Wen-Hui Su

Candidate Serological Biomarkers for Cancer Identified from the Secretomes of 23 Cancer Cell Lines and the Human Protein Atlas

Although cancer cell secretome profiling is a promising strategy used to identify potential body fluid-accessible cancer biomarkers, questions remain regarding the depth to which the cancer cell secretome can be mined and the efficiency with which researchers can select useful candidates from the growing list of identified proteins. Therefore, we analyzed the secretomes of 23 human cancer cell lines derived from 11 cancer types using one-dimensional SDS-PAGE and nano-LC-MS/MS performed on an LTQ-Orbitrap mass spectrometer to generate a more comprehensive cancer cell secretome. A total of 31,180 proteins was detected, accounting for 4,584 non-redundant proteins, with an average of 1,300 proteins identified per cell line. Using protein secretion-predictive algorithms, 55.8% of the proteins appeared to be released or shed from cells. The identified proteins were selected as potential marker candidates according to three strategies: (i) proteins apparently secreted by one cancer type but not by others (cancer type-specific marker candidates), (ii) proteins released by most cancer cell lines (pan-cancer marker candidates), and (iii) proteins putatively linked to cancer-relevant pathways. We then examined protein expression profiles in the Human Protein Atlas to identify biomarker candidates that were simultaneously detected in the secretomes and highly expressed in cancer tissues. This analysis yielded 6–137 marker candidates selective for each tumor type and 94 potential pan-cancer markers. Among these, we selectively validated monocyte differentiation antigen CD14 (for liver cancer), stromal cell-derived factor 1 (for lung cancer), and cathepsin L1 and interferon-induced 17-kDa protein (for nasopharyngeal carcinoma) as potential serological cancer markers. In summary, the proteins identified from the secretomes of 23 cancer cell lines and the Human Protein Atlas represent a focused reservoir of potential cancer biomarkers.

Genome-wide Association Study Reveals Multiple Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma-Associated Loci within the HLA Region at Chromosome 6p21.3

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a multifactorial malignancy closely associated with genetic factors and Epstein-Barr virus infection. To identify the common genetic variants linked to NPC susceptibility, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in 277 NPC patients and 285 healthy controls within the Taiwanese population, analyzing 480,365 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Twelve statistically significant SNPs were identified and mapped to chromosome 6p21.3. Associations were replicated in two independent sets of case-control samples. Two of the most significant SNPs (rs2517713 and rs2975042; p(combined) = 3.9 x 10(-20) and 1.6 x 10(-19), respectively) were located in the HLA-A gene. Moreover, we detected significant associations between NPC and two genes: specifically, gamma aminobutyric acid b receptor 1 (GABBR1) (rs29232; p(combined) = 8.97 x 10(-17)) and HLA-F (rs3129055 and rs9258122; p(combined) = 7.36 x 10(-11) and 3.33 x 10(-10), respectively). Notably, the association of rs29232 remained significant (residual p < 5 x 10(-4)) after adjustment for age, gender, and HLA-related SNPs. Furthermore, higher GABA(B) receptor 1 expression levels can be found in the tumor cells in comparison to the adjacent epithelial cells (p < 0.001) in NPC biopsies, implying a biological role of GABBR1 in NPC carcinogenesis. To our knowledge, it is the first GWAS report of NPC showing that multiple loci (HLA-A, HLA-F, and GABBR1) within chromosome 6p21.3 are associated with NPC. Although some of these relationships may be attributed to linkage disequilibrium between the loci, the findings clearly provide a fresh direction for the study of NPC development.

OncoDB.HCC: an integrated oncogenomic database of hepatocellular carcinoma revealed aberrant cancer target genes and loci

The OncoDB.HCC () is based on physical maps of rodent and human genomes containing quantitative trait loci of rodent HCC models and various human HCC somatic aberrations including chromosomal data from loss of heterozygosity and comparative genome hybridization analyses, altered expression of genes from microarray and proteomic studies, and finally experimental data of published HCC genes. Comprehensive integration of HCC genomic aberration data avoids potential pitfalls of data inconsistency from single genomic approach and provides lines of evidence to reveal somatic aberrations from levels of DNA, RNA to protein. Twenty-nine of 30 (96.7%) novel HCC genes with significant altered expressions in compared between tumor and adjacent normal tissues were validated by RT–PCR in 45 pairs of HCC tissues and by matching expression profiles in 57 HCC patients of re-analyzed Stanford HCC microarray data. Comparative mapping of HCC loci in between human aberrant chromosomal regions and QTLs of rodent HCC models revealed 12 syntenic HCC regions with 2 loci effectively narrowed down to 2 Mb. Together, OncoDB.HCC graphically presents comprehensive HCC data integration, reveals important HCC genes and loci for positional cloning and functional studies, and discloses potential molecular targets for improving HCC diagnosis and therapy.

HDAC inhibitors augmented cell migration and metastasis through induction of PKCs leading to identification of low toxicity modalities for combination cancer therapy.

Purpose: Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) are actively explored as new-generation epigenetic drugs but have low efficacy in cancer monotherapy. To reveal new mechanism for combination therapy, we show that HDACi induce cell death but simultaneously activate tumor-progressive genes to ruin therapeutic efficacy. Combined treatments to target tumorigenesis and HDACi-activated metastasis with low toxic modalities could develop new strategies for long-term cancer therapy. Experimental Design: Because metastasis is the major cause of cancer mortality, we measured cell migration activity and profiled metastasis-related gene expressions in HDACi-treated cancer cells. We developed low toxic combination modalities targeting tumorigenesis and HDACi-activated metastasis for preclinical therapies in mice. Results: We showed that cell migration activity was dramatically and dose dependently enhanced by various classes of HDACi treatments in 13 of 30 examined human breast, gastric, liver, and lung cancer cell lines. Tumor metastasis was also enhanced in HDACi-treated mice. HDACi treatments activated multiple PKCs and downstream substrates along with upregulated proapoptotic p21. For targeting tumorigenesis and metastasis with immediate clinical impact, we showed that new modalities of HDACi combined drugs with PKC inhibitory agent, curcumin or tamoxifen, not only suppressed HDACi-activated tumor progressive proteins and cell migration in vitro but also inhibited tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. Conclusion: Treatments of different structural classes of HDACi simultaneously induced cell death and promoted cell migration and metastasis in multiple cancer cell types. Suppression of HDACi-induced PKCs leads to development of low toxic and long-term therapeutic strategies to potentially treat cancer as a chronic disease. Clin Cancer Res; 18(17); 4691–701. ©2012 AACR.

A gender-specific association of CNV at 6p21.3 with NPC susceptibility.

Copy number variations (CNVs), a major source of human genetic polymorphism, have been suggested to have an important role in genetic susceptibility to common diseases such as cancer, immune diseases and neurological disorders. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a multifactorial tumor closely associated with genetic background and with a male preponderance over female (3:1). Previous genome-wide association studies have identified single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are associated with NPC susceptibility. Here, we sought to explore the possible association of CNVs with NPC predisposition. Utilizing genome-wide SNP-based arrays and five CNV-prediction algorithms, we identified eight regions with CNV that were significantly overrepresented in NPC patients compared with healthy controls. These CNVs included six deletions (on chromosomes 3, 6, 7, 8 and 19), and two duplications (on chromosomes 7 and 12). Among them, the CNV located at chromosome 6p21.3, with single-copy deletion of the MICA and HCP5 genes, showed the highest association with NPC. Interestingly, it was more specifically associated with an increased NPC risk among males. This gender-specific association was replicated in an independent case-control sample using a self-established deletion-specific polymerase chain reaction strategy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to explore the role of constitutional CNVs in NPC, using a genome-wide platform. Moreover, we identified eight novel candidate regions with CNV that merit future investigation, and our results suggest that similar to neuroblastoma and prostate cancer, genetic structural variations might contribute to NPC predisposition.

A Genome-Wide Association Study on Chronic HBV Infection and Its Clinical Progression in Male Han- Taiwanese

It is common to observe the clustering of chronic hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers in families. Intra-familial transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) could be the reason for the familial clustering of HBsAg carriers. Additionally, genetic and gender factors have been reported to be involved. We conducted a three-stage genome-wide association study to identify genetic factors associated with chronic HBV susceptibility. A total of 1,065 male controls and 1,623 male HBsAg carriers were included. The whole-genome genotyping was done on Illumina HumanHap550 beadchips in 304 healthy controls and HumanHap610 beadchips in 321 cases. We found that rs9277535 (HLA-DPB1, P = 4.87×10−14), rs9276370 (HLA-DQA2, P = 1.9×10−12), rs7756516 and rs7453920 (HLA-DQB2, P = 1.48×10−11 and P = 6.66×10−15 respectively) were significantly associated with persistent HBV infection. A novel SNP rs9366816 near HLA-DPA3 also showed significant association (P = 2.58×10−10). The “T-T-G-G-T” haplotype of the five SNPs further signified their association with the disease (P = 1.48×10−12; OR = 1.49). The “T-T” haplotype composed of rs7756516 and rs9276370 was more prevalent in severe disease subgroups and associated with non-sustained therapeutic response (P = 0.0262). The “G-C” haplotype was associated with sustained therapeutic response (P = 0.0132; OR = 2.49). We confirmed that HLA-DPB1, HLA-DQA2 and HLA-DQB2 loci were associated with persistent HBV infection in male Taiwan Han-Chinese. In addition, the HLA-DQA2 and -DQB2 complex was associated with clinical progression and therapeutic response.

Human leukocyte antigens and Epstein-Barr virus-associated nasopharyngeal carcinoma: old associations offer new clues into the role of immunity in infection-associated cancers

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) associated tumor. In addition to EBV, host genetic factors are believed to be important determinants of NPC risk. Of all genes studies to date, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes have shown the most consistent evidence for association with NPC, both from candidate-gene studies and genome-wide association studies (GWAS). In this report we summarize results from recent studies that evaluated the association between HLA and NPC, and discuss whether findings reflect direct causal associations for HLA genes and/or indirect associations that mark causal associations with other genes in the gene-dense major histocompatibility (MHC) region where HLA resides. We also compare GWAS results across cancer sites for which strong hits in the MHC region were observed to generate new hypotheses regarding the role of HLA genes in the development of EBV-associated cancers such as NPC. Of note, we report that MHC associations for EBV-associated cancers (NPC, EBV+ Hodgkin lymphoma) are driven by HLA class I genes. In contrast, MHC associations for other viral-associated cancers (cervical cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma) or other hematopoetic cancers (EBV− Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphomas) are driven by HLA class II genes, and those for other solid tumors with less clear links to infections (lung, testicular, prostate cancers) are driven by non-HLA genes in the MHC region. Future studies should aim to better understand these patterns.

IGDB.NSCLC: integrated genomic database of non-small cell lung cancer

Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related mortality with more than 1.4 million deaths per year worldwide. To search for significant somatic alterations in lung cancer, we analyzed, integrated and manually curated various data sets and literatures to present an integrated genomic database of non-small cell lung cancer (IGDB.NSCLC, http://igdb.nsclc.ibms.sinica.edu.tw). We collected data sets derived from hundreds of human NSCLC (lung adenocarcinomas and/or squamous cell carcinomas) to illustrate genomic alterations [chromosomal regions with copy number alterations (CNAs), gain/loss and loss of heterozygosity], aberrant expressed genes and microRNAs, somatic mutations and experimental evidence and clinical information of alterations retrieved from literatures. IGDB.NSCLC provides user friendly interfaces and searching functions to display multiple layers of evidence especially emphasizing on concordant alterations of CNAs with co-localized altered gene expression, aberrant microRNAs expression, somatic mutations or genes with associated clinicopathological features. These significant concordant alterations in NSCLC are graphically or tabularly presented to facilitate and prioritize as the putative cancer targets for pathological and mechanistic studies of lung tumorigenesis and for developing new strategies in clinical interventions.

Evaluation of human leukocyte antigen-A (HLA-A), other non-HLA markers on chromosome 6p21 and risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Background The association between human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes (located in the Major Histocompatibility Complex [MHC] region of chromosome 6p21) and NPC has been known for some time. Recently, two genome-wide association studies (GWAS) conducted in Taiwan and China confirmed that the strongest evidence for NPC association was mapped to the MHC region. It is still unclear, however, whether these findings reflect direct associations with Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) genes and/or to other genes in this gene-rich region. Methods To better understand genetic associations for NPC within the MHC region of chromosome 6, we conducted an evaluation that pooled two previously conducted NPC case-control studies in Taiwan (N = 591 cases and N = 521 controls). PCR-based genotyping was performed for 12 significant SNPs identified within 6p21 in the Taiwan NPC GWAS and for the HLA-A gene (exons 2 and 3). Findings After confirming homogeneity between the two studies, pooled odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated by logistic regression. We found that HLA-A (p-trend = 0.0006) and rs29232 (within the GABBR1 gene; p-trend = 0.005) were independent risk factors for NPC after adjustment for age, gender, study and each other. NPC risk was highest among individuals who were homozygous for the HLA-A*0207 risk allele and carriers of the rs29232 risk allele (A). Conclusion Our study suggests that most of the SNPs significantly associated with NPC from GWAS reflect previously identified HLA-A associations. An independent effect of rs29232 (GABBR1), however, remained, suggesting that additional genes within this region might be associated with NPC risk.

Somatic LMCD1 mutations promoted cell migration and tumor metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Common genetic alteration in cancer genomes is implicated for embracing an aberrant cancer gene participated in tumor progression. In this study, we identified a somatic mutated LIM and cysteine-rich domains-1 (LMCD1) as a putative metastatic oncogene in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using integrated genomic approaches. In addition to revealing genomic amplification and gene upregulation, we identified recurrent E135K (3/48 cases) mutations in HCC tissues and K237R mutation in the PLC/PRF/5 HCC cell line. Expression of mutant LMCD1 E135K or K237R reduced the stress fiber assembly, increased cortical actin accumulation and induced lamellipodial extension. Consistently, these mutations enhanced cell migration and showed activation of the Rac1-signaling pathway. Inhibition of the LMCD1/Rac1 pathway by an LMCD1 short-hairpin RNA (shLMCD1) or the Rac1 inhibitor NSC23766 suppressed the mutation-mediated lamellipodial protrusion and cell migration. In PLC/PRF/5 cells with endogenous K237R mutation, cell migration was enhanced by estrogen-induced LMCD1 expression but reversed by shLMCD1 treatment. Moreover, overexpression of LMCD1 E135K mutation significantly promoted systemic lung metastasis in a murine tail vein injection model. Together, our results suggest that LMCD1 mutations are potential oncogenic events in HCC metastasis to promote cell migration through the Rac1-signaling pathway.