Caveolin-1-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma primary tumors display increased epithelial to mesenchymal transition and prometastatic properties.

Distant metastases arise in 20-30% of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC) in the 2 years following treatment. Therapeutic options are limited and the outcome of the patients is poor. The identification of predictive biomarkers of patient at risk for distant metastasis and therapies are urgently needed.

Human Papillomavirus-related tumours of the oropharynx display a lower tumour hypoxia signature.

Objectives: Human Papillomavirus (HPV)-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients have improved prognosis compared to other head and neck (HNSCC) cancers. Since poor prognosis is associated with tumour hypoxia, we studied whether the hypoxic response is different in HPV-related cells and tumours.

Material And Methods: HPV-positive and -negative cells were incubated in hypoxia and analyzed by qRTPCR, western blotting and cell proliferation assays.

From ERα66 to ERα36: a generic method for validating a prognosis marker of breast tumor progression.

Background: Estrogen receptor alpha36 (ERalpha36), a variant of estrogen receptor alpha (ER) is expressed in about half of breast tumors, independently of the [ER+]/[ER-] status. In vitro, ERalpha36 triggers mitogenic non-genomic signaling and migration ability in response to 17beta-estradiol and tamoxifen. In vivo, highly ERalpha36 expressing tumors are of poor outcome especially as [ER+] tumors are submitted to tamoxifen treatment which, in turn, enhances ERalpha36 expression.

Stimulation of breast cancer cell lines by post-surgical drainage fluids.

Background/aim: Surgery, which remains a conventional treatment of breast tumors, may induce the secretion of growth factors that support angiogenesis and wound healing. These factors are suspected to trigger carcinoma cell division and promote tumor relapse. We addressed this question by culturing breast cancer cell lines in the presence of wound fluid harvested after surgery.

DDB2: a novel regulator of NF-κB and breast tumor invasion.

The DNA repair protein damaged DNA-binding 2 (DDB2) has been implicated in promoting cell-cycle progression by regulating gene expression. DDB2 is selectively overexpressed in breast tumor cells that are noninvasive, but not in those that are invasive. We found that its overexpression in invasive human breast tumor cells limited their motility and invasiveness in vitro and blocked their ability to colonize lungs in vivo, defining a new function for DDB2 in malignant progression.

A poor prognosis subtype of HNSCC is consistently observed across methylome, transcriptome, and miRNome analysis.

Purpose: Distant metastasis after treatment is observed in about 20% of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC). In the absence of any validated robust biomarker, patients at higher risk for metastasis cannot be provided with tailored therapy. To identify prognostic HNSCC molecular subgroups and potential biomarkers, we have conducted genome-wide integrated analysis of four omic sets of data.

The NEDD8 conjugation pathway regulates p53 transcriptional activity and head and neck cancer cell sensitivity to ionizing radiation.

Human papillomavirus (HPV)-related oropharyngeal cancer represents a distinct head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) subpopulation, with improved disease-free and overall survival. In general, HPV-positive HNSCCs express wild-type TP53, which could explain its increased radiosensitivity. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this higher sensitivity remain elusive.

CD8-alpha T-cell infiltration in human papillomavirus-related oropharyngeal carcinoma correlates with improved patient prognosis.

Patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)-related oropharyngeal tumors display improved prognosis. The biological basis of this tumor phenotype is poorly understood. We investigated whether increased lymphocyte infiltrate in HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas could account for better prognosis.

An entire exon 3 germ-line rearrangement in the BRCA2 gene: pathogenic relevance of exon 3 deletion in breast cancer predisposition.

Background: Germ-line mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are major contributors to hereditary breast/ovarian cancer. Large rearrangements are less frequent in the BRCA2 gene than in BRCA1. We report, here, the first total deletion of exon 3 in the BRCA2 gene that was detected during screening of 2058 index cases from breast/ovarian cancer families for BRCA2 large rearrangements.

Tubulin tyrosine ligase like 12 links to prostate cancer through tubulin posttranslational modification and chromosome ploidy.

Prostate cancer is a common cause of death, and an important goal is to establish the pathways and functions of causative genes. We isolated RNAs that are differentially expressed in macrodissected prostate cancer samples. This study focused on 1 identified gene, TTLL12, which was predicted to modify tubulins, an established target for tumor therapy.

Biological and clinical relevance of transcriptionally active human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in oropharynx squamous cell carcinoma.

Human papillomaviruses (HPV) are associated with a subset of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), particularly HPV16. This study analyzed the presence and genotype of high risk HPVs, viral DNA load and transcription of the E6/E7 mRNAs, in 231 consecutive HNSCC. Twelve out of 30 HPV16 DNA-positive tumors displayed high E6/E7 mRNAs levels and were localized in the oropharyngeal region.

CTIP2 expression in human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is linked to poorly differentiated tumor status.

Background: We have demonstrated earlier that CTIP2 is highly expressed in mouse skin during embryogenesis and in adulthood. CTIP2 mutant mice die at birth with epidermal differentiation defects and a compromised epidermal permeability barrier suggesting its role in skin development and/or homeostasis. CTIP2 has also been suggested to function as tumor suppressor in cells, and several reports have described a link between chromosomal rearrangements of CTIP2 and human T cell acute lymphoblast leukemia (T-ALL).

Analysis of a novel human gene, LOC92912, over-expressed in hypopharyngeal tumours.

We have identified by differential display a number of novel genes that are expressed in hypopharyngeal head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. We report here the characterisation of one of these novel human genes, LOC92912, that encodes a protein of 375 amino acids. The protein contains a RWD domain, a coiled-coil, and an E2 ubiquitin conjugating enzyme domain.

BRCA1 testing in breast and/or ovarian cancer families from northeastern France identifies two common mutations with a founder effect.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether two mutations detected frequently in a population of breast and/or ovarian cancer families originating from the northeastern part of France could be due to a founder effect.

Methods: 83 index cases of families ascertained to have a familial breast and/or ovarian cancer history, were screened for mutations in all coding exons of the BRCA1 gene, using combined DGGE and direct sequencing. For haplotype analysis, six polymorphic markers were used for allelotyping of mutation carriers and non carriers from nine families with 3600del11 mutation and four families with G1710X mutation.

Wild-type p53 gene transfer into mutated p53 HT29 cells improves sensitivity to photodynamic therapy via induction of apoptosis.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an effective local cancer treatment that induces cytotoxicity through the intracellular generation of reactive oxygen species. It is generally thought that p53 regulates chemotherapy and radiation therapy responsiveness via apoptosis induction control. The current study investigated whether cellular sensitivity to PDT is increased when a wild-type (wt) p53 status is restored by gene transfer in the established HT9blk Ala273-mutant p53 human colon cancer cell line.

Identification of genes associated with tumorigenesis and metastatic potential of hypopharyngeal cancer by microarray analysis.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer among men in the developed world. There is a need, for both clinical and scientific reasons, to find markers to identify patients with aggressive disease as early as possible, and to understand the events leading to malignant transformation and susceptibility to metastasis. We report the first large-scale gene expression analysis of a unique HNSCC location, the hypopharynx.

The transcription factor Net regulates the angiogenic switch.

Angiogenesis is fundamental to physiological and pathological processes. Despite intensive efforts, little is known about the intracellular circuits that regulate angiogenesis. The transcription factor Net is activated by phosphorylation induced by Ras, an indirect regulator of angiogenesis.

Amplicon mapping and transcriptional analysis pinpoint cyclin L as a candidate oncogene in head and neck cancer.

DNA gains targeting the 3q chromosome are common in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas, as well as in lung, ovarian, and cervical cancer. Several candidate oncogenes located on 3q were proposed, i.e.