Project description:We aimed to provide a molecular description of Lynch syndrome-associated urothelial cancer in relation to molecular subtypes of sporadic bladder cancer. Whole genome mRNA expression profiles of 41 tumors and immunohistochemical stainings against FGFR3, KRT5, CCNB1, RB1, and CDKN2A (p16) of 37 tumors from Lynch syndrome patients were generated. Pathological data, microsatellite instability, anatomic location, and overall survival data was analyzed and compared with data from sporadic bladder cancer.
Project description:Colorectal carcinomas arising in the context of Lynch syndrome, the most common inherited cancer syndrome, typically show deficiency of the DNA MMR (mismatch repair) system. Lack of functional MMR leads to accumulation of frameshift mutations at micosatellites (microsatellite instability, MSI). High load of highly immunogenic tumor-specific frameshift neoantigens results in strong immune response against Lynch syndrome MSI cancers. Previous studies have shown systemic immune responses against frameshift neoantigens in Lynch syndrome carriers long before tumor manifestation. In the present study, we analyzed the immune profile of normal colorectal mucosa in Lynch syndrome carriers without current or previous cancer history and in Lynch syndrome colorectal cancer patients, as well as of Lynch syndrome colorectal carcinomas. The unsupervised cluster analysis of gene expression data revealed a sharp differentiation between normal mucosa from Lynch syndrome individuals with and without manifest cancer as well as between normal mucosa in general and Lynch syndrome cancer tissue. Deconvolution analysis for predicting the prevalence of immune cell population among the three groups revealed 10 out of 14 investigated populations to be significantly different between the three tissue types (FDR=10%). In contrast to normal mucosa samples, tumor tissue showed overrepresentation of immune-suppressive cell populations, such as regulatory T cells and neutrophils. Taken together with the quantitative T cell density analysis on the basis of immunohistochemical T cell stainings, our data show strong immune infiltration of the normal colorectal mucosa in Lynch syndrome individuals even in the absence of a manifest cancer.
Project description:DNA mismatch repair deficiency (MMRD) drives microsatellite instability (MSI). Cells with MSI accumulate numerous frameshift mutations. Frameshift mutations affecting cancer-related genes may promote tumorigenesis and, therefore, are shared among independently arising MSI tumors. Consequently, such recurrent frameshift mutations can give rise to shared immunogenic frameshift peptides (FSPs) that represent ideal candidates for a vaccine against MSI cancer. Pathogenic germline variants of mismatch repair genes cause Lynch syndrome (LS), a hereditary cancer syndrome affecting approximately 20-25 million individuals worldwide. LS individuals are at high risk of developing MSI cancer. Previously, we demonstrated safety and immunogenicity of an FSP-based vaccine in a Phase I/IIa clinical trial. However, the cancer-preventive effect of FSP vaccination in the scenario of LS has not been demonstrated so far.
Project description:Fifty patient urine samples diagnosed as high-grade urothelial carcinoma (HGUC) or benign were evaluated for bladder cancer via urine cytology. RNA was isolated and analyzed by microarray to identify a panel of biomarkers differentially expressed in HGUC and benign.