Supratentorial ependymoma with YAP1:FAM118B fusion: A case report.

We report a case of a 26-year-old Chinese man who had experienced three grand mal seizures in the past two months. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a relatively well-circumscribed lesion in the left frontal lobe. A craniotomy with total excision of the tumor was performed. Histopathological investigations confirmed a grade 2 ependymoma according to the World Health Organization classification. Genetic analysis revealed a tumor harboring FAM118B fusion to YAP1, and no other genetic alterations or methylation of the O6 -methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase gene promoter were detected. This is the second case report of ependymoma with YAP1:FAM118B fusion.

Histogram analysis of diffusion kurtosis imaging derived maps may distinguish between low and high grade gliomas before surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the value of histogram analysis of diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) maps in the evaluation of glioma grading. METHODS: A total of 39 glioma patients who underwent preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were classified into low-grade (13 cases) and high-grade (26 cases) glioma groups. Parametric DKI maps were derived, and histogram metrics between low- and high-grade gliomas were analysed. The optimum diagnostic thresholds of the parameters, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity were achieved using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC). RESULT: Significant differences were observed not only in 12 metrics of histogram DKI parameters (P<0.05), but also in mean diffusivity (MD) and mean kurtosis (MK) values, including age as a covariate (F=19.127, P<0.001 and F=20.894, P<0.001, respectively), between low- and high-grade gliomas. Mean MK was the best independent predictor of differentiating glioma grades (B=18.934, 22.237 adjusted for age, P<0.05). The partial correlation coefficient between fractional anisotropy (FA) and kurtosis fractional anisotropy (KFA) was 0.675 (P<0.001). The AUC of the mean MK, sensitivity, and specificity were 0.925, 88.5% and 84.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: DKI parameters can effectively distinguish between low- and high-grade gliomas. Mean MK is the best independent predictor of differentiating glioma grades. KEY POINTS: • DKI is a new and important method. • DKI can provide additional information on microstructural architecture. • Histogram analysis of DKI may be more effective in glioma grading.

Diffuse midline gliomas with histone H3-K27M mutation: A rare case with PNET-like appearance and neuropil-like islands.

Diffuse midline glioma with histone H3-K27M mutation is a new tumor entity defined by the 2016 WHO Classification of Tumors of the Central Nervous System. A 51-year-old Chinese woman presented with neck pain for a month. Subsequent MRI revealed an intramedullary neoplasm extending from C5 to C7. Histologically, the cellular area of the tumor was composed of primitive, poorly differentiated, small cells with scant cytoplasm, nuclear molding, and brisk mitotic activity, exhibiting PNET-like appearance, while in the hypocellular area, oligodendroglioma-like cells were observed. More importantly, neuropil-like islands were observed in the cellular area. Microvascular proliferation was noted, with no necrosis. Besides histone H3K27M mutation, immunohistochemical staining also showed that the tumor cells were positive for oligodendrocyte lineage transcription factor 2 and ATRX. The neuropil-like areas were positive for synaptophysin, intermingled with scattered neuronal nuclear antigen positive cells. The Ki-67 proliferation index was about 30%, and tumor cells were highly immunopositive for p53. Sequencing for IDH1 codon 132 and IDH2 codon 172 gene mutations showed negative results. Furthermore, fluorescent analysis revealed 1p deletion in the lesion but no 19q deletion. Based on these findings, the tumor was diagnosed as diffuse midline gliomas with histone H3-K27M mutation in the spinal cord, corresponding to WHO grade IV. After 4 months of remission, the tumor recurred; 2 months later, the patient died. Herein, we report an extremely rare case of diffuse midline glioma with histone H3K27M mutation, which was morphologically characterized simultaneously by primitive neuroectodermal tumor-like appearance and neuropil-like islands.

Derlin-1 is overexpressed in non-small cell lung cancer and promotes cancer cell invasion via EGFR-ERK-mediated up-regulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9.

Previous studies indicated a role of Derlin-1 in human cancers; however, its expression pattern in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the molecular mechanism of Derlin-1 on cancer progression have not been characterized. In the present study, Derlin-1 expression was examined in lung cancer cell lines and human tissues. Derlin-1 overexpression correlated with pTNM stage, lymph node metastasis, and poor overall survival. siRNA knockdown of Derlin-1 impaired anchorage-dependent and anchorage-independent cell growth and invasion in A549 and H1299 cell lines, and its overexpression promoted proliferation and invasion in HBE and LTE cell lines. Derlin-1 depletion decreased matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2/9 at both protein and mRNA levels, with decreased MAP kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/ERK phosphorylation. Derlin-1 overexpression up-regulated MMP-2/9 expression and ERK phosphorylation, which could be reversed by MAP kinase/ERK kinase inhibitor, PD98059. The effect of Derlin-1 on MMP-2/9 up-regulation was abolished in ERK1/2 siRNA-treated cells. Further analysis showed that Derlin-1 overexpression induced EGFR phosphorylation. EGFR inhibitor blocked Derlin-1-mediated up-regulation of EGFR and ERK phosphorylation. MMP-2/9 and p-ERK up-regulation by Derlin-1 was partly blocked in EGFR-depleted cells with siRNA treatment. Immunoprecipitation confirmed the association between Derlin-1 and EGFR. In summary, our results showed that Derlin-1 is overexpressed in NSCLC and promotes invasion by EGFR-ERK-mediated up-regulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9. Derlin-1 may serve as a therapeutic target for NSCLC.

Abnormal hypermethylation and clinicopathological significance of Axin gene in lung cancer.

Axin is an important negative regulator of Wnt pathway. We have reported that reduced expression of Axin could be detected in lung cancer tissues, but the mechanism is not clear. By analyzing the genomic sequence, we note that Axin gene promoter is rich in CpGs. Little is known about the methylation status of Axin gene in lung cancer. So, nested MSP and RT-PCR were used to study the methylation status and mRNA expression of Axin gene in lung cancer tissues and cell lines. The results showed that hypermethylated Axin gene promoter and reduced mRNA expression level of Axin could be detected in lung cancer tissues but not in their paired autologous normal lung tissues (P < 0.01). The hypermethylated Axin gene promoter significantly correlated with the degree of differentiation (P = 0.03), lymph node metastasis (P = 0.048) and TNM classifications (P = 0.032). Demethylation reagent 5-aza-2-deoxycytidine significantly up-regulate Axin expression in BE1 cells (with hypermethylated Axin gene promoter) but not in H460 cells (with unmethylated Axin gene promoter). MTT (3(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) and transwell matrigel invasion assay showed that 5-aza-2-deoxycytidine treatment inhibited cell growth and invasion more significantly in BE1 cells than that in H460 cells. Our data indicate that hypermethylated Axin gene significantly correlates with the progression of lung cancer and might serve as a new target of clinical therapy for lung cancer patients in future.

The Accurate Interpretation and Clinical Significance of Morphological Features of Fine Needle Aspiration Cells in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common malignant neoplasm of the thyroid gland; fine needle aspiration cytology is the most basic and reliable diagnostic method before PTC operation. However, it is not clear which cell morphological changes can be used as a reliable standard for the diagnosis of PTC. A retrospective analysis was performed on 337 patients with PTC confirmed by postoperative histology. An additional 197 randomly selected patients with benign thyroid lesions were included in the study and used as a control group. True papillary arrangements, swirl arrangements, and escape arrangements had high specificity, all of which were 100%, but only swirl arrangements had ideal sensitivity (77.61%). The nuclear volume characteristics had a high sensitivity of more than 90%, but the specificities of both nuclear crowding and nuclear overlap were too low, only 16.34% and 23.35%. The sensitivities of five nuclear structural characteristics were more than 90%, but only the specificity of intranuclear cytoplasmic pseudoinclusions (INCIs) reached 100%, nuclear contour irregularity and pale nuclei with powdery chromatin also had ideal interpretation value except for grooves and marginally placed micronucleoli. Although the sensitivity of psammoma bodies (PBs) was low, the specificity was 100%. In terms of preparation methods, the method of liquid-based preparation (LBP) is obviously better than that of conventional smears. The diagnostic efficiency by the combined detection method of parallel tests showed that without reducing the specificity, the sensitivity increased with the increase of the number of morphological characteristics and finally reached 98.81%. The INCIs and swirl arrangements are the most common and important indicators for the diagnosis of PTC, whereas papillary-like arrangements, the crowding and overlap of nuclear, grooves, marginally placed micronucleoli, and multinucleated giant cells are of little significance for the diagnosis of PTC.

Diffuse midline glioma with H3-K27M mutation: A rare case with GFAP-positive anucleate whorled patterns.

INTRODUCTION: Diffuse midline glioma with H3-K27M mutation is an infiltrative high-grade glioma, with predominantly astrocytic differentiation. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 54-year-old Chinese woman presented with memory loss for a month and walking instability for 15 days. DIAGNOSIS: Magnetic resonance imaging showed a mass shadow of isometric T1 and slightly longer T2 with mild mixed signals in the third ventricle of the suprasellar region. Histologically, the tumor was primarily sheet-like, with many "anucleate areas" composed of long and thin fibrillary processes of the bipolar cells, which formed "whorls." The neoplastic nuclei were ovoid and moderate in size. The tumor showed brisk mitotic activity and vascular proliferation, with no necrosis. In addition to histone H3K27M mutation, immunohistochemical staining showed that the tumor cells were positive for glial fibrillary acidic protein, oligodendrocyte transcription factor 2, alpha-thalassemia/mental retardation syndrome X, S-100 and Vimentin. The "anucleate areas" were positive for glial fibrillary acidic protein and negative for synaptophysin. The Ki-67 proliferation index was about 10%. Molecular genetic analyses detected H3F3A K27M mutation, but no mutations in IDH1 or IDH2, TERT promoter mutations, MGMT promoter methylation, KIAA1549-BRAF fusion or deletion of 1p/19q were found. Based on these findings, the patient was diagnosed as diffuse midline glioma with H3-K27M mutation in the third ventricle, corresponding to WHO grade 4. INTERVENTIONS: A craniotomy with total excision of the tumor was performed. OUTCOMES: After surgery, she was routinely treated with temozolomide for chemotherapy and synchronous radiotherapy. It has been 11 months now, and the patient is living well. CONCLUSION: This case report provides information on the microscopic morphological features of diffuse midline glioma with H3K27M mutation, which can help pathologists to make a definitive diagnosis of this tumor.

Expression and Significance of HPV16 E6/E7 mRNAs in the Bronchial Brush and TBNA Cells of Patients With Small Cell Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is characterized by rapid growth, strong invasion, and early metastasis. However, the cause of its occurrence remains unclear. High-risk HPV infection is closely related to the occurrence of non-small cell lung cancer and cervical small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. METHODS: The expression levels of E6 mRNA and E7 mRNA in HPV16 were detected by qRT-PCR in the bronchial brushing and transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) of 310 patients with lung cancer and with benign lung diseases. To make the design of this experiment scientific and reasonable, the expression levels in lung squamous cell carcinoma were taken as positive controls, while those in benign cells were taken as negative controls. RESULTS: The expression levels of E6 mRNA and E7 mRNA in SCLC group were significantly higher than those in benign cell group and slight higher than those in squamous cell carcinoma group. The expression levels of E6 mRNA and E7 mRNA in the central type of SCLC were significantly higher than those in the peripheral type of SCLC. CONCLUSIONS: We speculate that the occurrence of some small cell carcinoma is the same as that of some squamous cell carcinoma, which is closely related to HPV16 infection. The overexpression of E6 mRNA and E7 mRNA is in some benign lesion cells, which may be related to HPV transient infection.

Human papillomavirus16 E6 but not E7 upregulates GLUT1 expression in lung cancer cells by upregulating thioredoxin expression.

Background and objective: E6 and E7 proteins in human papillomavirus (HPV) 16 are major oncogenes in several types of tumors, including lung cancer. Previous studies have demonstrated that both E6 and E7 oncoproteins can upregulate GLUT1 protein and mRNA expression levels in lung cancer cells. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the main differences in the molecular mechanisms of GLUT1 expression regulated by E6 and E7. Methods: The double directional genetic manipulation and immunofluorescence were performed to explore the molecular mechanism of E6 or E7 upregulating the expression of GLUT1 in H1299 and A549 cell lines. Results: The overexpression of E6 in well-established lung cancer cell lines upregulated thioredoxin (Trx) protein expression. Notably, plasmid transfection or small interfering RNA transfection with E7 had no regulatory effect on Trx expression. As an important disulfide reductase of the intracellular antioxidant system, Trx plays important role in maintaining oxidative stress balance and protecting cells from oxidative damage. The overexpression of Trx increased the activation of NF-κB by upregulating p65 expression and promoting p65 nuclear translocation, and further upregulated GLUT1 protein and mRNA expression levels. The results of the present study demonstrated that E6, but not E7, upregulated GLUT1 expression in lung cancer cells by activating NF-κB due to the participation of Trx. Conclusion: These results suggest that Trx plays an important role in the pathogenesis of HPV-associated lung cancer, and propose a novel therapeutic target for HPV-associated lung cancer.

Axin downregulates TCF-4 transcription via beta-catenin, but not p53, and inhibits the proliferation and invasion of lung cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: We previously reported that overexpression of Axin downregulates T cell factor-4 (TCF-4) transcription. However, the mechanism(s) by which Axin downregulates the transcription and expression of TCF-4 is not clear. It has been reported that beta-catenin promotes and p53 inhibits TCF-4 transcription, respectively. The aim of this study was to investigate whether beta-catenin and/or p53 is required for Axin-mediated downregulation of TCF-4. RESULTS: Axin mutants that lack p53/HIPK2 and/or beta-catenin binding domains were expressed in lung cancer cells, BE1 (mutant p53) and A549 (wild type p53). Expression of Axin or AxinDeltap53 downregulates beta-catenin and TCF-4, and knock-down of beta-catenin upregulates TCF-4 in BE1 cells. However, expression of AxinDeltabeta-ca into BE1 cells did not downregulate TCF-4 expression. These results indicate that Axin downregulates TCF-4 transcription via beta-catenin. Although overexpression of wild-type p53 also downregulates TCF-4 in BE1 cells, cotransfection of p53 and AxinDeltabeta-ca did not downregulate TCF-4 further. These results suggest that Axin does not promote p53-mediated downregulation of TCF-4. Axin, AxinDeltap53, and AxinDeltabeta-ca all downregulated beta-catenin and TCF-4 in A549 cells. Knock-down of p53 upregulated beta-catenin and TCF-4, but cotransfection of AxinDeltabeta-ca and p53 siRNA resulted in downregulation of beta-catenin and TCF-4. These results indicate that p53 is not required for Axin-mediated downregulation of TCF-4. Knock-down or inhibition of GSK-3beta prevented Axin-mediated downregulation of TCF-4. Furthermore, expression of Axin and AxinDeltap53, prevented the proliferative and invasive ability of BE1 and A549, expression of AxinDeltabeta-ca could only prevented the proliferative and invasive ability effectively. CONCLUSIONS: Axin downregulates TCF-4 transcription via beta-catenin and independently of p53. Axin may also inhibits the proliferation and invasion of lung cancer cells via beta-catenin and p53.

Downregulation of HDPR1 is associated with poor prognosis and affects expression levels of p120-catenin and beta-catenin in nonsmall cell lung cancer.

HDPR1 (human homologue of Dapper) is considered as a Dishevelled (DVL) antagonist in WNT signaling. We recently reported that DVL was associated with cytoplasmic accumulation of beta-catenin in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Whether cytoplasmic accumulation of beta-catenin is correlated with HDPR1 is unclear. Xenopus Dapper (XDpr) was found to stabilize p120-catenin (p120ctn) in Xenopus embryogenesis. However, whether HDPR1 can regulate p120ctn expression level is not reported. Furthermore, how HDPR1 influences invasiveness in lung carcinogenesis is also not well understood. In this study, our aims were to explore the effects of HDPR1 on the lung carcinogenesis and to examine the relationship among HDPR1, beta-catenin, and p120ctn. Immunohistochemical analysis in 120 NSCLC tissues showed that HDPR1 was significantly lower in 82 specimens (68.3%). Reverse transcription (RT)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blotting analysis showed that the mRNA and protein expression of HDPR1 were lower in tumor tissues as compared to corresponding nontumorous tissues. Moreover, reduced HDPR1 expression was related to the clinicopathological factors and was an independent risk factor for prognosis of the patients with NSCLC. In addition, HDPR1 expression was also associated with the expression of p120ctn and beta-catenin in lung cancer tissues. Knockdown of HDPR1 gene enhanced the invasive ability of lung cancer cells, which was dependent on p120ctn and independent of beta-catenin. In conclusion, the function of HDPR1 on regulating p120ctn may play an important role in human lung carcinogenesis. Restoration of HDPR1 gene may be a new therapeutic target of lung cancer.

P120-catenin isoforms 1A and 3A differently affect invasion and proliferation of lung cancer cells.

Different isoforms of p120-catenin (p120ctn), a member of the Armadillo gene family, are variably expressed in different tissues as a result of alternative splicing and the use of multiple translation initiation codons. When expressed in cancer cells, these isoforms may confer different properties with respect to cell adhesion and invasion. We have previously reported that the p120ctn isoforms 1 and 3 were the most highly expressed isoforms in normal lung tissues, and their expression level was reduced in lung tumor cells. To precisely define their biological roles, we transfected p120ctn isoforms 1A and 3A into the lung cancer cell lines A549 and NCI-H460. Enhanced expression of p120ctn isoform 1A not only upregulated E-cadherin and beta-catenin, but also downregulated the Rac1 activity, and as a result, inhibited the ability of cells to invade. In contrast, overexpression of p120ctn isoform 3A led to the inactivation of Cdc42 and the activation of RhoA, and had a smaller influence on invasion. However, we found that isoform 3A had a greater ability than isoform 1A in both inhibiting the cell cycle and reducing tumor cell proliferation. The present study revealed that p120ctn isoforms 1A and 3A differently regulated the adhesive, proliferative, and invasive properties of lung cancer cells through distinct mechanisms.

Human papillomavirus 16 (HPV 16) E6 but not E7 inhibits the antitumor activity of LKB1 in lung cancer cells by downregulating the expression of KIF7.

BACKGROUND: The E6 and E7 proteins in human papillomavirus 16 (HPV 16) are the main oncogenes in the occurrence of lung cancer. In recent studies, we found that E6 and E7 downregulated the expression of LKB1 in lung cancer cells. However, it is still unclear how E6 and E7 regulate LKB1 in lung cancer cells. METHODS: Double directional genetic manipulation and nuclear plasma separation technology were performed to explore the molecular mechanism of E6 and E7 inhibiting the antitumor activity of LKB1 in well-established lung cancer cell lines. RESULTS: E6 but not E7 significantly downregulated the expression of tumor suppressor KIF7 at protein level, and the inhibition of KIF7 further reduced the expression of LKB1 both in the nuclei and in the cytoplasm, whereas reduced the expression of p-LKB1 in the cytoplasm only. This suggested that HPV 16 E6 but not E7 downregulates the antitumor activity of LKB1 by downregulating the expression of p-LKB1 in the cytoplasm only. CONCLUSIONS: Here, we demonstrated for the first time that E6 but not E7 inhibits the antitumor activity of LKB1 in lung cancer cells by downregulating the expression of KIF7. Our findings provide new evidence to support the important role of KIF7 in the pathogenesis of lung cancer and suggests new therapeutic targets.

Ablation of p120-catenin enhances invasion and metastasis of human lung cancer cells.

p120-catenin, a member of the Armadillo gene family, has emerged as both a master regulator of cadherin stability and an important modulator of small GTPase activities. Therefore, it plays novel roles in tumor malignant phenotype, such as invasion and metastasis. We have reported previously that abnormal expression of p120-catenin is associated with lymph node metastasis in lung squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) and adenocarcinomas. To investigate the role and possible mechanism of p120-catenin in lung cancer, we knocked down p120-catenin using small interfering RNA (siRNA). We found that ablation of p120-catenin reduced the levels of E-cadherin and beta-catenin proteins, as well as the mRNA of beta-catenin. Furthermore, p120-catenin depletion inactivated RhoA, but increased the activity of Cdc42 and Rac1, and promoted proliferation and the invasive ability of lung cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. Our data reveal that p120-catenin gene knockdown enhances the metastasis of lung cancer cells, probably by either depressing cell-cell adhesion due to lower levels of E-cadherin and beta-catenin, or altering the activity of small GTPase, such as inactivation of RhoA and activation of Cdc42/Rac1.

Abnormal expression of p120-catenin, E-cadherin, and small GTPases is significantly associated with malignant phenotype of human lung cancer.

Studies on a variety of cell lines have shown that p120-catenin can directly regulate the stability of E-cadherin complexes and control the activity of small GTPases to influence cell adhesion. Despite this data, clinical studies of human solid tumors have not been reported to investigate these protein interactions. To explore the correlation between p120-catenin, E-cadherin, and small GTPases in human lung cancer, we examined the expression patterns of p120-catenin, E-cadherin, RhoA, Cdc42, and Rac1, and their prognostic significance in 138 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). While normal bronchial epithelium showed strong membrane expression of p120-catenin and E-cadherin, lung cancer tissues had reduced membrane expression and ectopic cytoplasmic expression of p120-catenin and E-cadherin. Expression of RhoA, Cdc42, and Rac1 was also found to be higher in tumor tissue than in normal lung tissue. A correlation between abnormal p120-catenin, E-cadherin expression, and overexpression of specific small GTPases was also associated with poor differentiation, high TNM stage, and lymph node metastasis in NSCLC patients. We also used an in vitro model to evaluate their expression, and to determine whether protein expression correlated with the invasive capacity of lung cancer cell lines. Consistent with our in vivo data, abnormal expression of p120-catenin and E-cadherin with overexpression of specific small GTPases were significantly associated with the high metastatic capacity of BE1 cells. Based on our results, we conclude that abnormal p120-catenin expression correlates with abnormal E-cadherin expression and specific small GTPase overexpression, which contribute to the malignancy-related to NSCLC.

LncRNA MEG3 acts a biomarker and regulates cell functions by targeting ADAR1 in colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most prevalent malignancy and has the fourth highest global cancer mortality rate. Early diagnosis and prompt medical attention can improve quality of life and the prognosis of CRC patients. Accumulating evidence reveals that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) function as oncogenes or anti-oncogenes, as well as biomarkers in various cancers. AIM: To investigate the levels and molecular mechanism of the lncRNA maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3) in CRC. METHODS: The levels of lncRNA MEG3 in CRC tissue, serum and cell line samples were explored via qRT-PCR. The relationship between MEG3 levels and clinicopathological features in CRC was investigated. The diagnostic and prognostic values of serum MEG3 levels were analyzed with ROC curves and Kaplan­Meier survival curves, respectively. RESULTS: Significant decreased levels of MEG3 existed in CRC tissue, cell lines and serum. CRC patients with down-regulated serum MEG3 levels had larger tumor sizes, and advanced clinical stages. The sensitivity and specificity of serum MEG3 levels in CRC detection was 0.667 and 0.875, respectively. Tumor size, T stages, and serum MEG3 levels are indie factors that produce an effect on CRC patients' prognosis. Kaplan­Meier survival curves suggested that CRC patients with high levels of MEG3 had a remarkably better overall survival rate. CONCLUSION: LncRNA MEG3 is down-regulated in CRC, and regulates cell functions by targeting adenosine deaminase's effect on RNA 1 in CRC.

Granular cell tumors overexpress TFE3 without gene rearrangement: Evaluation of immunohistochemistry and break-apart FISH in 45 cases.

Transcription factor E3 (TFE3) is a useful marker for tumors with Xp11.2 translocation, including alveolar soft part sarcoma and renal cell carcinoma. Recently, TFE3 overexpression was also found in granular cell tumors (GrCTs). However, the case cohorts of these two studies were limited to only 11 and 6 cases. Whether aberrant TFE3 expression is a common feature of Asian patients with GrCT requires further investigation. In the present study, immunohistochemical staining and TFE3 break-apart fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay were performed in 45 samples of GrCTs obtained from Chinese patients recruited from three medical centers in northeast China. Diffusive and marked nuclear staining for TFE3 was identified in 11/45 (24%) cases, which was lower than previously reported. Focal or weak TFE3 staining was identified in 13/45 (29%) cases. The remaining 21 cases were negative stained. In addition, GrCTs in subcutaneous tissue exhibited a relatively higher ratio (8/45, 18%) for TFE3 expression, compared with those in other sites. Furthermore, according to FISH data, no rearrangement or amplification of TFE3 was identified in these cases, whether they were positively or negatively stained for TFE3. The results from the present study demonstrated that part of patients GrCTs exhibited TFE3 overexpression, which suggested that this may not be derived from gene rearrangement.

Comparison of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Gene Mutations Identified Using Pleural Effusion and Primary Tumor Tissue Samples in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Although the use of pleural effusion samples for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) testing in lung cancer is increasing, the accuracy rate and effectiveness of identifying EGFR mutations using these samples, rather than primary tumor tissue samples, is not established. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred ninety-two advanced, non-small cell lung cancer patients were enrolled into this study. All patients had primary tumor tissue and corresponding pleural effusion samples, and we employed the Amplification Refractory Mutation System to detect EGFR gene mutations in these samples. RESULT: The number of EGFR mutations detected in primary tumor tissue and pleural effusion samples was 119 (61.98%) and 113 (58.85%), respectively. The EGFR-mutation rate was significantly higher in female than in male patients, and in adenocarcinoma than in nonadenocarcinoma patients (P=0.000). Single mutations in exons 19 and 21 were the predominant observed mutation type, and the overall concordance rate of EGFR-mutation status between the 192 matched pleural effusion and primary tumor tissue samples was 86.98%. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a high concordance rate between EGFR mutations identified using primary tumor tissue and corresponding pleural effusion samples by Amplification Refractory Mutation System. Thus, it is likely that pleural effusion sampling from advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients, especially those with adenocarcinoma, may be effective in EGFR-mutation screening.

Caspr1 is a host receptor for meningitis-causing Escherichia coli.

Escherichia coli is the leading cause of neonatal Gram-negative bacterial meningitis, but the pathogenesis of E. coli meningitis remains elusive. E. coli penetration of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is the critical step for development of meningitis. Here, we identify Caspr1, a single-pass transmembrane protein, as a host receptor for E. coli virulence factor IbeA to facilitate BBB penetration. Genetic ablation of endothelial Caspr1 and blocking IbeA-Caspr1 interaction effectively prevent E. coli penetration into the brain during meningitis in rodents. IbeA interacts with extracellular domain of Caspr1 to activate focal adhesion kinase signaling causing E. coli internalization into the brain endothelial cells of BBB. E. coli can invade hippocampal neurons causing apoptosis dependent on IbeA-Caspr1 interaction. Our results indicate that E. coli exploits Caspr1 as a host receptor for penetration of BBB resulting in meningitis, and that Caspr1 might be a useful target for prevention or therapy of E. coli meningitis.

Primary acinic cell carcinoma of the lung with psammoma bodies: A case report and review of literature.

Salivary gland-type tumors are rare in the lung. Primary acinic cell carcinoma of the lung is extremely rare. Here, we report a case of primary acinic cell carcinoma of the lung with prominent psammoma bodies. A 31-year-old man came to our hospital with a tumor in the basal segment of the lower lobe of the right lung. The tumor tissue displayed solid, acinar, or microcystic structures at different regions. A large amount of psammoma bodies were scattered in more than half of the tumor. The majority of the tumor cells were round or polygonal in shape, with abundant acidophilic granular or vacuolated cytoplasm. The results of tumor tissue tests were positive for periodic acid Schiff (PAS), broad-spectrum cytokeratin, and cytokeratin 7 staining, but negative for P63, TTF-1, CD56, synaptophysin, HMB45, and PR staining. Based on the clinical information, histological features, and the immunohistochemical staining profile, the tumor was diagnosed as a primary acinic cell carcinoma of the lung. This is the first report of primary acinic cell carcinoma with prominent psammoma bodies in the lung.