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In-depth genetic analysis of sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma reveals recurrent genomic alterations and potential treatment targets

Arbajian, Elsa LU ; Puls, Florian ; Antonescu, Cristina R ; Amary, Fernanda M. ; Sciot, Raf ; Debiec-Rychter, Maria ; Sumathi, Vaiyapuri ; Järås, Marcus LU ; Magnusson, Linda LU and Nilsson, Jenny LU , et al. (2017) In Clinical Cancer Research 23(23). p.7426-7434
Abstract

PURPOSE: Sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma (SEF) is a highly aggressive soft tissue sarcoma closely related to low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (LGFMS). Some tumors display morphological characteristics of both SEF and LGFMS, so called hybrid SEF/LGFMS. Despite the overlap of gene fusion variants between these two tumor types, SEF is much more aggressive. The present study aimed to further characterize SEF and hybrid SEF/LGFMS genetically in order to better understand the role of the characteristic fusion genes and possible additional genetic alterations in tumorigenesis.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We performed whole exome sequencing, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array analysis, RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq), global gene expression... (More)

PURPOSE: Sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma (SEF) is a highly aggressive soft tissue sarcoma closely related to low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (LGFMS). Some tumors display morphological characteristics of both SEF and LGFMS, so called hybrid SEF/LGFMS. Despite the overlap of gene fusion variants between these two tumor types, SEF is much more aggressive. The present study aimed to further characterize SEF and hybrid SEF/LGFMS genetically in order to better understand the role of the characteristic fusion genes and possible additional genetic alterations in tumorigenesis.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We performed whole exome sequencing, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array analysis, RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq), global gene expression analyses and/or IHC on a series of 13 SEFs and 6 hybrid SEF/LGFMS. We also expressed the FUS-CREB3L2 and EWSR1-CREB3L1 fusion genes conditionally in a fibroblast cell line; these cells were subsequently analyzed by RNA-seq and expression of the CD24 protein was assessed by FACS analysis.

RESULTS: The SNP array analysis detected a large number of structural aberrations in SEF and SEF/LGFMS, many of which were recurrent, notably DMD microdeletions. RNA-seq identified FUS-CREM and PAX5-CREB3L1 as alternative fusion genes in one SEF each. CD24 was strongly upregulated, presumably a direct target of the fusion proteins. This was further confirmed by the gene expression analysis and FACS analysis on Tet-On 3G cells expressing EWSR1-CREB3L1.

CONCLUSIONS: While gene fusions are the primary tumorigenic events in both SEF and LGFMS, additional genomic changes explain the differences in aggressiveness and clinical outcome between the two types. CD24 and DMD constitute potential therapeutic targets.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Journal Article
in
Clinical Cancer Research
volume
23
issue
23
pages
7426 - 7434
publisher
American Association for Cancer Research
external identifiers
  • pmid:28939748
  • wos:000416908200028
  • scopus:85037618597
ISSN
1078-0432
DOI
10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-17-1856
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b8488052-3f96-485d-bcdf-d5ec3de217d6
date added to LUP
2017-10-30 14:59:10
date last changed
2024-04-14 21:27:51
@article{b8488052-3f96-485d-bcdf-d5ec3de217d6,
  abstract     = {{<p>PURPOSE: Sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma (SEF) is a highly aggressive soft tissue sarcoma closely related to low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (LGFMS). Some tumors display morphological characteristics of both SEF and LGFMS, so called hybrid SEF/LGFMS. Despite the overlap of gene fusion variants between these two tumor types, SEF is much more aggressive. The present study aimed to further characterize SEF and hybrid SEF/LGFMS genetically in order to better understand the role of the characteristic fusion genes and possible additional genetic alterations in tumorigenesis.</p><p>EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We performed whole exome sequencing, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array analysis, RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq), global gene expression analyses and/or IHC on a series of 13 SEFs and 6 hybrid SEF/LGFMS. We also expressed the FUS-CREB3L2 and EWSR1-CREB3L1 fusion genes conditionally in a fibroblast cell line; these cells were subsequently analyzed by RNA-seq and expression of the CD24 protein was assessed by FACS analysis.</p><p>RESULTS: The SNP array analysis detected a large number of structural aberrations in SEF and SEF/LGFMS, many of which were recurrent, notably DMD microdeletions. RNA-seq identified FUS-CREM and PAX5-CREB3L1 as alternative fusion genes in one SEF each. CD24 was strongly upregulated, presumably a direct target of the fusion proteins. This was further confirmed by the gene expression analysis and FACS analysis on Tet-On 3G cells expressing EWSR1-CREB3L1.</p><p>CONCLUSIONS: While gene fusions are the primary tumorigenic events in both SEF and LGFMS, additional genomic changes explain the differences in aggressiveness and clinical outcome between the two types. CD24 and DMD constitute potential therapeutic targets.</p>}},
  author       = {{Arbajian, Elsa and Puls, Florian and Antonescu, Cristina R and Amary, Fernanda M. and Sciot, Raf and Debiec-Rychter, Maria and Sumathi, Vaiyapuri and Järås, Marcus and Magnusson, Linda and Nilsson, Jenny and Hofvander, Jakob and Mertens, Fredrik}},
  issn         = {{1078-0432}},
  keywords     = {{Journal Article}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{23}},
  pages        = {{7426--7434}},
  publisher    = {{American Association for Cancer Research}},
  series       = {{Clinical Cancer Research}},
  title        = {{In-depth genetic analysis of sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma reveals recurrent genomic alterations and potential treatment targets}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-17-1856}},
  doi          = {{10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-17-1856}},
  volume       = {{23}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}