MDM2 Research Articles

Soft Tissue Sarcomas with Chromosomal Alterations in the 12q13-15 Region: Differential Diagnosis and Therapeutic Implications.

The chromosomal region 12q13-15 is rich in oncogenes and contains several genes involved in the pathogenesis of various mesenchymal neoplasms. Notable genes in this region include MDM2, CDK4, STAT6, DDIT3, and GLI1. Amplification of MDM2 and CDK4 genes can be detected in various mesenchymal and nonmesenchymal neoplasms. Therefore, gene amplification alone is not entirely specific for making a definitive diagnosis and requires the integration of clinical, radiological, morphological, and immunohistochemical findings. Neoplasms with GLI1 alterations may exhibit either GLI1 rearrangements or amplifications of this gene. Despite the diagnostic implications that the overlap of genetic alterations in neoplasms with changes in genes within the 12q13-15 region could create, the discovery of coamplifications of MDM2 with CDK4 and GLI1 offers new therapeutic targets in neoplasms with MDM2/CDK4 amplification. Lastly, it is worth noting that MDM2 or CDK4 amplification is not exclusive to mesenchymal neoplasms; this genetic alteration has also been observed in other epithelial neoplasms or melanomas. This suggests the potential use of MDM2 or CDK4 inhibitors in neoplasms where alterations in these genes do not aid the pathological diagnosis but may help identify potential therapeutic targets. In this review, we delve into the diagnosis and therapeutic implications of tumors with genetic alterations involving the chromosomal region 12q13-15, mainly MDM2, CDK4, and GLI1.

Expression of cell cycle genes among the residents of settlements along the Techa River exposed to ionizing radiation <i>in utero</i>

BACKGROUND: The period of intrauterine development is highly susceptible to the effects of ionizing radiation. While the consequences of radiation exposure during pregnancy are not yet fully understood, it is believed that individuals exposed to ionizing radiation in utero are at a greater risk of long-term health consequences.
 AIM: To analyze the expression of mRNA of cell cycle genes (TP53, MDM2, CDKN1A, ATM) in individuals exposed during intrauterine development to chronic radiation exposure after the Techa River accident.
 MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted over 60–70 years after the onset of chronic radiation exposure in a group of 170 individuals. Among them, 54 individuals were exposed to radiation during both prenatal and postnatal periods of development, while 80 individuals were exposed to chronic radiation after birth. The comparison group consisted of 36 individuals living in similar socio-economic conditions, with a lifetime cumulative dose of red bone marrow radiation not exceeding 70 mGy.
 RESULTS: Individuals residing in coastal villages along the Techa River, who were exposed to radiation during both the prenatal and postnatal stages of development, experience a reduction in the relative mRNA content of the MDM2 and CDKN1A genes compared to the control group and individuals who were exposed to chronic radiation after birth. The results of the correlation analysis indicate that there is no association between changes in mRNA expression of the studied genes and the accumulated absorbed dose of intrauterine and postnatal exposure of red bone marrow.
 CONCLUSION: The reduced transcriptional activity of the MDM2 and CDKN1A genes in individuals exposed to chronic radiation in utero may play a role in the development of long-term effects of radiation exposure in humans.

Identification of new leads against ubiquitin specific protease-7 (USP7): a step towards the potential treatment of cancers.

Ubiquitin-specific protease-7 (USP7) is an important drug target as it regulates multiple proteins and genes (such as MDM2 and p53) with roles in cancer progression. Its inhibition can hinder the function of oncogenes, increase tumor suppression, and enhance immune response. The current study was designed to express USP7 in a prokaryotic system, followed by screening of small molecules against it using biophysical methods, primarily STD-NMR technique. Among them, 12 compounds showed interaction with USP7 as inferred from NMR-based screening. These compounds further caused destabilization of USP7 by reducing its melting temperature (T m) up to 6 °C in thermal shift assay. Molecular docking and simulation studies revealed that these compounds bind to the putative substrate binding pocket of USP7 and thus may block the entry of the substrate. Four compounds i.e., 4-hydroxy-diphenyl amine (2), phenyl-(2,3,4-trihydroxyphenyl) methanone (3), 4'-amino-2',5'-diethoxy benzanilide (5), and hydroquinone (12), showed anti-cancer activity against colorectal cancerous cells (HCT116) with IC50 values in the range of 31-143 μM. These compounds also down-regulated the mRNA expression of the MDM2 gene and up-regulated the mRNA expression of the p53 gene in HCT116 cells, as studied using qPCR analysis. This study thereby identifies several negative modulators of USP7 that can be studied further as potential anti-cancer agents.

The role of palbociclib on the alterations in CDKN2, CCNE1, E2F3, MDM2 expressions as target genes of miR-141.

According to WHO, Breast cancer is widely considered to be the first or second cause of cancer-related death almost universally. Cell cycle disruption, either in the form of uncontrolled expression of cyclins or because of the suspension in negative regulatory proteins (CDK inhibitors), was found to cause breast cancer. Palbociclib as specific CDK4/6 inhibitor is used for the treatment of ER+ metastatic cancers. In this study, we are looking to investigate the effect of palbociclib on breast cancer cells and evaluate the changes in the expression of some genes involved in the cell cycle as target genes of miR-141 after treatment with this drug. We used MCF7 as functional estrogen and non-invasive and MDA-MB-231 cell lines as triple-negative type of breast cancer and a model for more aggressive. MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines were cultured in DMEM medium. After counting cells and measuring viability, Palbociclib was administered at varying doses using the IC50 obtained from MTT, with the treatment given at two time points of 24 and 72 hours. RNA was extracted from untreated and treated cells and RNAs were converted to cDNA in the end. Gene expression changes were investigated by real-time PCR. Data management and analysis were conducted using GraphPad Prism 5.01 software. Among investigated genes, E2F3 gene was not significantly affected by Palbociclib in any of cell lines and time points. Besides, the expression of CCNE1 gene was significantly suppressed. It seems this drug was unable to reduce the expression of MDM2 gene significantly in triple negative (MDA-MB-231) cancer cells; however, a decrease was observed in luminal A (MCF-7) cells. CDKN2A and miR-141 genes expression increased significantly after treatment which can be aligned with palbociclib in proliferation inhibition.

Aberrant miR-3135b and miR-1273g-3p expression in the peripheral blood samples of BRCA1/2 (±) ovarian cancer patients

Ovarian cancer (OC) ranks as the eighth most prevalent malignancy among women globally. The short non-coding RNA molecules, microRNAs (miRNAs) target multiple mRNAs and regulate the gene expression. Here in this study, we aimed to validate miR-3135b and miR-1273g-3p as novel biomarkers for prognostic and diagnostic factor OC. After RNA isolation, we analyzed the miR-3135b and miR-1273g-3p expression in peripheral blood samples derived from 150 OC patients. Subsequently, we compared their expression levels with 100 healthy controls. The differences of miR-3135b and miR-1273g-3p expression were detected using the Quantitative Real Time-PCR (qRT-PCR) technique following miRNA-specific cDNA synthesis pursing miRNA separation. The miR-3135b and miR-1273g-3p were higher in OC patients who tested positive for BRCA1/2 compared to BRCA-negative patients, and healthy cases. The level of miR-3135b demonstrated a roughly 4.82-fold increase in OC patients in comparison to the healthy cases, while miR-1273g-3p expression exhibited a roughly 6.77-fold increase. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis has demonstrated the potential of miR-3135b and miR-1273g-3p as markers for distinguishing between OC patients and healthy controls. The higher expressions of miR-3135b and miR-1273g-3p could be associated with OC development. Moreover, miR-3135b may have a diagnostic potential and miR-1273g-3p may have both diagnostic and prognostic potential in OC cell differentiation. The string analysis has revealed an association between miR-1273g-3p and the MDM2 gene, suggesting a potential link to tumor formation through the proteasomal degradation of the TP53 tumor suppressor gene. Additionally, the analysis indicates an association of miR-1273g-3p with CHEK1, a gene involved in checkpoint-mediated cell cycle arrest. String analysis also indicates that miR-3135b is associated with the MAPK1 gene, causing activation of the oncogenesis cascade. In conclusion, miR-1273g-3p, and miR-3135b exhibit significant potential as diagnostic markers. However, further research is needed to comprehensively investigate these miRNAs diagnostic and predictive characteristics in a larger cohort.

Differentially expressed platelet activation-related genes in dogs with stage B2 myxomatous mitral valve disease

BackgroundPeripheral blood carries a reservoir of mRNAs that regulate cardiac structure and function potential. Although it is well recognized that the typical symptoms of Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease (MMVD) stage B2 are long-standing hemodynamic disorder and cardiac structure remodeling caused by mitral regurgitation, the transcriptomic alterations in blood from such dogs are not understood.ResultsIn the present study, comparative high-throughput transcriptomic profiling of blood was performed from normal control (NC) and naturally-occurring MMVD stage B2 (MMVD) dogs. Using Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analyses (WGCNA), Gene Ontology (GO), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genomes (KEGG), we identified that the turquoise module was the most highly correlated with echocardiographic features and found 64 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that were significantly enriched in platelet activation related pathways. Therefore, from the turquoise module, we selected five DEGs (MDM2, ROCK1, RIPK1, SNAP23, and ARHGAP35) that, according to real-time qPCR, exhibited significant enrichment in platelet activation related pathways for validation. The results showed that the blood transcriptional abundance of MDM2, ROCK1, RIPK1, and SNAP23 differed significantly (P < 0.01) between NC and MMVD dogs. On the other hand, Correlation Analysis revealed that MDM2, ROCK1, RIPK1, and SNAP23 genes negatively regulated the heart structure parameters, and followed the same trend as observed in WGCNA.ConclusionWe screened four platelet activation related genes, MDM2, ROCK1, RIPK1, and SNAP23, which may be considered as the candidate biomarkers for the diagnosis of MMVD stage B2. These findings provided new insights into MMVD pathogenesis.

Morphologic, phenotypic, and genotypic similarities between primary tumors and corresponding 3D cell cultures grown in a repeatable system—preliminary results

BackgroundThree-dimensional (3D) cell cultures are the new frontier for reproducing the tumor micro-environment in vitro. The aims of the study were (1) to establish primary 3D cell cultures from canine spontaneous neoplasms and (2) to demonstrate the morphological, phenotypic and genotypic similarities between the primary canine neoplasms and the corresponding 3D cultures, through the expression of tumor differentiation markers.ResultsSeven primary tumors were collected, including 4 carcinomas and 3 soft tissue sarcomas. 3D cell cultures reproduced the morphological features of the primary tumors and showed an overlapping immunophenotype of the primary epithelial tumors. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated the growth of stromal cells and macrophages admixed with the neoplastic epithelial component, reproducing the tumor microenvironment. Mesenchymal 3D cultures reproduced the immunophenotype of the primary tumor completely in 2 out of 3 examined cases while a discordant expression was documented for a single marker in one case. No single nucleotide variants or small indel were detected in TP53 or MDM2 genes, both in primary tumors and in 3D cell cultures specimens. In one sample, MDM2 amplicons were preferentially increased in number compared to TP53 ones, indicating amplification of MDM2, detectable both in the primary tumor and in the corresponding cell culture specimen.ConclusionHere we demonstrate a good cell morphology, phenotype and genetic profile overlap between primary tumors and the corresponding 3D cultures grown in a repeatable system.

Expression of the CDKN1A, MDM2, and ATM genes as a biomarker of the toxic effect of heavy metals (literature review)

The development of new approaches enabling differentiation of a wide range of toxic effects can significantly improve risk assessment. To understand the response mechanisms at the molecular level, it is important to study the expression of genes responsible for DNA repair, since this process is one of the early responses to toxic effects.&#x0D; The purpose of the study was to summarize available data on the expression of repair CDKN1A, MDM2, and ATM genes associated with toxic effects of exposure to heavy metals.&#x0D; A systematic search was carried out to identify studies on a given topic in the PubMed, Web of Science, eLIBRARY and Google Scholar electronic databases using the following keywords: heavy metals, CDKN1A, MDM2, ATM, toxicity, DNA repair, and gene expression. The initial search for scientific publications was carried out independently by three authors; then all sources found were checked and compared to filter out duplicate papers. This review covers 50 literature sources.&#x0D; The analysis of toxicogenome studies allowed us to identify several genes for assessing heavy metal toxicity among a large number of candidate biomarkers. The most commonly considered genes are the p21/CDKN1A gene, the MDM2 proto-oncogene, and the ATM gene.&#x0D; Limitations. The review is limited to considering changes in the expression of only a small number of genes responsible for DNA repair.&#x0D; Conclusion. The expression of the above biomarker genes provides a detailed picture of the response of a biological system to hazardous exposures and can be used as part of the assessment of toxic effects.

The Predictive Role of the Histopathological Scoring System in Adipose Tumors-Lipoma, Atypical Lipomatous Tumor, and Liposarcoma.

Lipomatous tumors are the most frequent soft tissue neoplasms. Sometimes their differential diagnosis is difficult to perform only by microscopic analysis. This study aims to create a histopathological scoring system and highlight the impact of intratumoral microvascular density. This study was conducted over 10 years. We analyzed the main pathogenic pathways (MDM2 and CDK4), as well as the tumor microvascularization (CD31 and CD34) by immunohistochemical tests. We also analyzed the status of the MDM2 gene by CISH. These data, together with the clinical and histopathological information, were statistically analyzed by appropriate tests. We identified 112 eligible cases, with most of the patients being in their sixth decade of life, with a slight predominance of the female sex. We found important associations like tumor location linked to nuclear pleomorphism severity and microvascularization density correlated with atypia severity. Also, we observed that a maximum diameter of a tumor of at least 69 mm is associated with the presence of tumor necrosis. The score designed in this study shows an increased sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of lipomas (100%, respectively, 97%), atypical lipomatous tumors (93.8%, respectively, 82.3%), and liposarcomas (100%, respectively, 90.5%). This present study enhances the present data by bringing to attention the histopathological score with a role in differential diagnosis, as well as in the prediction of immunohistochemical and genetic tests. Also, we highlighted the importance of microvascular density, especially in the diagnosis of liposarcomas.

Метилирование промоторов генов клеточного цикла и апоптоза у облученных лиц, впоследствии заболевших злокачественными новообразованиями

DNA methylation plays an important role in carcinogenesis; there are many studies that investigate the degree of methylation of the entire genome, gene promoters, and non-coding elements in cancer cells, but much less information about changes of the methylation patterns in blood cells and links with the development of malignant neoplasms (MN). This study aimed to investigate the degree of methylation of promoter regions of cell cycle control and apoptosis genes (BAX, MDM2, TP53, NFkB1) in peripheral blood cells of persons chronically exposed to radiation with MN developing latently. The study included 200 persons chronically exposed to radiation from the Techa River, contaminated with nuclear wastes dumped into it. The level of methylation was assessed by real-time PCR. The participants were divided into exposed and control groups; comparing them, we found that in the former, the distribution of exposed individuals with latent MN by the degree of methylation of promoter regions of BAX, MDM2 and NFkB1 genes was significantly different from that in the latter (p &lt; 0.001; p &lt; 0.001; p = 0.004, respectively). It was established that, compared to the control group, the share of the test group participants with subsequent MN who had up to 10% of the BAX gene promoter regions methylated was significantly higher, and amounted to 98%, while in the control group this figure did not exceed 73% (p &lt; 0.00001).

Abstract B034: A phase 2 basket study of the oral MDM2 inhibitor milademetan for MDM2-amplified advanced solid tumors (MANTRA-2)

Abstract Milademetan is an oral, selective, small molecular inhibitor of the MDM2-p53 complex that reactivates p53 to induce cancer cell apoptosis and tumor regressions in nonclinical models. Clinically, MDM2 gene amplification (amp) occurs in 1–2% of advanced solid tumors and is associated with a poor prognosis. Preliminary antitumor activity was seen in patients with MDM2 amp and TP53 wild-type (WT) tumors in a phase 1 clinical trial [Tirunagaru et al. AACR-NCI-EORTC 2021]. We conducted a phase 2 basket study to evaluate the efficacy of milademetan in patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors (except liposarcoma, intimal sarcoma, and primary CNS tumors) with MDM2 copy number (CN) ≥8 and WT TP53 status based on local next-generation sequencing (NGS) (NCT05012397). Milademetan was administered at 260 mg on days 1–3 and 15–17 of a 28-day cycle. Tumor assessments were performed every 8 weeks (RECIST v1.1). MDM2 CN was retrospectively analyzed centrally using a commercial NGS assay, which also allowed correlation with other co-occurring alterations. As of June 23, 2023, 39 patients were enrolled with 13 distinct tumor types. The most common histologies were biliary tract cancers (8, 20.5%), sarcomas (7, 17.9%), and breast cancer (6, 15.3%). Median number of prior systemic therapies was 3 (range 0–12). Thirty-eight patients were evaluable for safety. The most common hematologic grade 3/4 adverse events (AEs) related to milademetan were thrombocytopenia (26.3%), neutropenia (15.8%), and anemia (10.5%). All grade treatment-related AEs (&amp;gt;15% incidence) included thrombocytopenia (44.7%), nausea (42.1%), fatigue (36.8%), vomiting (31.6%), anemia (23.7%), diarrhea (23.7%) and neutropenia (18.4%). No bleeding or neutropenic sepsis events were reported, and no grade 5 events were observed. The dose reduction rate was 13.2%, and 7.9% of patients discontinued milademetan due to AEs. Central tumor testing was available on 30 (76.9%) patients and only 2 (6.7%) patients demonstrated MDM2 CN below the threshold of 8. Thirty-two patients were efficacy evaluable and had confirmed CN ≥8 or pending central analysis. Five partial responses (15.6%) were observed (4 unconfirmed, 1 confirmed) with one each in lung adenocarcinoma (co-alteration of EGFR + KRAS), pancreatic (KRAS), bladder (pending), gastric cancer (DNAB1-PRKACA) and endometrial sarcoma (CCND2). No clear correlation between MDM2 CN and tumor regression was observed. The median progression-free survival was 3.3 months (95% CI, 2.5–6.1). The longest patient on milademetan therapy was 41 weeks (biliary, best RECIST 1.1 response SD with –29% tumor reduction). Ten patients are currently ongoing. Milademetan monotherapy demonstrated clinically meaningful antitumor responses with a manageable toxicity profile in a variety of MDM2 amp, TP53 WT solid tumors, including those with other oncogenic drivers such as KRAS. Rational combination strategies with milademetan should be considered in tumors with WT TP53 to further enhance durable anti-tumor activity. Citation Format: Ecaterina E. Dumbrava, Christopher T. Chen, Gregory M. Cote, Glenn J. Hanna, Thomas E. Stinchcombe, Bradley Sumrall, Trisha Wise-Draper, Mohammed Kanaan, Steven Duffy, Christopher Sumey, Patrick Cobb, Naisargee Shah, Bo Zhang, Nora Ku, Robert C. Doebele, Mrinal Gounder. A phase 2 basket study of the oral MDM2 inhibitor milademetan for MDM2-amplified advanced solid tumors (MANTRA-2) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC Virtual International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2023 Oct 11-15; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2023;22(12 Suppl):Abstract nr B034.

Ossifying Fibromyxoid Tumor with Atypical Features: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Abstract Introduction/Objective Ossifying fibromyxoid tumor (OFMT) is a soft tissue neoplasm usually behaving in a benign fashion, however, it can rarely show atypical or malignant features. It most frequently occurs within the extremities and trunk. Although OFMTs are translocation-associated tumors, and very commonly associated with recurrent gene rearrangements involving the PHF1 gene, their morphologic and immunophenotypic profile can overlap with other soft tissue tumors posing a diagnostic challenge. Methods/Case Report Herein we present a case of a 23-year-old woman who had an excision of a subcutaneous shoulder mass. Grossly, the 5.3 cm mass had a thin translucent capsule and a pink, soft-cut surface with scattered calcifications. Microscopic examination revealed a well-circumscribed lesion composed of plump spindle cells with uniform oval nuclei arranged in short fascicles within a mildly collagenous background. There was prominent hemangiopericytoma-like vasculature and foci of ossification. The tumor cells contained moderate cytoplasm and showed a mild degree of nuclear atypia. Mitotic activity was up to 6 per 10 high-power fields. Immunohistochemical stains showed tumor cells are positive for Desmin, SMA, AE1/AE3 (patchy), TLE, and SATB2, while negative for CD31, CD34, S-100, C-kit, DOG-1, CD117, HMB-45, Melan-A, ALK-1, SOX10, Inhibin, and STAT6. Ki-67 proliferation index was low (1-2%). Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) testing was negative for SYT and MDM2 gene amplification. FISH testing for PHF1 gene (using experimental probes) showed a break apart signal in a subset (~ 25%) of tumor cells, which is equivocal but insufficient to establish clonal interchromosomal translocation involving PHF1. Results (if a Case Study enter NA) NA Conclusion There is a histologic spectrum and morphologic overlap of OFMTs with several other soft tissue neoplasms. OFMT with atypical features (increased cellularity and mitotic activity), as in this case, may harbor the unpredictable biologic potential for recurrence and metastasis. Additional studies are required to discover a morphologic, immunohistochemical, and possibly molecular pattern that will help to differentiate OFMT subtypes.

Circulating Tumor DNA (ctDNA) for Plasma Genotyping and Disease Monitoring in ALK-Positive Anaplastic Lymphoma (ALK+ALCL): A Proof of Concept Study

Introduction Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) detection has not been reported yet in ALK-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALK+ALCL), a rare aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma with a peak incidence in children, adolescents and young adults. In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether ctDNA can be detected, characterized and used to monitor minimal residual disease (MRD) in ALK+ALCL. Patients and Methods Plasma samples were collected from 23 French patients diagnosed with ALK+ALCL between November 2020 and March 2023. Based on cell-free DNA (cfDNA) extracted from plasma, we performed shallow whole genome sequencing (shWGS) and a comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) of more than 500 genes covered at a median depth of over 3000 unique reads to assess ctDNA content. In this study, we defined samples as positive if they had a tumor fraction over 3%, evaluated by shWGS analysis, or if ALK rearrangements were identified using CGP. Additionally, ALK rearrangement genomic breakpoint were defined by CGP analysis. For each patient, specific digital droplet PCR (ddPCR) assays were designed based on the identified breakpoints to monitor ctDNA content during the ALK+ALCL disease follow-up. Results The median age of patients at the time of diagnosis was 13 years (range: 4-54). Sixteen patients, (69.6%) received at least one ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). A total of 80 plasma samples were collected at various time points from the 23 patients, with a median of 3 samples per patient (range: 1 - 20). Four samples failed for DNA extraction, resulting in 76 samples available for molecular analysis Of the 76 samples, 43 (56.6%) were analyzed using shWGS, 19 (25%) using CGP among which, 14 were analyzed using both techniques. CGP was found to be a more sensitive method for detecting ctDNA in ALK+ALCL compared to shWGS, with 12 out of 14 samples (85.7%) tested positive with CGP, compared to 5 out of 14 samples (35.7%) with shWGS (p&amp;lt;0.01). Of the 19 samples tested with CGP, ALK rearrangement was identified in 14 samples (73.7%), with NPM1:: ALK fusion detected in 11 samples, and ATIC:: ALK, TRAF1:: ALK and EEF1G:: ALK detected in one sample each. The average tumor mutational burden was low, with 5.3 mutations per megabase (mut/Mb) (range: 0-14.5 mut/Mb). No microsatellite instability was detected. Amplification of MDM4 and MYC genes was observed in three patients each. ANKRD26 was the most frequently mutated gene in the study, with four patients affected. LRP1B, epigenetic modifiers such as EP300 and KMT2A, and TP53 were mutated in three patients each. Interestingly, CGP allowed the identification of the ALK:c.3520T&amp;gt;C;p.(Phe1174Leu) mutation in a plasma sample collected during disease progression while the patient was on long lasting crizotinib therapy. Finally, we monitored MRD, based on ctDNA detection in 49 samples from 12 patients using ddPCR assays. Our results were compared with the established gold standard for MRD monitoring in ALK+ALCL, i.e. RT-PCR on circulating cells performed on the same samples. The ddPCR assay showed a 87% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% positive predictive value, and 83% negative predictive value. However, four samples had false-negative results due to pre-analytical sampling issues. These samples had been stored at room temperature without undergoing centrifugation for more than 24 hours. Conclusion To date, this study is the first to report on the feasibility and clinical value of ctDNA for the management of ALK+ALCL patients. CGP demonstrated high sensitivity in detecting ctDNA, identifying the genomic breakpoint within the ALK gene and, for the first time in ALK+ALCL, detecting resistance mutations to ALK TKI. Additionally, our unique patient-specific ddPCR approach was proven to be a cost-effective method for MRD monitoring. Altogether, these findings serve as a proof-of-concept for the development of ctDNA techniques in the clinical management of ALK+ALCL.

Malignant female genital tract smooth muscle tumors with adipocytic differentiation: A morphologic, immunohistochemical, MDM2 fluorescence in situ hybridization and molecular genetic study of 6 lipoleiomyosarcomas

Leiomyosarcoma with adipocytic differentiation or lipoleiomyosarcoma is an uncommon sarcoma of the female genital tract with only a few individual reports in the literature. We therefore performed a morphologic, immunohistochemical, MDM2 gene amplification and RNA and DNA sequencing analysis of a series of gynecologic lipoleiomyosarcoma to better define the clinicopathologic spectrum. Six tumors from 6 patients were identified and classified as spindled lipoleiomyosarcoma (n = 2), mixed spindled and myxoid lipoleiomyosarcoma (n = 1), epithelioid lipoleiomyosarcoma with focal myxoid features (n = 1) and mixed spindled and epithelioid lipoleiomyosarcoma (n = 2). Patient age ranged from 41 to 64 years (mean: 49; median: 50). Primary location included uterine corpus (3), uterine corpus/cervix (2) and broad ligament (1). Tumor size ranged from 4.5 to 22 cm (mean: 11.2; median: 9.8). Four patients had metastasis at presentation or subsequently developed recurrent or distant disease. Patient status was known for 5: 2 dead of disease, 2 alive with disease and 1 alive without evidence of disease. Immunohistochemical expression of smooth muscle markers, ER, PR and WT-1 showed patterns similar to non-adipocytic gynecologic leiomyosarcomas. MDM2 amplification fluorescence in situ hybridization performed on 2 tumors was negative in 1 and equivocal in 1. Sequencing studies performed on 3 tumors found TP53 mutations in 3, with 1 tumor also having an ATRX alteration. No gene fusions were identified. Although lipoleiomyosarcomas have a diverse morphologic spectrum, our findings suggest the smooth muscle component shares morphologic and immunohistochemical features with female genital tract non-adipocytic leiomyosarcomas. Lipoleiomyosarcomas also have genetic alterations associated with non-adipocytic gynecologic leiomyosarcomas.

Telengiectatic osteosarcoma of mandible with special emphasis on immunohistochemical and molecular characteristics: A case report with review of literature

AbstractBackgroundTelangiectatic osteosarcoma (TOS) is an uncommon pathology accounting for about 0.4%–12% of all osteosarcomas with predilection for younger adults. It is most frequently seen in the metaphysis of long bones, appearing as painful osteolytic mass that histopathologically characterized by dilated, blood‐filled vascular spaces lined by malignant osteoblasts along with osteoid formation. It has exchangeable clinical, radiological and pathological features with benign lesions like aneurysmal bone cyst and giant cell tumour of bone as well. Thus, delineating this malignancy from its benign counterparts is a crucial part in the therapeutic management.AimTo report a case of telengiectatic osteosarcoma of jaw in a 17 year old female patient with special highlights on molecular diagnostics and therapeutic modules.Materials and MethodsA panel of immunohistochemical markers comprising of SATB2, CDK4, MDM2, panCK, CD31, desmin, NKX2.2 and TLE1 were employed in combination with fluorescent in‐situ hybridization to detect the prevalence of rearrangement in CDK4 and MDM2 genes.ResultsOn immunohistochemistry, the neoplastic cells were strongly positive for SATB2 and negative for CDK4, MDM2, panCK, CD31, desmin, NKX2.2 and TLE1. Fluorescent in‐situ hybridization of CDK4 and MDM2 genes was also negative.ConclusionConsidering its rarity in jaws combined with clinicopathological overlap with other benign pathologies, diagnosis of this entity is crucial in treatment planning and prognostic significance. Moreover, only five cases of TOS have been reported so far in the craniofacial region. Here, we have reported the sixth case of its kind with detailed clarification pertaining to its immunohistochemical and molecular aspects.

Molecular and cellular aspects of the impact of secondary metabolites from common barberry and hybrid goat’s rue on the HeLa cell line

Purpose of the study. To isolate and verify pure fractions of secondary plant metabolites contained in B. vulgaris (L.) and P. hibridus (L.), as well as to conduct a model experiment and molecular genetic study to evaluate their cytotoxic effect in vitro on the HeLa cell line.Materials and methods. The isolation and verification of all compounds used in the experiment were carried out using column chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance methods at the Department of Natural Compounds, Faculty of Chemistry, Southern Federal University. Subsequently, an experiment was conducted using cultural and molecular methods on the HeLa cell line in three repetitions for each test compound; after incubation with them, the numbers of dead cells were counted on the automated NanoEnTek JuliFl counter, and the numbers of cells in apoptosis were measured by flow cytometry on the BD analyzer FACS Canto II. The level of copy number variation and expression of genes responsible for apoptosis were assessed by real-time PCR (RT-PCR). In total, three substances were studied, with two concentrations (4 and 12 μg/ml) and two exposures (24 and 72 hours) for each of them.Results. In the first stage of the study, we isolated and verified the berberine alkaloid extracted from the roots of B. vulgaris (L.), as well as 2,4-dihydroxy-2,5-dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one and 2,2,8-trimethyldecahydroazulene-5,6-dicarbaldehyde from P. hibridus (L.). The subsequent stage of the study demonstrated the maximal cellular death under the action of berberine at a 72-hour exposure. However, the RT-PCR assessment of the copy number variation and expression of the CASP8, CASP9, CASP3, BAX, BCL2, TP53 and MDM2 genes revealed the presence of apoptosis initiation in tumor cells at the molecular level under the action of all the studied compounds: both berberine and furan and azulene derivatives derived from P. hibridus (L.).Conclusion. All compounds used in the experiment exhibited a cytotoxic effect on the HeLa cell line. Berberine alkaloid showed the most pronounced cytotoxic effect on the HeLa line as recorded by all methods used in the study. Terpenoids 4-dihydroxy-2,5-dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one and 2,2,8-trimethyldecahydroazulene-5,6-dicarbaldehyde, when exposed to the HeLa line, caused an increase in the copy number variation and expression of the CASP9, CASP3 loci, which are among the main activators of apoptosis. They also influenced the expression of TP53 and MDM2 loci.

Benign female genital tract smooth muscle tumors with adipocytic differentiation: A morphologic, immunohistochemical and MDM2 fluorescence in situ hybridization study of 44 conventional lipoleiomyomas and lipoleiomyoma variants

Leiomyomas with adipocytic differentiation typically occur in the uterus although they may arise at several sites in the female genital tract. While these are most commonly spindled leiomyomas with a component of adipocytic tissue (“conventional lipoleiomyomas”), there is a relatively ill-defined assortment of leiomyoma variants with adipocytic differentiation. We performed a morphologic, immunohistochemical and MDM2 gene amplification analysis of a large series of gynecologic leiomyomas with adipocytic differentiation to better define the clinicopathologic spectrum. Forty four tumors from 44 patients were identified and classified as conventional lipoleiomyoma (n = 21), adipocyte-rich lipoleiomyoma (defined as tumor volume >80 % adipocytes, n = 9); cellular lipoleiomyoma (n = 9); hydropic lipoleiomyoma (n = 3); and lipoleiomyoma with bizarre nuclei (n = 2). Patient age ranged from 32 to 83 years (mean 63; median 63). Primary location included uterine corpus (35), uterine cervix (3), uterine corpus/cervix (1), broad ligament (2), parametrium (2), and round ligament (1). Tumor size was 0.6–30 cm (mean 8; median 6). None of the 34 patients with follow up developed further disease (range 1–311 months; mean 65; median 41). Immunohistochemical expression of ER, PR, HMB45, Melan A, Cathepsin K and WT-1 in lipoleiomyomas and variants was similar to patterns in non-adipocytic gynecologic leiomyomas. MDM2 amplification fluorescence in situ hybridization performed on 14 tumors was negative in all. Our findings suggest female genital tract conventional lipoleiomyomas and lipoleiomyoma variants largely parallel their non-adipocytic counterparts in morphology and immunophenotype, and may be categorized using non-adipocytic leiomyoma histologic criteria.

Identification of lncRNA-based regulatory mechanisms of Takifugu rubripes growth traits in fast and slow-growing family lines

Family selection is an important method in fish aquaculture because growth is the most important economic trait. Fast-and slow-growing families of tiger puffer fish (Takifugu rubripes) have been established through family selection. The development of teleost fish is primarily controlled by the growth hormone (GH)-insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) axis that includes the hypothalamus-pituitary-liver. In this study, the molecular mechanisms underlying T. rubripes growth were analyzed by comparing transcriptomes from fast- and slow-growing families. The expressions of 214 lncRNAs were upregulated, and those of 226 were downregulated in the brain tissues of the fast-growing T. rubripes family compared to those of the slow-growing family. Differentially expressed lncRNAs centrally regulate mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and forkhead box O (FoxO) signaling pathways. Based on the results of lncRNA-gene network construction, we found that lncRNA3133.13, lncRNA23169.1, lncRNA23145.1, and lncRNA23141.3 regulated all four genes (igf1, mdm2, flt3, and cwf19l1). In addition, lncRNA7184.10 may be a negative regulator of rasgrp2 and a positive regulator of gadd45ga, foxo3b, and dusp5. These target genes are associated with the growth and development of organisms through the PI3K/AKT and MAPK/ERK pathways. Overall, transcriptomic analyses of fast- and slow-growing families of T. rubripes provided insights into the molecular mechanisms of teleost fish growth rates. Further, these analyses provide evidence for key genes related to growth regulation and the lncRNA expression regulatory network that will provide a framework for improving puffer fish germplasm resources.

Cis-vaccinic acid, Dibutyl-Cyanamide and 9, 12-Octadecadienoic acid from pistachio (Pistachia vera) seed coat (PSCE) induced nuclear damage and cytotoxicity in human colon cancer HT-115 cells

Current strategy for colorectal cancer (CRC) therapy like regular intake of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may reduce the risk of developing CRC but they induce the regression of adenomas. Even the CRC management technique include colectomy, have not yet been proven to reduce mortality. The present study aimed to reduce the susceptibility of CRC via controlling cellular oxidative stress, inflammation and caspase depended apoptosis in HT-115 human colorectal cancer cells using pistachio seed coat extract as nutritional therapy. Increasing concentrations of pistachio seed coat ethyl acetate extract (PSCE) were applied to HT-115 cells, which were incubated for 24 h and 48 h. The IC50 values were 14 mg/dl after 24 h, and and 7.5 mg/dl after 48 h. Acridine orange/ ethidium bromide staining confirmed the presence of 32% early apoptotic, 27% pre-apoptotic, 12% apoptotic, and 6% necrotic cells after 48 h. PSCE at 14 mg/dl significantly increased the antioxidant capacity via the expression of CYP1A and GSK3β, and decreased inflammatory agents via decreasing NF-κb, TNF-α, COX-2 and PGE-2 expression three-fold after 48 h. The expression of the tumor suppression related genes p53 and mdm2, and the apoptosis related genes Bax, Bcl-2, Caspase 3, p21, and PCNA levels increased one-fold, and levels of mdm2, Bcl-2 and PCNA decreased after PME treatment of 48 h. PSCE effectively controlled colon cancer cell proliferation via the caspase-dependent mitochondrial mediated apoptotic pathway.&#x0D; Keywords: Pistachia vera, cytotoxicity, human colon cancer, Cis-Vaccininc acid, apoptosis

DDB2 and MDM2 genes are promising markers for radiation diagnosis and estimation of radiation dose independent of trauma and burns.

In the field of biodosimetry, the current accepted method for evaluating radiation dose fails to meet the need of rapid, large-scale screening, and most RNA marker-related studies of biodosimetry are concentrating on a single type of ray, while some other potential factors, such as trauma and burns, have not been covered. Microarray datasets that contain the data of human peripheral blood samples exposed to X-ray, neutron, and γ-ray radiation were obtained from the GEO database. Totally, 33 multi-type ray co-induced genes were obtained at first from the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and key genes identified by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), and these genes were mainly enriched in DNA damage, cellular apoptosis, and p53 signaling pathway. Following transcriptome sequencing of blood samples from 11 healthy volunteers, 13 patients with severe burns, and 37 patients with severe trauma, 6635 trauma-related DEGs and 7703 burn-related DEGs were obtained. Through the exclusion method, a total of 12 radiation-specific genes independent of trauma and burns were identified. ROC curve analysis revealed that the DDB2 gene performed the best in diagnosis of all three types of ray radiation, while correlation analysis showed that the MDM2 gene was the best in assessment of radiation dose. The results of multiple-linear regression analysis indicated that such analysis could improve the accuracy in assessment of radiation dose. Moreover, the DDB2 and MDM2 genes remained effective in radiation diagnosis and assessment of radiation dose in an external dataset. In general, the study brings new insights into radiation biodosimetry.