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11p15.5 epimutations in children with Wilms tumor and hepatoblastoma detected in peripheral blood
Author(s) -
Fiala Elise M.,
Ortiz Michael V.,
Kennedy Jennifer A.,
Glodzik Dominik,
Fleischut Megan Harlan,
Duffy Kelly A.,
Hathaway Evan R.,
Heaton Todd,
Gerstle Justin T.,
Steinherz Peter,
Shukla Neerav,
McNeer Nicole,
Tkachuk Kaitlyn,
Bouvier Nancy,
Cadoo Karen,
Carlo Maria I.,
Latham Alicia,
Dubard Gault Marianne,
Joseph Vijai,
Kemel Yelena,
Kentsis Alex,
Stadler Zsofia,
La Quaglia Michael,
Papaemmanuil Elli,
Friedman Danielle,
Ganguly Arupa,
Kung Andrew,
Offit Kenneth,
Kalish Jennifer M.,
Walsh Michael F.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/cncr.32907
Subject(s) - hepatoblastoma , wilms' tumor , imprinting (psychology) , epigenetics , germline , genomic imprinting , dna methylation , medicine , methylation , oncology , germline mutation , cancer , beckwith–wiedemann syndrome , cancer research , genetics , biology , gene , mutation , gene expression
Background Constitutional or somatic mosaic epimutations are increasingly recognized as a mechanism of gene dysregulation resulting in cancer susceptibility. Beckwith‐Wiedemann syndrome is the cancer predisposition syndrome most commonly associated with epimutation and is extremely variable in its phenotypic presentation, which can include isolated tumors. Because to the authors' knowledge large‐scale germline DNA sequencing studies have not included methylation analysis, the percentage of pediatric cancer predisposition that is due to epimutations is unknown. Methods Germline methylation testing at the 11p15.5 locus was performed in blood for 24 consecutive patients presenting with hepatoblastoma (3 patients) or Wilms tumor (21 patients). Results Six individuals with Wilms tumor and 1 patient with hepatoblastoma were found to have low‐level gain of methylation at imprinting control 1, and a child with hepatoblastoma was found to have loss of methylation at imprinting control 2. The loss of methylation at imprinting control 2 was found to be maternally inherited, despite not being associated with any detectable genomic alteration. Conclusions Overall, 33% of patients (8 of 24 patients) with Wilms tumor or hepatoblastoma were found to have an epigenetic susceptibility that was detectable in the blood. It is interesting to note that low‐level gain of methylation at imprinting control 1 predominantly was detected in females with bilateral Wilms tumors. Further studies in larger cohorts are needed to determine the efficacy of testing all patients with Wilms tumor or hepatoblastoma for 11p15.5 epimutations in the blood as part of DNA analysis because this hallmark of predisposition will not be detected by sequencing‐based approaches and detecting a cancer predisposition may modify treatment.