A recurrent mutation in PALB2 in Finnish cancer families

BRCA1, BRCA2 and other known susceptibility genes account for less than half of the detectable hereditary predisposition to breast cancer. Other relevant genes therefore remain to be discovered. Recently a new BRCA2-binding protein, PALB2, was identified. The BRCA2-PALB2 interaction is crucial for certain key BRCA2 DNA damage response functions as well as its tumour suppression activity. Here we show, by screening for PALB2 mutations in Finland that a frameshift mutation, c.1592delT, is present at significantly elevated frequency in familial breast cancer cases compared with ancestry-matched population controls. The truncated PALB2 protein caused by this mutation retained little BRCA2-binding capacity and was deficient in homologous recombination and crosslink repair. Further screening of c.1592delT in unselected breast cancer individuals revealed a roughly fourfold enrichment of this mutation in patients compared with controls. Most of the mutation-positive unselected cases had a familial pattern of disease development. In addition, one multigenerational prostate cancer family that segregated the c.1592delT truncation allele was observed. These results indicate that PALB2 is a breast cancer susceptibility gene that, in a suitably mutant form, may also contribute to familial prostate cancer development.     

Secondary mutations as a mechanism of cisplatin resistance in BRCA2-mutated cancers

Ovarian carcinomas with mutations in the tumour suppressor BRCA2 are particularly sensitive to platinum compounds. However, such carcinomas ultimately develop cisplatin resistance. The mechanism of that resistance is largely unknown. Here we show that acquired resistance to cisplatin can be mediated by secondary intragenic mutations in BRCA2 that restore the wild-type BRCA2 reading frame. First, in a cisplatin-resistant BRCA2-mutated breast-cancer cell line, HCC1428, a secondary genetic change in BRCA2 rescued BRCA2 function. Second, cisplatin selection of a BRCA2-mutated pancreatic cancer cell line, Capan-1 (refs 3, 4), led to five different secondary mutations that restored the wild-type BRCA2 reading frame. All clones with secondary mutations were resistant both to cisplatin and to a poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor (AG14361). Finally, we evaluated recurrent cancers from patients whose primary BRCA2-mutated ovarian carcinomas were treated with cisplatin. The recurrent tumour that acquired cisplatin resistance had undergone reversion of its BRCA2 mutation. Our results suggest that secondary mutations that restore the wild-type BRCA2 reading frame may be a major clinical mediator of acquired resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy.     

Specific killing of BRCA2-deficient tumours with inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP1) facilitates DNA repair by binding to DNA breaks and attracting DNA repair proteins to the site of damage. Nevertheless, PARP1-/- mice are viable, fertile and do not develop early onset tumours. Here, we show that PARP inhibitors trigger gamma-H2AX and RAD51 foci formation. We propose that, in the absence of PARP1, spontaneous single-strand breaks collapse replication forks and trigger homologous recombination for repair. Furthermore, we show that BRCA2-deficient cells, as a result of their deficiency in homologous recombination, are acutely sensitive to PARP inhibitors, presumably because resultant collapsed replication forks are no longer repaired. Thus, PARP1 activity is essential in homologous recombination-deficient BRCA2 mutant cells. We exploit this requirement in order to kill BRCA2-deficient tumours by PARP inhibition alone. Treatment with PARP inhibitors is likely to be highly tumour specific, because only the tumours (which are BRCA2-/-) in BRCA2+/- patients are defective in homologous recombination. The use of an inhibitor of a DNA repair enzyme alone to selectively kill a tumour, in the absence of an exogenous DNA-damaging agent, represents a new concept in cancer treatment.     

Targeting the DNA repair defect in BRCA mutant cells as a therapeutic strategy

BRCA1 and BRCA2 are important for DNA double-strand break repair by homologous recombination, and mutations in these genes predispose to breast and other cancers. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) is an enzyme involved in base excision repair, a key pathway in the repair of DNA single-strand breaks. We show here that BRCA1 or BRCA2 dysfunction unexpectedly and profoundly sensitizes cells to the inhibition of PARP enzymatic activity, resulting in chromosomal instability, cell cycle arrest and subsequent apoptosis. This seems to be because the inhibition of PARP leads to the persistence of DNA lesions normally repaired by homologous recombination. These results illustrate how different pathways cooperate to repair damage, and suggest that the targeted inhibition of particular DNA repair pathways may allow the design of specific and less toxic therapies for cancer.     

Functional link of BRCA1 and ataxia telangiectasia gene product in DNA damage response

BRCA1 encodes a familial breast cancer suppressor that has a critical role in cellular responses to DNA damage. Mouse cells deficient for Brca1 show genetic instability, defective G2-M checkpoint control and reduced homologous recombination. BRCA1 also directly interacts with proteins of the DNA repair machinery and regulates expression of both the p21 and GADD45 genes. However, it remains unclear how DNA damage signals are transmitted to modulate the repair function of BRCA1. Here we show that the BRCA1-associated protein CtIP becomes hyperphosphorylated and dissociated from BRCA1 upon ionizing radiation. This phosphorylation event requires the protein kinase (ATM) that is mutated in the disease ataxia telangiectasia. ATM phosphorylates CtIP at serine residues 664 and 745, and mutation of these sites to alanine abrogates the dissociation of BRCA1 from CtIP, resulting in persistent repression of BRCA1-dependent induction of GADD45 upon ionizing radiation. We conclude that ATM, by phosphorylating CtIP upon ionizing radiation, may modulate BRCA1-mediated regulation of the DNA damage-response GADD45 gene, thus providing a potential link between ATM deficiency and breast cancer.     

利用反义RNA探索外源基因丢失的分子机理

利用反义ＲＮＡ技术研究了调控ＰＡＲＰ酶基因的表达对外源基因整合稳定性的影响。将ＰＡＲＰ基因ｃＤＮＡ的部分序列反向插入到真核表达载体ｐＳＭＧ中,将重组质粒分别导入携带有外源基因的细胞中,地塞米松诱导反义ＰＡＲＰ基因的表达后,进行Ｓｏｕｔｈｅｒｎ杂交检测。结果表明,外源基因仍保留在基因组中,这意味着外源基因的丢失并不是由于单一ＰＡＲＰ酶活性降低所致。     

晚疫病过敏反应阻断突变体抗氧化酶与相关基因的变化分析

马铃薯抗晚疫病基因R3a和Avr3a互作符合基因对基因假说.为了解R3a和Avr3a基因互作后过敏反应(HR反应)发生机制,本实验利用一个在番茄中构建的MM-R3a-Avr3a系统,以两份筛选到的HR反应被阻断的突变体为材料,研究它们在喷施诱导剂地塞米松(DEX)诱导Avr3a基因表达后活性氧爆发、活性氧清除酶和抗氧化基因的变化情况.结果显示:MM-R3a-Avr3a在DEX处理后有O2-产生和H2O2累积并产生整株的HR反应并导致植株死亡,在突变体中也有O2-产生和H2O2累积却没有导致细胞死亡,说明突变基因与HR反应的发生关系密切;DEX处理后抗氧化酶基因SOD、PPO、CAT在转基因番茄MM-R3a-Avr3a和突变体中的变化有明显差异,由此推测番茄突变体中关键基因的突变导致活性氧清除酶和相关基因的表达发生变化.该研究为探索HR反应的发生机制及了解晚疫病抗病基因抗病机理的打下基础.     

nptⅡ基因在芥菜型油菜中的遗传规律

研究了转基因油菜Ｒ０、Ｒ１、Ｒ２代的Ｋｍ抗性。试验结果表明：芥菜型油菜Ｒ０的１，５，６，７，８，１０号无性系可抗Ｋｍ５０ｍｇ／Ｌ，其余的均抗Ｋｍ３５ｍｇ／Ｌ。Ｒ１种子在Ｋｍ２０ｍｇ／Ｌ的生根培养基上进行生根抗性试验，生根与不生根的比例经适合性检验（ｘ２检验）有１０个无性系符合孟德尔单基因分离的遗传规律，只有两个无性系不符合这一规律，出现了较高的抗性苗比例（３４：２；４０：６）。Ｒ２代共做了７个单株的种子抗性试验，其中６个单株的种子出现３：１的分离比，一个单株没有发生分离，种子全部可抗Ｋｍ。     

应用PCR技术检测α－地中海贫血SEA型携带者

ＳＥＡ型α—地中海贫血症在东南亚地区很普遍，在我国广西壮族自治区，发病率也很高．应用跨越ＳＥＡ型５＇端和３＇端缺失断裂点的三个引物进行ＰＣＲ扩增，在有该缺失的染色体上扩增一条１９４ｂｐ的特异条带，在无该缺失的染色体上扩增一条２８７ｂｐ的特异条带，可以清楚地区分ＳＥＡ型缺失杂合子、纯合子和正常个体．检测４０例α—地中海贫血症患者的结果表明：ＳＥＡ型缺失杂合子２８例（７０％）、ＳＥＡ型缺失纯合子１例（２５％）、非ＳＥＡ型缺失携带者１１例（２７５％）．实验证明，在ＳＥＡ缺失的高发区，此法在临床上具有实际应用价值．     

Si-1基因在肿瘤中的缺失和突变状况初步研究

 通过对Si-1基因6,14和15号外显子区段的PCR扩增,分析了Si-1基因在116例恶性肿瘤组织、1例良性肿瘤和21例非肿瘤组织的缺失和突变.发现恶性肿瘤中有7例缺失,8例有内含子突变;良性肿瘤中没有缺失和突变;非肿瘤组织中没有缺失,1例有内含子突变.脑肿瘤的缺失率最高,达到57.1%,内含子突变率42.9%;肝癌的缺失率达15%,内含子突变率26.7%.上述结果表明,Si-1基因在脑肿瘤和肝癌组织中有较高的缺失和内含子突变,显示该基因有可能是这2种肿瘤的易感基因.     

用抑制差减杂交技术分离烯丙异噻唑诱导水稻特异表达的基因

烯丙异噻唑(PBZ)处理水稻根能使其产生对稻瘟病的系统获得性抗性,因此在东南亚稻区被广泛用于防治稻瘟病,然而关于其作用的分子机理还知之甚少．运用抑制差减杂交技术,试图通过分离鉴定受PBZ诱导调控的关键基因,探索其作用的分子机理．以PBZ处理后的水稻叶片cDNA为目标群体(tester),以未处理水稻叶片cDNA为对照群体(driver),用经过对照cDNA差减的、烯丙异噻唑处理的cDNA群体构建了一个含260个重组子的差减文库．通过差示筛选鉴定出了26个。PBZ诱导水稻特异表达和增强表达的候选克隆．对26个cDNA克隆进行了双向测序和同源性比较,发现其中3个克隆：rJAB1,rTAB2和蛋白磷酸酯酶2Aδ调节亚基同型物基因,位于抗病相关信号转导途径上,它们与哺乳动物和人类免疫途径上的信号因子有明显相似之处,因此推断可能与诱导抗性有关．另外8个克隆与已知基因同源性为70％～99％．经Northern杂交分析,其中rJAB1(编码c-jun激活区结合蛋白1)受烯丙异噻唑和稻瘟菌诱导表达;膜糖蛋白同源基因及肌动蛋白(actin)α1受烯丙异噻唑诱导表达,部分克隆为低丰度转录本．     

Critical test of a sister chromatid exchange model for the immunoglobulin heavy-chain class switch

B lymphocytes may switch from producing an immunoglobulin heavy chain of the mu class to that of the gamma, epsilon or alpha class. To maintain the specificity, the new heavy chain must keep the original variable (V) region; this is achieved by deleting DNA sequences so that the V (consisting of joined VH, diversity (DH) and joining (JH) gene segments) and C (constant) gene segments coding for the new heavy chain are brought into close proximity (reviewed in ref. 5; we do not consider here the mu-delta situation). There are, in principle, three types of chromosomal rearrangements that yield a deletion: rearrangement within a chromatid; unequal sister chromatid exchange (as suggested by Obata et al.); and unequal recombination between chromosomal homologues. We have analysed the arrangement of C mu DNA in clones of the pre-B-cell line 18-81 that switches in vitro from mu to gamma 2b. The clones examined produce either mu, gamma 2b or no immunoglobulin chain. We report here that all the gamma 2b clones had lost at least one copy of C mu and no clones contained three copies of C mu. These findings formally exclude both unequal sister chromatid exchange and recombination between homologues as mechanisms for creating a gene encoding the gamma 2b chain.     

马尾松松材线虫病抗性无性系的筛选和遗传多样性分析

[目的]松材线虫病是松属致命性的世界检疫性森林病害.筛选和创新抗性遗传资源是马尾松抗松材线虫病育种的重要基础.松材线虫病重灾疫区自然淘汰存留下来的马尾松资源,可能是开展马尾松抗松材线虫病育种潜在的重要遗传基础,值得进一步深入挖掘、系统评价和开发利用.本研究通过对110个对松材线虫病具有抗性表型的无性系进行遗传多样性、生...     

子宫颈癌组织p16基因突变及其蛋白表达研究

目的研究子宫颈癌患者p16蛋白表达和p16基因缺失突变及点突变情况.方法利用免疫组织化学方法(SP法)、聚合酶链反应(PCR)和聚合酶链反应-单链构象多态性(PCR-SSCP)分析技术,分别检测正常子宫颈组织30例、子宫颈癌前病变组织10例及原发性子宫颈癌组织28例,观察其p16蛋白表达和p16基因缺失突变及点突变状况.结果 1)在原发性子宫颈癌组织中为67.85%(19/28),明显低于正常子宫颈组织和子宫颈癌前病变组织(P<0.05);2)28例原发性子宫颈癌组织中有11例发生p16基因缺失突变,2例发生p16基因点突变,突变率为46.42%,正常子宫颈组织和子宫颈癌前病变组织未发现p16基因缺失突变和点突变.结论 1)p16蛋白缺乏与子宫颈细胞增殖失控及分化不良紧密相关.2)原发性子宫颈癌存在p16基因点突变,以低分化癌多见,但不是较频繁的事件;原发性子宫颈癌存在p16基因缺失突变,以低分化癌多见,是较频繁的事件.3)未发现p16蛋白表达与p16基因突变有相关性.     

An amino-acid substitution involved in phenylketonuria is in linkage disequilibrium with DNA haplotype 2

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an autosomal recessive human genetic disorder caused by a deficiency of hepatic phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH, phenylalanine 4-monooxygenase, EC 1.14.16.1). PKU is a common inborn error of amino-acid metabolism in caucasian populations and approximately 1 in 50 individuals are carriers of a PKU allele. To define the molecular basis of PKU, we characterized twelve restriction fragment-length polymorphism (RFLP) haplotypes of the PAH locus in the northern European population and observed that 90% of the PKU alleles in this population are confined to four common RFLP haplotypes. We have recently reported a splicing mutation in the PAH gene that is associated with RFLP haplotype 3 which is present at about 40% of mutant alleles. We now report the molecular lesion associated with the RFLP haplotype 2 mutant allele. This defect is caused by a C-to-T transition in exon 12 resulting in an amino-acid substitution (Arg to Trp) at residue 408 of PAH. Direct hybridization analysis of the point mutation using a specific oligonucleotide probe demonstrated that this mutation is also in linkage disequilibrium with RFLP haplotype 2 alleles that make up about 20% of mutant PAH genes.     

Leptin reverses insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus in mice with congenital lipodystrophy.

Congenital generalized lipodystrophy (CGL) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by a paucity of adipose (fat) tissue which is evident at birth and is accompanied by a severe resistance to insulin, leading to hyperinsulinaemia, hyperglycaemia and enlarged fatty liver. We have developed a mouse model that mimics these features of CGL: the syndrome occurs in transgenic mice expressing a truncated version of a nuclear protein known as nSREBP-1c (for sterol-regulatory-element-binding protein-1c) under the control of the adipose-specific aP2 enhancer. Adipose tissue from these mice was markedly deficient in messenger RNAs encoding several fat-specific proteins, including leptin, a fat-derived hormone that regulates food intake and energy metabolism. Here we show that insulin resistance in our lipodystrophic mice can be overcome by a continuous systemic infusion of low doses of recombinant leptin, an effect that is not mimicked by chronic food restriction. Our results support the idea that leptin modulates insulin sensitivity and glucose disposal independently of its effect on food intake, and that leptin deficiency accounts for the insulin resistance found in CGL.     

人工淹水逆境处理对美洲黑杨苗生理特性的影响

本文主要从下述三方面对美洲黑杨16个无性系苗在人工淹水处理后，其生理特性的变化进行了初步研究：1、人工淹水深度对无性系苗生理特性的影响；2、人工淹水持续时间长短对无性系苗生理特性的影响；3、不同无性系苗在遭受淹水胁迫后生理特性的变化，被测定的生理指标包括可变荧光Fv、叶扩散阻力re(S.cm^-2)、蒸腾强度Tr(ugH2O.cm^-2.S^-1)和叶水势Ψ（Bar)。研究结果表明，人工淹水深度与持续时间长短对16个美洲黑杨无性系苗的生理特性有明显的影响。     

Evolutionary genetics: Ambiguous role of CCR5 in Y. pestis infection

Mecsas and colleagues suggest that a deficiency in the chemokine receptor CCR5 in humans is unlikely to confer protection against plague, based on their study of Yersinia pestis infection in Ccr5-deficient mice. They were testing the hypothesis that a mutation in the CCR5 gene, frequently found in Caucasians, may have been selected for in the past because it provided protection against (bubonic) plague; the mutation, called CCR5Delta32, is characterized by a 32-base-pair deletion. We have also tested this hypothesis by using Y. pestis infection in mice and, in addition, we have done phagocytosis experiments with macrophages from wild-type and Ccr5-deficient mice. Although, like Mecsas et al., we did not see any difference in the survival of the two groups of mice, we did find that there was a significantly reduced uptake of Y. pestis by Ccr5-deficient macrophages in vitro. Our results indicate that the role of Ccr5 in Y. pestis infection may therefore be more complex than previously thought.     

Germline mosaicism and Duchenne muscular dystrophy mutations

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe X-linked neuromuscular disease with an incidence of approximately 1 in 3,500 newborn boys. The DMD locus has a high mutation frequency: one third of the cases is thought to result from a new mutation. Linkage studies using probes to detect restriction fragment length polymorphisms and DNA deletion studies have greatly improved DMD carrier detection and prenatal diagnosis. Here we report on two families in which a pERT87 (DXS164) deletion was transmitted to more than one offspring by women who showed no evidence for the mutation in their own somatic (white blood) cells. We also show that the deletion in both siblings in one of the families is identical, indicating that the deletion must have occurred during mitosis in early germline proliferation, leading to a germline mosaicism. This phenomenon may turn out to be a major factor contributing to the induction of DMD mutations, and has important implications for the counselling of DMD families.