Abstract 4887: Genetic analyses of chromatin remodelers in cancer

Abstract Genetic analyses of chromatin remodelers in cancer Laia S. Riudalbas1, Sónia A. Melo, Anna Portela & Manel Esteller. 1Cancer Epigenetics and Biology Program (PEBC), Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), 08907 L'Hospitalet, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain Chromatin remodelers are ATP dependent proteins that enable dynamic access to packaged DNA and tailor nucleosome composition in chromosomal regions. These protein complexes have been shown to regulate a wide range of cellular processes, including transcription regulation, DNA-damage response and DNA replication. Being that some components of this remodeler machinery were already characterized as tumor suppressor genes and/or oncogenic, we can hypothesize that the dysregulation of any of these molecules in tumor cells with microsatellite instability (MSI+), that show a higher rate of insertions and deletions, can lead to neoplastic transformation. For that we decided to screen all the exonic mononucleotide repeats of some of the most important chromatin remodelers with ATPase activity in colorectal, gastric and endometrial cancer cell lines, on the search for frameshift mutations that could alter protein function. We have mainly analyzed the catalytic subunits of remodeling complexes because any alteration of these crucial proteins could drive into a tumorigenic process. Until now no alteration was found in the cancer cell lines studied. This could be underscoring the importance of these genes to normal cellular functioning being that their disruption could impair cell viability. This work was supported by Grants SAF2007-00027-65134, FIS PI08-0517, Consolider CSD2006-49, and CANCERDIP FP7-200620. L.S.R. is a research fellow of FIS - Instituto de Salud Carlos III, FI09/00218. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4887.