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Archive for the ‘Personalized and Precision Medicine & Genomic Research’ Category

Role of Progesterone in Breast Cancer Progression

Author: Tilda Barliya PhD

Breast Cancer has been long discussed herein focusing on different aspects of the diseases: from diagnosis and all the way up to treatment modalities (I). The literature has put a lot of emphasis on the role of Estrogen receptor in the development of breast cancer, yet not much focus was placed on the counterpart partner–Progesterone Receptor.

Progesterone:

Progesterone is secreted by the empty egg follicle after ovulation has occurred. It is highest during the last phases of the menstrual cycle, after ovulation. Progesterone causes the endometrium to secrete special proteins to prepare it for the implantation of a fertilized egg (2). If conception has occurred, progesterone becomes the major hormone supporting pregnancy, with many important functions:

  • Responsible for the growth and maintenance of the endometrium
  • Suppresses further maturation of eggs by preventing release of LH and FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone).
  • By relaxing the major muscle of the uterus, progesterone prevents early contractions and birth.
  • It thicken the muscle, helping the body prepare for the hard work of labor.
  • Suppresses prolactin (the primary hormone of milk production), preventing lactation until birth

A recent review by Prof. Cathrin Brisken from ISREC- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, summarizes and highlights the important role of progesterone in breast cancer progression (1). So where do we stand?

“The ovarian steroid hormones, 17β‑oestradiol and progesterone, are pivotal in the control of breast development and physiology, and both experimental and  epidemiological studies indicate that the two hormones are intimately linked to mammary carcinogenesis”.

“Ever since the 1960s,  pharmacological antagonists of both estrogen and progesterone were developed. PR antagonists failed in the clinic because of severe side effects, such as liver toxicity. By contrast, drugs that interfere with estrogen signalling, such as tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors have become mainstays of breast cancer therapy; they substantially prolong survival and have saved many lives”.

Agonists for both receptors have been developed and are used for both contraception and hormone replacement therapy (HRT), but there are growing concerns that they may increase breast cancer risk. Women receiving HRT have little or no increase in breast cancer risk when taking estrogens only, in fact there may even be a protective effect (1,3).

“By contrast, a substantial increase in breast cancer risk was noticed in women taking combinations of an estrogen and various synthetic progesterone agonists (progestins). This could be related to the increase in cell proliferation in the breast epithelium that has been reported with combination therapy”. These results however differ between women who took natural progesterone and those who received the synthetic form- progestin, which may be due to the fact that progestin may bound other nuclear receptors (i.e androgen and glucocorticoid receptors). Other factors aside from progesterone may advances this higher risk for HRT-related breast cancer and include for example breast density (fatty pad density).

Cellular Mechanism:

“Across species, ERα and PR are absent from the myoepithelial cells and basal cells and are expressed by 30–50% of the luminal cells. Most cells co-express ERα and PR, which is consistent with PR being an ERα target. A small subset of cells expresses either only ERα or only PR”.  It was found that cells that are either or both hormone receptor(s) positive may affect neighboring cells in a paracrine fashion by secreting signalling and proliferating factors . Some of the attractive target genes of this hormones include but excluded to WNT, fibroblast growth factors (FGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF) as well as direct intercellular signalling mediated by Notch, ephrins or gap junctions.

Hormone Receptor (HR)+ cells seem to act as ‘sensor’ cells that translate the signals encoded by systemic hormones into local paracrine signals. To relay these signals they secrete paracrine factors that bind to receptors on HR–, luminal and basal cells, which act as the ‘secondary responder cells”.

This organizing principle ensures that the signal is amplified and prolonged in time and provides a means of coordinating different biological functions of distinct cell types.

Several experiments in MCF-7 cells showed that if a cell had recently been stimulated by estrogens it would be hormone receptor (HR)–. More so, later experiments showed that the HR expression, rather positive or negative, is a hallmark of a distinct cell type in the mammary epithelium.

There are many alternations in global gene expressions and protein factors during each menstrual cycle and more over in the life time of a woman. The entire sum of changes in the different cell population determine the proliferation and development of breast cancer.

There are two types of proliferation, cell-intrinsic and paracrine proliferation. For example, it was found in mice model, that the cell-intrinsic action of progesterone on HR+ cell proliferation requires cyclin D1. Whereas the proliferation of HR– cells does not (1).

Proliferation of HR– cells on progesterone stimulation requires RANKL, which is a tumour necrosis factor‑α (TNFα) family member. It was further noted that that RANKL is a crucial mediator of PR signalling function.

It is believed that recurrent activation of PR during repeated menstrual cycles and its downstream effectors, cyclin D1, WNT4 and RANKL promotes breast carcinogenesis (Fig.1). It was found for instance, that use of PR agonists or ectopic expression of RANKL induce mammary tumors in mice models.

Therefore, of clinical relevance  for example, soluble RANKL administered intravenously can elicit proliferation in the mammary epithelium, and systemic administration of its decoy receptor osteoprotegerin (OPG) can inhibit proliferation (1). There are obviously other genes associated with these phenotypes and the RANKL was given as an example.

Cathrin Brisken 2011

Novel preventive strategies are envisioned to PR itself and its downstream mediators. The new generation of selective progesterone receptor modulators (SPRMs)  used for gynaecological disorders, have fewer side effects than earlier ones, and are thought to be introduced as potential breast cancer therapy.

Reproductive hormones impinge on breast carcinogenesis at all stages and can determine whether the disease will progress (Fig 1). In particular, PR signalling has a pivotal role in controlling tumour promotion from the in situ stage onwards.

Clinical Aspect

Breast Cancers are generally divided into molecular subtypes which include:

  • Basal-like: ER-, PR- and HER2-; also called triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Most BRCA1 breast cancers are basal-like TNBC.
  • Luminal A: ER+ and low grade
  • Luminal B: ER+ but often high grade
  • Luminal ER-/AR+: (overlapping with apocrine and so called molecular apocrine) – recently identified androgen responsive subtype which may respond to antihormonal treatment with bicalutamide.  
  • ERBB2/HER2+: has amplified HER2/neu.
  • Normal breast-like
  • Claudin-low: a more recently described class; often triple-negative, but distinct in that there is low expression of cell-cell junction protein including E-cadherin and frequently there is infiltration with lymphocytes.

NCCN 2007

Onitilo et al suggested this subgroups in their 7-year retrospective study(6):

  • ER/PR+, Her2+ = ER+/PR+, Her2+; ER−/PR+, Her2+; ER+/PR−, Her2+

  • ER/PR+, Her2− = ER+/PR+, Her2−; ER−/PR+, Her2−; ER+/PR−, Her2−

  • ER/PR−, Her2+ = ER−/PR−, Her2+

  • ER/PR−, Her2− = ER−/PR−, Her2−

The independent prognostic and predictive role of PR expression irrespective of ER has been a subject of great controversy.

In their study, Onitilo & colleagues have evaluated numerous patients for different factors such as five-year overall and disease-free survival, recurrent site and age, depending on their subgroups (6).

Their study supports other studies which have shown both the triple negative and Her2+/ER− subtypes to have poorer clinical, pathologic and molecular prognoses. The triple negative group has the worst overall and disease-free survival. More so the prognosis according to ER/PR status was found to be:

ER-positive/PR-positive tumors >> ER-positive/PR-negative tumors >>> ER-negative/PR-negative tumors.

But what happens with the ER-negative/PR positive group? How many patients fall into this category and how important that is? Could it be an artifact?

Maleki et al believes that in their study tumor that were initially reported as ER-negative/PR-positive are actually grade I (low grade) ER positive tumors such as infiltrating lobular carcinoma and colloidal carcinoma (7).

Summary:

Reproductive hormones impinge on breast carcinogenesis at all stages and can determine whether the disease will progress. In particular, PR signalling has a pivotal role in controlling tumour promotion from the in situ stage onwards. It will therefore be a good opportunity to design new treatment strategies that include selective progesterone receptor inhibitors. Interfering with the breast-specific effects of increased serum progesterone levels may be an effective way to reduce their risk of dying of breast cancer without blocking all reproductive function.More so, the majority of the physicians and researchers would agree that more studies are necessary to refine IHC classification for better classification and clinical use.

Reference:

1. Cathrin Brisken. Progesterone signalling in breast  cancer: a neglected hormone coming  into the limelight. Nature Reviews Cancer June 2013, (13): 385-396. http://www.nature.com/nrc/journal/v13/n6/full/nrc3518.html

2. Nicole Galan RN. What is Progesterone? http://pcos.about.com/od/normalmenstrualcycle/f/Progesterone.htm

3. Anderson, G. L. et al. Conjugated equine oestrogen and breast cancer incidence and mortality in postmenopausal women with hysterectomy: extended follow-up of the Women’s Health Initiative randomised placebo-controlled trial. Lancet Oncol 2012. 13, 476–486.

4. MJ, Möller MF, DG, Niggemann B, Zänker KS and Entschladen F. Luminal and basal-like breast cancer cells show increased migration induced by hypoxia, mediated by an autocrine mechanism. BMC Cancer 2011, 11:158. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2407/11/158

5. MCU Cheang, J Parker, K DeSchryver, J Snider, T Walsh, S Davies, A Prat, T Vickery, J Reed, B Zehnbauer, S Leung, D Voduc, T Nielsen, E Mardis, P Bernard, C Perou, and M Ellis. Luminal A vs. Basal-like Breast Cancer: time dependent changes in the risk of relapse in the absence of treatment. Cancer Research: December 15, 2012; Volume 72, Issue 24, Supplement 3. http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content/meeting_abstract/72/24_MeetingAbstracts/P6-07-10

6. Onitilo AA., Engel JM., Greenlee RT and Mukesh BN. Breast Cancer Subtypes Based on ER/PR and Her2 Expression: Comparison of Clinicopathologic Features and Survival. Clinical Medicine & Research  2009 June 1 7 (1-2); 4-13. http://www.clinmedres.org/content/7/1-2/4.long

7. Maleki Z., Shariat S., Mokri M and Atri M.  ER-negative /PR-positive Breast Carcinomas or Technical Artifacts in Immunohistochemistry? Arch Iran  Med. 2012; 15(6): 366 – 369. http://www.ams.ac.ir/AIM/NEWPUB/12/15/6/0010.pdf

Other articles from our Open Access Jounal:

I By: Larry Bernstein MD. “recurrence risk for breast cancer”. http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/03/02/recurrence-risk-for-breast-cancer/

II. By: Ritu Saxena PhD. “In focus: Triple Negative Breast Cancer”. http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/01/29/in-focus-triple-negative-breast-cancer/

III. By: Tilda Barliya PhD. The Molecular pathology of Breast Cancer Progression. http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2013/01/10/the-molecular-pathology-of-breast-cancer-progression/

IV. By: Sudipta Saha PhD. The FEMALE reproductive system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis. http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/12/11/the-female-reproductive-system-and-the-hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid-axis/

V. By: Tilda Barliya PhD. Nanotech Therapy for Breast Cancer. http://pharmaceuticalintelligence.com/2012/12/09/naotech-therapy-for-breast-cancer/

 

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Treatment for Endocrine Tumors and Side Effects

Reporter and Curator: Dr. Sudipta Saha, Ph.D.

Surgery

The purpose of surgery is typically to remove the entire tumor, along with some of the healthy tissue around it, called the margin. If the tumor cannot be removed entirely, “debulking” surgery may be performed. Debulking surgery is a procedure in which the goal is to remove as much of the tumor as possible. Side effects of surgery include weakness, fatigue, and pain for the first few days following the procedure.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill tumor cells, usually by stopping the cells’ ability to grow and divide. Systemic chemotherapy is delivered through the bloodstream to reach tumor cells throughout the body. A chemotherapy regimen (schedule) usually consists of a specific number of cycles given over a set period of time. A patient may receive one drug at a time or combinations of different drugs at the same time. The side effects of chemotherapy depend on the individual and the dose used, but they can include fatigue, risk of infection, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, and diarrhea. These side effects usually go away once treatment is finished.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy x-rays or other particles to kill tumor cells. The most common type of radiation treatment is called external-beam radiation therapy, which is radiation given from a machine outside the body. When radiation treatment is given using implants, it is called internal radiation therapy or brachytherapy. A radiation therapy regimen usually consists of a specific number of treatments given over a set period of time. Side effects from radiation therapy may include fatigue, mild skin reactions, upset stomach, and loose bowel movements. Most side effects go away soon after treatment is finished.

Hormone therapy

The goal of hormone therapy is often to lower the levels of hormones in the body. Hormone therapy may be given to help stop the tumor from growing or to relieve symptoms caused by the tumor. In addition, for thyroid cancer, hormone therapy will be given if the thyroid gland has been removed, to replace the hormone that is needed by the body to function properly.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy (also called biologic therapy) is designed to boost the body’s natural defenses to fight the tumor. It uses materials made either by the body or in a laboratory to bolster, target, or restore immune system function. Examples of immunotherapy include cancer vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, and interferons. Alpha interferon is a form of biologic therapy given as an injection under the skin. This is sometimes used to help relieve symptoms caused by the tumor, but it can have severe side effects including fatigue, depression, and flu-like symptoms.

Targeted therapy

Targeted therapy is a treatment that targets the tumor’s specific genes, proteins, or the tissue environment that contributes to cancer growth and survival. This type of treatment blocks the growth and spread of tumor cells while limiting damage to normal cells, usually leading to fewer side effects than other cancer medications.

Recent studies show that not all tumors have the same targets. To find the most effective treatment, the doctor may run tests to identify the genes, proteins, and other factors in the tumor. As a result, doctors can better match each patient with the most effective treatment whenever possible.

Depending on the type of endocrine tumor, targeted therapy may be a possible treatment option. For instance, targeted therapies, such as sunitinib (Sutent) and everolimus (Afinitor), have been approved for treating advanced islet cell tumors. Early results of clinical trials (research studies) with targeted therapy drugs for other types of endocrine tumors are promising, but more research is needed to prove they are effective.

Recurrent endocrine tumor

Once the treatment is complete and there is a remission (absence of symptoms; also called “no evidence of disease” or NED). Many survivors feel worried or anxious that the tumor will come back. If the tumor does return after the original treatment, it is called a recurrent tumor. It may come back in the same place (called a local recurrence), nearby (regional recurrence), or in another place (distant recurrence). When this occurs, a cycle of testing will begin again to learn as much as possible about the recurrence. Often the treatment plan will include the therapies described above (such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy) but may be used in a different combination or given at a different pace. People with a recurrent tumor often experience emotions such as disbelief or fear. Patients are encouraged to talk with their health care team about these feelings and ask about support services to help them cope.

Metastatic endocrine tumor

If a cancerous tumor has spread to another location in the body, it is called metastatic cancer. A treatment plan that includes a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, immunotherapy, or targeted therapy may be recommended if required.

In addition to treatment to slow, stop, or eliminate the cancer (also called disease-directed treatment), an important part of cancer care is relieving a person’s symptoms and side effects. It includes supporting the patient with his or her physical, emotional, and social needs, an approach called palliative or supportive care. People often receive disease-directed therapy and treatment to ease symptoms at the same time.

Source References:

http://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/endocrine-tumor/treatment

 

http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Cancertypes/Endocrine/Endocrinetumours.aspx

 

http://cancer.osu.edu/patientsandvisitors/cancerinfo/cancertypes/endocrine/Pages/index.aspx

 

http://cancer.northwestern.edu/cancertypes/cancer_type.cfm?category=8

 

http://www.cancervic.org.au/about-cancer/cancer_types/endocrine_cancer

 

http://www.oncolink.org/types/types1.cfm?c=4

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John Rinn - Genomic Garbage Man

John Rinn – Genomic Garbage Man (Photo credit: ChimpLearnGood)

DNA: One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, but there is no JUNK after all

Author: Demet Sag, PhD

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, but there is no JUNK after all:

The JUNK has a meaning

 

Long non-coding RNAs recognized after transcriptome sequencing and studied more closely recently thanks to genomic tiling arrays, cDNA sequencing and RNA-Seq, which they have provided initial insights into the extent and depth of transcribed sequence across human and other genomes. How many are there in the genome? What are their mechanisms? How can we use them in molecular diagnostics and targeted therapies?  How do they effect the function in a disease? Is it possible to modulate gene expression at the level of stem cell to redirect the cell differentiation? These are the main questions that we are looking for.

In early 90s actually first lincRNA was described, Xist. The main function was dosage compensation. Then in 2000s FANTOM consortium project changed the perspective on these long transcripts. Then they are called natural antisense transcripts (NATs), because very large number of these transcripts is overlapping with, and is transcribed in the antisense direction, to protein-coding genes.  As a result of this study 11000 lincRNA discovered from full length cDNAs in mice. Later, yet another shift occur since these transcribed units are solely located in the introns or within “junk” DNA of protein-coding genes.  Another independent study quantified that about 40% of protein-coding genes express NATs. Proven that there is nothing junk about DNA. Then, it was found that there are 8000 lincRNAs and among these 4000 are determined since they provide cell identity with multi-exogenic, polyadenylated, capped, ether in the cytoplasm or in the nucleus. However, even more recent studies show that there are about 20,000 lincRNAs.  Furthermore, lincRNAs are classified under three distinct class: 1. Long-non-coding RNAs away from protein-coding genes, 2 NATs transcribed from the opposite strand of protein-coding genes, 3. Intronic lincRNAs expressed from within the introns of protein coding genes.

 

English: The human genome, categorized by func...

The human genome, categorized by function of each gene product, given both as number of genes and as percentage of all genes. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Their function is under study. However, keep in mind that they are redundant, so deleting or creating null mutations may or may not answer specific development questions. On the other hand, epigenetics, gene imprinting, and pathologies can be the best resource to identify their specific roles in biological functions and interactions.  Distinct gene regulation either as a cis or trans element, gene imprinting, modulating alternative splicing, nuclear organization, determining a chromatin structure are under study.  This will allow us to relate genome structure and function in health and disease better.  Identification of their function during biological responses require a long way to be completed due to complexity since lincRNAs also regulate microRNAs.  Regardless of many obstacles there is a progress.  Disregulation of these lincRNA mainly observed in several cancer types, prostate, breast, hepatocellular carcinoma, colorectal, glioma and melanoma, possibly more. Most of the studies are done in vitro. However, there are many great model organism work as well, such as mice, zebra fish, and worm.

It was also not surprising that their regulation possibly under control of hormones based on circadian clock of our body. So better to sleep eight hour a day is not a cliché.

 

Next topic will include understanding of lincRNA mechanisms and epigenetics followed by lincRNAs during disease and cellular genesis.

 

Mechanism, Genome and Genetics:

Long non-coding RNAs: insights into functions. Mercer TR, Dinger ME, Mattick JS Nat. Rev. Genet. 2009;10:155159. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19188922

 

Long Noncoding RNAs: Past, Present, and Future” Genetics 1 March 2013: 651-669. http://www.genetics.org/content/193/3/651.abstract

 

“RNA-protein analysis using a conditional CRISPR nuclease” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2 April 2013: 5416-5421. http://www.pnas.org/content/110/14/5416.abstract

“Noncoding RNA and Polycomb recruitment” RNA 1 April 2013: 429-442. http://rnajournal.cshlp.org/content/19/4/429.abstract

 

“Emerging functional and mechanistic paradigms of mammalian long non-coding RNAs” Nucleic Acids Res 1 August 2012: 6391-6400. http://nar.oxfordjournals.org/content/40/14/6391.abstract

 

 

“Long noncoding RNAs regulate adipogenesis” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 26 February 2013: 3387-3392. http://www.pnas.org/content/110/9/3387.abstract

 

“Circadian changes in long noncoding RNAs in the pineal gland” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 14 August 2012: 13319-13324. http://www.pnas.org/content/109/33/13319.abstract

Animal and Development:

“Systematic identification of long noncoding RNAs expressed during zebrafish embryogenesis” Genome Res 1 March 2012: 577-591. http://genome.cshlp.org/content/22/3/577.abstract

 

“Genes for embryo development are packaged in blocks of multivalent chromatin in zebrafish sperm” Genome Res 1 April 2011: 578-589. http://genome.cshlp.org/content/21/4/578.abstract

Long noncoding RNAs in C. elegans” Genome Res 1 December 2012: 2529-2540. http://genome.cshlp.org/content/22/12/2529.abstract

A spatial and temporal map of C. elegans gene expression” Genome Res 1 February 2011: 325-341. http://genome.cshlp.org/content/21/2/325.abstract

 

“SFMBT1 functions with LSD1 to regulate expression of canonical histone genes and chromatin-related factors” Genes Dev. 1 April 2013: 749-766. http://genesdev.cshlp.org/content/27/7/749.abstract

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“The SILENCE of the Lambs” Introducing The Power of Uncoded RNA

Curator: Demet Sag, PhD

Screen Shot 2021-07-19 at 7.06.12 PM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Word Cloud By Danielle Smolyar

An illustration of the central dogma of molecu...

An illustration of the central dogma of molecular biology annotated with the processes ncRNAs are involved in. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

X-ray structure of the tRNA Phe from yeast. Da...

X-ray structure of the tRNA Phe from yeast. Data was obtained by PDB 1ehz and rendered with PyMOL. violet: acceptor stem wine red: D-loop blue: anticodon loop orange: variable loop green: TPsiC-loop yellow: CCA-3′ of the acceptor stem grey: anticodon (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 Our genome must be packed tightly to fit into the nucleus. Genome is the blue print of a living organism whether made up off a single or multiple cell.   Recently, the genome seen as a functional network of physical contacts within (cis) and between (trans) chromosomes.  It became necessary to map these physical DNA contacts at high-resolution with technologies such as the “chromosome conformation capture” (3C) and other 3C-related methods including 3C-Carbon Copy (5C) and Hi-C.  Yet, we all know that in vivo conformation, gene to gene interactions from a long distance, histones and 3D have an impact on gene regulation and expression.  The game is not just a sequence but functional genomics with a correct translation of sequence for development so that proper molecular diagnostics can be applied not only for prevention but also for monitoring the efficacy of the intervention. Thus, we can provide a targeted therapy for personalized medicine.

On the other hand, we still know very little about genome organization at the molecular level, although spatial genome organization can critically affect gene expression.  It is important to recognize who is there to be present and who is there to create the functional impact for regulation in a specific tissue and time.  In addition, mediation of these chromatin contacts based on a specific tissue is quite essential.  For example, during long-range control mechanism specific enhancers and distal promoters needed to be invited to a close physical proximity to each other by transcription factors that has been found at other loci.  Furthermore, chromatin-binding proteins such as the CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) and cohesin seem to have critical roles in genome organization and gene expression.  Let’s not forget about epigenetics, since there are so many methods to regulate chromatin interactions like cytosine methylation, maternal gene, gradient level, post-translational modifications and non-coding RNAs.

The non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are silent but they have the 99% power because ncRNAs are a broad class of transcripts consisting of structural (rRNAs, tRNAs, snRNAs, snoRNAs, etc.), regulatory (miRNAs, piRNAs, etc.), and of sense/antisense transcripts.  Among these an interesting class is the latter group.   This class includes transcriptional “features” (eRNAs, tiRNAs), and a very large number of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), length from 200 nt to 100 kb.  The magnificent future of lncRNAs comes from their production, as they can be transcribed nearby known protein-coding genes or from their introns. As a result, because of their intergenical production they are also called as “lincRNAs (long intergenical non-coding RNAs).  They are abundant and specific as microRNAs.  Hence, their inclusion into the biomarker list and assuming their roles during targeted therapy don’t require us to be a wizard but a functional genomicist knowing evolution, development and molecular genetics and plus signaling.

lincRNA can both activate and repress the gene either cis or trans acting to effect gene regulation will be discussed next.

As a result, one gene expression regulation needs from twenty to several hundred genes. As they say raising a child needs a village.

References:

“Functional demarcation of active and silent chromatin domains in human HOX loci by noncoding RNAs”.

Rinn JL, Kertesz M, Wang JK, Squazzo SL, Xu X, Brugmann SA, Goodnough LH, Helms JA, Farnham PJ, Segal E, Chang HY.  Cell. 2007 Jun 29; 129(7):1311-23.

“Long noncoding RNA as modular scaffold of histone modification complexes”

Tsai MC, Manor O, Wan Y, Mosammaparast N, Wang JK, Lan F, Shi Y, Segal E, Chang HYScience. 2010 Aug 6; 329(5992):689-93.

“Capturing Chromosome Conformation”.

Dekker J, Rippe K, Dekker M, Kleckner N.Science.2002;295:1306–1311.

“Chromosome Conformation Capture Carbon Copy (5C): a massively parallel solution for mapping interactions between genomic elements”.

Dostie J, Richmond TA, Arnaout RA, Selzer RR, Lee WL, Honan TA, Rubio ED, Krumm A, Lamb J, Nusbaum C, Green RD, Dekker J.Genome Res. 2006;16:1299–1309.

“Chromosome conformation capture carbon copy technology”.

Dostie J, Zhan Y, Dekker J. Curr. Protoc. Mol. Biol. 2007 Chapter 21, Unit 21 14.

“Comprehensive mapping of long-range interactions reveals folding principles of the human genome”.

Lieberman-Aiden E, van Berkum NL, Williams L, Imakaev M, Ragoczy T, Telling A, Amit I, Lajoie BR, Sabo PJ, Dorschner MO, Sandstrom R, Bernstein B, Bender MA, Groudine M, Gnirke A, Stamatoyannopoulos J, Mirny LA, Lander ES, Dekker J.  Science. 2009;326:289–293.

“Chromatin conformation signatures: ideal human disease biomarkers?”

Crutchley JL, Wang XQ, Ferraiuolo MA, Dostie J.Biomark. Med. 2010;4:611–629.

“Relationship between CAD risk genotype in the chromosome 9p21 locus and gene expression. Identification of eight new ANRIL splice variants”.

Folkersen L, Kyriakou T, Goel A, Peden J, Mälarstig A, Paulsson-Berne G, Hamsten A, Hugh Watkins, Franco-Cereceda A, Gabrielsen A, Eriksson P, PROCARDIS consortia

PLoS One. 2009 Nov 2; 4(11):e7677.

” A myelopoiesis-associated regulatory intergenic noncoding RNA transcript within the human HOXA cluster”.

Zhang X, Lian Z, Padden C, Gerstein MB, Rozowsky J, Snyder M, Gingeras TR, Kapranov P, Weissman SM, Newburger PE.  Blood. 2009 Mar 12; 113(11):2526-34.

Monk M.   Genes Dev. 1988 Aug; 2(8):921-5.

Hox genes specify vertebral types in the presomitic mesoderm

Marta Carapuço,1 Ana Nóvoa,1 Nicoletta Bobola,2 and Moisés Mallo1,3 .  Genes Dev. 2005 September 15; 19(18): 2116–2121.

Krumlauf R.  Cell. 1994 Jul 29; 78(2):191-201.

“Noncoding RNA synthesis and loss of Polycomb group repression accompanies the colinear activation of the human HOXA cluster”.

Sessa L, Breiling A, Lavorgna G, Silvestri L, Casari G, Orlando V.  RNA. 2007 Feb; 13(2):223-39.

“Functional demarcation of active and silent chromatin domains in human HOX loci by noncoding RNAs”.

Rinn JL, Kertesz M, Wang JK, Squazzo SL, Xu X, Brugmann SA, Goodnough LH, Helms JA, Farnham PJ, Segal E, Chang HY.  Cell. 2007 Jun 29; 129(7):1311-23.

“Long noncoding RNAs with enhancer-like function in human cells”.

Ørom UA, Derrien T, Beringer M, Gumireddy K, Gardini A, Bussotti G, Lai F, Zytnicki M, Notredame C, Huang Q, Guigo R, Shiekhattar R

“Histone modifications at human enhancers reflect global cell-type-specific gene expression”.

Heintzman ND, Hon GC, Hawkins RD, Kheradpour P, Stark A, Harp LF, Ye Z, Lee LK, Stuart RK, Ching CW, Ching KA, Antosiewicz-Bourget JE, Liu H, Zhang X, Green RD, Lobanenkov VV, Stewart R, Thomson JA, Crawford GE, Kellis M, Ren B.   Nature. 2009 May 7; 459(7243):108-12.

“Tiny RNAs associated with transcription start sites in animals”.

Taft RJ, Glazov EA, Cloonan N, Simons C, Stephen S, Faulkner GJ, Lassmann T, Forrest AR, Grimmond SM, Schroder K, Irvine K, Arakawa T, Nakamura M, Kubosaki A, Hayashida K, Kawazu C, Murata M, Nishiyori H, Fukuda S, Kawai J, Daub CO, Hume DA, Suzuki H, Orlando V, Carninci P, Hayashizaki Y, Mattick JS.  Nat Genet. 2009 May; 41(5):572-8.

“Chromatin modifications and their function”.

Kouzarides T.   Cell. 2007 Feb 23; 128(4):693-705.

Tripathi V, Ellis JD, Shen Z, Song DY, Pan Q, Watt AT, Freier SM, Bennett CF, Sharma A, Bubulya PA, Blencowe BJ, Prasanth SG, Prasanth KV.   Mol Cell. 2010 Sep 24; 39(6):925-38.

Selected Further Reading

“Small and long non-coding RNAs in cardiac homeostasis and regeneration”

Ounzain, S.; Crippa, S.; Pedrazzini, T.  BBA – Molecular Cell Research vol. 1833 issue 4 April, 2013. p. 923-933

“Regulatory mechanisms of long noncoding RNAs in vertebrate central nervous system development and function.” 

Knauss, J.L.; Sun, T.  “Neuroscience vol. 235 April 3, 2013. p. 200-214

“Comparative genomics reveals ‘novel’ Fur regulated sRNAs and coding genes in diverse proteobacteria.”

Sridhar, J.; Sabarinathan, R.; Gunasekaran, P.; Sekar, K.   Gene vol. 516 issue 2 March 10, 2013. p. 335-344 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2012.12.057. ISSN: 0378-1119.

miRNAs Regulate Expression and Function of Extracellular Matrix Molecules”

Rutnam, Z.J.; Wight, T.N.; Yang,  B.B.Matrixixix Biology vol. 32 issue 2 March 11, 2013. p. 74-85 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2012.11.003. ISSN: 0945-053X.

Transcript profiling of microRNAs during the early development of the maize brace root via Solexa sequencing

Liu, P.; Yan, K.; Lei, Y.x.; Xu, R.; Zhang, Y.m.; Yang, G.d.; Huang, J.g.; Wu, C.A.; Zheng, C.C.Genomics vol. 101 issue 2 February, 2013. p. 149-156 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2012.11.004. ISSN: 0888-7543.

Regulatory mechanisms of long noncoding RNAs in vertebrate central nervous system development and function

Knauss, J.L.; Sun, T.  Neuroscience vol. 235 April 3, 2013. p. 200-214 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.01.022. ISSN: 0306-4522.

“The dynamic biliary epithelia: Molecules, pathways, and disease”

O’Hara, Steven P.; Tabibian, James H.; Splinter, Patrick L.; LaRusso, Nicholas F. Journal of Hepatology vol. 58 issue 3 March, 2013. p. 575-582 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2012.10.011. ISSN: 0168-8278

ABBREVIATIONS

3C = Chromosome conformation capture

rRNAs = Ribosomal RNAs

tRNAs = Transfer RNAs

snRNAs = Small nuclear RNAs

snoRNAs = Small nucleolar RNAs

miRNAs = MicroRNAs

piRNAs = Piwi-interacting RNAs

eRNAs = Enhancer RNAs

tiRNAs = Transcription initiation RNAs

spliRNAs = Splice-site RNAs

lincRNAs = Long intergenic non-coding RNAs

lncRNPs = Long non-coding ribonucleoprotein complexes

Igf2r = Insulin-like growth factor II receptor

HMTs = Histone methyl transferases

TSSs = Transcriptional start sites

TFs = Transcription factors

RNAi = RNA interference

PTMs = Post-translational modifications

  • Patent. (postdocstreet.wordpress.com)

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Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

The 6/13/2013 Supreme Court Decision is covered on this Open Access Online Scientific Journal

Genomics & Ethics: DNA Fragments are Products of Nature or Patentable Genes?

Geneticist Ricki Lewis, PhD: Genetics Errors in Supreme Court Decision of 6/13/2013

DNA Science BlogDNA Science Blog

http://blogs.plos.org/dnascience/2013/06/13/genetics-errors-in-supreme-court-decision/

Earlier today, my “in” box began to fill with info from everyone I’ve ever met letting me know that the Supreme Court had ruled on the Myriad case about patenting the breast cancer genes BRCA1 and BRCA2. I also received a dozen pitches from PR people offering me all manner of instant interviews with lawyers, doctors, bioethicists, and health care analysts.

No one offered me an interview with a geneticist – a person who knows something about DNA. So being such a person myself, I decided to take a look at the decision. And I found errors – starting right smack in the opening paragraph.

“Scientists can extract DNA from cells to isolate specific segments for study. They can also synthetically create exons-only strands of nucleotides known as composite DNA (cDNA). cDNA contains only the exons that occur in DNA, omitting the intervening exons.”

The definition is correct, the terminology, not. “cDNA” does not stand for “composite DNA.” It stands for “complementary DNA.”

cDNA came into fashion when I was in grad school, circa 1977. Like many genetics terms, it has a very precise meaning, something I pay attention to because I write human genetics books, including 10 editions of a textbook.

A cDNA is termed “complementary” because it is complementary in nucleotide base sequence to the messenger RNA (mRNA) that is made from the gene. Enzymes cut from the mRNA the sequences (introns) that do not encode amino acids and retains those (exons) that do encode protein. So a cDNA represents the part of a gene that is actually used to tell the cell to make protein. End of biology lesson.

A cDNA is created in the laboratory, and it is not a DNA sequence that occurs in nature. Hence, the Supreme Court’s part 2 of the decision, which acknowledges Myriad’s right to use a test based on a complementary, or cDNA.

I did a google search for “composite DNA” and just found the media parroting of today’s decision, and a few old forensics uses. So a caveat: my conclusion that the term is incorrect and invented is based on negative evidence. If I’m wrong, mea culpa in advance and I will feel like an idiot.

But cDNA isn’t the only error. I soon found another. On page 16, footnote #8 discusses a pseudogene as resulting from “random incorporation of fragments of cDNA.” That’s not even close to what a pseudogene is.

A pseudogene results from a DNA replication error that makes an extra copy of a gene. Over time, one copy mutates itself into a form that can’t do its job. The pseudogene remains in the genome like a ghost of a functional gene. The mutations occur at random because the pseudogene, not being used, isn’t subject to natural selection – that’s probably what the Court means by “random.” The globin gene locus on chromosome 11 is chock full of pseudogenes. This is such a classic example of basic genetics that my head is about to explode.

And how on earth is the Supreme Court’s definition of a pseudogene supposed to happen, in nature or otherwise? A cDNA exists in a lab dish. A gene exists in a cell that is part of an organism. How does the cDNA “randomly incorporate” itself inside the cell? Jump in from the dish? Part of the footnote states, “… given pseudogenes’ apparently random origins … ” Pseudogenes’ origins aren’t random at all. They happen in specific genes that tend to have repeats in the sequence, “confusing” the replication enzymes.

Today’s decision is undoubtedly a wonderful leap forward for patients, their families, and researchers. And some may think I am nitpicking. But these two errors jumped right out at me — I’d troll for more but I want to post this. What else is wrong? How can we trust the decision if the science is wrong? And what is the background of the people who research the decisions?

I know nothing about the law, zero, which is why I’m not writing about that. But the science in something as important as a Supreme Court decision should accurately use the language of the field under discussion.

http://blogs.plos.org/dnascience/2013/06/13/genetics-errors-in-supreme-court-decision/

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Copy Number Variants (CNV) Alleles to be Detected by a Complete Recessive Carrier Screening Diagnostics

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

 

Using array comparative genomic hybridization data for 21,470 individuals, Baylor College of Medicine‘s James Lupski and colleagues considered the frequency with which deletions or other disruptive copy number variants appear in genes known for roles in recessive disease. As they report in Genome Research, the investigators unearthed more than 3,200 instances in which deletions affected one allele of a recessive disease gene, affecting 419 different recessive disease genes in all. The CNVs — which render individuals potential carriers of recessive disease — tended to occur in long genes and genes falling far from those contributing to dominant disease risk, study authors note. Based on their findings, they argue that “a complete recessive carrier screening method or diagnostic test should detect CNV alleles.”

Deletions of recessive disease genes: CNV contribution to carrier states and disease-causing alleles

Abstract

Over 1,200 recessive disease genes have been described in humans. The prevalence, allelic architecture, and per-genome load of pathogenic alleles in these genes remain to be fully elucidated, as does the contribution of DNA copy-number variants (CNVs) to carrier status and recessive disease. We mined CNV data from 21,470 individuals obtained by array comparative genomic hybridization in a clinical diagnostic setting to identify deletions encompassing or disrupting recessive disease genes. We identified 3,212 heterozygous potential carrier deletions affecting 419 unique recessive disease genes. Deletion frequency of these genes ranged from one occurrence to 1.5%. When compared with recessive disease genes never deleted in our cohort, the 419 recessive disease genes affected by at least one carrier deletion were longer and were located farther from known dominant disease genes, suggesting that the formation and/or prevalence of carrier CNVs may be affected by both local and adjacent genomic features and by selection. Some subjects had multiple carrier CNVs (307 subjects) and/or carrier deletions encompassing more than one recessive disease gene (206 deletions). Heterozygous deletions spanning multiple recessive disease genes may confer carrier status for multiple single-gene disorders, for complex syndromes resulting from the combination of two or more recessive conditions, or may potentially cause clinical phenotypes due to a multiply heterozygous state. In addition to carrier mutations, we identified homozygous and hemizygous deletions potentially causative for recessive disease. We provide further evidence that CNVs contribute to the allelic architecture of both carrier and recessive disease-causing mutations. Thus, a complete recessive carrier screening method or diagnostic test should detect CNV alleles.

  • Received February 7, 2013.
  • Accepted May 6, 2013.

© 2013, Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press

 

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Imaging of Non-tumorous and Tumorous Human Brain Tissues

Reporter and Curator: Dror Nir, PhD

The point of interest in the article I feature below is that it represents a potential building block in a future system that will use full-field optical coherence tomography during brain surgery to improve the accuracy of cancer lesions resection. The article is featuring promising results for differentiating tumor from normal brain tissue in large samples (order of 1–3 cm2) by offering images with spatial resolution comparable to histological analysis, sufficient to distinguish microstructures of the human brain parenchyma.  Easy to say, and hard to make…:) –> Intraoperative apparatus to guide the surgeon in real time during resection of brain tumors.

 

Imaging of non-tumorous and tumorous human brain tissues with full-field optical coherence tomography 

Open Access Article

Osnath Assayaga1Kate Grievea1Bertrand DevauxbcFabrice HarmsaJohan Palludbc,Fabrice ChretienbcClaude BoccaraaPascale Varletbc;  a Inserm U979 “Wave Physics For Medicine” ESPCI -ParisTech – Institut Langevin, 1 rue Jussieu, 75005, b France, Centre Hospitalier Sainte-Anne, 1 rue Cabanis 75014 Paris, France

c University Paris Descartes, France.

Abstract

A prospective study was performed on neurosurgical samples from 18 patients to evaluate the use of full-field optical coherence tomography (FF-OCT) in brain tumor diagnosis.

FF-OCT captures en face slices of tissue samples at 1 μm resolution in 3D to a penetration depth of around 200 μm. A 1 cm2 specimen is scanned at a single depth and processed in about 5 min. This rapid imaging process is non-invasive and requires neither contrast agent injection nor tissue preparation, which makes it particularly well suited to medical imaging applications.

Temporal chronic epileptic parenchyma and brain tumors such as meningiomas, low-grade and high-grade gliomas, and choroid plexus papilloma were imaged. A subpopulation of neurons, myelin fibers and CNS vasculature were clearly identified. Cortex could be discriminated from white matter, but individual glial cells such as astrocytes (normal or reactive) or oligodendrocytes were not observable.

This study reports for the first time on the feasibility of using FF-OCT in a real-time manner as a label-free non-invasive imaging technique in an intraoperative neurosurgical clinical setting to assess tumorous glial and epileptic margins.

Abbreviations

  • FF-OCT, full field optical coherence tomography;
  • OCT, optical coherence tomography

Keywords

Optical imaging; Digital pathology; Brain imaging; Brain tumor; Glioma

1. Introduction

1.1. Primary CNS tumors

Primary central nervous system (CNS) tumors represent a heterogeneous group of tumors with benign, malignant and slow-growing evolution. In France, 5000 new cases of primary CNS tumors are detected annually (Rigau et al., 2011). Despite considerable progress in diagnosis and treatment, the survival rate following a malignant brain tumor remains low and 3000 deaths are reported annually from CNS tumors in France (INCa, 2011). Overall survival from brain tumors depends on the complete resection of the tumor mass, as identified through postoperative imaging, associated with updated adjuvant radiation therapy and chemotherapy regimen for malignant tumors (Soffietti et al., 2010). Therefore, there is a need to evaluate the completeness of the tumor resection at the end of the surgical procedure, as well as to identify the different components of the tumor interoperatively, i.e. tumor tissue, necrosis, infiltrated parenchyma (Kelly et al., 1987). In particular, the persistence of non-visible tumorous tissue or isolated tumor cells infiltrating brain parenchyma may lead to additional resection.

For low-grade tumors located close to eloquent brain areas, a maximally safe resection that spares functional tissue warrants the current use of intraoperative techniques that guide a more complete tumor resection. During awake surgery, speech or fine motor skills are monitored, while cortical and subcortical stimulations are performed to identify functional areas (Sanai et al., 2008). Intraoperative MRI provides images of the surgical site as well as tomographic images of the whole brain that are sufficient for an approximate evaluation of the abnormal excised tissue, but offers low resolution (typically 1 to 1.5 mm) and produces artifacts at the air-tissue boundary of the surgical site.

Histological and immunohistochemical analyses of neurosurgical samples remain the current gold standard method used to analyze tumorous tissue due to advantages of sub-cellular level resolution and high contrast. However, these methods require lengthy (12 to 72 h), complex multiple steps, and use of carcinogenic chemical products that would not be technically possible intra-operatively. In addition, the number of histological slides that can be reviewed and analyzed by a pathologist is limited, and it defines the number and size of sampled locations on the tumor, or the surrounding tissue.

To obtain histology-like information in a short time period, intraoperative cytological smear tests are performed. However tissue architecture information is thereby lost and the analysis is carried out on only a limited area of the sample (1 mm × 1 mm).

Intraoperative optical imaging techniques are recently developed high resolution imaging modalities that may help the surgeon to identify the persistence of tumor tissue at the resection boundaries. Using a conventional operating microscope with Xenon lamp illumination gives an overall view of the surgical site, but performance is limited by the poor discriminative capacity of the white light illumination at the surgical site interface. Better discrimination between normal and tumorous tissues has been obtained using fluorescence properties of tumor cells labeled with preoperatively administered 5-ALA. Tumor tissue shows a strong ALA-induced PPIX fluorescence at 635 nm and 704 nm when the operative field is illuminated with a 440 nm-filtered lamp. More complete resections of high-grade gliomas have been demonstrated using 5-ALA fluorescence guidance (Stummer et al., 2000), however brain parenchyma infiltrated by isolated tumor cells is not fluorescent, reducing the interest of this technique when resecting low-grade gliomas.

Refinement of this induced fluorescence technique has been achieved using a confocal microscope and intraoperative injection of sodium fluorescein. A 488 nm laser illuminates the operative field and tissue contact analysis is performed using a handheld surgical probe (field of view less than 0.5 × 0.5 mm) which scans the fluorescence of the surgical interface at the 505–585 nm band. Fluorescent isolated tumor cells are clearly identified at depths from 0 to 500 μm from the resection border (Sanai et al., 2011), demonstrating the potential of this technique in low-grade glioma resection.

Reviewing the state-of-the-art, a need is identified for a quick and reliable method of providing the neurosurgeon with architectural and cellular information without the need for injection or oral intake of exogenous markers in order to guide the neurosurgeon and optimize surgical resections.

1.2. Full-field optical coherence tomography

Introduced in the early 1990s (Huang et al., 1991), optical coherence tomography (OCT) uses interference to precisely locate light deep inside tissue. The photons coming from the small volume of interest are distinguished from light scattered by the other parts of the sample by the use of an interferometer and a light source with short coherence length. Only the portion of light with the same path length as the reference arm of the interferometer, to within the coherence length of the source (typically a few μm), will produce interference. A two-dimensional B-scan image is captured by scanning. Recently, the technique has been improved, mainly in terms of speed and sensitivity, through spectral encoding (De Boer et al., 2003Leitgeb et al., 2003 and Wojtkowski et al., 2002).

A recent OCT technique called full-field optical coherence tomography (FF-OCT) enables both a large field of view and high resolution over the full field of observation (Dubois et al., 2002 and Dubois et al., 2004). This allows navigation across the wide field image to follow the morphology at different scales and different positions. FF-OCT uses a simple halogen or light-emitting diode (LED) light source for full field illumination, rather than lasers and point-by-point scanning components required for conventional OCT. The illumination level is low enough to maintain the sample integrity: the power incident on the sample is less than 1 mW/mm2 using deep red and near infrared light. FF-OCT provides the highest OCT 3D resolution of 1.5 × 1.5 × 1 μm3 (X × Y × Z) on unprepared label-free tissue samples down to depths of approximately 200 μm–300 μm (tissue-dependent) over a wide field of view that allows digital zooming down to the cellular level. Interestingly, it produces en face images in the native field view (rather than the cross-sectional images of conventional OCT), which mimic the histology process, thereby facilitating the reading of images by pathologists. Moreover, as for conventional OCT, it does not require tissue slicing or modification of any kind (i.e. no tissue fixation, coloration, freezing or paraffin embedding). FF-OCT image acquisition and processing time is less than 5 min for a typical 1 cm2 sample (Assayag et al., in press) and the imaging performance has been shown to be equivalent in fresh or fixed tissue (Assayag et al., in press and Dalimier and Salomon, 2012). In addition, FF-OCT intrinsically provides digital images suitable for telemedicine.

Numerous studies have been published over the past two decades demonstrating the suitability of OCT for in vivo or ex vivo diagnosis. OCT imaging has been previously applied in a variety of tissues such as the eye (Grieve et al., 2004 and Swanson et al., 1993), upper aerodigestive tract (Betz et al., 2008Chen et al., 2007 and Ozawa et al., 2009), gastrointestinal tract (Tearney et al., 1998), and breast tissue and lymph nodes (Adie and Boppart, 2009Boppart et al., 2004Hsiung et al., 2007Luo et al., 2005Nguyen et al., 2009Zhou et al., 2010 and Zysk and Boppart, 2006).

In the CNS, published studies that evaluate OCT (Bizheva et al., 2005Böhringer et al., 2006Böhringer et al., 2009Boppart, 2003 and Boppart et al., 1998) using time-domain (TD) or spectral domain (SD) OCT systems had insufficient resolution (10 to 15 μm axial) for visualization of fine morphological details. A study of 9 patients with gliomas carried out using a TD-OCT system led to classification of the samples as malignant versus benign (Böhringer et al., 2009). However, the differentiation of tissues was achieved by considering the relative attenuation of the signal returning from the tumorous zones in relation to that returning from healthy zones. The classification was not possible by real recognition of CNS microscopic structures. Another study showed images of brain microstructures obtained with an OCT system equipped with an ultra-fast laser that offered axial and lateral resolution of 1.3 μm and 3 μm respectively (Bizheva et al., 2005). In this way, it was possible to differentiate malignant from healthy tissue by the presence of blood vessels, microcalcifications and cysts in the tumorous tissue. However the images obtained were small (2 mm × 1 mm), captured on fixed tissue only and required use of an expensive large laser thereby limiting the possibility for clinical implementation.

Other studies have focused on animal brain. In rat brain in vivo, it has been shown that optical coherence microscopy (OCM) can reveal neuronal cell bodies and myelin fibers (Srinivasan et al., 2012), while FF-OCT can also reveal myelin fibers (Ben Arous et al., 2011), and movement of red blood cells in vessels (Binding et al., 2011).

En face images captured with confocal reflectance microscopy can closely resemble FF-OCT images. For example, a prototype system used by Wirth et al. (2012) achieves lateral and axial resolution of 0.9 μm and 3 μm respectively. However small field size prevents viewing of wide-field architecture and slow acquisition speed prohibits the implementation of mosaicking. In addition, the poorer axial resolution and lower penetration depth of confocal imaging in comparison to FF-OCT limit the ability to reconstruct cross-sections from the confocal image stack.

This study is the first to analyze non-tumorous and tumorous human brain tissue samples using FF-OCT.

2. Materials and methods

2.1. Instrument

The experimental arrangement of FF-OCT (Fig. 1A) is based on a configuration that is referred to as a Linnik interferometer (Dubois et al., 2002). A halogen lamp is used as a spatially incoherent source to illuminate the full field of an immersion microscope objective at a central wavelength of 700 nm, with spectral width of 125 nm. The signal is extracted from the background of incoherent backscattered light using a phase-shifting method implemented in custom-designed software. This study was performed on a commercial FF-OCT system (LightCT, LLTech, France).

 

Fig 1

Capturing “en face” images allows easy comparison with histological sections. The resolution, pixel number and sampling requirements result in a native field of view that is limited to about 1 mm2. The sample is moved on a high precision mechanical platform and a number of fields are stitched together (Beck et al., 2000) to display a significant field of view. The FF-OCT microscope is housed in a compact setup (Fig. 1B) that is about the size of a standard optical microscope (310 × 310 × 800 mm L × W × H).

2.2. Imaging protocol

All images presented in this study were captured on fresh brain tissue samples from patients operated on at the Neurosurgery Department of Sainte-Anne Hospital, Paris. Informed and written consent was obtained in all cases following the standard procedure at Sainte-Anne Hospital from patients who were undergoing surgical intervention. Fresh samples were collected from the operating theater immediately after resection and sent to the pathology department. A pathologist dissected each sample to obtain a 1–2 cm2 piece and made a macroscopic observation to orientate the specimen in order to decide which side to image. The sample was immersed in physiological serum, placed in a cassette, numbered, and brought to the FF-OCT imaging facility in a nearby laboratory (15 min distant) where the FF-OCT images were captured. The sample was placed in a custom holder with a coverslip on top (Fig. 1C, D). The sample was raised on a piston to rest gently against the coverslip in order to flatten the surface and so optimize the image capture. The sample is automatically scanned under a 10 × 0.3 numerical aperture (NA) immersion microscope objective. The immersion medium is a silicone oil of refractive index close to that of water, chosen to optimize index matching and slow evaporation. The entire area of each sample was imaged at a depth of 20 μm beneath the sample surface. This depth has been reported to be optimal for comparison of FF-OCT images to histology images in a previous study on breast tissue (Assayag et al., in press). There are several reasons for the choice of imaging depth: firstly, histology was also performed at approximately 20 μm from the edge of the block, i.e. the depth at which typically the whole tissue surface begins to be revealed. Secondly, FF-OCT signal is attenuated with depth due to multiple scattering in the tissue, and resolution is degraded with depth due to aberrations. The best FF-OCT images are therefore captured close to the surface, and the best matching is achieved by attempting to image at a similar depth as the slice in the paraffin block. It was also possible to capture image stacks down to several hundred μm in depth (where penetration depth is dependent on tissue type), for the purpose of reconstructing a 3D volume and imaging layers of neurons and myelin fibers. An example of such a stack in the cerebellum is shown as a video (Video 2) in supplementary material. Once FF-OCT imaging was done, each sample was immediately fixed in formaldehyde and returned to the pathology department where it underwent standard processing in order to compare the FF-OCT images to histology slides.

2.3. Matching FF-OCT to histology

The intention in all cases was to match as closely as possible to histology. FF-OCT images were captured 20 μm below the surface. Histology slices were captured 20 μm from the edge of the block. However the angle of the inclusion is hard to control and so some difference in the angle of the plane always exists when attempting matching. Various other factors that can cause differences stem from the histology process — fixing, dehydrating, paraffin inclusion etc. all alter the tissue and so precise correspondence can be challenging. Such difficulties are common in attempting to match histology to other imaging modalities (e.g. FF-OCT Assayag et al., in press; OCT Bizheva et al., 2005; confocal microscopy Wirth et al., 2012).

An additional parameter in the matching process is the slice thickness. Histology slides were 4 μm in thickness while FF-OCT optical slices have a 1 μm thickness. The finer slice of the FF-OCT image meant that lower cell densities were perceived on the FF-OCT images (in those cases where individual cells were seen, e.g. neurons in the cortex). This difference in slice thickness affects the accuracy of the FF-OCT to histology match. In order to improve matching, it would have been possible to capture four FF-OCT slices in 1 μm steps and sum the images to mimic the histology thickness. However, this would effectively degrade the resolution, which was deemed undesirable in evaluating the capacities of the FF-OCT method.

3. Results

18 samples from 18 adult patients (4 males, 14 females) of age range 19–81 years have been included in the study: 1 mesial temporal lobe epilepsy and 1 cerebellum adjacent to a pulmonary adenocarcinoma metastasis (serving as the non-tumor brain samples), 7 diffuse supratentorial gliomas (4 WHO grade II, 3 WHO grade III), 5 meningiomas, 1 hemangiopericytoma, and 1 choroid plexus papilloma. Patient characteristics are detailed in Table 1.

 

Table 1

3.1. FF-OCT imaging identifies myelinated axon fibers, neuronal cell bodies and vasculature in the human epileptic brain and cerebellum

The cortex and the white matter are clearly distinguished from one another (Fig. 2). Indeed, a subpopulation of neuronal cell bodies (Fig. 2B, C) as well as myelinated axon bundles leading to the white matter could be recognized (Fig. 2D, E). Neuronal cell bodies appear as dark triangles (Fig. 2C) in relation to the bright surrounding myelinated environment. The FF-OCT signal is produced by backscattered photons from tissues of differing refractive indices. The number of photons backscattered from the nuclei in neurons appears to be too few to produce a signal that allows their differentiation from the cytoplasm, and therefore the whole of the cell body (nucleus plus cytoplasm) appears dark.

Fig 2

 

Myelinated axons are numerous, well discernible as small fascicles and appear as bright white lines (Fig. 2E). As the cortex does not contain many myelinated axons, it appears dark gray. Brain vasculature is visible (Fig. 2F and G), and small vessels are distinguished by a thin collagen membrane that appears light gray. Video 1 in supplementary material shows a movie composed of a series of en face 1 μm thick optical slices captured over 100 μm into the depth of the cortex tissue. The myelin fibers and neuronal cell bodies are seen in successive layers.

The different regions of the human hippocampal formation are easily recognizable (Fig. 3). Indeed, CA1 field and its stratum radiatum, CA4 field, the hippocampal fissure, the dentate gyrus, and the alveus are easily distinguishable. Other structures become visible by zooming in digitally on the FF-OCT image. The large pyramidal neurons of the CA4 field (Fig. 3B) and the granule cells that constitute the stratum granulosum of the dentate gyrus are visible, as black triangles and as small round dots, respectively (Fig. 3D).

 

Fig 3

In the normal cerebellum, the lamellar or foliar pattern of alternating cortex and central white matter is easily observed (Fig. 4A). By digital zooming, Purkinje and granular neurons also appear as black triangles or dots, respectively (Fig. 4C), and myelinated axons are visible as bright white lines (Fig. 4E). Video 2 in supplementary material shows a fly-through movie in the reconstructed axial slice orientation of a cortex region in cerebellum. The Purkinje and granular neurons are visible down to depths of 200 μm in the tissue.

 

Fig 4

3.2. FF-OCT images distinguish meningiomas from hemangiopericytoma in meningeal tumors

The classic morphological features of a meningioma are visible on the FF-OCT image: large lobules of tumorous cells appear in light gray (Fig. 5A), demarcated by collagen-rich bundles (Fig. 5B) which are highly scattering and appear a brilliant white in the FF-OCT images. The classic concentric tumorous cell clusters (whorls) are very clearly distinguished on the FF-OCT image (Fig. 5D). In addition the presence of numerous cell whorls with central calcifications (psammoma bodies) is revealed (Fig. 5F). Collagen balls appear bright white on the FF-OCT image (Fig. 5H). As the collagen balls progressively calcify, they are consumed by the black of the calcified area, generating a target-like image (Fig. 5H). Calcifications appear black in FF-OCT as they are crystalline and so allow no penetration of photons to their interior.

Fig 5

Mesenchymal non-meningothelial tumors such as hemangiopericytomas represent a classic differential diagnosis of meningiomas. In FF-OCT, the hemangiopericytoma is more monotonous in appearance than the meningiomas, with a highly vascular branching component with staghorn-type vessels (Fig. 6A, C).

Fig 6

3.3. FF-OCT images identify choroid plexus papilloma

The choroid plexus papilloma appears as an irregular coalescence of multiple papillas composed of elongated fibrovascular axes covered by a single layer of choroid glial cells (Fig. 7). By zooming in on an edematous papilla, the axis appears as a black structure covered by a regular light gray line (Fig. 7B). If the papilla central axis is hemorrhagic, the fine regular single layer is not distinguishable (Fig. 7C). Additional digital zooming in on the image reveals cellular level information, and some nuclei of plexus choroid cells can be recognized. However, cellular atypia and mitosis are not visible. These represent key diagnosis criteria used to differentiate choroid plexus papilloma (grade I) from atypical plexus papilloma (grade II).

Fig 7

3.4. FF-OCT images detect the brain tissue architecture modifications generated by diffusely infiltrative gliomas

Contrary to the choroid plexus papillomas which have a very distinctive architecture in histology (cauliflower-like aspect), very easily recognized in the FF-OCT images (Fig. 7A to G), diffusely infiltrating glioma does not present a specific tumor architecture (Fig. 8) as they diffusely permeate the normal brain architecture. Hence, the tumorous glial cells are largely dispersed through a nearly normal brain parenchyma (Fig. 8E). The presence of infiltrating tumorous glial cells attested by high magnification histological observation (irregular atypical cell nuclei compared to normal oligodendrocytes) is not detectable with the current generation of FF-OCT devices, as FF-OCT cannot reliably distinguish the individual cell nuclei due to lack of contrast (as opposed to lack of resolution). In our experience, diffuse low-grade gliomas (less than 20% of tumor cell density) are mistaken for normal brain tissue on FF-OCT images. However, in high-grade gliomas (Fig. 8G–K), the infiltration of the tumor has occurred to such an extent that the normal parenchyma architecture is lost. This architectural change is easily observed in FF-OCT and is successfully identified as high-grade glioma, even though the individual glial cell nuclei are not distinguished.

Fig 8

4. Discussion

We present here the first large size images (i.e. on the order of 1–3 cm2) acquired using an OCT system that offer spatial resolution comparable to histological analysis, sufficient to distinguish microstructures of the human brain parenchyma.

Firstly, the FF-OCT technique and the images presented here combine several practical advantages. The imaging system is compact, it can be placed in the operating room, the tissue sample does not require preparation and image acquisition is rapid. This technique thus appears promising as an intraoperative tool to help neurosurgeons and pathologists.

Secondly, resolution is sufficient (on the order of 1 μm axial and lateral) to distinguish brain tissue microstructures. Indeed, it was possible to distinguish neuron cell bodies in the cortex and axon bundles going towards white matter. Individual myelin fibers of 1 μm in diameter are visible on the FF-OCT images. Thus FF-OCT may serve as a real-time anatomical locator.

Histological architectural characteristics of meningothelial, fibrous, transitional and psammomatous meningiomas were easily recognizable on the FF-OCT images (lobules and whorl formation, collagenous-septae, calcified psammoma bodies, thick vessels). Psammomatous and transitional meningiomas presented distinct architectural characteristics in FF-OCT images in comparison to those observed in hemangiopericytoma. Thus, FF-OCT may serve as an intraoperative tool, in addition to extemporaneous examination, to refine differential diagnosis between pathological entities with different prognoses and surgical managements.

Diffuse glioma was essentially recognized by the loss of normal parenchyma architecture. However, glioma could be detected on FF-OCT images only if the glial cell density is greater than around 20% (i.e. the point at which the effect on the architecture becomes noticeable). The FF-OCT technique is therefore not currently suitable for the evaluation of low tumorous infiltration or tumorous margins. Evaluation at the individual tumor cell level is only possible by IDH1R132 immunostaining in IDH1 mutated gliomas in adults (Preusser et al., 2011). One of the current limitations of the FF-OCT technique for use in diagnosis is the difficulty in estimating the nuclear/cytoplasmic boundaries and the size and form of nuclei as well as the nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio of cells. This prevents precise classification into tumor subtypes and grades.

To increase the accuracy of diagnosis of tumors where cell density measurement is necessary for grading, perspectives for the technique include development of a multimodal system (Harms et al., 2012) to allow simultaneous co-localized acquisition of FF-OCT and fluorescence images. The fluorescence channel images in this multimodal system show cell nuclei, which increase the possibility of diagnosis and tumor grading direct from optical images. However, the use of contrast agents for the fluorescence channel means that the multimodal imaging technique is no longer non-invasive, and this may be undesirable if the tissue is to progress to histology following optical imaging. This is a similar concern in confocal microscopy where use of dyes is necessary for fluorescence detection (Wirth et al., 2012).

In its current form therefore, FF-OCT is not intended to serve as a diagnostic tool, but should rather be considered as an additional intraoperative aid in order to determine in a short time whether or not there is suspicious tissue present in a sample. It does not aim to replace histological analyses but rather to complement them, by offering a tool at the intermediary stage of intraoperative tissue selection. In a few minutes, an image is produced that allows the surgeon or the pathologist to assess the content of the tissue sample. The selected tissue, once imaged with FF-OCT, may then proceed to conventional histology processing in order to obtain the full diagnosis (Assayag et al., in press and Dalimier and Salomon, 2012).

Development of FF-OCT to allow in vivo imaging is underway, and first steps include increasing camera acquisition speed. First results of in vivo rat brain imaging have been achieved with an FF-OCT prototype setup, and show real-time visualization of myelin fibers (Ben Arous et al., 2011) and movement of red blood cells in vessels (Binding et al., 2011). To respond more precisely to surgical needs, it would be preferable to integrate the FF-OCT system into a surgical probe. Work in this direction is currently underway and preliminary images of skin and breast tissue have been captured with a rigid probe FF-OCT prototype (Latrive and Boccara, 2011).

In conclusion, we have demonstrated the capacity of FF-OCT for imaging of human brain samples. This technique has potential as an intraoperative tool for determining tissue architecture and content in a few minutes. The 1 μm3 resolution and wide-field down to cellular-level views offered by the technique allowed identification of features of non-tumorous and tumorous tissues such as myelin fibers, neurons, microcalcifications, tumor cells, microcysts, and blood vessels. Correspondence with histological slides was good, indicating suitability of the technique for use in clinical practice for tissue selection for biobanking for example. Future work to extend the technique to in vivo imaging by rigid probe endoscopy is underway.

The following are the supplementary data related to this article.

Video 1.  Shows a movie composed of a series of en face 1 μm thick optical slices captured over 100 μm into the depth of the cortex tissue. The myelin fibers and neuronal cell bodies are seen in successive layers. Field size is 800 μm × 800 μm.

Video 2.  Shows a fly-through movie in the reconstructed cross-sectional orientation showing 1 μm steps through a 3D stack down to 200 μm depth in cerebellum cortical tissue. Purkinje and granular neurons are visible as dark spaces. Field size is 800 μm × 200 μm.

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank LLTech SAS for use of the LightCT Scanner.

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Impact of Sequestration on the National Institutes of Health

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Article ID #59: Impact of Sequestration on the National Institutes of Health. Published on 6/4/2013

WordCloud Image Produced by Adam Tubman

UPDATED 6/5/2013

GenomeWeb Feature: Researchers Weigh in on Grants in the Time of Sequester

June 05, 2013

NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – When Nicholas Navin’s R01 grant to use single-cell sequencing to study tumor evolution in breast cancer was first funded in 2012, it was funded at 83 percent of the requested budget.

Because of the sequester, Navin’s grant now will be cut a further 6 percent. In addition, he has only been given funding for the next three months.

“After those three months, I assume that it will continue to be funded for the rest of the year,” said Navin, an assistant professor at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, “but they only give you enough funding to support you for three months.”

The sequester — the across-the-board cuts to the US budget that were implemented at the beginning of March — has led to budget decreases across the federal government, including at research funding agencies like the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. The cuts exacerbated what was seen by many as an already tight funding situation that was not keeping pace with inflation, making it increasingly difficult for researchers to fund their work.

Steven Salzberg, a professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, recently had a grant rejected that was ranked in the top 11th percent of applications. In the past, he’s had grants funded that were in the 16th percentile or 17th percentile.

“They are funding, one would hope, grants at the 11th percentile, but not this particular one,” he said. “So you have to resubmit it or you can give up. Those are your two choices.”

As budgets decline and competition for grants increase, researchers are submitting more proposals and are beginning to look elsewhere for funding. At the same time, they are wondering what the effect of sequestration will be on science and scientists, particularly early career investigators. Still, there are steps investigators can take to try to get their proposal to stand out.

Cuts and effect

Because of the sequester, both NIH and NSF have seen their budgets fall about 5 percent. For this fiscal year, NIH’s budget is about $29.15 billion, as compared to $30.86 billion for fiscal year 2012. At the same time, NSF has about $6.9 billion for 2013, compared to last year’s $7.0 billion.

To cope with these decreases, NIH has cut all noncompeting renewals by 4.5 percent, but other changes were mostly left up to the various institutes that comprise NIH. For example, NHGRI, like other parts of NIH, is cutting noncompeting renewals, but it is not touching small grants, which it defines as ones with commitments of $250,000 or less and that typically are funded through R03 or R21 mechanisms. In addition, NHGRI won’t be giving future inflationary increases to competing applications.

“NHGRI deals with such a relatively small number of grants that we can look at each one individually and make decisions on the basis of how that particular application addresses institute aims and what the application needs in order to be successful,” Mark Guyer, the deputy director of NHGRI, told GenomeWeb Daily News. “Almost everything we do is really on a case-by-case basis beyond the across-the-board cuts to non-competing.”

The sequester, though, comes on the heels of years of small increases to funding agencies’ budgets. While the NIH budget went through an unprecedented doubling between about 1998 and 2003, it has since languished, with increases that typically did not keep pace with inflation.

“The field generally was in dire straits [heading into the sequester], given the very low payline by NIH, for example, and even NSF,” said Sarah Tishkoff, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

Salzberg noted that the two NIH R01 grants that he already has — awarded prior to the sequester — were cut about 15 percent to 20 percent. This, he added, was done “administratively because of budget reasons, not because of the peer review.”

“Now [the sequester] comes along and makes it even worse,” Tishkoff added.

Overall, NIH has estimated that it will fund nearly 8,300 competing research grants for FY2013, a decrease of about 700 from last year.

NHGRI also said that, in the face of the sequester, it is aiming to keep the average size of the awards it makes for FY2013 similar to the sizes of those it gave out in FY2012 — meaning that it will be giving out fewer total awards. Competition for grants, then, will become increasingly competitive.

“The [scientific] opportunities over the last decade at least and certainly into the foreseeable future are increasing hand over fist … and available funding is not keeping up with that,” Guyer said. “So necessarily things have gotten more competitive, and the sequester approach to managing the federal budget has only exacerbated the competitive aspects of things.”

As fewer proposals get funded and there’s less money to go around, many investigators may find themselves submitting more proposals to a number of funders.

“I am looking at submitting [more] proposals because it looks like funding is tight, and it is going to remain tight,” Salzberg told GWDN. “Unfortunately this produces a vicious cycle where many of us feel like our chances of getting funded are lower, therefore we should submit more proposals, but that then in return reduces the percentage that gets funded.”

It also increases the amount of time researchers spend reviewing proposals.

Others are looking to supplement their funds by turning to alternative funding sources. Navin, for example, is looking at private foundations and other organizations that fund cancer research, such as the Susan G. Komen Foundation or the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation.

There, he said, he may have a few options given that he studies breast cancer. Other researchers, he noted, may not have such options. “I know some of my colleagues that work on colon cancer or some of the more rare cancers like testicular cancer or bladder cancer, they really have a hard time finding funding now,” he said.

In addition, cuts and uncertainty about future reductions in funding could make a lab a precarious place. After such budget cuts or in anticipation of cuts, some labs have slowed down their growth or have even begun to let people go.

Salzberg said that, as a computational biologist, his main expenses are the salaries of the students, postdocs, and staff who power his lab.

“[The funding situation] also makes me much more reluctant to hire postdocs or any new staff because I don’t have any more money coming in. You need more money to hire new people,” he said. He added that he still gets a number of requests from people looking for positions, but “I don’t have the funding for a new postdoc. Until I get some new funding that’s what I’ll keep saying.”

“I’ve seen [colleagues’] grants just get slashed by huge amounts,” Tishkoff added, noting that she’s seen technicians beginning to lose their jobs.”[Investigators] either have to cut some of the staff or they have to cut one of the aims.”

And as grant budgets are cut, researchers have to accomplish their research aims with less, and this often means cutting back on some of the science they would like to have done.

“Because they cut the budget, you have to cut the scope,” Salzberg said. “You still do the work, but you don’t do all the things that you want to do.”

Navin, for example, is looking to use a smaller study size, even though that’ll affect the statistical power of his work.

And that’s for the grants that get funded.

“Some projects just aren’t getting done,” Salzberg added. “[My grant] that wasn’t funded was a different project and we’re not going to do it.”

This, he said, may lead to delays in improvements to healthcare. New treatments and drugs will come, he said, but it may be in 20 years rather than in 10 years or 15 years.

Concern for new investigators

One common fear is that the sequester will disproportionately affect new investigators as they try to start labs and fund them or even dissuade them from pursuing a career in academia.

“It looks like it is disturbing a lot of young people and influencing the way that they are thinking about a potential career,” Guyer said.

Tishkoff added that she is worried that junior scientists will see how the more senior people are struggling to find funding, and opt out. “[New investigators] have to get grants if they want to get tenure. They have to get grants to be successful and to continue to be a scientist in the future,” she said.

“That’s the question that I get over and over again” from students and postdocs, Navin added. “What’s it going to be like in … five to 10 years?”

“I try to stay optimistic and tell them that there will be funding, but it is hard to predict the future,” he said.

Still, junior scientists may look for careers in industry or outside of the research realm.

“I think that when they hear all of this gloom and doom talk going on, it is really discouraging them. And that makes me really worried that we are losing talented scientists,” Tishkoff said. She added that she’s noticed that people with computational biology or bioinformatic backgrounds seem to be heading to industry.

Salzberg added that the field may never even know what it is losing. “People will leave the field — they won’t announce it — they just go get a job doing something else,” he said. “Generally, you lose that [talent] forever because that person doesn’t come back.”

Funding agencies like NIH do have mechanisms in place to try to help new investigators get grants. For example, proposals from new investigators are reviewed separately from ones submitted by established PIs. That way, early-career researchers compete against each other, rather than against those with more experience.

Further, in its policy statement for this fiscal year, NIH said that it would continue to support new investigators applying for R01 grants with success rates similar to those of established PIs.

“I really think they are doing as much as they can, but there is a bottom line,” Tishkoff noted. “If you do not have the money to give out, then it is going to be more and more and more competitive. That’s just how it is.”

NHGRI, in its own policy statement, said that it is “very flexible” in supporting early-stage investigators by not reducing recommended budgets if possible, by giving special consideration when applying for renewals to avoid gaps in funding, and by its Pathway to Independence Awards, which are targeted to postdocs who are moving toward running their own lab.

Outside of federal support, there are also a number of grants that specifically fund new investigators, such as the David and Lucile Packard Foundation Fellowships for Science and Engineering, Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Awards, or the Sloan Research Fellowship, among others.

Tips for getting a grant

With increased competition for a smaller pot of money, submitting a well-crafted grant proposal might help it stick out from the rest in the pile. While some researchers may be quickly churning out as many proposals as they can, Tishkoff said that approach may not be the best one.

“The fact is it’s now even more competitive, it is even more important that people are taking time to really work on the grants carefully and not try to rush through them,” she told GWDN.

Still, submit a proposal quickly. “Don’t wait to apply for your first grant,” Salzberg said. “Very few people get funded on their first time around. You learn a lot from the reviews you get back.”

For his first grant, Salzberg partnered with a senior colleague to be a co-PI on the grant. “You can learn a lot about grantsmanship that way,” he said. “And then if the senior colleague gets funded, then you get some money out of that.” In addition, “you also learn some of the administrative hoops.”

Once on a grant, investigators begin to be invited to review panels that evaluate such grant proposals. “That’s a very valuable experience,” Salzberg said. “The first couple of times you are on a review panel, you learn a tremendous amount because you see a lot of other people’s grant applications and you see what the reviewers are saying about them.”

Tishkoff said one common problem she’s seen, particularly among new investigators, is that the proposals can feel hurried and too full of jargon. “You’ve got to take your time, write clearly in a manner that a general scientist can understand,” she said, adding that investigators have to sell their idea to a “broad scientific audience [and] make the point of why it is cutting edge and important and advances the field.”

Having other, more senior people look over a proposal is often a key step, she added, saying that she’s seen applications in which there were simple errors like numbers not adding up that could have easily been avoided by having someone else take a look at it.

An oft-overlooked step, by new and established PIs alike, is getting in touch with their program officers. “Start out talking to NIH program people as soon as possible,” Guyer said.

Program officers can provide information on funding mechanisms, initiatives, and budgets, and offer feedback on how project ideas fit within institutes’ priorities. “And we think, at least we tell ourselves, that it can help save people a lot of wasted time,” he added.

Tishkoff said that she typically calls up her program officer when she’s thinking about and applying for a grant to see how her idea fits with what the institute is interested in funding and to discuss a potentially reasonable budget.

“You could say, ‘I am thinking about applying for this, this, and this. Is that something that you or this institute would be interested in funding?'” she said. “And so you can try to aim to make your proposal fit with what their goals are at the moment.”

“Secondly, I always tell them, ‘OK, here’s the budget I have in mind. Is that going to be realistic or not?'” she added.

And once, she said, she was told her budget for what she called an “all-in-one, big giant grant” was too high to be funded. Instead, Tishkoff broke that large, all-inclusive grant into smaller, more focused projects, and she stripped the budgets to the bare bones.

However, not all proposals will be funded, even well-written ones. “There’s no magic bullet here, though, it’s just times are tough,” Salzberg added. “If they are only funding 10 percent of proposals, then whatever happens, 90 percent of them are going to be rejected, so try to be in the top 10 percent, but we can’t all be in the top 10 percent all the time.”

Navin added that those who get rejected should not give up and should keep submitting. “I just think you have to be very optimistic, be an eternal optimist and just keep submitting your grants to as many different funding agencies as possible,” he said. “And eventually, if it is a good idea, it’ll get funded.”

The next fiscal cycle

While fiscal year 2013 is more than half over, the US federal budget for fiscal year 2014 isn’t yet set, so what is in store for research funding — and whether the sequester will continue —isn’t clear.

The Obama administration released its budget proposal for FY 2014 in April, which would replace the sequester. It called for $31.3 billion for the National Institutes of Health — an increase of 1.5 percent over the FY 2012 budget — and $7.6 billion for the National Science Foundation — an 8.4 percent increase over its FY 2012 appropriation.

The budget, though, needs to pass Congress.

“We’re making plans for FY ’14 on the basis of what the administration presented as a budget,” Guyer said. “We’re hoping the Congress can do better than that. On the other hand, we are realistic.”

Ciara Curtin is GenomeWeb’s science features editor as well as the editor of the Daily Scan and Careers blogs. E-mail Ciara Curtinand follow @DailyScan, and @CareersGW on Twitter.

Fact sheet: Impact of Sequestration on the National Institutes of Health

The National Institutes of Health is the nation’s medical research agency and the leading supporter of biomedical research in the world. NIH’smission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and apply that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce the burdens of illness and disability. Due in large measure to NIH research, a person born in the United States today can expect to live nearly 30 years longer than someone born in 1900.

More than 80 percent of the NIH’s budget goes to over 300,000 research personnel at more than 2,500 universities and research institutions throughout the United States. In addition, about 6,000 scientists work in NIH’s own Intramural Research laboratories, most of which are on the NIH main campus in Bethesda, Md. The main campus is also home to theNIH Clinical Center, the largest hospital in the world totally dedicated to clinical research.

Sequestration:

On March 1, 2013, as required by statute, President Obama signed an order initiating sequestration. The sequestration requires NIH to cut 5 percent or $1.55 billion of its fiscal year (FY) 2013 budget. NIH must apply the cut evenly across all programs, projects, and activities (PPAs), which are primarily NIH institutes and centers. This means every area of medical research will be affected.

NIH FY2013 operating plans:

NIH FY2013 Operating Plan

NIH FY2013 Operating Plan Mechanism Table

NIH Guide Notice: Fiscal Policy for Grant Awards FY2013

NIH Institutes and Centers FY2013 Funding Strategies

The estimated numbers:

(FY 2013 figures compared to FY 2012)

While much of these decreases are due to sequester, NIH funding is always a dynamic situation with multiple drivers:

  • Approximately 700 fewer competitive research project grants issued
  • Approximately 750 fewer new patients admitted to the NIH Clinical Center
  • No increase in stipends for National Research Service Award recipients in FY2013

The impact:

  • Delay in medical progress:
    • Medical breakthroughs do not happen overnight. In almost all instances, breakthrough discoveries result from years of incremental research to understand how disease starts and progresses.
    • Even after the cause and potential drug target of a disease is discovered, it takes on average 13 years and $1 billion to develop a treatment for that target.
    • Therefore, cuts to research are delaying progress in medical breakthroughs, including:
      • development of better cancer drugs that zero in on a tumor with fewer side effects
      • research on a universal flu vaccine that could fight every strain of influenza without needing a yearly shot.
      • prevention of debilitating chronic conditions that are costly to society and delay development of more effective treatments for common and rare diseases affecting millions of Americans.
  • Risk to scientific workforce:
    • NIH drives job creation and economic growth. NIH research funding directly supports hundreds of thousands of American jobs and serves as a foundation for the medical innovation sector, which employs 1 million U.S. citizens. Cuts to NIH funding will have an economic impact in communities throughout the U.S. For every six applications submitted to the NIH, only one will be funded. Sequestration is reducing the overall funding available for grants. See the history of NIH funding success rates.

Frequently asked questions:

How many fewer grants will be awarded?
Approximately 700 fewer research project grants compared to FY 2012.

Have the institutes and centers announced their adjusted paylines based on these cuts?
The adjusted NIH Institute and Center (IC) paylines and funding strategies can be found here:http://grants.nih.gov/grants/financial/index.htm#strategies

What percent cut will be made to existing grants?
Reductions to noncompeting research project grants (RPG) vary depending on the circumstances of the particular IC. The NIH-wide average is -4.7 percent.

Will the duration of existing grants be shortened to accommodate the cuts?
In general, no.

Will all grants receive the same percentage cut or will some grants be cut more than others?
Institutes and centers have flexibility to accommodate the new budget level in a fashion that allows them to meet their scientific and strategic goals. As noted above, there are different percentages for different ICs, and in some cases for different mechanisms within an IC (RPGs, Centers, etc.). In addition, there may be reductions to grants for reasons other than sequestration, as is the case every year.

Will certain areas of science that are at a critical juncture be affected by these cuts? 
All areas of science are expected to be affected.

Will some areas of science be affected more than others?
The sequester does not stipulate the precise reduction to each scientific area. However, it is likely that most scientific areas will be reduced by about 5 percent because the sequester is being applied broadly at the NIH institute and center level.

What will be the impact of these cuts to NIH’s intramural research at its Bethesda campus and off-campus facilities?
The impact on NIH’s intramural research is substantial, especially because it applies retroactively to spending since Oct. 1, 2012. That can double the effect — a full year’s cut has to be absorbed in less than half a year.

Will NIH be furloughing or cutting employees at its NIH campus and off-campus facilities?
There are no current plans to do so. At present, HHS is pursuing non-furlough administrative cost savings such as delayed/forgone hiring and reducing administrative services contracts so that furloughs and layoffs can be avoided. Additionally, employee salaries at NIH make up a very small percentage (only 7 percent) of the NIH budget.

How will current patients at the NIH Clinical Center be affected?
Services to patients will not be reduced.

Will the NIH Clinical Center see fewer patients because of the cuts?
Approximately 750 fewer new patients will be admitted to the NIH Clinical Center hospital in 2013 or a decrease from 10,695 new patients in 2012 to approximately 9,945 new patients in 2013. While much of this decrease is due to funding, clinical activity is always a dynamic situation with multiple drivers.

Will the sequester cut need to be applied to the FY 2014 budget?
The President’s FY 2014 Budget would replace sequestration and reduce the deficit in a balanced way. The President is ready to work with Congress to further reduce deficits while continuing to make critical investments.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®

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Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Genome.gov National Human Genome Research Institute National Institutes of Health

Online Research Resources

Contents

From NHGRI
Online Research Resources Developed at NHGRI
NHGRI Reports and Publications
The NHGRI Genome Sequencing Program (GSP)
Beyond NHGRI
The Completed Human Sequence
Other Federal Agencies Involved in Genomics
Human Genome Sequence Assemblies and Other Genomic Data Resources
Underlying Map Information
Sequencing Centers of the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium
Model Organism Genome Projects
Archaea and Bacteria
Eukaryotes
Databases
National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Databases and Tools
Nucleotide Sequence Databases
Trace Archives (Raw Sequence Data Repositories)
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs)
cDNAs and Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs)
Model Organism Databases
Additional Sequence, Gene and Protein Databases
Ethical, Legal and Social Implications (ELSI) Information
Funding Agencies
Additional Genome Resources
Biology Resources
Selected Journals

From NHGRI

Online Research Resources Developed at NHGRI
Software, databases and research project Web sites from NHGRI’s Division of Intramural Research (DIR).

NHGRI Reports and Publications

The NHGRI Genome Sequencing Program (GSP) 
Genome sequencing projects currently in production and funded by NHGRI.

Beyond NHGRI

The Completed Human Sequence:
Other Federal Agencies Involved in Genomics
Human Genome Sequence Assemblies and Other Genomic Data Resources

 

Underlying Map Information
Sequencing Centers of the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium

(Listed in order of total sequence contributed to the draft human sequence published February 15, 2001, Nature, 409:860-921)

Model Organism Genome Projects

Archaea and Bacteria

Eukaryotes

Databases

National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Databases and Tools

Nucleotide Sequence Databases

Trace Archives (Raw Sequence Data Repositories)

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs)

cDNAs and Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs)

Model Organism Databases

Additional Sequence, Gene and Protein Databases

  • InterPro protein sequence analysis & classification [ebi.ac.uk]
    An integrated database of predictive protein signatures used for the classification and automatic annotation of proteins and genomes.
  • Eukaryotic Promoter Database [epd.isb-sib.ch]
  • PROSITE [expasy.org]
    A database of protein families and domains.
  • SWISS-PROT [web.expasy.org]
    A protein knowledgebase.
  • BioMagResBank [bmrb.wisc.edu]
    NMR spectroscopy data on proteins, peptides, and nucleic acids.
  • Protein Data Bank (PDB) [rcsb.org]
    The repository for 3-D biological macromolecular structure data.
  • DSSP [swift.cmbi.ru.nl]
    A database of secondary structure protein assignments.
  • FSSP [biocenter.helsinki.fi]
    A database of fold classifications based on structure-structure alignment of proteins.
  • HSSP [cmbi.kun.nl]
    A database of homology-derived secondary structure of proteins.
  • Nucleic Acid Database Project (NDB) [ndbserver.rutgers.edu]
    Structural information about nucleic acids.
  • The I.M.A.G.E. Consortium [image.hudsonalpha.org]
    A public collection of genes.
Ethical, Legal and Social Implications (ELSI) Research Program
Funding Agencies
Additional Genome Resources
Biology Resources
Selected Journals

Last Updated: October 16, 2012

SOURCE:

http://www.genome.gov/10000375

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Author: Tilda Barliya PhD

Neuroblastoma: A Review

WordCloud created by Noam Steiner Tomer 8/10/2020

Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor of infancy. It is an embryonal tumor of the autonomic/sympathetic  nervous system arising from neuroblasts (pluripotent sympathetic cells).In the developing embryo, these cells invaginate, migrate along the neuraxis, and populate the sympathetic ganglia, adrenal medulla, and other sites. The patterns of distribution of these cells correlates with the sites of primary neuroblastoma presentation.

Age, stage, and biological features encountered in tumor cells are important prognostic factors and are used for risk stratification and treatment assignment. The differences in outcome for patients with neuroblastoma are striking.

Epidemiology

The incidence of neuroblastoma per year is 10.5 per million children less than 15 years of age (1). Neuroblastoma accounts for 8% to 10% of all childhood cancers and for approximately 15% of cancer deaths in children.

  • No significant geographical variation in the incidence between North America and Europe
  • No differences between races.
  • slightly more frequently in boys than girls (ratio 1.2:1)
  • The incidence peaks at age 0 to 4 years
  • Cases of familial neuroblastoma have been reported (but rare).
  • Environmental factors are implicated in the development of neuroblastoma (eg, paternal exposure to electromagnetic fields or prenatal exposure to alcohol, pesticides, or phenobarbital). Yet, none of these environmental factors has been confirmed in independent studies
  • Asymptomatic tumors could be detected in infants by measurement of urinary catecholamine metabolites (2).

Note: The Quebec Neuroblastoma Screening Project and the German Neuroblastoma Screening studies demonstrate that screening for neuroblastoma at or under the age of 1 year identifies tumors with a good prognosis and molecular pathology, doubles the incidence, and fails to detect the poor-prognosis disease that presents clinically at an older age.

Pathology

The peripheral neuroblastic tumors (pNTs), including neuroblastoma, belong to the ‘‘small blue round cell’’ neoplasms of childhood (3). “They are derived from progenitor cells of the sympathetic nervous system: the sympathogonia of the sympathoadrenal lineage. After migrating from the neural crest, these pluripotent sympathogonia form the sympathetic ganglia, the chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla, and the paraganglia, reflecting the typical localization of neuroblastic tumors”.

Defects in embryonic genes controlling neural crest development are likely to underlie the proliferation and differentiation of neurobalstoma, yet the precise mechanism is unknown.Developmental programs controlling self-renewal in neuronal stem cells, including the Notch, Sonic hedgehog, and Wnt/b-catenin pathways, have been implicated in embryonal tumorigenesis (1,4,5).

Zhi F et al investigated the role of Wnt/β-catenin in modulation of cellular plasticity of the N2A cells-derived neurons and its possible functions in origination of neuroblastoma.  In human neuroblastoma specimens, the authors found that the amount of activated β-catenin in nucleus was up-regulated significantly in pace with clinical neuroblastoma risk (8).

Wickstorm M et al as well as others have investigated the role of Hedgehog (HH) signaling pathway and its role in the development of several types of cancer (9,10). Specific inhibitors revealed that inhibition of HH signaling at the level of GLI was most effective in reducing neuroblastoma growth. GANT61 sensitivity positively correlated to GLI1 and negatively to MYCN expression in the neuroblastoma cell lines tested. Wickstrom M and colleagues suggest that suggests that inhibition of HH signaling is a highly relevant therapeutic target for high-risk neuroblastoma lacking MYCN amplification and should be considered for clinical testing.

Although Sonic hedgehog, and Wnt/b-catenin pathways were found to be relevant in neuroblastoma progression, there were yet to be implied in the clinical practice.

According to the International Neuroblastoma Pathology Classification (INPC) the pNTs are assigned to one of the following
four basic morphological categories:

  • (1) Neuroblastoma (Schwannian-stroma poor)
  • (2) Ganglioneuroblastoma, intermixed (Schwannian stroma-rich)
  • (3) Ganglioneuroblastoma, nodular (composite Schwannian stroma-rich/stroma dominant and stroma-poor).
  • (4) Ganglioneuroma (Schwannian-stroma-dominant).

Shimada et al developed a histopathologic classification in patients with neuroblastoma (6) which was adapted by the INPC.

Important features of this classification include:

  • (1) the degree of neuroblast differentiation,
  • (2) the presence or absence of Schwannian stromal development (stroma-rich, stroma-poor),
  • (3) the index of cellular proliferation (known as mitosis-karyorrhexis index [MKI]),
  • (4) nodular pattern,
  • (5) age.

In a short summary, these pathological classification differentiate these patients into 2 major categories that prognosis:

  • Patients with low-risk and intermediate-risk neuroblastoma have excellent prognosis and outcome.
  • Patients with high-risk disease continue to have very poor outcomes despite intensive therapy.

Unfortunately, approximately 70-80% of patients older than 18 months present with metastatic disease, usually in the lymph nodes, liver, bone, and bone marrow, with particular predilection for metaphyseal, skull, and orbital bone sites. ” A classic presentation of periorbital swelling and ecchymoses (‘‘raccoon eyes’’) is seen in children who have disease spread to periorbital region”.

In contrast to the frequent lack of symptoms with locoregional disease, patients who have widespread disease are often ill appearing with fever, pain, and irritability.

Gene mutations and biomarkers:

Many chromosomal and molecular abnormalities have been identified in patients with neuroblastoma, some of these have been incorporated into the strategies used for risk assignment (7).

  • MYCN  amplification – is considered the most important biomarker in patients with neuroblastoma. “MYCN is an oncogene that is overexpressed in approximately one quarter of cases of neuroblastoma via the amplification of the distal arm of chromosome 2. This gene is amplified in approximately 25% of de novo cases and is more common in patients with advanced-stage disease. Patients whose tumors have MYCN amplification tend to have rapid tumor progression and poor prognosis, even in the setting of other favorable factors such as low-stage disease or 4S disease” (7).
  • H-ras expression – An oncogene correlates with lower stages of the disease
  • Deletion of Chromosome 1 – Deletion of the short arm of chromosome 1 is the most common chromosomal abnormality present in neuroblastoma and confers a poor prognosis. The 1p chromosome region likely harbors tumor suppressor genes or genes that control neuroblast differentiation. Deletion of 1p is associated with more advanced stage of the disease.
  • DNA index – a useful test that correlates with response to therapy in infants. DNA index >1 (=hyperdiploidy) have good therapeutic response while DNA index <1 are less responsive and require a more aggressive treatment. Note – DNA index does not have any prognostic significance in older children and this index occurs in the context of other chromosomal and molecular abnormalities that confer a poor prognosis.
  • Neurotrophin receptors (TrkA, TrkB and TrkC) – TrkA gene expression is inversely correlated with the amplification of the MYCN gene. In most patients younger than 1 year, a high expression of TrkA correlates with a good prognosis, especially in patients with stages 1, 2, and 4S. TrkC gene is correlated with TrkA expression. In contrast, TrkB is more commonly expressed in tumors with MYCN amplification. This association may represent an autocrine survival pathway.
  • Disruption of normal apoptotic pathways – Drugs that target DNA methylation, such as decitabine, are being explored in preliminary studies.
  • Others – other gene and protein expression were found such as glycoprotein  CD44 and multidrug resistance protein (MRP). Yet their role in the development of neuroblastoma is controversial.

Therapy

The table below outlines criteria for risk assignment based on the International Neuroblastoma Staging System (INSS), age, and biologic risk factors.

These criteria are based on the analysis of several thousands of patients treated in cooperative group protocols in Australia, Canada, Europe, Japan, and the United States.

Treatment regimes is carefully designed upon risk assessment and staging (1):

Low-risk neuroblastoma  Survival rates for patients who have INSS stage 1 disease, regardless of biologic factors, are excellent with surgery alone. Chemotherapy may be needed as an effective salvage therapy for patients who have INSS stage 1 disease who relapse after surgery only.

For patients who have INSS stage
1, 2A, or 2B disease, chemotherapy should be reserved for those who have localized neuroblastoma and experience life- or organ-threatening symptoms at diagnosis or for the minority of patients who experience recurrent or progressive disease.Patients with stage 2A/2B disease with amplified MYCN are considered high risk regardless of age and histology

Stage 4S neuroblastoma withoutMYCN amplification undergoes spontaneous regression in the majority of cases.  Chemotherapy or low-dose radiotherapy is used in patients who have large tumors or massive hepatomegaly.

Intermediate-risk neuroblastoma

Surgical resection and moderate–dose, multiagent chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, carboplatin, etoposide) are the standard of care. Chemo rounds are of either 4 cycles, 6 cycles, or 8 cycles, depending on histology and DNA index and response to treatment.  If residual disease is present after chemotherapy and surgery, radiation therapy could be considered. However, the use of radiation is controversial.

High-risk neuroblastoma

Patients with high-risk neuroblastoma require treatment with multiagent chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy. Current therapeutic protocols involve 4 phases of therapy, including induction, local control, consolidation and treatment of minimal residual disease. Induction therapy currently involves multiagent chemotherapy with non–cross-resistant profiles, including: alkylating agents, platinum, and anthracyclines and topoisomerase II inhibitors. Topoisomerase I inhibitor are also being considered. Local control involves surgical resection of primary tumor site as well as radiation to primary tumor site.

Myeloablative consolidation therapy – myeloablative consolidation therapy with etoposide, carboplatin, and melphalan have improved the outcome of patients. most centers now recommend the use of peripheral blood stem cell support over bone marrow for consolidation therapy in patients with high-risk neuroblastoma.

Other consideration – Use of 13-cis -retinoic acid in a maintenance phase of therapy. Recent data have showed improved survival in patients receiving 13-cis -RA in combination with immunomodulatory therapy with interleukin (IL)-2, granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and the chimeric anti-GD2 (gangliosidase) antibody when compared with 13-cis -RA alone.

Summary:

“Neuroblastoma is a heterogenous tumor for which biology dictates clinical behavior”.  The main the goal is to have patient-tailored prognosis. Additional research in search for new therapeutics for high-risk patients is needed. Some therapies under investigation include aurora kinase inhibitors, antiangiogenic agents, histone deacetylase inhibitors, and therapeutic metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG).  According to Park et al: “we must minimize the lasting effects of therapy,For the remaining patients who have low- and intermediate-risk disease,specifically avoiding organ damage or organ loss from surgery and organ dysfunction or risk for secondary malignancy after chemotherapy”.

Other future aspect of therapeutics may include specific inhibitor of this pathway, viz Cyclopamine and other kinase inhibitors like LY294002 for PI3K inhibition or  GSK-3β inhibitors in order to inhibit the Hedgehog and the β-catenin pathways, respectively.

Reference:

1. Park JR., Eggert A and Caron H.Neuroblastoma: Biology, Prognosis and Treatment. Pediatric Clinics of North America 2008; 55(1): 97-120. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031395507001575

2. Yamamoto K, Hayashi Y, Hanada R, et al. Mass screening and age-specific incidence of neuroblastoma in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. J Clin Oncol 1995;13(8):2033–2038. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Mass+screening+and+age-specific+incidence+of+neuroblastoma+in+Saitama+Prefecture%2C+Japan

3. Triche TJ. Neuroblastoma: biology confronts nosology. Arch Pathol Lab Med 1986;110(11):994–996. no available abstract.

4. Singh SK, Hawkins C, Clarke ID, et al. Identification of human brain tumour initiating cells. Nature 2004;432(7015):396–401. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15549107

5. Tirode F, Laud-Duval K, Prieur A, et al. Mesenchymal stem cell features of Ewing tumors.Cancer Cell 2007;11(5):421–429. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17482132

6. Shimada H, Chatten J, Newton WA Jr, et al. Histopathologic prognostic factors in neuroblastic tumors: definition of subtypes of ganglioneuroblastoma and an age-linked classification of neuroblastomas.J Natl Cancer Inst. Aug 1984;73(2):405-416. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6589432

7. Norman J Lacayo and Max J Coppes. Pediatric Neuroblastoma. MedScape Reference June 2012. http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/988284-overview#a0104

8. Zhi F., Gong G., Xu Y., Zhu Y., Hu D., Yang Y and Hu Y.Activated β-catenin Forces N2A Cell-derived Neurons Back to Tumor-like Neuroblasts and Positively Correlates with a Risk for Human Neuroblastoma. Int J Biol Sci. 2012; 8(2): 289–297. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3269611/

9. Shahi MH., Sinha S., Afzal M and Castresana JS. Role of Sonic hedgehog signaling pathway in neuroblastoma development. Biology and Medicine 2009, 1 (4): Rev2, 1-6. http://biolmedonline.com/Articles/vol1_4_Rev2.pdf

10. Wickstrom M., Dyberg C, Shimokawa T., Milosevic J., Baryawno N., Fuskevag OM., Larsson R., Kogner P, Zaphiropoulos PG and Johnsen JI. Targeting the hedgehog signal transduction pathway at the level of GLI inhibits neuroblastoma cell growth in vitro and in vivo.  Int J. Cancer 2013 Apr 1;132(7):1516-1524. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22949014

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