Skip to main content
Joost Kluiver
dr.

I have a central role in all research projects focusing on the role of noncoding RNAs. My main aim is to understanding how small and long non-coding RNAs contribute to the pathogenesis of B-cell lymphoma. Ongoing studies include MYC-regulated miRNAs and lncRNAs, as well as miRNA-lncRNA interactions and the role of circular RNAs. We apply state-of-the-art methodology including AGO2-RIP, RNA-FISH and gain- and loss-of-function screens using shRNA and CRISPR-Cas technology.

Dynamics of circulating tumour DNA in relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients
Published in: British Journal of Haematology
The response to salvage chemotherapy in relapsed/refractory (R/R) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is poor, and data on circulating tumour deoxyribonucleic acid (ctDNA) in this setting are limited. We evaluated ctDNA dynamics in 29 patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL who received platinum-based salvage chemotherapy at the University Medical Center Groningen. In total, 124 plasma samples were analysed using low-coverage whole-genome sequencing to detect copy number alterations (CNAs) and targeted sequencing with a 115-gene panel for single- and multi-nucleotide variants (SNVs/MNVs). The complete response rate at the end...
Yujie Zhong, Johanna Bult, Nick Veltmaat, Filipe Montes de Jesus, Laurens Sillje, Joost Kluiver, Anke van den Berg, Wouter Plattel, Arjan Diepstra, Marcel Nijland
Relevance of Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) miRNAs in EBV-Infected B Cells and B-Cell Lymphomas
Published in: Cancers
Viral infection is a critical early event in Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-positive B-cell lymphomas. While latent EBV proteins are known to promote cancer development, the role of EBV-encoded microRNAs (miRNAs) is not yet clear. These miRNAs are reported to regulate viral persistence, immune evasion, B-cell survival, and growth. This review compiles evidence on the role of EBV miRNAs in B cells and B-cell lymphomas, including their known target genes, and their effects on cancer-related pathways. By combining profiling studies and results from laboratory models, we highlight how EBV miRNAs...
Metastatic mismatch repair deficient oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma leading to diagnosis of Lynch syndrome with a complete response to nivolumab treatment
Published in: Virchows Archiv : an International Journal of Pathology
A 59-year-old woman with two colorectal adenocarcinomas in 2015 and 2022 (both with loss of MSH2 and focal presence of MSH6 protein, thus MMR-deficient profile) had a variant of c.1012G > C p.(Gly338Arg) in the MSH2 gene, classified as Variant of Uncertain Significance (VUS) in 2023. That year, she was also diagnosed with oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), again MMR-deficient. Although uncommon, a proportion of ESCC can be MMR-deficient. The ESCC showed complete response to nivolumab. Genetic studies of the three tumours showed the same germline variant. During follow-up, the...
Palmitoylation by ZDHHC family members regulate B-cell lymphoma growth
Published in: International Journal of Biological Macromolecules
The ZDHHC palmitoyl transferase family consists of 24 members, of which several have been linked to the development of cancer. We previously showed that inhibition of ZDHHC11 decreased growth of several B-cell lymphoma subtypes. In this study, we evaluated the effect of protein palmitoylation on the proteome in general and investigated expression and function of ZDHHC family members in a panel of Burkitt, Hodgkin and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cell lines. Proteomic analysis of Burkitt lymphoma cells treated with the general palmitoylation inhibitor 2-bromopalmitate (2-BP) revealed 1089 differentially...
Yichen Liu, Shiyun Hu, Özlem Önder, Anagh Sahasrabuddhe, Ali Rajabi, Annika Seitz, Debora de Jong, Jasper Koerts, Lydia Visser, Agnieszka Dzikiewicz-Krawczyk, Megan S Lim, Kojo S Elenitoba-Johnson, Anke van den Berg, Lotteke J Y M Ziel-Swier, Joost Kluiver
miRNA-dependent resistance mechanisms to anti-hormonal therapies in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer patients
Published in: Molecular therapy. Oncology
The estrogen receptor (ERα) is expressed in 70%-80% of breast cancers and is a target of endocrine therapy. However, resistance to endocrine therapy poses a significant clinical challenge. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as critical players in oncogenesis and as modulators of therapy response. This review provides an overview of miRNAs that modulate anti-hormonal drug responses. We identified 56 miRNAs associated with resistance to endocrine therapy. These miRNAs had a total of 40 proven target genes that were grouped based on their function under currently known resistance mechanisms, including...