c-myc and Cutaneous Vascular Neoplasms

Molecular mechanisms of Biyu decoction as treatment for psoriasis: A network pharmacology and molecular docking study

BACKGROUND

The therapeutic effects of a combination of Chinese medicines called Biyu decoction have been clinically verified, although its molecular targets in psoriasis remain unknown.

AIM

To explore the molecular mechanisms of Biyu decoction for psoriasis treatment.

METHODS

In this network pharmacology and molecular docking study, the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology database was searched for Biyu decoction active ingredients. GeneCards, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man, PharmGkb, Therapeutic Target Database, and DrugBank databases were searched for psoriasis-related genes. The genes targeted by the decoction’s active ingredient and disease genes were intersected to obtain predictive targets of the drug during psoriasis treatment. Cytoscape 3.8.0 was used to construct a drug component/ target disease network. The The functional protein association networks database and Cytoscape were used to construct a protein-protein interaction network and streamline the core network. The Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes were used for pathway enrichment analysis. Molecular docking technology was used to verify the drug component/target disease network.

RESULTS

We screened 117 major active ingredients, including quercetin, kaempferol, naringenin, and acetyl-shikonin, and identified 213 gene targets, such as MAPK3, JUN, FOS, MYC, MAPK8, STAT3, and NFKBIA. Using a molecular docking analysis, the main active ingredients demonstrated good binding to the core targets. The Gene Ontology analysis showed that these ingredients were significantly associated with biological activities, such as transcription factor DNA binding, RNA polymerase II-specific DNA binding of transcription factors, and cytokine receptor binding; responses to lipopolysaccharides, molecules of bacterial origin, and oxidative stress; and were mainly distributed in membrane rafts, microdomains, and regions. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis showed that decoction ingredients act on Th17 cell differentiation, tumor necrosis factor and mitogen-activated protein signaling pathways, the interleukin-17 signaling pathway, and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway.

CONCLUSION

Biyu decoction may be effective against psoriasis through multi-component, multi-target, and multi-channel synergy.

Epigenetics of Cutaneous Sarcoma

Epigenetic changes influence various physiological and pathological conditions in the human body. Recent advances in epigenetic studies of the skin have led to an appreciation of the importance of epigenetic modifications in skin diseases. Cutaneous sarcomas are intractable skin cancers, and there are no curative therapeutic options for the advanced forms of cutaneous sarcomas. In this review, we discuss the detailed molecular effects of epigenetic modifications on skin sarcomas, such as dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, angiosarcoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, and liposarcoma. We also discuss the application of epigenetic-targeted therapy for skin sarcomas.

Resveratrol-Induced Signal Transduction in Wound Healing

Resveratrol is a well-known polyphenol that harbors various health benefits. Besides its well-known anti-oxidative potential, resveratrol exerts anti-inflammatory, pro-angiogenic, and cell-protective effects. It seems to be a promising adjuvant for various medical indications, such as cancer, vascular, and neurodegenerative diseases. Additionally, resveratrol was shown to display beneficial effects on the human skin. The polyphenol is discussed to be a feasible treatment approach to accelerate wound healing and prevent the development of chronic wounds without the drawback of systemic side effects. Despite resveratrol’s increasing popularity, its molecular mechanisms of action are still poorly understood. To take full advantage of resveratrol’s therapeutic potential, a profound knowledge of its interactions with its targets is needed. Therefore, this review highlights the resveratrol-induced molecular pathways with particular focus on the most relevant variables in wound healing, namely inflammation, oxidative stress, autophagy, collagen proliferation and angiogenesis.

Atypical Vascular Proliferation Secondary to Radiotherapy in a Patient With a History of Synovial Sarcoma

We present the case of a 21-year-old male patient with a history of monophasic synovial sarcoma in his left thigh, which was treated with surgical resection, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy with mesna, doxorubicin, and Ifosfamide (MAI protocol). Approximately six years after the end of the oncological treatment, he presented a nodular, polypoid lesion in the left popliteal region, which was painless and fast growing. Ultimately, the biopsy was consistent with atypical vascular proliferation (AVP). Vascular lesions after radiotherapy include a wide spectrum of pathologies that range from benign lesions such as AVP to malignant ones with very poor prognosis such as angiosarcoma, the distinction between one and the other can be difficult, being the determination rearrangement or amplification of gene c-myc, a key to make an accurate diagnosis in case of doubt.

Immunohistochemistry as a Genetic Surrogate in Dermatopathology: Pearls and Pitfalls

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is routinely performed in most laboratories, and other than purchase of commercially available antibodies, requires no additional equipment or reagents. As such, IHC is an accessible and relatively inexpensive test and one that can be performed quite quickly. This is in sharp contrast to genomic or mutational testing methodologies that are routinely "send out" tests as they require specialized equipment and reagents as well as individuals with expertise in the performance of the tests and analysis of the results, resulting in a prolonged turn-round-time and enhanced associated costs. However, many open questions remain in a rapidly changing therapeutic and scientific landscape with most obvious one being what exactly is the utility of "good old fashioned" IHC in the age of targeted therapy? For molecular applications, is a negative immunohistochemical result enough as a stand-alone diagnostic or predictive product? Is a positive immunohistochemical result perhaps more suitable for a role in screening for molecular alterations rather than a definitive testing modality? This review is an attempt to answer those very questions. We elucidate the broad range of entities in which IHC is currently used as a molecular surrogate and underscore pearls and pitfalls associated with each. Special attention is given to entities for which targeted therapies are currently available and to entities in which molecular data is of clinical utility as a prognosticator.

Alternagin-C binding to α2β1 integrin controls matrix metalloprotease-9 and matrix metalloprotease-2 in breast tumor cells and endothelial cells

Background

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are key players in tumor progression, helping tumor cells to modify their microenvironment, which allows cell migration to secondary sites. The role of integrins, adhesion receptors that connect cells to the extracellular matrix, in MMP expression and activity has been previously suggested. However, the mechanisms by which integrins control MMP expression are not completely understood. Particularly, the role of α2β1 integrin, one of the major collagen I receptors, in MMP activity and expression has not been studied. Alternagin-C (ALT-C), a glutamate-cysteine-aspartate-disintegrin from Bothrops alternatus venom, has high affinity for an α2β1 integrin. Herein, we used ALT-C as a α2β1 integrin ligand to study the effect of ALT-C on MMP-9 and MMP-2 expression as well as on tumor cells, fibroblats and endothelial cell migration.

Methods

ALT-C was purified by two steps of gel filtration followed by anion exchange chromatography. The α₂β₁ integrin binding properties of ALT-C, its dissociation constant (K_d) relative to this integrin and to collagen I (Col I) were determined by surface plasmon resonance. The effects of ALT-C (10, 40, 100 and 1000 nM) in migration assays were studied using three human cell lines: human fibroblasts, breast tumor cell line MDA-MB-231, and microvascular endothelial cells HMEC-1, considering cells found in the tumor microenvironment. ALT-C effects on MMP-9 and MMP-2 expression and activity were analyzed by quantitative PCR and gelatin zymography, respectively. Focal adhesion kinase activation was determined by western blotting.

Results

Our data demonstrate that ALT-C, after binding to α₂β₁ integrin, acts by two distinct mechanisms against tumor progression, depending on the cell type: in tumor cells, ALT-C decreases MMP-9 and MMP-2 contents and activity, but increases focal adhesion kinase phosphorylation and transmigration; and in endothelial cells, ALT-C inhibits MMP-2, which is necessary for tumor angiogenesis. ALT-C also upregulates c-Myc mRNA level, which is related to tumor suppression.

Conclusion

These results demonstrate that α₂β₁ integrin controls MMP expression and reveal this integrin as a target for the development of antiangiogenic and antimetastatic therapies.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s40409-018-0150-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

MYC Analysis by Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization and Immunohistochemistry in Primary Adrenal Angiosarcoma (PAA): a Series of Four Cases

Primary adrenal angiosarcomas (PAA) are rare with 36 cases reported in the English literature. MYC protein expression and gene amplification have been detected in secondary angiosarcoma (AS), and a subset of primary AS. The aim of this study was to report the clinicopathologic features of PAA and examine these tumors for MYC amplification and protein expression in a small series of four cases (resection, n = 4). Three had available material for ancillary studies and were investigated for MYC gene abnormalities and protein expression using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and immunohistochemistry (IHC), respectively. Tumors occurred in three females and one male with a mean age of 69 (53-75) years. The sizes ranged from 8.5 to 15 (mean 11.5) cm and were epithelioid in morphology. All tumors had prominent necrosis, and the mitotic count ranged from 4 to 41/10 high-power fields (HPFs) (mean 20/10 HPFs, ×400). Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were positive for CD31 in 4/4 cases, CD34 in 1/4 cases, and cytokeratin in 4/4 cases. The mean follow-up period was 10.8 (3-19) months, of which three patients died of disease with distant metastases, and one patient was alive with disease. MYC nuclear staining was identified in the three cases tested. Two cases showed polysomy of chromosome 8 without MYC amplification or rearrangement. Two MYC-positive cases by IHC demonstrated copy number gain in chromosome 8, and one MYC-positive case was not associated with a chromosome 8/MYC gene abnormality. In the context of new targeted therapies, MYC positivity in PAA may be clinically valuable in treating patients with these aggressive neoplasms.

Diagnostic Immunohistochemistry in Cutaneous Neoplasia: An Update

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is an important adjunct in the diagnosis of neoplastic skin diseases. In addition to the many established IHC markers currently in use, new markers continue to emerge, although their general acceptance and routine application requires robust validation. Here, we summarize the most well-established and commonly used biomarkers along with an array of newer ones reported in the past several decades that either demonstrate or hold high clinical promise in the field of cutaneous pathology. We also highlight recent applications of novel IHC markers in melanoma diagnosis including genetic mutation status markers [e.g. BRAF (v-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B) and NRAS (neuroblastoma RAS viral oncogene homolog)] and an epigenetic alteration marker (e.g. 5-hydroxymethylcytosine). We specifically focus on the role of IHC in the differential diagnosis of cutaneous lesions that fall under the following categories: melanoma, epidermal tumors with an intraepidermal epitheliomatous pattern, spindle cell lesions of the dermis, small round blue cell tumors of the dermis, and cutaneous adnexal tumors. While IHC is a valuable tool in diagnostic dermatopathology, marker selection and interpretation must be highly informed by clinical context and the histologic differential diagnosis. With rapid progress in our understanding of the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of tumorigenesis, new IHC markers will continue to emerge in the field of diagnostic dermatopathology.

The utility of MYC and FLT4 in the diagnosis and treatment of postradiation atypical vascular lesion and angiosarcoma of the breast

Atypical vascular lesions (AVLs) and angiosarcomas (ASs) are well-recognized complications of radiotherapy for breast cancer. Early diagnosis may be challenging, particularly on small biopsies, and the treatment options are limited. Recently, MYC and sometimes FLT4 gene amplification has been reported in AS, but not in AVL, and FLT4 may be a target for therapy. We evaluated the MYC/FLT4 status in AVL and AS by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), determined its utility in differentiating these 2 entities in small biopsies, and ascertained the value of FLT4 as a potential marker for targeted therapy. Thirty-five vascular neoplasms were reviewed from 21 breast cancer patients who received radiotherapy (AVL, n = 18; AS, n = 17). MYC expression by IHC and/or gene amplification by FISH were identified in 13 (77%) of 17 ASs, but none of the AVL cases. Four patients had biopsies with follow-up excisions, of which 1 showed the morphology of an AVL on biopsy and AS on excision, both positive for MYC. Of 17 ASs, 3 (18%) showed strong and diffuse 3+ cytoplasmic FLT4 staining by IHC and FLT4 gene amplification by FISH. All 3 cases were coamplified for the MYC gene. Focal and weak FLT4 cytoplasmic immunoreactivity was present in 2 (12%) of 17 AVL cases and 12 (70%) of 17 AS cases. Although MYC is a valuable ancillary tool in distinguishing AS from AVL, FLT4 IHC may be used to screen for patients with FLT4 gene amplification who might benefit from targeted therapy, as only diffuse strong FLT4 immunoreactivity correlated with FLT4 gene amplification.

Post-radiation atypical vascular lesion/angiosarcoma arising in the larynx

Atypical vascular lesions (AVL) and angiosarcomas (AS) are lesions known to arise after radiation therapy. These lesions can show overlap in both their gross and histologic pictures, and distinction between the two can be extremely challenging at times. They are known most commonly to arise in the breast region after radiation therapy. We present the first unique case of post-radiation AVL/AS arising in the larynx of a 51 year old woman, occurring 8 years after she received radiation for tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma.