BIOM-07. QUANTITATIVE MGMT PROMOTER METHYLATION INDEX INDICATES A NON-LINEAR PROGNOSTIC EFFECT IN GLIOBLASTOMA, SUGGESTING THAT USE OF OPTIMAL CUTOFF POINTS MAY BE CLINICALLY DISADVANTAGEOUS

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (Supplement_6) ◽  
pp. vi11-vi11
Author(s):  
David Gibson ◽  
Akshay Ravi ◽  
Eduardo Rodriguez Almaraz ◽  
Susan Chang ◽  
Nancy Ann Oberheim-Bush ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND Epigenetic inhibition of the O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT) gene has emerged as a clinically relevant prognostic marker in glioblastoma (GBM). Methylation of the MGMT promoter has been shown to increase chemotherapy efficacy. While traditionally reported as a binary marker, recent methodological advancements have led to quantitative approaches that measure methylation, providing clearer insights into methylation’s functional relationship with survival. METHODS A CLIA assay and bisulfite sequencing was utilized to develop a quantitative, 17-point MGMT promoter methylation index derived from the number of methylated CpG sites. Retrospective review of 240 newly diagnosed GBM patients was performed in order to discern how risk for mortality transforms as promoter methylation increases. Non-linearities were captured by fitting splines to Cox proportional hazard models, plotting smoothed residuals, and creating survival plots. Covariates included age, KPS, IDH1 mutation, and extent of resection. RESULTS Median follow-up time and progression free survival were 16 and 9 months, respectively. 176 subjects experienced death. A one-unit increase in CpG methylation on a scale of 1-17 resulted in a 4% reduction in hazard (95% CI 0.93–0.99, P< 0.005). Moreover, GBM patients with low-levels of methylation (1-6 CpG sites) fared markedly worse (HR=1.62, 95% CI 1.03-2.54, P< 0.036) than individuals who were unmethylated (reference group). Subjects with medium-levels of methylation (7-12 CpG sites) had the greatest reduction in hazard (HR=0.48, 95% CI 0.29-0.80, P< 0.004), followed by individuals in the highest methylation tertile (HR=0.62, 95% CI 0.40-0.97, P< 0.035). CONCLUSION This novel approach offers greater bisulfite conversion efficiency when compared to alternative methods, reducing the likelihood of false positives. Analysis of the resulting methylation index scores demonstrates a non-linear relationship between MGMT methylation and survival, suggesting conformation of the marker’s protective effect. These findings challenge the current understanding of MGMT’s functional form and underline why implementing an “optimal cutoff point” may be disadvantageous.

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. ii5-ii5
Author(s):  
David Gibson ◽  
Akshay Ravi ◽  
Eduardo Rodriguez ◽  
Susan Chang ◽  
Nancy Bush ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Epigenetic inhibition of the O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT) gene has emerged as a clinically relevant prognostic marker in glioblastoma (GBM). Methylation of the MGMT promoter has been shown to increase chemotherapy efficacy. While traditionally reported as a binary marker, recent methodological advancements have led to quantitative methods of measuring methylation, allowing for clearer insights into methylation’s functional relationship with survival. Methods A CLIA assay and bisulfite sequencing was utilized to develop a quantitative, 17-point MGMT promoter methylation index derived from the number of methylated CpG sites. Retrospective review of 242 newly diagnosed GBM patients was performed in order to discern how risk for mortality transforms as promoter methylation increases. Non-linearities were captured by fitting splines to Cox proportional hazard models, plotting smoothed residuals, and creating survival plots. Covariates included age, KPS, IDH1 mutation, and extent of resection. Results Median follow-up time and progression free survival were 15.9 and 9 months, respectively. 176 subjects experienced death. A one-unit increase in CpG methylation resulted in a 4% reduction in hazard (95% CI 0.93–0.99, P<0.005). Moreover, GBM patients with low levels of methylation (1–6 CpG islands) fared markedly worse (HR=1.62, 95% CI 1.03–2.54, P<0.036) than individuals who were unmethylated (reference group). Subjects with medium levels of methylation (7–12 sites) had the greatest reduction in hazard (HR=0.48, 95% CI 0.29–0.80, P<0.004), followed by individuals in the highest methylation tertile (HR=0.62, 95% CI 0.40–0.97, P<0.035). Conclusion The extent of MGMT methylation shares a non-linear relationship with survival, suggesting conformation of the marker’s protective effect. This finding challenges the current understanding of MGMT and underlines the clinical importance of determining its prognostic utility. Potential limitations include censoring, sample size, and extraneous mutations. Future research is warranted to examine whether the location of CpG site methylation contributes to a reduction in mortality hazard.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (8) ◽  
pp. 3845
Author(s):  
Sarah Teuber-Hanselmann ◽  
Karl Worm ◽  
Nicole Macha ◽  
Andreas Junker

Quantifying O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation plays an essential role in assessing the potential efficacy of alkylating agents in the chemotherapy of malignant gliomas. MGMT promoter methylation is considered to be a characteristic of subgroups of certain malignancies but has also been described in various peripheral inflammatory diseases. However, MGMT promoter methylation levels have not yet been investigated in non-neoplastic brain diseases. This study demonstrates for the first time that one can indeed detect slightly enhanced MGMT promoter methylation in individual cases of inflammatory demyelinating CNS diseases such as multiple sclerosis and progressive multifocal leucencephalopathy (PML), as well as in other demyelinating diseases such as central pontine and exptrapontine myelinolysis, and diseases with myelin damage such as Wallerian degeneration. In this context, we identified a reduction in the expression of the demethylase TET1 as a possible cause for the enhanced MGMT promoter methylation. Hence, we show for the first time that MGMT hypermethylation occurs in chronic diseases that are not strictly associated to distinct pathogens, oncogenic viruses or neoplasms but that lead to damage of the myelin sheath in various ways. While this gives new insights into epigenetic and pathophysiological processes involved in de- and remyelination, which might offer new therapeutic opportunities for demyelinating diseases in the future, it also reduces the specificity of MGMT hypermethylation as a tumor biomarker.


2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (Supplement_6) ◽  
pp. vi105-vi105
Author(s):  
Radhika Mathur ◽  
Yalan Zhang ◽  
Matthew Grimmer ◽  
Chibo Hong ◽  
Mitchel Berger ◽  
...  

Abstract Low-grade gliomas (LGGs), which include grade II astrocytoma and grade II oligodendroglioma, inevitably recur despite aggressive treatment with surgery, and sometimes, with radiation and the chemotherapeutic agent temozolomide (TMZ). The clinical benefit of TMZ in LGG is unclear, and a subset of TMZ-treated LGGs recur with hypermutation in association with malignant progression to high-grade tumors. It is currently unknown why some TMZ-treated LGGs recur with hypermutation while others do not. O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) is a DNA repair protein that reverses mutagenic lesions induced by TMZ. The amount of MGMT protein in a cell is regulated at the epigenetic level by promoter methylation. Here, we hypothesize that epigenetic silencing of MGMT by promoter methylation facilitates TMZ-induced mutagenesis and contributes to the development of hypermutation. We demonstrate in a cohort of 37 TMZ-treated patients with an initial diagnosis of IDH-mutant LGG that methylation level of the MGMT promoter in initial untreated tumors is significantly associated with hypermutation at recurrence. We also confirm our previous finding that methylation level of the MGMT promoter in recurrent hypermutated tumors is higher than in recurrent tumors that are not hypermutated. These results provide a plausible mechanistic basis for observed differences in propensity of TMZ-treated LGG patients to develop hypermutation at recurrence. Furthermore, they establish the potential of MGMT promoter methylation level to inform treatment decisions in the clinic for patients with newly diagnosed LGG.


2017 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 89-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Zhang ◽  
Ti Tong

Background: The correlation between O-6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation and esophageal cancer remains controversial. This study was conducted to evaluate the clinical effect of MGMT promoter methylation on esophageal carcinoma patients. Methods: A literature search was conducted in the PubMed, EMBASE, EBSCO, and Cochrane Library databases. The overall OR and corresponding 95% CI were calculated using the random-effects model. Results: Finally, 17 eligible studies were identified in this meta-analysis; these studies included a total of 1,368 patients with esophageal carcinoma and 1,489 with nonmalignant controls. MGMT promoter methylation was significantly higher in esophageal carcinoma tissue samples than in nonmalignant tissue samples (OR 3.64, p < 0.001). Promoter methylation of the MGMT gene was not associated with gender, cigarette smoking, drinking behavior, or tumor differentiation, but MGMT promoter methylation was correlated with age (≥60 vs. <60 years: OR 1.64, p = 0.028), lymph node status (positive status vs. negative status: OR 2.39, p = 0.024), and clinical stage (stages 3-4 vs. 1-2: OR 10.59, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that MGMT promoter methylation may be correlated with esophageal cancer carcinogenesis and could be associated with age, lymph node status, and clinical stage.


2010 ◽  
Vol 28 (16) ◽  
pp. 2712-2718 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger Stupp ◽  
Monika E. Hegi ◽  
Bart Neyns ◽  
Roland Goldbrunner ◽  
Uwe Schlegel ◽  
...  

Purpose Invasion and migration are key processes of glioblastoma and are tightly linked to tumor recurrence. Integrin inhibition using cilengitide has shown synergy with chemotherapy and radiotherapy in vitro and promising activity in recurrent glioblastoma. This multicenter, phase I/IIa study investigated the efficacy and safety of cilengitide in combination with standard chemoradiotherapy in newly diagnosed glioblastoma. Patients and Methods Patients (age ≥ 18 to ≤ 70 years) were treated with cilengitide (500 mg) administered twice weekly intravenously in addition to standard radiotherapy with concomitant and adjuvant temozolomide. Treatment was continued until disease progression or for up to 35 weeks. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS) at 6 months. Results Fifty-two patients (median age, 57 years; 62% male) were included. Six- and 12-month PFS rates were 69% (95% CI, 54% to 80%) and 33% (95% CI, 21% to 46%). Median PFS was 8 months (95% CI, 6.0 to 10.7 months). Twelve- and 24-month overall survival (OS) rates were 68% (95% CI, 53% to 79%) and 35% (95% CI, 22% to 48%). Median OS was 16.1 months (95% CI, 13.1 to 23.2 months). PFS and OS were longer in patients with tumors with O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation (13.4 and 23.2 months) versus those without MGMT promoter methylation (3.4 and 13.1 months). The combination of cilengitide with temozolomide and radiotherapy was well tolerated, with no additional toxicity. No pharmacokinetic interactions between temozolomide and cilengitide were identified. Conclusion Compared with historical controls, the addition of concomitant and adjuvant cilengitide to standard chemoradiotherapy demonstrated promising activity in patients with glioblastoma with MGMT promoter methylation.


2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 642-654 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian Teng ◽  
Seyedali Hejazi ◽  
Lotte Hiddingh ◽  
Litia Carvalho ◽  
Mark C de Gooijer ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and most aggressive primary malignant brain tumor. Standard-of-care treatment involves maximal surgical resection of the tumor followed by radiation and chemotherapy (temozolomide [TMZ]). The 5-year survival rate of patients with GBM is &lt;10%, a colossal failure that has been partially attributed to intrinsic and/or acquired resistance to TMZ through O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation status in the tumor. Methods A drug screening aimed at evaluating the potential recycling and repurposing of known drugs was conducted in TMZ-resistant GBM cell lines and primary cultures of newly diagnosed GBM with different MGMT promoter methylation status, phenotypic/genotypic background and subtype, and validated with sphere formation, cell migration assays, and quantitative invasive orthotopic in vivo models. Results We identified hydroxyurea (HU) to synergize with TMZ in GBM cells in culture and in vivo, irrespective of MGMT promoter methylation status, subtype, and/or stemness. HU acts specifically on the S-phase of the cell cycle by inhibiting the M2 unit of enzyme ribonucleotide reductase. Knockdown of this enzyme using RNA interference and other known chemical inhibitors exerted a similar effect to HU in combination with TMZ both in culture and in vivo. Conclusions We demonstrate preclinical efficacy of repurposing hydroxyurea in combination with TMZ for adjuvant GBM therapy. This combination benefit is of direct clinical interest given the extensive use of TMZ and the associated problems with TMZ-related resistance and treatment failure.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
ji zhang ◽  
Xiaoli Wang ◽  
Shengquan Ye ◽  
Lijiao Liang ◽  
Yi Zhou ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Understanding the molecular landscape of glioblastoma (GBM) is increasingly crucial for its therapy. Immune checkpoint molecules motivated the emergence of immune checkpoint-targeting therapeutic strategies. However, the prognostic significance of the immune checkpoint molecule T cell immunoglobulin mucin-3 (Tim-3) on tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) and O-6-Methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) methylation status remains to be fully elucidated. We aimed to develop an MGMT methylation status-associated immune prognostic signature for predicting prognosis in GBMs.Patients and Methods: A total of 84 patients with newly diagnosed GBM were involved. MGMT methylation status was retrospectively analyzed and the expression level of Tim-3 protein was investigated using immunohistochemistry (IHC). The correlation between Tim-3 protein expression and MGMT methylation status, and the prognosis was explored.Results The obtained data showed that Tim-3 protein was expressed at different levels in GBMs. Mesenchymal expression of Tim-3 protein in these tissues was 73.81% (62/84), including low 15.48% (13/84), moderate 7.14% (6/84) and strong expression 51.19% (43/84), respectively. Of the 48 patients whose tumors tested positive for MGMT methylation, the remaining 36 patients was negative.Conclusions We profiled the immune status in GBM with MGMT promoter methylation and established a local immune signature for GBM, which could independently identify patients with a favorable prognosis, indicating the relationship between prognosis and immune. MGMT promoter methylation with lower Tim-3 protein expression was statistically significantly associated with better survival.


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