Abstract In Brazil, breast cancer is a public health care problem due to its high incidence and mortality rates. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of hereditary breast cancer syndromes (HBCS) in a population-based cohort in Brazils southernmost capital, Porto Alegre. All participants answered a questionnaire about family history (FH) of breast, ovarian and colorectal cancer and those with a positive FH were invited for genetic cancer risk assessment (GCRA). If pedigree analysis was suggestive of HBCS, genetic testing of the BRCA1, BRCA2, TP53, and CHEK2 genes was offered. Of 902 women submitted to GCRA, 214 had pedigrees suggestive of HBCS. Fifty of them underwent genetic testing: 18 and 40 for BRCA1/BRCA2 and TP53 mutation screening, respectively, and 7 for CHEK2 1100delC testing. A deleterious BRCA2 mutation was identified in one of the HBOC probands and the CHEK2 1100delC mutation occurred in one of the HBCC families. No deleterious germline alterations were identified in BRCA1 or TP53. Although strict inclusion criteria and a comprehensive testing approach were used, the suspected genetic risk in these families remains unexplained. Further studies in a larger cohort are necessary to better understand the genetic component of hereditary breast cancer in Southern Brazil.

Abstract Germline mutations in the TP53 gene are associated with Li-Fraumeni and Li-Fraumeni-Like Syndromes, characterized by increased predisposition to early-onset cancers. In Brazil, the prevalence of the TP53-p.R337H germline mutation is exceedingly high in the general population and in cancer-affected patients, probably as result of a founder effect. Several genotyping methods are used for the molecular diagnosis of LFS/LFL, however Sanger sequencing is still considered the gold standard. We compared performance, cost and turnaround time of Sanger sequencing, PCR-RFLP, TaqMan-PCR and HRM in the p.R337H genotyping. The performance was determined by analysis of 95 genomic DNA samples and results were 100% concordant for all methods. Sequencing was the most expensive method followed by TaqMan-PCR, PCR-RFLP and HRM. The overall cost of HRM increased with the prevalence of positive samples, since confirmatory sequencing must be performed when a sample shows an abnormal melting profile, but remained lower than all other methods when the mutation prevalence was less than 2.5%. Sequencing had the highest throughput and the longest turnaround time, while TaqMan-PCR showed the lowest turnaround and hands-on times. All methodologies studied are suitable for the detection of p.R337H and the choice will depend on the application and clinical scenario.

This study identifies and describes the operating costs associated with the molecular diagnosis of diseases, such as hereditary cancer. To approximate the costs associated with these tests, data informed by Standard Operating Procedures for various techniques was collected from hospital software and a survey of market prices. Costs were established for four scenarios of capacity utilization to represent the possibility of suboptimal use in research laboratories. Cost description was based on a single site. The results show that only one technique was not impacted by rising costs due to underutilized capacity. Several common techniques were considerably more expensive at 30% capacity, including polymerase chain reaction (180%), microsatellite instability analysis (181%), gene rearrangement analysis by multiplex ligation probe amplification (412%), non-labeled sequencing (173%), and quantitation of nucleic acids (169%). These findings should be relevant for the definition of public policies and suggest that investment of public funds in the establishment of centralized diagnostic research centers would reduce costs to the Public Health System.

INTRODUÇÃO: CHEK2 codifica uma proteína quinase envolvida em um ponto de checagem do ciclo celular que desempenha um papel importante na via de reparação do DNA, danos ativados principalmente por ATM (Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutado) em resposta a danos na dupla hélice do DNA. A mutação germinativa 1100delC no gene CHEK2 tem sido descrita como um alelo de baixa penetrância em um número significativo de famílias com câncer de mama e cólon em certos países e também está associada com risco aumentado de câncer de mama contralateral em mulheres previamente afetadas pela doença. Cerca de 5%-10% de todos os cânceres de mama e colorretais estão associados a predisposição hereditária e o seu reconhecimento é de grande importância para o aconselhamento genético e gestão do risco de câncer. OBJETIVOS: Neste estudo foi avaliada a frequência da mutação germinativa 1100delC no gene CHEK2 em 59 diferentes indivíduos brasileiros com critérios clínicos para a síndrome de câncer de mama e cólon hereditários. MÉTODO: Utilizamos como estratégia a realização do PCR de longo alcance seguido de sequenciamento. RESULTADOS: A mutação 1100delC foi encontrada em um indivíduo (1,7%), indicando que esta mutação germinativa não é comumente encontrada em famílias brasileiras com múltiplos diagnósticos de câncer de mama e câncer colorretal. CONCLUSÃO: Estes resultados devem ser confirmados em uma série maior de famílias, e estudos adicionais devem ser realizados para investigar a patologia molecular do fenótipo HBCC.

CONTEXT: CHEK2 encodes a cell cycle checkpoint kinase that plays an important role in the DNA damage repair pathway, activated mainly by ATM (Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated) in response to double-stranded DNA breaks. A germline mutation in CHEK2, 1100delC, has been described as a low penetrance allele in a significant number of families with breast and colorectal cancer in certain countries and is also associated with increased risk of contralateral breast cancer in women previously affected by the disease. About 5%-10% of all breast and colorectal cancers are associated with hereditary predisposition and its recognition is of great importance for genetic counseling and cancer risk management. OBJECTIVES: Here, we have assessed the frequency of the CHEK2 1100delC mutation in the germline of 59 unrelated Brazilian individuals with clinical criteria for the hereditary breast and colorectal cancer syndrome. METHODS: A long-range PCR strategy followed by gene sequencing was used. RESULTS: The 1100delC mutation was encountered in the germline of one (1.7%) individual in this high risk cohort. This indicates that the CHEK2 1100delC is not commonly encountered in Brazilian families with multiple diagnoses of breast and colorectal cancer. CONCLUSION: These results should be confirmed in a larger series of families and further testing should be undertaken to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the hereditary breast and colorectal cancer phenotype.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar o germoplasma de tangerineiras (Citrus spp.) por meio de análises morfológicas e moleculares. Trinta e sete cultivares, pertencentes a 34 variedades distintas de tangerineiras, foram avaliadas pelas características morfológicas e agronômicas de folhas, flores e frutos, bem como por análises de microssatélites. As características morfológicas e agronômicas sugerem que praticamente todas as variedades podem ser usadas comercialmente e algumas delas, como a variedade Satsuma, são recomendadas para uso em cruzamentos dirigidos. O DNA foi obtido de amostras extraídas de uma a cinco plantas de cada cultivar. Oito de nove primers detectaram polimorfismos. Foram encontrados marcadores específicos para alguns acessos. O dendrograma construído com os resultados morfológicos dividiu as 37 cultivares em quatro grupos, enquanto o obtido com os microssatélites agrupou 35 das 37 cultivares em três grupos. As diferenças intervarietais não são grandes, e esta falta de concordância nas duas análises multivariadas indica que fatores evolutivos diversos estão agindo nesses dois níveis de investigação.

The objective of this work was to characterize mandarin (Citrus spp.) germplasm from Southern Brazil by morphological and molecular analyses. Thirty seven cultivars from 34 distinct mandarin varieties were evaluated by morphological and agronomic traits of leaves, flowers and fruits, and by microsatellite markers. The morphological and agronomic characteristics suggested that almost all varieties can be produced for commercial use, and some, as the Satsuma variety, are recommended for breeding programs. Pooled DNA samples from 1-5 plants belonging to each cultivar were tested. Eight of the nine primers detected polymorphisms. Specific markers were found for some accessions. The dendrogram constructed with the morphological results divided the 37 cultivars into four groups, while that obtained with the microsatellites clustered 35 of the 37 cultivars into three groups only. Generally, intervarietal differences are not high, and this lack of agreement in the two multifactorial analyses indicates that diverse evolutionary factors are acting at these two levels of investigation.

Folhas de 14 genótipos brasileiros de Triticum aestivum L. foram tratadas com ácido salicílico para a indução de proteínas relacionadas à patogênese (PR). Extratos inter e intracelulares foram assim obtidos e estudados através de eletroforese em gel de poliacrilamida. Sete bandas foram observadas, sendo que o material referente a duas delas (de 40 e 24 kDa) foi detectado somente nos espaços intracelulares. O DNA desses mesmos genótipos foi então amplificado através de PCR, usando iniciadores desenvolvidos a partir de três seqüências que codificam proteínas PR, e comparados com seqüências previamente descritas. Eles apresentaram homologia com os grupos PR 1, PR 3 (quitinases) e PR 5 (semelhante à taumatina), sendo que a seqüência do grupo PR 3 apresentou também um sítio característico de PRs induzidas pelo etileno e uma porção sem homologia com seqüências prévias. Não foi observada qualquer variação entre genótipos, seja nos extratos protéicos ou nas seqüências de DNA.

Leaves from 14 Brazilian genotypes of Triticum aestivum L. were treated with salicylic acid to induce pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins. Inter and intracellular extracts were then obtained and investigated through polyacrilamide gel electrophoresis. Seven bands were observed. Material related to two of them (of 40 and 24 kDa) occurred in intracellular spaces only. DNA from these same genotypes was then amplified through PCR using primers developed from three sequences encoding PR proteins, and compared with previously described sequences. The fragments presented homologies to PR groups 1, 3 (chitinases), and 5 (thaumatin-like). The PR3-like sequence also showed a site characteristic of PRs induced by ethylene and a portion without homology with previous sequences. No variation among genotypes were observed, either for protein extracts or DNA sequences.