Uterine leiomyomata, or fibroids, are the most common pelvic tumors in females and occur in 20-25 percent of women of reproductive age. Although benign neoplasms, they constitute a major health problem as 25-50 percent of affected women experience debilitating symptoms including excessive menstrual bleeding and pelvic discomfort as well as reproductivefailure. Fibroids are the major indication for hysterectomy accounting for over 200,000 procedures annually in the United States. It is highly likely that there is a genetic liability to develop uterine leiomyomata; these tumors are at least three times more frequent in Black than Caucasian women and the twin pair correlations for hysterectomy in monozygotic twins are about twice that observed in dizygous twins. Despite these findings, relatively little is known about this racial predisposition or specific genes involved in the pathogenesis of fibroids. Also of particular interest is the observation that these tumors rarely; if ever, proceed to their malignant counterparts. Uterine leiomyomata may serve as an important model system to study the genetic events which distinguish benign and malignant neoplasms. Consistent chromosome aberrations have been observed in fibroids indicating the location of genes involved in these tumors. At least six cytogenetic subgroups have been identified and we have been successful in using positional candidate gene approaches in determining that two high mobility protein genes, HMGIC and HMGlY, located on chromosomes 12 and 6, respectively participate in the pathobiology of uterine leiomyomata. The major goal of this proposed renewal applicaiton is to further our understanding of the biology of uterine leiomyomata. We will use molecular and cytogenetic studies to characterize further the expression and mechanism of the two high mobility group protein genes, HMGiC and HMGlY. Additional experiments will be focused on the identification, isolation and characterization of othe genes involved in the pathogenesis and pathobiology of uterine leiomyomata. Two positional cloning projects already underway are focused on genes consistently involved in rearrangements in these tumors. Identification and molecular characterization of genes at these sites will contribute to understianding the role of these genes in normal cellular processes, and may facilitate developments in the clinical management of leiomyomate and other solid tumors.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01CA078895-09
Application #
6377220
Study Section
Mammalian Genetics Study Section (MGN)
Program Officer
Okano, Paul
Project Start
1992-09-30
Project End
2003-03-31
Budget Start
2001-04-01
Budget End
2002-03-31
Support Year
9
Fiscal Year
2001
Total Cost
$385,183
Indirect Cost
Name
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Department
Type
DUNS #
071723621
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02115
Ordulu, Zehra; Nucci, Marisa R; Dal Cin, Paola et al. (2016) Intravenous leiomyomatosis: an unusual intermediate between benign and malignant uterine smooth muscle tumors. Mod Pathol 29:500-10
Hodge, Jennelle C; Kim, Tae-Min; Dreyfuss, Jonathan M et al. (2012) Expression profiling of uterine leiomyomata cytogenetic subgroups reveals distinct signatures in matched myometrium: transcriptional profilingof the t(12;14) and evidence in support of predisposing genetic heterogeneity. Hum Mol Genet 21:2312-29
Hodge, Jennelle C; Park, Peter J; Dreyfuss, Jonathan M et al. (2009) Identifying the molecular signature of the interstitial deletion 7q subgroup of uterine leiomyomata using a paired analysis. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 48:865-85
Hodge, Jennelle C; T Cuenco, Karen; Huyck, Karen L et al. (2009) Uterine leiomyomata and decreased height: a common HMGA2 predisposition allele. Hum Genet 125:257-63
Hodge, Jennelle C; Quade, Bradley J; Rubin, Mark A et al. (2008) Molecular and cytogenetic characterization of plexiform leiomyomata provide further evidence for genetic heterogeneity underlying uterine fibroids. Am J Pathol 172:1403-10
Hodge, Jennelle C; Morton, Cynthia C (2007) Genetic heterogeneity among uterine leiomyomata: insights into malignant progression. Hum Mol Genet 16 Spec No 1:R7-13
Lobel, Melissa K; Somasundaram, Priya; Morton, Cynthia C (2006) The genetic heterogeneity of uterine leiomyomata. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am 33:13-39
Christacos, Nicole C; Quade, Bradley J; Dal Cin, Paola et al. (2006) Uterine leiomyomata with deletions of Ip represent a distinct cytogenetic subgroup associated with unusual histologic features. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 45:304-12
Veugelers, Mark; Bressan, Michael; McDermott, Deborah A et al. (2004) Mutation of perinatal myosin heavy chain associated with a Carney complex variant. N Engl J Med 351:460-9
Moore, Steven D P; Herrick, Steven R; Ince, Tan A et al. (2004) Uterine leiomyomata with t(10;17) disrupt the histone acetyltransferase MORF. Cancer Res 64:5570-7

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