Abstract.A human gene termed XB overlaps the P450c21B gene encoding steroid 21-hydroxylase and encodes a protein that closely resembles extracellular matrix proteins. Sequencing of phage and cosmid clones and of cDNA fragments shows that the XB gene spans 65 kb of DNA, consisting of 39 exons that encode a 12-kb mRNA. The predicted protein of over 400 kD consists of five distinct domains: a signal peptide, a hydrophobic domain containing three heptad repeats, a series of 18.5 EGF-like repeats, 29 fibronectin type HI repeats, and a carboxy-terminal fibrinogenlike domain. Because the structure of the protein encoded by the XB gene closely resembles tenascin, we term this protein tenascin-X (TN-X), and propose a simplified nomenclature system for the family of tenascins. RNase protection experiments show that the TN-X transcript is expressed ubiquitously in human fetal tissues, with the greatest expression in the fetal testis and in fetal skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle. Two adrenal-specific transcripts, P450c21B (steroid 21-hydroxylase) and Y (an untranslated transcrip0 overlap the XB gene on the complementary strand of DNA, yielding a unique array of overlapping transcripts: a "polygene: In situ hybridization histochemistry experiments show that the TN-X transcript and the P450c21 and Y transcripts encoded on the complementary DNA strand are all expressed in the same cells of the human adrenal cortex. Genetic data suggest that TN-X may be essential for life.

LPA stimulates ovarian tumor growth, at least in part, via induction of VEGF expression through transcriptional activation. However, this LPA response is not evident in normal ovarian surface epithelial cells. Our data suggest that Edg4, but not Edg2, plays a role in LPA stimulation of ovarian tumor growth.

Deep penetrating nevus (DPN) is characterized by enlarged, pigmented melanocytes that extend through the dermis. DPN can be difficult to distinguish from melanoma but rarely displays aggressive biological behavior. Here, we identify a combination of mutations of the β-catenin and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways as characteristic of DPN. Mutations of the β-catenin pathway change the phenotype of a common nevus with BRAF mutation into that of DPN, with increased pigmentation, cell volume and nuclear cyclin D1 levels. Our results suggest that constitutive β-catenin pathway activation promotes tumorigenesis by overriding dependencies on the microenvironment that constrain proliferation of common nevi. In melanoma that arose from DPN we find additional oncogenic alterations. We identify DPN as an intermediate stage in the step-wise progression from nevus to melanoma. In summary, we delineate specific genetic alterations and their sequential order, information that can assist in the diagnostic classification and grading of these distinctive neoplasms.

Estrogens and selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) interact with estrogen receptor (ER) alpha and beta to activate or repress gene transcription. To understand how estrogens and SERMs exert tissue-specific effects, we performed microarray analysis to determine whether ERalpha or ERbeta regulate different target genes in response to estrogens and SERMs. We prepared human U2OS osteosarcoma cells that are stably transfected with a tetracycline-inducible vector to express ERalpha or ERbeta. Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and immunoprecipitation studies confirmed that U2OS-ERalpha cells synthesized only ERalpha and that U2OS-ERbeta cells expressed exclusively ERbeta. U2OS-ERalpha and U2OS-ERbeta cells were treated either with 17beta-estradiol (E2), raloxifene, and tamoxifen for 18 h. Labeled cRNAs were hybridized with U95Av2 GeneChips (Affymetrix). A total of 228, 190, and 236 genes were significantly activated or repressed at least 1.74-fold in U2OS-ERalpha and U2OS-ERbeta cells by E2, raloxifene, and tamoxifen, respectively. Most genes regulated in ERalpha cells in response to E2, raloxifene, and tamoxifen were distinct from those regulated in ERbeta cells. Only 38 of the 228 (17%) genes were regulated by E2 in both U2OS-ERalpha and U2OS-ERbeta cells. Raloxifene and tamoxifen regulated only 27% of the same genes in both the ERalpha and ERbeta cells. A subset of genes involved in bone-related activities regulated by E2, raloxifene, and tamoxifen were also distinct. Our results demonstrate that most genes regulated by ERalpha are distinct from those regulated by ERbeta in response to E2 and SERMs. These results indicate that estrogens and SERMs exert tissue-specific effects by regulating unique sets of targets genes through ERalpha and ERbeta

Several investigators have noted that hormone-dependent development of endometriosis implants lags behind that of simultaneously analysed eutopic endometrium. With the recent discovery of the oestrogen receptor-β (ER-β) isoform, the aim of this study was to investigate whether differences in the expression of ER-α and ER-β might explain this observation. mRNA transcripts from endometrial stromal cells isolated from normal endometrium (NE) and from endometriomas (EI) were analysed using a semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique. RT-PCR and Southern blot analyses of the two ER isoforms indicated that NE and EI stromal cells predominantly express ER-α mRNA, however the relative concentrations of ER isoform mRNA transcripts differed between the two cell types. Steady-state ER-α:ER-β mRNA ratios were 15.5 ⍨ 2.8 and 5.2 ⍨ 0.9 respectively for NE and EI cells (P ⍧ 0.02). NE and EI stromal cells expressed ER proteins with similar K d (~0.9 nM) and densities (~24 500 binding sites/cell) respectively. Functional ER expression was indicated by an increase in progesterone receptor concentrations of~60% (P ⍧ 0.03) after incubation with 10 nM oestradiol. We postulate that differential transcript processing, ligand specificity and biological actions of the ER-α and -β isoforms may influence differential growth responses in normal and ectopic endometrium.

Oncogenic fusions in TRK family receptor tyrosine kinases have been identified in several cancers and can serve as therapeutic targets. We identified ETV6-NTRK3, MYO5A-NTRK3 and MYH9-NTRK3 fusions in Spitz tumours and demonstrate that NTRK3 fusions constitutively activate the MAPK, PI3K and PLCγ1 pathways in melanocytes. This signalling was inhibited by DS-6051a, a small molecule inhibitor of NTRK1/2/3 and ROS1. NTRK3 fusions expand the range of oncogenic kinase fusions in melanocytic neoplasms and offer targets for a small subset of melanomas for which currently no targeted options exist.

PPARgamma ligands repress VEGF gene expression via a PPARgamma-responsive element (PPRE) in the VEGF gene promoter. Agonists of this nuclear receptor might be exploited pharmacologically to inhibit pathological vascularization in complications of pregnancy, endometriosis and endometrial adenocarcinoma.

P450 oxidoreductase (POR) transports electrons from NADPH to all microsomal cytochrome P450 enzymes, including steroidogenic P450c17, P450c21 and P450aro. Severe POR mutations A287P (in Europeans) and R457H (in Japanese) cause the Antley-Bixler skeletal malformation syndrome (ABS) plus impaired steroidogenesis (causing genital anomalies), but the basis of ABS is unclear. We have characterized the activities of ~40 POR variants, showing that assays based on P450c17 activities, but not cytochrome c assays, correlate with the clinical phenotype. The human POR gene is highly polymorphic: the A503V sequence variant, which decreases P450c17 activities to ~60%, is found on ~28% of human alleles. A promoter polymorphism (~8% of Asians and ~13% of Caucasians) at −152 reduces transcriptional activity by half. Screening of 35 POR variants showed that most mutants lacking activity with P450c17 or cytochrome c also lacked activity to support CYP1A2 and CYP2C19 metabolism of EOMCC (a fluorogenic non-drug substrate), although there were some remarkable differences: Q153R causes ABS and has ~30% of wild-type activity with P450c17 but had 144% of WT activity with CYP1A2 and 284% with CYP2C19. The effects of POR variants on CYP3A4, which metabolizes nearly 50% of clinically used drugs, was examined with multiple, clinically-relevant drug substrates, showing that A287P and R457H dramatically reduce drug metabolism, and that A503V variably impairs drug metabolism. The degree of activity can vary with the drug substrate assayed, as the drugs can influence the conformation of the P450. POR is probably an important contributor to genetic variation in both steroidogenesis and drug metabolism.