AUTHOR=Lee Sug H., Moon Seong W., Son Hyun J., Choi Eun J., Yoo Nam J.

TITLE=Brief Research Report Regional Difference in TRAF2 and TRAF3 Gene Mutations in Colon Cancers

JOURNAL=Pathology and Oncology Research

VOLUME=27

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.por-journal.com/journals/pathology-and-oncology-research/articles/10.3389/pore.2021.625438

DOI=10.3389/pore.2021.625438

ISSN=1532-2807

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>TRAF2</italic> and <italic>TRAF3</italic> genes of tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNF-R)-associated factor (TRAF) family are involved in diverse cell signaling, and function as both tumor suppressor gene and oncogene. Alterations of <italic>TRAF2</italic> and <italic>TRAF3</italic> in colon cancer (CC) along with their regional difference and microsatellite instability (MSI) are largely unknown. In the present study, we analyzed <italic>TRAF2</italic> and <italic>TRAF3</italic> frameshift mutations in 168 sporadic CCs (100 high MSI (MSI-H) and 68 microsatellite-stable (MSS) CCs). We identified <italic>TRAF2</italic> and <italic>TRAF3</italic> frameshift mutations in 4 (4%) and 3 CCs (3%) with MSI-H, respectively, but none in 68 cases of MSS CCs. Of the 168 CCs, we analyzed the mutations in multi-regions for 39 CCs (16 MSI-H and 23 MSS CCs), and discovered that 12.5% (2/16) and 6.3% (1/16) of MSI-H CCs exhibited regional difference in <italic>TRAF2</italic> and <italic>TRAF3</italic> mutations, respectively. In the multi-region samples of 23 MSS CCs, neither <italic>TRAF2</italic> nor <italic>TRAF3</italic> frameshift mutation was found. In 40% of CCs, both TRAF2 and TRAF3 expressions were increased compared to normal colon cells. Our data indicate that <italic>TRAF2</italic> and <italic>TRAF3</italic> frameshift mutations and their regional difference as well as altered expressions are present in MSI-H CCs, which could contribute to MSI-H cancer development.</p>