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Catapano R, Sepe L, Toscano E, Paolella G, Chiurazzi F, Barbato SP, Bruzzese D, Arianna R, Grosso M, Romano S, Romano MF, Costanzo P, Cesaro E. Biological relevance of ZNF224 expression in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and its implication IN NF-kB pathway regulation. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:1010984. [PMID: 36425656 PMCID: PMC9681601 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.1010984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a heterogeneous disease, whose presentation and clinical course are highly variable. Identification of novel prognostic factors may contribute to improving the CLL classification and providing indications for treatment options. The zinc finger protein ZNF224 plays a key role in cell transformation, through the control of apoptotic and survival pathways. In this study, we evaluated the potential application of ZNF224 as a novel marker of CLL progression and therapy responsiveness. To this aim, we analyzed ZNF224 expression levels in B lymphocytes from CLL patients at different stages of the disease and in patients showing different treatment outcomes. The expression of ZNF224 was significantly increased in disease progression and dramatically decreased in patients in complete remission after chemotherapy. Gene expression correlation analysis performed on datasets of CLL patients revealed that ZNF224 expression was well correlated with that of some prognostic and predictive markers. Moreover, bioinformatic analysis coupled ZNF224 to NF-κB pathway, and experimental data demonstrated that RNA interference of ZNF224 reduced the activity of the NF-κB survival pathway in CLL cells. Consistently with a pro-survival role, ZNF224 knockdown raised spontaneous and drug-induced apoptosis and inhibited the proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from CLL patients. Our findings provide evidence for the involvement of ZNF224 in the survival of CLL cells via NF-κB pathway modulation, and also suggest ZNF224 as a prognostic and predictive molecular marker of CLL disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Catapano
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Leandra Sepe
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
- Ceinge Advanced Technologies, Naples, Italy
| | - Elvira Toscano
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
- Ceinge Advanced Technologies, Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanni Paolella
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
- Ceinge Advanced Technologies, Naples, Italy
| | - Federico Chiurazzi
- Division of Hematology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Serafina Patrizia Barbato
- Division of Hematology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Dario Bruzzese
- Department of Public Health, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Rosa Arianna
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Michela Grosso
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
- Ceinge Advanced Technologies, Naples, Italy
| | - Simona Romano
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Fiammetta Romano
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Paola Costanzo
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Elena Cesaro
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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Di Somma C, Scarano E, de Alteriis G, Barrea L, Riccio E, Arianna R, Savastano S, Colao A. Is there any gender difference in epidemiology, clinical presentation and co-morbidities of non-functioning pituitary adenomas? A prospective survey of a National Referral Center and review of the literature. J Endocrinol Invest 2021; 44:957-968. [PMID: 32894472 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-020-01379-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Gender differences in patients diagnosed with non-functioning Pituitary Adenomas (NFPA) in a National Referral Center for Pituitary Tumors at the Federico II University of Naples, Italy. METHODS Patients newly diagnosed with non-functioning sellar masses found on pituitary Magnetic Resonance Imaging from January 1st 2016 to December 31th 2018 underwent anthropometric measurements, basal evaluation of pituitary function, and metabolic assessment. Fatty live index (FLI) and visceral adiposity index (VAI) were calculated. RESULTS Seventy-three patients (35 males, 51.1 ± 17.0 years; 38 females, 41.8 ± 18.1 years) presented with NFPA. Lesions > 1 cm (85.7% vs. 47.3%; χ2 = 10.26, p = 0.001) and hypopituitarism (77.1% vs. 7.9%; χ2 = 33.29, p = 0.001) were more frequent in males than females. The highest sizes of pituitary adenomas were significantly associated with male gender (OR = 1.05, p = 0.049; R2 = 0.060; IC 1.00-1.10). Headache (62.8% vs. 31.6%; χ2 = 5.96, p = 0.015) and visual field deficits (57.1% vs. 26.3%; χ2 = 5.93, p = 0.015) were significantly more frequent in males than in females. There was no sex difference in obesity prevalence, but the metabolic syndrome was more common among males than females (60.6% vs. 26.3%; χ2 = 7.14, p = 0.001). FLI was also higher in males (69.6 ± 27.3 vs. 49.2 ± 31.3; p < 0.001), while there were no differences in VAI. CONCLUSIONS Apart from the possible delay in the diagnosis induced by the gender differences in symptom presentation, the higher prevalence of macroadenomas amongst NFPA in males compared with females let to hypothesize a key role of the sex hormone profile as predictive factors of their biological behavior and metabolic profile. Further studies are, however, mandatory to better support the influence of gender differences on onset, progression, and metabolic consequences of NFPA.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Di Somma
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Unit of Endocrinology, Federico II University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
| | - E Scarano
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Unit of Endocrinology, Federico II University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - G de Alteriis
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Unit of Endocrinology, Federico II University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - L Barrea
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Unit of Endocrinology, Federico II University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Endocrinology Unit, Centro Italiano per la cura e il Benessere del paziente con obesità (C.I.B.O), University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - E Riccio
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Unit of Endocrinology, Federico II University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - R Arianna
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Unit of Endocrinology, Federico II University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - S Savastano
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Unit of Endocrinology, Federico II University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Endocrinology Unit, Centro Italiano per la cura e il Benessere del paziente con obesità (C.I.B.O), University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
| | - A Colao
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Chirurgia, Unit of Endocrinology, Federico II University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
- Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Endocrinology Unit, Centro Italiano per la cura e il Benessere del paziente con obesità (C.I.B.O), University Medical School of Naples, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131, Naples, Italy
- Cattedra Unesco "Educazione alla salute e allo sviluppo sostenibile", University Federico II, Naples, Italy
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