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Maioli M, Cocchi S, Gambarotti M, Benini S, Magagnoli G, Gamberi G, Griffoni C, Gasbarrini A, Ghermandi R, Noli LE, Alcherigi C, Ferrari C, Bianchi G, Asioli S, Pignotti E, Righi A. Conventional Spinal Chordomas: Investigation of SMARCB1/INI1 Protein Expression, Genetic Alterations in SMARCB1 Gene, and Clinicopathological Features in 89 Patients. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:2808. [PMID: 39199581 PMCID: PMC11353163 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16162808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2024] [Revised: 08/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The partial loss of SMARCB1/INI1 expression has recently been reported in skull base conventional chordomas, with possible therapeutic implications. We retrospectively analyzed 89 patients with conventional spinal chordomas to investigate the differences in the immunohistochemical expression of SMARCB1/INI1 and the underlying genetic alterations in the SMARCB1 gene. Moreover, we assessed the correlation of clinicopathological features (age, gender, tumor size, tumor location, surgical margins, Ki67 labelling index, SMARCB1/INI1 pattern, previous surgery, previous treatment, type of surgery, and the Charlson Comorbidity Index) with patient survival. Our cohort included 51 males and 38 females, with a median age at diagnosis of 61 years. The median tumor size at presentation was 5.9 cm. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 90.8% and 54.9%, respectively. Partial SMARCB1/INI1 loss was identified in 37 (41.6%) patients with conventional spinal chordomas (27 mosaic and 10 clonal). The most frequent genetic alteration detected was the monoallelic deletion of a portion of the long arm of chromosome 22, which includes the SMARCB1 gene. Partial loss of SMARCB1/INI1 was correlated with cervical-thoracic-lumbar tumor location (p = 0.033) and inadequate surgical margins (p = 0.007), possibly due to the high degree of tumor invasiveness in this site. Among all the considered clinicopathological features related to patient survival, only tumor location in the sacrococcygeal region and adequate surgical margins positively impacted DFS. In conclusion, partial SMARCB1/INI1 loss, mostly due to 22q deletion, was detected in a significant number of patients with conventional spinal chordomas and was correlated with mobile spine location and inadequate surgical margins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margherita Maioli
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Stefania Cocchi
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Marco Gambarotti
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Stefania Benini
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Giovanna Magagnoli
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Gabriella Gamberi
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Cristiana Griffoni
- Department of Spine Surgery, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Alessandro Gasbarrini
- Department of Spine Surgery, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Riccardo Ghermandi
- Department of Spine Surgery, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Luigi Emanuele Noli
- Department of Spine Surgery, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Chiara Alcherigi
- Department of Spine Surgery, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Cristina Ferrari
- Experimental Oncology Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Bianchi
- Department of Orthopedic Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Sofia Asioli
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), Alma Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, 40139 Bologna, Italy
| | - Elettra Pignotti
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Alberto Righi
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy
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Luck C, Jacobs KA, Okimoto RA. The Capicua C1 Domain is Required for Full Activity of the CIC::DUX4 Fusion Oncoprotein. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.06.597815. [PMID: 38895482 PMCID: PMC11185703 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.06.597815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Rearrangements between genes can yield neomorphic fusions that drive oncogenesis. Fusion oncogenes are made up of fractional segments of the partner genes that comprise them, with each partner potentially contributing some of its own function to the nascent fusion oncoprotein. Clinically, fusion oncoproteins driving one diagnostic entity are typically clustered into a single molecular subset and are often treated a similar fashion. However, knowledge of where specific fusion breakpoints occur in partner genes, and the resulting retention of functional domains in the fusion, is an important determinant of fusion oncoprotein activity and may differ between patients. This study investigates this phenomena through the example of CIC::DUX4, a fusion between the transcriptional repressor capicua (CIC) and the double homeobox 4 gene (DUX4), which drives an aggressive subset of undifferentiated round cell sarcoma. Using a harmonized dataset of over 100 patient fusion breakpoints from the literature, we show that most bona fide CIC::DUX4 fusions retain the C1 domain, which is known to contribute to DNA binding by wild type CIC. Mechanistically, deletion or mutation of the C1 domain reduces, but does not eliminate, activation of CIC target genes by CIC::DUX4. We also find that expression of C1-deleted CIC::DUX4 is capable of exerting intermediate transformation-related phenotypes compared with those imparted by full-length CIC::DUX4, but was not sufficient for tumorigenesis in a subcutaneous mouse model. In summary, our results suggest a supercharging role for the C1 domain in the activity of CIC::DUX4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuyler Luck
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kyle A. Jacobs
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Cell and Tissue Biology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ross A. Okimoto
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Makise N, Yoshida A. CIC-Rearranged Sarcoma. Surg Pathol Clin 2024; 17:141-151. [PMID: 38278603 DOI: 10.1016/j.path.2023.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
CIC-rearranged sarcoma is a rare type of small round cell sarcoma. The tumors often affect the deep soft tissues of patients in a wide age range. They are highly aggressive, respond poorly to chemotherapy, and have a worse outcome than Ewing sarcoma. CIC-rearranged sarcoma has characteristic and recognizable histology, including lobulated growth, focal myxoid changes, round to epithelioid cells, and minimal variation of nuclear size and shape. Nuclear ETV4 and WT1 expression are useful immunohistochemical findings. CIC fusion can be demonstrated using various methods; however, even next-generation sequencing suffers from imperfect sensitivity, especially for CIC::DUX4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naohiro Makise
- Division of Surgical Pathology, Chiba Cancer Center, 666-2 Nitona-cho, Chuo-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba, 260-8717, Japan
| | - Akihiko Yoshida
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan; Rare Cancer Center, National Cancer Center, Tokyo, Japan.
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Righi A, Cocchi S, Maioli M, Zoli M, Guaraldi F, Carretta E, Magagnoli G, Pasquini E, Melotti S, Vornetti G, Tonon C, Mazzatenta D, Asioli S. SMARCB1/INI1 loss in skull base conventional chordomas: a clinicopathological and molecular analysis. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1160764. [PMID: 37456229 PMCID: PMC10348873 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1160764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The loss of SMARCB1/INI1 protein has been recently described in poorly differentiated chordoma, an aggressive and rare disease variant typically arising from the skull base. Methods Retrospective study aimed at 1) examining the differential immunohistochemical expression of SMARCB1/INI1 in conventional skull base chordomas, including the chondroid subtype; 2) evaluating SMARCB1 gene deletions/copy number gain; and 3) analyzing the association of SMARCB1/INI1 expression with clinicopathological parameters and patient survival. Results 65 patients (35 men and 30 women) affected by conventional skull base chordoma, 15 with chondroid subtype, followed for >48 months after surgery were collected. Median age at surgery was 50 years old (range 9-79). Mean tumor size was 3.6 cm (range 2-9.5). At immunohistochemical evaluation, a partial loss of SMARCB1/INI1 (>10% of neoplastic examined cells) was observed in 21 (32.3%) cases; the remaining 43 showed a strong nuclear expression. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis was performed in 15/21 (71.4%) cases of the chordomas with partial SMARCB1/INI1 loss of expression. Heterozygous deletion of SMARCB1 was identified in 9/15 (60%) cases and was associated to copy number gain in one case; no deletion was found in the other 6 (40%) cases, 3 of which presenting with a copy number gain. No correlations were found between partial loss of SMARCB1/INI1 and the clinicopathological parameters evaluated (i.e., age, tumor size, gender, tumor size and histotype). Overall 5-year survival and 5-year disease-free rates were 82% and 59%, respectively. According to log-rank test analysis the various clinico-pathological parameters and SMARCB1/INI1 expression did not impact on overall and disease free-survival. Discussion Partial loss of SMARCB1/INI1, secondary to heterozygous deletion and/or copy number gain of SMARCB1, is not peculiar of aggressive forms, but can be identified by immunohistochemistry in a significant portion of conventional skull base chordomas, including the chondroid subtype. The variable protein expression does not appear to correlate with clinicopathological parameters, nor survival outcomes, but still, it could have therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Matteo Zoli
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Federica Guaraldi
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | | | - Ernesto Pasquini
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Sofia Melotti
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Caterina Tonon
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Diego Mazzatenta
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Sofia Asioli
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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Fischer GM, Papke DJ. Gene fusions in superficial mesenchymal neoplasms: Emerging entities and useful diagnostic adjuncts. Semin Diagn Pathol 2023:S0740-2570(23)00046-1. [PMID: 37156707 DOI: 10.1053/j.semdp.2023.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Cutaneous mesenchymal neoplasms are diagnostically challenging because of their overlapping morphology, and, often, the limited tissue in skin biopsy specimens. Molecular and cytogenetic techniques have identified characteristic gene fusions in many of these tumor types, findings that have expanded our understanding of disease pathogenesis and motivated development of useful ancillary diagnostic tools. Here, we provide an update of new findings in tumor types that can occur in the skin and superficial subcutis, including dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, benign fibrous histiocytoma, epithelioid fibrous histiocytoma, angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma, glomus tumor, myopericytoma/myofibroma, non-neural granular cell tumor, CIC-rearranged sarcoma, hybrid schwannoma/perineurioma, and clear cell sarcoma. We also discuss recently described and emerging tumor types that can occur in superficial locations and that harbor gene fusions, including nested glomoid neoplasm with GLI1 alterations, clear cell tumor with melanocytic differentiation and ACTIN::MITF translocation, melanocytic tumor with CRTC1::TRIM11 fusion, EWSR1::SMAD3-rearranged fibroblastic tumor, PLAG1-rearranged fibroblastic tumor, and superficial ALK-rearranged myxoid spindle cell neoplasm. When possible, we discuss how fusion events mediate the pathogenesis of these tumor types, and we also discuss the related diagnostic and therapeutic implications of these events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant M Fischer
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - David J Papke
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America.
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Rottmann D, Abdulfatah E, Pantanowitz L. Molecular testing of soft tissue tumors. Diagn Cytopathol 2023; 51:12-25. [PMID: 35808975 PMCID: PMC10084007 DOI: 10.1002/dc.25013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The diagnosis of soft tissue tumors is challenging, especially when the evaluable material procured is limited. As a result, diagnostic ancillary testing is frequently needed. Moreover, there is a trend in soft tissue pathology toward increasing use of molecular results for tumor classification and prognostication. Hence, diagnosing newer tumor entities such as CIC-rearranged sarcoma explicitly requires molecular testing. Molecular testing can be accomplished by in situ hybridization, polymerase chain reaction, as well as next generation sequencing, and more recently such testing can even be accomplished leveraging an immunohistochemical proxy. CONCLUSION This review evaluates the role of different molecular tests in characterizing soft tissue tumors belonging to various cytomorphologic categories that have been sampled by small biopsy and cytologic techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas Rottmann
- Department of Pathology, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Eman Abdulfatah
- Department of Pathology, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Liron Pantanowitz
- Department of Pathology, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Benini S, Gamberi G, Cocchi S, Magagnoli G, Fortunato AR, Sciulli E, Righi A, Gambarotti M. The Efficacy of Molecular Analysis in the Diagnosis of Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcoma: A 15-Year Mono-Institutional Study. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010632. [PMID: 36614077 PMCID: PMC9820733 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The histological diagnosis of sarcoma can be difficult as it sometimes requires the combination of morphological and immunophenotypic analyses with molecular tests. A total of 2705 tissue samples of sarcoma consecutively collected from 2006 until 2020 that had undergone molecular analysis were assessed to evaluate their diagnostic utility compared with histological assessments. A total of 3051 molecular analyses were performed, including 1484 gene fusions tested by c/qRT-PCR, 992 gene rearrangements analysed by FISH, 433 analyses of the gene status of MDM2, 126 mutational analyses and 16 NGS analysis. Of the samples analysed, 68% were from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue and 32% were from frozen tissue. C/qRT-PCR and FISH analyses were conclusive on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue in 74% and 76% of samples, respectively, but the combination of the two methods gave us conclusive results in 96% and 89% of frozen and formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues, respectively. We demonstrate the utility of c/qRT-PCR and FISH for sarcoma diagnosis and that each has advantages in specific contexts. We conclude that it is possible to accurately predict the sarcoma subtype using a panel of different subtype-specific FISH probes and c/qRT-PCR assays, thereby greatly facilitating the differential diagnosis of these tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Benini
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Gabriella Gamberi
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Stefania Cocchi
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Giovanna Magagnoli
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Enrica Sciulli
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Alberto Righi
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-051-636-6665
| | - Marco Gambarotti
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy
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