Three-color FISH analysis of TMPRSS2/ERG fusions in prostate cancer indicates that genomic microdeletion of chromosome 21 is associated with rearrangement.
The recent description of novel recurrent gene fusions in approximately 80% of prostate cancer (PCa) cases has generated increased interest in the search for new translocations in other epithelial cancers and emphasizes the importance of understanding the origins and biologic implications of these genomic rearrangements. Analysis of 15 PCa cases by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to detect six ERG-related gene fusion transcripts with TMPRSS2. No TMPRSS2/ETV1 chimeric fusion was detected in this series. Three-color fluorescence in situ hybridization confirms that TMPRSS2/ERG fusion may be accompanied by a small hemizygous sequence deletion on chromosome 21 between ERG and TMPRSS2 genes. Analysis of genomic architecture in the region of genomic rearrangement suggests that tracts of microhomology could facilitate TMPRSS2/ERG fusion events.
Yoshimoto
Maisa
M
Applied Molecular Oncology, Ontario Cancer Institute, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Joshua
Anthony M
AM
Chilton-Macneill
Susan
S
Bayani
Jane
J
Selvarajah
Shamini
S
Evans
Andrew J
AJ
Zielenska
Maria
M
Squire
Jeremy A
JA
D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D002891:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 21; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008957:Models, Genetic; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics*; D000071230:Transcriptional Regulator ERG
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C072312:ERG protein, human; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D000071230:Transcriptional Regulator ERG; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; C421305:TMPRSS2 protein, human