Estudio cromosómico de 303 pérdidas gestacionales en México / Chromosome analysis of 303 pregnancy losses in Mexico

Resumen Antecedentes: Las alteraciones cromosómicas están presentes en 50 a 60 % de los abortos espontáneos y en 6 a 19 % de los mortinatos. Aunque se prefieren los microarreglos para estudiarlos, numerosos hospitales no pueden ofrecerlos. Objetivo: Presentar los resultados del estudio citogenético de 303 productos de la concepción (POC), 184 se obtuvieron de abortos espontáneos, 49 fueron mortinatos y en 17 no se identificó la de edad gestacional. Material y métodos: Se empleó cariotipo, hibridación in situ con fluorescencia, secuencias cortas repetidas en tándem y microarreglos, según el tipo de pérdida y la muestra disponible. Resultados: En 29 POC se encontró tejido materno, por lo que fueron eliminados de los análisis. En 250 (91.2 %)/274 casos se obtuvieron resultados informativos; la tasa de éxito del cariotipo fue de 80.7 %; la de los microarreglos de SNP, de 94.5 %; y la de la hibridación fluorescente in situ y la repetición corta en tándem, de 100 %. Se observaron anomalías citogenéticas en 57.6 % de los abortos espontáneos y en 24.5 % de los mortinatos; 94 % de las anomalías fueron numéricas y 6 %, submicroscópicas. Conclusiones: El cariotipo en conjunto con el estudio de secuencias cortas repetidas en tándem para descartar contaminación de células maternas es efectivo para estudiar abortos espontáneos; los microarreglos se recomiendan en los mortinatos.

Abstract Background: Chromosomal abnormalities are present in 50 to 60 % of miscarriages and in 6 to 19 % of stillbirths. Although microarrays are preferred for studying chromosomal abnormalities, many hospitals cannot offer this methodology. Objective: To present the results of the cytogenetic analysis of 303 products of conception (POC), which included 184 miscarriages, 49 stillbirths and 17 cases of undefined age. Material and methods: Karyotyping, fluorescence in situ hybridization, short tandem repeats and microarrays were used, depending on the type of loss and available sample. Results: In 29 POCs we found maternal tissue and were eliminated from the analyses. Informative results were obtained in 250 (91.2 %)/274 cases; the karyotyping success rate was 80.7 %; that of single nucleotide polymorphism microarrays, 94.5 %; and that of fluorescence in situ hybridization and short tandem repeat, 100 %. Cytogenetic abnormalities were observed in 57.6 % of miscarriages and in 24.5 % of stillbirths; 94 % of total anomalies were numerical and 6 % were submicroscopic. Conclusions: Karyotyping with simultaneous short tandem repeat study to rule out contamination of maternal cells is effective for studying miscarriages; in stillbirths, microarrays are recommended.

Evaluation of the therapeutic value of FISH signaling type and chromosome karyotype analysis in ETV6/RUNX1-positive pediatric B-ALL / 临床与实验病理学杂志

Purpose To explore the diagnostic value of dif-ferent fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH)signal types and chromosomal karyotyping analysis in ETV6/RUNX1-positive B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia(B-ALL).Methods Clini-cal data of 164 newly diagnosed ETV6/RUNX1-positive B-ALL patients were collected for retrospective analysis of chromosomal karyotyping and FISH.Results Among the 164 patients,163 positive cases were detected by FISH,among them the classic 2F1R1G signal type was found in 61 cases,and 102 cases showed non-classic signal types,with 2F1G and 1F1R2G signal types being the most common,indicating ETV6 deletion.Among them,the classic 2F1R1G signal type was found in 61 cases,and 102 cases showed non-classic signal types,with 2F1G and 1F1R2G signal types being the most common,indicating ETV6 deletion.Among the 125 children who could undergo karyoty-ping analysis,106 had a normal karyotype and 19 had an abnor-mal karyotype,with no detection of t(12;21)translocation.Conclusion FISH technology has high sensitivity in detecting ETV6/RUNX1 fusion genes,and it often manifests as non-clas-sic signal types,including ETV6 deletions.Chromosomal karyo-typing analysis helps to identify complex karyotypes and polyploidy but is not conducive to detecting t(12;21)fusion.Therefore,both FISH signal types and karyotyping analysis play indispensable roles in ETV6/RUNX1-positive B-ALL.

Clinicopathologic characteristics of Epstein-Barr virus-positive inflammatory follicular dendritic cell sarcoma:report of nine cases / 临床与实验病理学杂志

Purpose To explore the clinicopathologic fea-tures of Epstein-Barr virus-positive inflammatory follicular den-dritic cell sarcoma(EBV+IFDCS).Methods The clinico-pathologic features of 9 cases of EBV+IFDCS were retrospective-ly analyzed and followed up.Results The age of 9 patients with EBV+IFDCS ranged from 22 to 78 years(mean 44.7 years).7 cases occurred in the liver and 2 in the spleen.Fi-brinoid degeneration and hyaline degeneration in the vessel walls(6/9),eosinophilic infiltration(3/9),and epithelioid granulo-mas(2/9)were seen in some cases.The tumor cells expressed CD21(7/9),CD23(8/9)and CD35(9/9),partially ex-pressed SMA(6/9)and D2-40(1/9).It was noteworthy that 2 cases from the spleen accompanied by high expression of IgG4 plasma cells(80-135/10 HPF),and in the liver(0-36/10 HPF).All cases were followed up for 3-84 months,with 6 pa-tients disease-free,2 patients underwent metastasis,1 patient lost of follow-up.Conclusion EBV+IFDCS is a rare low-grade malignant tumor.EBER in situ hybridization and immunohisto-chemical detection play important roles in the diagnosis and dif-ferential diagnosis of EBV+IFDCS.Surgical resection is the main therapeutic intervention for EBV+IFDCS,and patients re-quire long-term post-surgical follow-up.

The value of high-throughput sequencing data reanalysis in identifying ERBB2 amplification in colorectal cancer patients / 复旦学报（医学版）

Objective To evaluate the value of high-throughput sequencing(HTS)data reanalysis that does not include ERBB2 copy number variation(CNV)analysis,in identifying ERBB2 amplification in patients with colorectal cancer.Methods The HTS data of 252 cases of colorectal cancer diagnosed by pathological biopsy who received peripheral blood cfDNA HTS detection samples were retrospectively analyzed.According to the HTS data of ERBB2 non-amplified samples judged by immunohistochemistry(IHC)and/or fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH),the number of chromosome 17(Chr17)reads in the total number of reads was calculated the range of the ratio was initially determined as the threshold for prompting ERBB2 amplification.Suspected positive samples were screened according to thresholds and verified by digital PCR,IHC and FISH.Results The proportion of the number of Chr17 reads accounts for the number of total reads in the 89 cases of ERBB2 non-amplified samples determined by IHC and/or FISH ranged from 0.188 to 0.299(0.239±0.192).Using 0.298(1.25 times the mean)as the threshold indicating ERBB2 amplification,the data of 163 samples were analyzed,of which 7 cases were suspected to be positive,and the ratio ranged from 0.302 to 0.853.Among them,5 cases were determined to be positive by IHC and/or FISH,and 6 cases were confirmed to be positive by digital PCR.The ratio of the number of Chr17 reads to the number of total reads was positively correlated with the ratio of ERBB2/EIF2C1,and the correlation was good(r2=0.909).Conclusion The high-throughput sequencing data that does not cover the ERBB2 CNV analysis has a certain hint value for ERBB2 amplification in patients with colorectal cancer.

Technique and Application of Single-molecule Fluorescence in situ Hybridization / 生物化学与生物物理进展

Single molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization (smFISH) is a method for imaging single mRNA molecule in fixed cell or tissue using oligonucleotide probes coupled with fluorophores. It can realize real-time study of interested transcripts by RNA localization and quantification. smFISH is widely suitable for many types of biological samples such as cell and tissue sections. It was invented in 1982 which opened up the application of visualizing single molecules. However, due to its shortcomings such as poor binding specificity, Raj et al. optimized this technique in 2008, using 48 independent probes that were separately coupled with fluorophores to locate transcripts. In contrast, methods using multiple labeled probes can distinguish false positive or false negative results due to a single probe misbinding or unbinding event. However, with the continuous application of the technique, it was found that the scheme still has many technical defects, such as low probe specificity, weak fluorescence intensity, low hybridization efficiency, and high background fluorescence. Since then, a series of derivative technologies have been developed. For example, HCR-FISH is a multi-fluorescence in situ hybridization method based on orthogonal amplification and hybridization chain reaction, which significantly improves the problem of weak signal. SeqFISH amplifies the signal and reduces nonspecific binding by continuously hybridizing the mRNA in the cell, imaging it, and stripping the probe in order to barcode RNA. MERFISH utilizes combination labeling, continuous imaging and other technologies to increase detection throughput, and uses binary barcodes to offset single-molecule labeling and detection errors, with more advanced built-in error correction functions to effectively improve the accuracy of results. ClampFISH uses biological orthogonal click chemistry to effectively lock the probe around the target and prevent the probe from disengaging in amplification microscopy. RNAscope amplifies its own signal while simultaneously suppressing the background by using novel probe design strategy and hybridization-based signal amplification system. Split-FISH uses splitting probes for signal enhancement to accurately detect single RNA molecule in complex tissue environments. AmpFISH achieves imaging of short RNA molecules by preparing long single-strand DNA concatemers through controlled rolling circle amplification. CircFISH uses two unique sets of probes (PC probes and PL probes) to distinguish between linear and circular RNAs. π-FISH rainbow enables simultaneous detection of DNA, RNA, and proteins at the single-molecule level with π-FISH target probes. HT-smFISH is more suitable for large or high throughput form of systematic experiments. With the development of technology, the subsequent data analysis process is particularly important. Different analysis software, such as dotdotdot and FISH-quant v2, also improve the process of smFISH. The excellent ability of smFISH to visualize single molecule of RNA makes that it is widely used in basic biological disciplines such as tumor biology, developmental biology, neurobiology, botany, virology. In this paper, we reviewed the basic principle of smFISH technology, its development process and improvement, limitations of smFISH technology and how to avoid them, its derivative technologies include HCR-FISH, SeqFISH, MERFISH, ClampFISH, RNAscope, Split-FISH, AmpFISH, CircFISH, π-FISH rainbow and HT-smFISH. The application progress of smFISH in different biological disciplines, such as developmental biology, tumor biology, neurobiology. Finally, the development prospect of smFISH technology is prospected.

Influence of Congenital Heart Defect Types over Cardiopulmonary Bypass, Aortic Cross-Clamping, and Intensive Care Unit Length of Stay and Their Association with Genetic Factors

Aim: Surgical correction of congenital heart defects (CHD) often requires interruption of blood flow through cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and aortic cross-clamping (ACC), for which duration(s) are considered to be prognostic factors, along with intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (ICULOS). The aim of this study was to evaluate these surgical prognostic factors in pediatric patients with different types of CHD regarding their type of lesion and associated genetic factors. Study Design: Cross-sectional cohort study with 307 pediatric patients. Place and Duration of Study: Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Hospital da Criança Santo Antônio, in Porto Alegre/RS, Brazil, from 2006-2009 (3 years) Methodology: After inclusion criteria, we studied 266 pediatric patients admitted for the first time in a reference cardiac pediatric ICU from Southern Brazil following cardiac surgery. Intraoperative prognostic factors such as duration of CPB, ACC and ICULOS, in addition to dysmorphological and cytogenetic examinations were compiled and analyzed. P-values of <0.05 were considered significant. Results: CPB time was associated to four outflow tract defects (Tetralogy of Fallot [ToF], transposition of the great arteries [TGA], double outlet right ventricle, and truncus arteriosus [TA]), atrioventricular septal defect, and hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) (P < 0.001). ACC duration was associated with three outflow tract defects (ToF, TGA, and TA) and HLHS (P < 0.001). Moreover, CPB and ACC times showed an association with cyanotic and complex heart defects, as well as prolonged ICULOS (P < 0.001). There was no relationship between these prognostic factors and syndromic aspects or cytogenetic findings. Conclusions: CHD type has an impact over CPB and ACC duration and ICULOS, whereas genetic factors are not associated with those prognostic factors.

Carcinoma tipo-linfoepitelioma pulmonar con expresión de virus de Epstein-Barr y PD-L1 / Pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma with ex pression of Epstein-Barr virus and PD-L1

Resumen El carcinoma tipo-linfoepitelioma pulmonar es una variante rara de carcinoma de células no pequeñas de pulmón, representa aproximadamente 0.7% de todos los casos. Está usualmente asociado con la infección por el virus de Epstein-Barr y es más prevalente en el Sureste de Asia; sin embargo, es extremadamente raro en Améri ca Latina. Informamos el caso de un hombre de 65 años de edad con un carcinoma tipo-linfoepitelioma pulmo nar, que se presentó con tos, disnea y pérdida de peso. La TAC de tórax mostró nódulo mal definido localizado en el pulmón derecho. Se realizó biopsia transtorácica de la lesión, y el estudio microscópico reveló células gran des poligonales dispuestas en mantos, infiltrados por abundantes linfocitos y células plasmáticas, alrededor del intersticio. Las células neoplásicas fueron positivas para citoqueratina 5/6 y p63, y negativas para Napsina A y el factor de transcripción tiroideo 1 (TTF-1). La expre sión de PD-L1 fue positivo (aproximadamente 100%) por inmunohistoquímica; así como el núcleo de las células neoplásicas mediante hibridación in situ para el RNA codificado por el virus de Epstein-Barr (EBER-ISH). El paciente recibió seis ciclos de un esquema combinado de quimioterapia basado en platino (gencitabina/cisplatino) más durvalumab. Presentó progresión de la enfermedad y finalmente murió 9 meses después del diagnóstico.

Abstract Pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma is a rare type of non-small cell lung cancer, it accounts for approximately 0.7% of all cases. It is usually associated with Epstein-Barr virus infection and is more prevalent in Southeast Asia; however, it is extremely rare in Latin America. We present a 65-year-old man with a primary pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma, who presented with cough, dyspnoea and weight loss. Com puter tomographic scan of the thorax showed a nodule localized in the right lung. A transthoracic biopsy of the lung lesion was made and the microscopic obser vation revealed large polygonal cells that proliferated in a nest pattern with infiltration by lymphocytes and plasma cells around the interstitium. The tumour cells were positive for citokeratin 5/6 and p63, and negative for Napsin A and thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF-1). PD-L1 expression was positive (approximately 100%) in the immunohistochemical study, and the nuclei of the tumour cells were positive for EBV-encoded small RNA in-situ hybridization (EBER-ISH). The patient underwent six cycles of platinum-based combination (gencitabine/ carboplatin) chemotherapy plus durvalumab. He pre sented progression of the disease and finally he died 9 months after diagnosis.

Distribution of calcitonin gene-related peptide and vascular endothelial growth factor in the mouse lung at the embryonic and postnatal stages / Distribución del péptido relacionado con el gen de la calcitonina y el factor de crecimiento endotelial vascular en el pulmón de ratón en las etapas embrionaria y posnatal

SUMMARY: Neuropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a neurotransmitter related to vasculogenesis during organ development. The vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) is also required for vascular patterning during lung morphogenesis. CGRP is primarily found in organs and initially appears in pulmonary neuroendocrine cells during the early embryonic stage of lung development. However, the relationship between CGRP and VEGF-A during lung formation remains unclear. This study investigates CGRP and VEGF-A mRNA expressions in the embryonic, pseudoglandular, canalicular, saccular, and alveolar stages of lung development from embryonic day 12.5 (E12.5) to postnatal day 5 (P5) through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and in situ hybridization. Further, we analyzed the expression of CGRP via immunohistochemistry. The VEGF-A mRNA was mainly scattered across the whole lung body from E12.5. CGRP was found to be expressed in a few epithelial cells of the canalicular and the respiratory bronchiole of the lung from E12.5 to P5. An antisense probe for CGRP mRNA was strongly detected in the lung from E14.5 to E17.5. Endogenous CGRP may regulate the development of the embryonic alveoli from E14.5 to E17.5 in a temporal manner.

El péptido relacionado con el gen de la calcitonina (CGRP) es un neurotransmisor vinculado con la vasculogénesis durante el desarrollo de órganos. El factor de crecimiento endotelial vascular A (VEGF-A) también se requiere para el patrón vascular durante la morfogénesis pulmonar. El CGRP se encuentra principalmente en los órganos y aparece inicialmente en las células neuroendocrinas pulmonares durante la etapa embrionaria temprana del desarrollo pulmonar. Sin embargo, la relación entre CGRP y VEGF-A durante la formación de los pulmones sigue sin estar clara. Este estudio investiga las expresiones de ARNm de CGRP y VEGF-A en las etapas embrionaria, pseudoglandular, canalicular, sacular y alveolar del desarrollo pulmonar desde el día embrionario 12,5 (E12,5) hasta el día postnatal 5 (P5) a través de la reacción en cadena de la polimerasa cuantitativa en tiempo real. (qRT-PCR) e hibridación in situ. Además, analizamos la expresión de CGRP mediante inmunohistoquímica. El ARNm de VEGF-A se dispersó principalmente por todo parénquima pulmonar desde E12,5. Se encontró que CGRP se expresaba en unas pocas células epiteliales de los bronquiolos canaliculares y respiratorios del pulmón desde E12,5 a P5. Se detectó fuertemente una sonda antisentido para ARNm de CGRP en el pulmón de E14,5 a E17,5. El CGRP endógeno puede regular el desarrollo de los alvéolos embrionarios de E14,5 a E17,5 de manera temporal.

Assessment of the diagnostic value and prognosis of different detection markers in endocervical adenocarcinoma / 中华肿瘤杂志

Objective: To study the diagnostic value of different detection markers in histological categories of endocervical adenocarcinoma (ECA), and their assessment of patient prognosis. Methods: A retrospective study of 54 patients with ECA in the Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from 2005-2010 were performed. The cases of ECA were classified into two categories, namely human papillomavirus-associated adenocarcinoma (HPVA) and non-human papillomavirus-associated adenocarcinoma (NHPVA), based on the 2018 international endocervical adenocarcinoma criteria and classification (IECC). To detect HR-HPV DNA and HR-HPV E6/E7 mRNA in all patients, we used whole tissue section PCR (WTS-PCR) and HPV E6/E7 mRNA in situ hybridization (ISH) techniques, respectively. Additionally, we performed Laser microdissection PCR (LCM-PCR) on 15 randomly selected HR-HPV DNA-positive cases to confirm the accuracy of the above two assays in identifying ECA lesions. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to analyze the efficacy of markers to identify HPVA and NHPVA. Univariate and multifactorial Cox proportional risk model regression analyses were performed for factors influencing ECA patients' prognoses. Results: Of the 54 patients with ECA, 30 were HPVA and 24 were NHPVA. A total of 96.7% (29/30) of HPVA patients were positive for HR-HPV DNA and 63.3% (19/30) for HR-HPV E6/E7 mRNA, and 33.3% (8/24) of NHPVA patients were positive for HR-HPV DNA and HR-HPV E6/E7 mRNA was not detected (0/24), and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.001). LCM-PCR showed that five patients were positive for HR-HPV DNA in the area of glandular epithelial lesions and others were negative, which was in good agreement with the E6/E7 mRNA ISH assay (Kappa=0.842, P=0.001). Analysis of the ROC results showed that the AUC of HR-HPV DNA, HR-HPV E6/E7 mRNA, and p16 to identify HPVA and NHPVA were 0.817, 0.817, and 0.692, respectively, with sensitivities of 96.7%, 63.3%, and 80.0% and specificities of 66.7%, 100.0%, and 58.3%, respectively. HR-HPV DNA identified HPVA and NHPVA with higher AUC than p16 (P=0.044). The difference in survival rates between HR-HPV DNA (WTS-PCR assay) positive and negative patients was not statistically significant (P=0.156), while the difference in survival rates between HR-HPV E6/E7 mRNA positive and negative patients, and p16 positive and negative patients were statistically significant (both P<0.05). Multifactorial Cox regression analysis showed that International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology (FIGO) staging (HR=19.875, 95% CI: 1.526-258.833) and parametrial involvement (HR=14.032, 95% CI: 1.281-153.761) were independent factors influencing the prognosis of patients with ECA. Conclusions: HR-HPV E6/E7 mRNA is more reflective of HPV infection in ECA tissue. The efficacy of HR-HPV E6/E7 mRNA and HR-HPV DNA (WTS-PCR assay) in identifying HPVA and NHPVA is similar, with higher sensitivity of HR-HPV DNA and higher specificity of HR-HPV E6/E7 mRNA. HR-HPV DNA is more effective than p16 in identifying HPVA and NHPVA. HPV E6/E7 mRNA and p16 positive ECA patients have better survival rates than negative.

Clinical value of fluorescence in situ hybridization with MDM2 and DDIT3 probe in diagnosis of liposarcoma / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the value of using MDM2 amplification probe and DDIT3 dual-color, break-apart rearrangement probe fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique in the diagnosis of liposarcoma.@*METHODS@#In the study, 62 cases of liposarcoma diagnosed in Peking University First Hospital from January 2015 to December 2019 were analysed for clinicopathological information. Of these 62 cases of liposarcoma, all were analysed for MDM2 amplification and 48 cases were analysed for DDIT3 rearrangement using a FISH technique. Our study aimed to evaluate the status of MDM2 and DDIT3 by FISH in liposarcoma and correlate it with diagnosis of different subtypes of liposarcoma. The subtypes of liposarcoma were classified according to the FISH results, combined with the relevant clinicopathological features.@*RESULTS@#The patients aged 31-89 years (mean: 59 years) with a 1.75:1 male to female ratio. Histologically, there were 20 cases of atypical lipomatous tumour/well-differentiated liposarcoma (ALT/WDLPS), 26 cases of dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLPS), 13 myxoid liposarcoma (MLPS) and 3 pleomorphic liposarcoma (PLPS). Tumors with DDLPS (23/26) and WDLPS (8/20) were localized retroperitoneally, while both tumours of MLPS and PLPS were localized extra-retroperitoneally, and the difference of sites among the four subtypes of liposarcoma was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Histologically, varied mucoid matrix could be observed in the four subtypes of liposarcoma, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). MDM2 gene amplification was demonstrated in all cases of ALT/WDLPS and DDLPS (100%, 20/20 and 26/26 respectively); DDIT3 gene rearrangement was noted only in MLPS (100%, 13/13); most cases of DDLPS (96.2%, 25/26) and ALT/WDLPS (83.3%, 5/6, 6 cases selected for detection) demonstrated the picture of amplification of the DDIT3 telomeric tag. According to the instructions of DDIT3 break-apart rearrangement probe, the 5' telomere probe and 3' centromere probe spanned but did not cover the DDIT3 gene itself, on the contrary, the 5' telomere probe covered the CDK4 gene, while the DDIT3 and CDK4 gene were located adjacent to each other on chromosome, therefore, when the amplification signal appeared on the telomeric tag of the DDIT3 rearrangement probe, it indeed indicated the CDK4 gene amplification rather than the DDIT3 gene rearrangement. Then the 10 cases with DDIT3 telomeric tag amplification were selected for CDK4 and DDIT3 gene amplification probe FISH tests, and all the cases showed CDK4 gene amplification (100%, 10/10) and two of the 10 cases demonstrated co-amplification of CDK4 and DDIT3 (20%, 2/10); DDIT3 polysomy detected by DDIT3 gene rearrangement probe was found in 1 case of DDLPS and 2 cases of PLPS (66.7%, 2/3) with morphology of high-grade malignant tumour and poor prognosis.@*CONCLUSION@#Our results indicate that a diagnosis of different subtype liposarcoma could be confirmed based on the application of MDM2 and DDIT3 FISH, combined with clinicopathological findings. It is also noteworthy that atypical signals should be correctly interpreted to guide correct treatment of liposarcomas.

Clinical value of different genetic testing methods for detection of true fetal chromosome mosaicism / 中华围产医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the performance of chromosome karyotype, chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in prenatal diagnosis of true fetal chromosome mosaicism. Methods:This retrospective study enrolled 40 women with true fetal chromosome mosaicism from 4 071 singleton pregnant women who were indicated for and underwent amniocentesis or/and cordocentesis in the the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from April 2018 to August 2021. The results of chromosome karyotyping, CMA and FISH, the types of chromosomal mosaicism, mosaicism ratio and pregnancy outcomes were analyzed using Chi-square test. Results:(1) The detection rate of true fetal mosaicism was 0.98% (40/4 071). (2) Sex chromosome mosaicism accounted for 42.5% (17/40). Other chromosomal mosaicism involved chromosomes 21, 22, 18, 16, 7, 12, 15, 17 and 20, as well as balanced chromosomal translocation. (3) The detection rate of true fetal mosaicism by chromosome karyotyping was 77.4% (24/31) from amniotic fluid samples and 10/19 from umbilical cord blood samples, while that data by CMA was 76.7% (23/30) and 7/11,respectively. (4) Of the 40 pregnant women with fetal chromosome mosaicism, FISH test was performed on 20 cases (14 cases were verified with both amniotic fluid and umbilical cord blood samples, five with amniotic fluid samples and one with umbilical cord blood sample), and all of the diagnosis of mosaicism were confirmed. For those with mosaicism ratio <30%, the detection rate by FISH was higher than that by CMA among amniotic fluid samples [14/19 vs 43.5% (10/23), χ2=3.88, P=0.049]. (5) Among the 40 pregnant women, five were lost to follow-up; 18 chose to terminate the pregnancy; and 17 continued the pregnancy to delivery. No abnormalities in mental or physical development were reported in the 17 neonates after birth or during on-line follow-up between 6 to 24 months old. Of the 14 pregnant women with mosaicism ratio <30% which confirmed by FISH, eight chose to continue the pregnancy, and no abnormalities in mental development or growth were found in the neonates. Conclusions:In prenatal diagnosis of true fetal choromosome mosaicism, the incidence of sex chromosome mosaicism is the highest. FISH may improve the prenatal diagnosis rate of mosaicism and is more accurate in determining the mosaicism ratio. The combination of FISH, CMA and chromosome karyotyping would significantly improve the detection rate of chromosomal mosaicism and assess the mosaicism ratio more accurately, which is of great value in clinical consultation and evaluation of fetal prognosis.

Clinical value of combined detection of chromosomal karyotype and Y chromosome microdeletion in azoospermia or oligo-spermia / 临床检验杂志

Objective To analyze and diagnose the chromosomal genetic etiology of male patients with azoospermia or oligozoospermia,and investigate the clinical application value of combined detection of chromosomal karyotype and Y-chromosome microdeletion in azoospermia or oligozoospermia.Methods The clinical data and peripheral blood samples of 240 male patients with azoospermia or oli-gospermia in Luzhou district of Sichuan were collected.The karyotype analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes were analyzed by G-ban-ding in conventional chromosomal culture.Multiplex PCR technology was used to detect Y chromosome microdeletions.Results A-mong the 240 male patients with azoospermia or oligospermia,179 cases of azoospermia and 61 cases of severe oligospermia were found.The detection rate of chromosome karyotype abnormalities was 22.92％(55/240),including 30 cases of chromosome number abnor-malities,21 chromosome structure abnormalities and 4 combined abnormalities.The detection rate of Y chromosome microdeletion ab-normalities was 10.42％(25/240)with the highest deletion rate of 7.08％for AZFc abnormalities.The combined detection rate for the abnormalities of karyotype and Y chromosome microdeletion was 30.83％(74/240),among which 6 patients showed abnormalities in both detections.The detection rate of combined detections by the two methods was higher than that of single method(x2=30.24,P＜0.001).Conclusion This study systematically reported the incidence and types of karyotypes and Y chromosome microdeletions in male azoospermia or oligospermia patients in Luzhou district of Sichuan.We suggest that the combined application of the two methods may improve the detection rate of abnormality,which provides important guidance for the etiological diagnosis of male infertility pa-tients,genetic counseling and reproductive therapy.

Invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma of the lungs versus mixed invasive mucinous and non-mucinous adenocarcinoma:a clinicopathological analysis / 临床与实验病理学杂志

Purpose To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics,diagnosis,and differential diagnosis of invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma(IMA)and mixed invasive mucinous and non-mucinous adenocarcinoma(mIMA).Methods The clinical data were collected in 36 patients with primary IMA and 17 patients with mIMA,and the expression of TTF-1,CK7,CK20,SATB2,CDX2,EGFR,HNF4a,etc.was detected by immunohistochemical EnVision two-step method.The Sanger se-quencing and the FISH were used for KRAS mutation and NRG1 gene rearrangement detection.The clinicopathological character-istics were analyzed with review of relevant literature.Results There were 9 cases(25.0％)and 3(8.3％)cases of papillary and micropapillary structures in IMA,while 13 cases(76.5％)(P＜0.001)and 9 cases(52.9％)(P=0.001)were present in mIMA.There were 5 cases(13.9％)of high nuclear grade of IMA and 10 cases(58.8％)of high nuclear grade of mIMA(P=0.002).TTF-1 had a positive rate of 37.5％in IMA,but 60.0％and 80.0％in the mucinous adenocarcinoma and non-mucinous adenocarcinoma components of mIMA(P=0.021),respectively.The positive rates of CK7,CK20,and CDX2 in IMA were 90.6％,21.9％,and 9.4％,and the positive rates in mucinous adenocarcinoma and non-mucinous adenocarcinoma components of mIMA were 100％,20％,20％and 100％,6.7％,6.7％,respectively and no SATB2 expression was found in all cases.There was no significant difference in the expres-sion of total EGFR and two EGFR mutation-specific antibodies(L858R,DEL19)between IMA and mIMA.There were 3 cases of mucinous adenocarcinoma with L858R positive in mIMA,and 2 of them were negative for non-mueinous adenocarcinoma.In another case,the non-mueinous adenocarcinoma component of mIMA expressed DEL19,but the mucinous adenocarcinoma component was not expressed.The positive rate of HNF4a in IMA was 72.0％(18/25),and those of HNF4a in mucinous adenocarcinoma and non-mucinous adenocarcinoma in mIMA were 41.7％(5/12)and 33.3％(4/12),respectively(P=0.048).KRAS gene sequencing was carried out in 19 cases of IMA,among which 9 cases(47.4％)had mutations,G12D and G12V were most commonly detected,and 4 cases of mIMA were sequenced,but none of them showed KRAS mutations.FISH detection showed that 2 cases(7.1％)IMAs had NRG1 translocation rearrangement.Conclusion Pulmonary mIMA is more aggressive than IMA.For example,mIMA has significantly more papillary structure,micropapillary structure,and high nu-clear grade cases than IMA.The differences in immunohisto-chemical expression and KRAS mutation between the two are sta-tistically significant.

Downregulation of Micall2a Gene Expression Inhibited Vascular Development in Zebrafish / 实验动物与比较医学

Objective To explore the expression pattern of Micall2a gene during the early development of zebrafish embryos and the effect of this gene on zebrafish vascular development.MethodsWhole embryo in situ hybridization was used to detect Micall2a expression levels at different stages of early embryo development of Tg (fli:GFP) transgenic (labeled with green fluorescent protein) and wild type zebrafish (AB). Micall2a gene expression was downregulated by microinjection of a morpholine antisense oligonucleotide, and real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR was used to detect mRNA expression of the gene at different developmental stages of zebrafish embryos. Laser confocal microscopy was used to observe and analyze vascular phenotypic changes in zebrafish after the downregulation of Micall2a. ResultsMicall2a was expressed in the brain, heart, and vascular system of zebrafish embryos at the 24th, 36th, and 48th hours post fertilization. The mRNA level of Micall2a increased after microinjection of morpholine antisense oligonucleotides, inhibiting vascular development in zebrafish embryos, resulting in internode angiogenesis defects in zebrafish. ConclusionDownregulation of Micall2a expression inhibits the development of blood vessels in zebrafish.

Correlation of clinicopathologic features of Filipino primary breast cancer patients with HER2 Subgroups classified according to the ASCO/CAP 2018 breast cancer HER2 testing guidelines

Background@#Guidelines for testing human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) in breast cancer using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) were released in 2018. These guidelines were jointly developed by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the College of American Pathologists (CAP) to achieve a clearer designation of breast cancer HER2 status. Clinical correlation with other factors was also considered appropriate, especially for those cases classified under ISH groups 2, 3, and 4.@*Objective@#In this study, we examined clinicopathologic features among Filipino breast cancer patients whose HER2 status was reclassified based on the 2018 ASCO/CAP guidelines.@*Methodology@#One hundred and thirty-two (132) breast cancer cases with immunohistochemistry (IHC) equivocal results in the Medical City were enrolled from January 2017 up to December 2020. HER2 FISH results classified under groups 2, 3, and 4 were then re-evaluated for HER2-IHC status in accordance with the 2018 ASCO/CAP guidelines. The relationship between clinicopathologic features and HER2 status was analyzed using the Fisher exact test.@*Results@#Significant differences were found in histologic type, nuclear pleomorphism, mitotic rate, progesterone receptor (PR) status, and regional lymph node involvement among the reclassified ISH groups. In the conv+ group, the tumor cells did not involve the regional lymph nodes as compared to group 5, where the tumor cells were involved. The conv- group had a higher grade for nuclear pleomorphism, mitotic count, and overall Nottingham Histologic Grade than group 5. There was a significant association between progesterone receptors among the conv- group and group 1.@*Conclusion@#Filipino breast cancer cases whose HER2 status was reclassified to negative following the 2018 ASCO/CAP guidelines had statistically different clinicopathologic features from those classified as group 5.

Role of pcgf5a in the early development of zebrafish / 解剖学报

Objective To investigate the role of pcgf5a gene during zebrafish embryonic development. Methods pcgf5a morpholine antisense morpholino oligomers(MO) was microinjected to delete the expression of pcgf5a gene, and possible phenotypes were examined in pcgf5a-deficient embryos. The whole mount in situ hybridization and Real-time PCR were used to detect alterations of key genes related to the development of nervous system and eye. Results After pcgf5a gene knockdown, the development of ectoderm and mesoderm of zebrafish embryos were affected. The brain size became smaller, and the eyes developed retarded, and the tail was curled and the body axis was shortened(548/891). In addition, the expressions of sox2(82/98), sox3(73/84), foxg1(70/88), pax6a(36/45), pax2a, vsx2 and rx1(n = 5) were significantly reduced. Conclusion pcgf5a affects the morphogenesis of nervous system and eye, possibly due to regulating the expression of the transcription factors related to their development via the processes of cell proliferation and apoptosis.

Potential unreliability of ALK variant allele frequency in the efficacy prediction of targeted therapy in NSCLC / 医学前沿

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) is the most common fusion gene involved in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and remarkable response has been achieved with the use of ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors (ALK-TKIs). However, the clinical efficacy is highly variable. Pre-existing intratumoral heterogeneity (ITH) has been proven to contribute to the poor treatment response and the resistance to targeted therapies. In this work, we investigated whether the variant allele frequencies (VAFs) of ALK fusions can help assess ITH and predict targeted therapy efficacy. Through the application of next-generation sequencing (NGS), 7.2% (326/4548) of patients were detected to be ALK positive. On the basis of the adjusted VAF (adjVAF, VAF normalization for tumor purity) of four different threshold values (adjVAF < 50%, 40%, 30%, or 20%), the association of ALK subclonality with crizotinib efficacy was assessed. Nonetheless, no statistical association was observed between median progression-free survival (PFS) and ALK subclonality assessed by adjVAF, and a poor correlation of adjVAF with PFS was found among the 85 patients who received first-line crizotinib. Results suggest that the ALK VAF determined by hybrid capture-based NGS is probably unreliable for ITH assessment and targeted therapy efficacy prediction in NSCLC.

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) as an irreplaceable diagnostic tool for Williams-Beuren syndrome in developing countries: a literature review / Hibridização in situ fluorescente (FISH) como ferramenta diagnóstica insubstituível para a síndrome de Williams-Beuren em países em desenvolvimento: uma revisão de literatura

ABSTRACT Objective: The aim of this study was to sum up and characterize all Williams-Beuren syndrome cases diagnosed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) since its implementation, as well as to discuss FISH as a cost-effective methodology in developing countries. Data source: From January 1986 to January 2022, articles were selected using the databases in PubMed (Medline) and SciELO. The following terms were used: Williams syndrome and In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence. Inclusion criteria included Williams-Beuren syndrome cases diagnosed by FISH with a stratified phenotype of each patient. Only studies written in English, Spanish, and Portuguese were included. Studies with overlapping syndromes or genetic conditions were excluded. Data synthesis After screening, 64 articles were included. A total of 205 individuals with Williams-Beuren syndrome diagnosed by FISH were included and further analyzed. Cardiovascular malformations were the most frequent finding (85.4%). Supravalvular aortic stenosis (62.4%) and pulmonary stenosis (30.7%) were the main cardiac alterations described. Conclusions: Our literature review reinforces that cardiac features may be the key to early diagnosis in Williams-Beuren syndrome patients. In addition, FISH may be the best diagnostic tool for developing nations that have limited access to new technologic resources.

RESUMO Objetivo: Caracterizar todos os casos de síndrome de Williams-Beuren (SWB) diagnosticados por hibridização in situ fluorescente (FISH) desde sua implementação, assim como discutir a relação custo-benefício da metodologia de FISH em países em desenvolvimento. Fontes de dados: Entre janeiro de 1986 e janeiro de 2022 foi realizada uma busca nas bases de dados PubMed (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online — Medline) e Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) usando os seguintes termos: síndrome de Williams e hibridização in situ fluorescente. O critério de inclusão utilizado foi conter a descrição detalhada de caso(s) de SWB por FISH. Apenas estudos escritos em inglês, espanhol e português foram incluídos. Trabalhos que apresentavam sobreposição de síndromes/condições genéticas foram excluídos. Síntese dos dados: Após os processos de inclusão, 64 artigos e 205 indivíduos com SWB diagnosticados por meio do método de FISH foram incluídos. O achado mais frequente entre os indivíduos foi a presença de algum tipo de malformação cardíaca (85,4%). A estenose aórtica supravalvar (62,4%) e a estenose pulmonar (30,7%) foram as alterações cardíacas mais descritas. A maioria dos estudos era proveniente dos continentes Europa, Ásia e América do Norte. Conclusões: A presente revisão de literatura reitera que as malformações cardíacas podem ser a chave para o diagnóstico precoce em pacientes com SWB. Ainda, a técnica de FISH parece ser a melhor ferramenta de diagnóstico para os países em desenvolvimento, cujo acesso às novas tecnologias ainda é escasso.

c-MET positivity and its relationship with histopathological findings in gastric carcinomas exhibiting HER2 gene expression

Context: Co-expressions of receptor tyrosine kinases such as c-MET and HER2 were reported in many studies. The concomitant expression is associated with more aggressive clinical course. Aims: In this study, it was intended to investigate the correlation of the positivity of c-MET and HER2 with histopathologic findings and their impacts on prognosis. Subjects and Methods: After the decision of the ethics committee, a total of 64 cases, whose HER 2 status was studied by dual silver in situ hybridization/immunohistochemistry method, were included in the study. Immunohistochemical staining for c-MET was performed to all cases and the evaluation was performed similarly to the criteria for HER2 evaluation, but cytoplasmic staining was also considered significant. Statistical Analysis Used: The data were analyzed using SPSS 20 for Windows. Results: c-MET positivity which is considered by the score of 2+ and 3+ was found only in 34.4% of HER2 positive cases while it was 59.3% in HER2 negative cases (P = 0.045). The sole histopathological feature associated with c-MET positivity was distal gastric localization (P = 0.016). Conclusions: Even though higher rates of c-MET positivity in HER2 positive cases were stated in the literature, contrary results were obtained in this study. Comparing the HER2+/c-MET + co-expression group with the other groups, no difference was found about age, sex, macroscopic and microscopic characteristics. The presence of c-MET positivity in cases with HER2 expression suggests that c-MET expression might be associated with the resistance to Trastuzumab.

Concordance of HER2 status tested by IHC and FISH in biopsy and surgical resection specimens and comparison with clinicopathological features in gastric carcinoma

Context: HER2-targeted therapy has been shown to benefit HER2-positive gastric cancer. It is very important to determine the HER2 expression level correctly to select the appropriate test and sampling method. Aim: In this study, we investigated the frequency of overexpression of HER2 and intratumoral heterogeneity of HER2-positive cases, comparison of HER2 used immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) performance in biopsy and resection specimens, the correlation of HER2 status between biopsy and resection specimens, and its relationship with clinicopathological findings. Materials and Methods: Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens of a total of 40 surgically resected and biopsy specimens of gastric cancer were analyzed. HER2 status was examined using both IHC and FISH techniques, and the findings and their association with different clinicopathological parameters were evaluated. Results: The concordance rate between the results of IHC and FISH in biopsy and resection specimens was 96.6% and 86.6%, respectively. In paired 20 cases, the overall concordance rate of HER2-IHC and HER2-FISH status between biopsy and resection specimens was 90% and 100%, respectively. HER2-IHC analysis revealed that 5/40 cases were IHC 2+ and only 1 of 5 IHC 2+ cases demonstrated HER2-FISH amplification. Conclusion: Our results showed that HER2-IHC was well concordant with FISH in cases with a score of 0/1+ or 3+ and demonstrates strong concordance between biopsy and resection specimens. FISH should be performed when the IHC result is equivocal. In our study, no statistically significant correlation was observed between HER2 positivity and clinicopathological parameters. Overall, both biopsy and resection specimens are appropriate for HER2 testing.