Publications by authors named "Lastowska M"

BCOR is expressed in a new brain tumour entity, i.e. 'CNS tumour with BCOR internal tandem duplication' (HGNET BCOR) but not in several other high grade paediatric brain tumours investigated.

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Nuclear localization of HIPPO-YAP fusion proteins has been implicated in supratentorial ependymoma development. Here, unexpectedly, we find that liquid-liquid phase separation, rather than nuclear localization, of recurrent patient-derived YAP fusions, YAP-MAMLD1 and C11ORF95-YAP, underlies ependymoma tumourigenesis from neural progenitor cells. Mutagenesis and chimaera assays demonstrate that an intrinsically disordered region promotes oligomerization of the YAP fusions into nuclear, puncta-like, membrane-less condensates.

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The majority of supratentorial ependymomas in children contain oncogenic fusions, such as ZFTA-RELA or YAP1-MAMLD1. In contrast, posterior fossa (PF) ependymomas lack recurrent somatic mutations and are classified based on gene expression or methylation profiling into group A (PFA) and group B (PFB). We have applied a novel method, NanoString nCounter Technology, to identify four molecular groups among 16 supratentorial and 50 PF paediatric ependymomas, using 4-5 group-specific signature genes.

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Background: Less than 5% of medulloblastoma (MB) patients survive following failure of contemporary radiation-based therapies. Understanding the molecular drivers of medulloblastoma relapse (rMB) will be essential to improve outcomes. Initial genome-wide investigations have suggested significant genetic divergence of the relapsed disease.

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Background: Only few data are available on treatment-associated behavior of distinct rare CNS embryonal tumor entities previously treated as "CNS-primitive neuroectodermal tumors" (CNS-PNET). Respective data on specific entities, including CNS neuroblastoma, FOXR2 activated (CNS NB-FOXR2), and embryonal tumors with multilayered rosettes (ETMR) are needed for development of differentiated treatment strategies.

Methods: Within this retrospective, international study, tumor samples of clinically well-annotated patients with the original diagnosis of CNS-PNET were analyzed using DNA methylation arrays (n = 307).

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Four molecular types of rare central nervous system (CNS) tumors have been recently identified by gene methylation profiling: CNS Neuroblastoma with FOXR2 activation (CNS NB-FOXR2), CNS Ewing Sarcoma Family Tumor with CIC alteration (CNS EFT-CIC), CNS high grade neuroepithelial tumor with MN1 alteration (CNS HGNET-MN1) and CNS high grade neuroepithelial tumor with BCOR alteration (CNS HGNET-BCOR). Although they are not represented in 2016 updated WHO classification of CNS tumors, their diagnostic recognition is important because of clinical consequences. We have introduced a diagnostic method based on transcription profiling of tumor specific signature genes from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor blocks using NanoString nCounter Technology.

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Embryonal tumours with multilayered rosettes (ETMRs) are aggressive paediatric embryonal brain tumours with a universally poor prognosis. Here we collected 193 primary ETMRs and 23 matched relapse samples to investigate the genomic landscape of this distinct tumour type. We found that patients with tumours in which the proposed driver C19MC was not amplified frequently had germline mutations in DICER1 or other microRNA-related aberrations such as somatic amplification of miR-17-92 (also known as MIR17HG).

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Background: The most frequent histological types of rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) in children are embryonal (ERMS) and alveolar (ARMS) tumours. The majority of ARMS are characterized by the presence of PAX3/7-FOXO1 gene fusion and have a worse prognosis than fusion gene-negative ARMS. However, identification of PAX3/7-FOXO1 fusion status is challenging when using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) material.

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Article Synopsis
  • Medulloblastoma, the most common brain tumor in children, often arises from overactive Hedgehog signaling, with 25% of cases linked to this pathway.
  • Laboratory studies with genetic mouse models show similarities to human tumors, but significant molecular differences exist; human tumors display increased oxidative phosphorylation and mitochondrial biogenesis, while mouse tumors do not.
  • These findings indicate that human SHH-driven medulloblastoma may not rely on glycolytic metabolism for survival, suggesting a potential avenue for developing targeted therapies.
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Expression of the ALK gene strongly correlates with the WNT-activated medulloblastomas, which are routinely identified by detection of CTNNB1 mutation. However, some tumors have mutations in other than CTNNB1 genes. Therefore, we investigated if ALK expression may identify WNT-activated tumors without CTNNB1 mutation.

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Medulloblastoma, the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor, is a heterogeneous disease, with the existence of at least four molecular types: Wingless (WNT), Sonic Hedgehog (SHH), Group 3 and Group 4 tumors. The latter two groups, which can be identified by an application of multi-gene expression or methylation profiling, show sometimes ambiguous categorization and are still classified for diagnostic reason as non-SHH/non-WNT medulloblastomas in updated WHO 2016 classification. In order to better characterize non-SHH/non-WNT tumors, we applied the method based on the Nanostring nCounter Technology, using the 26 genes codeset in 68 uniformly treated medulloblastoma patients.

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Choroid plexus tumors (CPT) constitute 2%-5% of all pediatric brain tumors and include high grade choroid plexus carcinoma (CPC). About 40% of CPC patients harbor germline TP53 mutations, associated with diminished survival rates. However, the number of TP53 carriers might be underestimated due to suboptimal ability of Sanger sequencing to identify mosaicism.

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Background: The defects in DNA repair genes are potentially linked to development and response to therapy in medulloblastoma. Therefore the purpose of this study was to establish the spectrum and frequency of germline variants in selected DNA repair genes and their impact on response to chemotherapy in medulloblastoma patients.

Methods: The following genes were investigated in 102 paediatric patients: MSH2 and RAD50 using targeted gene panel sequencing and NBN variants (p.

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ALK gene rearrangements were identified in a variety of cancers, including neuroblastoma, where the presence of ALK expression is associated with adverse prognosis. ALK mutations have recently been found in the pediatric brain tumor medulloblastoma, and microarray data indicate that ALK is highly expressed in a subset of these tumors. Therefore, we investigated whether ALK expression correlates with transcriptional profiles and clinical features of medulloblastoma.

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O1 Regulation of genes by telomere length over long distances Jerry W. Shay O2 The microtubule destabilizer KIF2A regulates the postnatal establishment of neuronal circuits in addition to prenatal cell survival, cell migration, and axon elongation, and its loss leading to malformation of cortical development and severe epilepsy Noriko Homma, Ruyun Zhou, Muhammad Imran Naseer, Adeel G. Chaudhary, Mohammed Al-Qahtani, Nobutaka Hirokawa O3 Integration of metagenomics and metabolomics in gut microbiome research Maryam Goudarzi, Albert J.

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Rearrangements involving the ALK gene were identified in a variety of cancers, including paediatric tumour neuroblastoma where presence of ALK expression is also associated with adverse prognosis. Microarrays data indicate that ALK is expressed in another paediatric tumour - medulloblastoma. Therefore, we investigated if the ALK gene is mutated in medulloblastoma and performed simultaneously the molecular profiling of tumours.

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Primitive neuroectodermal tumors of the central nervous system (CNS-PNETs) are highly aggressive, poorly differentiated embryonal tumors occurring predominantly in young children but also affecting adolescents and adults. Herein, we demonstrate that a significant proportion of institutionally diagnosed CNS-PNETs display molecular profiles indistinguishable from those of various other well-defined CNS tumor entities, facilitating diagnosis and appropriate therapy for patients with these tumors. From the remaining fraction of CNS-PNETs, we identify four new CNS tumor entities, each associated with a recurrent genetic alteration and distinct histopathological and clinical features.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study investigates MCPIP1, a protein linked to cell differentiation and tumor suppression, which is minimally understood in the context of cancer, specifically neuroblastoma, a common childhood cancer.
  • - Findings show that MCPIP1 is not expressed in primary neuroblastoma and enforcing its expression in neuroblastoma cells significantly reduces their growth and survival.
  • - The research reveals that overexpressed MCPIP1 decreases levels of the choline transporter (CTL1) and identifies microRNA-3613-3p as a key player, suggesting that MCPIP1 may regulate this microRNA, impacting choline transport in cancer cells.
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Recent studies revealed the biological heterogeneity of medulloblastoma, with the existence of at least four groups which are associated with several clinical and morphological features. We investigated for further correlations between molecular types, location of tumours, their contrast enhancement pattern and survival of patients. Altogether 76 tumours were analyzed and molecular subtypes were identified by immunohistochemistry using representative antibodies, detection of chromosome 6 monosomy and CTNNB1 mutation.

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The importance of monocyte chemotactic protein-1-induced protein 1 (MCPIP1) in the negative regulation of inflammatory reactions has already been extensively studied. However, its role in cancer is not yet established. We studied MCPIP1 gene expression in primary human neuroblastomas and several neuroblastoma cell lines.

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Background: Medulloblastomas, the most frequent malignant brain tumours affecting children, comprise at least 4 distinct clinicogenetic subgroups. Aberrant sonic hedgehog (SHH) signalling is observed in approximately 25% of tumours and defines one subgroup. Although alterations in SHH pathway genes (e.

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Real-time RT-PCR (QRT-PCR) is a sensitive method for the detection of minimal disease (MD) and may improve monitoring of disease status and stratification of patients for therapy. Where tumour-specific mRNAs have not been identified, the selection of which target(s) is(are) optimal for the detection of MD remains a challenge. This reflects the heterogeneity of tumour cells, the stability of mRNAs and low-level of transcription in cells of the normal haemopoietic compartments.

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Background: MYCN is the most commonly amplified gene in human neuroblastomas. This proto-oncogene has been overexpressed in a mouse model of the disease in order to explore the role of MYCN in this tumour.

Aims: To report the histopathological features of neuroblastomas from MYCN transgenic mice.

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Identifying genes, whose expression is consistently altered by chromosomal gains or losses, is an important step in defining genes of biological relevance in a wide variety of tumour types. However, additional criteria are needed to discriminate further among the large number of candidate genes identified. This is particularly true for neuroblastoma, where multiple genomic copy number changes of proven prognostic value exist.

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Overexpression of the human MYCN oncogene driven by a tyrosine hydroxylase promoter causes tumours in transgenic mice that recapitulate the childhood cancer neuroblastoma. To establish an in vitro model to study this process, a series of isogenic cell lines were developed from these MYCN-driven murine tumours. Lines were established from tumours arising in homozygous and hemizygous MYCN transgenic mice.

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