Endometrial carcinoma is the most dominant gynecological tumor worldwide. Familial risk of endometrial cancer has been reported but little is known about the predisposition genes. Here we focused on a family with high incidence of cancer, aiming to identify potential markers with low allele frequency and high disease-causing probability. Whole-genome sequencing was performed with available DNA from 4 family members: one healthy control and 3 endometrial cancer patients. We analyzed the non-synonymous variations in the coding region expressed in 3 of the patients but not in the healthy control. The variations with high allele frequencies in Taiwanese population were excluded. Five potential candidates, KMT2D, PCDHA8, COG5, RAPGEF3 and PFDN1, were identified as heterozygous mutations predisposed to endometrial cancer. In addition, we demonstrated that PCDHA8 and COG5 genes play crucial roles in cell proliferation in endometrial cancer cells. Notably, KMT2D (lysine methyltransferase 2D) is highly mutated in the tumors of endometrial cancer. An interaction between mutated KMT2D and other candidate genes may explain the high risk of cancer formation in this family. These results validate the potential markers of endometrial cancer and create opportunities for therapeutic applications and personalized prevention.
Date:
2019-07
Relation:
Cancer Research. 2019 Jul;79(13, Suppl.):Abstract number 4168.