Uncovering pathophysiological and molecular mechanisms involvedin tumorigenesis by platforms for next-generation sequencing (NGS)

Abstract

To elucidate the molecular pathogenesis of endocrine tumors, several studies have investigated the role of specific genes regulating the organ development, genes involved in tumorigenesis of other tissues, such as abnormalities in genes that lead to cycle progression and cell division (oncogenes) or genes that block the cell cycle (tumor suppressor genes), miRNAs, and large noncoding (lncRNAs). Significant advances have been observed in the molecular elucidation of various hereditary syndromes that occur with pituitary tumors [(McCune - Albright, Multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type 1 and type 4, Carney's syndrome, and familial isolated pituitary adenoma (FIPA)]; with adrenal tumors (Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, Carney complex, McCune-Albright, MEN1); and with thyroid tumors (MEN2, Hereditary medullar thyroid carcinoma). All these advances occurred due approaches based on candidate genes and linkage studies, but the molecular pathogenesis of sporadic endocrine tumors has not been completely clarified. The new platforms of next generation sequencing (NGS) present major advantages for the analysis of 1) exoma (Target-seq analysis) 2) epigenomic (either by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) or promoter DNA methylation analysis), and 3) transcriptome. Therefore, this project aims to use NGS technology to better understand the process of central nervous system (glyomas) and endocrine tumorigenesis. Tumoral tissues will be obtained from patients followed in the Hospital das Clinicas, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo (HCFMRP-USP). As controls, normal tissue samples will be obtained at CEMEL (Center of Forensic Medicine) from autopsies of patients with accidental or sudden death from cardiac causes. The NGS certainly will indicate new genes and/or new cell signaling pathways that may be keys of the enlightenment of endocrine tumorigenesis.