Neoplasia Flashcards
“Driver Mutation”
Mutation that contributes to the development of the malignant phenotype.
What are two ways in which healthy cells respond to Growth Signals?
- Induction and activation of transcription factors and epigenetic alterations that initiate and sustain DNA transcription
- Promote entry and progression of the fell into the cell cycle.
Define Protooncogenes?
Promote normal growth and differentiation (code for proteins that trigger cell division/cell cycle progression).
Protooncogenes can be converted into what?
and how?
- Oncogenes
- Genetic alterations, usually only allele needs muted to add growth promoting effect.
Oncogenes have what growth promoting effect?
Dominant acting/gain of function
What are Oncoproteins and how are they produced?
- Devoid of regulatory elements
- Their production in the transformed cell does not depend on growth factors or other external signals
What is common to all proto-oncogenes?
All participate in some way in signaling pathways that drive proliferation.
What do Oncoproteins give to cells?
Renders the cells with self-sufficiency in growth.
Growth Factors:
FGF3, FGF4 (Fibroblast growth factor)
Mode of activation?
Associated tumors?
Overexpression
Stomach, Breast, Bladder
Growth Factors:
PDGF (platelet derived growth factor)
Mode of activation?
Associated tumors?
Overexpression
Astrocytoma
Growth Factors:
TGFa (Transforming growth factor)
Mode of activation?
Associated tumors?
Overexpression
Sarcomas, Astrocytoma
Growth Factors:
ERB1 (Epidermal growth factor receptor)
Pathway involved?
Mode of activation?
Associated tumors?
- Receptor Tyrosine Kinase
- Mutation
- Non-small cell carcinoma of lung (NSCLC), Glioblastoma
Growth Factors:
ERB2 (HER/neu)
Pathway involved?
Mode of activation?
Associated tumors?
- Receptor Tyrosine Kinase
- Amplification
- Breast, Ovary, lung
Growth Factors:
RET (Receptor for Neurotrophic Factor)
Pathway involved?
Mode of activation?
Associated tumors?
- Receptor Tyrosine Kinase
- Point Mutation
- Multiple Endocrine neoplasia (MEN 2A and 2B)
Growth Factors:
ALK
Pathway involved?
Mode of activation?
Associated tumors?
- Receptor Tyrosine Kinase
- EML4-ALK fusion on chromosome 5
- Lung Adenocarcinoma (NSCLC)
How does the point mutation of ERB1 work?
Mutation of the Epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor can make it active even in the absence of EGF, and consequently oncogenic.
Ras (H-,K-,N- subtype) functions as a?
Molecular switch
What stimulates the dissociation of GDP and the subsequent uptake of GTP from the cytosol, thereby activating Ras.
Ras-GEFs - Ras Guanine nucleotide exchange factors.
What do Ras-GEFs - Ras Guanine nucleotide exchange factors do?
Stimulates the dissociation of GDP and the subsequent uptake of GTP from the cytosol, thereby activating Ras.
What do Ras-GAPs do?
Increase the rate of hydrolysis of bound GTP by Ras, thereby inactivating Ras.
What occurs with Hyperactive mutant forms of Ras?
- They are resistant to GAP-mediated GTPase stimulation and are locked permanently in the GTP-bound active state.
- This promotes the development of cancer.
What is the most common abnormality of dominant oncogenes in human cancers?
Percentage?
Point mutations of RAS family genes
~30% of all tumors
Percentage of pancreatic adenocarcinomas that contain RAS mutations?
~90%
Percentage of colon, endometrial, and thyroid cancers that contain RAS mutations?
50%
100% of hairy cell leukemias, and >60% of melanomas caused by?
BRAF mutations
What is BRAF?
Serine/Threonine protein kinase that activates downstream kinases of the MAPK cascade.
~30% of breast cancers have a mutation involving the a-isoform of ?
PIK3 catalytic subunit