title: Involvement of aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling in the development of small cell lung cancer induced by HPV E6/E7 oncoproteins.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lung cancers consist of four major types that and for clinical-pathological reasons are often divided into two broad categories: small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). All major histological types of lung cancer are associated with smoking, although the association is stronger for SCLC and squamous cell carcinoma than adenocarcinoma. To date, epidemiological studies have identified several environmental, genetic, hormonal and viral factors associated with lung cancer risk. It has been estimated that 15-25% of human cancers may have a viral etiology. The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a proven cause of most human cervical cancers, and might have a role in other malignancies including vulva, skin, oesophagus, head and neck cancer. HPV has also been speculated to have a role in the pathogenesis of lung cancer. To validate the hypothesis of HPV involvement in small cell lung cancer pathogenesis we performed a gene expression profile of transgenic mouse model of SCLC induced by HPV-16 E6/E7 oncoproteins.
  
  
  METHODS
  Gene expression profile of SCLC has been performed using Agilent whole mouse genome (4 × 44k) representing ~ 41000 genes and mouse transcripts. Samples were obtained from two HPV16-E6/E7 transgenic mouse models and from littermate's normal lung. Data analyses were performed using GeneSpring 10 and the functional classification of deregulated genes was performed using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (Ingenuity® Systems, http://www.ingenuity.com).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of deregulated genes induced by the expression of E6/E7 oncoproteins supports the hypothesis of a linkage between HPV infection and SCLC development. As a matter of fact, comparison of deregulated genes in our system and those in human SCLC showed that many of them are located in the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Signal transduction pathway.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, the global gene expression of transgenic mouse model of SCLC induced by HPV-16 E6/E7 oncoproteins led us to identification of several genes involved in SCLC tumor development. Furthermore, our study revealed that the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Signaling is the primarily affected pathway by the E6/E7 oncoproteins expression and that this pathway is also deregulated in human SCLC. Our results provide the basis for the development of new therapeutic approaches against human SCLC.
authors.affiliation: CEINGE Biotecnologie Avanzate, Via Comunale Margherita 482, 80145 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Tonia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Buonomo
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Carraresi
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rossini
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martinelli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D052162:Human papillomavirus 16 / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D046228:Microarray Analysis; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D050725:Papillomavirus E7 Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: C068651:E6 protein, Human papillomavirus type 16; D009856:Oncogene Proteins, Viral; D050725:Papillomavirus E7 Proteins; D018336:Receptors, Aryl Hydrocarbon; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C059731:oncogene protein E7, Human papillomavirus type 16