title: MED12 exon 2 mutations in histopathological uterine leiomyoma variants.
abstract: Uterine leiomyomas, or fibroids, are the most common human tumors. Based on histopathology, they can be divided into common leiomyomas and various relatively rare subtypes that mimic malignancy in one or more aspects. Recently, we showed that exon 2 of mediator complex subunit 12 (MED12) is mutated in up to 70% of common fibroids. To investigate the frequency of MED12 exon 2 mutations in histopathological uterine leiomyoma variants, we screened altogether 206 lesions, including 69 histopathologically common leiomyomas, 59 cellular (23 cellular and 36 highly cellular), 18 atypical and 26 mitotically active leiomyomas, as well as 34 uterine fibroid samples from 14 hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer patients with a heterozygous germ line mutation in fumarate hydratase (FH). The uterine leiomyoma variants harbored MED12 exon 2 mutations significantly less frequently than common leiomyomas (P=2.93 × 10(-8)). In all, 6 mutations were detected among cellular fibroids (6/67; 8.96%), 3 among atypical fibroids (3/18; 16.67%) and 10 among mitotically active fibroids (10/26; 38.46%). Only mitotically active fibroids displayed a mutation frequency that was not statistically different from common leiomyomas (P=0.11). Three MED12 exon 2 mutations were detected among 34 tumors with a heterozygous germ line FH mutation (P=5.28 × 10(-7)). None of these tumors displayed biallelic inactivation of FH. Our results suggest that MED12 mutation positivity is a key characteristic of common leiomyomas. Cellular and atypical fibroids, in particular, may arise through different molecular mechanisms. The results also propose that MED12 and biallelic FH mutations may be mutually exclusive.
authors: Department of Medical Genetics, Genome-Scale Biology Research Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Netta
authors: N
authors: Mäkinen
authors: Pia
authors: P
authors: Vahteristo
authors: Kati
authors: K
authors: Kämpjärvi
authors: Johanna
authors: J
authors: Arola
authors: Ralf
authors: R
authors: Bützow
authors: Lauri A
authors: LA
authors: Aaltonen
mesh_terms: D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005649:Fumarate Hydratase / Q000235:genetics; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D019656:Loss of Heterozygosity / Q000235:genetics; D056892:Mediator Complex / Q000235:genetics*; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D014015:Tissue Banks; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: C460107:MED12 protein, human; D056892:Mediator Complex; D005649:Fumarate Hydratase