Oncotarget (a primarily oncology-focused, peer-reviewed, open access journal) aims to maximize research impact through insightful peer-review; eliminate borders between specialties by linking different fields of oncology, cancer research and biomedical sciences; and foster application of basic and clinical science.
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Most cancer-related deaths in breast cancer patients are associated with metastasis, a multistep, intricate process that requires the cooperation of tumor cells, tumor microenvironment and metastasis target tissues. It is accepted that metastasis does not depend on the tumor characteristics but the host’s genetic makeup.
“However, there has been limited success in determining the germline genetic variants that influence metastasis development, mainly because of the limitations of traditional genome-wide association studies to detect the relevant genetic polymorphisms underlying complex phenotypes. “
“We performed an epistasis network analysis to detect the variants that take part in metastasis by modulating the effect of other variants. We selected the genes that harbour these germline variants based on their role in the regulation of metastasis. We found several gene candidates through which the host’s genetic makeup contributes to metastasis.”
The researchers found that the host’s genetic makeup facilitates metastases by the dysregulation of gene expression that can promote the dispersion of metastatic seeds and help establish the metastatic niche—providing a congenial soil for the metastatic seeds.
“In conclusion, our work moves onward with the seed and soil hypothesis—i.e., the host’s genetic background contributes to the development of metastasis. We unveiled several genes altered by germline variants that influence metastasis through their synergistic interaction with many other genes in our epistasis network. Therefore, we suggest that women who harbour specific sequence variants in the metastasis influence genes will deploy gene expression patterns that favour metastasis should they develop breast cancer.”
Keywords: breast cancer; germline variants; epistasis; network analysis; seed and soil
About Oncotarget:
Oncotarget (a primarily oncology-focused, peer-reviewed, open access journal) aims to maximize research impact through insightful peer-review; eliminate borders between specialties by linking different fields of oncology, cancer research and biomedical sciences; and foster application of basic and clinical science.
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