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Liu M, Zhao H, Peng S, Wu Y, Liu Y, Sun W, Zen K, Sun X. Comprehensive analysis of zinc and ring finger 3 in prognostic value and pan-cancer immunity. FASEB J 2024; 38:e23523. [PMID: 38457275 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202301161r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
Zinc and ring finger 3 (ZNRF3) is a negative suppressor of Wnt signal and newly identified as an important regulator in tumorigenesis and development. However, the pan-cancer analysis of ZNRF3 has not been reported. We found that ZNRF3 was significantly decreased in six tumors including CESC, KIRP, KIRC, SKCM, OV, and ACC, but increased in twelve tumors, namely LGG, ESCA, STES, COAD, STAD, LUSC, LIHC, THCA, READ, PAAD, TGCT, and LAML. Clinical outcomes of cancer patients were closely related to ZNRF3 expression in ESCA, GBM, KIRC, LUAD, STAD, UCEC, LGG, and SARC. The highest genetic alteration frequency of ZNRF3 occurred in ACC. Abnormal expression of ZNRF3 could be attributed to the differences of copy number variation (CNV) and DNA methylation as well as ZNRF3-interacting proteins. Besides, ZNRF3 were strongly associated with tumor heterogeneity, tumor stemness, immune score, stromal score and ESTIMATE score in certain cancers. In terms of immune cell infiltration, ZNRF3 was positively correlated to infiltration of cancer-associated fibroblasts in CESC, HNSC, OV, PAAD, PRAD, and THYM, but negatively associated with infiltration of CD8 T cells in HNSC, KIRC, KIRP and THYM. Moreover, ZNRF3 expression was correlated with most immune checkpoint genes in SARC, LUSC, LUAD, PRAD, THCA, UVM, TGCT, and OV, and associated with overwhelming majority of immunoregulatory genes in almost all cancers. Most RNA modification genes were also remarkably related to ZNRF3 level in KIRP, LUAD, LUSC, THYM, UVM, PRAD, and UCEC, indicating that ZNRF3 might have an important effect on cancer epigenetic regulation. Finally, we verified the expression and role of ZNRF3 in clinical specimens and cell lines of renal cancer and liver cancer. This study provides a comprehensive pan-cancer analysis of ZNRF3 and reveals the complexity of its carcinogenic effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Huan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Suming Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yunfei Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yanyan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wu Sun
- Department of oncology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ke Zen
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for MicroRNA Biology and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xinlei Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, School of Life Science and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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Tsai WH, Dai SH, Lee CC, Chien MN, Zeng YH. A Clinicopathological Analysis of Asian Patients with Adrenocortical Carcinoma: A Single-Center Experience. Curr Oncol 2023; 30:4117-4125. [PMID: 37185426 PMCID: PMC10136886 DOI: 10.3390/curroncol30040313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is limited information regarding the immunohistochemistry stain and its prognostic role in adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), and few studies focus on Asian patients. Our study aims to identify the correlation between immunohistochemistry staining and the prognosis of ACC in Asian patients. METHODS We searched the database of a single center in Taiwan for cases with a pathological diagnosis of ACC in the past 25 years. We collected patient data on age, sex, initial presentation, staging, metastatic site, and survival duration. Immunohistochemical studies using antibodies to CDK4, ATRX, beta-catenin, Ki-67, SSTR2, and p53 were performed. Survival analysis was performed using the log-rank test, the Cox proportional hazards model and bootstrapping with 5000 samplings. RESULTS Fourteen patients were identified, and the median age was 49.5 (range 1-70) years. There were eight male and six female patients. Four patients presented with Cushing's syndrome, and half were diagnosed with stage IV ACC at presentation. Only three patients survived (21%). The median survival time was 15.5 (range 0.67-244) months. SSTR2 expression score > 50 (log-rank test: p = 0.009) and Ki-67 > 50% (log-rank test: p = 0.017) were associated with mortality. However, after adjusting for stage, the bootstrapping analysis demonstrated that Ki-67 [B 2.04, p = 0.004], Beta-catenin [B 2.19, p = 0.009], ATRX [B 1.48, p = 0.026], P53 [B 1.58, p = 0.027], SSTR2 [B 1.58, p = 0.015] and SSTR2 expression score [B 0.03, p < 0.001] were all significantly associated with mortality. CONCLUSIONS After adjusting for stage, Ki-67 > 50%, Beta-catenin, ATRX, P53, SSTR2 and SSTR2 expression score > 50 were associated with mortality in Asian patients with ACC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Hsuan Tsai
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Taipei 104, Taiwan
| | - Shuen-Han Dai
- Department of Pathology, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Taipei 104, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Chuan Lee
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Taipei 104, Taiwan
- Department of Medicine, MacKay Medical College, New Taipei City 252, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Nan Chien
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Taipei 104, Taiwan
- Department of Medicine, MacKay Medical College, New Taipei City 252, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Hong Zeng
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Taipei 104, Taiwan
- Department of Medicine, MacKay Medical College, New Taipei City 252, Taiwan
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Hofstedter R, Sanabria-Salas MC, Di Jiang M, Ezzat S, Mete O, Kim RH. FLCN-Driven Functional Adrenal Cortical Carcinoma with High Mitotic Tumor Grade: Extending the Endocrine Manifestations of Birt-Hogg-Dubé Syndrome. Endocr Pathol 2023:10.1007/s12022-023-09748-2. [PMID: 36701047 DOI: 10.1007/s12022-023-09748-2] [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] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Adrenal cortical carcinoma is an aggressive and rare malignancy of steroidogenic cells of the adrenal gland. Most adult adrenal cortical carcinomas are sporadic, but a small fraction may be associated with inherited tumor syndromes, such as Li-Fraumeni, multiple endocrine neoplasia 1, Lynch syndrome, and Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, as well as isolated case reports of non-syndromic manifestations occurring in the context of other pathogenic germline variants. Birt-Hogg-Dubé (BHD) is a rare autosomal dominant syndrome caused by germline pathogenic variants in the FLCN gene. BHD syndrome causes a constellation of symptoms, including cutaneous manifestations, pulmonary cysts and pneumothorax, and risk of renal tumors. With the exception of a single case of adrenal cortical carcinoma, very few reports on the occurrence of adrenal cortical neoplasia in patients with BHD syndrome have been described. However, information on variant allele fraction in the tumor was not available in the index case, which precludes any mechanism supporting loss of heterozygosity. Here we present a case of an adult-onset adrenal cortical carcinoma in a 50-year-old female, found to harbor a germline likely pathogenic variant in the FLCN gene, denoted as c.694C > T (p.Gln232Ter). Genetic testing on the tumor revealed the same FLCN variant at an allele fraction of 83%, suggesting a contributory role to the pathogenesis of the adrenal cortical carcinoma. This case further supports the expansion of the clinical presentation and tumor spectrum of BHD syndrome and the need to consider germline FLCN testing in the clinical genetic workup of patients with adrenal cortical carcinomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renee Hofstedter
- Bhalwani Familial Cancer Clinic, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - María Carolina Sanabria-Salas
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5G 2C1, Canada
| | - Maria Di Jiang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5G 2C1, Canada
| | - Shereen Ezzat
- Endocrine Oncology Site Group, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ozgur Mete
- Department of Pathology, University Health Network, Toronto General Hospital, 11th floor, Toronto, ON, M5G 2C4, Canada.
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Raymond H Kim
- Bhalwani Familial Cancer Clinic, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5G 2C1, Canada.
- Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Bachega FS, Suartz CV, Almeida MQ, Brondani VB, Charchar HLS, Lacombe AMF, Martins-Filho SN, Soares IC, Zerbini MCN, Dénes FT, Mendonca B, Lopes RI, Latronico AC, Fragoso MCBV. Retrospective Analysis of Prognostic Factors in Pediatric Patients with Adrenocortical Tumor from Unique Tertiary Center with Long-Term Follow-Up. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11226641. [PMID: 36431124 PMCID: PMC9692695 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11226641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Pediatric adrenocortical tumors (PACTs) represent rare causes of malignancies. However, the south/southeast regions of Brazil are known to have a high incidence of PACTs because of the founder effect associated with a germline pathogenic variant of tumor suppressor gene TP53. We aimed to retrospectively analyze the types of variables among hormone production, radiological imaging, tumor staging, histological and genetic features that were associated with the occurrence of malignancy in 95 patients (71% females) with PACTs from a unique center. The worst prognosis was associated with those aged > 3 years (p < 0.05), high serum levels of 11-desoxicortisol (p < 0.001), tumor weight ≥ 200 g (p < 0.001), tumor size ≥ 5 cm (p < 0.05), Weiss score ≥ 5 (p < 0.05), Wieneke index ≥ 3 (p < 0.001) and Ki67 ≥ 15% (p < 0.05). Furthermore, patients with MacFarlane stage IV had an overall survival rate almost two times shorter than patients with other stages (p < 0.001). Additionally, the subtractions of BUB1B-PINK1 (<6.95) expression (p < 0.05) and IGF-IR overexpression (p = 0.0001) were associated with malignant behavior. These results helped identify patients who are likely to have an aggressive course; further multicenter prospective studies are required to confirm our results. In conclusion, PACTs with these patterns of prognostic factors could be treated using an adjuvant approach that may improve the overall survival in such patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda S. Bachega
- Unidade de Suprarrenal, Laboratório de Hormônios e Genética Molecular LIM/42, Disciplina de Endocrinologia e Metabologia, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05466-040, SP, Brazil
| | - Caio V. Suartz
- Divisão de Urologia, Departamento de Cirurgia da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 1964-2007, SP, Brazil
| | - Madson Q. Almeida
- Unidade de Suprarrenal, Laboratório de Hormônios e Genética Molecular LIM/42, Disciplina de Endocrinologia e Metabologia, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05466-040, SP, Brazil
| | - Vania B. Brondani
- Unidade de Suprarrenal, Laboratório de Hormônios e Genética Molecular LIM/42, Disciplina de Endocrinologia e Metabologia, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05466-040, SP, Brazil
| | - Helaine L. S. Charchar
- Unidade de Suprarrenal, Laboratório de Hormônios e Genética Molecular LIM/42, Disciplina de Endocrinologia e Metabologia, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05466-040, SP, Brazil
| | - Amanda M. F. Lacombe
- Unidade de Suprarrenal, Laboratório de Hormônios e Genética Molecular LIM/42, Disciplina de Endocrinologia e Metabologia, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05466-040, SP, Brazil
| | - Sebastião N. Martins-Filho
- Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 01246-903, SP, Brazil
| | - Iberê C. Soares
- Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 01246-903, SP, Brazil
| | - Maria Claudia N. Zerbini
- Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 01246-903, SP, Brazil
| | - Francisco T. Dénes
- Divisão de Urologia, Departamento de Cirurgia da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 1964-2007, SP, Brazil
| | - Berenice Mendonca
- Unidade de Suprarrenal, Laboratório de Hormônios e Genética Molecular LIM/42, Disciplina de Endocrinologia e Metabologia, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05466-040, SP, Brazil
| | - Roberto I. Lopes
- Divisão de Urologia, Departamento de Cirurgia da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 1964-2007, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana Claudia Latronico
- Unidade de Suprarrenal, Laboratório de Hormônios e Genética Molecular LIM/42, Disciplina de Endocrinologia e Metabologia, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05466-040, SP, Brazil
| | - Maria Candida B. V. Fragoso
- Unidade de Suprarrenal, Laboratório de Hormônios e Genética Molecular LIM/42, Disciplina de Endocrinologia e Metabologia, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05466-040, SP, Brazil
- Correspondence:
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Feliz Morel ÁJ, Hasanovic A, Morin A, Prunier C, Magnone V, Lebrigand K, Aouad A, Cogoluegnes S, Favier J, Pasquier C, Mus-Veteau I. Persistent Properties of a Subpopulation of Cancer Cells Overexpressing the Hedgehog Receptor Patched. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14050988. [PMID: 35631574 PMCID: PMC9146430 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14050988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the development of new therapeutic strategies, cancer remains one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. One of the current major challenges is the resistance of cancers to chemotherapy treatments inducing metastases and relapse of the tumor. The Hedgehog receptor Patched (Ptch1) is overexpressed in many types of cancers. We showed that Ptch1 contributes to the efflux of doxorubicin and plays an important role in the resistance to chemotherapy in adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), a rare cancer which presents strong resistance to the standard of care chemotherapy treatment. In the present study, we isolated and characterized a subpopulation of the ACC cell line H295R in which Ptch1 is overexpressed and more present at the cell surface. This cell subpopulation is more resistant to doxorubicin, grows as spheroids, and has a greater capability of clonogenicity, migration, and invasion than the parental cells. Xenograft experiments performed in mice and in ovo showed that this cell subpopulation is more tumorigenic and metastatic than the parental cells. These results suggest that this cell subpopulation has cancer stem-like or persistent cell properties which were strengthened by RNA-seq. If present in tumors from ACC patients, these cells could be responsible for therapy resistance, relapse, and metastases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Álvaro Javier Feliz Morel
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IPMC), 06560 Valbonne, France; (Á.J.F.M.); (A.H.); (V.M.); (K.L.); (A.A.); (S.C.)
| | - Anida Hasanovic
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IPMC), 06560 Valbonne, France; (Á.J.F.M.); (A.H.); (V.M.); (K.L.); (A.A.); (S.C.)
| | - Aurélie Morin
- Université de Paris, PARCC, INSERM, Equipe Labellisée par la Ligue Contre le Cancer, CEDEX 15, 75737 Paris, France; (A.M.); (J.F.)
| | - Chloé Prunier
- INOVOTION, Biopolis-5 Av. du Grand Sablon, 38700 La Tronche, France;
| | - Virginie Magnone
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IPMC), 06560 Valbonne, France; (Á.J.F.M.); (A.H.); (V.M.); (K.L.); (A.A.); (S.C.)
| | - Kevin Lebrigand
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IPMC), 06560 Valbonne, France; (Á.J.F.M.); (A.H.); (V.M.); (K.L.); (A.A.); (S.C.)
| | - Amaury Aouad
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IPMC), 06560 Valbonne, France; (Á.J.F.M.); (A.H.); (V.M.); (K.L.); (A.A.); (S.C.)
| | - Sarah Cogoluegnes
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IPMC), 06560 Valbonne, France; (Á.J.F.M.); (A.H.); (V.M.); (K.L.); (A.A.); (S.C.)
| | - Judith Favier
- Université de Paris, PARCC, INSERM, Equipe Labellisée par la Ligue Contre le Cancer, CEDEX 15, 75737 Paris, France; (A.M.); (J.F.)
| | - Claude Pasquier
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS-UMR7271, Laboratoire d’Informatique, Signaux et Systèmes de Sophia Antipolis (I3S), 06560 Valbonne, France;
| | - Isabelle Mus-Veteau
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IPMC), 06560 Valbonne, France; (Á.J.F.M.); (A.H.); (V.M.); (K.L.); (A.A.); (S.C.)
- Correspondence:
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Mete O, Erickson LA, Juhlin CC, de Krijger RR, Sasano H, Volante M, Papotti MG. Overview of the 2022 WHO Classification of Adrenal Cortical Tumors. Endocr Pathol 2022; 33:155-196. [PMID: 35288842 PMCID: PMC8920443 DOI: 10.1007/s12022-022-09710-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The new WHO classification of adrenal cortical proliferations reflects translational advances in the fields of endocrine pathology, oncology and molecular biology. By adopting a question-answer framework, this review highlights advances in knowledge of histological features, ancillary studies, and associated genetic findings that increase the understanding of the adrenal cortex pathologies that are now reflected in the 2022 WHO classification. The pathological correlates of adrenal cortical proliferations include diffuse adrenal cortical hyperplasia, adrenal cortical nodular disease, adrenal cortical adenomas and adrenal cortical carcinomas. Understanding germline susceptibility and the clonal-neoplastic nature of individual adrenal cortical nodules in primary bilateral macronodular adrenal cortical disease, and recognition of the clonal-neoplastic nature of incidentally discovered non-functional subcentimeter benign adrenal cortical nodules has led to redefining the spectrum of adrenal cortical nodular disease. As a consequence, the most significant nomenclature change in the field of adrenal cortical pathology involves the refined classification of adrenal cortical nodular disease which now includes (a) sporadic nodular adrenocortical disease, (b) bilateral micronodular adrenal cortical disease, and (c) bilateral macronodular adrenal cortical disease (formerly known primary bilateral macronodular adrenal cortical hyperplasia). This group of clinicopathological entities are reflected in functional adrenal cortical pathologies. Aldosterone producing cortical lesions can be unifocal or multifocal, and may be bilateral with no imaging-detected nodule(s). Furthermore, not all grossly or radiologically identified adrenal cortical lesions may be the source of aldosterone excess. For this reason, the new WHO classification endorses the nomenclature of the HISTALDO classification which uses CYP11B2 immunohistochemistry to identify functional sites of aldosterone production to help predict the risk of bilateral disease in primary aldosteronism. Adrenal cortical carcinomas are subtyped based on their morphological features to include conventional, oncocytic, myxoid, and sarcomatoid subtypes. Although the classic histopathologic criteria for diagnosing adrenal cortical carcinomas have not changed, the 2022 WHO classification underscores the diagnostic and prognostic impact of angioinvasion (vascular invasion) in these tumors. Microscopic angioinvasion is defined as tumor cells invading through a vessel wall and forming a thrombus/fibrin-tumor complex or intravascular tumor cells admixed with platelet thrombus/fibrin. In addition to well-established Weiss and modified Weiss scoring systems, the new WHO classification also expands on the use of other multiparameter diagnostic algorithms (reticulin algorithm, Lin-Weiss-Bisceglia system, and Helsinki scoring system) to assist the workup of adrenal cortical neoplasms in adults. Accordingly, conventional carcinomas can be assessed using all multiparameter diagnostic schemes, whereas oncocytic neoplasms can be assessed using the Lin-Weiss-Bisceglia system, reticulin algorithm and Helsinki scoring system. Pediatric adrenal cortical neoplasms are assessed using the Wieneke system. Most adult adrenal cortical carcinomas show > 5 mitoses per 10 mm2 and > 5% Ki67. The 2022 WHO classification places an emphasis on an accurate assessment of tumor proliferation rate using both the mitotic count (mitoses per 10 mm2) and Ki67 labeling index which play an essential role in the dynamic risk stratification of affected patients. Low grade carcinomas have mitotic rate of ≤ 20 mitoses per 10 mm2, whereas high-grade carcinomas show > 20 mitoses per 10 mm2. Ki67-based tumor grading has not been endorsed in the new WHO classification, since the proliferation indices are continuous variables rather than being static thresholds in tumor biology. This new WHO classification emphasizes the role of diagnostic and predictive biomarkers in the workup of adrenal cortical neoplasms. Confirmation of the adrenal cortical origin of a tumor remains a critical requirement when dealing with non-functional lesions in the adrenal gland which may be mistaken for a primary adrenal cortical neoplasm. While SF1 is the most reliable biomarker in the confirmation of adrenal cortical origin, paranuclear IGF2 expression is a useful biomarker in the distinction of malignancy in adrenal cortical neoplasms. In addition to adrenal myelolipoma, the new classification of adrenal cortical tumors has introduced new sections including adrenal ectopia, based on the potential role of such ectopic tissue as a possible source of neoplastic proliferations as well as a potential mimicker of metastatic disease. Adrenal cysts are also discussed in the new classification as they may simulate primary cystic adrenal neoplasms or even adrenal cortical carcinomas in the setting of an adrenal pseudocyst.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ozgur Mete
- Department of Pathology, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Endocrine Oncology Site, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Lori A Erickson
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - C Christofer Juhlin
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Pathology and Cancer Diagnostics, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ronald R de Krijger
- Princess Maxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, and Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Hironobu Sasano
- Department of Pathology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Marco Volante
- Department of Pathology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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Huang YG, Li D, Wang L, Su XM, Tang XB. CENPF/CDK1 signaling pathway enhances the progression of adrenocortical carcinoma by regulating the G2/M-phase cell cycle. J Transl Med 2022; 20:78. [PMID: 35123514 PMCID: PMC8818156 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-022-03277-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is an aggressive and rare malignant tumor and is prone to local invasion and metastasis. And, overexpressed Centromere Protein F (CENPF) is closely related to the oncogenesis of various neoplasms, including ACC. However, the prognosis and exact biological function of CENPF in ACC remains largely unclear. Methods In the present essay, the expression patterns and prognostic value of CENPF in ACC were investigated in clinical specimens and public cancer databases, including GEO and TCGA. The potential signaling mechanism of CENPF in ACC was studied based on gene-set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Furthermore, a small RNA interference experiment was conducted to probe the underlying biological function of CENPF in the human ACC cell line, SW13 cells. Lastly, two available therapeutic strategies, including immunotherapy and chemotherapy, have been further explored. Results The expression of CENPF in human ACC samples, GEO, and TCGA databases depicted that CENPF was overtly hyper-expressed in ACC patients and positively correlated with tumor stage. The aberrant expression of CENPF was significantly correlated with unfavorable overall survival (OS) in ACC patients. Then, the GSEA analysis declared that CENPF was mainly involved in the G2/M-phase mediated cell cycle and p53 signaling pathway. Further, the in vitro experiment demonstrated that the interaction between CENPF and CDK1 augmented the G2/M-phase transition of mitosis, cell proliferation and might induce p53 mediated anti-tumor effect in human ACC cell line, SW13 cells. Lastly, immune infiltration analysis highlighted that ACC patients with high CENPF expression harbored significantly different immune cell populations, and high TMB/MSI score. The gene-drug interaction network stated that CENPF inhibitors, such as Cisplatin, Sunitinib, and Etoposide, might serve as potential drugs for the therapy of ACC. Conclusion The result points out that CENPF is significantly overexpressed in ACC patients. The overexpressed CENPF predicts a poor prognosis of ACC and might augment the progress of ACC. Thus, CENPF and related genes might serve as a novel prognostic biomarker or latent therapeutic target for ACC patients. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12967-022-03277-y.
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Yu S. Overexpression of SKA Complex Is Associated With Poor Prognosis in Gliomas. Front Neurol 2022; 12:755681. [PMID: 35095717 PMCID: PMC8791909 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.755681] [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: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The spindle and kinetochore-associated complex is composed of three members: SKA1, SKA2, and SKA3. It is necessary for stabilizing spindle microtubules attaching to kinetochore (KT) in the middle stage of mitosis. The SKA complex is associated with poor prognosis in several human cancers. However, the role of SKA complex in rare malignant diseases, such as gliomas, has not been fully investigated. We investigated several databases, including Oncomine, UALCAN, and cBioPortal to explore the expression profile and prognostic significance of SKA complex in patients with gliomas. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome pathways were used to analyze the potential enriched pathways. The genes co-expressed with SKA complex were identified and used for developing a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network using the STRING database. We found a significant overexpression of the mRNA levels of SKA1, SKA2, and SKA3 in patients with glioma patients. Higher expression of SKA1 and SKA3, but not SKA2, was significantly correlated with shorter overall survival of patients with glioma. In glioma, SKA complex was found to be involved in nuclear division, chromosome segregation, and DNA replication. The results of PPI network identified 10 hub genes (CCNB2, UBE2C, BUB1B, TPX2, CCNA2, CCNB1, MELK, TOP2A, PBK, and KIF11), all of which were overexpressed and negatively associated with prognosis of patients with glioma. In conclusion, our study sheds new insights into the biological role and prognostic significance of SKA complex in glioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoukai Yu
- Hongqiao International Institute of Medicine, Shanghai Tongren Hospital and Clinical Research Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Huang YG, Wang Y, Zhu RJ, Tang K, Tang XB, Su XM. EMS1/DLL4-Notch Signaling Axis Augments Cell Cycle-Mediated Tumorigenesis and Progress in Human Adrenocortical Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2021; 11:771579. [PMID: 34858850 PMCID: PMC8631517 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.771579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignant neoplasm that is prone to local invasion and metastasis. Meanwhile, overexpressed endothelial cell-specific molecule 1 (ESM1) is closely related to tumorigenesis of multitudinous tumors. However, the prognosis value and biological function of ESM1 in ACC remains undefined. In the current essay, the assessment in human ACC samples and multiple public cancer databases suggested that ESM1 was significantly overexpressed in ACC patients. The abnormal expression of ESM1 was evidently correlated with dismal overall survival (OS) in ACC patients. Then, the gene-set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was applied to unravel that ESM1 was mostly involved in cell cycle and Notch4 signaling pathway. Furthermore, in vitro experiment, RNA interference of ESM1 was carried out to state that ESM1 augments CDK1 and p21-mediated G2/M-phase transition of mitosis, cell proliferation via DLL4-Notch signaling pathway in human ACC cell line, SW13 cells. Additionally, two possible or available therapeutic strategies, including immunotherapy and chemotherapy, have been further explored. Immune infiltration analysis highlighted that no significant difference was found in ACC patients between EMS1high and EMS1low group for immune checkpoint-related genes. In addition, the overexpression of ESM1 might trigger the accumulation of tumor mutation burden (TMB) during the cell cycle of DNA replication in ACC. The gene-drug interaction network then indicated that ESM1 inhibitors, such as cisplatin, might serve as potential drugs for the therapy of ACC. Collectively, the results asserted that ESM1 and related regulators might act as underlying prognostic biomarkers or novel therapeutic targets for ACC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Gang Huang
- Department of Pathology, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Ya Wang
- Department of Immunology, Nankai University School of Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Rui-Juan Zhu
- Department of Pathology, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Kai Tang
- Department of Pediatric, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Xian-Bin Tang
- Department of Pathology, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, China
| | - Xiao-Min Su
- Department of Immunology, Nankai University School of Medicine, Tianjin, China
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