miRNA profile and disease severity in patients with sickle cell anemia.

Identification of biomarkers associated with severity in sickle cell anemia is desirable. Circulating serum microRNAs (miRNA) are targets studied as diagnostic or prognostic markers, but few studies have been conducted in sickle cell anemia. The purpose of this study is to identify specific signatures of miRNAs in plasma samples from sickle cell anemia patients according to severity indexes. Screening of the miRNAs expression was performed in 8 patients, classified by tricuspid regurgitation velocity (TRV) measure: 4 with TRV ≥ 2.5 m/s and 4 with TRV < 2.5 m/s. The samples were analyzed by real-time PCR using Megaplex RT Human Pool A and Pool B comprising 667 distinct miRNAs. Seventeen miRNAs were differentially expressed between the two groups (p < 0.05). Five differentially expressed miRNAs (miR15b, miR502, miR510, miR544, miR629) were selected for validation in a cohort of 52 patient samples, 26 with TRV ≥ 2.5 m/s. Another two severity scores were also used: organ injury score (OIS) and Bayesian score (BS). Univariate binary logistic regressions were performed to analyze the data. Five out of 17 differentially expressed miRNAs were selected for validation in 52 patient samples: miR15b, miR502, miR510, miR544, and miR629. Two miRNAs (miR510 and miR629) were significantly decreased in cases of greater severity. Whereas miR510 expression discriminated the patients according to TRV and OIS, miR629 expression did it according to BS. This is the first study investigating plasma miRNAs as possible biomarkers for SCA severity. Our data suggest that low levels of miR510 and miR629 expression are associated with greater SCA disease severity. Further studies are still necessary to elucidate mechanism of these miRNAs and their related proteins.

May critical molecular cross-talk between indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) and arginase during human aging be targets for immunosenescence control?

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to identify novel plasma metabolic signatures with possible clinical relevance during the aging process. A biochemical quantitative phenotyping platform, based on targeted electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry technology, was used for the identification of any eventual perturbed biochemical pathway by the aging process in prospectively collected peripheral blood plasma from 166 individuals representing the population of São Paulo city, Brazil. RESULTS: Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) activity (Kyn/Trp) was significantly elevated with age, and among metabolites most associated with elevations in IDO, one of the strongest correlations was with arginase (Orn/Arg), which could also facilitate the senescence process of the immune system. Hyperactivity of IDO was also found to correlate with increased blood concentrations of medium-chain acylcarnitines, suggesting that deficiencies in beta-oxidation may also be involved in the immunosenescence process. Finally, our study provided evidence that the systemic methylation status was significantly increased and positively correlated to IDO activity. CONCLUSIONS: In the present article, besides identifying elevated IDO activity exhibiting striking parallel association with the aging process, we additionally identified increased arginase activity as an underlying biochemical disturbance closely following elevations in IDO. Our findings support interventions to reduce IDO or arginase activities in an attempt to preserve the functionality of the immune system, including modulation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), T cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells' function, in old individuals/patients.

Tumor Microenvironment Proteomics: Lessons From Multiple Myeloma.

Although the "seed and soil" hypothesis was proposed by Stephen Paget at the end of the 19th century, where he postulated that tumor cells (seeds) need a propitious medium (soil) to be able to establish metastases, only recently the tumor microenvironment started to be more studied in the field of Oncology. Multiple myeloma (MM), a malignancy of plasma cells, can be considered one of the types of cancers where there is more evidence in the literature of the central role that the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment plays, contributing to proliferation, survival, migration, and drug resistance of tumor cells. Despite all advances in the therapeutic arsenal for MM treatment in the last years, the disease remains incurable. Thus, studies aiming a better understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease, as well as searching for new therapeutic targets are necessary and welcome. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the protein expression profiling of mononuclear cells derived from BM of MM patients in comparison with these same cell types derived from healthy individuals, in order to fill this gap in MM treatment. Proteomic analysis was performed using the mass spectrometry technique and further analyses were done using bioinformatics tools, to identify dysregulated biological pathways and/or processes in the BM microenvironment of patients with MM as a result of the disease. Among the pathways identified in this study, we can highlight an upregulation of proteins related to protein biosynthesis, especially chaperone proteins, in patients with MM. Additionally, we also found an upregulation of several proteins involved in energy metabolism, which is one of the cancer hallmarks. Finally, with regard to the downregulated proteins, we can highlight mainly those involved in different pathways of the immune response, corroborating the data that has demonstrated that the immune system of MM is impaired and, therefore, the immunotherapies that have been studied recently for the treatment of the disease are extremely necessary in the search for a control and a cure for these patients who live with the disease.

Single nucleotide variants in immune-response genes and the tumor microenvironment composition predict progression of mantle cell lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: There is evidence to consider that the tumor microenvironment (TME) composition associates with antitumor immune response, and may predict the outcome of various non-Hodgkin lymphoma subtypes. However, in the case of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), a rare and aggressive disease, there is lacking a detailed study of the TME components, as well as an integrative approach among them in patients' samples. Also, from the genetic point of view, it is known that single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in immune-response genes are among important regulators of immunity. At present, it is uncertain whether SNVs in candidate immune-response genes and the TME composition are able to alter the prognosis in MCL. METHODS: We assessed a detailed TME composition in 88 MCL biopsies using immunohistochemistry, which was automatically analyzed by pixel counting (Aperio system). We also genotyped SNVs located in candidate immune-response genes (IL12A, IL2, IL10, TGFB1, TGFBR1, TGFBR2, IL17A, IL17F) in 95 MCL patients. We tested whether the SNVs could modulate the respective protein expression and TME composition in the tumor compartment. Finally, we proposed survival models in rituximab-treated patients, considering immunohistochemical and SNV models. RESULTS: High FOXP3/CD3 ratios (p = 0.001), high IL17A levels (p = 0.003) and low IL2 levels (p = 0.03) were individual immunohistochemical predictors of poorer survival. A principal component, comprising high quantities of macrophages and high Ki-67 index, also worsened outcome (p = 0.02). In the SNV model, the CC haplotype of IL10 (p < 0.01), the GG genotype of IL2 rs2069762 (p = 0.02) and the AA+AG genotypes of TGFBR2 rs3087465 (p < 0.01) were independent predictors of outcome. Finally, the GG genotype of TGFB1 rs6957 associated with lower tumor TGFß levels (p = 0.03) and less CD163+ macrophages (p = 0.01), but did not modulate patients' survival. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that the TME composition has relevant biological roles in MCL. In this setting, immunohistochemical detection of T-reg cells, IL17A and IL2, coupled with SNV genotyping in IL10, TGFBR2 and IL2, may represent novel prognostic factors in this disease, following future validations.

Biochemical phenotyping of multiple myeloma patients at diagnosis reveals a disorder of mitochondrial complexes I and II and a Hartnup-like disturbance as underlying conditions, also influencing different stages of the disease.

The aim of this study was to identify novel plasma metabolic signatures with possible relevance during multiple myeloma (MM) development and progression. A biochemical quantitative phenotyping platform based on targeted electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry technology was used to aid in the identification of any eventual perturbed biochemical pathway in peripheral blood plasma from 36 MM patients and 73 healthy controls. Our results showed that MM cases present an increase in short and medium/long-chain species of acylcarnitines resembling Multiple AcylCoA Dehydrogenase Deficiency (MADD), particularly, associated with MM advanced International Staging System (ISS). Lipids profile showed lower concentrations of phosphatidylcholine (PC), lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and sphingomyelins (SM) in the MM patients and its respective ISS groups. MM cases were accompanied by a drop in the concentration of essential amino acids, especially tryptophan, with a significant inverse correlation between the progressive drop in tryptophan with the elevation of ß2-microglobulin, with the increase in systemic methylation levels (Symmetric Arginine Dimethylation, SDMA) and with the accumulation of esterified carnitines in relation to free carnitine (AcylC/C0). Serotonin was significantly elevated in cases of MM, without a clear association with ISS. Kynurenine/tryptophan ratio demonstrates that the activity of dioxigenases is even higher in the cases classified as ISS 3. In conclusion, our study showed that MM patients at diagnosis showed metabolic disorders resembling both mitochondrial complexes I and II and Hartnup-like disturbances as underlying conditions, also influencing different stages of the disease.

An integrative microenvironment approach for follicular lymphoma: roles of inflammatory cell subsets and immune-response polymorphisms on disease clinical course.

The study of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in follicular lymphoma (FL) has produced conflicting results due to assessment of limited TME subpopulations, and because of heterogeneous treatments among different cohorts. Also, important genetic determinants of immune response, such as single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), remain underexplored in this disease. We performed a detailed study of the TME in 169 FL biopsies using immunohistochemistry, encompassing lymphocytes, macrophages, and cytokines. We also genotyped 16 SNPs within key immune-response genes (IL12A, IL2, IL10, TGFB1, TGFBR1, TGFBR2, IL17A, and IL17F) in 159 patients. We tested associations between SNPs, clinicopathological features and TME composition, and proposed survival models in R-CHOP/R-CVP-treated patients. Presence of the IL12A rs568408 "A" allele associated with the follicular pattern of FOXP3+ cells. The IL12A AA haplotype included rs583911 and rs568408 and was an independent predictor of worse survival, together with the follicular patterns of T-cells (FOXP3+ and CD8+) and high IL-17F tumor levels. The patterns of CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ cells, displayed as a principal component, also associated with survival. Hierarchical clustering of the TME proteins demonstrated a cluster that was associated with worse prognosis (tumors enriched in IL-17A, IL-17F, CD8, PD1, and Ki-67). The survival of FL patients who were treated in the rituximab era shows a strong dependence on TME signals, especially the T-cell infiltration patterns and IL-17F tumor levels. The presence of the AA haplotype of IL12A in the genome of FL patients is an additional prognostic factor that may modulate the composition of T-reg cells in this disease.

Transcriptome Analysis of Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Multiple Myeloma Patients Reveals Downregulation of Genes Involved in Cell Cycle Progression, Immune Response, and Bone Metabolism.

A growing body of evidence suggests a key role of tumor microenvironment, especially for bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), in the maintenance and progression of multiple myeloma (MM), through direct and indirect interactions with tumor plasma cells. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the gene expression and functional alterations of MSC from MM patients (MM-MSC) in comparison with their normal counterparts from normal donors (ND-MSC). Gene expression analysis (Affymetrix) was performed in MM-MSC and ND-MSC after in vitro expansion. To validate these findings, some genes were selected to be evaluated by quantitative real time PCR (RT-qPCR), and also functional in vitro analyses were performed. We demonstrated that MM-MSC have a distinct gene expression profile than ND-MSC, with 485 differentially expressed genes (DEG) - 280 upregulated and 205 downregulated. Bioinformatics analyses revealed that the main enriched functions among downregulated DEG were related to cell cycle progression, immune response activation and bone metabolism. Four genes were validated by qPCR - ZNF521 and SEMA3A, which are involved in bone metabolism, and HLA-DRA and CHIRL1, which are implicated in the activation of immune response. Taken together, our results suggest that MM-MSC have constitutive abnormalities that remain present even in the absence of tumors cells. The alterations found in cell cycle progression, immune system activation, and osteoblastogenesis suggest, respectively, that MM-MSC are permanently dependent of tumor cells, might contribute to immune evasion and play an essential role in bone lesions frequently found in MM patients.

Efficacy and safety of bortezomib, thalidomide, and lenalidomide in multiple myeloma: An overview of systematic reviews with meta-analyses.

This overview summarizes evidence for the efficacy and safety of bortezomib, thalidomide, and lenalidomide in patients with multiple myeloma. We searched the Medline, Scopus, and LILACS databases through August 2016, including systematic reviews with meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials assessing the efficacy and/or safety of bortezomib, thalidomide, or lenalidomide in patients with multiple myeloma. Two authors performed study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment using AMSTAR and GRADE instruments. Twenty-nine studies satisfied the inclusion criteria. All three drugs significantly improved overall response and progression-free survival; however, only bortezomib showed significantly greater overall survival compared with the control arm (induction therapy, continuous therapy, or at any phase of treatment). The main concerns on adverse events were thrombosis/embolism events, peripheral neuropathy, and second primary malignancies. The most common problems detected in systematic reviews were non-registration of the study protocol and conflicts of interest not clearly acknowledged. Future research should adhere to quality assessment tools so that best evidence can be used in decision-making. Protocol PROSPERO registration number: CRD42016036062.

Proteasome and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) inhibitors as therapeutic alternative in multiple myeloma.

HSP70 connects multiple signaling pathways that work synergistically to protect tumor cells from death by proteotoxic stress and represents a possible target to establish a new approach for multiple myeloma treatment. Therefore, bioluminescent cell lines RPMI8226-LUC-PURO and U266-LUC-PURO were treated with HSP70 (VER155008) and/or proteasome (bortezomib) inhibitors and immunodeficient mice were used for subcutaneous xenograft models to evaluate tumor growth reduction and tumor growth inhibition after treatment. Bioluminescence imaging was used to follow tumor response. Treatment with bortezomib showed ∼60% of late apoptosis in RPMI8226-LUC-PURO (without additional benefit of VER155008 in this cell line). However, U266-LUC-PURO showed ∼60% of cell death after treatment with VER155008 (alone or with bortezomib). RPMI8226-LUC-PURO xenograft presented tumor reduction by bioluminescence imaging after treatment with bortezomib, VER155008 or drug combination compared to controls. Treatment with bortezomib, alone or combined with VER155008, showed inhibition of tumor growth assessed by bioluminescence imaging after one week in both RPMI8226-LUC-PURO and U266-LUC-PURO cell lines when compared to controls. In conclusion, our study shows that the combination of proteasome and HSP70 inhibitors induced cell death in tumor cells in vitro (late apoptosis induction) and in vivo (inhibition of tumor growth) with special benefit in U266-LUC-PURO, bearing 17p deletion.

Multiple myeloma cell lines and primary tumors proteoma: protein biosynthesis and immune system as potential therapeutic targets.

Despite great advance in multiple myeloma (MM) treatment since 2000s, it is still an incurable disease and novel therapies are welcome. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore MM plasma cells' (MM-PC) proteome, in comparison with their normal counterparts (derived from palatine tonsils of normal donors, ND-PC), in order to find potential therapeutic targets expressed on the surface of these cells. We also aimed to evaluate the proteome of MM cell lines with different genetic alterations, to confirm findings obtained with primary tumor cells. Bone marrow (BM) samples from eight new cases of MM and palatine tonsils from seven unmatched controls were submitted to PC separation and, in addition to two MM cell lines (U266, RPMI-8226), were submitted to protein extraction for mass spectrometry analyses. A total of 81 proteins were differentially expressed between MM-PC and ND-PC - 72 upregulated and nine downregulated; U266 vs. RPMI 8226 cell lines presented 61 differentially expressed proteins - 51 upregulated and 10 downregulated. On primary tumors, bioinformatics analyses highlighted upregulation of protein biosynthesis machinery, as well as downregulation of immune response components, such as MHC class I and II, and complement receptors. We also provided comprehensive information about U266 and RPMI-8226 cell lines' proteome and could confirm some patients' findings.

A microRNA signature profile in EBV+ diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the elderly.

Currently, there is no characteristic microRNA (miRNA) expression pattern in Epstein-Barr virus+ diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the elderly (EBV+DLBCLe). This study aims to characterize a signature profile and identify miRNAs that can be used as biomarkers and alternative therapeutic targets for EBV+DLBCLe. Seventy-one DLBCL patients aged 50 years and older were included and four EBV+ and four EBV- samples were analyzed in two miRNA array platforms (pilot study). A larger multicenter cohort (29 EBV+DLBCLe and 65 EBV-DLBCL patients) was used to validate the results by real-time polymerase chain reaction. In the pilot study, 9% of DLBCL were EBV+DLBCLe by in situ hybridization. In multicenter study, EBV+DLBCLe group showed a predominance of non-germinal center B-cell origin. Overall survival duration of EBV+DLBCLe was significantly inferior to that of EBV-DLBCL patients. We found 10 deregulated miRNAs in the two groups, but only seven were statistically different. We confirmed overexpression of hsa-miR-126, hsa-miR-146a, hsa-miR-146b, hsa-miR-150, and hsa-miR-222 and underexpression of hsa-miR-151 in EBV+DLBCLe cases compared to EBV-DLBCL cases. Hsa-miR-146b and hsa-miR-222 showed high specificity for identifying EBV+DLBCLe. The present study proposed a miRNA signature for EBV+DLBCLe and our findings suggest that hsa-miR-146b and hsa-miR-222 could be biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

FOXP3 and CTLA4 overexpression in multiple myeloma bone marrow as a sign of accumulation of CD4(+) T regulatory cells.

INTRODUCTION: Multiple myeloma (MM) development involves a series of genetic abnormalities and changes in the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment, favoring the growth of the tumor and failure of local immune control. T regulatory (Treg) cells play an important role in dampening anti-tumor immune responses while T-helper-17 (Th17) cells seem to be critical for the eradication of malignant cells. The aim of our study was to characterize the expression of Treg- and Th17-related genes in total myeloma BM samples to assess their role as biomarkers, prognostic factors, and possible therapeutic targets in this incurable disease. METHODS: Expression of markers for Treg (FOXP3, CTLA4) and Th17 cells (RORγt) was determined by quantitative real-time PCR in BM aspirates of 46 MM patients, four patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance, five solitary plasmacytomas, and five healthy BM donors. Gene expression was evaluated regarding an influence on the patients' overall survival (OS). RESULTS: FOXP3 and CTLA4 presented a sixfold (p = 0.02) and 30-fold higher expression (p = 0.03), respectively, in MM patients than in controls. RORγt expression was similar in MM patients and controls. Median OS of MM patients was 16.8 (range 4.5-29.1) months, and international staging system was the only independent prognostic factor for patients survival. CONCLUSIONS: Overexpression of FOXP3 and CTLA4 in total BM samples suggests a local accumulation of immunosuppressive Tregs, the MM tumor environment, possibly dampening anti-tumor host immune responses. Therapeutic approaches targeting Treg cells and restoring local anti-tumor immunity may provide new treatment strategies for this incurable malignancy.

O papel da expressão de Bcl-2 em material obtido por PAAF no diagnóstico de doenças linfoproliferativas B / The role of Bcl-2 expression in fine needle aspiration specimens for the diagnostic accuracy in lymphoproliferative diseases

INTRODUÇÃO: O diagnóstico das doenças linfoproliferativas (DLP) tradicionalmente baseia-se no estudo histológico dos linfonodos (LN) acrescido de imuno-histoquímica. A imunofenotipagem (IFT) pela citometria de fluxo (CF) é uma ferramenta sensível e rápida, que pode ser aplicada nas DLP, em material obtido por punção aspirativa por agulha fina (PAAF) de LN. O Bcl-2 é um proto-oncogene que se expressa em várias DLP, porém em níveis especialmente elevados no linfoma folicular (LF). OBJETIVOS: Diagnosticar DLP, através de morfologia e imunofenotipagem por CF, em amostras obtidas por PAAF de LN. MATERIAL e MÉTODO: Amostras de 25 pacientes com adenopatias e de duas tonsilas reacionais foram analisadas pela morfologia e IFT, utilizando um painel inicial de AcMo (CD3, CD4, CD8, CD19, anti-kappa; e anti-lambda;), ampliado conforme a necessidade (CD5, CD10, CD11c, CD23, CD79b, sIgM, FMC-7 e Bcl-2). Os resultados foram comparados com a histologia. RESULTADOS:Dos 25 casos, quatro foram classificados como reacionais e 21 como DLP-B, havendo concordância com resultados histológicos em todos os casos. A intensidade média de fluorescência (IMF) da Bcl-2 no LF (19,92) foi maior que em outras DLP-B (11,93) e que nos controles (3,49) (p = 0,032). CONCLUSÃO:A PAAF de LN combinada com a citomorfologia e a IFT por CF permite uma rápida diferenciação entre os processos reacionais e linfoproliferativos B. A elevada expressão da Bcl-2 nos LFs pela citometria mostra sua utilidade no diagnóstico do tipo mais freqüente das DLP-B. A obtenção de células por PAAF requer treinamento e recomendamos mais de uma punção.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of lymphoproliferative disorders (LPD) is routinely made through histological and immunohistochemical analysis of lymph nodes. Immunophenotyping by flow cytometry (FC) is a sensitive and fast tool, which may be applied in samples obtained through fine needle aspiration for the diagnosis of LPD. Bcl-2 is a proto-oncogene that appears in several LPD and it has a significantly high expression in follicular lymphomas. OBJECTIVES: to diagnose LPD in FNA samples through morphology and flow cytometry immunophenotyping. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Samples from 25 patients with lymphadenopathies and 2 reactive tonsils were studied through morphology and immunophenotyping. The antigens expressions were evaluated by using a screening panel of monoclonal antibodies (CD3, CD4, CD8, CD19, light chains kappa; and lambda), followed by CD5, CD10, CD11c, CD23, CD79b, sIgM, FMC-7 and Bcl-2 when required. The results were compared with histology. RESULTS:Four out of 25 samples were reactive processes and 21were B-LPD. In all cases there was consistency with histological results. The mean fluorescence intensity of Bcl-2 in Follicular Lymphoma (19.92) was higher compared with other lymphoproliferative diseases (11.93) and controls (3.49) (p = 0.032). CONCLUSION: Fine needle aspiration of lymph nodes associated with cytomorphology and flow cytometry immunophenotyping allows a fast differentiation between reactive processes and B lymphoproliferative cases. The high expression of Bcl-2 by cytometry shows its usefulness in the diagnosis of the most frequent type of B-LPD. Fine needle aspiration sampling requires training and more than one aspiration is recommended.

Granulocytic sarcooma presented as a reactivation of chronic myeloid leukemia after allogenic marrow transplantation

The authors report the case of a chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patient submitted to allogenic bone marrow transplantation, who had probably never entered complete remission. The disease was reactivated as a granulocytic sarcoma, next to a platinum plate installed to correct a tibia fracture 11 years earlier. Its final event was a myeloid Ph1 + blastic crisis that was unsuccessfully treated with high doses of sc interferon and citarabine.

Linfoma de grandes células da mama: relato e abordagem terapêutica de um caso / Large cells lymphoma of the breast: case report and therapy approach

Relatamos um caso de linfoma de mama, paciente de 46 anos que apresentava, ao diagnóstico, grande massa palpável em mama direita. A primeira biópsia da mama revelou apenas alteraçöes fibrocísticas locais e foi negativa para células neoplásicas. A segunda biópsia demonstrou um LNH de grandes células B. Os exames de estadiamento classificaram a paciente como II A E e o tratamento proposto foi quimioterapia (seis ciclos ProMACE-CytaBOM) e radioterapia local (4.000 cGy). Atualmente a paciente se encontra em remissäo completa da doença 12 meses após o diagnóstico.