Symptomatic corpus luteum hemorrhage in adolescent females with ITP.

Patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) usually present with minor mucocutaneous bleeding. Corpus luteum hemorrhage (CLH) is generally asymptomatic but may, rarely, lead to severe intraperitoneal bleeding, mostly in patients with coagulation disorders. CLH causing intraperitoneal bleeding has only been described in few individuals with ITP. The objective of this retrospective observational study was to assess the clinical course and incidence of symptomatic CLH in adolescent females with newly diagnosed or chronic ITP. Additionally, a comprehensive literature review was conducted to scrutinize cases of pediatric female patients with ITP, complicated by CLH. We identified three patients with ITP and hemoperitoneum secondary to CLH. They presented with acute abdominal pain, had severe thrombocytopenia (platelet counts below 20 × 109/L), and required blood transfusions as well as ITP-directed therapy. All the patients were hemodynamically stable and did not require emergency surgical intervention.  Conclusion: CLH could potentially pose a significant complication in the context of adolescent females with ITP, requiring a strong index of suspicion to direct expedient therapy. What is Known: • Immune thrombocytopenia is typically associated with minor bleeding tendency. • Corpus luteum hemorrhage is generally asymptomatic; however, in women with bleeding disorders, it has the potential to result in substantial intra-abdominal bleeding. What is New: • Corpus luteum hemorrhage leading to intra-abdominal bleeding is a potential severe complication of immune thrombocytopenia in adolescent females.

Opposing Functions of Heparanase-1 and Heparanase-2 in Cancer Progression.

Heparanase, the sole heparan sulfate (HS)-degrading endoglycosidase, regulates multiple biological activities that enhance tumor growth, metastasis, angiogenesis, and inflammation. Heparanase accomplishes this by degrading HS and thereby regulating the bioavailability of heparin-binding proteins; priming the tumor microenvironment; mediating tumor-host crosstalk; and inducing gene transcription, signaling pathways, exosome formation, and autophagy that together promote tumor cell performance and chemoresistance. By contrast, heparanase-2, a close homolog of heparanase, lacks enzymatic activity, inhibits heparanase activity, and regulates selected genes that promote normal differentiation, endoplasmic reticulum stress, tumor fibrosis, and apoptosis, together resulting in tumor suppression. The emerging premise is that heparanase is a master regulator of the aggressive phenotype of cancer, while heparanase-2 functions as a tumor suppressor.

Labile plasma iron as an indicator of patient adherence to iron chelation treatment.

Poor adherence of transfusion-dependent patients to chelation treatment is often the cause of persistent iron overload and ensuing morbidity. However, a tool to assess patient compliance with therapy is lacking in clinical practice. Labile plasma iron (LPI, the redox-active component of non-transferrin bound iron) has been studied as an indicator of systemic iron overload and of chelation efficacy, and may particularly reflect recent iron equilibrium. We considered the use of LPI as a potential indicator for recent chelation treatment in 18 transfusion-dependent pediatric patients. Samples were collected under chelation treatment or after a short interruption of the treatment, and LPI was measured by the FeROS assay (Aferrix, Tel Aviv, Israel). LPI was significantly higher after a short-term interruption of the chelation (median of 0.4 µM off-therapy [range:0-4] vs 0 µM on-therapy [range:0-2.8] (p < .001)). Conversely, serum iron, serum ferritin and calculated transferrin saturation were not significantly higher in the "off-therapy" samples compared to "on-therapy". In addition, in multivariate logistic regression analysis LPI was the variable most significantly associated with recent chelation treatment (p = .001). We conclude that LPI could serve as a useful indicator of compliance to chelation therapy.

Challenges of Conducting Research With Young Offenders With Traumatic Brain Injury.

The purpose of this commentary is to highlight the challenges encountered when conducting research with young offenders. This is drawn from the first-hand experience of 3 researchers working on separate projects within this environment. Young offenders present as a complex clinical population with high levels of illiteracy, substance abuse, and mental health issues. Significant planning is therefore required before working with this group. Consideration must be given to the heterogeneity of prison populations alongside the potential limitations of datacollection methods, in particular, reliance on self-report. The capacity of young offenders to comprehend and effectively engage with research is also of concern, posing issues of both a practical and ethical nature. The absence of a consistent "research culture" within prison environments poses further practical challenges, potentially also placing significant burden on both researchers and prison resources. The challenges discussed in this article may help inform future studies in the area and emphasize the need for greater critical reflection among researchers conducting work of this type.

Childhood Traumatic Brain Injury and the Associations With Risk Behavior in Adolescence and Young Adulthood: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the evidence that childhood traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with risk behavior in adolescence and young adulthood. Risk behavior included one or more of the following: use of substances, including alcohol, tobacco, and illicit substances; involvement in criminal behavior; and behavioral issues with conduct. METHODS: A literature search was conducted using these terms: child, pediatric, traumatic brain injury, head injury, adolescent, psychosocial, antisocial, conduct, substance use. Studies describing original research were included if they reported outcomes over the age of 13 years in participants who sustained a TBI between birth and age 13 years. RESULTS: Six journal articles were reviewed based on 4 separate studies. Three articles indicated a relationship between childhood TBI and increased problematic substance use in adolescence and young adulthood. Three articles supported an association between childhood TBI and later externalizing behavior; however, 2 articles did not support this link. CONCLUSION: More research is warranted to explore the association between childhood TBI and later risk behavior as the relationship is not currently understood. Future research should build on existing longitudinal research with continued use of medical records for identifying TBI and inclusion of a non-brain-related trauma group to control for general injury effects.

Long-Term Effects of an Internet-Mediated Pedometer-Based Walking Program for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Regular physical activity (PA) is recommended for persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Interventions that promote PA and sustain long-term adherence to PA are needed. OBJECTIVE: We examined the effects of an Internet-mediated, pedometer-based walking intervention, called Taking Healthy Steps, at 12 months. METHODS: Veterans with COPD (N=239) were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to the intervention or wait-list control. During the first 4 months, participants in the intervention group were instructed to wear the pedometer every day, upload daily step counts at least once a week, and were provided access to a website with four key components: individualized goal setting, iterative feedback, educational and motivational content, and an online community forum. The subsequent 8-month maintenance phase was the same except that participants no longer received new educational content. Participants randomized to the wait-list control group were instructed to wear the pedometer, but they did not receive step-count goals or instructions to increase PA. The primary outcome was health-related quality of life (HRQL) assessed by the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire Total Score (SGRQ-TS); the secondary outcome was daily step count. Linear mixed-effect models assessed the effect of intervention over time. One participant was excluded from the analysis because he was an outlier. Within the intervention group, we assessed pedometer adherence and website engagement by examining percent of days with valid step-count data, number of log-ins to the website each month, use of the online community forum, and responses to a structured survey. RESULTS: Participants were 93.7% male (223/238) with a mean age of 67 (SD 9) years. At 12 months, there were no significant between-group differences in SGRQ-TS or daily step count. Between-group difference in daily step count was maximal and statistically significant at month 4 (P<.001), but approached zero in months 8-12. Within the intervention group, mean 76.7% (SD 29.5) of 366 days had valid step-count data, which decreased over the months of study (P<.001). Mean number of log-ins to the website each month also significantly decreased over the months of study (P<.001). The online community forum was used at least once during the study by 83.8% (129/154) of participants. Responses to questions assessing participants' goal commitment and intervention engagement were not significantly different at 12 months compared to 4 months. CONCLUSIONS: An Internet-mediated, pedometer-based PA intervention, although efficacious at 4 months, does not maintain improvements in HRQL and daily step counts at 12 months. Waning pedometer adherence and website engagement by the intervention group were observed. Future efforts should focus on improving features of PA interventions to promote long-term behavior change and sustain engagement in PA. CLINICALTRIAL: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01102777; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01102777 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6iyNP9KUC).

Taking Healthy Steps: rationale, design and baseline characteristics of a randomized trial of a pedometer-based Internet-mediated walking program in veterans with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: Low levels of physical activity are common in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and a sedentary lifestyle is associated with poor outcomes including increased mortality, frequent hospitalizations, and poor health-related quality of life. Internet-mediated physical activity interventions may increase physical activity and improve health outcomes in persons with COPD. METHODS/DESIGN: This manuscript describes the design and rationale of a randomized controlled trial that tests the effectiveness of Taking Healthy Steps, an Internet-mediated walking program for Veterans with COPD. Taking Healthy Steps includes an uploading pedometer, a website, and an online community. Eligible and consented patients wear a pedometer to obtain one week of baseline data and then are randomized on a 2:1 ratio to Taking Healthy Steps or to a wait list control. The intervention arm receives iterative step-count feedback; individualized step-count goals, motivational and informational messages, and access to an online community. Wait list controls are notified that they are enrolled, but that their intervention will start in one year; however, they keep the pedometer and have access to a static webpage. DISCUSSION: Participants include 239 Veterans (mean age 66.7 years, 93.7% male) with 155 randomized to Taking Healthy Steps and 84 to the wait list control arm; rural-living (45.2%); ever-smokers (93.3%); and current smokers (25.1%). Baseline mean St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire Total Score was 46.0; 30.5% reported severe dyspnea; and the average number of comorbid conditions was 4.9. Mean baseline daily step counts was 3497 (+/- 2220).Veterans with COPD can be recruited to participate in an online walking program. We successfully recruited a cohort of older Veterans with a significant level of disability including Veterans who live in rural areas using a remote national recruitment strategy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trials.gov NCT01102777.

Sexual selection by female immunity against paternal antigens can fix loss of function alleles.

Humans lack the common mammalian cell surface molecule N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) due to a CMAH gene inactivation, which occurred approximately three million years ago. Modern humans produce antibodies specific for Neu5Gc. We hypothesized that anti-Neu5Gc antibodies could enter the female reproductive tract and target Neu5Gc-positive sperm or fetal tissues, reducing reproductive compatibility. Indeed, female mice with a human-like Cmah(-/-) mutation and immunized to express anti-Neu5Gc antibodies show lower fertility with Neu5Gc-positive males, due to prezygotic incompatibilities. Human anti-Neu5Gc antibodies are also capable of targeting paternally derived antigens and mediate cytotoxicity against Neu5Gc-bearing chimpanzee sperm in vitro. Models of populations polymorphic for such antigens show that reproductive incompatibility by female immunity can drive loss-of-function alleles to fixation from moderate initial frequencies. Initially, the loss of a cell-surface antigen can occur due to drift in isolated populations or when natural selection favors the loss of a receptor exploited by pathogens, subsequently the same loss-of-function allele can come under sexual selection because it avoids being targeted by the female immune system. Thus, we provide evidence of a link between sexual selection and immune function: Antigenicity in females can select against foreign paternal antigens on sperm and rapidly fix loss-of-function alleles. Similar circumstances existed when the CMAH null allele was polymorphic in ancestral hominins, just before the divergence of Homo from australopithecines.

Nuclear localization of heparanase 2 (Hpa2) attenuates breast carcinoma growth and metastasis.

Unlike the intense research effort devoted to exploring the significance of heparanase in cancer, very little attention was given to Hpa2, a close homolog of heparanase. Here, we explored the role of Hpa2 in breast cancer. Unexpectedly, we found that patients endowed with high levels of Hpa2 exhibited a higher incidence of tumor metastasis and survived less than patients with low levels of Hpa2. Immunohistochemical examination revealed that in normal breast tissue, Hpa2 localizes primarily in the cell nucleus. In striking contrast, in breast carcinoma, Hpa2 expression is not only decreased but also loses its nuclear localization and appears diffuse in the cell cytoplasm. Importantly, breast cancer patients in which nuclear localization of Hpa2 is retained exhibited reduced lymph-node metastasis, suggesting that nuclear localization of Hpa2 plays a protective role in breast cancer progression. To examine this possibility, we engineered a gene construct that directs Hpa2 to the cell nucleus (Hpa2-Nuc). Notably, overexpression of Hpa2 in breast carcinoma cells resulted in bigger tumors, whereas targeting Hpa2 to the cell nucleus attenuated tumor growth and tumor metastasis. RNAseq analysis was performed to reveal differentially expressed genes (DEG) in Hpa2-Nuc tumors vs. control. The analysis revealed, among others, decreased expression of genes associated with the hallmark of Kras, beta-catenin, and TNF-alpha (via NFkB) signaling. Our results imply that nuclear localization of Hpa2 prominently regulates gene transcription, resulting in attenuation of breast tumorigenesis. Thus, nuclear Hpa2 may be used as a predictive parameter in personalized medicine for breast cancer patients.

Influenza A penetrates host mucus by cleaving sialic acids with neuraminidase.

BACKGROUND: Influenza A virus (IAV) neuraminidase (NA) cleaves sialic acids (Sias) from glycans. Inhibiting NA with oseltamivir suppresses both viral infection, and viral release from cultured human airway epithelial cells. The role of NA in viral exit is well established: it releases budding virions by cleaving Sias from glycoconjugates on infected cells and progeny virions. The role of NA in viral entry remains unclear. Host respiratory epithelia secrete a mucus layer rich in heavily sialylated glycoproteins; these could inhibit viral entry by mimicking sialylated receptors on the cell surface. It has been suggested that NA allows influenza to penetrate the mucus by cleaving these sialylated decoys, but the exact mechanism is not yet established. METHODS: We tested IAV interaction with secreted mucus using frozen human trachea/bronchus tissue sections, and bead-bound purified human salivary mucins (HSM) and purified porcine submaxillary mucins (PSM). The protective effect of mucus was analyzed using MDCK cells coated with purified HSM and PSM with known Sia content. Oseltamivir was used to inhibit NA activity, and the fluorescent reporter substrate, 4MU-Neu5Ac, was used to quantify NA activity. RESULTS: IAV binds to the secreted mucus layer of frozen human trachea/bronchus tissues in a Sia dependent manner. HSM inhibition of IAV infection is Sia dose-dependent, but PSM cannot inhibit infection of underlying cells. HSM competitively inhibits NA cleavage of 4MU-Neu5Ac, reporter substrate. Human IAV effectively cleaves Sias from HSM but not from PSM, and binds to HSM but not to PSM. CONCLUSION: IAV interacts with human mucus on frozen tissue sections and mucus-coated beads. Inhibition of IAV infection by sialylated human mucus is dose-dependent, and enhanced when NA is inhibited with oseltamivir. Thus NA cleaves sialylated decoys during initial stages of infection. Understanding IAV interactions with host mucins is a promising new avenue for drug development.

Membrane-bound mucins and mucin terminal glycans expression in idiopathic or Helicobacter pylori, NSAID associated peptic ulcers.

BACKGROUND: The ratio of Helicobacter pylori/NSAID-negative gastric ulcers is increasing. Idiopathic gastric ulcers have unique clinical and endoscopic features, and are associated with more bleeding complications and a higher mortality. Alterations in gastric mucin expression and sialylation pattern may be important in ulcer pathogenesis. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to determine the expression pattern of membrane-bound mucins and side chain sugars in H. pylori associated-, NSAID-, and idiopathic-gastric ulcers. METHODS: We randomly selected 92 patients with H. pylori (group 1, n = 30), NSAID (group 2, n = 18), combined H. pylori and NSAID associated gastric ulcers (group 3, n = 24), and patients with idiopathic gastric ulcers (group 4, n = 20). Immunohistochemistry for T-cell CD4/CD8, MUC1, MUC4, MUC17, and ECA and SNA lectins staining was performed on sections from the ulcer margins. Inflammation score was assessed according to the Sydney system. RESULTS: Bleeding and mortality rates were significantly higher in group 4. CD4 positive T cell count was higher in H. pylori positive patients (P = 0.009). Staining intensity of MUC17 was higher in group 1 than in group 4, foveola and glands alike, with 11.50 ± 3.47 versus 6.80 ± 4.02, and 9.61 ± 4.26 versus 7.59 ± 3.26, respectively (P < 0.0001). This was a mirror image with MUC1. SNA lectin staining was increased in group 4, in parallel to MUC1 expression, indicating more abundant α2-6 sialylation in that group. CONCLUSIONS: Cytoplasmic MUC17 staining was significantly decreased in the cases with idiopathic ulcer. The opposite was demonstrated for MUC1. This observation might be important, since different mucins with altered sialylation patterns likely differ in their protection efficiency against acid and pepsin.

Detecting motor vehicle travel in accelerometer data.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) frequently has a significant impact on patients' everyday activity. Because of this, accurate measurement of daily activity is of particular interest. Although accelerometers are an objective means of measuring daily activity, these devices sense vibrations and erroneously score motor vehicle travel (MVT) as moderate physical activity. It is the objective of this study to develop a new method to analyze accelerometry data that would accurately classify MVT as non-acceleration, or sitting/standing. As sitting/standing has a different pattern of count-to-count variability than walking, we hypothesized that a rolling standard deviation (RSD), which is a measurement of volatility in the data, would more accurately classify periods of MVT than analysis based on activity counts alone. Twenty-two subjects with COPD were studied. A training set of 15% of the dataset was used to establish an RSD-threshold during MVT based on the upper 95%-confidence interval. The accuracy of the RSD thresholds were tested and presented as sensitivity, specificity and receiver operating curves. Results demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity suggesting that the RSD not only accurately classified MVT, but had a low rate of misclassification. The RSD analysis scored more MVT as sitting/standing than assessment by VMU alone. The accuracy of accelerometers to define the profile of daily activity in sedentary populations, such as those with COPD, is greatly improved.

Heparanase 2 (Hpa2) attenuates the growth of human sarcoma.

The pro-tumorigenic properties of heparanase are well documented and established. In contrast, the role of heparanase 2 (Hpa2), a close homolog of heparanase, in cancer is not entirely clear. In carcinomas, Hpa2 is thought to attenuate tumor growth, possibly by inhibiting heparanase enzymatic activity. Here, we examine the role of Hpa2 in sarcoma, a group of rare tumors of mesenchymal origin, accounting for approximately 1% of all malignant tumors. Consistently, we found that overexpression of Hpa2 attenuates tumor growth while Hpa2 gene silencing results in bigger tumors. Mechanistically, attenuation of tumor growth by Hpa2 was associated with increased tumor stress conditions, involving ER stress, hypoxia, and JNK phosphorylation, leading to increased apoptotic cell death. In addition, overexpression of Hpa2 induces the expression of the p53 family member, p63 which, in sarcoma, functions to attenuate tumor growth. Moreover, we show that Hpa2 profoundly reduces stem cell characteristics of the sarcoma cells (stemness), most evident by failure of Hpa2 cells to grow as spheroids typical of cancer stem cells. Likewise, expression of CD44, a well-established cancer stem cell marker, was prominently decreased in Hpa2 cells. CD44 is also a cell surface receptor for hyaluronic acid (HA), a nonsulfated glycosaminoglycan that is enriched in connective tissues. Reduced expression of CD44 by Hpa2 may thus represent impaired cross-talk between Hpa2 and the extracellular matrix. Clinically, we found that Hpa2 is expressed by leiomyosarcoma tumor biopsies. Interestingly, nuclear localization of Hpa2 was associated with low-stage tumors. This finding opens a new direction in Hpa2 research.

Induction of heparanase 2 (Hpa2) expression by stress is mediated by ATF3.

Activity of heparanase, endoglycosidase that cleaves heparan sulfate side chains in heparan sulfate proteoglycans, is highly implicated in tumor progression and metastasis. Heparanase inhibitors are therefore being evaluated clinically as anti-cancer therapeutics. Heparanase 2 (Hpa2) is a close homolog of heparanase that lacks HS-degrading activity and functions as an endogenous inhibitor of heparanase. As a result, Hpa2 appears to attenuate tumor growth but mechanisms that regulate Hpa2 expression and determine the ratio between heparanase and Hpa2 are largely unknown. We have recently reported that the expression of Hpa2 is induced by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and proteotoxic stresses, but the mechanism(s) underlying Hpa2 gene regulation was obscure. Here we expand the notion that Hpa2 is regulated by conditions of stress. We report that while ER and hypoxia, each alone, resulted in a 3-7 fold increase in Hpa2 expression, combining ER stress and hypoxia resulted in a noticeable, over 40-fold increase in Hpa2 expression. A prominent induction of Hpa2 expression was also quantified in cells exposed to heat shock, proteotoxic stress, lysosomal stress, and chemotherapy (cisplatin), strongly implying that Hpa2 is regulated by conditions of stress. Furthermore, analyses of the Hpa2 gene promoter led to the identification of activating-transcription-factor 3 (ATF3) as a transcription factor that mediates Hpa2 induction by stress, thus revealing, for the first time, a molecular mechanism that underlies Hpa2 gene regulation. Induction of Hpa2 and ATF3 by conditions of stress that often accompany the rapid expansion of tumors is likely translated to improved survival of cancer patients.

ABO blood group glycans modulate sialic acid recognition on erythrocytes.

ABH(O) blood group polymorphisms are based on well-known intraspecies variations in structures of neutral blood cell surface glycans in humans and other primates. Whereas natural antibodies against these glycans can act as barriers to blood transfusion and transplantation, the normal functions of this long-standing evolutionary polymorphism remain largely unknown. Although microbial interactions have been suggested as a selective force, direct binding of lethal pathogens to ABH antigens has not been reported. We show in this study that ABH antigens found on human erythrocytes modulate the specific interactions of 3 sialic acid-recognizing proteins (human Siglec-2, 1918SC influenza hemagglutinin, and Sambucus nigra agglutinin) with sialylated glycans on the same cell surface. Using specific glycosidases that convert A and B glycans to the underlying H(O) structure, we show ABH antigens stabilize sialylated glycan clusters on erythrocyte membranes uniquely for each blood type, generating differential interactions of the 3 sialic acid-binding proteins with erythrocytes from each blood type. We further show that by stabilizing such structures ABH antigens can also modulate sialic acid-mediated interaction of pathogens such as Plasmodium falciparum malarial parasite. Thus, ABH antigens can noncovalently alter the presentation of other cell surface glycans to cognate-binding proteins, without themselves being a direct ligand.

The relationship of the BODE index to oxygen saturation during daily activities in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: The frequency of oxygen desaturation during daily activities in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is poorly defined. The BODE index predicts survival in COPD. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between BODE scores and oxygen saturation during daily activities. METHODS: Seventy-eight patients with COPD (FEV(1) = 37%) underwent ambulatory oximetry and activity monitoring. We defined four activity categories: Walking, Slow-Intermittent-Walking (SIW), Active-Not-Walking (ANW), and Rest. We quantified oxygen desaturation during activity using a desaturation index (DSI = % time oxygen saturation <90%). BODE scores were categorized into three groups: group I (0-3), II (4-6), and III (7-10). RESULTS: The percentage of patients demonstrating oxygen desaturation (DSI ≥ 10%) during each activity was 55% for Walking, 35% for SIW, 15% for ANW, and 28% for Rest. There was a strong association between BODE score and desaturation for Walking and SIW. During Walking, 21, 44, and 86% of patients in BODE groups I, II, and III, respectively, demonstrated desaturation. The DSI for Walking and SIW was increased in patients in BODE groups II and III compared to group I (P < 0.006, P < 0.007, respectively). BODE score was also linked to long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) usage; the majority of patients not on LTOT (89%) had a BODE score <7. The majority of patients on LTOT (84%) demonstrated desaturation during Walking, but 42% of patients not on LTOT also demonstrated desaturation. In this subgroup of patients not on LTOT, all patients with a BODE score ≥ 7 demonstrated desaturation during Walking. CONCLUSIONS: The link between the BODE index and oxygen desaturation during daily activities suggests that desaturation is linked to disease severity. Our data suggest that patients with a BODE score ≥ 7 should be evaluated for desaturation during daily activities. Use of the BODE index to screen for exertional desaturation may have value as a tool that can lead to the earlier identification of patients who may be candidates for LTOT.

A Pro-Tumorigenic Effect of Heparanase 2 (Hpa2) in Thyroid Carcinoma Involves Its Localization to the Nuclear Membrane.

Activity of the endo-beta-glucuronidase heparanase, capable of cleaving heparan sulfate (HS), is most often elevated in many types of tumors, associating with increased tumor metastasis and decreased patients' survival. Heparanase is therefore considered to be a valid drug target, and heparanase inhibitors are being evaluated clinically in cancer patients. Heparanase 2 (Hpa2) is a close homolog of heparanase that gained very little attention, likely because it lacks HS-degrading activity typical of heparanase. The role of Hpa2 in cancer was not examined in detail. In head and neck cancer, high levels of Hpa2 are associated with decreased tumor cell dissemination to regional lymph nodes and prolonged patients' survival, suggesting that Hpa2 functions to attenuate tumor growth. Here, we examined the role of Hpa2 in normal thyroid tissue and in benign thyroid tumor, non-metastatic, and metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) utilizing immunostaining in correlation with clinicopathological parameters. Interestingly, we found that Hpa2 staining intensity does not significantly change in the transition from normal thyroid gland to benign, non-metastatic, or metastatic thyroid carcinoma. Remarkably, we observed that in some biopsies, Hpa2 is accumulating on the membrane (envelop) of the nucleus and termed this cellular localization NM (nuclear membrane). Notably, NM localization of Hpa2 occurred primarily in metastatic PTC and was associated with an increased number of positive (metastatic) lymph nodes collected at surgery. These results describe for the first time unrecognized localization of Hpa2 to the nuclear membrane, implying that in PTC, Hpa2 functions to promote tumor metastasis.

Heparanase 2 (Hpa2) attenuates tumor growth by inducing Sox2 expression.

The pro-tumorigenic properties of heparanase are well documented, and heparanase inhibitors are being evaluated clinically as anti-cancer therapeutics. In contrast, the role of heparanase 2 (Hpa2), a close homolog of heparanase, in cancer is largely unknown. Previously, we have reported that in head and neck cancer, high levels of Hpa2 are associated with prolonged patient survival and decreased tumor cell dissemination to regional lymph nodes, suggesting that Hpa2 functions to restrain tumorigenesis. Also, patients with high levels of Hpa2 were diagnosed as low grade and exhibited increased expression of cytokeratins, an indication that Hpa2 promotes or maintains epithelial cell differentiation and identity. To reveal the molecular mechanism underlying the tumor suppressor properties of Hpa2, and its ability to induce the expression of cytokeratin, we employed overexpression as well as gene editing (Crispr) approaches, combined with gene array and RNAseq methodologies. At the top of the list of many genes found to be affected by Hpa2 was Sox2. Here we provide evidence that silencing of Sox2 resulted in bigger tumors endowed with reduced cytokeratin levels, whereas smaller tumors were developed by cells overexpressing Sox2, suggesting that in head and neck carcinoma, Sox2 functions to inhibit tumor growth. Notably, Hpa2-null cells engineered by Crispr/Cas 9, produced bigger tumors vs control cells, and rescue of Hpa2 attenuated tumor growth. These results strongly imply that Hpa2 functions as a tumor suppressor in head and neck cancer, involving Sox2 upregulation mediated, in part, by the high-affinity interaction of Hpa2 with heparan sulfate.

Role of heparanase 2 (Hpa2) in gastric cancer.

Heparanase is highly implicated in tumor metastasis due to its capacity to cleave heparan sulfate and, consequently, remodel the extracellular matrix underlying epithelial and endothelial cells. In striking contrast, only little attention was given to its close homolog, heparanase 2 (Hpa2), possibly because it lacks heparan sulfate-degrading activity typical of heparanase. We subjected sections of gastric carcinoma to immunostaining and correlated Hpa2 immunoreactivity with clinical records, including tumor grade, stage and patients' status. We over-expressed Hpa2 in gastric carcinoma cell lines and examined their tumorigenic properties in vitro and in vivo. We also evaluated the expression of Hpa2 by gastric carcinoma cells following inhibition of the proteasome, leading to proteotoxic stress, and the resulting signaling responsible for Hpa2 gene regulation. Here, we report that gastric cancer patients exhibiting high levels of Hpa2 survive longer. Similarly, mice administrated with gastric carcinoma cells engineered to over-express Hpa2 produced smaller tumors and survived longer than mice administrated with control cells. This was associated with increased phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a kinase that is situated at the center of a tumor suppressor network. We also found that MG132, an inhibitor of the proteasome that results in proteotoxic stress, prominently enhances Hpa2 expression. Notably, Hpa2 induction by MG132 appeared to be mediated by AMPK, and AMPK was found to induce the expression of Hpa2, thus establishing a loop that feeds itself where Hpa2 enhances AMPK phosphorylation that, in turn, induces Hpa2 expression, leading to attenuation of gastric tumorigenesis. These results indicate that high levels of Hpa2 in some tumors are due to stress conditions that tumors often experience due to their high rates of cell proliferation and high metabolic demands. This increase in Hpa2 levels by the stressed tumors appears critically important for patient outcomes.