Transcriptome meta-analysis of lung cancer reveals recurrent aberrations in NRG1 and Hippo pathway genes

Nat Commun. 2014 Dec 22:5:5893. doi: 10.1038/ncomms6893.

Abstract

Lung cancer is emerging as a paradigm for disease molecular subtyping, facilitating targeted therapy based on driving somatic alterations. Here we perform transcriptome analysis of 153 samples representing lung adenocarcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas, large cell lung cancer, adenoid cystic carcinomas and cell lines. By integrating our data with The Cancer Genome Atlas and published sources, we analyse 753 lung cancer samples for gene fusions and other transcriptomic alterations. We show that higher numbers of gene fusions is an independent prognostic factor for poor survival in lung cancer. Our analysis confirms the recently reported CD74-NRG1 fusion and suggests that NRG1, NF1 and Hippo pathway fusions may play important roles in tumours without known driver mutations. In addition, we observe exon-skipping events in c-MET, which are attributable to splice site mutations. These classes of genetic aberrations may play a significant role in the genesis of lung cancers lacking known driver mutations.

Publication types

  • Meta-Analysis
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte / genetics
  • Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte / metabolism
  • Exons
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Fusion
  • Hippo Signaling Pathway
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / genetics
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Lung Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Lung Neoplasms / mortality
  • Mutation
  • Neuregulin-1 / genetics*
  • Neuregulin-1 / metabolism
  • Neurofibromin 1 / genetics
  • Neurofibromin 1 / metabolism
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / genetics
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction*
  • Transcriptome*

Substances

  • Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class II
  • NRG1 protein, human
  • Neuregulin-1
  • Neurofibromin 1
  • invariant chain
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases