Expression patterns for Bcl-2, EMA, ß-catenin, E-cadherin, PAX8, and MIB1 in thymomas.

The expression of immunohistochemical markers has been extensively investigated in thymomas to assist in the differential diagnosis. We have studied six select markers to determine their utility in the evaluation of these tumors. A series of 126 thymomas including 33 type A, 27 type AB, 20 type B1, 22 type B2, and 24 type B3, were examined utilizing a tissue microarray (TMA) technique with antibodies to e-cadherin, ß-catenin, PAX8, bcl-2, EMA, and MIB-1. Keratin AE1/AE3 and p63 were used for quality control. A significant finding was strong and consistent positivity for bcl-2 in type A (90%) and type AB (88.8%) thymoma, while 100% of B1, B2, and B3 were negative. The distribution of e-cadherin and ß-catenin was not useful for differential diagnosis. E-cadherin and ß-catenin were expressed in a high proportion of all the tumors (92-100%), except for B2 thymoma which showed only 45% expression. A significant increase in the expression of the MIB-1 proliferation marker (mean: 12.8% nuclear positivity) was also observed in B3 thymoma compared with the other histologic types. Statistical significance was confirmed using Kruskal's non-parameterized test for distribution. EMA was generally negative except for spindle cells in the fibrous septa in types A and AB thymoma. PAX8 showed less consistent nuclear staining than p63 and was only widely expressed in 55.7% of cases. Bcl-2 may serve as a useful marker to separate spindle cell thymomas (Type A and AB) from the other types, and the MIB1 proliferation index may be of use to differentiate type B2 from type B3 thymoma.

Myxoinflammatory fibroblastic sarcoma: an immunohistochemical and molecular genetic study of 73 cases.

Myxoinflammatory fibroblastic sarcoma (MIFS) is a rare, low-grade soft tissue neoplasm preferentially arising in the extremities of young to middle-aged adults characterized histologically by a variegated appearance and absence of a distinctive immunophenotype. Herein we have evaluated a series of 73 cases of MIFS to define potential features and markers that may facilitate diagnosis. An immunohistochemical study with a large panel of antibodies showed strong positivity of the tumor cells for bcl-1 (94.5%), FXIIIa (89%), CD10 (80%), and D2-40 (56%). FISH and array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) were performed in a large subset of cases to investigate the utility for detecting the TGFBR3 and OGA t(1;10) rearrangement and BRAF abnormalities. Using a combination of FISH and/or aCGH, t(1;10) was detected in only 3 of 54 cases (5.5%). The aCGH study also demonstrated amplification of VGLL3 on chromosome 3 that was detected in 8 of 20 cases (40%). BRAF alterations were observed by FISH in 4 of 70 cases (5.7%) and correlated with gain of chromosome 3p12 (VGLL3). A novel fusion transcript involving exon 6 of ZNF335 and exon 10 of BRAF was identified in one case. Demonstration of amplification of VGLL3 on chromosome 3 in combination with expression of bcl-1 and FXIIIa may help support the diagnosis, however, due to their low specificity these markers are not sufficient for a definitive diagnosis in the absence of the appropriate clinical-pathological context. Until a more robust genetic or immunohistochemical signature is identified, the diagnosis of MIFS rests on its characteristic clinicopathological features.

A Phase II Clinical Trial of Molecular Profiled Neoadjuvant Therapy for Localized Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: One facet of precision medicine is the use of tumor molecular profiling to guide chemotherapeutic selection. We conducted the first prospective clinical trial of molecular profiling to guide neoadjuvant therapy in patients with operable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We hypothesized that more effective systemic therapy would prevent disease progression during neoadjuvant therapy and, therefore, allow more patients to undergo surgery. METHODS: In patients with resectable and borderline resectable (BLR) PDAC, molecular profiling consisted of immunocytochemical staining of pretreatment endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration tumor biopsies using 6 biomarkers. Neoadjuvant systemic therapy was selected based on the molecular profiling results. The primary endpoint was the completion of all intended neoadjuvant therapy and surgery. RESULTS: The trial enrolled 130 patients; 61 (47%) resectable and 69 (53%) BLR. Molecular profiling was reported within a median of 5 business days (IQR: 3). Of the 130 patient samples, 95 (73%) had adequate cellularity for molecular profiling and 92 (71%) patients received molecular profile-directed therapy. Of the 92 patients who had predictive profiling, 74 (80%) received fluoropyrimidine-based therapy and 18 (20%) received gemcitabine-based therapies. Of the 130 patients, 107 (82%) completed all intended neoadjuvant therapy and surgery; 56 (92%) of the 61 with resectable PDAC and 51 (74%) of 69 with BLR PDAC. CONCLUSIONS: We report the first prospective clinical trial that utilized molecular profiling to select neoadjuvant therapy in patients with operable PDAC. Such high resectability rates have not been observed in prior neoadjuvant trials, suggesting that molecular profiling may improve the efficacy of chemotherapy in these patients.

Cancer cell chemokines direct chemotaxis of activated stellate cells in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

The mechanisms by which the extreme desmoplasia observed in pancreatic tumors develops remain unknown and its role in pancreatic cancer progression is unsettled. Chemokines have a key role in the recruitment of a wide variety of cell types in health and disease. Transcript and protein profile analyses of human and murine cell lines and human tissue specimens revealed a consistent elevation in the receptors CCR10 and CXCR6, as well as their respective ligands CCL28 and CXCL16. Elevated ligand expression was restricted to tumor cells, whereas receptors were in both epithelial and stromal cells. Consistent with its regulation by inflammatory cytokines, CCL28 and CCR10, but not CXCL16 or CXCR6, were upregulated in human pancreatitis tissues. Cytokine stimulation of pancreatic cancer cells increased CCL28 secretion in epithelial tumor cells but not an immortalized activated human pancreatic stellate cell line (HPSC). Stellate cells exhibited dose- and receptor-dependent chemotaxis in response to CCL28. This functional response was not linked to changes in activation status as CCL28 had little impact on alpha smooth muscle actin levels or extracellular matrix deposition or alignment. Co-culture assays revealed CCL28-dependent chemotaxis of HPSC toward cancer but not normal pancreatic epithelial cells, consistent with stromal cells being a functional target for the epithelial-derived chemokine. These data together implicate the chemokine CCL28 in the inflammation-mediated recruitment of cancer-associated stellate cells into the pancreatic cancer parenchyma.

A single center's approach to discriminating donor versus host origin of renal neoplasia in the allograft kidney.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in the allograft of kidney transplant recipient (KTR) patients is rare and may represent a de novo process arising from the transplanted organ or metastasis from a clinically undetectable host primary. Determination of host versus donor origin is important for staging and management. We report our experience utilizing Penta-C (PC) and Penta-D (PD) short-tandem repeat (STR) microsatellite analysis to discriminate between host and donor origin of RCC identified in renal allografts. We identified 5 KTR patients with RCC in the allograft kidney. The PC and PD microsatellite analysis was applied to tumor, host, and donor formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections and/or fresh blood leukocytes to identify the origin of the neoplastic cells. The PC and PD microsatellite alleles were robustly amplified in all samples. Each case showed one or more informative alleles indicating that the neoplastic cells originate from donor tissue. Allele frequency data indicate that by using both PC and PD markers, we will be able to discriminate between host and donor cell of origin in over 99% of cases. The PC and PD microsatellite analysis is a convenient, robust, and efficient strategy to determine donor versus host origin or RCC in transplant kidney specimens.

Comparing gene expression data from formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded tissues and qPCR with that from snap-frozen tissue and microarrays for modeling outcomes of patients with ovarian carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Previously, we have used clinical and gene expression data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to model a pathway-based index predicting outcomes in ovarian carcinoma. This data were obtained from snap-frozen tissue measured with the Affymetrix U133 platform. In the current study, we correlate the data used to model with data derived from TaqMan qPCR both snap frozen and paraffin embedded (FFPE) samples. METHODS: To compare the effect of preservation methods on gene expression measured by qPCR, we assessed 18 patient and tumor sample matched snap-frozen and FFPE ovarian carcinoma samples. To compare gene measurement technologies, we correlated qPCR data from 10 patients with tumor sample matched snap-frozen ovarian carcinoma samples with the microarray data from TCGA. We normalized results to the average expression of three housekeeping genes. We scaled and centered the data for comparison to the Affymetrix output. RESULTS: For the 18 specimens, gene expression data obtained from snap-frozen tissue correlated highly with that from FFPE samples in our TaqMan assay (r > 0.82). For the 10 duplicate TCGA specimens, the reported microarray data correlated well (r = 0.6) with our qPCR data, and ranges of expression along pathways were similar. CONCLUSIONS: Gene expression data obtained by qPCR from FFPE serous ovarian carcinoma samples can be used to assess in the pathway-based predictive model. The normalization procedures described control variations in expression, and the range calculated along a specific pathway can be interpreted for a patient's risk profile.

Molecular pathology as basis for timely cancer diagnosis and therapy.

Precision and personalized therapeutics have witnessed significant advancements in technology, revolutionizing the capabilities of laboratories to generate vast amounts of genetic data. Coupled with computational resources for analysis and interpretation, and integrated with various other types of data, including genomic data, electronic medical health (EMH) data, and clinical knowledge, these advancements support optimized health decisions. Among these technologies, next-generation sequencing (NGS) stands out as a transformative tool in the field of cancer treatment, playing a crucial role in precision oncology. NGS-based workflows are employed across a range of applications, including gene panels, exome sequencing, and whole-genome sequencing, supporting comprehensive analysis of the entire cancer genome, including mutations, copy number variations, gene expression profiles, and epigenetic modifications. By utilizing the power of NGS, these workflows contribute to enhancing our understanding of disease mechanisms, diagnosis confirmation, identifying therapeutic targets, and guiding personalized treatment decisions. This manuscript explores the diverse applications of NGS in cancer treatment, highlighting its significance in guiding diagnosis and treatment decisions, identifying therapeutic targets, monitoring disease progression, and improving patient outcomes.

Insulinoma-Associated Protein-1 Expression in Lymphoepithelial Carcinoma of the Thymus: A Potential Pitfall for Diagnosis With Neuroendocrine Carcinomas of the Thymus.

CONTEXT.­: Insulinoma-associated protein-1 (INSM1) is a recently developed immunohistochemical marker claimed to be highly specific and sensitive for the diagnosis of neuroendocrine malignancies. Recent studies, however, have demonstrated that this marker can also be expressed in non-neuroendocrine neoplasms including squamous cell carcinoma of the thymus. OBJECTIVE.­: To examine INSM1 expression in lymphoepithelial thymic carcinomas. DESIGN.­: Thirty-four cases of lymphoepithelial carcinoma of the thymus were examined by immunohistochemistry or in situ hybridization for INSM1, synaptophysin, chromogranin, CD5, CD117, Epstein-Barr virus-encoded small ribonucleic acid (EBER), and Ki-67. Basic clinical information was abstracted from the medical record. RESULTS.­: The patients were 14 women and 20 men, aged 20 to 85 years. The tumors arose in the anterior mediastinum without any previous history or evidence of malignancy at other sites. Immunohistochemical staining showed moderate to strong positivity of the tumor cells for INSM1 in 65% of cases (22 of 34), focal weak positivity in 20% (7 of 34), and negative staining in 5 cases. Chromogranin staining was focally and weakly positive in 1 case, and synaptophysin showed only focal weak positivity in scattered tumor cells in 12 cases. No significant correlation could be identified between the pattern and intensity of staining for INSM1 and staining for CD5, CD117, and Ki-67. CONCLUSIONS.­: INSM1 positivity in lymphoepithelial carcinoma of the thymus may represent a pitfall for diagnosis, particularly in small biopsy samples. Awareness of this finding may be of importance to avoid misdiagnosis of neuroendocrine malignancy.

Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma With Clear Cell Features and FGFR3::TACC3 Gene Rearrangement : Clinicopathologic and Next Generation Sequencing Study of 7 Cases.

Seven cases of primary lung tumors characterized histologically by clear cell morphology and a distinctive FGFR3::TACC3 gene rearrangement are described. The tumors arose in 4 women and 3 men, aged 47 to 81 years (mean=68). They occurred in peripheral locations, predominantly subpleural, and ranged in size from 1.4 to 6.5 cm (mean=4.1 cm). All tumors showed a solid growth pattern with abundant central areas of necrosis and marked nuclear pleomorphism. The tumors demonstrated clear cell histology, with large cohesive tumor cells displaying atypical nuclei and abundant clear cytoplasm. Immunohistochemical stains identified a squamous phenotype in 5 cases and an adenocarcinoma phenotype in 2 cases. One case was a squamous cell carcinoma with focal glandular component, and one of the squamous cell carcinomas showed focal sarcomatoid changes. Next generation sequencing identified FGFR3::TACC3 gene rearrangements in all 7 cases. One case demonstrated a concurrent activating FGFR3 mutation and a second case demonstrated concurrent FGFR3 amplification. Two cases harbored a concurrent KRAS G12D mutation. One case harbored both KRAS and EGFR mutations, and 1 case had a concurrent TP53 mutation. Non-small cell lung carcinoma harboring FGFR3::TACC3 gene rearrangements is extremely rare, and this rearrangement may potentially be enriched in tumors that demonstrate clear cell histology. Identification of FGFR3::TACC3 in patients with lung carcinomas with clear cell features may be of importance as they could potentially be candidates for therapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Non-small cell lung carcinoma with clear cell features: a clinicopathologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular study of 31 cases.

Non-small cell lung carcinoma with predominantly clear cell features is a rare histologic presentation of lung carcinoma. We have examined 31 cases of lung carcinomas showing extensive clear cell features. The patients were 10 women and 21 men aged 47-92 years (mean: 70 years). The tumors showed a predilection for the right upper and lower lobes and measured from 0.8 to 9.5 cm (mean: 4.2 cm). By immunohistochemistry, 9 cases were typed as adenocarcinoma, 19 cases as squamous cell carcinoma, and 3 showed a "null" phenotype with complete loss of markers for adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma. Most cases that typed as adenocarcinoma showed a solid growth pattern. A subset of the solid adenocarcinoma cases showed a distinctive "pseudosquamous" morphology. Next-generation sequencing was performed in 20 cases and showed a variety of molecular alterations. The most common abnormalities were found in the TP53 gene (9 cases), FGFR gene family (8 cases), KRAS (5 cases), AKT1 (5 cases), and BRAF (3 cases). Clinical follow-up was available in 21 patients; 16/21 patients died of their tumors from 6 months to 12 years after initial diagnosis (mean: 4.2 years, median: 1.5 years). Four patients were alive and well from 4 to 27 years (mean: 11.5 years, median: 7.5 years); all were pathologic stage 1 or 2. NSCLC with clear cell features can display aggressive behavior and needs to be distinguished from various other tumors of the lung that can show clear cell morphology. The identification of targetable molecular alterations in some of these tumors may be of value for therapeutic management.

Inflammatory Giant Cell Carcinoma of the Lung: Clinicopathologic, Immunohistochemical, and Next-generation Sequencing Study of 14 Cases.

A distinctive histological variant of poorly differentiated, sarcomatoid, non-small cell lung carcinoma characterized by a discohesive population of giant tumor cells associated with prominent interstitial inflammatory cell infiltrates is described. The tumors occurred in 7 women and 7 men, 42 to 72 years of age (mean: 56 y). They predominantly affected the upper lobes and measured 1.3 to 9 cm in greatest diameter (mean: 4.6 cm). The tumor cells were characterized by large pleomorphic nuclei with prominent nucleoli, ample cytoplasm, and frequent abnormal mitoses, and were surrounded by a dense inflammatory cell infiltrate, often associated with emperipolesis. Immunohistochemical stains were positive in the tumor cells for cytokeratin AE1/AE3 and CK8/18 and negative for TTF1, napsin A, p40, and CK5/6. Next-generation sequencing was performed in all cases using the Oncomine Precision Assay; the most common abnormalities found included TP53 mutations (9 cases) and AKT1 amplification (8 cases), followed by KRAS mutations (4 cases) and MAP2K1/2 mutations (4 cases). Clinical follow-up was available in 13 patients. Three patients presented with metastases as the initial manifestation of disease; 8 patients died of their tumors from 6 months to 8 years (mean: 2.7 y); 3 patients were alive and well from 4 to 6 years; and 2 patients had metastases when last seen but were lost to follow-up thereafter. The importance of recognizing this distinctive and aggressive variant of non-small cell lung carcinoma lies in avoiding confusion with a sarcoma or other types of malignancy.

Use of combination chemotherapy for treatment of granulomatous and lymphocytic interstitial lung disease (GLILD) in patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID).

PURPOSE: A subset of patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) develops granulomatous and lymphocytic interstitial lung disease (GLILD), a restrictive lung disease associated with early mortality. The optimal therapy for GLILD is unknown. This study was undertaken to see if rituximab and azathioprine (combination chemotherapy) would improve pulmonary function and/or radiographic abnormalities in patients with CVID and GLILD. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of patients with CVID and GLILD who were treated with combination chemotherapy was performed. Complete pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scans of the chest were done prior to therapy and >6 months later. HRCT scans of the chest were blinded, randomized, and scored independently (in pairs) by two radiologists. The differences between pre- and post-treatment HRCT scores and PFT parameters were analyzed. RESULTS: Seven patients with CVID and GLILD met inclusion criteria. Post-treatment increases were noted in both FEV1 (p=0.034) and FVC (p=0.043). HRCT scans of the chest demonstrated improvement in total score (p=0.018), pulmonary consolidations (p=0.041), ground-glass opacities (p=0.020) nodular opacities (p=0.024), and both the presence and extent of bronchial wall thickening (p=0.014, 0.026 respectively). No significant chemotherapy-related complications occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Combination chemotherapy improved pulmonary function and decreased radiographic abnormalities in patients with CVID and GLILD.

Mitochondria-targeted vitamin E analogs inhibit breast cancer cell energy metabolism and promote cell death.

BACKGROUND: Recent research has revealed that targeting mitochondrial bioenergetic metabolism is a promising chemotherapeutic strategy. Key to successful implementation of this chemotherapeutic strategy is the use of new and improved mitochondria-targeted cationic agents that selectively inhibit energy metabolism in breast cancer cells, while exerting little or no long-term cytotoxic effect in normal cells. METHODS: In this study, we investigated the cytotoxicity and alterations in bioenergetic metabolism induced by mitochondria-targeted vitamin E analog (Mito-chromanol, Mito-ChM) and its acetylated ester analog (Mito-ChMAc). Assays of cell death, colony formation, mitochondrial bioenergetic function, intracellular ATP levels, intracellular and tissue concentrations of tested compounds, and in vivo tumor growth were performed. RESULTS: Both Mito-ChM and Mito-ChMAc selectively depleted intracellular ATP and caused prolonged inhibition of ATP-linked oxygen consumption rate in breast cancer cells, but not in non-cancerous cells. These effects were significantly augmented by inhibition of glycolysis. Mito-ChM and Mito-ChMAc exhibited anti-proliferative effects and cytotoxicity in several breast cancer cells with different genetic background. Furthermore, Mito-ChM selectively accumulated in tumor tissue and inhibited tumor growth in a xenograft model of human breast cancer. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that mitochondria-targeted small molecular weight chromanols exhibit selective anti-proliferative effects and cytotoxicity in multiple breast cancer cells, and that esterification of the hydroxyl group in mito-chromanols is not a critical requirement for its anti-proliferative and cytotoxic effect.

Solid Thyroid Follicular Nodules With Longitudinal Nuclear Grooves.

CONTEXT.­: Follicular thyroid nodules can be a source of diagnostic difficulties, particularly when they display atypical features commonly associated with malignancy, such as nuclear grooves. OBJECTIVE.­: To differentiate lesions with atypical features from similar-appearing benign and malignant lesions. DESIGN.­: Eighteen cases of atypical follicular thyroid nodules characterized by a solid growth pattern and prominent longitudinal nuclear grooves were studied and examined for clinicopathologic characteristics. RESULTS.­: The lesions occurred in 16 women and 2 men aged 36 to 88 years and measured from 0.2 to 1.5 cm. The tumors were well circumscribed and noninvasive, and histologically characterized by a predominantly solid growth pattern with rare scattered follicles or a combination of solid growth pattern with minor follicular areas. A striking feature seen in all cases was the occurrence of longitudinal nuclear grooves. Immunohistochemical stains showed negativity for cytokeratin 19 (CK19) and HBME-1 in 8 cases; in the other 10, there was focal positivity for HBME-1 in 4 cases and diffuse positivity in 6. All cases were negative for galectin-3 and for CK19, with the exception of 1 case, which was CK19+/HBME-1-. Next-generation sequencing of 16 cases with a 161-gene panel detected 14 single nucleotide variants in 12 cases, predominantly NRAS and HRAS mutations. Clinical follow-up ranging from 18 to 72 months (median, 43.7 months) did not disclose any evidence of recurrence or metastases. CONCLUSIONS.­: We interpret these lesions as low-grade, indolent follicular proliferations that need to be distinguished from papillary thyroid carcinoma, follicular adenoma, and noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasms with papillary-like nuclear features.

Epithelioid osteoblastoma. Clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study of 17 cases.

Seventeen cases of epithelioid osteoblastoma were reviewed. The tumors most commonly arose from the vertebrae (7 cases), followed by the mandible (3), sacrum (2), bones of the foot (2), and femur, rib, and scapula (1 each). Patients' ages ranged from 5 to 33 years. The tumors measured from 2.0 to 6.5 cm in the greatest diameter (mean = 4.1 cm) and most patients presented with low-grade pain at the affected site. Imaging studies showed expansile lytic lesions with cortical thickening and a mild rim of sclerosis. Histologically all tumors were characterized by active production of bone with a fibrovascular stroma containing microtrabecular aggregates of bone matrix. The osteoblastic proliferation was atypical and showed enlarged cells with prominent nucleoli and abundant cytoplasm imparting them with a striking epithelioid appearance. Immunohistochemical studies showed variable results that caused difficulties for interpretation; 4 of 12 cases showed strong nuclear positivity for FOS, 2 of 12 cases showed strong diffuse nuclear positivity for FOSB; the remaining cases showed variable, sometimes overlapping patterns, considered to be indeterminate. Ki-67 proliferation marker showed low nuclear positivity (∼2%) in 10 cases and a slight increase (<10%) in two cases. Clinical follow-up was available in 14 patients; one patient experienced a recurrence at six months that was treated with additional curetting; the remainder of the patients were all alive and well without evidence of recurrence from 1 to 22 years (median follow up = 3 years). Epithelioid osteoblastoma is an unusual variant of osteoblastoma that has the potential for simulating a malignancy and does not appear to be associated with a more aggressive behavior.

Tubulopapillary adrenocortical adenoma in a patient with familial adenomatous polyposis: a morphologic, ultrastructural, and molecular study.

Patients with familial adenomatous polyposis have a higher incidence for developing adrenal neoplasms, most of which are nonfunctioning with conventional histologic appearance. We report a patient with a history of multiple colon polyps who developed an adrenocortical adenoma with unusual morphology. The tumor showed a tubulopapillary architecture and plasmacytoid cytomorphology that were distinct from conventional adrenocortical adenomas. ß-Catenin stain showed aberrant nuclear positivity in the tumor, suggesting an altered ß-catenin-related pathway. The unusual morphology prompted molecular characterization, and sequencing demonstrated the patient to be germline heterozygous for a 5-base-pair APC deletion at codon 1309 with loss of heterozygosity in the tumor. Our study provides further evidence of genetic predisposition to extraintestinal tumors in the familial adenomatous polyposis population.

Overexpression of the VRK1 kinase, which is associated with breast cancer, induces a mesenchymal to epithelial transition in mammary epithelial cells.

Vaccinia-related kinase 1 (VRK1) is a pro-proliferative nuclear kinase. Mice engrafted with VRK1-depleted MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells have been shown to develop fewer distal metastases than controls, suggesting VRK1 might play a role in cell migration, invasion, and/or colonization. In work described herein, we investigated the impact of VRK1 overexpression on human mammary epithelial cells. In 2D culture, VRK1 overexpression diminishes cell migration and invasion and impairs the migration-associated processes of cell spreading and cytoskeletal rearrangement. VRK1-overexpressing cells show reduced accumulation of the mesenchymal marker vimentin and increased accumulation of the epithelial markers E-cadherin and claudin-1. VRK1 overexpression also leads to reduced levels of the transcriptional repressors snail, slug, and twist1. Cumulatively, these data indicate that VRK1 overexpression augments the epithelial properties of both MCF10a and MDA-MB-231 cells. We further studied the impact of VRK1 on the epithelial properties of MCF10a cells in 3D matrigel culture, in which cells proliferate and form epithelial sheets that mature into hollow spherical acini. VRK1 overexpression significantly accelerates the initial stages of cell proliferation, leading to larger acini that nevertheless differentiate and mature. Our analysis of human tumor tissue microarrays (TMAs) revealed that VRK1 protein levels are higher in lymph node metastases than in patient-matched mammary tumors. Using public databases, we determined that VRK1 is among the top 10% of overexpressed transcripts in multiple subtypes of invasive breast cancer, and that high levels of VRK1 expression are correlated with decreased relapse-free survival. In sum, overexpression of VRK1, by regulating the transcription repressors snail, slug, and twist1, can promote a mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET) in cell culture. VRK1-mediated MET might facilitate the colonization of distal sites by metastatic breast cancer cells, providing some insight into the frequent association of VRK1 overexpression with breast malignancies and the correlation between VRK1 overexpression and poor clinical outcome.

C. elegans PAT-4/ILK functions as an adaptor protein within integrin adhesion complexes.

BACKGROUND: Mammalian integrin-linked kinase (ILK) was identified in a yeast two-hybrid screen for proteins binding the integrin beta(1) subunit cytoplasmic domain. ILK has been implicated in integrin-mediated signaling and is also an adaptor within integrin-associated cytoskeletal complexes. RESULTS: We identified the C. elegans pat-4 gene in previous genetic screens for mutants unable to assemble integrin-mediated muscle cell attachments. Here, we report that pat-4 encodes the sole C. elegans homolog of ILK. In pat-4 null mutants, embryonic muscle cells form integrin foci, but the subsequent recruitment of vinculin and UNC-89 as well as actin and myosin filaments to these in vivo focal adhesion analogs is blocked. Conversely, PAT-4/ILK requires the ECM component UNC-52/perlecan, the transmembrane protein integrin, and the novel cytoplasmic attachment protein UNC-112 to be properly recruited to nascent attachments. Transgenically expressed "kinase-dead" ILK fully rescues pat-4 loss-of-function mutants. We also identify UNC-112 as a new binding partner for ILK. CONCLUSIONS: Our data strengthens the emerging view that ILK functions primarily as an adaptor protein within integrin adhesion complexes and identifies UNC-112 as a new ILK binding partner.

Granulomatous and lymphocytic interstitial lung disease: a spectrum of pulmonary histopathologic lesions in common variable immunodeficiency--histologic and immunohistochemical analyses of 16 cases.

Common variable immunodeficiency is a primary immunodeficiency of unknown etiology characterized by low serum immunoglobulin G, a decreased ability to make specific antibodies, and variable T-cell defects. Approximately 10-30% of patients with common variable immunodeficiency develop clinical evidence of a diffuse parenchymal lung disease with a constellation of histopathologic findings termed granulomatous and lymphocytic interstitial lung disease. In this study, we characterized the histologic and immunohistochemical features in a series of 16 cases diagnosed by open lung biopsy. Peribronchiolar and interstitial lymphocytic infiltration, granulomatous inflammation, and organizing pneumonia were consistent features; interstitial fibrosis with architectural remodeling was also found in a subgroup of patients. By immunohistochemistry, a predominance of CD4+ T lymphocytes with variable numbers of CD8+ T cells and B cells was present, with a striking absence of FOXP3-positive T-regulatory cells. This heretofore unrecognized immunohistochemical finding needs further investigation for a potential role in the pathogenesis of the condition. The presence of interstitial fibrosis with or without architectural remodeling in a subset of patients also needs additional study, for effect on prognosis.

CXCL12 chemokine expression suppresses human pancreatic cancer growth and metastasis.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is an unsolved health problem with nearly 75% of patients diagnosed with advanced disease and an overall 5-year survival rate near 5%. Despite the strong link between mortality and malignancy, the mechanisms behind pancreatic cancer dissemination and metastasis are poorly understood. Correlative pathological and cell culture analyses suggest the chemokine receptor CXCR4 plays a biological role in pancreatic cancer progression. In vivo roles for the CXCR4 ligand CXCL12 in pancreatic cancer malignancy were investigated. CXCR4 and CXCR7 were consistently expressed in normal and cancerous pancreatic ductal epithelium, established cell lines, and patient-derived primary cancer cells. Relative to healthy exocrine ducts, CXCL12 expression was pathologically repressed in pancreatic cancer tissue specimens and patient-derived cell lines. To test the functional consequences of CXCL12 silencing, pancreatic cancer cell lines stably expressingthe chemokine were engineered. Consistent with a role for CXCL12 as a tumor suppressor, cells producing the chemokine wereincreasingly adherent and migration deficient in vitro and poorly metastatic in vivo, compared to control cells. Further, CXCL12 reintroduction significantly reduced tumor growth in vitro, with significantly smaller tumors in vivo, leading to a pronounced survival advantage in a preclinical model. Together, these data demonstrate a functional tumor suppressive role for the normal expression of CXCL12 in pancreatic ducts, regulating both tumor growth andcellulardissemination to metastatic sites.