Identifying Molecular Pathways in T-Cell Lymphomas
Advisor Information
Christine Cutucache
Location
Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
4-3-2016 12:45 PM
End Date
4-3-2016 2:15 PM
Abstract
Mature T-cell lymphomas are a rare and difficult to diagnose population of neoplasms. They are characterized by poor clinical outcomes, aggressive presentation, and poorly defined molecular characteristics. These combined factors have inspired a number of researchers to work to create identifying molecular signatures of these lymphomas that have successfully delineated between five subtypes, though these are not all complete. Though these subtypes help with diagnostics, there is little known about the collective effect of these lymphomas on the tumor microenvironment. With this in mind, we sought to identify shared gene expression profiles amongst these T-cell malignancies. To do this, we used publicly available microarray datasets for T-cell lymphomas (n=187) and healthy T cells (n=52) that had been uploaded to the National Cancer and Bioinformatics Gene Expression Omnibus. We analyzed these data using a bioinformatics approach and validated them using patient biopsies. These analyses allowed us to identify molecular pathways in which the genes were significantly upregulated. This information gives us a better understanding of the cellular activity taking place and how the cancer cells are affecting their surrounding tumor microenvironment. Specifically, using PANTHER we saw significant activity in the integrin signaling, inflammation mediated by chemokine and cytokine, and angiogenesis pathways. These pathways are involved in metastasis of lymphomas in that they are involved in adhesion and growth of the tumor. Therefore, they are expected pathways to be involved with T-cell pathogenesis, but this finding of use in diagnostics was novel.
Identifying Molecular Pathways in T-Cell Lymphomas
Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library
Mature T-cell lymphomas are a rare and difficult to diagnose population of neoplasms. They are characterized by poor clinical outcomes, aggressive presentation, and poorly defined molecular characteristics. These combined factors have inspired a number of researchers to work to create identifying molecular signatures of these lymphomas that have successfully delineated between five subtypes, though these are not all complete. Though these subtypes help with diagnostics, there is little known about the collective effect of these lymphomas on the tumor microenvironment. With this in mind, we sought to identify shared gene expression profiles amongst these T-cell malignancies. To do this, we used publicly available microarray datasets for T-cell lymphomas (n=187) and healthy T cells (n=52) that had been uploaded to the National Cancer and Bioinformatics Gene Expression Omnibus. We analyzed these data using a bioinformatics approach and validated them using patient biopsies. These analyses allowed us to identify molecular pathways in which the genes were significantly upregulated. This information gives us a better understanding of the cellular activity taking place and how the cancer cells are affecting their surrounding tumor microenvironment. Specifically, using PANTHER we saw significant activity in the integrin signaling, inflammation mediated by chemokine and cytokine, and angiogenesis pathways. These pathways are involved in metastasis of lymphomas in that they are involved in adhesion and growth of the tumor. Therefore, they are expected pathways to be involved with T-cell pathogenesis, but this finding of use in diagnostics was novel.