A. A. Dmitriev

RPN1, a new reference gene for quantitative data normalization in lung and kidney cancer

Quantitative methods of gene expression analysis in tumors require accurate data normalization, which allows comparison of different specimens with unknown mRNA/cDNA concentrations. For this purpose, reference genes with stable expression are used (e.g., GAPDH, ACTB, HPRT1, or TBP). The problem of choosing proper reference genes is still a topical issue, because well-known reference genes can be unsuitable for certain cancer types and their inappropriate use without additional testing can lead to wrong conclusions. A recently developed bioinformatical approach was employed to identify a new potential reference gene for lung and kidney tumors, RPN1, located on the long arm of chromosome 3. The method employed the mining of the dbEST and Oncomine databases and functional analysis of genes. RPN1 was selected from approximately 1500 candidate housekeeping genes. Using comparative genomic hybridization with NotI microarrays, we found no methylation, deletions, and/or amplifications in the RPN1-containing locus in 56 nonsmall cell lung and 42 clear cell renal cell cancer specimens. Real-time PCR showed that variation of RPN1 mRNA levels in nonsmall cell lung cancer and clear-cell renal cancer was low and comparable to that of the known reference genes GAPDH and GUSB, respectively. Expression levels of two hyalouronidase genes, HYAL1 and HYAL2, were assessed using the suggested references gene pairs (RPN1-GAPDH for lung cancer and RPN1-GUSB for kidney cancer), and these combinations were shown to produce accurate and reproducible data. These results suggest that RPN1 is a new, promising reference gene for quantitative data normalization in gene expression studies for lung and kidney cancers.

Downregulation of RBSP3 / CTDSPL , NPRL2 / G21 , RASSF1A , ITGA9 , HYAL1 , and HYAL2 in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Chromosomal and genome abnormalities of 3p are frequent in many epithelial tumors, including lung cancer. Several critical regions with a high frequency of hemi-and homozygous deletions in tumors are known for 3p, and more than 20 cancer-related genes occur in 3p21.3. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to measure the mRNA level for tumor-suppressor and candidate genes of 3p21.3 (RBSP3/CTDSPL, NPRL2/G21, RASSF1A, ITGA9, HYAL1, and HYAL2) in major types of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): squamous cell lung cancer (SCC) and lung adenocarcinoma (AC). A significant (2-to 100-fold) and frequent (44–100%) decrease in mRNA levels was observed in NSCLC. The mRNA level decrease and its frequency depended on the histological type of NSCLC for all genes. The downregulation of RASSF1A and ITGA9 was significantly associated with AC progression; the same tendency was observed for RBSP3/CTDSPL, NPRL2/G21, HYAL1, and HYAL2. In SCC, the downregulation of all genes was not associated with the clinical stage, tumor cells differentiation, and metastasis in lymph nodes. The RBSP3/CTDSPL, NPRL2/G21, ITGA9, HYAL1, and HYAL2 mRNA levels significantly (5-to 13-fold on average) decreased at a high frequency (83–100%) as early as SCC stage I. Simultaneous downregulation of all six genes was observed in some tumor samples and was independent of the gene position in 3p21.3 and the functions of the protein products. The Spearman correlation coefficient rs was 0.63–0.91, p < 0.001. The highest rs values were obtained for gene pairs ITGA9-HYAL2 and HYAL1-HYAL2, whose products mediate cell-cell adhesion and cell-matrix interactions; coregulation of the genes was assumed on this basis. Both genetic and epigenetic mechanisms proved to be important for downregulation of RBSP3/CTDSPL and ITGA9. This finding supported the hypothesis that the cluster of cancerrelated genes in the extended 3p21.3 locus is simultaneously inactivated during the development and progression of lung cancer and other epithelial tumors. A significant and frequent decrease in the mRNA level of the six genes in SCC could be important for developing specific biomarker sets for early SCC diagnosis and new approaches to gene therapy of NSCLC.

Differential expression of genes that encode glycolysis enzymes in kidney and lung cancer in humans

Glycolysis is a main catabolic pathway of glucose metabolism, accompanied by ATP synthesis. More than 30 enzymes are involved in glycolysis, and genes that encode them can be considered housekeeping genes due to the high conservatism and evolutionary antiquity of the process. We studied the expression of these genes in kidney papillary cancer and planocellular lung cancer via the bioinformatic analysis of transcriptome database and method of quantitative real time PCR. Quantitative analysis of mRNA level demonstrated that only a part of genes that encode glycolysis enzymes maintain relatively stable mRNA level, including the HK1, ADPGK, GPI, PGK1, and PKM2 genes in kidney papillary cancer and the ADPGK, ALDOA, GAPDH, PGK1, BPGM, ENO1, and PKM2 genes in planocellular lung cancer. The frequent increase in the mRNA expression of PFKP, ALDOA, and GAPDH genes in kidney cancer, as well as the GPI gene in lung cancer, were detected for the first time by real time PCR. For other genes, their differential expression was demonstrated; the cases of both a decrease and increase in the mRNA level were detected. Thus, several genes that can be used as control genes in transcriptome analysis by real time PCR in kidney and lung cancer, as well as a number of differentially expressed genes that can be potential oncomarkers, were identified.

Expression of FTL and FTH genes encoding ferritin subunits in lung and renal carcinomas

Numerous human cancers are accompanied with the increase of ferritin content in blood serum. Ferritin is composed of light and heavy chains, encoded by FTL and FTH genes, respectively. The analysis of EST database showed that the expression of FTL and FTH genes in lung tumors is decreased compared to normal tissues, and is not altered in renal cancer cells. The alteration of mRNA corresponding to FTL and FTH genes was estimated by real-time PCR in primary lung and kidney tumors. A significant and frequent inhibition of FTL and FTH gene expression (on average by 11 and 9 times, in 83% (33/40) and 73% (11/15) of cases, respectively) was detected in primary squamous lung carcinoma. The expression of these genes was not altered so significantly (by 6 and 3 times, in 58% and 27% of samples) in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Our work reports for the first time the down-regulation of FTL gene expression at the first stage of lung cancer (10/10), and proposes this gene as a potential oncomarker for early diagnosis. The FTL mRNA content may be quantified by non-competitive hybridization on expression DNA microarrays. The possible causes of a serum ferritin increase in lung squamous cell carcinoma and clear cell renal cell carcinoma are discussed.

Increase in NETO2 gene expression is a potential molecular genetic marker in renal and lung cancers

Multiple changes in the genome, transcriptome, and proteome are frequent in cancer cells. A search for molecular markers based on DNA, mRNA, or proteins is a main method to develop early specific diagnostics for cancer. While universal markers are still unavailable, similar trends are known for the expression patterns of particular genes in certain epithelial tumors. A bioinformatic screening of transcriptomic databases identified the NETO2 gene as a new potential promising marker of renal cancer. A substantial increase in NETO2 mRNA level was detected in 90% clear-cell renal cell carcinomas, 70% of non-small cell lung cancers, and 50% of papillary renal cancers by real-time PCR. The NETO2 mRNA level was increased to a lesser extent in cervical carcinoma and colon cancer and tended to decrease in cancer of the stomach. The NETO2 gene, which codes for a membrane glycoprotein with an unclear function, was assumed to provide a new promising marker for early diagnosis in renal cancer and non-small cell lung cancer.

The role of microRNA in abiotic stress response in plants

Regulation of gene expression via microRNA is the key mechanism of response to biotic and abiotic stresses in plants. There are a lot of experimental data on the biological function of microRNAs in response to different stresses in various plant species. This review contains up-to-date information on molecular mechanisms of microRNA action in plants in response to abiotic stresses, including drought, salinity, mineral nutrient deficiency or imbalance.

[Methylation in the Regulation of the Expression of Chromosome 3 and microRNA Genes in Clear-Cell Renal Cell Carcinomas].

The methylation of CpG islands in promoter regions, together with the interaction of miRNAs with the mRNAs of their target genes on the posttranscriptional level, are complex epigenetic mechanisms that perform the delicate and dynamic regulation of genes and signal transduction pathways in the cell. This review summarizes the results obtained by the authors, as well as the literature data, on the roles of methylation in regulating the protein-coding genes of chromosome 3 and a number of miRNA genes in clear-cell renal cell carcinomas. The results are based on the use of genomic NotI-microarrays (which allow the identification of both methylation and deletions in genes containing CpG islands) and on some other approaches. The application of NotI-microarray technology to the analysis of the chromosome-3 short arm, a region of frequent deletions in tumors, gave us the opportunity to identify many novel genes associated with kidney cancer pathogenesis. The relationship between alterations in the expression levels and methylation of chromosome 3 genes, kidney cancer progression, and metastasis was shown. New microRNAs involved in kidney cancer pathogenesis were identified as well. The functions of microRNA genes methylated in kidney cancer were discussed.

Interaction of two tumor suppressors: Phosphatase CTDSPL and Rb protein

Earlier we established that CTDSPL gene encoding small carboxy-terminal domain serine phosphatase can be considered a classical tumor suppressor gene. Besides, transfection of tumor cell line MCF-7 with CTDSPL led to the content decrease of inactive phosphorylated form of another tumor suppressor, retinoblastoma protein (Rb), and subsequently to cell cycle arrest at the G1/S boundary. This result implied that small phosphatase CTDSPL is able to specifically dephosphorylate and activate Rb protein. In order to add some fuel to this hypothesis, in the present work we studied the interaction of two tumor suppressors CTDSPL and Rb in vitro. GST pool-down assay revealed that CTDSPL is able to precipitate Rb protein from MCF-7 cell extracts, while surface plasmon resonance technique showed that interaction of the two proteins is direct. Results of this study reassert that phosphatase CTDSPL and Rb could be involved in the common mechanism of cell cycle regulation.

Molecular genetic mechanisms of drug resistance in prostate cancer

The major problem in prostate cancer treatment is the development of drug resistance and especially important, cross-resistance. The mechanisms of drug resistance, which are divided into ligand-dependent (requiring the presence of androgens in the cell) and independent (not requiring the presence of androgens) are reviewed. The mechanisms are mainly represented with mutations of the androgen receptor and expression of aberrant constitutively active splice variants, as well as up-regulation of genes involved in androgens synthesis.

Genetic diversity and evolution of the influenza C virus

The influenza C virus is spread worldwide and causes diseases of the upper and (less frequently) lower respiratory tract in human. The virus is not pandemic, but it circulates together with pandemic influenza A and B viruses during winter months and has quite similar clinical manifestations. The influenza C virus is also encountered in animals (pigs and dogs) and is known to override the interspecific barriers of transmssion. The immune system of mammals often fails to recognize new antigenic variants of influenza C virus, which invariably arise in nature, resulting in outbreaks of diseases, although the structure of antigens in influenza C virus in general is much more stable than those of influenza viruses A and B. Variability of genetic information in natural isolates of viruses is determined by mutations, reassortment, and recombination. However, recombination events very rarely occur in genomes of negative-strand RNA viruses, including those of influenza, and virtually have no effect on their evolution. Unambiguous explanations for this phenomenon have thus far not been proposed. There is no proof of recombination processes in the influenza C virus genome. On the contrary, reassortant viruses derived from different strains of influenza C virus frequently appear in vitro and are likely to be common in nature. The genome of influenza C virus comprises seven segments. Based on the comparison of sequences in one of its genes (HEF), six genetic or antigenic lineages of this virus can be distinguished (Yamagata/26/81, Aichi/1/81, Mississippi/80, Taylor/1233/47, Sao Paulo/378/82, and Kanagawa/1/76). However, the available genetic data show that all the seven segments of the influenza C virus genome evolve independently.