Is methylation the key to CD10 loss?

CD10 expression as a potential predictor of pathological complete response in ER-negative and triple-negative breast cancer patients treated with anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) can induce a pathological complete response (pCR) in breast cancer patients, leading to improved outcomes. However, predicting which patients will achieve pCR remains a challenge. CD10, a myoepithelial marker, has shown diagnostic and prognostic value in metastatic tumors. Its potential as a predictor of chemosensitivity to anthracycline-based NCT in breast cancer is unknown.

AIM

This retrospective study aimed to investigate the potential of CD10 cancer cell expression as a predictive marker of chemosensitivity in breast cancers treated with anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

METHODS

We analyzed 130 patients with invasive ductal carcinoma who received anthracycline-based NCT. CD10 expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry on pre-treatment biopsies. Statistical analysis evaluated the association between CD10 expression and pCR rates.

RESULTS

Univariate analysis revealed that ER-positive and CD10-negative tumors had lower pCR rates [OR 7.4830 (95% CI 2.7762-20.1699); p = 0.0001]. Multivariate analysis confirmed ER status as a strong predictor of poor response [OR 0.085 (95% CI 0.024-0.30); p < 0.001] and CD10 expression as a predictor of a favourable response [OR 0.11 (0.8-0.19); p = 0.049]. CD10 expression significantly predicted pCR in ER-negative cases [OR 0.1098 (0.0268-0.4503); p = 0.0022] and triple-negative breast cancer [OR 0.0966 (95% CI 0.0270-0.3462); p = 0.0003]. Concordance was observed between core biopsies and excised samples.

CONCLUSION

Positive CD10 cancer cell expression may predict increased response to anthracycline-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy in ER-negative and triple-negative breast cancer cases. Further research is needed to validate these findings in larger cohorts and determine the clinical utility of CD10 as a predictive marker.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and the Cardiovascular System: Vascular Repair and Regeneration as a Therapeutic Target

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and encompasses chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It has been shown that vascular wall remodeling and pulmonary hypertension (PH) can occur not only in patients with COPD but also in smokers with normal lung function, suggesting a causal role for vascular alterations in the development of emphysema. Mechanistically, abnormalities in the vasculature, such as inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, imbalances in cellular apoptosis/proliferation, and increased oxidative/nitrosative stress promote development of PH, cor pulmonale, and most probably pulmonary emphysema. Hypoxemia in the pulmonary chamber modulates the activation of key transcription factors and signaling cascades, which propagates inflammation and infiltration of neutrophils, resulting in vascular remodeling. Endothelial progenitor cells have angiogenesis capabilities, resulting in transdifferentiation of the smooth muscle cells via aberrant activation of several cytokines, growth factors, and chemokines. The vascular endothelium influences the balance between vaso-constriction and -dilation in the heart. Targeting key players affecting the vasculature might help in the development of new treatment strategies for both PH and COPD. The present review aims to summarize current knowledge about vascular alterations and production of reactive oxygen species in COPD. The present review emphasizes on the importance of the vasculature for the usually parenchyma-focused view of the pathobiology of COPD.

Tumour suppression through modulation of neprilysin signaling: A comprehensive review

Peptidases are emerging as promising drug targets in tumour suppression. Neprilysin, also known as neutral endopeptidase, is a cell surface peptidase that degrades various peptides such as angiotensin II, endothelin I, Substance P, etc., and reduces their local concentration. Neprilysin is expressed in various tissues such as kidney, prostate, lung, breast, brain, intestine, adrenal gland, etc. The tumour-suppressor mechanisms of neprilysin include its peptidase activity that degrades mitogenic growth factors such as fibroblast growth factor-2 and insulin-like growth factors, and the protein-protein interaction of neprilysin with phosphatase and tensin homolog, focal adhesion kinase, ezrin/radixin/moesin, and phosphoinositide 3-kinase. Studies have shown that the levels of neprilysin play an important role in malignancies. NEP is downregulated in prostate, renal, lung, breast, urothelial, cervical, hepatic cancers, etc. Histone deacetylation and hypermethylation of the neprilysin promoter region are the common mechanisms involved in the downregulation of neprilysin. Downregulation of the peptidase promotes angiogenesis, cell survival and cell migration. This review presents an overview of the role of neprilysin in malignancy, the tumour suppression mechanisms of neprilysin, the epigenetic mechanisms responsible for downregulation of neprilysin, and the potential pharmacological approaches to upregulate neprilysin levels and its activity.

New targets for antibody therapy of pediatric B cell lymphomas

Antibody therapy has become standard of care for adult B cell lymphoma patients. It is a potentially less toxic and more targeted approach for lymphoma therapy and should therefore be applied to treat pediatric B cell lymphoma patients as well. In pediatric lymphoma patients, however, clinical experience with monoclonal antibodies is very limited. This is in part due to smaller patient numbers and very good outcome with conventional chemotherapy. In addition, pediatric patient and lymphoma biology differ significantly from that found in adults often precluding extrapolation of the adult experience to children. This review focuses on targeting pediatric B cell lymphoma with monoclonal antibody therapy. The special characteristics of B cell lymphomas found in children are reviewed and six potential new lymphoma target antigens are discussed.

From ureteric bud to the first glomeruli: genes, mediators, kidney alterations

The development of the mammalian kidney is a complex and in part unknown process which requires interactions between pluripotential/stem cells, undifferentiated mesenchymal cells, epithelial and mesenchymal components, eventually leading to the coordinate development of multiple different specialized epithelial, endothelial and stromal cell types within the kidney architectural complexity. We will describe the embryology and molecular nephrogenetic mechanisms, a fascinating traffic of cells and tissues which takes place in five stages: (1) ureteric bud (UB) development; (2) cap mesenchyme formation; (3) mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET); (4) glomerulogenesis and tubulogenesis; (5) interstitial cell development. In particular, we will analyze the multiple cell types involved in these dramatic events as characters moving between different worlds, from the mesenchymal to the epithelial world and back, and will start to define the multiple factors that propel these cells during their travels throughout the developing kidney. Moreover, according with the hypothesis of renal perinatal programing, we will present the results reached in the fields of immunohistochemistry and molecular biology, by means of which we can explain how a loss or excess of molecular factors governing nephrogenesis may cause the onset of pathologies of different gravity, in some cases leading to a chronic kidney disease at different times from birth.

CD10 in the developing human kidney: immunoreactivity and possible role in renal embryogenesis

CD10 was first identified in tumor cells of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Most studies on CD10 expression have dealt with tumor pathology. Since no data are available for specific role in the fetal kidney, this study aimed at investigating CD10 expression during the different phases of renal embryogenesis. To this end, the expression of CD10 was evaluated in the kidney of two human fetus and in three newborns. In both fetuses, immunostaining for CD10 was compartmentalized and mainly concentrated in the mid-deep cortex. Reactivity for CD10 was stronger in the glomerular epithelium, in proximal tubules and in metanephric mesenchymal cells. At 25 weeks of gestation, CD10 was also detected in the subcapsular regions, including some pretubular aggregates of cap mesenchymal cells and renal vesicles. At 34 weeks of gestation, we observed an increased immunoreactivity for CD10 in visceral and parietal glomerular epithelium. At 39 weeks of gestation, CD10 was also expressed in the collecting tubules and in the Henle loops. Our data show a strong expression of CD10 in all stage of human kidney development, characterized by dynamic changes and support the hypothesis that CD10 plays a relevant role in renal embryogenesis.

Decreased neprilysin and pulmonary vascular remodeling in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

RATIONALE

Studies with genetically engineered mice showed that decreased expression of the transmembrane peptidase neprilysin (NEP) increases susceptibility to hypoxic pulmonary vascular remodeling and hypertension; in hypoxic wild-type mice, expression is decreased early in distal pulmonary arteries, where prominent vascular remodeling occurs. Therefore, in humans with smoke- and hypoxia-induced vascular remodeling, as in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary activity/expression of NEP may likewise be decreased.

OBJECTIVES

To test whether NEP activity and expression are reduced in COPD lungs and pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (SMCs) exposed to cigarette smoke extract or hypoxia and begin to investigate mechanisms involved.

METHODS

Control and advanced COPD lung lysates (n = 13-14) were analyzed for NEP activity and protein and mRNA expression. As a control, dipeptidyl peptidase IV activity was analyzed. Lung sections were assessed for vascular remodeling and oxidant damage. Human pulmonary arterial SMCs were exposed to cigarette smoke extract, hypoxia, or H₂O₂, and incubated with antioxidants or lysosomal/proteasomal inhibitors.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

COPD lungs demonstrated areas of vascular rarification, distal muscularization, and variable intimal and prominent medial/adventitial thickening. NEP activity was reduced by 76%; NEP protein expression was decreased in alveolar walls and distal vessels; mRNA expression was also decreased. In SMCs exposed to cigarette smoke extract, hypoxia, and H₂O₂, NEP activity and expression were also reduced. Reactive oxygen species inactivated NEP activity; NEP protein degradation appeared to be substantially induced.

CONCLUSIONS

Mechanisms responsible for reduced NEP activity and protein expression include oxidative reactions and protein degradation. Maintaining or increasing lung NEP may protect against pulmonary vascular remodeling in response to chronic smoke and hypoxia.