Genomic profiling of late-onset basal cell carcinomas from two brothers with nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder. It is commonly caused by mutations in PTCH1 and chiefly characterized by multiple basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) developing prior to the age of 30 years. In rare cases, NBCCS presents with a late onset of BCC development. OBJECTIVE: To investigate BCC tumorigenesis in two brothers, who showed characteristic features of NBCCS but developed their first BCCs only after the age of 40 years. Two other siblings did not show signs of NBCCS. RESULTS: We obtained blood samples from four siblings and nine BCCs from the two brothers with NBCCS. Whole exome sequencing and RNA sequencing revealed loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of PTCH1 in eight out of nine tumours that consistently involved the same haplotype on chromosome 9. This haplotype contained a germinal splice site mutation in PTCH1 (NM_001083605:exon9:c.763-6C>A). Analysis of germline DNA confirmed segregation of this mutation with the disease. All BCCs harboured additional somatic loss-of-function (LoF) mutations in the remaining PTCH1 allele which are not typically seen in other cases of NBCCS. This suggests a hypomorphic nature of the germinal PTCH1 mutation in this family. Furthermore, all BCCs had a similar tumour mutational burden compared to BCCs of unrelated NBCCS patients while harbouring a higher number of damaging PTCH1 mutations. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that a sequence of three genetic hits leads to the late development of BCCs in two brothers with NBCCS: a hypomorphic germline mutation, followed by somatic LOH and additional mutations that complete PTCH1 inactivation. These genetic events are in line with the late occurrence of the first BCC and with the higher number of damaging PTCH1 mutations compared to usual cases of NBCCS.

Poly(ε-caprolactone) nerve conduit and local delivery of vegf and fgf2 genes stimulate neuroregeneration.

We studied regeneration of rat sciatic nerve while overcoming of a 5-mm diastasis with the aid of nanostructured conduit made of biocompatible and biodegradable poly(ε-caprolactone) and filled with fibrin hydrogel matrix. Implantation of the conduit into the nerve in combination with local delivery of the expression plasmid carrying genes encoding vascular endothelial growth factor (vegf) and fibroblast growth factor 2 (fgf2) leads to an increase in number of myelinated fibers and S-100(+) cells in the peripheral nerve stump and improved recovery of the nerve function. Under conditions of direct gene therapy, an advantage of electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) conduit with high-porosity was revealed on the basis of these criteria in comparison with biocompatible silicon conduit.