Desiree Quint

DESIREE QUINT - MSc DEFENSE

“Aberrant Hypermethylation of Xq12 in Lymphoma”

B.Sc., University of British Columbia, 2004
Wednesday, August 30, 2006, 2:00 pm, Room 1410, Life Sciences Centre

SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE

Dr. Carolyn J. Brown, Research Supervisor (Medical Genetics)
Dr. Dixie L. Mager (Medical Genetics)
Dr. Angela R. Brooks-Wilson (Medical Genetics)

EXAMINING COMMITTEE

Chair: Dr. Matthew C. Lorincz (Medical Genetics)
Supervisory Committee: Dr. Carolyn J. Brown, Research Supervisor (Medical Genetics), Dr. Dixie L. Mager (Medical Genetics)
University Examiner: Dr. Wan Lam (Cancer Genetics at the BC Cancer Research Centre)

ABSTRACT

It has been well established that abnormal CpG island promoter methylation in cancer is associated with the epigenetic silencing of tumour suppressor genes, genes that when inactivated predispose a cell to malignancy. Such aberrant methylation was seen for the androgen receptor (AR) located on the X chromosome in 84% of follicular lymphoma patient samples. Methylation has been shown to spread several megabases from its origin and this has led us to hypothesize that a candidate tumour suppressor gene is located in the vicinity of the AR. AR and the nearby oligophrenin (OPHN1) gene are both considered to be poor tumour suppressor gene candidates since deletions of these genes exist and they do not result in lymphoma. In addition, OPHN1 is mainly expressed in brain tissues. In order to identify candidate genes, the extent of the abnormal CpG island methylation within the region surrounding the AR was first established in two different lymphoma cell lines (SUDHL3, DoHH2). A region of approximately 8Mb was examined which led to the focus on a 1.5 Mb highly methylated sub region located downstream of the AR. The methylation status of CpG islands within this sub region was examined in three additional lymphoma cell lines (HBL-2, JVM-2 and Z138) as well as in patient samples. STARD8, a GTPase-activating protein, is located within this region and is abnormally silenced in at least two of the lymphoma cell lines making it a possible candidate.

PRESENTATIONS

Désirée Quint and Carolyn J. Brown. “Characterization of aberrant methylation on the X chromosome in the vicinity of androgen receptor in lymphoma.” UBC Medical Genetics 2005 Research Day, Vancouver, BC, November 25, 2005. (Poster)

Désirée Quint. “Characterization of aberrant methylation on the X chromosome in the vicinity of androgen receptor in lymphoma.” Life Sciences Institute Molecular Epigenetics Group Seminars, Vancouver, BC, May 25, 2006. (Oral)

Désirée Quint. “Characterization of aberrant methylation on the X chromosome in the vicinity of androgen receptor in lymphoma.” UBC Centre for Lymphoid Cancer Weekly Meeting, Vancouver, BC, June 21, 2006. (Oral)

GRADUATE STUDIES

Field of Study: Epigenetic modifications, X chromosome inactivation and
Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Courses:
MEDG520 Advanced Human Molecular Genetics, Dr. A. Brooks-Wilson
MEDG521 Molecular & Cellular Biology of Cancer, Dr. P. Hoodless
MEDG530 Advanced Human Genetics, Dr. L. Clarke
MEDG545 Current Topics in Medical Genetics Research, Dr. R Kay & Dr. P. Hoodless
MEDG548 Directed Studies, Dr. R. McMaster
MEDG 549 M.Sc. Thesis, Dr. C. Brown

Desiree Quint- MSc Defense program- pdf