Establishment of patient-derived xenografts of retinoblastoma and choroidal melanoma on the avian chorioallantoic membrane

Purpose: To develop a viable in vivo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model to study the growth and invasion of patient?derived retinoblastoma (RB) and choroidal melanoma (CM) xenografts (PDXs). The study utilizes primary tumor samples instead of cancer cell lines, which provides a more authentic representation of tumors due to conserved morphology and heterogeneity. Methods: Fertilized chicken eggs were procured, windowed, and their CAM layers were dropped. On embryonic development day (EDD) 10, freshly cut patient?derived CM and RB tumors were implanted on the CAM layer and the setup was incubated for 7 days. The tumor?embedded CAM layer was harvested on EDD 17, and the extracted tumor samples were subjected to hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemical analysis to evaluate the extent of tumor invasion. Results: Significant changes in the vascularity around the RB and CM PDXs were observed, indicating an angiogenic environment. The cross?sectional histological view of the tumor implant site revealed the invasion of both the tumors into the CAM mesoderm. Invasion of CM into CAM mesoderm was visualized in the form of pigmented nodules, and that of RB was indicated by synaptophysin and Ki?67 positivity in Immunohistochemistry (IHC). Conclusion: The CAM xenograft model was successfully able to support the growth of CM and RB PDXs and their invasion in CAM, thus presenting as a feasible alternative to mammalian models for studying tumorigenicity and invasiveness of ocular tumors. Moreover, this model can further be utilized to develop personalized medicine by inoculating patient?specific tumors for preclinical drug screening.

Epigenetic drug library screening reveals targeting DOT1L abrogates NAD+synthesis by reprogramming H3K79 methylation in uveal melanoma / 药物分析学报

Uveal melanoma(UM)is the most frequent and life-threatening ocular malignancy in adults.Aberrant histone methylation contributes to the abnormal transcriptome during oncogenesis.However,a comprehensive understanding of histone methylation patterns and their therapeutic potential in UM remains enigmatic.Herein,using a systematic epi-drug screening and a high-throughput transcriptome profiling of histone methylation modifiers,we observed that disruptor of telomeric silencing-1-like(DOT1L),a methyltransferase of histone H3 lysine 79(H3K79),was activated in UM,especially in the high-risk group.Concordantly,a systematic epi-drug library screening revealed that DOT1 L inhibitors exhibited salient tumor-selective inhibitory effects on UM cells,both in vitro and in vivo.Combining Cleavage Under Targets and Tagmentation(CUT&Tag),RNA sequencing(RNA-seq),and bioinformatics analysis,we identified that DOT1 L facilitated H3K79 methylation of nicotinate phosphoribosyltransferase(NAPRT)and epigenetically activated its expression.Importantly,NAPRT served as an oncogenic accel-erator by enhancing nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide(NAD+)synthesis.Therapeutically,DOT1L inhi-bition epigenetically silenced NAPRT expression through the diminishment of dimethylation of H3K79(H3K79me2)in the NAPRT promoter,thereby inhibiting the malignant behaviors of UM.Conclusively,our findings delineated an integrated picture of the histone methylation landscape in UM and unveiled a novel DOT1L/NAPRT oncogenic mechanism that bridges transcriptional addiction and metabolic reprogramming.

Correlation analysis between SLC52A2 gene expression and prognosis of patients with uveal melanoma / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To analyze the correlation between SLC52A2 and uveal melanoma(UM)based on the cancer genome atlas(TCGA)database, and preliminarily explore the influence of SLC52A2 on the prognosis of UM patients and potential mechanism.METHODS: The clinical information on 80 patients with UM and mRNA expression data of SLC52A2 were collected from TCGA database. According to the expression level of SLC52A2, 80 patients were divided into high and low expression groups by median method. The relationship between the expression of SLC52A2 and clinical pathological features, as well as the prognosis was analyzed. The age, sex, clinical stage, pathological stage, and mRNA expression of SLC52A2 were analyzed by univariate and multivariate Cox analysis to search the prognostic factors of UM. Enrichment analyses were used to predict the possible regulatory pathway of SLC52A2 in UM.RESULTS: The survival prognosis of patients with low expression of SLC52A2 was better than that of patients with high expression of SLC52A2(P<0.05). The level of SLC52A2 has no significant correlation with the age, sex, clinical stage, and pathological stage of patients in both groups(P>0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis showed that the high expression of SLC52A2 was a risk factor for poor prognosis. The nomogram prediction model developed by combining the expression of SLC52A2 with clinical pathological features could accurately predict the survival probability of UM patients. The infiltration abundance of Th2 and Treg cells in both groups has difference(all P<0.001). GSEA analysis showed that the gene of JAK-STAT(FDR=0.028, P=0.004)and PI3K/AKT(FDR=0.017, P=0.002)were rich in samples with high expression of SLC52A2.CONCLUSION: The high expression of SLC52A2 is a risk factor for the prognosis of UM patients. SLC52A2 can be used as a biomarker to predict the prognosis and to become a new target for the treatment of patients with UM.

Role of sclerostin in the occurrence and development of uveal melanoma and its biological mechanism / 中华实验眼科杂志

Objective:To investigate the effects of sclerostin (SOST) and WNT/CTNNB1 signaling pathway on the cell cycle, migration and invasion of human uveal melanoma (UM) cells and its related mechanism.Methods:UM tissues from 20 cases of epithelioid UM and 16 cases of spindle cell type UM were collected.The contents of SOST, Wnt-1 and Catenin beta-1 proteins in the collected tissues were detected by immunohistochemical staining.Three human UM tissue derived cell lines OCM-1 (primary spindle cell type), Mum-2B (metastatic epithelioid) and Mum-2C (metastatic spindle cell type) were selected and divided into three groups, blank control group not transfected, empty vector group transfected with SOST negative control vector and SOST siRNA group transfected with SOST siRNA.After 24-hour transfection, the mRNA and protein expression levels of SOST, CTNNB1, WNT protein family 1 (WNT1), CCND1, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)2 and MMP9 were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot, respectively.The invasion and migration ability of the transfected cells were measured by transwell method, and the cell cycle distribution was detected by flow cytometry.Another 9 female BALB/c nude mice were selected and randomized into OCM-1 group, OCM-1 empty vector group and SOST shRNA group, inoculated with OCM-1 without lentivirus infection, OCM-1 with blank lentivirus infection and OCM-1 with SOST shRNA lentivirus infection, respectively.Six weeks after inoculation, the in situ formation of tumor was observed.The interaction between SOST and low density lipoprotein receptor related protein(LRP)-5/6 in OCM-1 cells was explored by co-immunoprecipitation assay.The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital (2018KY[L]-20).Results:Immunohistochemical staining results showed that the SOST expression level was higher and the expression levels of Wnt-1 and Catenin beta-1 were lower in spindle cell type UM tissues than in epithelioid UM tissues, and the differences were all statistically significant (all at P<0.01). The real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR results showed that the relative expression of SOST mRNA was significantly lower and the relative expressions of CCND1, WNT1 and MMP9 mRNA were significantly higher in SOST siRNA groups than in corresponding empty vector groups in the three cell lines (all at P<0.05). In OCM-1 and Mum-2C cell lines, the relative expressions of CTNNB1 mRNA were significantly higher in SOST siRNA groups than in empty vector groups (all at P<0.01). Western blot results showed that the relative expression of SOST protein was significantly lower and the relative expressions of Wnt-1, Catenin beta-1, cyclin-D1, MMP2 and MMP9 proteins were significantly higher in SOST siRNA groups than in empty vector groups (all at P<0.01). Transwell assay showed that the cell invasion and migration ability of SOST siRNA group was significantly higher than that of blank control group and empty vector group in the three cell lines (all at P<0.01). Flow cytometry showed that the proportion of G1-phase cells and the G1/S-phase ratio were significantly lower in SOST siRNA group than in blank control groups and empty vector groups (all at P<0.01). The eyeball volume of OCM-1 group, OCM-1 empty vector group and SOST shRNA group was (42.7±4.6), (49.0±22.9) and (135.2±32.7)mm 3, respectively, showing a significant overall difference ( F=19.963, P<0.01). The eyeball volume of SOST shRNA group was larger than that of OCM-1 group and OCM-1 empty vector group, and the differences were statistically significant (both at P<0.05). Co-immunoprecipitation results showed that SOST could interact with LRP-5 and LRP-6 by binding to them, respectively. Conclusions:Silencing SOST can promote the invasion and migration of UM cells, and increase the proportion of UM cells in the division phase.Silencing SOST can promote tumor growth in eyes of nude mice.SOST may play this function by interacting with the membrane receptor LRP-5/LRP-6 and then regulating the WNT/CTNNB1 signal pathway.

Estudio epidemiológico y anatomopatológico del melanoma uveal / Epidemiologic and anatomopathologic study of uveal melanoma

Objetivo: Determinar el comportamiento epidemiológico y anatomopatológico del melanoma uveal. Método: Estudio descriptivo, longitudinal y retrospectivo en pacientes enucleados por diagnóstico de melanoma uveal en el Centro Oftalmológico de Villa Clara entre enero de 2010 a mayo de 2021. Resultados: La edad media de presentación del melanoma uveal fue de 61,3 años. Las mujeres fueron ligeramente más afectadas que los hombres-56,3 por ciento. El 81,3 por ciento de los melanomas uveales se originó en la coroide. Los tumores de células epitelioides y fusiformes fueron los más representativos; ambos con un 37,5 por ciento. El grosor y diámetro basal medio en los tumores estudiados fue de 11,2 mm y 15,8 mm respectivamente; prevalecieron los tumores medianos con un 56,3 por ciento. Se encontró infiltración tumoral en 37,5 por ciento de los ojos, la infiltración escleral fue la más frecuente. Conclusiones: El melanoma uveal se presenta con mayor frecuencia en personas con edad avanzada y en la coroide. El estudio histológico confirma el diagnóstico en la totalidad de los casos. Aproximadamente 2/3 de los tumores con algún grado de infiltración son grandes y la mitad de células epitelioides(AU)

Objective: To determine the epidemiologic and anatomopathologic behavior of uveal melanoma. Methods: Descriptive, longitudinal and retrospective study in patients enucleated for diagnosis of uveal melanoma in the Ophthalmologic Center of Villa Clara from January 2010 to May 2021. Results: The average age of presentation of uveal melanoma was 61.3 years. Women were slightly more affected than men-56.3 percent. 81.3 percent of uveal melanomas originated in the choroid. Epithelioid and spindle cell tumors were the most representative; both with 37.5 percent. The average thickness and basal diameter of the tumors studied were 11.2mm and 15.8mm respectively; medium-sized tumors prevailed with 56.3 percent. Tumor infiltration was found in 37.5 percent of the eyes, scleral infiltration was the most frequent. Conclusions: Uveal melanoma occurs more frequently in people with advanced age and in the choroid. Histological study confirms the diagnosis in all cases. Approximately 2/3 of the tumors with some degree of infiltration are large and half are epithelioid cells(AU)

Necrosis of uveal melanoma post-COVID-19 vaccination

A 49?year?old Indian male presented with rapidly progressive vision loss 1 day after receiving the second dose of BNT162b2 mRNA coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID?19) vaccine (Pfizer?BioNTech, NY, USA). The eye had secondary angle closure glaucoma, bullous retinal detachment, and massive intraocular hemorrhage. Ultrasound showed an ill?defined subretinal mass with moderate internal reflectivity. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed an enhancing heterogeneous subretinal mass. Histopathology showed a necrotic melanocytic lesion arising from the posterior edge of the ciliary body and choroid. Necrotic uveal melanoma was confirmed after expert histopathology opinion. Uveal melanomas can rarely present with tumor necrosis following mRNA COVID?19 vaccination.

Congenital Ocular Melanocytosis: Case Report

Aims: To describe Congenital Ocular Melanocytosis.Presentation of Case: LPC, 7 years old, male, brown, with no previous comorbidities, was taken to the ophthalmology outpatient clinic of the Hospital Universit醨io Ant鬾io Pedro, Brazil by parents who alleged the presence of bluish-looking lesions in the sclera of the child's right eye since birth.Discussion: Congenital Ocular Melanocytosis is a rare pathology characterized by an increase in the number, size and pigmentation of melanocytes. Its pathophysiological picture is unknown, but it is believed to be due to an alteration in the migration of melanocytes from the neural crest to the epidermis during the embryonic process. This condition can be complicated by glaucoma and uveal melanoma. Gonioscopy is essential in these cases to assess whether there is pigmentation of the trabeculae, so that the propaedeutics of investigation of glaucoma becomes essential in these patients, since 10% of cases can complicate this condition.Conclusions: Congenital Ocular Melanocytosis early in life and the importance of monitoring these patients should be emphasized. Comprehensive tests are important for early detection and treatment, in order to improve the prognosis and avoid more severe consequences than what can happen from melanocytosis.

Melanoma del cuerpo ciliar en un adulto joven: reporte de caso / Ciliary body melanoma in a young adult: a case report

Resumen Reporte de un caso: Femenino de 29 años de edad sin comorbilidades, con baja visual progresiva en ojo derecho de 1 mes de evolución. A la exploración oftalmológica agudeza visual de ese ojo en 20/80, conjuntiva bulbar superior con vaso centinela, masa retroiridiana color naranja vascularizada que subluxa el cristalino hacia inferior. Por ultrabiomicroscopía se evidencia una masa en domo dependiente del cuerpo ciliar de 4.87x5.74mm con reflectividad interna media y regular. Se realiza primeramente BAAF reportando melanoma, después se hace enucleación con resultado histopatológico de melanoma amelanótico. Posterior, se realiza implante de prótesis cosmética y se encuentra en seguimiento por oncología sin presentar datos de actividad tumoral después de 4 años. Discusión: Los melanomas uveales son la causa más común de tumores malignos intraoculares primarios en adultos, localizados principalmente en coroides (90%), siendo extremadamente rara su aparición en el cuerpo ciliar (6%) e iris (4%). El abordaje de un tumor del cuerpo ciliar debe incluir una anamnesis y exploración física completa con estudios paraclínicos adecuados para poder discernir entre los diagnósticos diferenciales. El ultrasonido ocular es el estudio auxiliar más importante ya que brinda características típicas propias del tumor. El tratamiento continúa basado en el COMS con un pronóstico sombrío. Los factores de mal pronóstico son presencia de metástasis, tamaño del tumor, extensión extraocular y estirpe epitelioide. Limitaciones: No se contaban con todas las alternativas de tratamiento. Originalidad: Caso inusual en pacientes jóvenes y por su sitio.

Abstract: Case report: 29-year-old female with no comorbidities, with progressive vision loss in the right eye of 1 month's evolution. On ophthalmological examination, visual acuity was 20/80, superior bulbar conjunctiva with sentinel vessel, vascularised orange retroiridian mass generating a lens subluxation inferiorly. Ultrabiomicroscopy revealed a dome-shaped mass dependent on the ciliary body measuring 4.87x5.74mm with medium and regular internal reflectivity. A FNA was done and melanoma was reported, then enucleation was performed with histopathological findings of amelanotic melanoma. Subsequently, a cosmetic prosthesis was implanted and the patient has been followed up by oncology with no evidence of tumour activity after 4 years. Discussion: Uveal melanomas are the most common cause of primary intraocular malignant tumours in adults, mainly located in the choroid (90%), being extremely rare in the ciliary body (6%) and iris (4%). The approach to a ciliary body tumour should include a complete anamnesis and physical examination with appropriate paraclinical studies to be able to discern between differential diagnoses. Ocular ultrasound is the most important ancillary study as it provides typical features of the tumour. Treatment is still based on COMS and the prognosis remains poor. Poor prognostic factors are the presence of metastases, tumour size, extraocular extension and epithelioid lineage. Limitations: Not all treatment alternatives were available. Originality: Unusual case in young patients and because of its site.

Patients presenting with stage IV uveal melanoma: Lessons learned

Challenges persist in identifying patients with stage IV uveal melanoma. While clinical, histopathologic, and genetic features of the primary tumor have been shown to provide prognostic value for assessing metastatic risk, biopsy?related genetic analyses are expensive and not universally available. Therefore, this review will focus on clinical characteristics. Initial staging and follow?up screening protocols have evolved for patients with uveal melanoma. The Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study (COMS) required a physical examination, chest X?ray, and hematologic survey (primarily liver function tests). Though these studies were found to have a high specificity, COMS investigators typically found late?stage metastases. More recently, protocols have concentrated on liver imaging (abdominal ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging). Though hepatic radiographic imaging has been found more likely to reveal earlier metastatic uveal melanoma, by definition it cannot detect most extrahepatic and multiorgan metastases. An international multicenter registry study recently focused on patients who were diagnosed with stage IV uveal melanoma simultaneously with their primary intraocular melanoma. Therein, utilizing center?specific diagnostic methods, stage IV was found to occur in about 2% of patients. However, subgroup analysis found that a disproportionate number of multi?organ metastases were discovered when whole?body positron emission tomography/computed tomography was used for staging. Herein, we review the literature on patients who present with stage IV uveal melanoma, how they were detected, and their outcomes.

Evaluation of plasma exosomal miR-214-3p as a potential biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of uveal melanoma / 中华实验眼科杂志

Objective:To investigate the differential expression of microRNA (miR)-214-3p in plasma exosomes in different types of uveal melanoma (UM) and evaluate whether miR-214-3p is a potential molecular biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of UM.Methods:Twenty-five UM in situ patients who received the enucleation of eyeball were enrolled at Beijing Tongren Hospital from December 2015 to October 2019, including 10 with epithelioid cell melanoma and 10 with spindle cell melanoma as well as 5 metastatic UM patients (1 with spindle cell-like melanoma and 4 with epithelioid cell-like melanoma) and 10 healthy subjects were enrolled during the same period.Blood sample was collected from all the subjects for the isolation of plasma exosomes.The morphology of exosomes was examined under the electron microscope.The exsomal marker proteins were identified by Western blot.The expression level of miR-214-3p in plasma exosomes was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR.The differential expression of miR-214-3p among different types of UM patients and healthy controls was compared.The diagnostic and classification performance of exosomal miR-214-3p was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curve.Written informed consent was obtained from each subject prior to entering the study cohort.This study protocol was approved by an Ethics Committee of Capital Medical Univeristy (No.TRECKY2018-056).Results:The isolated exosomes were hemispherical in shape with a concavity on one side.The diameter of the exosomes was about 100 nm and the particle diameter of vesicles from samples was (82.0±2.7) nm.TSG101 protein was detectable and Calnexin protein was not found in the exosomes.The relative expression levels of plasma exosomal miR-214-3p in healthy control group, in situ UM group and metastatic UM group were 0.86(0.57, 1.49), 0.24(0.10, 0.67), and 0.43(0.23, 0.56), respectively.The miR-214-3p relative expression level in plasma exosomes of in situ UM patients and metastatic UM patients was significantly lower than that of healthy controls, and the differences were statistically significant ( Z=2.62, P<0.01; Z=2.08, P<0.05). The relative expression levels of exosomal miR-214-3p in spindle cell-like UM group and epithelioid cell-like UM group were 0.11(0.07, 0.64) and 0.46(0.14, 0.91), respectively, and no significant difference was found in the expression level of plasma exosomal miR-214-3p among different types of UM (all at P>0.05). The area under the curve of plasma exosomal miR-214-3p for UM diagnosis was 0.795. Conclusions:Plasma exosomal miR-214-3p level is significantly reduced in both in situ UM patients and metastatic UM patients.Plasma exosomal miR-214-3p is a new potential diagnostic biomarker for UM, but the exosomal miR-214-3p appears to not be able to distinguish the types of UM.

Relationship between BAP1, FOXO3 and ITPR2 gene expression and metastasis and prognosis of uveal melanoma / 中华实验眼科杂志

Objective:To explore the potential biomarkers for the metastasis and prognosis of uveal melanoma (UM) from molecular genetics.Methods:The data of 80 UM samples including 18 metastatic cases and 62 non-metastatic cases between 2007 and 2019 were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas database.The tumor mutation burden and gene mutation information, including mutant genes, variant type, the proportion of single nucleotide variation (SNV) and mutation proportion, were analyzed using maftools package in R software, and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the two groups were screened using edgeR package.The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis based on the DEGs was performed to screen prognosis-associated genes using KOBAS.Cox regression model was established using survival package in R software to verify the association between gene mutation and DEGs and the prognosis of UM patients.Results:The mutation analysis showed that missense mutation accounted for a large proportion in the mutation of UM samples, and the main variant type was SNV, and the mutation burden of UM was low.Compared with the non-metastatic UM samples, 562 DEGs were identified in the metastatic UM samples.Three pathways, including vitreoretinal degeneration, proteoglycans in cancer, and PI3K-Akt pathway, were significantly enriched.The expression levels of BAP1, FOXO3 and ITPR2 were 2 982.50 (1 251.50, 5 637.00), 1 223.00 (914.75, 2 706.25) and 2 201.50 (570.75, 4 814.00)in the metastatic group, and 5 225.00 (2 281.25, 8 784.00), 2 293.50 (1 254.25, 3 693.75) and 474.00 (153.00, 1 437.75) in the non-metastatic group, respectively.The expression of BAP1 and FOXO3 among the DEGs were significantly down-regulated and ITPR2 expression was significantly up-regulated in the metastatic group in comparison with the non-metastatic group ( Z=-1.786, -1.982, -3.065; all at P<0.10). The survival analysis revealed BAP1 mutation, decreased FOXO3 expression and increased ITPR2 expression were associated with inferior survival of UM patients (all at P<0.10). Conclusions:BAP1 mutation, up-regulation of FOXO3 and down-regulation of ITPR2 might be potential biomarkers for the metastasis and prognosis of UM.

Primary uveal melanoma metastasizing to the intraconal space of the contralateral orbit: A case report

@#<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Objective.</strong> We present an extremely rare case of primary uveal melanoma (PUM) metastasizing to the intraconal space of the contralateral orbit without involving the liver.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Case summary.</strong> This is a case of a 66-year-old woman who underwent enucleation of the right eye for an intra ocular mass five years prior to consult and had a histopathologic diagnosis of spindle cell melanoma. She had no skin lesions nor distant metastasis on systemic work-up. Five years later, she came back for gradual loss of vision in the left eye associated with eye pain and progressive proptosis from a intraconal orbital mass. Excision biopsy of said mass revealed an epithelioid cell melanoma. Again, she has no skin lesions nor liver involvement.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Conclusion.</strong> PUM metastasizing to the intraconal space of the contralateral orbit without liver involvement as seen in our patient is exceedingly rare. Despite differences in the histopathologic characteristics, the orbital melanoma was presumed to be metastasis due to the rarity of a second primary and its delayed presentation compared to the PUM.</p>

Expression of HMGA1 in uveal melanoma and its effect on cell proliferation and invasion / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

@#AIM: To investigate the expression of high mobility group A1(HMGA1)protein in uveal melanoma(UM)tissues, and the effect of inhibiting the expression of <i>HMGA1</i> on cell proliferation and invasion. <p>METHODS: A total of 53 cases(53 eyes)of UM patients who underwent surgical treatment in our hospital from February 2014 to August 2019 were selected. In the same period, 34 cases(34 eyes)of normal uveal tissues removed from the eye due to trauma were selected. The expression of HMGA1 protein in tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry. The human UM cell line M23 was cultured and divided into <i>HMGA1</i> downregulation group, negative control group and blank group, respectively, transfected with <i>HMGA1</i> interference sequence, negative control sequence and without any treatment. The expression of <i>HMGA1 </i>was detected by real-time quantitative PCR. The cell proliferation ability was detected by CCK-8 method, and the cell migration and invasion abilities were detected by Transwell method.<p>RESULTS: The positive expression rate of HMGA1 protein in UM tissue was 77%, which was higher than that in the normal uveal tissue, which was 29%(<i>P</i><0.001). Compared with the no scleral occurring infiltration, no ciliary body involving, and no extraocular growth, the positive expression rates of HMGA1 proteins in the scleral infiltration, ciliary body involving, and extraocular growth occurring tissues were increased(all <i>P</i><0.05). The relative expression level of <i>HMGA1</i> mRNA in cells in the <i>HMGA1</i> downregulation group was lower than that in the negative control group and the blank group. Compared with the negative control group and the blank group, the absorbance <i>OD</i> values of cells in the <i>HMGA1</i> downregulation group at 24, 48, 72 and 96h were decreased(<i>P</i><0.05). The number of migrating cells and the number of invading cells in the <i>HMGA1</i> downregulation group was significantly less than those in the negative control group and the blank group(<i>P</i><0.05). <p>CONCLUSION: The positive expression rate of HMGA1 protein in UM tissue is increased. Down regulation the expression of <i>HMGA1</i> in M23 cells can reduce cell proliferation and inhibit cell migration and invasion.

Effect of Mir-127-3p on Proliferation，Apoptosis，Migration and Invasion of Uveal Melanoma Cells via Targeting MAPK4 / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

@#【Objective】To investigate the effect of miR- 127-3p on proliferation，apoptosis，migration and invasion of uveal melanoma cells.【Methods】The expression of miR- 127- 3p and MAPK4 mRNA in human uveal melanoma tissues and cells，normal tissues and cells were detected by RT-qPCR. The mimic-NC，miR-127-3p mimic，pc-MAPK4 plasmids were transfected into SP6.5 or OM431 cells，respectively，by Lipofectamine 2000. The relationship between miR-127-3p and MAPK4 counterstaining was detected by dual luciferase assay. Cell proliferation was detected by CCK- 8 method，apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry，cell migration ability was detected by scratch test，cell invasion ability was detected by Transwell method，and relative expression level of AKT/mTOR pathway protein was detected by Western blot.【Results】In uveal melanoma tissues and cell lines，the expression of miR- 127-3p was down-regulated（P < 0.01）while that of MAPK4 expression was significantly up-regulated（P < 0.01）. The binding site of miR-127-3p and MAPK4 3′UTR region，the high expression of miR-127-3p significantly inhibited the luciferase activity of wild-type MAPK4 plasmid（P < 0.01），but the mutant MAPK4 plasmid Luciferase activity has no effect. Compared with the Control group ，the proliferation of SP6.5 cells and OM431 cells in miR- 127-3p mimic group were significantly decreased（P < 0.01），and the apoptotic rate was significantly increased（P < 0.01）. The scratch closure rate was obvious. The decrease（P < 0.01）， the number of invading cells per field was significantly decreased（P < 0.01），and the expression of p-AKT（T308）/AKT and p-mTORr（S473）/mTOR protein were significantly down-regulated（P < 0.01）. Transfection of pc-MAPK4 reversed the above changes.【Conclusion】MiR-127-3p inhibits proliferation，migration and invasion of uveal melanoma cells and induces apoptosis by down-regulating MAPK4，which may be involved in the inhibition of AKT/mTOR pathway activation.

Study of Gq mutations and their inhibitors in uveal melanoma / 药学学报

Uveal melanoma (UM) is one of most common ocular cancers and is extremely malignant; so far there is no effective treatment. Moreover, the survival period is only 2-7 months after metastasis. It has been proven that more than 83% of uveal melanomas harbor mutations in G protein subunit α q (GNAQ) or G protein subunit α 11 (GNA11), among which 95% are a Q209P/L single-site mutation. Q209P/L mutations lead to dysfunction of guanine triphosphatase (GTPase) in the G protein and result in constitutive activation of downstream pathways including mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT), Ras homologue (Rho)/ Rho-associated kinase (Rock)/Yes-associated protein (YAP) and others. Therefore, targeting GNAQ/GNA11 mutations are potential strategies for UM treatment. This review will focus on roles of G protein mutations in UM progression, and the potential therapeutic effects of GNAQ/GNA11 inhibitors, and will provide insights into basic and clinical research on UM treatment.

Prognostication of uveal melanoma is simple and highly predictive using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) classification: A review

Purpose: The cancer genome atlas (TCGA) is a comprehensive project supported by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in the United States to explore molecular alterations in cancer, including uveal melanoma (UM). This led to TCGA classification for UM. In this report, we review the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) classification and TCGA classification for UM from the NCI's Center for Cancer Genomics (NCI CCG) (based on enucleation specimens [n = 80 eyes]) and from Wills Eye Hospital (WEH) (based on fine needle aspiration biopsy [FNAB] specimens [n = 658 eyes]). We then compare accuracy and predictability of AJCC versus (vs.) TCGA. Methods: Review of published reports on AJCC and TCGA classification for UM was performed. Outcomes based on AJCC 7th and 8th editions were assessed. For TCGA, UM was classified based on chromosomes 3 and 8 findings including disomy 3 (D3), monosomy 3 (M3), disomy 8 (D8), 8q gain (8qG), or 8q gain multiple (8qGm) and combined into four classes including Class A (D3/D8), Class B (D3/8qG), Class C (M3/8qG), and Class D (M3/8qGm). Outcomes of metastasis and death were explored and a comparison (AJCC vs. TCGA) was performed. Results: In the NCI CCG study, there were 80 eyes with UM sampled by enucleation (n = 77), resection (n = 2), or orbitotomy (n = 1) and analysis revealed four distinct genetic classes. Metastasis and death outcomes were subsequently evaluated per class in the WEH study. The WEH study reviewed 658 eyes with UM, sampled by FNAB, and found Class A (n = 342, 52%), B (n = 91, 14%), C (n = 118, 18%), and D (n = 107, 16%). Comparison by increasing class (A vs. B vs. C vs. D) revealed older mean patient age (P < 0.001), worse entering visual acuity (P < 0.001), greater distance from the optic disc (P < 0.001), larger tumor diameter (P < 0.001), and greater tumor thickness (P < 0.001). Regarding outcomes, more advanced TCGA class demonstrated increased 5-year risk for metastasis (4% vs. 20% vs. 33% vs. 63%,P < 0.001) with corresponding increasing hazard ratio (HR) (1.0 vs. 4.1, 10.1, 30.0,P= 0.01 for B vs. A andP < 0.001 for C vs. A and D vs. A) as well as increased 5-year estimated risk for death (1% vs. 0% vs. 9% vs. 23%,P < 0.001) with corresponding increasing HR (1 vs. NA vs. 3.1 vs. 13.7,P= 0.11 for C vs. A andP < 0.001 for D vs. A). Comparison of AJCC to TCGA classification revealed TCGA was superior in prediction of metastasis and death from UM. Conclusion: TCGA classification for UM is simple, accurate, and highly predictive of melanoma-related metastasis and death, more so than the AJCC classification.

Uveal melanoma in a canine: a case report / Melanoma uveal en un canino: un reporte de caso / Melanoma uveal em um canino: um relato de caso

Abstract In this report we present the clinical case of a Harlequin Great Dane male canine, which presented the opaque and very red right eye. In the ophthalmological examination he presented an acute picture of uveitis, followed by glaucoma and visual deficit, and does not report physical trauma or a blunt force at eye level. The definitive diagnosis was uveal melanoma, confirmed by ultrasound, cytology and histopathology.

Resumen En el presente reporte se expone el caso clínico de un canino macho Gran Danés Arlequín, el cual, presentó el ojo derecho opaco y muy rojo. En el examen oftalmológico presentó un cuadro agudo de uveitis, seguido por glaucoma y déficit visual; no reporta trauma físico o algún golpe contundente a nivel ocular. El diagnóstico definitivo fue melanoma uveal, confirmado por ecografía, citología e histopatología.

Resumo No presente relato, apresenta-se o caso clínico de um canino macho Great Dane Harlequin, que apresentava o olho direito opaco e muito vermelho. No exame oftalmológico, apresentava quadro agudo de uveíte, seguido de glaucoma e déficit visual; não relata trauma físico ou força bruta no nível dos olhos. O diagnóstico definitivo foi o melanoma uveal, confirmado por ultrassonografia, citologia e histopatologia.

Effects of ranibizumab and amfenac on the functional abilities and radiosensitivity of uveal melanoma cells / Efeitos do ranibizumabe e do amfenac nas habilidades funcionais e na radiossensibilidade de células de melanoma uveal

ABSTRACT Purpose: To evaluate the effects of ranibizumab and amfenac in human uveal melanoma cell lines and to explore the ability of these compounds to sensitize uveal melanoma cells to radiation therapy. Methods: The 92.1 human uveal melanoma cell line was cultured and subjected to the proposed treatment (ranibizumab, amfenac, and a combination of both). Proliferation, migration, and invasion assays of the 92.1 uveal melanoma cell line were assessed after pretreatment with ranibizumab (125 mg/mL), amfenac (150 nM), or a combination of both. In addition, proliferation rates were assessed after treatment with ranibizumab and amfenac, and the cells were subsequently exposed to various radiation doses (0, 4, and 8 Gy). Results: Proliferation assay: cells treated with a combination of ranibizumab and amfenac had lower proliferation rates than controls (p=0.016) and than those treated with only ranibizumab (p=0.033). Migration assay: a significantly lower migration rate was observed in cells treated with amfenac than the control (p=0.014) and than those treated with ranibizumab (p=0.044). Invasion assay: there were no significant differences among the studied groups. Irradiation exposure: in the 4 Gy dose group, there were no significant differences among any groups. In the 8 Gy dose group, treatment with ranibizumab, amfenac, and their combination prior to application of the 8 Gy radiation led to a marked reduction in proliferation rates (p=0.009, p=0.01, and p=0.034, respectively) compared with controls. Conclusion: Combination of ranibizumab and amfenac reduced the proliferation rate of uveal melanoma cells; however, only amfenac monotherapy significantly decreased cell migration. The radiosensitivity of the 92.1 uveal melanoma cell line increased following the administration of ranibizumab, amfenac, and their combination. Further investigation is warranted to determine if this is a viable pretreatment strategy to render large tumors amenable to radiotherapy.

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar os efeitos do ranibizumabe em associação com o amfenac nas células de melanoma uveal humano e explorar a capacidade desses compostos em sensibilizar as células de melanoma uveal à radioterapia. Métodos: Células de melanoma uveal humano do tipo 92.1 foram cultivadas e submetidas ao tratamento proposto (ranibizumabe, amfenac e a combinação de ambos). Ensaios de proliferação, migração e invasão com as células de melanoma uveal do tipo 92.1 foram avaliados após tratamento com ranibizumabe (125 mg/ml), amfenac (150 nM) e a combinação de ambos. Além disso, as taxas de proliferação foram avaliadas após tratamento com ranibizumabe e amfenac com subsequente exposição das células a diferentes doses de radiação (0 Gy, 4 Gy e 8 Gy). Resultados: Ensaio de proliferação: células tratadas com ranibizumabe e amfenac combinados apresentaram taxas de proliferação inferiores em comparação ao grupo controle (p=0,016), do que as tratadas apenas com ranibizumabe (p=0,033). Ensaio de migração: foi observada uma taxa de migração significativamente mais baixa nas células tratadas com amfenac do que no grupo controle (p=0,014) e do que nas tratadas com ranibizumabe (p=0,044). Ensaio de invasão: não houve diferenças significativas entre os grupos estudados. Exposição à irradiação: no grupo da dose de 4 Gy, não houve diferença significante entre os grupos. No grupo da dose de 8 Gy, o tratamento com ranibizumabe, afenac e sua combinação antes da aplicação da radiação de 8 Gy levou a uma redução acentuada nas taxas de proliferação (p=0,009, p=0,01 e p=0,034, respectivamente) em comparação aos grupos controle. Conclusão: A combinação de ranibizumabe e amfenac reduziu a taxa de proliferação das células de melanoma uveal; no entanto, apenas o amfenac diminuiu significativamente a migração celular. A radiossensibilidade das células de melanoma uveal do tipo 92.1 aumentou após a administração de ranibizumabe, amfenac e sua combinação. Mais investigações são necessárias para determinar se esta é uma estratégia de pré-tratamento viável para tornar grandes tumores passíveis de radioterapia.

Clinical spectrum, treatment and outcomes of uveal melanoma in a tertiary centre

INTRODUCTION@#We aimed to describe the clinical characteristics, diagnostic challenges, treatment patterns and outcomes of uveal melanoma (UM) in a tertiary care centre.@*METHODS@#This is a retrospective case series of 11 consecutive patients with UM who were managed in a tertiary referral centre between 2002 and 2017. Epidemiological, clinical, pathological and radiological characteristics were reviewed. Classification of choroidal melanoma as small, medium or large was based on the criteria established by the Collaborative Ocular Melanoma Study.@*RESULTS@#Mean age at presentation was 42.9 (range 27‒67) years. In 7 (64%) patients, a definitive diagnosis of UM was made after a mean follow-up period of 6.4 (range 1‒17) months. There were one, six and four patients with small-, medium- and large-sized choroidal melanomas, respectively. Treatment was enucleation in 5 (45.5%) patients, plaque brachytherapy in 4 (36.4%) patients, transpupillary thermotherapy in 1 (9.1%) patient, and observation in 1 (9.1%) patient. Median follow-up was 29 months. Metastatic disease developed in 5 (45.5%) patients at the mean age of 46.6 (range 38‒56) years, with median overall survival of 20 months. Genetic mutations in three patients were monosomy 3 (n = 2), and gain of 3q and 8q (n = 1).@*CONCLUSION@#Our study supports the finding that UM in Chinese and Asian Indian patients presents at a younger age than in Caucasians. Although it is rare, ophthalmologists should remain mindful of this life-threatening disease. We propose establishing a national and regional registry for ocular tumours with genetic information to characterise the disease spectrum in Southeast Asia.

MicroRNA in tumor angiogenesis and target therapy / 中华实验眼科杂志

Angiogenesis is a complex process and plays an important role in tumor growth and metastasis.Among the factors of angiogenesis, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is most widely studied factor in the regulation of tumor angiogenesis.MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs that play a vital role in tumor angiogenesis and metastasis through post-transcriptional regulation.They can function in diverse biological processes via regulating multiple pathways, such as VEGF, to promote or inhibit tumor angiogenesis.Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary intraocular malignant tumor.It seriously threatens vision, eyeballs and even life of patient.Since angiogenesis plays an important role in UM tumor growth, invasion and metastasis, understanding the regulation of tumor angiogenesis has become important for tumor therapy.In this review, we summarized the regulatory role of miRNAs and their targets in tumor angiogenesis and discussed the potential therapeutic interventions of miRNAs for tumor angiogenesis, including nanoparticles and cell-derived membrane vesicles.