Gonosuke Sonoda

Comparative genomic hybridization detects frequent overrepresentation of chromosomal material from 3q26, 8q24, and 20q13 in human ovarian carcinomas.

We used comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) to identify recurrent chromosomal imbalances in tumor DNA from 25 malignant ovarian carcinomas and two ovarian tumors of low malignant potential (LMP). Many of the carcinoma specimens displayed numerous imbalances. The most common sites of copy number increases, in order of frequency, were 8q24.1, 20q13.2‐qter, 3q26.3‐qter, 1q32, 20p, 9p21‐pter, and 12p. DNA amplification was identified in 12 carcinomas (48%). The most frequent sites of amplification were 8q24.1‐24.2, 3q26.3, and 20q13.2‐qter. Other recurrent sites of amplification included 7q36, 17q25, and 19q13.1‐13.2. The most frequent sites of copy number decreases were 5q21, 9q, 17p, 17q12‐21, 4q26‐31, 16q, and 22q. Underrepresentation of 17p was observed in six of 16 stage III/IV tumors, but in none of seven stage I/II tumors, suggesting that this change may be a late event associated with the transition of ovarian carcinomas to a more metastatic disease. Overrepresentation of 3q26.3‐qter, 5p14‐pter, 8q24.1, 9p21‐pter, 20p, and 20q13.2‐qter and underrepresentation of 4q26‐31 and 17q12‐21 also tended to be more common in advanced‐stage tumors. All ten grade 3 tumors had copy number increases involving 8q24.1, compared to only three of nine grade 2 tumors. Overrepresentation of 3q26.3‐qter and 20q13.2‐qter was also observed at a higher frequency in high‐grade tumors. One of the two LMP tumors displayed chromosomal alterations, which consisted of overrepresentation of 5p and 9p only. Taken collectively, these findings and data from other CGH studies of ovarian cancers define a set of small chromosome segments that are consistently over‐ or underrepresented and, thus, highlight sites of putative oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes that contribute to the pathogenesis of these highly malignant neoplasms. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 20:320–328, 1997.

Association of Krev-1/rap1a with Krit1, a novel ankyrin repeat-containing protein encoded by a gene mapping to 7q21-22

Krev-1/rap1A is an evolutionarily conserved Ras-family GTPase whose cellular function remains unclear, but which has been proposed to function as a tumor suppressor gene, and may act as a Ras antagonist. To elucidate Krev-1 activity, we have used LexA-Krev-1 in a two-hybrid screen of a HeLa cell cDNA library. Of the two cDNA classes isolated, one contained a single isolate encoding the known Krev-1 interactor Raf, while the second contained multiple isolates coding for a previously undescribed protein which we have designated Krit1 (for Krev Interaction Trapped 1). The full length Krit1 cDNA encodes a protein of 529 amino acids, with an amino-terminal ankyrin repeat domain and a novel carboxy-terminal domain required for association with Krit1. Krit1 interacted strongly with Krev-1 but only weakly with Ras, suggesting it might specifically regulate Krev-1 activities. Krit1 mRNA and protein are expressed endogenously at low levels, with tissue specific variation. Intriguingly, the Krit cDNA has been mapped by FISH to chromosome 7q21-22, a region known to be frequently deleted or amplified in multiple forms of cancer.

Identification of a chromosome 3p14.3-21.1 gene, APPL, encoding an adaptor molecule that interacts with the oncoprotein-serine/threonine kinase AKT2.

AKT2 is a serine/threonine kinase implicated in human ovarian and pancreatic cancers. AKT2 is activated by a variety of growth factors and insulin via phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). However, its normal cellular role is not well understood. To gain insight into the function of AKT2, we performed yeast two-hybrid system to screen for interacting proteins. Using this technique, we identified a novel interactor, designated APPL, which contains a pleckstrin homology (PH) domain, a phosphotyrosine binding (PTB) domain and a leucine zipper, classes of motifs defined in signaling molecules as functional interaction domains with specific targets. The PH domain of APPL shows similarity to those found in GTPase-activating proteins such as oligophrenin-1 and Graf, whereas its PTB domain exhibits homology with CED-6, an adaptor protein that promotes engulfment of apoptotic cells, and IB1, a transactivator of the GLUT2 gene. APPL is highly expressed in skeletal muscle, heart, ovary and pancreas, tissues in which AKT2 mRNA is abundant. APPL interacts with the inactive form of AKT2; moreover, APPL binds to the PI3K catalytic subunit, p110α. These data suggest that APPL is an adaptor that may tether inactive AKT2 to p110α in the cytoplasm and thereby may expedite recruitment of AKT2 and p110α to the cell membrane upon mitogenic stimulation. Furthermore, the APPL gene was mapped to human chromosome 3p14.3-p21.1, where deletions and other rearrangements have often been reported in a variety of tumor types. The identification of APPL may facilitate further analysis of the physiological and oncogenic activities of AKT2.

The cloning and characterization of human MyD88: a member of an IL-1 receptor related family

Murine MyD88, an RNA with homology both to the interleukin‐1 receptor signaling domain and to ‘death‐domains’, is rapidly upregulated during differentiation of the myeloleukemic cell line M1. We have cloned the human homologue of murine MyD88 and re‐evaluated the murine sequence. The open reading frame for both species encodes a 296 amino acid protein, which for murine MyD88 is 53 amino acids longer than originally published. Human MyD88 cDNA is encoded by 5 exons, and maps to chromosome 3p21.3‐p22 by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Overexpression of the death domain region leads to transcriptional activation of the IL‐8 promoter.

Identification of a zinc-finger gene at 6q25: a chromosomal region implicated in development of many solid tumors

We have used a rat model of epithelial ovarian cancer to identify a gene that shows decreased or lost expression in independently transformed rat ovarian surface epithelial cell lines compared to the normal progenitor cells. Hence, we refer to this gene as Lot-1 (Lost on transformation 1, GenBank accession no. U72620). Here, we report the cloning of the likely human homologue and its initial characterization. The deduced amino acid sequences of the cDNAs for rat and human LOT-1 (GenBank accession no. U72621) contain seven zinc finger motifs of the C2H2 type as well as proline and glutamine rich areas. The genes share 76.4% identity at the nucleotide level, 67.7% at the amino acid level and 85.5% within the seven zinc finger motifs. LOT-1 is ubiquitously expressed in normal human tissues but was not expressed in four of 11 (36%) human ovarian cancer cell lines or spontaneously transformed human ovarian surface epithelial cells. The human gene maps to chromosome 6 at band q25. We show that there is a 38% incidence of allelic loss at this chromosomal location in human ovarian cancers. This chromosomal region has also been implicated in the genesis of breast, kidney, and pleural mesothelial cancers. We suggest that this newly identified gene is not only of intrinsic interest as a ubiquitously expressed probable transcription factor but is a plausible candidate for the tumor suppressor gene which likely resides in the region of chromosome 6 defined by band q25.

Cloning of a Putative Ligand for the T1/ST2 Receptor

T1/ST2 is a receptor-like molecule homologous to the type I interleukin-1 receptor. Despite this sequence similarity, we have been unable to demonstrate binding of T1/ST2 to any of the three interleukin-1 species. In searching for a ligand for T1/ST2, we have cloned a cell surface protein to which it binds. This protein is unable to initiate signal transduction by the T1/ST2 receptor in several in vitro assays.

Detection of DNA gains and losses in primary endometrial carcinomas by comparative genomic hybridization

Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) was used in a retrospective analysis of chromosomal imbalances in frozen primary tumor specimens from 14 endometrial carcinoma patients. Chromosome changes were detected in nine cases (64%), and tumor stage and grade tended to parallel the degree of genomic imbalances. Gain of the entire long arm of chromosome I was observed in six cases (43%), three of which displayed only this chromosome change. Other common sites of copy number increases included 8q21 → qter (4 cases), 10p15 (4 cases), 10q11 → q24 (3 cases), and 13q21 → qter (3 cases, each with stage III disease). Two of the tumors with gains of chromosome 10 involved the whole chromosome, and this was the sole abnormality in one case. DNA amplification at 5p14 → p15 was identified in one specimen, a stage III tumor having numerous imbalances. DNA microsatellite analysis revealed multiple replication errors (RER), indicative of the RER+ phenotype, in four of 13 (31%) cases evaluated. The RER+ phenotype was observed in four of six stage Ia tumors but in none of seven stage Ib or stage III tumors. Multiple genomic imbalances detected by CGH were not observed in RER+ tumors but were detected in five of nine tumors without the RER+ phenotype. These investigations demonstrate the feasibility of CGH for the retrospective assessment of chromosomal changes in endometrial carcinoma specimens. Moreover, these data suggest that the etiologies in tumors with and without the RER+ phenotype may differ. Genes Chromosom. Cancer 18:115–125, 1997.

Analysis of the Interaction of the Novel RNA Polymerase II (pol II) Subunit hsRPB4 with Its Partner hsRPB7 and with pol II

ABSTRACT Under conditions of environmental stress, prokaryotes and lower eukaryotes such as the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiaeselectively utilize particular subunits of RNA polymerase II (pol II) to alter transcription to patterns favoring survival. In S. cerevisiae, a complex of two such subunits, RPB4 and RPB7, preferentially associates with pol II during stationary phase; of these two subunits, RPB4 is specifically required for survival under nonoptimal growth conditions. Previously, we have shown that RPB7 possesses an evolutionarily conserved human homolog, hsRPB7, which was capable of partially interacting with RPB4 and the yeast transcriptional apparatus. Using this as a probe in a two-hybrid screen, we have now established that hsRPB4 is also conserved in higher eukaryotes. In contrast to hsRPB7, hsRPB4 has diverged so that it no longer interacts with yeast RPB7, although it partially complements rpb4− phenotypes in yeast. However, hsRPB4 associates strongly and specifically with hsRPB7 when expressed in yeast or in mammalian cells and copurifies with intact pol II. hsRPB4 expression in humans parallels that of hsRPB7, supporting the idea that the two proteins may possess associated functions. Structure-function studies of hsRPB4-hsRPB7 are used to establish the interaction interface between the two proteins. This identification completes the set of human homologs for RNA pol II subunits defined in yeast and should provide the basis for subsequent structural and functional characterization of the pol II holoenzyme.

Mapping of guanylin to murine chromosome 4 and human chromosome 1p34–p35

Guanylin is a 15-amino-acid peptide similar in structure and in function to ST{sub a}, the heat stable enterotoxin of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (4). Both guanylin and ST{sub a} bind guanylyl cyclase-C (GC-C), resulting in increased levels of intracellular cGMP and induction of Cl- secretion (4) via the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFM) (2). Guanylin is a highly regulated intestinal gene that is differentially expressed along the duodenal-to-colonic and villus-to-crypt axes. Guanylin mRNA abundance is maximal in the distal small intestine and proximal colon, where the mRNA is detected mainly in differentiated villus epithelial cells and superficial colonic epithelial cells, respectively. The murine guanylin gene (Guca2) has been isolated and sequenced; the gene is 1.7 kb and consists of 3 exons. We report here the mapping of Guca2 to mouse chromosome 4 by linkage analysis and to human chromosome region 1p34-p35 using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). 20 refs., 2 figs.

Genome Scanning Detects Amplification of the Cathepsin B Gene (CtsB) in Transformed Rat Ovarian Surface Epithelial Cells

Objective: To isolate a portion of the amplicon inferred to be present in a malignant rat tumor cell line, NuTu 26, by the presence of a homogeneously staining chromosomal region (hsr) and identify genes embedded within it. Methods: Genome scanning was used to identify an EcoRI fragment (8.6 kbp) within the amplified region of the NuTu 26 genome using a recently identified rat repetitive sequence, OST17 as a probe. The 8.6 kbp amplified fragment was sequenced and used as starting material to obtain additional sequence information by screening a P1 clone-derived DNA library to identify any genes likely embedded in the amplicon. Use of the microdissected hsr as a probe for fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and application of Southern, Northern, and Western blot analysis confirmed the amplification of this region in the NuTu 26 genome. Results: The cathepsin B gene was within the amplicon of the hsr-containing marker chromosome of NuTu 26. FISH analysis and chromosomal banding further revealed that the marker chromosome was a derivative of chromosomes 4 and 15, ie, der(15)t(4;15). Conclusion: Cathepsin B gene amplification may contribute to some aspect of the biology of ovarian cancer. This concept is strengthened by the finding that the gene is overexpressed frequently in independently transformed rat ovarian surface epithelial cells.