Work

Therapeutic implications of cancer gene amplifications without mRNA overexpression: silence may not be golden

Year: 2021

Type: article

Abstract: Amplifications of oncogenic genes are often considered actionable. However, not all patients respond. Questions have therefore arisen regarding the degree to which amplifications, especially non-focal ones, mediate overexpression. We found that a subset of high-level gene amplifications (≥ 6 copies) (from The Cancer Genome Atlas database) was not over-expressed at the RNA level. Unexpectedly, focal amplifications were more frequently silenced than non-focal amplifications. Most non-focal amplifications were not silenced; therefore, non-focal amplifications, if over-expressed, may be therapeutically tractable. Furthermore, specific silencing of high-level focal or non-focal gene amplifications may explain resistance to drugs that target the relevant gene product.

Source: Journal of Hematology & Oncology

DOI: 10.1186/s13045-021-01211-1

Authors: Amélie Boichard, Scott M. Lippman, Razelle Kurzrock

Institutions: Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, Université de Strasbourg, Moores Cancer Center, WIN Consortium

Language: English

Topic: Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics

Subfield: Cancer Research

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,990