Amplification of the 8p11-12 region has been found in about 15% of human breast cancer and is associated with poor prognosis. Earlier, we used genomic analysis of copy number and gene expression to perform a detailed analysis of the 8p11-12 amplicon to identify candidate oncogenes in breast cancer. We identified 21 candidate genes and provided evidence that three genes; LSM-1, TC-1 and BAG4 have transforming properties when over expressed. In the present study, we systematically investigated the transforming properties of thirteen newly identified 8p11-12 candidate oncogenes in vitro. We found that WHSC1L1, DDHD2 and ERLIN2 are the most potently transforming oncogenes we tested from the 8p11-12 region based on the number of altered phenotypes expressed by the cells. WHSC1L1 contains a PWWP-domain that is a methyl-lysine recognition motif involved in histone code modification and epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Knock-down of WHSC1L1 in 8p11-12 amplified breast cancer cells resulted in profound loss of growth and survival of these cells. Further, we identified several WHSC1L1 target genes, one of which is iroquois homeobox 3 gene (IRX3), a member of the Iroquois homeobox transcription factor family.

Interconnected genetic and epigenetic events control both the initiation and progression of cancer. Specifically, genetic alterations, such as amplification, and the subsequent over-expression of genes encoding ‘epigenetic modifying enzymes’ can directly lead to histone code changes that may be critical for cancer progression. KDM5A (lysine (K)-specific demethylase 5A, also known as RBP2 and JARID1A) was originally identified as the retinoblastoma-binding protein (RBP) implicated in the regulation of retinoblastoma target genes. Recently, several groups discovered that KDM5A is a member of a set of newly identified histone demethylases that control the chromatin-mediated regulation of gene expression. Specifically, KDM5A can function as a transcriptional repressor through the demethylation of tri- and dimethylated histone H3 at lysine 4 (H3K4) active marks. In this study, we observed a significant amplification and over-expression of the KDM5A gene in various tumors, including breast cancer. We found that breast cancer cells with KDM5A gene amplification had intrinsic drug resistance properties and knocking down KDM5A with shRNAs improved the efficacy of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors against these breast cancer cells. Further, up-regulation of KDM5A modified the histone methylation status and altered the expression of a subset of key genes, including the tumor suppressor p21 and the apoptotic effector BAK1, in breast cancer. Our findings suggest that alteration of the KDM5A gene may have a critical role in the pathogenesis of breast cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2192. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-2192

Five infants (two girls and three boys) from four families all had severe pre- and postnatal growth retardation, profound developmental delay, microcephaly, hypoplasia of the brain with Dandy-Walker complex or other posterior fossa malformations, and developed uncontrollable clonic seizures. Four infants developed Wilms tumors, and one showed cystic lesions in bilateral kidneys. All five infants showed variegated mosaic aneuploidy in cultured lymphocytes. In two infants whose chromosomes were prepared by us, 48.5%-83.2% lymphocytes showed total premature chromatid separation (PCS). Their parents had 3.5%-41.7% of their lymphocytes in total PCS. The remaining three infants and their parents, whose chromosomes were prepared at outside laboratories, tended to show lower frequencies of total PCS. Another five infants reported with the disorder were reviewed together with the five infants we described. Together, their clinical and cytogenetic manifestations were similar enough to suggest a syndrome. Seven of the 10 infants developed proven or probable Wilms tumors. The age at diagnosis of the tumors was younger than usual at 2-16 months. The tumors were bilateral in four infants and unilateral in three infants, and cystic changes were present in six infants. Two infants developed botryoid rhabdomyosarcoma. The carriers of the syndrome are thus liable to tumorigenesis. The possible role of mitotic checkpoint defects, proven in two infants with the syndrome (Matsuura et al. [2000: Am J Hum Genet 69:483-486]), was discussed in connection with tumor development and progression.

Previously, our group identified a novel amplicon at chromosome 9p24 in human esophageal and breast cancers, and cloned the novel gene, GASC1 (gene amplified in squamous cell carcinoma 1, also known as JMJD2C/KDM4C), from this amplicon. GASC1 is a histone demethylase involved in the deregulation of histone methylation in cancer cells. In the current study, we aimed to comprehensively characterize the genes in the 9p24 amplicon in human breast cancer. We performed extensive genomic analyses on a panel of cancer cell lines and narrowed the shortest region of overlap to approximately 2 Mb. Based on statistical analysis of copy number increase and overexpression, the 9p24 amplicon contains six candidate oncogenes. Among these, four genes (GASC1 UHRF2, KIAA1432 and C9orf123) are overexpressed only in the context of gene amplification while two genes (ERMP1 and IL33) are overexpressed independent of the copy number increase. We then focused our studies on the UHRF2 gene, which has a potential involvement in both DNA methylation and histone modification. Knocking down UHRF2 expression inhibited the growth of breast cancer cells specifically with 9p24 amplification. Conversely, ectopic overexpression of UHRF2 in non-tumorigenic MCF10A cells promoted cell proliferation. Furthermore, we demonstrated that UHRF2 has the ability to suppress the expression of key cell-cycle inhibitors, such as p16INK4a, p21Waf1/Cip1 and p27Kip1. Taken together, our studies support the notion that the 9p24 amplicon contains multiple oncogenes that may integrate genetic and epigenetic codes and have important roles in human tumorigenesis.