10/4 Flashcards
Epidemiology
Study of the distribution, determinants, prevention, and control of disease
Different Kinds of Cancer Epidemiology
- Analytic: cancer’s determinants in human pop.
Men have higher risk of cancer than females, may be due to height
- Molecular epidemiology: examination of biological markers of exposure, disease, and points in between
Exposure: cytokines, SNPs, FAs in blood
Disease: tumor Histology/differentiation, prostate specific antigen test
Points in between: breast tissue inflammation, DNA adducts, miRNA expression, DNA methylation
miRNA Biogenesis
- Transcription
- mRNA gets processed by DGCR8 and Drosha
- Export to cytoplasm by Exportin 5
- Dicer processing: cuts loop and adjacent mRNA, yields dsRNA, then acted on by helicase
- Strand selection by RISC
- Translational repression if good complementary mRNA to the ssRNA, cleave mRNA if total
Onco and tumor suppressor miRNAs
miR-221 and miR-222 tumor suppressor: loss results in erythroblastic leukemia, inhibits proliferation in erythroblasts, involves KIT
miR-221 and miR-222 onco: overexpression in aggressive CLL, thyroid/hepatocellular carcinoma, promotes cell proliferation and inhibits apoptosis in various solid malignancies, inhibits p27 that regulates cell cycle
miRNA act as Hormones
Released in exosomes or microvesicles while associated with RNA binding proteins, extremely stable
miRNA found in saliva, serum/plasma, urine, CSF
Move through blood to distant cells
Unknown receptors take up miRNA in muscle cells, cause apoptosis that leads to cachexia
miRNA Nomenclature
Species specific: hsa-, mmu-
miRNA indication: miR for mature, pri- and pre-miRNA for primary and precursors, MIR for genes
Primary is made from transcription, precursor is after DGCR8 processing, mature is after dicer
miRNA number: 181, 146
miRNA variant: a, b, c
miRNA allele: miR-181a1 and miR-181a2 since multiple copies of same allele
miRNA strand: 3p or 5p, 5p is at the stalk before the loop at the 5’ end of the miRNA
Telomeres and Telomerase
Telomeres: TTAGGG, bind different proteins at telomeres to prevent degradation and unwanted associations since one end hangs out
Telomerase: stem cells don’t shorten since have telomerase, a reverse transcriptase (TERT) that contains an RNA template (hTR)
Stem Cells
Unspecialized cells that lack tissue-specific differentiation and specialized function
Defined for their capacity of self renewal so divide and daughter cells contain same biological properties
Long lasting and normally quiescent but can proliferate to repopulate injured tissue
Cancer stem cells: dysregulation of normal self renewal pathways that involve cellular pathways like Wnt and tumor suppressor genes like p53
Form transit amplifying cells that gain additional mutations and lead to tumor growth/expansion but are incapable of long term maintenance of the tumor
Warburg Effect: Clinical Utility
Do PET scan wit 18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) which is a nonmetabolizable compound
FDG concentrated in tumors, brain will also light up since uses a lot of glucose normally, can’t use FDG for brain cancer, also in bladder since piss out
Tumors are also glutamine hogs
Cells of the Tumor Microenvironment
- Fibroblasts: tumor initiation, growth, and invasion
- Adipocytes: adipokines increase tumor migration/invasion
- Tumor endothelial cells: leukocyte recruitment and tumor invasion/metastasis
- Pericytes: stabilize blood vessels, inhibit endothelial cell proliferation, maintain capillary diameter, regulate blood flow, provide endothelial survival signals
- Tumor associated macrophages: immune regulation, promote tumor cell growth/development
- Dendritic Cells: induce vascularity and involved in tumor immune-pathogenesis, have pro/anti tumor functions
- Mast cells: elaborate GFs, VEGF, MMPs, and chemokines
Promotes tumor development by disturbing the normal stromal-epithelial communication, facilitating tumor angiogenesis, releasing GFs, and inducing state of immunosuppression
Cancer Associated Fibroblasts
Activated by: GFs (like TGF-beta, FGF2, and PDGF), ECM professes, and chemokines
Activation leads to: cell proliferation, synthesis of ECM components like tenascin-C, various GFs, chemokines, and expression of alpha smooth muscle actin
Facilitate angiogenesis and make fibrosis (desmoplasia)
Increased deposition of collagen I and III, mediate inflammatory response through chemokines like monocytes chemotactic protein 1 (MCP1) and IL-1
Secrete MMPs and VEGF
Desmoplasia
Growth of the stromal component of the ECM that is associated with the tumor
Fibrosis that follows tumor, prominent at leading edge of a carcinoma
Cancer Associated Adipocytes
Delipidation to lose lipids, decreased expression of adipocytes markers, over expression of pro-inflammatory factors and ECM-related molecules
Adipocyte derived stem cells differentiate to generate adipose derived fibroblasts that express smooth muscle actin
Transition associated with profibrotic state and enhanced tumor cell migration
Help tumors develop chemo/radioresistance
Cancer Associated Endothelial Cells
Control leukocyte recruitment, limits effectiveness of host response against tumor
Express MMPs and TIMPs that influence tumor progression
Tend to form dilated, tortuous, and highly permeable vessels
Tumor Associated Macrophages
Help cell proliferate, remodel ECM, promote angiogenesis, aid tumor cells in evading immune response
Change over time-
M1 Macrophage: normal macrophage activity that leads to pro-inflammatory response
M2 Macrophage: produce cytokines like TGF-beta and IL-10 that promote tumor evasion of host immune response