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Changes in mitochondrial DNA in colorectal cancer patients
Danešová, Natálie ; Vodenková, Soňa (advisor) ; Büchler, Tomáš (referee)
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) changes occur more frequently in the cell than alterations in nuclear DNA (nDNA) due to factors such as proximity to reactive oxygen species (ROS) or fewer DNA repair pathways. While nDNA damage is known to play a role in colorectal cancer (CRC), there is a lack of studies concerning mtDNA damage. Changes in mtDNA copy number, a possible indirect marker of mtDNA damage known as mtDNA content, have been reported in CRC with conflicting results. Various changes in mtDNA have been observed in multiple cancer types and proposed as potential biomarkers, including CRC; however, its exact role in disease progression, patients' prognosis, or prediction of treatment is yet to be determined. The primary hypothesis of this study was that mitochondrial dysfunctions resulting from mtDNA changes play a role in colorectal carcinogenesis and could serve as potential CRC biomarkers. To test this hypothesis, we measured mtDNA damage, mtDNA content, and the expression of selected DNA repair genes in both tumor and adjacent non-malignant mucosa. Initially, we conducted a Pilot study involving 7 patients, utilizing RNA sequencing and qPCR. Subsequently, a Validation study was performed on a larger cohort of 50 patients using qPCR. Our findings revealed that adjacent mucosa exhibited higher...
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