case 4 - bowel cancer Flashcards
what is the majority of CRCs
sporadic
what percentage of bowel cancers are FAP
1%
what surface of the colon do the polyps line
the lumen surface of the colon
what is HNPCC
hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer
what is HNPCC
hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer
what percentage of CRCs are HNPCCs
2-3%
what is Lynch Syndrome
when you are predisposed to other cancers
what do these other cancers include
ovary, small intestine, urinary tract, skin and brain cancer
what is the difference between FAP and HNPCC
there are very few polyps in HNPCC but the progression is fast, 2-3 years instead of the 8-10 years in FAP
what are FAP and HNPCC
both familial forms of cancer
what are the hallmarks of cancer
evading apoptosis
self sufficiency in growth signals
insensitvity to anti growth signals
sustained angiogenesis
tissue invasion and metastasis
avoiding immune destruction
genomic instability
what is the implication gene type for oncogenesis and TSG
diploid
is is stage G1 in the cell cycle
cell is born and each chromosome is a single chromatid
what is the S phase of the cell cylce
synthesis - DNA replication (replicate the chromosomes)
what happens when the S phase is over
each chromosome is represented by two sister chromatids
what happens after S phase
G2
what happens after G2
mitosis
what happens during mitosis
division: chromatids get pulled apart in opposite directions, mean that each new cell inherits one copy of each chromosome in them. once they go back to G1, each cell yet again is represented by one chrmoatid
what are the steps from gene to tissue
- genome
- transcriptome
- proteome - via process of translation
- cell function - biogenesis and metabolism
- tissue architecture - proliferation
what happens if there is mutations in these genes
we have changes and this affects cell function and proliferation
what turns into malignancy
hyperplasia
what are most tumours made up fo
lots of different clones - tumour heterogeneity
what does multi step tumorgenesis involve
clonal expansion
what are oncogenes encoded by
viruses that can cause cancer e.g SV40 virus
what happens when viral genes are introduced into cells
they have a dominant transformative effect e.g Src, Ras, Myc
what is the case of oncogenes
it is sufficient to only have one copy of a mutated gene to cause cancer
what are examples of single activating mutations
B catenin and KRAS
what are tumour suppressor genes linked with
retinoblastoma and Knudson’s two hit hypothesis
what is retinoblastoma
a type of cancer that affects children and either comes in a familial or sporadic form
what did Knudson notice
that individuals with familial disease had eye tumours bilaterally and were more likely to have other tumours
what is retinoblastoma caused by
a mutation on gene 13 (Rb)
what happens with indiviudals with familial retinoblastoma
all inherent one mutant copy of this gene
This mutation is recessive but if one cell requires a second copy, Rb function is lost and this not only predisposes them to bilateral eye cancer, but to other cancers as well
what type of gene is Rb
a tumour supressor gene
what has to happen in sporadic Rb disease
you must first pick up a mutant Rb allelle and then you need a second mutant copy- much more rare event and wont get other cacers
what is the basis of Knudson’s theory
in familial disease, only one random hit is required but in sporadic disease, two hits are required
what do the signalling pathways include;
- ligands
- receptors
- signalling cascade
- transcription factors
- alters cellular function and gene expression
what are the different types of cell biological processes
growth factor receptors and hormone receptors
Receptor tyrosine kinase
G-protein coupled receptors
Phosphatase
GTpase switches e.g Ras
Cytoplasmic -nucelar shuttling
Serine/threonine phosphorylation cascades
All the elements of transcriptional control
Micro RNAs
Translational control
Sumolyation
(Don’t need to know just be aware)
what is RAS
a switch
what does ras bind to
GTP
what does RAS do to GTP
Ras has GTPase activity, it can hydrolyse GTP
what does it hydrolyse GTP to
GDP
what does this release
an organic phosphate
what happens when ras is bound to GTP
it adopts an active conformation and stimulates downstream pathways
what does ras’s own GTPase activity turn it into
GDP/RAS complex which is inactive
the GDP is then exchanged for a fresh molecule of GTP
what happens when these downstream RAS pathways are active
leads to stimulation of cell proliferation and protein synthesis
what happens if there is a single mutation in RASS
locks it in the active form which means these downstream signals continually on, even in the absence of upstream signals. so when RAS is locked on, proliferation is stimulation
how many copies of Ras need to be mutated
only one copy of the RAS gene
what is Wnt
a secreted factor that promotes proliferation by binding to its receptor
what is the Wnt complex made up of
active GSK-3 beta, APC, beta catennin
what happens when this Wnt complex is activated
GSK3 beta phosphorylates beta catenin and leads to degradation.
what happens when Wnt is bound to this complex
it disrupts this complex, now GSK-3 beta is iz inactive and beta catenin doesnt get degraded and beta catenin builds up in the cell
moves into the nucleus and drive the processes for cell proliferation
what is beta catenin
an oncogene
what is APC
a tumour supressor gene
what are the target genes
cyclin D and myc
when is entry into the cell cycle regulated
G1
what happens during this period
cells are responsive to mitogenic GFs and to TGF beta
what happens once it passes the R point in G1
it is now committed to compete the entire process of the cell cycle
what happens if you withdraw stimulatory processes beyond R
the cell cycle will still complete