Recurrent BCAM-AKT2 fusion gene leads to a constitutively activated AKT2 fusion kinase in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma
Abstract
High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) is the most common subtype of ovarian cancer and is typically detected only at advanced stages due to lack of effective early screening tools. Fusion genes are among the most cancer-specific signatures known and, when highly recurrent, they have the potential to serve as screening tools. Here we identified BCAM-AKT2 as a cancer-specific fusion gene present in 7% of HGSC tumors, a significant frequency in this highly heterogeneous disease. This fusion results in an aberrant kinase whose constant activity contributes to cancer formation. Thus, the BCAM-AKT2 fusion gene could be important for understanding and identifying clinically relevant subtypes of HGSC, and could be a novel therapeutic target for developing small-molecule drugs.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Mar 02, 2015
- Source ID
- 10.1073/pnas.1501735112
Entities
People
- Aleksandar Milosavljevic
- Amy E. Brinegar
- Cristian Coarfa
- Kalpana Kannan
- Laising Yen
- Liming Luo
- Martin M. Matzuk
- Pei-wen Chao
- Shannon M. Hawkins
- Yan Wang
Organizations
- Baylor College of Medicine
- Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine
- Office of Extramural Research
- Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance
- Prostate Cancer Foundation
- United States Department of Defense