMAD-dependent TGF-? signaling. Functional analysis revealed that the new TGFBR2 kinase domain mutants were incapable of transducing the signal, leading to failure of phosphorylation of SMAD2/3 and activation of downstream TGF-?-mediated cell growth arrest. This study provides evidence supporting CNV and dysregulated TGF-? signaling contributes to exacerbating the NPC pathogenesis.

SUBMITTER: Chung AK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6718742 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature