Germline EMSY sequence alterations in hereditary breast cancer and ovarian cancer families.

BACKGROUND: BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations explain approximately one-fifth of the inherited susceptibility in high-risk Finnish hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) families. EMSY is located in the breast cancer-associated chromosomal region 11q13. The EMSY gene encodes a BRCA2-interacting protein that has been implicated in DNA damage repair and genomic instability. We analysed the role of germline EMSY variation in breast/ovarian cancer predisposition. The present study describes the first EMSY screening in patients with high familial risk for this disease. METHODS: Index individuals from 71 high-risk, BRCA1/2-negative HBOC families were screened for germline EMSY sequence alterations in protein coding regions and exon-intron boundaries using Sanger sequencing and TaqMan assays. The identified variants were further screened in 36 Finnish HBOC patients and 904 controls. Moreover, one novel intronic deletion was screened in a cohort of 404 breast cancer patients unselected for family history. Haplotype block structure and the association of haplotypes with breast/ovarian cancer were analysed using Haploview. The functionality of the identified variants was predicted using Haploreg, RegulomeDB, Human Splicing Finder, and Pathogenic-or-Not-Pipeline 2. RESULTS: Altogether, 12 germline EMSY variants were observed. Two alterations were located in the coding region, five alterations were intronic, and five alterations were located in the 3'untranslated region (UTR). Variant frequencies did not significantly differ between cases and controls. The novel variant, c.2709 + 122delT, was detected in 1 out of 107 (0.9%) breast cancer patients, and the carrier showed a bilateral form of the disease. The deletion was absent in 897 controls (OR = 25.28; P = 0.1) and in 404 breast cancer patients unselected for family history. No haplotype was identified to increase the risk of breast/ovarian cancer. Functional analyses suggested that variants, particularly in the 3'UTR, were located within regulatory elements. The novel deletion was predicted to affect splicing regulatory elements. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the identified EMSY variants are likely neutral at the population level. However, these variants may contribute to breast/ovarian cancer risk in single families. Additional analyses are warranted for rare novel intronic deletions and the 3'UTR variants predicted to have functional roles.

Whole-exome sequencing of Finnish hereditary breast cancer families.

A remarkable proportion of factors causing genetic predisposition to breast cancer (BC) are unknown in non-BRCA1/2 families. Exome sequencing was performed for 13 high-risk Finnish hereditary breast and/or ovarian cancer (HBOC) families to detect variants contributing to BC susceptibility. After filtering, 18 candidate variants in DNA damage response (DDR) pathway genes were screened in 129 female HBOC patients, up to 989 female controls, and 31 breast tumours by Sanger sequencing/TaqMan assays. In addition, two variants were further studied in 49 male BC patients and 909 male controls. Second, all variants predicted to affect function in six early-onset BC patients were analysed in detail. Variants in ATM, MYC, PLAU, RAD1, and RRM2B were enriched in female HBOC patients compared with controls (odds ratio 1.16-2.16). A rare nonsynonymous variant in RAD50 was detected in a male BC patient. In addition, a very rare BRCA1 variant was identified in a single high-risk family. None of the variants showed wild-type allele loss in breast tumours. Furthermore, novel variants predicted to affect function were detected in early-onset patients in genes, which target DNA repair and replication, signalling, apoptosis, and cell cycle pathways. Family-specific enrichment of multiple DDR pathway gene defects likely explains BC predisposition in the studied families. These findings provide new information on potential BC-related pathways and an excellent premise for future studies.

Intrafamily and Interfamilial Phenotype Variation and Immature Immunity in Patients With Netherton Syndrome and Finnish SPINK5 Founder Mutation.

IMPORTANCE: Netherton syndrome (NS) is a rare and severe genodermatosis caused by SPINK5 mutations leading to the loss of lymphoepithelial Kazal-type-related inhibitor (LEKTI). Netherton syndrome is characterized by neonatal scaling erythroderma, a bamboolike hair defect, a substantial skin barrier defect, and a profound atopic diathesis. Netherton syndrome has been proposed to be a primary immunodeficiency syndrome because of the high frequency of infections. The precise mechanisms underlying the disease are not fully understood. OBJECTIVE: To study the association of the SPINK5 mutation with the NS phenotype and the extent of immunologic deficiencies in NS. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Relevant tissue samples and follow-up data from 11 patients with NS from 7 families, including 3 multiplex families, were collected, constituting all known patients with NS in Finland. Another patient with NS from a neighboring country was included. Data were collected from August 10, 2011, to February 20, 2015. SPINK5 mutations were sequenced, and thorough clinical evaluation and histopathologic and immunohistochemical evaluations of skin samples were performed. The function of natural killer cells, lymphocyte phenotype, and serum immunoglobulin subclass levels were evaluated. Data analysis was conducted from October 19, 2011, to February 20, 2015. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The nature of SPINK5 mutations and their correlation with phenotypes in Finnish patients with NS, intrafamilial phenotype variations, and the type of immunologic defects in NS were evaluated. RESULTS: Among the 11 Finnish patients with NS (8 male [73%]; 3 female [27%]; mean [SD] age, 30.1 [9.1] years), a Finnish founder mutation c.652C>T (p.Arg218*) in SPINK5 was identified in 10 patients from 6 families who all originated from the same region. Eight patients were homozygotes for this mutation and 2 siblings were compound heterozygotes with a splice site mutation c.1220 + 1G>C (IVS13 + 1 G>C). Phenotypes were comparable, but some intrafamilial and interfamilial variations were noted. Compound heterozygous patients had a milder phenotype and showed residual LEKTI expression. A previously unreported c.1772delT (p.Leu591Glnfs124*) mutation was found in 1 patient with a phenotype similar to the patients homozygous for the founder mutation. The patient from the neighboring country had a distinct phenotype and different mutations. Immunologically, natural killer cells had an immature phenotype and impaired cytotoxicity and degranulation, levels of memory B cells were reduced, and serum IgG4 levels were elevated. Intravenous immunoglobulin treatment has been beneficial in 1 patient with NS. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This report discloses a prevalent SPINK5 founder mutation in Finland and illustrates NS phenotype variability. Our results also point to a possible role of immature immunity in the frequent infections seen in NS.

Quantitative analysis of γ-H2AX and p53 nuclear expression levels in ovarian and fallopian tube epithelium from risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomies in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers.

Mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes confer an increased lifetime risk for breast and ovarian cancer. Increased lifetime ovarian cancer risk among BRCA1/BRCA2 mutation carriers can be substantially decreased by risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO), which also provides material for molecular research on early pathogenesis of serous ovarian cancer. RRSO studies have suggested fallopian tube as a primary site of serous high-grade ovarian cancer. In this study, the nuclear expression levels of γ-H2AX and p53 using immunohistochemical (IHC) study was quantitatively assessed in ovarian and fallopian tube epithelium derived from RRSOs in 29 BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers and in 1 patient with a strong family history of breast and ovarian cancer but showing an unknown BRCA status. Both p53 and γ-H2AX nuclear staining levels were significantly higher in BRCA1/2 mutation-positive fallopian tube epithelium compared with the control fallopian tube epithelium (P<0.006 and P=0.011, respectively). Nuclear expression levels of p53 and γ-H2AX were similar between the BRCA1/2 mutation-positive ovarian epithelium and controls. Both γ-H2AX and p53 showed significantly higher nuclear expression levels in BRCA1/2 mutation-positive fallopian tube epithelium compared with BRCA1/2 mutation-positive ovarian epithelium (P<0.0001 and P<0.0001, respectively). BRCA1/2 mutation-positive fallopian tube epithelium showed a positive correlation between the γ-H2AX and p53 nuclear expression levels (Pearson r=0.508, P=0.003). Our results of quantitative nuclear p53 and γ-H2AX expression levels in ovarian and fallopian tube epithelium derived from RRSO in high-risk patients support the previously suggested role of fallopian tube epithelium serving as a possible site of initial serous ovarian carcinogenesis.

copy number variation analysis in familial BRCA1/2-negative Finnish breast and ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: Inherited factors predisposing individuals to breast and ovarian cancer are largely unidentified in a majority of families with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC). We aimed to identify germline copy number variations (CNVs) contributing to HBOC susceptibility in the Finnish population. METHODS: A cohort of 84 HBOC individuals (negative for BRCA1/2-founder mutations and pre-screened for the most common breast cancer genes) and 36 healthy controls were analysed with a genome-wide SNP array. CNV-affecting genes were further studied by Gene Ontology term enrichment, pathway analyses, and database searches to reveal genes with potential for breast and ovarian cancer predisposition. CNVs that were considered to be important were validated and genotyped in 20 additional HBOC individuals (6 CNVs) and in additional healthy controls (5 CNVs) by qPCR. RESULTS: An intronic deletion in the EPHA3 receptor tyrosine kinase was enriched in HBOC individuals (12 of 101, 11.9%) compared with controls (27 of 432, 6.3%) (OR = 1.96; P = 0.055). EPHA3 was identified in several enriched molecular functions including receptor activity. Both a novel intronic deletion in the CSMD1 tumor suppressor gene and a homozygous intergenic deletion at 5q15 were identified in 1 of 101 (1.0%) HBOC individuals but were very rare (1 of 436, 0.2% and 1 of 899, 0.1%, respectively) in healthy controls suggesting that these variants confer disease susceptibility. CONCLUSION: This study reveals new information regarding the germline CNVs that likely contribute to HBOC susceptibility in Finland. This information may be used to facilitate the genetic counselling of HBOC individuals but the preliminary results warrant additional studies of a larger study group.

Childhood lichen sclerosus--a challenge for clinicians.

Childhood lichen sclerosus (LS) is a rare and often misdiagnosed inflammatory dermatitis with an unpredictable course. The complications of LS are architectural changes of the vulva; malignant transformation is possible. The objective of our study was to define the background and the long-term course of childhood LS. A registery study identified 44 children with LS treated at Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland, from 1982 to 2010. A questionnaire was sent to the identified patients and 15 responded. The clinical depiction of LS varied significantly. LS was diagnosed in only 16% of the patients at the referring unit. Autoimmune disorders were observed in 6 of the 44 patients. High prevalences of Turner's syndrome (2/44) and kidney disease (2/44) were noted. The majority of the patients were treated with topical corticosteroids. Eight developed architectural changes of the vulva. The questionnaire revealed that three of six patients who were asymptomatic at the end of the registery study follow-up experienced a recurrence of symptoms. None of them were undergoing follow-up. Nine of the 15 patients reported reduced quality of life. Childhood LS is a heterogeneous disease with a remarkable effect on quality of life. The misdiagnosis of childhood LS is common. The association between LS and autoimmune diseases should be noted. The high prevalence of Turner's syndrome raises questions regarding the influence of low estrogen levels on the development of LS. The prognosis cannot be predicted, so long-term follow-up is recommended. New tools for diagnosis and surveillance are needed.

HOXB13 G84E mutation in Finland: population-based analysis of prostate, breast, and colorectal cancer risk.

BACKGROUND: A recently identified germline mutation G84E in HOXB13 was shown to increase the risk of prostate cancer. In a family-based analysis by The International Consortium for Prostate Cancer Genetics (ICPCG), the G84E mutation was most prevalent in families from the Nordic countries of Finland (22.4%) and Sweden (8.2%). METHODS: To further investigate the importance of G84E in the Finns, we determined its frequency in more than 4,000 prostate cancer cases and 5,000 controls. In addition, 986 breast cancer and 442 colorectal cancer (CRC) cases were studied. Genotyping was conducted using TaqMan, MassARRAY iPLEX, and sequencing. Statistical analyses were conducted using Fisher exact test, and overall survival was analyzed using Cox modeling. RESULTS: The frequency of the G84E mutation was significantly higher among patients with prostate cancer and highest among patients with a family history of the disease, hereditary prostate cancer [8.4% vs. 1.0% in controls; OR 8.8; 95% confidence interval (CI), 4.9-15.7]. The mutation contributed significantly to younger age (≤55 years) at onset and high prostate-specific antigen (PSA; ≥20 ng/mL) at diagnosis. An association with increased prostate cancer risk in patients with prior benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) diagnosis was also revealed. No statistically significant evidence for a contribution in CRC risk was detected, but a suggestive role for the mutation was observed in familial BRCA1/2-negative breast cancer. CONCLUSIONS: These findings confirm an increased cancer risk associated with the G84E mutation in the Finnish population, particularly for early-onset prostate cancer and cases with substantially elevated PSA. IMPACT: This study confirms the overall importance of the HOXB13 G84E mutation in prostate cancer susceptibility.