HOXB13 G84E Mutation Research Articles

Evaluation of homeobox protein B13 (HOXB13) gene G84E mutation in patients with prostate cancer.

To comprehensively investigate the potential association between prostate cancer (PCa) and the G84E mutation within the Homeobox Protein B13 (HOXB13) gene among individuals of Turkish descent, our study aims to undertake a prospective examination. We evaluated 300 patients (150 diagnosed with prostate cancer, 150 controls) who presented in our clinic. Data collected were prospectively examined. DNA isolation was performed using an isolation kit. The HOXB13-G84E mutation (rs138213197) was analyzed in the obtained samples. Data encoding and statistical analysis were performed. The pathological allele for the G84E mutation was T. According to the findings, no mutations were detected in the control group, while the G84E mutation was detected in 17 patients in the patient group, all of whom had the TC genotype. The analysis showed that having the CC genotype reduced the risk of prostate cancer by 0.47 times (OR=0.47, CI=0.415-0.532). Our results did not support a trend toward family history or earlier-onset disease in comparisons between carriers and non-carriers of HOXB13 G84E mutation. Individuals with a positive family history exhibited a higher frequency of the G84E mutation. We concluded that HOXB13 gene mutation is indeed linked to PCa in Turkish men. However, we did not find a relationship between the HOXB13 gene G84E mutation carrier status and either early-onset PCa or familial PCa in Turkish men.

Abstract IA002: Genomic and epigenomic regulation during prostate cancer progression

Abstract Prostate cancer (PCa) development and progression are controlled by aberrant expression, mutation, and function of essential transcriptional factors and epigenetic modifiers. Over the years, our work has delineated the molecular mechanisms by which androgen receptor (AR) and Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) protein EZH2 regulate PCa progression in concert with other key transcriptional factors such as TMPRSS2-ERG and FOXA1. We recently found that HOXB13, a homeodomain transcription factor primarily known as a pioneering factor of AR, plays an AR-independent role in inhibiting cancer metabolism and tumor metastasis. An important function that is mediated by its interaction with the HDAC3-NCoR corepressor complex, which is disrupted by the PCa risk-associated HOXB13 G84E mutation. On the other hand, we characterize the unique roles of PALI1, a newly identified PRC2-accessory protein, in mediating molecular crosstalk between PRC2 and G9A proteins to catalyze dual H3K27 and H3K9 methylation at target loci. Thus, PALI1 enforces strong repression of differentiation genes, rendering cell stemness and cancer progression. Our findings laid the foundations for the development of several new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of advanced PCa. Citation Format: Jindan Yu. Genomic and epigenomic regulation during prostate cancer progression [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Advances in Prostate Cancer Research; 2023 Mar 15-18; Denver, Colorado. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(11 Suppl):Abstract nr IA002.

HOXB13 suppresses de novo lipogenesis through HDAC3-mediated epigenetic reprogramming in prostate cancer.

HOXB13, a homeodomain transcription factor, critically regulates androgen receptor (AR) activities and androgen-dependent prostate cancer (PCa) growth. However, its functions in AR-independent contexts remain elusive. Here we report HOXB13 interaction with histone deacetylase HDAC3, which is disrupted by HOXB13 G84E mutation that has been associated with early-onset PCa. Independently of AR, HOXB13 recruits HDAC3 to lipogenic enhancers to catalyze histone deacetylation and suppress lipogenic regulators such as fatty acid synthase (FASN). Analysis of human tissues reveals that the HOXB13 gene is hypermethylated and downregulated in approximately 30% of metastatic castration-resistant PCa. HOXB13 loss or G84E mutation leads to lipid accumulation in PCa cells, thereby promoting cell motility and xenograft tumor metastasis, which is mitigated by pharmaceutical inhibition of FASN. In summary, we present evidence that HOXB13 recruits HDAC3 to suppress de novo lipogenesis and inhibit tumor metastasis and that lipogenic pathway inhibitors may be useful to treat HOXB13-low PCa.

Germline HOXB13 G84E mutation carriers and risk to twenty common types of cancer: results from the UK Biobank

Germline HOXB13 G84E mutation has been consistently associated with prostate cancer (PCa) risk, but its association with other cancers is controversial. We systematically tested its association with the 20 most common cancer types in subjects from the UK Biobank. The G84E mutation was found in 1,545 (0.34%) of 460,224 participants of European ancestry. While mutation status did not associate with cancer risk in females, it was significantly associated with increased risk in males; odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval) for overall cancer diagnosis was 2.19 (1.89–2.52), P = 2.5E-19. The association remained after excluding PCa; OR = 1.4 (1.16–1.68), P = 0.003, suggesting association with other cancers. Indeed, suggestive novel associations were found for two other cancer types; rectosigmoid cancer, OR = 2.25 (1.05–4.15), P = 0.05 and non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), OR = 1.40 (1.12–1.74), P = 0.01. For NMSC, the association was found only in basal cell carcinoma, OR = 1.37 (1.07–1.74), P = 0.03. These findings have potential clinical utility for genetic counselling regarding HOXB13.

Insights into Chinese prostate cancer germline gene mutation profile: HOXB13 G84E mutation is unsuitable for genetic testing.

e17515 Background: Philadelphia Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference 2017 developed an expert consensus-driven working framework for comprehensive genetic evaluation of inherited PCA. However, the consensus was mainly based on data from Caucasian populations. Genetic differences in the PC molecular landscape between Asian and Caucasian men have been established. Whether Caucasian-based genetic information can be used to guide clinical practice in Chinese population needs further evidence. Methods: 1123 patients with confirmed prostate cancer admitted from March 2018 to August 2019 from 18 Chinese centers were included in this retrospective study. We sequenced the association of 50 gene with prostate cancer risk, clinical treatment implications and predisposition, focusing on DNA repair gene and genetic susceptibility genes pathogenic mutations in Philadelphia Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference. Only protein-truncating alterations (nonsense/stop-gains, frameshift insertions and deletions, and donor and acceptor splice-site mutations) were coded as pathogenic or likely pathogenic protein-truncating alterations. Results: Among all cases, DNA repair gene pathogenic mutations were found in 133 men (11.84%), including BRCA2 (62 [5.5%]), ATM (15 [1.3%]), PALB2 (11 [0.97%]), GEN1 (7 [0.62%]), BRCA1 (6 [0.53%]), MLH3 (4 [0.35%]), MUTYH (4 [0.35%]), PMS1 (4 [0.35%]), RAD50 (4 [0.35%]), ATR (3 [0.27%]), CHEK2 (3 [0.27%]), FANCD2 (3 [0.27%]) etc. Similar germline DRG mutation frequencies were observed between our cohort and Caucasian men. Noticeably, G84E mutation in HOXB13, a rare but recurrent missense mutation associated with a significantly increased risk of hereditary prostate cancer was not found in our cohort of patients. Furthermore, the frequency of HSD3B1 (1245C) allele in the Chinese patients is much lower than that in the Caucasian populations (11.7% vs 63%). Conclusions: Our study retrospectively analyzed germline mutation profile of prostate cancer in Chinese population. The frequency of HSD3B1 (1245C) allele varies across ethnic populations in spite of the similar DNA repair gene mutations rates. Considering the gene list should be tested based on clinical/familial scenarios from the Philadelphia Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference, a prevalence of certain mutations, G84E mutation in HOXB13 was unnecessary for genetic testing in Chinese population.

Prevalence of the HOXB13 G84E mutation in Danish men undergoing radical prostatectomy and its correlations with prostate cancer risk and aggressiveness.

To determine the prevalence of the HOXB13 G84E mutation (rs138213197) in Danish men with or without prostate cancer (PCa) and to investigate possible correlations between HOXB13 mutation status and clinicopathological characteristics associated with tumour aggressiveness. We conducted a case-control study including 995 men with PCa (cases) who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) between 1997 and 2011 at the Department of Urology, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark. As controls, we used 1622 healthy men with a normal prostate specific antigen (PSA) level. The HOXB13 G84E mutation was identified in 0.49% of controls and in 2.51% of PCa cases. The mutation was associated with a 5.12-fold increased relative risk (RR) of PCa (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.26-13.38; P = 13 × 10(-6) ). Furthermore, carriers of the risk allele were significantly more likely to have a higher PSA level at diagnosis (mean PSA 19.9 vs 13.6 ng/mL; P = 0.032), a pathological Gleason score ≥7 (83.3 vs 60.9%; P = 0.032), and positive surgical margins (56.0 vs 28.5%; P = 0.006) than non-carriers. Risk allele carriers were also more likely to have aggressive disease (54.2 vs 28.6%; P = 0.011), as defined by a preoperative PSA ≥20 ng/mL, pathological Gleason score ≥ (4+3) and/or presence of regional/distant disease. At a mean follow-up of 7 months, we found no significant association between HOXB13 mutation status and biochemical recurrence in this cohort of men who underwent RP. This is the first study to investigate the HOXB13 G84E mutation in Danish men. The mutation was detected in 0.49% of controls and in 2.51% of cases, and was associated with 5.12-fold increased RR of being diagnosed with PCa. In our RP cohort, HOXB13 mutation carriers were more likely to develop aggressive PCa. Further studies are needed to assess the potential of HOXB13 for future targeted screening approaches.

Abstract 2793: Not HOXB13 p.G84E, but p.R217C appears to be associated with increased breast cancer risk in the Dutch population

Abstract Recently, the germline mutation G84E in HOXB13 was shown to be associated with an increased risk for prostate cancer. In breast cancer, HOXB13 has been found to be overexpressed. Moreover, high expression of HOXB13 has been shown to mediate poor response to tamoxifen therapy by suppressing estrogen receptor α and inducing IL-6 expression. Based on these observations, the HOXB13 G84E mutation might also be associated with breast cancer risk. So far, the association between HOXB13 G84E and breast cancer risk has been investigated in three different studies and contradictory results were obtained. The goal of this study is to detect if HOXB13 gene mutations in general associate with breast cancer risk. To this end, we sequenced the whole HOXB13 coding region to find mutations in 1250 non-BRCA1&2 familial breast cancer cases and 800 controls. In total, thirteen variants were detected, including seven missense mutations. The G84E mutation was identified in 4 of 1215 cases (0.33%) and 6 of 759 controls (0.79%). Interestingly, we detected another mutation G217C in 6 of 1206 cases (0.50%) and 1 of 765 controls (0.13%). The other five missense mutations were only found once. Because both the HOXB13 G84E and R217C mutations were predicted to be probably damaging, we further evaluated if these two mutations were associated with breast cancer risk. Therefore we expanded our case-control study to include a total of 4520 non-BRCA1&2 familial breast cancer cases and 3127 controls by Taqman genotyping. Our preliminary results show that the HOXB13 G84E mutation was found in 22 of 4449 cases (0.49%) and 23 of 3089 controls (0.74%). The carrier allele frequency was higher in controls than in cases, but not significantly different (OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.37-1.19, p = 0.17). Our results indicate that the HOXB13 G84E mutation is not associated with breast cancer risk. The HOXB13 R217C mutation was identified in 15 of 4478 cases (0.33%) and 3 of 3077 controls (0.10%). This difference was borderline significant (OR = 3.44, 95% CI = 1.00-11.91, p = 0.052) most likely due to low population frequency in combination with a relatively small sample size. The HOXB13 R217C mutation could thus be a novel moderate-risk breast cancer susceptibility allele, however a larger study is needed to confirm these results. In conclusion, the R217C mutation rather than the G84E mutation in HOXB13 appears to be associated with breast cancer risk. Citation Format: Jingjing Liu, Wendy JC Prager-van der Smissen, Sten Cornelissen, Margriet J. Collee, Ans W.M. van den Ouweland, Marjanka K. Schmidt, John W.M. Martens, Antoinette Hollestelle. Not HOXB13 p.G84E, but p.R217C appears to be associated with increased breast cancer risk in the Dutch population. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2793. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2793

Correction: Imputation of the Rare HOXB13 G84E Mutation and Cancer Risk in a Large Population-Based Cohort

Correction: Imputation of the Rare HOXB13 G84E Mutation and Cancer Risk in a Large Population-Based Cohort

Imputation of the rare HOXB13 G84E mutation and cancer risk in a large population-based cohort.

An efficient approach to characterizing the disease burden of rare genetic variants is to impute them into large well-phenotyped cohorts with existing genome-wide genotype data using large sequenced referenced panels. The success of this approach hinges on the accuracy of rare variant imputation, which remains controversial. For example, a recent study suggested that one cannot adequately impute the HOXB13 G84E mutation associated with prostate cancer risk (carrier frequency of 0.0034 in European ancestry participants in the 1000 Genomes Project). We show that by utilizing the 1000 Genomes Project data plus an enriched reference panel of mutation carriers we were able to accurately impute the G84E mutation into a large cohort of 83,285 non-Hispanic White participants from the Kaiser Permanente Research Program on Genes, Environment and Health Genetic Epidemiology Research on Adult Health and Aging cohort. Imputation authenticity was confirmed via a novel classification and regression tree method, and then empirically validated analyzing a subset of these subjects plus an additional 1,789 men from Kaiser specifically genotyped for the G84E mutation (r2 = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.37−0.77). We then show the value of this approach by using the imputed data to investigate the impact of the G84E mutation on age-specific prostate cancer risk and on risk of fourteen other cancers in the cohort. The age-specific risk of prostate cancer among G84E mutation carriers was higher than among non-carriers. Risk estimates from Kaplan-Meier curves were 36.7% versus 13.6% by age 72, and 64.2% versus 24.2% by age 80, for G84E mutation carriers and non-carriers, respectively (p = 3.4×10−12). The G84E mutation was also associated with an increase in risk for the fourteen other most common cancers considered collectively (p = 5.8×10−4) and more so in cases diagnosed with multiple cancer types, both those including and not including prostate cancer, strongly suggesting pleiotropic effects.

HOXB13 G84E-related familial prostate cancers: a clinical, histologic, and molecular survey.

Recent genetic epidemiologic studies identified a germline mutation in the homeobox transcription factor, HOXB13 G84E, which is associated with markedly increased risk for prostate cancer, particularly early-onset hereditary prostate cancer. The histomorphologic and molecular features of cancers arising in such carriers have not been studied. Here, we reviewed prostatectomy specimens from 23 HOXB13 G84E mutation carriers, mapping the total cancer burden by anatomically distinct cancer focus and evaluating morphologic features. We also assessed basic molecular subtypes for all cancer foci (ERG/SPINK1 status) by dual immunohistochemistry staining on full sections. The cohort showed a median age of 58 years, a median serum PSA level of 5.7 ng/mL, and a median of 6 cancer foci (range, 1 to 14) per case. Of evaluable cases, dominant foci were Gleason score 6 in 23%, 3+4=7 in 41%, 4+3=7 in 23%, and ≥8 in 14%; biochemical recurrence was observed in 1 case over a median of 36 months follow-up. Histologic review found a high prevalence of cases showing cancers with a spectrum of features previously described with pseudohyperplastic carcinomas, with 45% of cases showing a dominant focus with such features. Molecular subtyping revealed a strikingly low prevalence of ERG cancer with increased prevalence of SPINK1 cancer (dominant focus ERG 17%, SPINK1 26%, ERG/SPINK1 52%, single ERG/SPINK1 focus 4%). One ERG/SPINK1 dominant focus showed aberrant p63 immunophenotype. In summary, HOXB13 G84E variant-related prostate cancers show frequent pseudohyperplastic-type features and markedly low prevalence of ERG cancers relative to unselected cases and, especially, to early-onset cohorts. These findings suggest that novel molecular pathways may drive disease in HOXB13 G84E carriers.

Prevalence of the HOXB13 G84E Mutation Among Unaffected Men with a Family History of Prostate Cancer

HOXB13 (G84E) was reported to significantly increase risk for prostate cancer. The goal of the current analysis was to assess the prevalence of G84E in ethnically-diverse high-risk men undergoing prostate cancer screening and place the carrier frequency within the context of prevalence estimates from reported studies to gain insight into the future role of this mutation in genetic counseling. PRAP is a prostate cancer screening program for unaffected men ages 35-69 with a family history of prostate cancer or African descent. HOXB13 G84E was genotyped by pyrosequencing in 649 PRAP participants with available DNA. Prevalence of the mutation was calculated for PRAP and for reported studies and exact binomial confidence intervals were generated. Prevalence of the G84E mutation in non-African PRAP men was 0.73%. When placed in context of the literature, this was higher than reported controls. One G84E mutation carrier was notably of Hispanic background. While the HOXB13 G84E mutation may be rare, there may be a future role in genetic testing for this mutation after further studies of clinical utility in assessing prostate cancer risk.

Prevalence of HOXB13 mutation in a population of Ashkenazi Jewish men treated for prostate cancer

We performed a retrospective analysis of germline DNA samples from Ashkenazi Jewish men and a comparison group of non-Ashkenazi men treated for prostate cancer at our institution to determine the prevalence of HOXB13 G84E mutation in prostate cancer patients of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage, an ethnic group common to the New York City area. Patients were genotyped for G84E using a TaqMan assay (Applied Biosystems). Positive cases were confirmed using Sanger sequencing. Median age at prostate cancer diagnosis was 68 years for 889 Ashkenazi Jewish patients, 64 years for 920 non-Ashkenazi Jewish patients. The median follow up was 9 years for Ashkenazi Jewish patients and 8.8 years for non-Ashkenazi Jewish patients. Only 4 patients were found to be heterozygous carriers of G84E. They were all of non-Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry and were diagnosed at 70, 66, 78, and 49 years of age. Two of them presented with high-risk prostate cancer. The prevalence of G84E in the non-Ashkenazi sample was 0.4%. HOXB13 G84E mutation was not observed in prostate cancer patients of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry treated at our institution. Screening for G84E, therefore, may be unnecessary in Ashkenazi Jewish men if these results are validated by other studies.

HOXB13 G84E Mutation in Finland: Population-Based Analysis of Prostate, Breast, and Colorectal Cancer Risk

A recently identified germline mutation G84E in HOXB13 was shown to increase the risk of prostate cancer. In a family-based analysis by The International Consortium for Prostate Cancer Genetics (ICPCG), the G84E mutation was most prevalent in families from the Nordic countries of Finland (22.4%) and Sweden (8.2%). To further investigate the importance of G84E in the Finns, we determined its frequency in more than 4,000 prostate cancer cases and 5,000 controls. In addition, 986 breast cancer and 442 colorectal cancer (CRC) cases were studied. Genotyping was conducted using TaqMan, MassARRAY iPLEX, and sequencing. Statistical analyses were conducted using Fisher exact test, and overall survival was analyzed using Cox modeling. The frequency of the G84E mutation was significantly higher among patients with prostate cancer and highest among patients with a family history of the disease, hereditary prostate cancer [8.4% vs. 1.0% in controls; OR 8.8; 95% confidence interval (CI), 4.9-15.7]. The mutation contributed significantly to younger age (≤55 years) at onset and high prostate-specific antigen (PSA; ≥20 ng/mL) at diagnosis. An association with increased prostate cancer risk in patients with prior benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) diagnosis was also revealed. No statistically significant evidence for a contribution in CRC risk was detected, but a suggestive role for the mutation was observed in familial BRCA1/2-negative breast cancer. These findings confirm an increased cancer risk associated with the G84E mutation in the Finnish population, particularly for early-onset prostate cancer and cases with substantially elevated PSA. This study confirms the overall importance of the HOXB13 G84E mutation in prostate cancer susceptibility.

Association Between Germline HOXB13 G84E Mutation and Risk of Prostate Cancer

Association Between Germline HOXB13 G84E Mutation and Risk of Prostate Cancer

HOXB13 is a susceptibility gene for prostate cancer: results from the International Consortium for Prostate Cancer Genetics (ICPCG)

Prostate cancer has a strong familial component but uncovering the molecular basis for inherited susceptibility for this disease has been challenging. Recently, a rare, recurrent mutation (G84E) in HOXB13 was reported to be associated with prostate cancer risk. Confirmation and characterization of this finding is necessary to potentially translate this information to the clinic. To examine this finding in a large international sample of prostate cancer families, we genotyped this mutation and 14 other SNPs in or flanking HOXB13 in 2,443 prostate cancer families recruited by the International Consortium for Prostate Cancer Genetics (ICPCG). At least one mutation carrier was found in 112 prostate cancer families (4.6 %), all of European descent. Within carrier families, the G84E mutation was more common in men with a diagnosis of prostate cancer (194 of 382, 51 %) than those without (42 of 137, 30 %), P = 9.9 × 10−8 [odds ratio 4.42 (95 % confidence interval 2.56–7.64)]. A family-based association test found G84E to be significantly over-transmitted from parents to affected offspring (P = 6.5 × 10−6). Analysis of markers flanking the G84E mutation indicates that it resides in the same haplotype in 95 % of carriers, consistent with a founder effect. Clinical characteristics of cancers in mutation carriers included features of high-risk disease. These findings demonstrate that the HOXB13 G84E mutation is present in ~5 % of prostate cancer families, predominantly of European descent, and confirm its association with prostate cancer risk. While future studies are needed to more fully define the clinical utility of this observation, this allele and others like it could form the basis for early, targeted screening of men at elevated risk for this common, clinically heterogeneous cancer.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00439-012-1229-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Association Between Germline HOXB13 G84E Mutation and Risk of Prostate Cancer

Recently, a G84E mutation in HOXB13, a gene involved in prostate development, was shown to be strongly associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. To confirm this association in a screening setting, we conducted a case-control study and sequenced germline DNA from peripheral leukocytes of 1843 men diagnosed with prostate cancer (case subjects) and 2225 men without prostate cancer (control subjects) for mutations in HOXB13. Subjects (aged 40-94 years) were prescreened and underwent a prostate biopsy at two tertiary care centers in Canada. The frequency of HOXB13 variants was determined in case subjects and control subjects by race, and odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were based on 2×2 table analysis. All statistical tests were two-sided. Twelve men of white race were identified to be carriers of the G84E mutation. The G84E mutation was more frequent among white case subjects than among white control subjects (10 of 1525 [0.7%] vs 2 of 1757 [0.1%], P = .01) and was associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer (unadjusted odds ratio = 5.8, 95% confidence interval = 1.3 to 26.5, P = .01).