Inhibition of HSP90 in Driver Oncogene-Defined Lung Adenocarcinoma Cell Lines: Key Proteins Underpinning Therapeutic Efficacy.

The use of 90 kDa heat shock protein (HSP90) inhibition as a therapy in lung adenocarcinoma remains limited due to moderate drug efficacy, the emergence of drug resistance, and early tumor recurrence. The main objective of this research is to maximize treatment efficacy in lung adenocarcinoma by identifying key proteins underlying HSP90 inhibition according to molecular background, and to search for potential biomarkers of response to this therapeutic strategy. Inhibition of the HSP90 chaperone was evaluated in different lung adenocarcinoma cell lines representing the most relevant molecular alterations (EGFR mutations, KRAS mutations, or EML4-ALK translocation) and wild-type genes found in each tumor subtype. The proteomic technique iTRAQ was used to identify proteomic profiles and determine which biological pathways are involved in the response to HSP90 inhibition in lung adenocarcinoma. We corroborated the greater efficacy of HSP90 inhibition in EGFR mutated or EML4-ALK translocated cell lines. We identified proteins specifically and significantly deregulated after HSP90 inhibition for each molecular alteration. Two proteins, ADI1 and RRP1, showed independently deregulated molecular patterns. Functional annotation of the altered proteins suggested that apoptosis was the only pathway affected by HSP90 inhibition across all molecular subgroups. The expression of ADI1 and RRP1 could be used to monitor the correct inhibition of HSP90 in lung adenocarcinoma. In addition, proteins such as ASS1, ITCH, or UBE2L3 involved in pathways related to the inhibition of a particular molecular background could be used as potential response biomarkers, thereby improving the efficacy of this therapeutic approach to combat lung adenocarcinoma.

Comprehensive Characterization of Human Lung Large Cell Carcinoma Identifies Transcriptomic Signatures with Potential Implications in Response to Immunotherapy.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide, with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) being the most prevalent histology. While immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors has shown outstanding results in NSCLC, the precise identification of responders remains a major challenge. Most studies attempting to overcome this handicap have focused on adenocarcinomas or squamous cell carcinomas. Among NSCLC subtypes, the molecular and immune characteristics of lung large cell carcinoma (LCC), which represents 10% of NSCLC cases, are not well defined. We hypothesized that specific molecular aberrations may impact the immune microenvironment in LCC and, consequently, the response to immunotherapy. To that end, it is particularly relevant to thoroughly describe the molecular genotype-immunophenotype association in LCC-to identify robust predictive biomarkers and improve potential benefits from immunotherapy. We established a cohort of 18 early-stage, clinically annotated, LCC cases. Their molecular and immune features were comprehensively characterized by genomic and immune-targeted sequencing panels along with immunohistochemistry of immune cell populations. Unbiased clustering defined two novel subgroups of LCC. Pro-immunogenic tumors accumulated certain molecular alterations, showed higher immune infiltration and upregulated genes involved in potentiating immune responses when compared to pro-tumorigenic samples, which favored tumoral progression. This classification identified a set of biomarkers that could potentially predict response to immunotherapy. These results could improve patient selection and expand potential benefits from immunotherapy.

The role of bronchoscopy in patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: The role of bronchoscopy in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a matter of debate. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This observational multicentre study aimed to analyse the prognostic impact of bronchoscopic findings in a consecutive cohort of patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. Patients were enrolled at 17 hospitals from February to June 2020. Predictors of in-hospital mortality were assessed by multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 1027 bronchoscopies were performed in 515 patients (age 61.5±11.2 years; 73% men), stratified into a clinical suspicion cohort (n=30) and a COVID-19 confirmed cohort (n=485). In the clinical suspicion cohort, the diagnostic yield was 36.7%. In the COVID-19 confirmed cohort, bronchoscopies were predominantly performed in the intensive care unit (n=961; 96.4%) and major indications were: difficult mechanical ventilation (43.7%), mucus plugs (39%) and persistence of radiological infiltrates (23.4%). 147 bronchoscopies were performed to rule out superinfection, and diagnostic yield was 42.9%. There were abnormalities in 91.6% of bronchoscopies, the most frequent being mucus secretions (82.4%), haematic secretions (17.7%), mucus plugs (17.6%), and diffuse mucosal hyperaemia (11.4%). The independent predictors of in-hospital mortality were: older age (OR 1.06; p<0.001), mucus plugs as indication for bronchoscopy (OR 1.60; p=0.041), absence of mucosal hyperaemia (OR 0.49; p=0.041) and the presence of haematic secretions (OR 1.79; p=0.032). CONCLUSION: Bronchoscopy may be indicated in carefully selected patients with COVID-19 to rule out superinfection and solve complications related to mechanical ventilation. The presence of haematic secretions in the distal bronchial tract may be considered a poor prognostic feature in COVID-19.

[Prognostic value study of lung cancer molecular markers]. / Valor pronóstico de los marcadores moleculares en el carcinoma broncogénico.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic value of molecular markers (proteins) of different paths of lung cancer development in patients with non small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) in initial stages. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Observational, cohort study in patients with NSCLC that was initially treated surgically in our hospital between October 1993 and September 1997. Thirty-two proteins were selected. The study consisted of the elaboration of tissue arrays with samples from resected tumour, using a semiquantitative immunohistochemical study. A prognosis analysis was done with the expression of each protein and calculation of the overall 5-year survival rate. The Wilcoxon-Gehan and Log-Rank tests were used for statistical comparisons, with p<.05 being considered to indicate a significant result. RESULTS: One hundred and forty six patients were studied. The overall 5-year survival rate was 37.7%. From 32 proteins studied, three were statistically associated with overall 5-year survival rate. RB protein expression in resected NSCLC was a positive prognostic factor (P=.01). P27 (P=.03) and Ki67 (P=.04) expression in resected NSCLC were negative prognostic factors. There was no protein with prognostic value in epidermoid tumours. CONCLUSIONS: We found three proteins with long-term prognostic value in the long-term in the general population and five adenocarcinoma prognostic proteins in our study of resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In the future, genetic-molecular factors should be included along with anatomical (TNM staging) and clinical factors in a multidimensional lung cancer staging.

Adenopatías mediastínicas en síndromes paraneoplásicos / Mediastinal lymphadenopathies in paraneoplastic syndromes

Los síndromes paraneoplásicos son la forma de manifestación de ciertos tumores. La ecografía endobronquial (EBUS) es útil en el estudio de las adenopatías mediastínicas. El objetivo es describir las características de los pacientes con sospecha de síndromes paraneoplásicos y adenopatías mediastínicas. Se realizó un estudio observacional retrospectivo en el que se incluyeron pacientes de la unidad de endoscopia respiratoria de nuestro centro a quienes se realizó EBUS para valorar adenopatías mediastínicas como parte del estudio de cuadros sospechosos de síndrome paraneoplásico entre 2008 y 2021. Se incluyeron 10 pacientes. Los síndromes paraneoplásicos neurológicos fueron los más frecuentes (70%), con síntomas y anticuerpos onconeuronales altamente relacionados con procesos tumorales. La EBUS tuvo una sensibilidad del 83%. La estirpe tumoral más frecuente fue el carcinoma de células pequeñas (40%). Solo uno de los casos con hallazgo de hiperplasia linfoide en la EBUS fue diagnosticado posteriormente de carcinoma mucosecretor. En pacientes con sospecha de síndrome paraneoplásico y adenopatías significativas en las pruebas de imagen se debe valorar su punción mediante EBUS. En nuestra serie, esta técnica tiene una elevada sensibilidad y permite el diagnóstico de procesos tumorales que en muchas ocasiones son la forma manifestación de ciertos tumores (AU)

Paraneoplastic syndromes are the manifestation of certain tumors. Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) is useful in the study of mediastinal lymphadenopathies. The objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of the study of mediastinal lymphadenopathies in patients with suspected paraneoplastic syndrome. We conducted a retrospective observational study, including patients from the Respiratory Endoscopy Unit of the Hospital 12 de Octubre who underwent EBUS for the study of mediastinal lymphadenopathies as part of the study of suspected SP between 2008 and 2021. Ten patients were included. Neurological paraneoplastic syndromes were the most frequent (70%), with symptoms and onconeuronal antibodies highly related to tumor processes. EBUS had a sensitivity of 83%. The most frequent tumor type was small cell carcinoma (40%). Only one of the cases with a finding of lymphoid hyperplasia on EBUS was subsequently diagnosed as a mucosecretory carcinoma. Patients with suspected paraneoplastic syndromes and significant lymphadenopathy on imaging tests should be evaluated for EBUS puncture. In our series, this technique has a high sensitivity and allows the diagnosis of tumor processes that often have no other expression (AU)

Cuerpo extraño endobronquial. Cuando la broncoscopia no siempre es la solución / Endobronchial foreign body. When bronchoscopy is not always the answer

La aspiración de cuerpos extraños es una entidad poco común en el adulto. El diagnóstico se basa en la sospecha clínica y la realización de pruebas de imagen, siendo la revisión endoscópica de la vía aérea la que permite el diagnóstico definitivo, así como la extracción del cuerpo extraño. Esto es importante por las posibles complicaciones derivadas de ello, entre las que se incluyen la muerte del paciente. Presentamos el caso de un paciente joven con aspiración de una chincheta que desarrolla una neumonía obstructiva con empiema y que finaliza en cirugía con decorticación pleural.(AU)

Foreign body aspiration is an uncommon entity in adults. Diagnosis is based on clinical suspicion and imaging tests, with endoscopic examination of the airway, allowing definitive diagnosis and removal of the foreign body. This is important because of the potential complications, including death of the patient. We present the case of a young man with aspiration of a drawing pin who developed obstructive pneumonia with empyema and ended up in surgery with pleural decortication.(AU)

Specific pattern of LKB1 and phospho-acetyl-CoA carboxylase protein immunostaining in human normal tissues and lung carcinomas.

The LKB1 tumor suppressor gene codes for a serine/threonine protein kinase, and among its substrates is the adenosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase, a sensor of intracellular energy levels. LKB1 is genetically inactivated in several types of tumors, especially lung adenocarcinomas. Here we used immunohistochemistry to evaluate the levels of LKB1 and the phosphorylated form of the acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) protein in a variety of human adult normal tissues and in 159 lung carcinomas. The enzyme ACC becomes inactive upon phosphorylation by adenosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase. Our analysis in normal tissues revealed strong LKB1 immunostaining in most epithelia, in the seminiferous tubules of the testis, in myocytes from skeletal muscle, and in glia cells. In contrast to the cytosolic location of LKB1 found in most tissues, glia cells carried mainly nuclear LKB1. Some epithelial cells showed apical accumulation of LKB1, supporting its role in cell polarity. Regarding phospho-ACC (p-ACC), strong immunostaining was observed in myocytes from the skeletal muscle and heart, and in Leydig cells of the testis. In lung tumors, LKB1 immunostaining was absent, moderate, and high in 20%, 61%, and 19% of the tumors, respectively, whereas p-ACC immunostaining was found to be absent/low, moderate, and high in 35%, 34%, and 31% of the tumors, respectively. High levels of LKB1 and p-ACC immunostaining predominated in lung adenocarcinomas compared with squamous cell carcinomas. Finally, high p-ACC was an independent marker for prediction of better survival in lung adenocarcinoma patients. Median overall survival was longer in patients with p-ACC-positive than those with p-ACC-negative tumors (96 versus 44 months, P = .04). In conclusion, our observations provide complete information about the pattern and levels of LKB1 and p-ACC immunostaining in normal tissues and in lung tumors, and highlight the special relevance of abnormalities of the LKB1 pathway in lung adenocarcinoma.

Accuracy of helical computed tomography and [18F] fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography for identifying lymph node mediastinal metastases in potentially resectable non-small-cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE: Computed tomography (CT) and [18F] Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) are considered suitable methods for the noninvasive staging of the mediastinum. Our study was intended to estimate the efficacy of contrast-enhanced helical CT (hCT) and FDG-PET, alone and combined, in the diagnosis of lymph node mediastinal metastases. METHODS: This study was a prospective and blind comparison of the efficacy of hCT and FDG-PET with two alternative reference standards, mediastinoscopy, and mediastinoscopy plus thoracotomy plus a 6-month follow-up to diagnose lymph node mediastinal metastases in 132 consecutive patients with potentially resectable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The metastatic disease was assessed histopathologically. Further clinical information was obtained postoperatively after a median follow-up of 42 months. RESULTS: The prevalence of cN2,3 is 0.28. For hCT the sensitivity and specificity are 0.86 (95% CI, 0.70 to 0.93) and 0.67 (95% CI, 0.56 to 0.75), for PET 0.94 (95% CI, 0.81 to 0.98) and 0.59 (95% CI, 0.49 to 0.68), and for hCT and PET combined in-parallel 0.97 (95% CI, 0.84 to 0.99) and 0.44 (95% CI, 0.34 to 0.53), which translate into a negative predicted probability of 0.98 (95% CI, 0.88 to 1.00). The crude diagnostic odds ratio of PET in the total sample studied is 13.1, in the subgroup hCT+ 11.04 (3.0 to 40 0.1), and in the hCT- 3.5 (0.5 to 21.5). Similar results were obtained for hCT stratified by PET. CONCLUSION: hCT and PET perform similarly in the mediastinal staging of NSCLC, both tests are conditionally dependent and provide complementary information, and their diagnostic value mainly resides on the negative results.

Aspergillus tracheobronchitis: The diagnostic value of endoscopic imaging / Traqueobronquitis aspergilar. El valor diagnóstico de la imagen endoscópica

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