Test 1 Flashcards
Del(5q) is commonly seen in…
Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) (sometimes in AML as well)
Difference between an interstitial deletion and a terminal deletion:
Interstitial: two break points in the chromosome
Deletion: one break point in the chromosome
Del(5q) genetic mechanism of oncogenesis:
Deletion: Gene dosage effect caused by deletion of multiple genes contained in the 5q region
t(9;22) is commonly seen in…
Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), and also some cases of acute lymphocytic leukaemia (ALL)
t(9;22) genetic mechanism of oncogenesis:
Translocation resulting in formation of the novel hybrid fusion gene BCR-ABL1 on der(22).
t(14;18) is commonly seen in…
Follicular lymphoma and some cases of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
t(14;18) genetic mechanism of oncogenesis:
Translocation resulting in juxtaposition of BCL2 gene with IGH@ causing de-regulated expression of BCL2
Double minutes (dmins) are commonly seen in…
AML
Dmins genetic mechanism of oncogenesis:
- Amplification leading to c-myc oncogene over expression
Pericentric inversions:
Pericentric inversions include the centromere in the inversion i.e. in both arms of the chromosome
inv(16) is commonly seen in…
AML
FISH with inv(16):
- Pericentric inversion visualised using a break-apart probe for 16q22, the region that includes the CBFβ gene.
- The component of the probe that binds upstream of the CBFβ gene is labelled red, while that which binds downstream is labelled green.
- Native state: red and green signals combine to produce a yellow colour
- Inversion state: red and green signals appear distinct from each other
Paracentric inversions:
Only occur in one arm of the chromosome
inv(16) genetic mechanism of action:
- Inversion resulting in formation of a novel hybrid fusion gene CBFβ-MYH11
- MYH11 encodes transcription factor that interacts with RUNX1
- RUNX1 function is inhibited with binding
t(8;21) is commonly seen in…
AML of the M2 subtype
t(8;21) genetic mechanism of action:
- Translocation resulting in formation of a novel hybrid fusion gene RUNX1-RUNX1T1.
- The chimeric fusion protein has transforming oncogenic activity
t(8;14) is commonly seen in…
Burkitt’s lymphoma (sometimes in non-Hodgkins lymphoma)
t(8;14) genetic mechanism of action:
- Translocation resulting in juxtaposition of myc gene with IGH@ causing overexpression and increased proliferation
t(15;17) is commonly seen in…
Acute promyelocytic leukaemia, also called AML M3
t(15;17) with FISH
- Visualised using a dual-fusion probe set
- One probe is green, one is red, each labelled to chromosome 15 or 17
- Unaffected 15 and 17: labelled red and green respectively
- Derivative 15 and 17: a combination of red, green and yellow signals
What two genes are involved in the abnormality t(15;17)?
PML and RARa
How does the abnormality t(15;17) cause AML?
t(15;17) forms a novel hybrid fusion gene PML-RARa
What prognosis does t(15;17) PML-RARa have?
Favourable
How does trisomy 8 result in AML?
There is amplification of oncogene c-myc
What prognosis does trisomy 8 have?
intermediate
What prognosis does t(8;21) RUNX1-RUNX1T1 have?
favourable
What prognosis does inv(16) CBFβ-MYH11 have?
Favourable
Explain Knudson’s Two-Hit Hypothesis for carcinogenesis:
- Knudson’s two-hit hypothesis is based on the theory that the tumour suppressor genes on both chromosomes in a cell need to be inactivated in order to produce a cancer (i.e. two hits)
- This can either be sporadic, so two events need to happen to mutate each gene, or one mutated gene can be inherited from parents, and then only one event needs to occur to mutate both genes
Explain the multi-step nature of carcinogenesis:
- The multi-step nature model has three phases: initiation, promotion, tumour progression
- initiation: a mutation occurs where the metabolism and repair processes of the cell are altered
- promotion: involves proliferation of the affected cell (this is irreversible but not yet cancer)
- progression: a series or mutations of epigenetic changes occur in these cells, and with selection they continue proliferating
Explain the somatic mutation theory vs. tissue organised field theory:
- Somatic mutation Theory (SMT): Carcinogenic agents lead to a higher number of new mutations or increase in already mutated genes which can affect cell growth, differentiation or function.
Tissue Organization Field Theory (TOFT): Carcinogenic agents disrupt interactions between cells that maintain the tissue architecture
What is the role of proto-oncogenes?
- regulate cell growth and differentiation
- potential to become oncogenes
- involved in signal transduction and execution of mitogenic signals
What is the role of onco-genes?
- have the potential to increase the malignancy of a cell
- once they become activated they are constitutively expressed
- e.g. c-myc, k-ras
What are the different classification of oncogenes?
- growth factors
- growth factor receptors
- cytoplasmic tyrosine kinases
- cytoplasmic serine/threonine kinases
- regulatroy GTPases
- transcription factors
Mechanism of action of growth factor receptors and an example
- overexpression or amplification
- they add phosphate groups to tyrosine in target proteins
- this can cause cancer by switching the receptor permanently on without signals from outside of the cell
e. g. platelet derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR)
Mechanism of action of regulatory GTPases and an example
- mechanism: point mutations leading to deregulated overactivity
- e.g. Ras in many common cancers (lung, colon)
Mechanism of transcription factors and an example
- mechanism: point mutation, amplifications ot translocations
- e.g. c-myc amplicaton in dmins
How oncogenes become activated:
- through mutations, gene amplification and chromosomal rearrangements
How mutations work to activate oncogenes:
- alter structure of proto-oncogene -> produces an oncogene
- dominant-gain-of-function mutation: affected gene has a new molecular function
- involve protein regulatory regions –> leads to uncontrolled activity of the mutated protein
How gene amplification works to activate oncogenes:
- repeated copying in DNA replication -> more copy numbers -> higher gene expression -> deregulated cell growth
- Amplification can result in d-mins (double minutes)
- Amplified regions can contain hundreds of copies
- e.g. c-myc is amplified in small-cell lung cancer, breast/ovarian cancer and leukaemias
How chromosomal rearrangements work to activate oncogenes:
- When these rearrangements happen, oncogenes can be activated by:
- Regulatory control of IGH@
- oncogene is moved close to an immunoglobulin gene and falls under its control -> deregulated expression -> neoplastic transformation
- Formation of novel hybrid fusion genes
- Juxtaposition of 2 genes to form a novel fusion gene -> codes for chimeric protein -> transforming activity
What is a tumour suppressor gene and what are its functions?
- They suppress cellular growth/survival when needed to prevent tumours forming.
- Outcomes triggered by tumour suppressor activation:
- Arrest cell cycle to inhibit cell division
- Induce cell cycle to DNA damage repair mechanisms
- Promote apoptosis if damage cannot be repaired
- Induce senescence
Six biological capabilities acquired by cancer cells:
- Sustaining growth signalling
- Evading growth suppressors
- Resisting cell death
- Enabling replicative immortality
- Inducing angiogenesis
- Activating invasion and metastasis
How cancer cells sustain growth signalling:
- send their own signals to normal cells in extracellular matrix around tumour -> react and supply tumour with growth factor
- An increase in receptor proteins at the cancer cell surface -> hyper responsive to usually limited supply -> an increase of growth signalling
- this keeps growth signalling switched on
How cancer cells evade growth suppressors:
- Function of a growth suppressor is to control growth (regulatory pathways/factors)
- Many of these are dependent on tumour suppressor genes e.g. TP53
- Defects in pathways/genes -> cancer cells resist inhibitory signals that would usually stop their growth
How cancer cells resist cell death
- Apoptosis = programmed cell death
- Different pathways regulating/affecting apoptosis (e.g. TP53 mediated/BCL2 regulated)
- Opportunities for cancer cells to resist apoptosis through defects in these pathways
p53/BCL2 regulatory pathway to Apoptosis:
- BCL2 has anti cell death function-> cell lives
- TP53 can: promote cell death and DNA repair
- Apoptosis acts to control cancer cells but it can be overcome if:
- 1) Over expression of BCL2 (
- 2) Mutation/loss of TP53
How cancer cells induce angiogenesis:
- angiogenesis: formation of new blood vessels (this process is balanced by inducers and inhibitors)
- For cancer cells to grow they need a blood supply. During carcinogenesis an “angiogenicswitch” is tripped and remains on. Inducers & inhibitors control this switch
- e.g. TP53 loss or mutation can dysregulate TSP-1and induce angiogenesis as seen in growth of breast and melanoma cancers
How cancer cells activate invasion and metastasis:
- Metastasis: distant areas attach to ECM and recruit normal cells for support
- Activated by changes in molecules needed for cell adhesion: cadherins and integrins
- Genetic alteration in cadherins/integrins or factors that regulate/affect their pathways –> activation of invasion/metastasis
Defintion of AML:
- Accumulation of clonal immature cells from the myeloid lineage in the bone marrow that interferes with normal production
- More than 20% blasts
Risk factors for AML:
- There are few known proven risk factors for AML and it is relatively unknown what causes AML to develop.
- Smoking
- Chemicals
- Radiation
- Viruses
- Congenital syndromes (some - increase risk)
- Certain blood disorders
AML genetic mechanisms:
- Homeostasis: balance in proliferation/regulation/apoptosis
- Cancer-associated genes: oncogenes, tumour suppressor genes
- Activation of oncogenes by: mutation/amplification/translocation
- Switching off tumour suppressors by: mutation
- Outcome: alteration of gene expression
- Leads to: alteration in growth/apoptosis/differentiation/function
- 2nd event or multi-step process leads to cancer being formed.
Cancer stem cell theory
- involves stem cells, progenitor cells or differentiated cells
- cell becomes mutated -> loss of regulated cell divison -> cancer stem cell
Two hit model for AML:
Involves class I and class II mutations
Class I:
- these mutations give prolierative or survival advantages but do not affect differentiation
- e.g. BCR/ABL mutations
- produce a CML-like mutation
Class II:
- these mutation impair haematopoietic differentiation which leads to apoptosis
- e.g. PML/RARa fusions
- produce an MDS-like mutation
These two class mutations in combination –> produce AML
Lab investiagtions for AML
- Morphology and blood film
- Coagulation studies
- Immunophenotyping
- HLA typing
- Molecular Haematology
- Cytogenetics
PB film and bone marrow aspirate/trephine in diagnosing AML
- Peripheral blood film - mostly diagnostic, blasts & accompanying changes provide good clues
- Bone marrow aspirate - detailed morphology of cells, good for quantitating
- Bone marrow trephine - marrow cellularity & cellular pattern of involvement , IHC testing & assessing fibrosis esp in a “dry” tap aspirate
Features of an AML blood film:
- nucleated RBCs
- Pelger Huet anomaly
- large platelets
Blasts:
- auer rodes
- high n:c ratio
- obvious nucleoli
- pale blue-grey cytoplasm