Institute seminar Wednesday 8th of April Thomas Fleischer from the Department of Genetics

T. Fleischer
T. Fleischer

The Institute Seminar on Wednesday 8th of April will ble held by Thomas Fleischer from Vessela N. Kristensen's group at the Department of Genetics.
The title of his talk is:
“DNA methylation in breast cancer: impact on classification, progression, gene expression, treatment response and prognosis”
Time and place: 12:00 in the Auditorium, Inst. for Cancer Res., Montebello.

DNA methylation in breast cancer: impact on classification, progression, gene expression, treatment response and prognosis

Abstract
Genome-wide DNA methylation profiles have been determined for breast cancer tumors, which has allowed for classification based on DNA methylation. Luminal and basal-like tumors showed very different methylation profiles, and it was possible to further subdivide Luminal A tumors with prognostic impact. Our group has also developed a DNA methylation-based prognostic signature using CpGs where methylation level was associated to gene expression.
DNA methylation analysis of normal breast tissue, ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and invasive carcinoma showed that most aberrations in DNA methylation happened between normal and DCIS, that is, early in breast cancer development. More than 5000 genes were differentially methylated between normal tissue and DCIS. Gene expression of about 3000 genes was associated to DNA methylation level of CpGs in or around genes, further underscoring the importance of DNA methylation in breast tumors.
DNA methylation may also play a role in acquired drug resistance. The cell cycle regulators CDKN2A, CCND2 and CCNA1 were differentially methylated after treatment with doxorubicin and a combination therapy of 5-fluorouracil and mitomycin C. In addition, methylation level of these genes was differentially methylated depending on response to the treatment.

Links:

Thomas Fleischer's publications

Home page of Vessela N. Kristensen's Cancer Genome Variaton group

Department of Genetics


Institute seminars spring season 2015

Institute seminar organizers:

Stine H. KresseTrevor Clancy and Mads H. Haugen
(Dept. of Tumor Biology and Immunology)