Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080305490 | AMPLIFICATION OF HUMAN MDM2 GENE IN HUMAN TUMORS - A human gene has been discovered which is genetically altered in human tumor cells. The genetic alteration is gene amplification and leads to a corresponding increase in gene products. Detecting that the gene, designated hMDM2, has become amplified or detecting increased expression of gene products is diagnostic of tumorigenesis. Human MD2 protein binds to human p53 and allows the cell to escape from p53-regulated growth. | 12-11-2008 |
20100041048 | Circulating Mutant DNA to Assess Tumor Dynamics - DNA containing somatic mutations is highly tumor specific and thus, in theory, can provide optimum markers. However, the number of circulating mutant gene fragments is small compared to the number of normal circulating DNA fragments, making it difficult to detect and quantify them with the sensitivity required for meaningful clinical use. We apply a highly sensitive approach to quantify circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in body samples of patients. Measurements of ctDNA can be used to reliably monitor tumor dynamics in subjects with cancer, especially those who are undergoing surgery or chemotherapy. This personalized genetic approach can be generally applied. | 02-18-2010 |
20100136560 | Integrated Analyses of Breast and Colorectal Cancers - Genome-wide analysis of copy number changes in breast and colorectal tumors used approaches that can reliably detect homozygous deletions and amplifications. The number of genes altered by major copy number changes—deletion of all copies or amplification of at least twelve copies per cell—averaged thirteen per tumor. These data were integrated with previous mutation analyses of the Reference Sequence genes in these same tumor types to identify genes and cellular pathways affected by both copy number changes and point alterations. Pathways enriched for genetic alterations include those controlling cell adhesion, intracellular signaling, DNA topological change, and cell cycle control. These analyses provide an integrated view of copy number and sequencing alterations on a genome-wide scale and identify genes and pathways that are useful for cancer diagnosis and therapy. | 06-03-2010 |
20100209921 | Digital Amplification - The identification of pre-defined mutations expected to be present in a minor fraction of a cell population is important for a variety of basic research and clinical applications. The exponential, analog nature of the polymerase chain reaction is transformed into a linear, digital signal suitable for this purpose. Single molecules can be isolated by dilution and individually amplified; each product is then separately analyzed for the presence of pre-defined mutations. The process provides a reliable and quantitative measure of the proportion of variant sequences within a DNA sample. | 08-19-2010 |
20100316995 | CONSENSUS CODING SEQUENCES OF HUMAN BREAST AND COLORECTAL CANCERS - Analysis of 13,023 genes in 11 breast and 11 colorectal cancers revealed that individual tumors accumulate an average of ˜90 mutant genes but that only a subset of these contribute to the neoplastic process. Using stringent criteria to delineate this subset, we identified 189 genes (average of 11 per tumor) that were mutated at significant frequency. The vast majority of these genes were not known to be genetically altered in tumors and are predicted to affect a wide range of cellular functions, including transcription, adhesion, and invasion. These data define the genetic landscape of two human cancer types, provide new targets for diagnostic and therapeutic intervention and monitoring. | 12-16-2010 |
20110201004 | Digital Amplification - The identification of pre-defined mutations expected to be present in a minor fraction of a cell population is important for a variety of basic research and clinical applications. The exponential, analog nature of the polymerase chain reaction is transformed into a linear, digital signal suitable for this purpose. Single molecules can be isolated by dilution and individually amplified; each product is then separately analyzed for the presence of pre-defined mutations. The process provides a reliable and quantitative measure of the proportion of variant sequences within a DNA sample. | 08-18-2011 |
20110229479 | GENETIC ALTERATIONS IN ISOCITRATE DEHYDROGENASE AND OTHER GENES IN MALIGNANT GLIOMA - We found mutations of the R132 residue of isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) in the majority of grade II and III astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas as well as in glioblastomas that develop from these lower grade lesions. Those tumors without mutations in IDH1 often had mutations at the analogous R172 residue of the closely related IDH2 gene. These findings have important implications for the pathogenesis and diagnosis of malignant gliomas. | 09-22-2011 |
20120009573 | Antisense Transcriptomes of Cells - Transcription in mammalian cells can be assessed at a genome-wide level, but it has been difficult to reliably determine whether individual transcripts are derived from the Plus- or Minus-strands of chromosomes. This distinction can be critical for understanding the relationship between known transcripts (sense) and the complementary antisense transcripts that may regulate them. Here we describe a technique that can be used to (i) identify the DNA strand of origin for any particular RNA transcript and (ii) quantify the number of sense and antisense transcripts from expressed genes at a global level. We examined five different human cell types and in each case found evidence for antisense transcripts in 2900 to 6400 human genes. The distribution of antisense transcripts was distinct from that of sense transcripts, was non-random across the genome, and differed among cell types. Anti-sense transcripts thus appear to be a pervasive feature of human cells, suggesting that they are a fundamental component of gene regulation. | 01-12-2012 |
20120034318 | DIAGNOSTIC METHOD USING PALB2 - The present invention provides a method for detecting mutations in the PALB2 gene in pancreatic cancer patients and in individuals having a family history of pancreatic cancer. Methods are also provided for diagnosing a predisposition to pancreatic cancer, for predicting a patient's response to pancreatic cancer therapies, and for treating pancreatic cancer, based on presence of a PALB2 mutation or abberant PALB2 gene expression in a patient. | 02-09-2012 |
20120095086 | PROTEIN TYROSINE PHOSPHATASE MUTATIONS IN CANCERS - Tyrosine phosphorylation, regulated by protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) and kinases (PTKs), is important in signaling pathways underlying tumorigenesis. A mutational analysis of the tyrosine phosphatase gene superfamily in human cancers identified 83 somatic mutations in six PTPs (PTPRF, PTPRG, PTPRT, PTPN3, PTPN13, PTPN14), affecting 26% of colorectal cancers and a smaller fraction of lung, breast and gastric cancers. Fifteen mutations were nonsense, frameshift or splice site alterations predicted to result in truncated proteins lacking phosphatase activity. Five missense mutations in the most commonly altered PTP (PTPRT) were biochemically examined and found to reduce phosphatase activity. Expression of wild-type but not a mutant PTPRT in human cancer cells inhibited cell growth. These observations suggest that the tyrosine phosphatase genes are tumor suppressor genes, regulating cellular pathways that may be amenable to therapeutic intervention. | 04-19-2012 |
20120115735 | Pathways Underlying Pancreatic Tumorigenesis and an Hereditary Pancreatic Cancer Gene - There are currently few therapeutic options for patients with pancreatic cancers and new insights into the pathogenesis of this lethal disease are urgently needed. To this end, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the genes altered in 24 pancreatic tumors. First, we determined the sequences of 23,781 transcripts, representing 20,583 protein-encoding genes, in DNA from these tumors. Second, we searched for homozygous deletions and amplifications using microarrays querying ˜one million single nucleotide polymorphisms in each sample. Third, we analyzed the transcriptomes of the same samples using SAGE and next-generation sequencing-by-synthesis technologies. We found that pancreatic cancers contain an average of 63 genetic alterations, of which 49 are point mutations, 8 are homozygous deletions, and 6 are amplifications. Further analyses revealed a core set of 12 regulatory processes or pathways that were each genetically altered in 70% to 100% of the samples. The data suggest that dysregulation of this core set of pathways is responsible for the major features of pancreatic tumorigenesis. | 05-10-2012 |
20120164638 | Digital Quantification of DNA Methylation - Abnormal DNA methylation can be used as a biomarker in cancer patients. For such purposes, it is important to determine precisely the fraction of methylated molecules in an analyzed sample. A technology we term Methyl-BEAMing achieves this goal. Individual bisulfite-treated DNA molecules can be PCR-amplified within aqueous nanocompartments containing beads, resulting in a population of beads each containing thousands of copies of the template molecule. After hybridization with probes specific for methylated sequences, the beads can be analyzed by flow cytometry. This approach enables detection and enumeration of one methylated molecule in a population of ˜5000 unmethylated molecules. Methyl-BEAMing provides digital quantification of rare methylation events and is generally applicable to the assessment of methylated genes in clinical samples. | 06-28-2012 |
20120183967 | Method and Compositions for Detection and Enumeration of Genetic Variations - Many areas of biomedical research depend on the analysis of uncommon variations in individual genes or transcripts. Here we describe a method that can quantify such variation at a scale and ease heretofore unattainable. Each DNA molecule in a collection of such molecules is converted into a single particle to which thousands of copies of DNA identical in sequence to the original are bound. This population of beads then corresponds to a one-to-one representation of the starting DNA molecules. Variation within the original population of DNA molecules can then be simply assessed by counting fluorescently-labeled particles via flow cytometry. Millions of individual DNA molecules can be assessed in this fashion with standard laboratory equipment. Moreover, specific variants can be isolated by flow sorting and employed for further experimentation. This approach can be used for the identification and quantification of rare mutations as well as to study variations in gene sequences or transcripts in specific populations or tissues. | 07-19-2012 |
20120202207 | GENETIC ALTERATIONS IN ISOCITRATE DEHYDROGENASE AND OTHER GENES IN MALIGNANT GLIOMA - We found mutations of the R132 residue of isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) in the majority of grade II and III astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas as well as in glioblastomas that develop from these lower grade lesions. Those tumors without mutations in IDH1 often had mutations at the analogous R172 residue of the closely related IDH2 gene. These findings have important implications for the pathogenesis and diagnosis of malignant gliomas. | 08-09-2012 |
20130035404 | Integrated Analyses of Breast and Colorectal Cancers - Genome-wide analysis of copy number changes in breast and colorectal tumors used approaches that can reliably detect homozygous deletions and amplifications. The number of genes altered by major copy number changes—deletion of all copies or amplification of at least twelve copies per cell—averaged thirteen per tumor. These data were integrated with previous mutation analyses of the Reference Sequence genes in these same tumor types to identify genes and cellular pathways affected by both copy number changes and point alterations. Pathways enriched for genetic alterations include those controlling cell adhesion, intracellular signaling, DNA topological change, and cell cycle control. These analyses provide an integrated view of copy number and sequencing alterations on a genome-wide scale and identify genes and pathways that are useful for cancer diagnosis and therapy. | 02-07-2013 |
20130142862 | Tumor-Specific Delivery of Therapeutic Agents Via Liposomase - is an obligate anaerobe that can infect hypoxic regions within experimental tumors. We found that mice bearing large, established tumors were often cured when treated with | 06-06-2013 |
20130157299 | Tyrosine Kinome - Protein kinases are important signaling molecules involved in tumorigenesis. Mutational analysis of the human tyrosine kinase gene family (98 genes) identified somatic alterations in −20% of colorectal cancers, with the majority of mutations occurring in NTRK3, FES, GUCY2F and a previously uncharacterized tyrosine kinase gene called MCCK/MLK4. Most alterations were in conserved residues affecting key regions of the kinase domain. These data represent a paradigm for the unbiased analysis of signal transducing genes in cancer and provide useful targets for therapeutic intervention. | 06-20-2013 |
20130210645 | PERSONALIZED TUMOR BIOMARKERS - Clinical management of human cancer is dependent on the accurate monitoring of residual and recurrent tumors. We have developed a method, called personalized analysis of rearranged ends (PARE), which can identify translocations in solid tumors. Analysis of four colorectal and two breast cancers revealed an average of nine rearranged sequences (range 4 to 15) per tumor. Polymerase chain reaction with primers spanning the breakpoints were able to detect mutant DNA molecules present at levels lower than 0.001% and readily identified mutated circulating DNA in patient plasma samples. This approach provides an exquisitely sensitive and broadly applicable approach for the development of personalized biomarkers to enhance the clinical management of cancer patients. | 08-15-2013 |
20130315986 | Tumor-Specific Delivery of Therapeutic Agents Via Liposomase - is an obligate anaerobe that can infect hypoxic regions within experimental tumors. We found that mice bearing large, established tumors were often cured when treated with | 11-28-2013 |
20140045881 | GENES FREQUENTLY ALTERED IN PANCREATIC NEUROENDOCRINE TUMORS - Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors (PanNETs) are a rare but clinically important form of pancreatic neoplasia. To explore the genetic basis of PanNETs, we determined the exomic sequences of ten non-familial PanNETs and then screened the most commonly mutated genes in 58 additional PanNETs. Remarkably, the most frequently mutated genes specify proteins implicated in chromatin remodeling: 44% of the tumors had somatic inactivating mutations in MEN-1, which encodes menin, a component of a histone methyltransferase complex; and 43% had mutations in genes encoding either of the two subunits of a transcription/chromatin remodeling complex consisting of DAXX (death-domain associated protein) and ATRX (alpha thalassemia/mental retardation syndrome X-linked). Clinically, mutations in the MEN1 and DAXX/ATRX genes were associated with better prognosis. We also found mutations in genes in the mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) pathway in 14% of the tumors, a finding that could potentially be used to stratify patients for treatment with mTOR inhibitors. | 02-13-2014 |
20140051105 | Mutant Proteins as Cancer-Specific Biomarkers - Altered protein products resulting from somatic mutations are directly identified and quantified by mass spectrometry. The peptides expressed from normal and mutant alleles are detected by Selected Reaction Monitoring (SRM) of their productions using a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. As a prototypical example of this approach, we quantify the number and fraction of mutant Ras protein present in cancer cell lines. There were an average of 1.3 million molecules of Ras protein per cell and the ratio of mutant to normal Ras proteins ranged from 0.49 to 5.6. Similarly, we detected and quantified mutant Ras proteins in clinical specimens such as colorectal and pancreatic tumor tissues as well as in pre-malignant pancreatic cyst fluids. These methods are useful for diagnostic applications. | 02-20-2014 |
20140154683 | Enrichment of Nucleic Acids by Complimentary Capture - Assays can be used to detect mutations found in neoplasms of the pancreas, as well as for other neoplasms and other uses. Nucleic acids can be captured from body fluids such as cyst fluids. Thousands of oligonucleotides can be synthesized in parallel, amplified and ligated together. The ligated products can be further amplified. The amplified, ligated products are used to capture complementary DNA sequences, which can be analyzed, for example by massively parallel sequencing. | 06-05-2014 |
20140155275 | SEMI-DIGITAL LIGATION ASSAY - Assays for detecting mutant sequences at particular locations, especially against a background of non-mutant sequences, employ thermocycling ligase reactions. Differentially labeled or sized probes can be used to distinguish wild-type and mutant sequences. Physico-chemical properties of the probes can be critical to successful detection. Mutation detection can be used for diagnosis, monitoring, or prognosticating diseases such as cancers. | 06-05-2014 |
20140179538 | MUTATIONS IN PANCREATIC NEOPLASMS - To help reveal the pathogenesis of these lesions, we purified the DNA from Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasm (IPMN) cyst fluids from 19 patients and searched for mutations in 169 genes commonly altered in human cancers. We identified recurrent mutations at codon 201 of GNAS. We found that GNAS mutations were present in 66% of IPMNs and that either KRAS or GNAS mutations could be identified in 96%. In eight cases, we could investigate invasive adenocarcinomas that developed in association with IPMNs containing GNAS mutations. In seven of these eight cases, the GNAS mutations present in the IPMNs were also found in the invasive lesion. GNAS mutations were not found in other types of cystic neoplasms of the pancreas or in invasive adenocarcinomas not associated with IPMNs. These data suggest that GNAS mutations can inform the diagnosis and management of patients with cystic pancreatic lesions. | 06-26-2014 |
20140187764 | GENETIC ALTERATIONS IN ISOCITRATE DEHYDROGENASE AND OTHER GENES IN MALIGNANT GLIOMA - We found mutations of the R132 residue of isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) in the majority of grade II and III astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas as well as in glioblastomas that develop from these lower grade lesions. Those tumors without mutations in IDH1 often had mutations at the analogous R172 residue of the closely related IDH2 gene. These findings have important implications for the pathogenesis and diagnosis of malignant gliomas. | 07-03-2014 |
20140221219 | OLIGODENDROGLIOMA DRIVE GENES - Oligodendrogliomas are the second most common malignant brain tumor in adults. These tumors often contain a chromosomal abnormality involving a pericentromeric fusion of chromosomes 1 and 19, resulting in losses of the entire short arm of the former and the long arm of the latter. To identify the molecular genetic basis for this alteration, we performed exomic sequencing of seven anaplastic oligodendrogliomas with chromosome 1p and 19q losses. Among other changes, we found that that CIC (homolog of the | 08-07-2014 |
20140323344 | Differential Identification of Pancreatic Cysts - More than 2% of adults harbor a pancreatic cyst, a subset of which progress to invasive lesions with lethal consequences. To assess the genomic landscapes of neoplastic cysts of the pancreas, we determined the exomic sequences of DNA from the neoplastic epithelium of eight surgically resected cysts of each of the major neoplastic cyst types: serous cystadenomas (SCAs), intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs), mucinous cystic neoplasms (MCNs) and solid pseudo-papillary neoplasms (SPNs). SPNs are low-grade malignancies, and IPMNs and MCNs, but not SCAs, have the capacity to progress to cancer. We found that SCAs, IPMNs, MCNs, and SPNs contained 10=4.6, 27=12, 16=7.6, and 2.9=2.1 somatic mutations per tumor, respectively. Among the mutations identified, E3 ubiquitin ligase components were of particular note. Four of the eight SCAs contained mutations of VHL, a key component of the VHL ubiquitin ligase complex that has previously been associated both with renal cell carcinomas, SCAs, and other neoplasms. Six of the eight IPMNs and three of the eight MCNs harbored mutations of RNF43, a gene coding for a protein with intrinsic E3 ubiquitin ligase activity that has not previously been found to be genetically altered in any human cancer. The preponderance of inactivating mutations in RNF43 unequivocally establish it as a suppressor of both IPMNs and MCNs. SPNs contained remarkably few genetic alterations, but always contained mutations of CTNNB1, previously demonstrated to inhibit degradation of the encoded protein (β-catenin) by E3 ubiquitin ligases. These results highlight the essential role of ubiquitin ligases in these neoplasms and have important implications for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with cystic tumors. | 10-30-2014 |
20140328813 | Combination Bacteriolytic Therapy for the Treatment of Tumors - Current approaches for treating cancer are limited, in part, by the inability of drugs to affect the poorly vascularized regions of tumors. We have found that spores of anaerobic bacteria in combination with agents which interact with microtubules can cause the destruction of both the vascular and avascular compartments of tumors. Two classes of microtubule inhibitors were found to exert markedly different effects. Some agents that inhibited microtubule synthesis, such as vinorelbine, caused rapid, massive hemorrhagic necrosis when used in combination with spores. In contrast, agents that stabilized microtubules, such as the taxane, docetaxel, resulted in slow tumor regressions that killed most neoplastic cells. Remaining cells in the poorly perfused regions of tumors could be eradicated by sporulated bacteria. Mechanistic studies showed that the microtubule destabilizers, but not the microtubule stabilizers, radically reduced blood flow to tumors, thereby enlarging the hypoxic niche in which spores could germinate. A single intravenous injection of spores plus selected microtubule-interacting agents was able to cause regressions of several tumors in the absence of excessive toxicity. | 11-06-2014 |
20140377754 | Genomic Landscapes of Human Breast and Colorectal Cancers - Human cancer is caused by the accumulation of mutations in oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. To catalogue the genetic changes that occur during tumorigenesis, we isolated DNA from 11 breast and 11 colorectal tumors and determined the sequences of the genes in the Reference Sequence database in these samples. Based on analysis of exons representing 20,857 transcripts from 18,191 genes, we conclude that the genomic landscapes of breast and colorectal cancers are composed of a handful of commonly mutated gene “mountains” and a much larger number of gene “hills” that are mutated at low frequency. We describe statistical and bioinformatic tools that may help identify mutations with a role in tumorigenesis. These results have implications for understanding the nature and heterogeneity of human cancers and for using personal genomics for tumor diagnosis and therapy. | 12-25-2014 |
20150038341 | Digital Amplification - The identification of pre-defined mutations expected to be present in a minor fraction of a cell population is important for a variety of basic research and clinical applications. The exponential, analog nature of the polymerase chain reaction is transformed into a linear, digital signal suitable for this purpose. Single molecules can be isolated by dilution and individually amplified; each product is then separately analyzed for the presence of pre-defined mutations. The process provides a reliable and quantitative measure of the proportion of variant sequences within a DNA sample. | 02-05-2015 |
20150051085 | RAPID ANEUPLOIDY DETECTION - Massively parallel sequencing of cell-free, maternal plasma DNA was recently demonstrated to be a safe and effective screening method for fetal chromosomal aneuploidies. Here, we report an improved sequencing method achieving significantly increased throughput and decreased cost by replacing laborious sequencing library preparation steps with PCR employing a single primer pair. Using this approach, samples containing as little as 4% trisomy 21 DNA could be readily distinguished from euploid samples. | 02-19-2015 |
20150079593 | Mutations of the PIK3CA Gene in Human Cancers - Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases (PI3Ks) are known to be important regulators of signaling pathways. To determine whether PI3Ks are genetically altered in cancers, we analyzed the sequences of the PI3K gene family and discovered that one family member, PIK3CA, is frequently mutated in cancers of the colon and other organs. The majority of mutations clustered near two positions within the PI3K helical or kinase domains. PIK3CA represents one of the most highly mutated oncogenes yet identified in human cancers and is useful as a diagnostic and therapeutic target. | 03-19-2015 |