P16INK4A expression might be associated with a favorable prognosis for cervical adenocarcinoma via dysregulation of the RB pathway

Transforming growth factor-β micro-environment mediated immune cell functions in cervical cancer

Propensity to develop cervical cancer (CC) in human papilloma virus (HPV) infected individual could potentially involve the impaired immune functioning. Several stages of HPV surveillance by immune cells in tumor micro-environment (TME) is regulated mainly by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) and is crucial for the establishment of CC. The role of TGF-β in the initiation and progression of CC is very complex and involve different suppressor of mothers against decapentaplegic homolog (SMAD) dependent and SMAD independent signaling mechanism(s). This review summarizes the handling of HPV by immune cells such as T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, natural killer cells (NK), dendritic cells (DC), monocytes, macrophages, myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC) and their regulation by TGF-β. The hijack mechanisms adapted by HPV to evade this surveillance process is discussed. Biomarkers indicating the stages of CC and immune checkpoints that can be targeted for improved outcome are included for immune-based theragnostics. This review also addresses the direct actions of TGF-β on CC cells and tumor/immune cell interactions. Therapies focused on targeting TGF-β using small molecule inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies and TGF-β chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)T cells are collated to understand the current strategies related to TGF-β in the management of CC.

A comparative analysis of clinicopathological features of HPV-associated and HPV-independent cervical carcinomas based on P16 INK4a immunohistochemistry: A one-year retrospective study

The recent WHO classification of female genital tracts recommends cervical carcinomas to be further subtyped as HPV-associated and HPV-independent and accepted p16 immunoreactivity as a surrogate biomarker for HPV testing. This paper presents the clinicopathological spectrum of cervical carcinomas in correlation with p16 immunoreactivity.

Aims and Objectives

This study aims to evaluate the immunoreactivity of p16 in cervical carcinoma, subtype them into HPV-associated and HPV-independent based on p16 immunoreactivity, and correlate them with clinicopathological features.

Design

A hospital-based retrospective study of one-year duration was done after ethics approval. A total of 124 cases were identified, and various parameters like the presence of mitosis, lymphovascular invasion, tumor budding, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, the pattern of stromal invasion, and the pattern of necrosis were recorded and graded. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) with p16 marker was done in 40 cases, and immunoreactivity was correlated with clinical and histopathological parameters.

Statistical Analysis

Multivariate analysis was done with Fisher's exact test, and a P value of <0.05 was considered significant.

Results

P16 was positive in 36 out of 40 cases which included 35 cases of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (keratinizing-14 out of 35 SCC, 11 positive out of these 14, non-keratinizing-21 out of 35 SCC, 20 positive, out of these 21), two cases of adenocarcinoma (both positive), two cases of adenosquamous carcinoma (both positive), and one case of small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (positive). p16 negative in four cases (10%) (keratinizing type-3, non-keratinizing-1). P value was significant for HPV-independent carcinoma and keratinizing SCC morphology. The P value was not significant when p16 positivity with other parameters.

Conclusion

HPV-associated were 90%, HPV-independent were 10%.

Molecular markers predicting the progression and prognosis of human papillomavirus-induced cervical lesions to cervical cancer

INTRODUCTION

Persistent Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection is linked to 99% of cervical cancer (CC) cases. HPV types 16 and 18 alone result in 75% of CC cases and thus are considered to be high-risk types (HR-HPV). CC is the third most common cancer among women globally. Approximately, 7000 patients die from it yearly. It is worthy to note that not every patient with HPV precancerous lesions will progress to CC.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this review is to explore the utilization of molecular and viral biomarkers as a tool for early detection and prediction of HPV-induced cervical lesions that might progress to CC.

METHODS

The data bases PubMed, Google Scholar, EBSCO were searched using keywords CC screening, HPV, and recent molecular biomarkers. The search time frame was within the last 7 years. Studies on HPV-induced cancers other than CC were excluded; a total of 200 eligible articles were retrieved.

RESULTS

In this review we explored the current literature about HPV virology, virulence genes and early diagnostic/prognostic molecular biomarkers in CC. The oncogenic property of HPV is attributed to viral expression of various early proteins (E5, E6, E7). The interaction between viral oncoproteins and the cellular genetic apparatus alters the expression of many genes at different phases of the disease. There was an association between cervical lesions induced by HR-HPV and the overexpression of markers of oxidative DNA damage and other proteins. The markers p16INK4a, programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1, mismatch repair enzymes (MMR), miRNA-377, claudin family (CLDN) are dysregulated and are associated with high risk lesions. Furthermore, advanced older cervical lesions were associated with high methylation levels and higher risk to progress to CC.

CONCLUSION

Adding different the above markers to the CC screening program scheme might offer a triage for prioritizing patient management.

Diagnostic value of p16 and Ki-67 expression in cervical glandular intraepithelial disease: A review

OBJECTIVES

Cervical adenocarcinoma has been increasing in frequency, particularly among young women. Its diagnosis still presents many challenges. In addition to the difficulty in accessing the lesion, the lack of well-established criterias for cytological and histological diagnosis, and colposcopic images that are often not very clear, there are many benign situations that mimic glandular diseases. Immunohistochemistry has been used to aid this diagnosis. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the data available in the literature related to the use of p16 and Ki-67 as an auxiliary tool in the diagnosis of glandular disease.

METHODS

Original articles were searched in the PUBMED/MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS and BVS using different combinations of keywords and descriptors.

RESULTS

Of the 83 initial articles, 10 were selected. The criterias used for immunohistochemical interpretation showed many differences. The studies compared benign pathologies to malignant pathologies and some used panels with different immunomarkers while others used only p16. P16 showed an intense staining pattern in malignant pathologies, despite some studies have shown a negative pattern in adenocarcinoma. This can be explained by the histological subtype, not always related to HPV. Some studies have shown immunopositivity for p16 in normal tissues, tubal metaplasia and cervical endometriosis, but the staining pattern was never intense, as in malignant tissues. Ki-67 showed a more intense staining in AIS and adenocarcinoma tissues and was also present in normal tissues, mainly in tubal metaplasia and cervical endometriosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Biomarkers have proved to be important tools in aiding the diagnosis of glandular lesions, either alone or in panels. Standardization in the interpretation of immunochemistry is required.

CDK regulators—Cell cycle progression or apoptosis—Scenarios in normal cells and cancerous cells

Serine/threonine kinases called cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) interact with cyclins and CDK inhibitors (CKIs) to control the catalytic activity. CDKs are essential controllers of RNA transcription and cell cycle advancement. The ubiquitous overactivity of the cell cycle CDKs is caused by a number of genetic and epigenetic processes in human cancer, and their suppression can result in both cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. This review focused on CDKs, describing their kinase activity, their role in phosphorylation inhibition, and CDK inhibitory proteins (CIP/KIP, INK 4, RPIC). We next compared the role of different CDKs, mainly p21, p27, p57, p16, p15, p18, and p19, in the cell cycle and apoptosis in cancer cells with respect to normal cells. The current work also draws attention to the use of CDKIs as therapeutics, overcoming the pharmacokinetic barriers of pan-CDK inhibitors, analyze new chemical classes that are effective at attacking the CDKs that control the cell cycle (cdk4/6 or cdk2). It also discusses CDKI's drawbacks and its combination therapy against cancer patients. These findings collectively demonstrate the complexity of cancer cell cycles and the need for targeted therapeutic intervention. In order to slow the progression of the disease or enhance clinical outcomes, new medicines may be discovered by researching the relationship between cell death and cell proliferation.