title: VAMP2-NRG1 Fusion Gene is a Novel Oncogenic Driver of Non-Small-Cell Lung Adenocarcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) has been discovered as the tail moiety of fusion genes with several distinct partner head genes in lung cancers. These fusion genes activate ERBB2/ERBB3 receptor-mediated cell signaling and thereby function as oncogenic drivers.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have carried out whole-transcriptome sequencing of 100 non-small-cell lung carcinoma tumors and isolated a novel fusion gene consisting of vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 (VAMP2) and NRG1. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and genomic DNA analysis were used to demonstrate interchromosomal translocation. Immunoblotting and soft agar assays were used to examine stimulating activity of the fusion gene through ERBB2/ERBB3 signaling pathway.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most highly expressed splice variant of VAMP2-NRG1 fusion gene was shown to be membrane bound and display EGF-like domain of NRG1 extracellularly. VAMP2-NRG1 promotes anchorage-independent colony formation of H1568 lung adenocarcinoma cells. Ectopic expression of the fusion gene stimulates phosphorylation of ERBB2 and ERBB3 as well as downstream targets, AKT and ERK, confirming activation of the signaling pathway.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VAMP2-NRG1 is a novel oncogenic fusion gene representing a new addition to the list of NRG1 fusion genes, which together may form an important diagnostic and clinical category of lung adenocarcinoma cases.
authors.affiliation: *EWHA Research Center for Systems Biology (ERCSB), †Department of Life Science, EWHA Womans University, Seoul, Korea; and ‡Department of Thoracic Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yeonjoo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Seunghui
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yong
authors.forename: Pora
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hee-Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yeonhwa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Juhee
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Keum
authors.forename: Sanghyuk
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jhingook
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jaesang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000077192:Adenocarcinoma of Lung; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D050939:Gene Fusion; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D020890:Neuregulin-1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D050988:Vesicle-Associated Membrane Protein 2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C094131:NRG1 protein, human; D020890:Neuregulin-1; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; C494807:VAMP2 protein, human; D050988:Vesicle-Associated Membrane Protein 2