Editorial Material
Oncology
Brandon M. Murphy, Christin E. Burd
Summary: In a recent publication in Nature, Fane et al. identify WNT5A as a crucial regulator of the dormancy-to-reactivation axis in melanoma, which is sensitive to age. They demonstrate that aged fibroblasts in the lungs suppress the WNT5A signaling induced at the primary tumor site, leading to the awakening of dormant melanoma cells and promoting metastasis outgrowth.
Article
Biology
Chengcheng Li, Qiuning Zhang, Hongtao Luo, Ruifeng Liu, Shuangwu Feng, Yichao Geng, Lina Wang, Zhen Yang, Yanying Zhang, Xiaohu Wang
Summary: Carbon-ion radiotherapy (CIRT) has the potential to suppress angiogenesis and lung metastases in melanoma by specifically targeting CXCL10. The study showed that mice treated with C ions exhibited less tumor vascularity, enhanced tumor necrosis, and alleviated lung metastasis compared to X-ray irradiated mice. Furthermore, C-ion treatment significantly reduced VEGF expression in B16F10 cells and inhibited their proliferation, migration, and tube formation ability when co-cultured with HUVECs.
RADIATION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Patrick Meylan, Christine Pich, Carine Winkler, Stefanie Ginster, Lionel Mury, Marie Sgandurra, Rene Dreos, Dennie Tompers Frederick, Marc Hammond, Genevieve Marie Boland, Liliane Michalik
Summary: TXNIP, regulated by PPARγ in melanoma cells, is associated with tumor regression, cell cycle arrest, and benign melanocytic lesions. Reduced expression of TXNIP is linked to advanced melanoma and disease progression.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Lee Huang, Yougang Zhai, Jennifer La, Jason W. Lui, Stephen P. G. Moore, Elizabeth C. Little, Sixia Xiao, Adil J. Haresi, Candice Brem, Jag Bhawan, Deborah Lang
Summary: The study identifies multiple overlapping functions of the ETS family promoting melanoma and demonstrates the potential therapeutic impact of targeting these factors with the small molecule YK-4-279. By inhibiting multiple ETS family members, YK-4-279 shows promising antitumor effects in melanoma.
Article
Dermatology
Dana Westphal, Matthias Meinhardt, Konrad Gruetzmann, Lisa Schoene, Julian Steininger, Lena T. Neuhaus, Miriam Wiegel, Daniel Schrimpf, Daniela E. Aust, Evelin Schroeck, Gustavo B. Baretton, Stefan Beissert, Tareq A. Juratli, Gabriele G. Schackert, Jan Gravemeyer, Juergen C. Becker, Andreas von Deimling, Christian Koelsche, Barbara Klink, Friedegund Meier, Alexander Schulz, Michael H. Muders, Michael Seifert
Summary: This study integrated omics data analysis to evaluate the methylomes and transcriptomes of matched melanoma metastases, identifying 38 candidate genes with distinct promoter methylation and gene expression changes in intracranial compared with extracranial metastases. The protein expression of the 11 most promising genes was validated using immunohistochemistry, and significant differences were observed in intracranial metastases. Knockdown of PRKCZ or GRB10 altered protein kinase B expression and decreased the viability of a brain-specific melanoma cell line. These findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms that differentiate brain metastases and could be targeted for therapy.
JOURNAL OF INVESTIGATIVE DERMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nataliia Petruk, Sanni Tuominen, Malin Akerfelt, Jesse Mattsson, Jouko Sandholm, Matthias Nees, Gennady G. Yegutkin, Arja Jukkola, Johanna Tuomela, Katri S. Selander
Summary: Inhibition of CD73 significantly decreases cellular viability and migration in vitro, suppresses hypoxia-induced increase in viability, and prevents cell protrusion elongation in both normoxia and hypoxia. CD73 suppression also leads to decreased tumor growth and metastasis in vivo by maintaining a more epithelial phenotype.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ogul E. Uner, Thonnie Rose O. See, Eszter Szalai, Hans E. Grossniklaus, Gustav Stalhammar
Summary: The study found that BAP1 mutations in uveal melanoma occur early in tumor growth, typically appearing in the initial stages, and coincide with the seeding of micrometastases.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Josefine Radke, Elisa Schumann, Julia Onken, Randi Koll, Guliz Acker, Bohdan Bodnar, Carolin Senger, Sascha Tierling, Markus Moebs, Peter Vajkoczy, Anna Vidal, Sandra Hoegler, Petra Kodajova, Dana Westphal, Friedegund Meier, Frank Heppner, Susanne Kreuzer-Redmer, Florian Grebien, Karsten Juerchott, Torben Redmer
Summary: This study uses a multi-OMICS approach and targeted sequencing to uncover the potential programs that control the development of melanoma brain metastases (MBM). The expression of E-cadherin and NGFR is found to classify MBM into different subtypes, and these subtypes control cell migration and proliferation through downstream transcription factors. Additionally, differential methylation analysis can distinguish between different types of MBM.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sandra Garcia-Mulero, Maria Henar Alonso, Luis P. del Carpio, Rebeca Sanz-Pamplona, Josep M. Piulats
Summary: Uveal melanoma (UM) is a common malignant eye tumor with poor prognosis, characterized by a unique immunosuppressive microenvironment. Our study found that high immune and stromal scores in the UM microenvironment were associated with poor prognosis, while lymphocytic infiltration was related to poor prognosis and only B cells were associated with a more favorable prognosis. Samples with high angiogenic and inflammatory phenotypes exhibited poor prognosis and metabolic activation.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Manchao Zhang, Scarlett Acklin, John Gillenwater, Wuying Du, Mousumi Patra, Hao Yu, Bo Xu, Jianhua Yu, Fen Xia
Summary: Our study demonstrates that SIRT2 promotes melanoma tumor growth by reducing the number and function of tumor-infiltrating NK cells. Pharmacological inhibition of SIRT2 increases NK cell infiltration and suppresses tumor growth. These findings suggest that SIRT2 has the potential to mediate immunotherapy response and resistance in melanoma.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Jun-Chieh J. Tsay, Benjamin G. Wu, Imran Sulaiman, Katherine Gershner, Rosemary Schluger, Yonghua Li, Ting-An Yie, Peter Meyn, Evan Olsen, Luisannay Perez, Brendan Franca, Joseph Carpenito, Tadasu Iizumi, Mariam El-Ashmawy, Michelle Badri, James T. Morton, Nan Shen, Linchen He, Gaetane Michaud, Samaan Rafeq, Jamie L. Bessich, Robert L. Smith, Harald Sauthoff, Kevin Felner, Ray Pillai, Anastasia-Maria Zavitsanou, Sergei B. Koralov, Valeria Mezzano, Cynthia A. Loomis, Andre L. Moreira, William Moore, Aristotelis Tsirigos, Adriana Heguy, William N. Rom, Daniel H. Sterman, Harvey Pass, Jose C. Clemente, Huilin Li, Richard Bonneau, Kwok-Kin Wong, Thales Papagiannakopoulos, Leopoldo N. Segal
Summary: In lung cancer patients, dysbiosis of the lower airway microbiota is more prevalent in advanced stages and associated with poor prognosis, upregulation of IL17, PI3K pathways, etc. in the airway transcriptome. The dysbiosis with V. parvula in the lower airway of the KP lung cancer model leads to decreased survival and tumor progression.
Article
Cell Biology
Tao Yu, Qi Zhang, Shao-Kun Yu, Feng-Qi Nie, Mei-Ling Zhang, Qian Wang, Kai-Hua Lu
Summary: THOC3 is highly expressed in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) and negatively associated with prognosis. Knockdown of THOC3 inhibits LUSC cell growth, migration, and glycolysis. THOC3 forms a complex with YBX1 to promote PFKFB4 transcription.
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Fu Jun Li, Ranu Surolia, Huashi Li, Zheng Wang, Gang Liu, Tejaswini Kulkarni, Adriana V. F. Massicano, James A. Mobley, Santanu Mondal, Joao A. de Andrade, Scott A. Coonrod, Paul R. Thompson, Keith Wille, Suzanne E. Lapi, Mohammad Athar, Victor J. Thannickal, A. Brent Carter, Veena B. Antony
Summary: Environmental exposures of cadmium and carbon black were found to increase in lung tissue of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) subjects, leading to higher levels of citrullinated vimentin (Cit-Vim). Cit-Vim was associated with higher expression in IPF patients, especially smokers, and induced fibroblast invasion and fibrosis related gene expression. These findings suggest a potential role for Cit-Vim as a damage-associated molecular pattern molecule in lung fibrosis caused by environmental exposures.
SCIENCE TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Sabin Goktas Aydin, Ahmet Bilici, Elif Calis, Yasin Kutlu, Jamshid Hamdard, Harun Muglu, Omer Fatih Olmez, Ebru Karci, Ozgur Acikgoz
Summary: This study reveals a novel aspect of SPARC expression as a potential predictor of pembrolizumab response and a marker for CNS progression in metastatic NSCLC patients.
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Agnieszka Nowacka, Anna Fajkiel-Madajczyk, Jakub Ohla, Kamila Wozniak-Dabrowska, Sara Liss, Karol Gryczka, Wojciech Smuczynski, Ewa Ziolkowska, Dominika Bozilow, Maciej Sniegocki, Michal Wicinski
Summary: Melanoma, a type of skin cancer, has a strong correlation with exposure to ultraviolet radiation. It has the highest mortality rate among all skin cancers due to the formation of brain metastases. The mechanisms behind melanoma metastasis to the brain are not fully understood, but the presence of oncogenic BRAF mutation plays a role in its survival and development.
Article
Pathology
Marco Montella, Stefano Luca, Andrea Ronchi, Federica Zito Marino, Alessandro Caputo, Antonello Sica, Pio Zeppa, Renato Franco, Immacolata Cozzolino
Summary: This article reports a series of 12 cases of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) diagnosed by cytology. The results show that the cytological diagnosis of ALCL can be challenging, and rapid on-site evaluation, cell block preparation, immunocytochemistry, and molecular assessment are necessary for accurate diagnosis and differential diagnosis. When samples are properly managed, cytology can provide a reliable final diagnosis of ALCL.
Article
Pathology
Natalia Malara, Giuseppe Donato, Francesca Ferrazzo, Nastassia Carmelina Garo, Franco Fulciniti
Summary: Liquid biopsy, especially the isolation, expansion, and examination of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from peripheral blood, has become an innovative and transforming diagnostic tool in Clinical Oncology. The retrospective observational project, known as CHARACTEX, has demonstrated the potential of exploiting blood-based cytologic samples through short-term culture and in vitro CTC expansion.
Article
Cell Biology
Rafael Rivas-Santisteban, Iu Raich, David Aguinaga, Carlos A. Saura, Rafael Franco, Gemma Navarro
Summary: The study discovered a direct interaction between PrPC and NMDAR, which alters the functionality of the receptor. Significant overexpression of NMDAR-PrPC complexes was observed in the AD model, and PrPC exacerbates the axonal transport of Tau and pTau proteins.
Article
Pathology
Andrea Ronchi, Marco Montella, Emma Carraturo, Eduardo Clery, Federica Zito Marino, Martina Amato, Giuseppe Argenziano, Elvira Moscarella, Gabriella Brancaccio, Teresa Troiani, Pasquale Alfano, Roberto Alfano, Renato Franco, Immacolata Cozzolino
Summary: BRAF molecular evaluation on cell suspension obtained from FNAC needle rinses is a time-saving and accurate technique for diagnostic and predictive purpose in the clinical practice.
Letter
Psychiatry
Rafael Franco, Eva Martinez-Pinilla
Summary: Theobromine consumption in cocoa/chocolate is associated with an increased risk of depression, according to a recent article in BMC Psychiatry. However, it is challenging to establish a correlation between dietary habits and depression risk, as the diagnosis of depression is complex. Additionally, assessing the amount of theobromine is not easy due to variations in chocolate brands and cocoa percentage. Alternatively, it is speculated that individuals with depression may benefit from consuming products containing theobromine. Further research could explore the correlation between theobromine intake and the type of therapy used in depressed individuals, as some antidepressant drugs affect cravings for sweet products.
Article
Oncology
Emanuela Esposito, Valeria Varone, Claudio Siani, Maurizio Di Bonito, Maria Teresa Melucci, Ivana Donzelli, Raimondo di Giacomo, Ugo Marone, Ruggero Saponara, Francesca Collina, Alfredo Fucito, Franca Avino
Summary: This case report describes a 60-year-old female with a personal and familial history of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and a lump in her right breast. Biopsy revealed lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (LPL) of the breast, leading to a diagnosis of Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia (WM). Breast lymphoma is a rare disease often misdiagnosed due to lack of specific features on mammogram and ultrasound, making core biopsy crucial for diagnosis.
TRANSLATIONAL CANCER RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Oncology
Alessandro Ottaiano, Mariachiara Santorsola, Luisa Circelli, Anna Maria Trotta, Francesco Izzo, Francesco Perri, Marco Cascella, Francesco Sabbatino, Vincenza Granata, Marco Correra, Luca Tarotto, Salvatore Stilo, Francesco Fiore, Nicola Martucci, Antonello La Rocca, Carmine Picone, Paolo Muto, Valentina Borzillo, Andrea Belli, Renato Patrone, Edoardo Mercadante, Fabiana Tatangelo, Gerardo Ferrara, Annabella Di Mauro, Giosue Scognamiglio, Massimiliano Berretta, Maurizio Capuozzo, Angela Lombardi, Jerome Galon, Oreste Gualillo, Ugo Pace, Paolo Delrio, Giovanni Savarese, Stefania Scala, Guglielmo Nasti, Michele Caraglia
Summary: Oligometastatic disease is a condition in which cancer spreads to only a few distant sites, and it is associated with a more favorable prognosis compared to polymetastatic disease. Recent studies have identified specific molecular and genetic features that underlie the oligometastatic phenotype, suggesting the potential for personalized therapies. This scoping review highlights new clinical, biological, and methodological challenges in understanding and treating oligometastatic disease.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Giuseppa Zannini, Ilaria Tedesco, Immacolata Cozzolino, Marco Montella, Eduardo Clery, Carminia Maria Della Corte, Floriana Morgillo, Marina Accardo, Renato Franco, Federica Zito Marino
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the quantity and quality of nucleic acids extracted from mixed stained slides (MSSs) compared to unstained slides (USs). It was found that DNA extracted from MSSs showed satisfactory results while RNA extraction was not successful.
Article
Pathology
Federica Zito Marino, Simona Buono, Marco Montella, Rosa Giannatiempo, Francesco Messina, Giovanni Casaretta, Grazia Arpino, Giulia Vita, Francesco Fiorentino, Luigi Insabato, Alessandro Sgambato, Michele Orditura, Renato Franco, Marina Accardo
Summary: TNBC is an aggressive disease with limited treatment options. This study aimed to investigate the frequency of NTRK aberrations in TNBC. Analysis of 83 TNBC cases showed high false-positive rate in IHC for detecting fusions, suggesting the necessity of molecular testing.
JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY CLINICAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maria Carmela Pedicillo, Ilenia Sara De Stefano, Rosanna Zamparese, Raffaele Barile, Mario Meccariello, Alessio Agostinone, Giuliana Villani, Tommaso Colangelo, Gaetano Serviddio, Tommaso Cassano, Andrea Ronchi, Renato Franco, Paola Pannone, Federica Zito Marino, Francesco Miele, Maurizio Municino, Giuseppe Pannone
Summary: This study demonstrates the association between Toll-like-receptor-4 (TLR-4)-induced inflammation and macrophage imbalance in the lung inflammatory infiltrate of lethal COVID-19 disease, providing insights into the mechanisms of the disease.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Alejandro Lillo, Joan Serrano-Marin, Jaume Lillo, Iu Raich, Gemma Navarro, Rafael Franco
Summary: Microglial activation is often seen in patients with neurodegenerative diseases. A study investigated the effect of adenosine receptor ligands on microglial activation and identified potential biomarkers associated with immune system-related events.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rafael Franco, Joan Serrano-Marin, Gemma Navarro, Rafael Rivas-Santisteban
Summary: This review discusses the potential role of the renin angiotensin system (RAS) in the central nervous system, particularly in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. The expression of RAS in dopaminergic neurons may impact dopamine synthesis and oxidative stress detoxification, and the regulation of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity may involve the activation of protein kinase A and/or protein kinase C.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Niklas Rosier, Denise Moennich, Martin Nagl, Hannes Schihada, Alexei Sirbu, Nergis Konar, Irene Reyes-Resina, Gemma Navarro, Rafael Franco, Peter Kolb, Paolo Annibale, Steffen Pockes
Summary: Dopamine D-1-like receptors are the most abundant type of dopamine receptors in the central nervous system. The synthesis of new fluorescent ligands derived from D1R antagonist SCH-23390 was described, which can be used as tools for the visualization of D-1-like receptors. The high-affinity ligand UR-NR435 (25) showed excellent selectivity towards D-1-like receptors and proved to be a neutral antagonist in binding studies. This fluorescent ligand is a useful tool for studying native D-1 receptors in various experimental setups.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Martin Nagl, Denise Moennich, Niklas Rosier, Hannes Schihada, Alexei Sirbu, Nergis Konar, Irene Reyes-Resina, Gemma Navarro, Rafael Franco, Peter Kolb, Paolo Annibale, Steffen Pockes
Summary: This study describes the synthesis of a set of new fluorescent ligands for visualization of dopamine D-2-like receptors. The ligand UR-MN212 (20) showed high affinity for D-2-like receptors and moderate selectivity towards D-1-like receptors. It displayed rapid association with D2longR and can be used for fluorescence microscopy studies. The ligand's binding affinity was determined in a single-digit nanomolar range, consistent with radioligand binding data.
