NMD microarray analysis for rapid genome-wide screen of mutated genes in cancer

Cell Oncol. 2005;27(3):169-73. doi: 10.1155/2005/478316.

Abstract

Gene mutations play a critical role in cancer development and progression, and their identification offers possibilities for accurate diagnostics and therapeutic targeting. Finding genes undergoing mutations is challenging and slow, even in the post-genomic era. A new approach was recently developed by Noensie and Dietz to prioritize and focus the search, making use of nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) inhibition and microarray analysis (NMD microarrays) in the identification of transcripts containing nonsense mutations. We combined NMD microarrays with array-based CGH (comparative genomic hybridization) in order to identify inactivation of tumor suppressor genes in cancer. Such a "mutatomics" screening of prostate cancer cell lines led to the identification of inactivating mutations in the EPHB2 gene. Up to 8% of metastatic uncultured prostate cancers also showed mutations of this gene whose loss of function may confer loss of tissue architecture. NMD microarray analysis could turn out to be a powerful research method to identify novel mutated genes in cancer cell lines, providing targets that could then be further investigated for their clinical relevance and therapeutic potential.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line, Tumor / drug effects
  • Codon, Nonsense
  • Emetine / pharmacology
  • Genetic Testing*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mutation / genetics*
  • Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis* / methods
  • Prostatic Neoplasms
  • Protein Synthesis Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • RNA Stability / drug effects
  • RNA, Neoplasm / analysis
  • Receptor, EphB2 / analysis
  • Receptor, EphB2 / genetics

Substances

  • Codon, Nonsense
  • Protein Synthesis Inhibitors
  • RNA, Neoplasm
  • Receptor, EphB2
  • Emetine