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brief REPORT
Sum m a r y
Prolyl hydroxylase domain (PHD) proteins play a major role in regulating the hypoxia-
inducible factor (HIF) that induces expression of genes involved in angiogenesis,
erythropoiesis, and cell metabolism, proliferation, and survival. Germ-line mutations
in the prolyl hydroxylase domain 2 gene (PHD2) have been reported in patients with
familial erythrocytosis but not in association with tumors. We describe a patient with
erythrocytosis and recurrent paraganglioma who carries a newly discovered PHD2
mutation. This mutation affects PHD2 function and stabilizes HIF-α proteins. In ad-
dition, we demonstrate loss of heterozygosity of PHD2 in the tumor, suggesting that
PHD2 could be a tumor-suppressor gene.
A
ccurate regulation of oxygen homeostasis is essential for sur- From Génétique Oncologique, Ecole Pra-
vival. HIF, a transcription factor that activates hypoxia-inducible genes, is tique des Hautes Etudes (EPHE) and
Centre National de la Recherche Scienti-
conserved during evolution from worms to vertebrates. It plays a central role in fique (CNRS) (FRE 2939), Institut de
oxygen homeostasis during embryonic development and postnatal life but is also in- Cancérologie Gustave Roussy, Villejuif
volved in pathologic processes such as erythrocytosis, tumor development, angio- (C. Ladroue, R.C., S.G., J.F., S.R., B.G.);
Faculté de Médecine Paris-Sud, Univer-
genesis, and metastases.1 sité Paris-Sud (C. Ladroue, R.C., S.G.,
HIF is an alpha/beta heterodimer consisting of a tightly regulated alpha subunit S.R., B.G.), and Centre Pilote Tumeurs
(1α, 2α, or 3α) and a constitutively expressed beta subunit. Under normoxic condi- Rares, Institut National du Cancer and
Assistance Publique–Hôpitaux de Paris,
tions, HIF-α subunits are hydroxylated by dioxygenases that use oxygen as a co Service d’Urologie, Centre Hospitalier
substrate.2,3 The PHD proteins (also called EGLN proteins) are dioxygenases that Universitaire de Bicêtre (S.R.) — both in
hydroxylate key proline residues of HIF-α, allowing for the attachment of HIF-α Le Kremlin Bicêtre; Service d’Hématologie
Clinique (M.L.), Service de Chirurgie Tho-
to the von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) tumor-suppressor protein, part of a complex that racique et Cardio-Vasculaire (C. Le Hello),
leads to the ubiquitination and degradation of HIF-α in the proteasome. In mam- and Laboratoire d’Anatomie et Cytologie
malian cells, there is a family of PHD proteins (PHD1, PHD2, and PHD3), among Pathologiques (F.G.-S.), Centre Hospita-
lier Universitaire, Caen; Institute of De-
which PHD2 (also called EGLN1) seems to be the critical oxygen sensor that tags velopmental Biology and Cancer Research,
HIF-1α for destruction.2,4 In addition, factor-inhibiting HIF hydroxylates the aspar- CNRS (UMR 6543) University of Nice,
agine residue in the C-terminal domain of HIF, which blocks the attachment of Nice (J.P.); and Service de Néphrologie,
Hôpital Necker, Paris (S.R.) — all in France.
HIF to an essential transcriptional coactivator.5 Address reprint requests to Dr. Richard
Germ-line mutations in genes involved in the HIF pathway have been described at Génétique Oncologique EPHE, Faculté
in association with syndromes that predispose patients to either tumors or familial de Médecine Paris-Sud, 63 Rue Gabriel
Péri, 94276 Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France,
polycythemia. The most frequent alterations affect the VHL tumor-suppressor gene; or at stephane.richard@u-psud.fr.
heterozygous germ-line mutations of VHL cause VHL disease.6 This autosomal domi-
nant condition predisposes patients to multiple vascularized tumors, including he- Ms. Ladroue and Mr. Carcenac contributed
equally to this article.
mangioblastomas of the central nervous system and retina, clear-cell renal-cell carci-
nomas, pheochromocytomas, endocrine pancreatic tumors, and endolymphatic sac N Engl J Med 2008;359:2685-92.
tumors. In contrast, a homozygous 598C→T (R200W) germ-line mutation of VHL Copyright © 2008 Massachusetts Medical Society.
causes Chuvash congenital polycythemia, an au- succinate) inhibits PHD function and in this way
tosomal recessive disease reported first in resi- causes overexpression of HIF.
dents of the Chuvash Autonomous Republic of We investigated the main genes of the HIF
the Russian Federation.7 Homozygous carriers of pathway in a patient with congenital erythrocyto-
the R200W mutation have erythrocytosis, with in- sis and recurrent abdominal paraganglioma.
creased erythropoietin production. Remarkably,
carriers of the R200W mutation are not unduly C a se R ep or t
susceptible to cancer. Heterozygous germ-line mu-
tations in the PHD2 gene and the gene for HIF-2α The patient was referred to us in 1988, when he was
(HIF2A) have been found in patients with familial 30 years old and had a hematocrit value within the
erythrocytosis due to an elevated erythropoietin upper end of the normal range (Table 1). Clinical
level, but tumors have not been reported.8-11 and laboratory workups confirmed the diagnosis
Germ-line mutations in genes encoding two of erythrocytosis, but both routine and specialized
mitochondrial enzymes operating in the Krebs tests failed to identify a specific cause. The eryth-
cycle, fumarate hydratase (FH) and succinate de- ropoietin-dependent in vitro growth of erythroid
hydrogenase (SDHB, SDHC, and SDHD), have been colonies ruled out the diagnosis of polycythemia
implicated in the development of the hereditary vera. Phlebotomy was initiated, to maintain the he-
leiomyomatosis and renal-cell cancer syndrome matocrit value below 45%. In addition, mild hy-
and the hereditary paraganglioma–pheochromo- pertension was treated with atenolol. Because the
cytoma syndrome.12 In tumors deficient in FH and mean corpuscular volume and ferritin level re-
SDH, accumulation of the substrates (fumarate and mained normal on follow-up, despite the phlebot-
Table 1. Diagnostic Tests for Erythrocytosis in the Patient at the Time of Diagnosis (1988).
A B
Wild type/
wild type
Figure 1. PHD2 Genotypes of the Patient and His Family, and Histopathological Features of the Tumor.
The pedigree of the patient’s familyICM AUTHOR:
is shown Ladroue
in Panel A. Squares representRETAKE 1st
male family members, circles female
2nd
family members, and slashes deceased
REG F family members;
FIGURE: 1 of 3 the solid square denotes the presence of erythrocytosis
3rd
and abdominal paraganglioma in the CASEproband. Genotypes for the PHD2 gene are shown for each family member
Revised
tested. Panel B, top, shows a microscopical
EMail image of the tumor
Line (hematoxylin
4-C and
SIZE eosin), revealing typical patterns
of a paraganglioma with an organoid ARTIST: ts(Zellballen)
arrangement H/T of tumor
H/T cells with pink granular cytoplasm and with
Enon 33p9
nuclear pleomorphism and vascular invasion. Immunocytochemical Combo images show cytoplasmic expression of chro-
mogranin A by tumor cells (bottom left), as wellAUTHOR, PLEASE NOTE:
as sustentacular cells (indicated by arrows) with uniform reactivity
Figure has been redrawn and type has been reset.
to S-100 protein (bottom right). Please check carefully.
A
Mutation c.1121A→G (p.H374R)
C A A C C C T C A T G A A G T A C
Reference DNA
C A A C C C T C R T G A A G T A C
C A A C C C T C R T G A A G T A C
Tumor DNA
Germ-
line
DNA
Tumor
DNA
Figure 2. The PHD2 Mutation and Results of Loss-of-Heterozygosity Analysis of the Tumor.
AUTHOR: Ladroue RETAKE 1st
Panel A shows a sequence chromatogram
ICM of PHD2 exon 3 in the area of the mutated 2nd
nucleotide. Panel B shows the
FIGURE: 2 of 3
results of loss-of-heterozygosity analysis on germ-line and tumor DNA. Six microsatellite
REG F
3rd markers, spanning 57 Mb
of the 1q42 region, were investigated.
CASETheir positions relative to the centromereRevised and the telomere are indicated
EMail ratios (AIRs) wereLine
(drawing not to scale). Allelic imbalance 4-Cby dividing
calculated SIZEthe ratio of the peak heights of the
ARTIST: ts
the peak heights of theH/T
two germ-line alleles by the ratio ofEnon two
Combo
H/Talleles.33p9
tumor An AIR value of less than 0.5 indicates
loss of heterozygosity, shown by all the markers we tested. For a version of Panel B showing the specifications of
AUTHOR, PLEASE NOTE:
each peak, see the Supplementary Appendix (available with the full text of this article at www.nejm.org).
Figure has been redrawn and type has been reset.
Please check carefully.
A
H374
D315 H374
Fe2+ Fe2+
H313
Ligand
PHD2
C D
100
80
Luciferase Activity
(% of total)
Transfected 60
plasmid (ng): 50.0 25.0 12.5 5.0
Wild-Type HA- 40
WT-PHD2
Vector 20
Mutant HA-
H374R-PHD2 0
Vector HIF-2α: − + − + + + + − + + + +
0
0
PHD2 (ng):
.0
.0
.0
.5
5.
5.
.0
.0
.5
0
0
0
50
50
25
12
12
12
62
31
12
0.
0.
5.
Immunoblot
Anti-HA Antibody:
Wild-type HA-WT- Mutant HA-H374R-
PHD2 Vector PHD2 Vector
ICM
AUTHOR: Ladroue RETAKE 1st
oncogenic effect of this inhibition should be
REG F FIGURE: 3 of 3
No potential conflict of
2ndinterest relevant to this article was
reported. 3rd
evaluated before the approachCASE
is considered for We thank theRevised
patient and his family for their participation
therapeutic use.3,22 EMail Line
and Prof.4-C
Dominique Maïza, Prof. Nicole Casadevall, Prof. Pat-
SIZE
ARTIST: ts
Supported by grants from the French National
Enon Cancer Institute H/T H/T Dr. Brigitte
rick Bruneval, 33p9 Bressac de Paillerets, Dr. Anne-Paule
Combo
(Programme National d’Excellence Spécialisée Rein) and the Gimenez-Roqueplo, Dr. Ahyan Ulusakarya, Johny Bombled,
AUTHOR, PLEASE
French League against Cancer (Comités du Cher et de l’Indre). NOTE:
Caroline Chordi, and Prof. Gilbert Lenoir for their assistance.
Figure has been redrawn and type has been reset.
Please check carefully.
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