Thesis (MSc (Genetics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Oesophageal cancer (OC) is characterised by the development of malignant tumours in the epithelial cells lining the oesophagus. It demonstrates marked ethnic variation, with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) being more prevalent in the Black population and adenocarcinoma (ADC) occurring more often in Caucasians. The aetiology of this complex disease has been attributed to a variety of factors, including an excess of iron (resulting in increased tumourigenesis), oesophageal injury and inflammation.
The present study attempted to determine the mutation spectrum of the regulatory and coding regions of the ceruloplasmin (CP) gene, involved in iron metabolism, in the Black South African OC population. The patient cohort was comprised of 96 (48 male and 48 female) unrelated individuals presenting with SCC of the oesophagus. The control group consisted of 88 unrelated, healthy population-matched control individuals. The techniques employed for mutation detection in this study included polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, heteroduplex single-strand conformation polymorphism (HEX-SSCP) analysis, restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis followed by bidirectional semi-automated DNA sequencing analysis to verify the variants identified.
Mutation detection of CP resulted in the identification of fourteen previously described (5’UTR-567C→G, 5’UTR-563T→C, 5’UTR-439C→T, 5’UTR-364delT, 5’UTR-354T→C, 5’UTR-350C→T, 5’UTR-282A→G, V223, Y425, R367C, D544E, IVS4-14C→T, IVS7+9T→C and IVS15-12T→C) and four novel (5’UTR-308G→A, T83, V246A and G633) variants. Statistical analysis revealed that two of the novel variants were significantly associated with OC in this study; the promoter variant 5’UTR-308G→A (P=0.012) and the exonic variant G633 (P=0.0003). It is possible that these variants may contribute to OC susceptibility in the Black South African population. OC symptoms generally present late in the development of the disease, and as a result treatment after diagnosis is highly ineffective. Early detection of symptoms and subsequent treatment is therefore the most effective manner of disease intervention. In high incidence areas, such as the Transkei region of South Africa, the implementation of a screening programme would be the ideal way to achieve this goal. The information that can be gathered from the identification of potential modifier genes for OC can lead to improvements in early detection, which in turn may lead to advancements in the treatment and counselling to individuals with OC. To our knowledge, this is the first study concerning CP and its effects on iron dysregulation in the Black South African population with oesophageal cancer. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Oesofageale kanker word gekenmerk deur die ontwikkeling van kwaardaardige gewasse in die epiteelweefsel van die oesofageale voering. Hierdie siekte demonstreer opvallende etniese variasie, met plaveisel selkarsinoom meer algemeen in die Swart populasie en adenokarsinoom meer algemeen in die Kaukasiese populasie. Die ontwikkeling van hierdie komplekse siekte word aan ‘n aantal faktore toegeskryf, insluitend ‘n oormaat yster (wat lei tot ‘n vermeerdering van gewasse) en oesofageale besering en -ontsteking.
Die doel van die hierdie studie was om die mutasie spektrum van die regulatoriese- en koderingsarea van die ceruloplasmin (CP) geen, betrokke in yster metabolisme, in die Swart Suid Afrikaanse oesofageale kanker populasie te bepaal. Die pasiënt groep het bestaan uit 96 (48 manlik en 48 vroulik) onverwante individue met plaveisel selkarsinoom van die oesofagus. Die kontrole groep het uit 88 nie-geaffekteerde onverwante, populasie spesifieke individue bestaan. Die tegnieke aangewend vir mutasie deteksie in hierdie studie sluit in polimerase kettingsreaksie amplifikasie, heterodupleks enkelstring konformasie polimorfisme analise en restriksie fragment lengte polimorfisme analise, gevolg deur tweerigting semi-geoutomatiseerde DNS volgorde-bepalingsanalise om die geïdentifiseerde variante te bevestig.
Mutasie deteksie van CP het tot die identifikasie van veertien reeds beskryfde (5’UTR-567C→G, 5’UTR-563T→C, 5’UTR-439C→T, 5’UTR-364delT, 5’UTR-354T→C, 5’UTR-350C→T, 5’UTR-282A→G, V223, Y425, R367C, D544E, IVS4-14C→T, IVS7+9T→C en IVS15-12T→C) en vier nuwe (5’UTR-308G→A, T83, V246A en G633) variante gelei. Statistiese analise het getoon dat twee van die nuwe variante betekenisvol geassosieerd was met oesofageale kanker in hierdie studie; die promotor variant 5’UTR-308G→A (P=0.012) en die eksoniese variant G633 (P=0.0003). Dit is moontlik dat hierdie variante mag bydra tot oesofageale kanker vatbaarheid in die Swart Suid Afrikaanse populasie.
Oesofageale kanker simptome vertoon gewoonlik op ‘n latere stadium in die ontwikkelingsproses van die siekte, en as ‘n gevolg is behandeling na diagnose hoogs oneffektief. Vroegtydige identifikasie van die simptome en daaropvolgende behandeling is die mees effektiewe manier vir ingryping. In hoë voorkoms streke, soos die Transkei gebied van Suid Afrika, sal die implementasie van ‘n siftingsprogram die ideale manier wees om hierdie doel te bereik. Die inligting wat dan versamel word, insluitend identifisering van modifiserende gene vir oesofageale kanker, kan lei tot ‘n verbetering in vroegtydige deteksie van die siekte. In effek kan dit dan lei tot beter behandeling en berading vir individue met oesofageale kanker. So ver ons kennis strek, is hierdie die eerste studie wat CP en sy effek op yster disregulasie in die Swart Suid-Afrikaanse populasie met oesofageale kanker behels.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/3976 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Strickland, Natalie |
| Contributors | Zaahl, M. G., Matsha, T., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Agrisciences. Dept. of Genetics. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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