Project description:<p>BRCA1 mutations are a hallmark of hereditary ovarian cancer, strongly linked to deficiencies in homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair and impaired DNA replication fork protection. However, its roles in cancer progression beyond maintaining genomic integrity remain poorly understood. Through metabolomics approaches, we found BRCA1-deficiency strikingly increased choline metabolism. Loss of BRCA1 promotes choline uptake through upregulating choline transporter-like protein 4 (CTL4). BRCA1 directly binds and recruits EZH2-mediated H3K27Me3 deposition to CTL4 promoter. CTL4 was therefore overexpressed in ovarian cancer tissues with BRCA1 mutations. Furthermore, BRCA1-deficiency significantly promotes ovarian cancer invasion, while inhibition of CTL4 reverses the high metastatic potential of BRCA1-deficient ovarian cancer cells, suggesting the functionality and specificity of CTL4 as a therapeutic target. Additionally, we discovered that phosphocholine, the choline metabolite increased by CTL4 overexpression, interacted with and stabilized the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition inducer FAM3C in BRCA1-deficient ovarian cancer cells. Importantly, we identified a potent CTL4 inhibitor, DT-13, which significantly reduces choline metabolism and effectively suppresses metastasis in BRCA1-deficient ovarian cancers. Therefore, our study uncovers a mechanism underlying metastasis in BRCA1-deficient cancers and identifies CTL4 as a therapeutic target for metastatic ovarian cancer patients with BRCA1 mutations.</p>
Project description:Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic cancer. High-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) is the most common histologic subtype, accounting for three quarters of ovarian cancer. To clarify the changes of gene expression in serous ovarian cancer, we performed lncRNA and mRNA microarrays to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs in High-grade and Low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma compared with Normal fallopian tube.
Project description:Can High Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer TCGA Gene Expression Signatures be seen in High Grade Endometrioid or Clear Cell Ovarian Cancer?
Project description:Microarrays were used to examine gene expression changes in the surgical resections of high-grade serous ovarian cancer patients exhibiting clinically distinct levels of ascites volume. The present studies primary aim was to determine if there is a molecular gene expression difference between the patients presenting at time of surgery when high volumes ascites cases were compared to those with low volume ascites. The secondary aim was to determine what relevance this difference, if found, has to previously discovered molecular sub-types of high grade serous ovarian cancer. Total RNA obtained from snap-frozen stage III-IV high-grade serous ovarian cancer patients presenting with low volume (<=200 cc) or high volume (>=1000 cc) ascites volume.
Project description:High-grade serous ovarian cancer is the most aggressive histological type of epithelial ovarian cancer, which is characterized by a high frequency of somatic TP53 mutations. To provide a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of these cancers and to develop a risk classification system, we conducted profiling of the copy number alterations present in these tumors. Thirty patients who were diagnosed as high-grade serous ovarian cancer were recruited in this study. Affymetrix SNP array were performed according to the manufacturer's directions on DNA extracted from high-grade serous ovarian cancer tissues or peripheral blood samples. The Japanese Serous Ovarian Cancer Study Group