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Blanco-García L, Ruano Y, Blanco Martínez-Illescas R, Cubo R, Jiménez Sánchez P, Sánchez-Arévalo Lobo VJ, Riveiro Falkenbach E, Ortiz Romero P, Garrido MC, Rodríguez Peralto JL. pTERT C250T mutation: A potential biomarker of poor prognosis in metastatic melanoma. Heliyon 2023; 9:e18953. [PMID: 37609429 PMCID: PMC10440525 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e18953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer and the leading cause of death from cutaneous tumors. Several studies have associated alterations in the TERT promoter region (pTERT) with gene overexpression, aggressiveness and poor prognosis of the disease. The aim of this study was to clarify the role of pTERT molecular status in paired samples of primary melanoma and metastasis using tissue and plasma to establish a correlation with disease progression and survival. A total of 88 FFPE tissue samples from 53 patients with advanced melanoma were analyzed. Of these, 35 had paired samples. We also examined cfDNA samples from plasma of 25 patients. We detected a good correlation between primary tumors and metastases in pTERT mutation and methylation status. We were also able to identify pTERT mutations in plasma samples that correlated with mutational status in tissue samples. Interestingly, the C250T mutation was associated with worse survival and higher TERT mRNA expression, compared to the other most common mutation: C228T. In addition, hyper-methylation of the promoter region seems to be related to the progression of pTERT wild type (WT) patients. These results suggest that TERT gene alterations plays an important role during tumor progression, with the detection of the C250T mutation in tissue and plasma as a potential biomarker of poor prognosis in patients with advanced melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yolanda Ruano
- Research Institute 12 de Octubre Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Raquel Blanco Martínez-Illescas
- Research Institute 12 de Octubre Hospital, Madrid, Spain
- Biosanitary Research Institute, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, Francisco de Vitoria University, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rocío Cubo
- Research Institute 12 de Octubre Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Paula Jiménez Sánchez
- Research Institute 12 de Octubre Hospital, Madrid, Spain
- Biosanitary Research Institute, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, Francisco de Vitoria University, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Víctor J. Sánchez-Arévalo Lobo
- Research Institute 12 de Octubre Hospital, Madrid, Spain
- Biosanitary Research Institute, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, Francisco de Vitoria University, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Pablo Ortiz Romero
- Department of Dermatology, 12 de Octubre University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - María C. Garrido
- Department of Pathology, 12 de Octubre University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
- Complutense University of Madrid; Madrid, Spain
| | - José L. Rodríguez Peralto
- Department of Pathology, 12 de Octubre University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
- Complutense University of Madrid; Madrid, Spain
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Afshari N, Al-Gazally ME, Rasulova I, Jalil AT, Matinfar S, Momeninejad M. Sensitive bioanalytical methods for telomerase activity detection: a cancer biomarker. ANALYTICAL METHODS : ADVANCING METHODS AND APPLICATIONS 2022; 14:4174-4184. [PMID: 36254582 DOI: 10.1039/d2ay01315k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Telomerase is an enzyme that protects the length of telomeres by adding guanine-rich repetitive sequences. In tumors, gametes, and stem cells, telomerase activity is exerted. Telomerase activity can be a cancer biomarker for therapeutic and diagnosis approaches. So, a number of studies concentrating on the discovery of telomerase activity were reported. Bioanalytical devices, in comparison with other tests, have numerous advantages including low expense, simplicity, and excellent sensitivity and specificity. In this article we reviewed recent studies on the subject of various bioanalytical methods based on different nanomaterials. Optical, electrochemical, and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) are prominent analytical techniques that are mentioned in this paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasim Afshari
- Department of Microbiology, Islamic Azad University Science & Research Branch, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Iroda Rasulova
- "Kasmed" Private Medical Centre, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
- School of Medicine, Akfa University, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
| | - Abduladheem Turki Jalil
- Medical Laboratories Techniques Department, Al-Mustaqbal University College, Babylon, Hilla, 51001, Iraq
| | - Solmaz Matinfar
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mohsen Momeninejad
- Department of Social Medicine, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran.
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Hellgren LS, Olsson A, Kaufeldt A, Paulsson JO, Hysek M, Stenman A, Zedenius J, Larsson C, Höög A, Juhlin CC. Nuclear-specific accumulation of telomerase reverse transcriptase ( TERT) mRNA in TERT promoter mutated follicular thyroid tumours visualised by in situ hybridisation: a possible clinical screening tool? J Clin Pathol 2021; 75:jclinpath-2021-207631. [PMID: 34011619 PMCID: PMC9510436 DOI: 10.1136/jclinpath-2021-207631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Upregulation of the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene is a frequent finding in follicular thyroid carcinomas (FTCs) with metastatic features. The augmented expression is usually caused by TERT promoter mutations. As TERT protein immunohistochemistry might not correlate to TERT mRNA levels in follicular thyroid tumours, we therefore sought to determine if visualisation of TERT mRNA through in situ hybridisation could highlight high-risk cases. METHODS We collected formalin-fixated paraffin-embedded tissues from 26 follicular thyroid tumours; 7 FTCs, 2 follicular thyroid tumours of uncertain malignant potential (FT-UMPs) and a single Hürthle cell carcinoma with established TERT promoter mutations and gene expression, as well as 16 FTCs with no TERT gene aberrancy or gene expression, and assessed them using RNA Scope in situ hybridisation (ISH) and TERT probes targeting the two main TERT transcripts (TERT1 and TERT2). RESULTS TERT 1 and/or 2 mRNA was found by ISH in 8/10 cases with established promoter mutations and mRNA expression, whereas all 16 cases without TERT gene aberrancies or gene expression were negative (Fisher's exact p<0.001). Strikingly, TERT mRNA was visualised in the nuclear compartment only, thereby corroborating earlier studies suggesting a non-conventional role for TERT in tumour biology. Moreover, TERT mRNA expression was scattered across the tissue sections and only found in a few percentages of tumour nuclei. CONCLUSIONS TERT mRNA seems to be focally expressed and localised exclusively to the nucleus in TERT promoter mutated follicular thyroid tumours, possibly reflecting a true biological and unorthodox phenomenon worthy of further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Samuel Hellgren
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Pathology and Cytology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ann Olsson
- Department of Pathology and Cytology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ann Kaufeldt
- Department of Pathology and Cytology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Johan O Paulsson
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Hysek
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Pathology and Cytology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Adam Stenman
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Breast, Endocrine Tumors and Sarcoma, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jan Zedenius
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Breast, Endocrine Tumors and Sarcoma, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Catharina Larsson
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anders Höög
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Pathology and Cytology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - C Christofer Juhlin
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Pathology and Cytology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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Van Herck Y, Antoranz A, Andhari MD, Milli G, Bechter O, De Smet F, Bosisio FM. Multiplexed Immunohistochemistry and Digital Pathology as the Foundation for Next-Generation Pathology in Melanoma: Methodological Comparison and Future Clinical Applications. Front Oncol 2021; 11:636681. [PMID: 33854972 PMCID: PMC8040928 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.636681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The state-of-the-art for melanoma treatment has recently witnessed an enormous revolution, evolving from a chemotherapeutic, "one-drug-for-all" approach, to a tailored molecular- and immunological-based approach with the potential to make personalized therapy a reality. Nevertheless, methods still have to improve a lot before these can reliably characterize all the tumoral features that make each patient unique. While the clinical introduction of next-generation sequencing has made it possible to match mutational profiles to specific targeted therapies, improving response rates to immunotherapy will similarly require a deep understanding of the immune microenvironment and the specific contribution of each component in a patient-specific way. Recent advancements in artificial intelligence and single-cell profiling of resected tumor samples are paving the way for this challenging task. In this review, we provide an overview of the state-of-the-art in artificial intelligence and multiplexed immunohistochemistry in pathology, and how these bear the potential to improve diagnostics and therapy matching in melanoma. A major asset of in-situ single-cell profiling methods is that these preserve the spatial distribution of the cells in the tissue, allowing researchers to not only determine the cellular composition of the tumoral microenvironment, but also study tissue sociology, making inferences about specific cell-cell interactions and visualizing distinctive cellular architectures - all features that have an impact on anti-tumoral response rates. Despite the many advantages, the introduction of these approaches requires the digitization of tissue slides and the development of standardized analysis pipelines which pose substantial challenges that need to be addressed before these can enter clinical routine.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Asier Antoranz
- Laboratory for Translational Cell and Tissue Research, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Madhavi Dipak Andhari
- Laboratory for Translational Cell and Tissue Research, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Giorgia Milli
- Laboratory for Translational Cell and Tissue Research, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Frederik De Smet
- Laboratory for Precision Cancer Medicine, Translational Cell and Tissue Research Unit, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Francesca Maria Bosisio
- Laboratory for Translational Cell and Tissue Research, Department of Imaging and Pathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Yang H, Wang L, Turajane K, Wang L, Yang W. A method for colocalizing lineage tracing reporter and RNAscope signals on skeletal tissue section. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2020; 27:rna.077958.120. [PMID: 33277438 PMCID: PMC7901837 DOI: 10.1261/rna.077958.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Fluorescent reporters have been widely used in modern biology as a powerful tool in cell lineage tracing during development and in studying the pathogenesis of diseases. RNAscope is a recently developed RNA in situ hybridization method with high specificity and sensitivity. Combined application of these two techniques on skeletal tissue is difficult and has not been done before; the reporter fluorophores in the tissue specimen bleach quickly and mRNAs degrade rapidly due to the decalcification process typically used in processing skeletal samples. Therefore, we developed a method that can simultaneously detect and colocalize both the fluorescent lineage tracing reporter signal and the RNAscope signal in the same skeletal section without compromising the fidelity, sensitivity, and specificity of lineage tracing and RNAscope. This was achieved by cryosectioning bone and cartilage tissue without decalcification, thus allowing the fluorescent reporter signal and RNA in the sections to be well-preserved so that RNAscope can be carried out in situ, and these two signals can be colocalized. Our method of colocalization has versatile applications, e.g., determination of gene knockout efficacy at the mRNA level in a specific cell lineage in situ, detection of alterations in target gene transcripts in reporter-positive cells caused by a specific gene mutation, studies of the disease pathology by examining the transcript-level expression of genes of interest in the cell lineage in vivo.
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Kuriu S, Kadonosono T, Kizaka-Kondoh S, Ishida T. Slicing Spheroids in Microfluidic Devices for Morphological and Immunohistochemical Analysis. MICROMACHINES 2020; 11:mi11050480. [PMID: 32384758 PMCID: PMC7281316 DOI: 10.3390/mi11050480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 05/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Microfluidic devices utilizing spheroids play important roles in in vitro experimental systems to closely simulate morphological and biochemical characteristics of the in vivo tumor microenvironment. For the observation and analysis of the inner structure of spheroids, sectioning is an efficient approach. However, conventional microfluidic devices are difficult for sectioning, and therefore, spheroids inside the microfluidic channels have not been sliced well. We proposed a microfluidic device created from embedding resin for sectioning. Spheroids were cultured, embedded by resin, and sectioned in the microfluidic device. Slices of the sectioned spheroids yielded clear images at the cellular level. According to morphological and immunohistochemical analyses of the slices of the spheroid, specific protein distribution was observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoru Kuriu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kanagawa 226-8503, Japan
- Correspondence: (S.K.); (T.I.)
| | - Tetsuya Kadonosono
- Department of Life Science and Technology, School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kanagawa 226-8503, Japan; (T.K.); (S.K.-K.)
| | - Shinae Kizaka-Kondoh
- Department of Life Science and Technology, School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kanagawa 226-8503, Japan; (T.K.); (S.K.-K.)
| | - Tadashi Ishida
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kanagawa 226-8503, Japan
- Correspondence: (S.K.); (T.I.)
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