Development of breast tumors in CHEK2, NBN/NBS1 and BLM mutation carriers does not commonly involve somatic inactivation of the wild-type allele

Med Oncol. 2014 Feb;31(2):828. doi: 10.1007/s12032-013-0828-9. Epub 2014 Jan 12.

Abstract

Somatic inactivation of the remaining allele is a characteristic feature of cancers arising in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers, which determines their unprecedented sensitivity to some DNA-damaging agents. Data on tumor-specific status of the involved gene in novel varieties of hereditary breast cancer (BC) remain incomplete. We analyzed 32 tumors obtained from 30 patients with non-BRCA1/2 BC-associated germ-line mutations: 25 women were single mutation carriers (7 BLM, 15 CHEK2 and 3 NBN/NBS1) and 5 were double mutation carriers (2 BLM/BRCA1, 1 CHEK2/BLM, 1 CHEK2/BRCA1 and 1 NBN/BLM). Losses of heterozygosity affecting the wild-type allele were detected in none of the tumors from BLM mutation carriers, 3/18 (17 %) CHEK2-associated BC and 1/4 (25 %) NBN/NBS1-driven tumors. The remaining 28 BC were subjected to the sequence analysis of entire coding region of the involved gene; no somatic mutations were identified. We conclude that the tumor-specific loss of the wild-type allele is not characteristic for BC arising in CHEK2, NBN/NBS1 and BLM mutation carriers. Rarity of "second-hit" inactivation of the involved gene in CHEK2-, NBN/NBS1- and BLM-associated BC demonstrates their substantial biological difference from BRCA1/2-driven cancers and makes them poorly suitable for the clinical trials with cisplatin and PARP inhibitors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • BRCA1 Protein / genetics
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / genetics*
  • Checkpoint Kinase 2 / genetics*
  • Female
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Heterozygote
  • Humans
  • Loss of Heterozygosity
  • Mutation / genetics*
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics*
  • Prognosis
  • RecQ Helicases / genetics*

Substances

  • BRCA1 Protein
  • BRCA1 protein, human
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • NBN protein, human
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Checkpoint Kinase 2
  • CHEK2 protein, human
  • Bloom syndrome protein
  • RecQ Helicases