Jorge Organista-Nava

Human Papillomavirus Infections and Cancer Stem Cells of Tumors from the Uterine Cervix

Different rate of development of productive infections (as low grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasias), or high grade lesions and cervical malignant tumors associated with infections of the Transformation zone (TZ) by High-Risk Human Papillomavirus (HR-HPV), could suggest that different epithelial host target cells could exist. If there is more than one target cell, their differential infection by HR-HPV may play a central role in the development of cervical cancer. Recently, the concept that cancer might arise from a rare population of cells with stem cell-like properties has received support in several solid tumors, including cervical cancer (CC). According to the cancer stem cell (CSC) hypothesis, CC can now be considered a disease in which stem cells of the TZ are converted to cervical cancer stem cells by the interplay between HR-HPV viral oncogenes and cellular alterations that are thought to be finally responsible for tumor initiation and maintenance. Current studies of CSC could provide novel insights regarding tumor initiation and progression, their relation with viral proteins and interplay with the tumor micro-environment. This review will focus on the biology of cervical cancer stem cells, which might contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms responsible for cervical tumor development.

Deregulation of the miRNAs expression in cervical cancer: human papillomavirus implications.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non coding RNAs of 18–25 nucleotides in length. The temporal or short-lived expression of the miRNAs modulates gene expression post transcriptionally. Studies have revealed that miRNAs deregulation correlates and is involved with the initiation and progression of human tumors. Cervical cancer (CC) displays notably increased or decreased expression of a large number of cellular oncogenic or tumor suppressive miRNAs, respectively. However, understanding the potential role of miRNAs in CC is still limited. In CC, the high-risk human papillomaviruses (HR-HPVs) infection can affect the miRNAs expression through oncoprotein E6 and E7 that contribute to viral pathogenesis, although other viral proteins might also be involved. This deregulation in the miRNAs expression has an important role in the hallmarks of CC. Interestingly, the miRNA expression profile in CC can discriminate between normal and tumor tissue and the extraordinary stability of miRNAs makes it suitable to serve as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of cancer. In this review, we will summarize the role of the HR-HPVs in miRNA expression, the role of miRNAs in the hallmarks of CC, and the use of miRNAs as potential prognostic biomarkers in CC.

Polymorphisms of the γ-glutamyl hydrolase gene and risk of relapse to acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Mexico

This study evaluated the association of -401C/T and +452C/T polymorphisms of gamma-glutamyl hydrolase and the risk of relapse to acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Genotyping was performed in 70 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 140 healthy children. An association between the -401C/T polymorphism and the risk of relapse was found (p=0.028), patients with the -401T/T genotype have 10.83 (95% CI 1.30-90.14) more chance of a relapse of leukemia. No association was found between the +452C/T polymorphism and the risk of relapse. Therefore, our investigation suggests that the -401C/T polymorphism in the gamma-glutamyl hydrolase may be a factor involved in the generation of relapse to disease in patients with ALL.

High miR-24 expression is associated with risk of relapse and poor survival in acute leukemia.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an essential role in the development and progression of acute leukemia (AL). miR-24 promotes the survival of hematopoietic cells. However, little is known concerning the function of miR-24 in human AL. The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical significance of miR-24 expression in AL. miR-24 expression in 147 patients with AL and 100 healthy individuals was measured by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The results showed that compared with the healthy individuals, the expression of miR-24 in AL patients was significantly higher (p<0.001). In addition, miR-24 was expressed at significantly higher levels in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients and at significantly lower levels in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) (p<0.001). More importantly, Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that AL patients with high miR-24 expression tended to have shorter overall survival (p<0.05). In the multivariate analysis stratified for known prognostic variables, miR-24 was identified as an independent prognostic marker. Our data indicated that miR-24 upregulation was associated with poor prognosis in AL. miR-24 was identified for the first time as an independent marker for predicting the clinical outcome of AL patients.

Embryonic stem cell-specific signature in cervical cancer

The wide range of invasive and noninvasive lesion phenotypes associated with high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection in cervical cancer (CC) indicates that not only the virus but also specific cervical epithelial cells in the transformation zone (TZ), such as stem cells (SCs), play an important part in the development of cervical neoplasia. In this review, we focused in an expression signature that is specific to embryonic SCs and to poorly differentiated cervical malignant tumors and we hypothesize that this expression signature may play an important role to promote cell growth, survival, colony formation, lack of adhesion, as well as cell invasion and migration in CC.

Polymorphism G80A in the Reduced Folate Carrier Gene and its Relationship to Survival and Risk of Relapse in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Background The reduced folate carrier (RFC1) is a major methotrexate transporter whose impaired function was recognized as a frequent mechanism of antifolate resistance. Recently, a G80A polymorphism has been described in the RFC1. This study evaluated the effect of the G80A polymorphism in the RFC1 gene on survival and risk of relapse of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Methods and Results Seventy patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism method. An association between the polymorphism and risk of relapse was found (P < 0.05). Patients with the G/A genotype have 3.97 (95% confidence interval, 1.12–14.06) and carriers of the A/A genotype have 7.84 (95% confidence interval, 1.66–37.10) higher chance of a relapse. Other variables such as age and leukocyte count were associated (P < 0.05) with the risk of relapse of disease. Individuals with G/A or A/A genotypes had poorer survival (log-rank test, P = < 0.05). Conclusions These data suggest a role of the polymorphism G80A in the risk of relapse and the mortality risk in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia from the State of Guerrero, Mexico.

The HPV16 E7 oncoprotein increases the expression of Oct3/4 and stemness-related genes and augments cell self-renewal

Oct3/4 is a transcription factor involved in maintenance of the pluripotency and self-renewal of stem cells. The E7 oncoprotein and 17β-estradiol (E2) are key factors in cervical carcinogenesis. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of the HPV16 E7 oncoprotein and E2 on the expression pattern of Oct3/4, Sox2, Nanog and Fgf4. We also determined whether the E7 oncoprotein is associated with cell self-renewal. The results showed that Oct3/4, Sox2, Nanog and Fgf4 were upregulated by the E7 oncoprotein in vivo and in vitro and implicate E2 in the upregulation of these factors in vivo. We also demonstrated that E7 is involved in cell self-renewal, suggesting that the HPV16 E7 oncoprotein upregulates Oct3/4, Sox2, Nanog and Fgf4 expression to maintain the self-renewal capacity of cancer stem cells.

Role of HR-HPVs E6 and E7 Oncoproteins in Cervical Carcinogenesis

The strategies that High Risk Human Papillomavirus (HR-HPVs) have developed in differentiating epithelial cells to reach a DNA-synthesis competent state are basically related to the overexpression of the E6 and E7 oncoproteins and the cellular regulatory pathways that are targeted by them. These are basically related to hallmarks of cancer, and include sustaining proliferative signals, the evasion of growth suppression and immune destruction, replicative immortality, inflammation, invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis, as well as genome instability, resisting cell death and deregulation of cellular energetics. In this minireview, we summarize some of the biological activities of HVP16 E6 and E7 oncoproteins in cervical carcinogenesis. From this, it is evident that cervical cancer may represent an important model to understand the different oncogenic mechanisms and processes involved not only in this neoplasia but also in the development of other human malignancies. Likewise, the miRNAs and cancer stem cellrelated markers expression could serve as novel molecular targets for the diagnosis and treatment of HPV positive cervical cancer.

Survival of Patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Age is the factor that has been more associated with survival. Younger patients (especial‐ ly those younger than age 50) have a better survival than older patients. Not only age but also gender and race also are related with survival of ALL patients. The girls have showed a better survival than boys, this partly due to boys’ risks for testicular cancer. African-American and Hispanic Individuals have lower survival rates than Caucasian and Asian individual, but this may be due to poorer access to treatment. A very impor‐ tant factor in the clinic that somehow predicts good to bad prognosis of the patient and of course has also been linked to survival is the Initial white blood cell (WBC) count; people diagnosed with a WBC count below 50,000/μL tend to be better than people with higher WBC counts. Even, ALL subtype plays a role very important. For example, pa‐ tients with T-cell ALL tend to have a better prognosis and survival than those with ma‐ ture B-cell ALL (Burkitt leukemia). Nowadays, the identification of chromosome translocations help to prognosis of ALL patients; people who have Philadelphia chromo‐ some-positive ALL tend to have a poorer prognosis, although is important to note that new treatments are helping many of these patients achieve remission.

Regulation of the miRNA expression by TEL/AML1, BCR/ABL, MLL/AF4 and TCF3/PBX1 oncoproteins in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Review)

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small endogenous non-coding RNAs that play important regulatory roles by targeting mRNAs for cleavage or translational repression. miRNAs act in diverse biological processes including development, cell growth, apoptosis, and hematopoiesis. The miRNA expression is associated with specific cytogenetic changes and can also be used to discriminate between the different subtypes of leukemia in acute lymphoblastic leukemia with common translocations, it is shown that the miRNAs have the potential to be used for clinical diagnosis and prognosis. We reviewed the roles of miRNA here with emphasis on their function in human leukemia and the mechanisms of the TEL/AML1, BCR/ABL, MLL/AF4 and TCF3/PBX1 oncoproteins on miRNAs expression in acute lymphoblastic leukemia.