Article: Downregulation of ASPP1 in gestational trophoblastic disease: Correlation with hypermethylation, apoptotic activity and clinical outcome
| Title | Downregulation of ASPP1 in gestational trophoblastic disease: Correlation with hypermethylation, apoptotic activity and clinical outcome | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authors | Mak, VCY1 Lee, L1 Siu, MKY1 Wong, OGW1 Lu, X2 Ngan, HYS1 Wong, ESY1 Cheung, ANY1 | ||||
| Keywords | apoptotic activity ASPP1 choriocarcinomas gestational trophoblastic disease hypermethylation methylation | ||||
| Issue Date | 2011 | ||||
| Publisher | Nature Publishing Group. The Journal's web site is located at http://www.nature.com/modpathol/ | ||||
| Citation | Modern Pathology, 2011, v. 24 n. 4, p. 522-532 [How to Cite?] DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/modpathol.2010.216 | ||||
| Abstract | Gestational trophoblastic disease encompasses a spectrum of trophoblastic lesions including true neoplasms such as choriocarcinomas and the potentially malignant hydatidiform moles, which may develop persistent disease requiring chemotherapy. ASPP1, a member of apoptosis-stimulating proteins of p53 (ASPPs), is a proapoptotic protein that can stimulate apoptosis through its interaction with p53. We evaluated the promoter methylation and expression profiles of ASPP1 in different trophoblastic tissues and its in vitro functional effect on two choriocarcinoma cell lines, namely JEG-3 and JAR. Significant downregulation of ASPP1 mRNA and protein levels was demonstrated in hydatidiform moles and choriocarcinomas, when compared with normal placentas by quantitative-PCR and immunohistochemistry. The ASPP1 mRNA level was significantly correlated with its hypermethylation status, evaluated with methylation-specific PCR, in placenta and gestational trophoblastic disease samples (P=0.024). Moreover, lower ASPP1 immunoreactivity was shown in hydatidiform moles that progressed to persistent gestational trophoblastic neoplasms than in those that regressed (P=0.045). A significant correlation was also found between expression of ASPP1 and proliferative indices (assessed by Ki67 and MCM7), apoptotic activity (M30 CytoDeath antibody), p53 and caspase-8 immunoreactivities. An in vitro study showed that ectopic expression of ASPP1 could trigger apoptosis through intrinsic and extrinsic pathways as indicated by an increase in cleaved caspase-9 and Fas ligand protein expression. The latter suggests a hitherto unreported novel link between ASPP1 and the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis. Our findings suggest that downregulation of ASPP1 by hypermethylation may be involved in the pathogenesis and progress of gestational trophoblastic disease, probably through its effect on apoptosis. © 2011 USCAP, Inc. All rights reserved. | ||||
| ISSN | 0893-3952 2011 Impact Factor: 4.792 2011 SCImago Journal Rankings: 0.565 | ||||
| DOI | http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/modpathol.2010.216 | ||||
| ISI Accession Number ID | WOS:000289072100006
Funding Information: This study was supported by grants from the 'Centre for Research into Circulating Fetal Nucleic Acids' (AoE/M-04/06) funded by the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. | ||||
| References | References in Scopus |
| dc.contributor.author | Mak, VCY | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| dc.contributor.author | Lee, L | ||||
| dc.contributor.author | Siu, MKY | ||||
| dc.contributor.author | Wong, OGW | ||||
| dc.contributor.author | Lu, X | ||||
| dc.contributor.author | Ngan, HYS | ||||
| dc.contributor.author | Wong, ESY | ||||
| dc.contributor.author | Cheung, ANY | ||||
| dc.date.accessioned | 2011-09-23T06:01:43Z | ||||
| dc.date.available | 2011-09-23T06:01:43Z | ||||
| dc.date.issued | 2011 | ||||
| dc.description.abstract | Gestational trophoblastic disease encompasses a spectrum of trophoblastic lesions including true neoplasms such as choriocarcinomas and the potentially malignant hydatidiform moles, which may develop persistent disease requiring chemotherapy. ASPP1, a member of apoptosis-stimulating proteins of p53 (ASPPs), is a proapoptotic protein that can stimulate apoptosis through its interaction with p53. We evaluated the promoter methylation and expression profiles of ASPP1 in different trophoblastic tissues and its in vitro functional effect on two choriocarcinoma cell lines, namely JEG-3 and JAR. Significant downregulation of ASPP1 mRNA and protein levels was demonstrated in hydatidiform moles and choriocarcinomas, when compared with normal placentas by quantitative-PCR and immunohistochemistry. The ASPP1 mRNA level was significantly correlated with its hypermethylation status, evaluated with methylation-specific PCR, in placenta and gestational trophoblastic disease samples (P=0.024). Moreover, lower ASPP1 immunoreactivity was shown in hydatidiform moles that progressed to persistent gestational trophoblastic neoplasms than in those that regressed (P=0.045). A significant correlation was also found between expression of ASPP1 and proliferative indices (assessed by Ki67 and MCM7), apoptotic activity (M30 CytoDeath antibody), p53 and caspase-8 immunoreactivities. An in vitro study showed that ectopic expression of ASPP1 could trigger apoptosis through intrinsic and extrinsic pathways as indicated by an increase in cleaved caspase-9 and Fas ligand protein expression. The latter suggests a hitherto unreported novel link between ASPP1 and the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis. Our findings suggest that downregulation of ASPP1 by hypermethylation may be involved in the pathogenesis and progress of gestational trophoblastic disease, probably through its effect on apoptosis. © 2011 USCAP, Inc. All rights reserved. | ||||
| dc.description.nature | Link_to_subscribed_fulltext | ||||
| dc.identifier.citation | Modern Pathology, 2011, v. 24 n. 4, p. 522-532 [How to Cite?] DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/modpathol.2010.216 | ||||
| dc.identifier.citeulike | 8335420 | ||||
| dc.identifier.doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/modpathol.2010.216 | ||||
| dc.identifier.epage | 532 | ||||
| dc.identifier.hkuros | 192466 | ||||
| dc.identifier.isi | WOS:000289072100006
Funding Information: This study was supported by grants from the 'Centre for Research into Circulating Fetal Nucleic Acids' (AoE/M-04/06) funded by the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. | ||||
| dc.identifier.issn | 0893-3952 2011 Impact Factor: 4.792 2011 SCImago Journal Rankings: 0.565 | ||||
| dc.identifier.issue | 4 | ||||
| dc.identifier.openurl | ![]() | ||||
| dc.identifier.pmid | 21102414 | ||||
| dc.identifier.scopus | eid_2-s2.0-79953305430 | ||||
| dc.identifier.spage | 522 | ||||
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10722/139929 | ||||
| dc.identifier.volume | 24 | ||||
| dc.language | eng | ||||
| dc.publisher | Nature Publishing Group. The Journal's web site is located at http://www.nature.com/modpathol/ | ||||
| dc.publisher.place | United Kingdom | ||||
| dc.relation.ispartof | Modern Pathology | ||||
| dc.relation.references | References in Scopus | ||||
| dc.subject.mesh | Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing - genetics - metabolism | ||||
| dc.subject.mesh | Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins - genetics - metabolism | ||||
| dc.subject.mesh | Choriocarcinoma - genetics - metabolism - pathology | ||||
| dc.subject.mesh | DNA Methylation | ||||
| dc.subject.mesh | Hydatidiform Mole - genetics - metabolism - pathology | ||||
| dc.subject | apoptotic activity | ||||
| dc.subject | ASPP1 | ||||
| dc.subject | choriocarcinomas | ||||
| dc.subject | gestational trophoblastic disease | ||||
| dc.subject | hypermethylation | ||||
| dc.subject | methylation | ||||
| dc.title | Downregulation of ASPP1 in gestational trophoblastic disease: Correlation with hypermethylation, apoptotic activity and clinical outcome | ||||
| dc.type | Article |
Author Affiliations
- The University of Hong Kong
- University of Oxford


