Proteinase-activated Receptor 2: Springboard of Tumors.

Proteinase-activated receptors (PARs) were discovered more than 25 years ago and since then, their role in cancer has been under investigation. Research has primarily focused on the receptors located on the membrane of cancer cells and their impact on metabolism, intracellular signalling, and proliferation. Regarding the host response to cancer, studies have predominantly examined the relationship of thrombin receptors (PAR-1, PAR-3, and PAR-4) with blood clotting in distant metastatic spread. However, limited studies have examined the role of PARs, especially PAR-2, in the host anti-tumor immunity. This review article provides insights into the role of PAR-2 on cancer cells and immune competent cells involved in cancer development and progression. It also discussed the current knowledge of the importance of PAR-2 activation at various stages of cancer progression and its association with cancer-related pain.

Biomarkers Analysis and Clinical Manifestations in Comorbid Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease: A Retrospective Study in 215 Autopsy Cases.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), the most common human prion disorder, may occur as "pure" neurodegeneration with isolated prion deposits in the brain tissue; however, comorbid cases with different concomitant neurodegenerative diseases have been reported. This retrospective study examined correlations of clinical, neuropathological, molecular-genetic, immunological, and neuroimaging biomarkers in pure and comorbid CJD. A total of 215 patients have been diagnosed with CJD during the last ten years by the Czech National Center for Prion Disorder Surveillance. Data were collected from all patients with respect to diagnostic criteria for probable CJD, including clinical description, EEG, MRI, and CSF findings. A detailed neuropathological analysis uncovered that only 11.16% were "pure" CJD, while 62.79% had comorbid tauopathy, 20.47% had Alzheimer's disease, 3.26% had frontotemporal lobar degeneration, and 2.33% had synucleinopathy. The comorbid subgroup analysis revealed that tauopathy was linked to putaminal hyperintensity on MRIs, and AD mainly impacted the age of onset, hippocampal atrophy on MRIs, and beta-amyloid levels in the CSF. The retrospective data analysis found a surprisingly high proportion of comorbid neuropathologies; only 11% of cases were verified as "pure" CJD, i.e., lacking hallmarks of other neurodegenerations. Comorbid neuropathologies can impact disease manifestation and can complicate the clinical diagnosis of CJD.

Extracellular Prion Protein Aggregates in Nine Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker Syndrome Subjects with Mutation P102L: A Micromorphological Study and Comparison with Literature Data.

Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome (GSS) is a hereditary neurodegenerative disease characterized by extracellular aggregations of pathological prion protein (PrP) forming characteristic plaques. Our study aimed to evaluate the micromorphology and protein composition of these plaques in relation to age, disease duration, and co-expression of other pathogenic proteins related to other neurodegenerations. Hippocampal regions of nine clinically, neuropathologically, and genetically confirmed GSS subjects were investigated using immunohistochemistry and multichannel confocal fluorescent microscopy. Most pathognomic prion protein plaques were small (2-10 µm), condensed, globous, and did not contain any of the other investigated proteinaceous components, particularly dystrophic neurites. Equally rare (in two cases out of nine) were plaques over 50 µm having predominantly fibrillar structure and exhibit the presence of dystrophic neuritic structures; in one case, the plaques also included bulbous dystrophic neurites. Co-expression with hyperphosphorylated protein tau protein or amyloid beta-peptide (Aß) in GSS PrP plaques is generally a rare observation, even in cases with comorbid neuropathology. The dominant picture of the GSS brain is small, condensed plaques, often multicentric, while presence of dystrophic neuritic changes accumulating hyperphosphorylated protein tau or Aß in the PrP plaques are rare and, thus, their presence probably constitutes a trivial observation without any relationship to GSS development and progression.

Human Prion Disorders: Review of the Current Literature and a Twenty-Year Experience of the National Surveillance Center in the Czech Republic.

Human prion disorders (transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, TSEs) are unique, progressive, and fatal neurodegenerative diseases caused by aggregation of misfolded prion protein in neuronal tissue. Due to the potential transmission, human TSEs are under active surveillance in a majority of countries; in the Czech Republic data are centralized at the National surveillance center (NRL) which has a clinical and a neuropathological subdivision. The aim of our article is to review current knowledge about human TSEs and summarize the experience of active surveillance of human prion diseases in the Czech Republic during the last 20 years. Possible or probable TSEs undergo a mandatory autopsy using a standardized protocol. From 2001 to 2020, 305 cases of sporadic and genetic TSEs including 8 rare cases of Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome (GSS) were confirmed. Additionally, in the Czech Republic, brain samples from all corneal donors have been tested by the NRL immunology laboratory to increase the safety of corneal transplants since January 2007. All tested 6590 corneal donor brain tissue samples were negative for prion protein deposits. Moreover, the routine use of diagnostic criteria including biomarkers are robust enough, and not even the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted TSEs surveillance in the Czech Republic.

Extracellular Protein Aggregates Colocalization and Neuronal Dystrophy in Comorbid Alzheimer's and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease: A Micromorphological Pilot Study on 20 Brains.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) are both characterized by extracellular pathologically conformed aggregates of amyloid proteins-amyloid ß-protein (Aß) and prion protein (PrPSc), respectively. To investigate the potential morphological colocalization of Aß and PrPSc aggregates, we examined the hippocampal regions (archicortex and neocortex) of 20 subjects with confirmed comorbid AD and sCJD using neurohistopathological analyses, immunohistochemical methods, and confocal fluorescent microscopy. Our data showed that extracellular Aß and PrPSc aggregates tended to be, in most cases, located separately, and "compound" plaques were relatively rare. We observed PrPSc plaque-like structures in the periphery of the non-compact parts of Aß plaques, as well as in tau protein-positive dystrophic structures. The AD ABC score according to the NIA-Alzheimer's association guidelines, and prion protein subtype with codon 129 methionine-valine (M/V) polymorphisms in sCJD, while representing key characteristics of these diseases, did not correlate with the morphology of the Aß/PrPSc co-aggregates. However, our data showed that PrPSc aggregation could dominate during co-aggregation with non-compact Aß in the periphery of Aß plaques.

Different Morphology of Neuritic Plaques in the Archicortex of Alzheimer's Disease with Comorbid Synucleinopathy: A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Bulbous neuritic changes in neuritic plaques have already been described, and their possible effect on the clinical course of the disease has been discussed. OBJECTIVE: In our study, we focused on the location and density of these structures in patients with only Alzheimer's disease (AD) and patients with AD in comorbidity with synucleinopathies. METHODS: Utilizing immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy, we evaluated differences of neocortical and archicortical neuritic plaques and the frequency of bulbous changes in the archicortex of 14 subjects with Alzheimer's disease (AD), 10 subjects with the Lewy body variant of Alzheimer's disease (AD/DLB), and 4 subjects with Alzheimer's disease with amygdala Lewy bodies (AD/ALB). Also, the progression and density of neuritic changes over the time course of the disease were evaluated. RESULTS: We found structural differences in bulbous dystrophic neurites more often in AD/DLB and AD/ALB than in pure AD cases. The bulbous neuritic changes were more prominent in the initial and progressive phases and were reduced in cases with a long clinical course. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that there is a prominent difference in the shape and composition of neocortical and archicortical neuritic plaques and, moreover, that bulbous neuritic changes can be observed at a higher rate in AD/DLB and AD/ALB subjects compared to pure AD subjects. This observation probably reflects that these subacute changes are more easily seen in the faster clinical course of AD patients with comorbidities.

Extracellular Amyloid Deposits in Alzheimer's and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease: Similar Behavior of Different Proteins?

Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by the deposition of specific protein aggregates, both intracellularly and/or extracellularly, depending on the type of disease. The extracellular occurrence of tridimensional structures formed by amyloidogenic proteins defines Alzheimer's disease, in which plaques are composed of amyloid ß-protein, while in prionoses, the same term "amyloid" refers to the amyloid prion protein. In this review, we focused on providing a detailed didactic description and differentiation of diffuse, neuritic, and burnt-out plaques found in Alzheimer's disease and kuru-like, florid, multicentric, and neuritic plaques in human transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, followed by a systematic classification of the morphological similarities and differences between the extracellular amyloid deposits in these disorders. Both conditions are accompanied by the extracellular deposits that share certain signs, including neuritic degeneration, suggesting a particular role for amyloid protein toxicity.

Targeted Polymer-Based Probes for Fluorescence Guided Visualization and Potential Surgery of EGFR-Positive Head-and-Neck Tumors.

This report describes the design, synthesis and evaluation of tumor-targeted polymer probes to visualize epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-positive malignant tumors for successful resection via fluorescence guided endoscopic surgery. Fluorescent polymer probes of various molecular weights enabling passive accumulation in tumors via enhanced permeability and retention were prepared and evaluated, showing an optimal molecular weight of 200,000 g/mol for passive tumor targeting. Moreover, poly(N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide)-based copolymers labeled with fluorescent dyes were targeted with the EGFR-binding oligopeptide GE-11 (YHWYGYTPQNVI), human EGF or anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody cetuximab were all able to actively target the surface of EGFR-positive tumor cells. Nanoprobes targeted with GE-11 and cetuximab showed the best targeting profile but differed in their tumor accumulation kinetics. Cetuximab increased tumor accumulation after 15 min, whereas GE 11 needed at least 4 h. Interestingly, after 4 h, there were no significant differences in tumor targeting, indicating the potential of oligopeptide targeting for fluorescence-navigated surgery. In conclusion, fluorescent polymer probes targeted by oligopeptide GE-11 or whole antibody are excellent tools for surgical navigation during oncological surgery of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, due to their relatively simple design, synthesis and cost, as well as optimal pharmacokinetics and accumulation in tumors.

The FSHR Expression in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer. A Pilot Immunohistochemical Study.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHr), expressed on endothelial cells of vessels in different malignant tumors, has been recently investigated as a potential pan-receptor of cancer treatment. However, the expression of this receptor has also been confirmed in other tissues under pathological conditions including cancer. The aim of the presented pilot study was to evaluate the expression of FSHr in head and neck squamous cancer (HNSCC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 28 HNSCC patient samples were immunohistochemically analyzed for the presence of FSHr using a commercially available primary antibody. RESULTS: FSHr was detected not only in the tumor tissue, but also in the basal layer or dysplastic parts of squamous mucosa and also in fibroblasts surrounding the tumor tissue. CONCLUSION: FSHr is present on different benign or malignant mesenchymal and epithelial structures in HNSCC. A brief literature review revealed a wider role of FSHr in the development of neoplasia.

Coupled aggregation of mitochondrial single-strand DNA-binding protein tagged with Eos fluorescent protein visualizes synchronized activity of mitochondrial nucleoids.

Oligomer aggregation of green-to-red photoconvertible fluorescent protein Eos (EosFP) is a natural feature of the wild­type variant. The aim of the present study was to follow up mitochondrial nucleoid behavior under natural conditions of living cells transfected with mitochondrial single­strand DNA­binding protein (mtSSB) conjugated with EosFP. HEPG2 and SH­SY5Y cells were subjected to lentiviral transfection and subsequently immunostained with anti­DNA, anti­transcription factor A, mitochondrial (TFAM) or anti­translocase of the inner membrane 23 antibodies. Fluorescent microscopy, conventional confocal microscopy, superresolution biplane fluorescence photo-activation localization microscopy and direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy were used for imaging. In the two cell types, apparent couples of equally­sized mtSSB­EosFP­visualized dots were observed. During the time course of the ongoing transfection procedure, however, a small limited number of large aggregates of mtSSB­EosFP­tagged protein started to form in the cells, which exhibited a great co­localization with the noted coupled positions. Antibody staining and 3D immunocytochemistry confirmed that nucleoid components such as TFAM and DNA were co­localized with these aggregates. Furthermore, the observed reduction of the mtDNA copy number in mtSSB­EosFP­transfected cells suggested a possible impairment of nucleoid function. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that coupled nucleoids are synchronized by mtSSB­EosFP overexpression and visualized through their equal binding capacity to mtSSB­EosFP­tagged protein. This observation suggested parallel replication and transcription activity of nucleoid couples native from a parental one. Preserved coupling in late stages of artificial EosFP­mediated aggregation of tagged proteins suggested a rational manner of mitochondrial branching that may be cell-type specifically dependent on hierarchical nucleoid replication.

Delta Cell Hyperplasia in Adult Goto-Kakizaki (GK/MolTac) Diabetic Rats.

Reduced beta cell mass in pancreatic islets (PI) of Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats is frequently observed in this diabetic model, but knowledge on delta cells is scarce. Aiming to compare delta cell physiology/pathology of GK to Wistar rats, we found that delta cell number increased over time as did somatostatin mRNA and delta cells distribution in PI is different in GK rats. Subtle changes in 6-week-old GK rats were found. With maturation and aging of GK rats, disturbed cytoarchitecture occurred with irregular beta cells accompanied by delta cell hyperplasia and loss of pancreatic polypeptide (PPY) positivity. Unlike the constant glucose-stimulation index for insulin PI release in Wistar rats, this index declined with GK age, whereas for somatostatin it increased with age. A decrease of GK rat PPY serum levels was found. GK rat body weight decreased with increasing hyperglycemia. Somatostatin analog octreotide completely blocked insulin secretion, impaired proliferation at low autocrine insulin, and decreased PPY secretion and mitochondrial DNA in INS-1E cells. In conclusion, in GK rats PI, significant local delta cell hyperplasia and suspected paracrine effect of somatostatin diminish beta cell viability and contribute to the deterioration of beta cell mass. Altered PPY-secreting cells distribution amends another component of GK PI's pathophysiology.

Dichloroacetate stimulates changes in the mitochondrial network morphology via partial mitophagy in human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells.

Dichloroacetate (DCA) is beneficial in cancer therapy because it induces apoptosis and decreases cancer growth in vitro and in vivo without affecting non-cancer cells. DCA stimulates the activity of the enzyme pyruvate dehydrogenase by inhibiting pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase. Consequently, DCA promotes oxidative phosphorylation after glycolysis. Therefore, DCA produces changes in energy metabolism that could affect the mitochondrial network and mitophagy. This investigation determined the effects of DCA treatment on mitophagy in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. SH-SY5Y cells were cultured and distributed into 3 groups: control, NH4Cl and chloroquine. Each group was treated with DCA at 0, 5, 30 and 60 mM for 16 h. Samples were analyzed for cell viability, mtDNA copy number, mitochondrial network morphology and expression of key proteins involved in mitochondrial dynamics, such as LC3b, FIS1, OPA1, PARKIN and PINK1. In all groups, DCA caused a decrease in cell viability, an induction of autophagy in a dose-dependent manner and a decrease in Tim23, FIS1 and PARKIN protein expression, leading to profound morphological changes in the mitochondrial network resulting in shorter and more fragmented filaments. However, TFAM protein levels remained unchanged. Similarly, the mitochondrial copy number was not significantly different among the treatment groups. In conclusion, DCA induces mitophagy and remodeling of the mitochondrial network. In this remodeling, DCA induces a decrease in the expression of key proteins involved in protein degradation and mitochondrial dynamics but does not significantly affect the mtDNA density. Blocking late phase autophagy increases the effects of DCA, suggesting that autophagy protects the cell, at least partially, against DCA.

The contribution of proteinase-activated receptors to intracellular signaling, transcellular transport and autophagy in Alzheimer's disease.

The etiopathogenesis of Alzheimer´s disease is characterized by beta amyloid Aß(1-42) toxic fragment aggregation and its association with impaired autophagy. In mitochondria, chronic damage due to transport and enzymatic processes together with the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are followed by the subsequent accumulation of Aß in the form of senile plaques and the accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau protein in intracellular deposits called tangles. Proteinase-activated receptors (PARs), members of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family, facilitate and modulate the transcellular transport and distribution of a variety of subcellular molecular components to the lysosomal system and, thus, influence their degradation. A review of the data shows that the activation or inhibition of PARs leads to changes in the process of autophagy, which may influence ROS production and Aß (1-42) degradation in lysosomes and result in AD pathogenesis.

Dual role of host Par2 in a murine model of spontaneous metastatic B16 melanoma.

AIM: We investigated differences of metastatic spread of normal proteinase-activated receptor-2 (Par2+/+) melanoma B16 in Par2-/- (knock-out) animals compared to C57Bl6 mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine knock-out mice B6.Cg-F2rl1tm1Mslb/J (Par2-/-) and nine C57Bl6/J controls were subcutaneously inoculated with B16 melanoma tissue cells. Twelve days after inoculation, all primary tumors were removed. Survival and metastatic spread was followed for up to 100 days after primary tumor extirpation. RESULTS: Excised primary tumors were on average larger in Par2-/- mice (360 mm3 vs. 221 mm3 in C57Bl6/J). Distant spontaneous metastases developed in only 3 of 9 of Par2-/- mice in comparison to 6 of 9 controls. The average survival time was 84 days in Par2-/- animals compared to 63 days in C57Bl6/J mice. CONCLUSION: Host Par2 melanoma model contributes to the limitation of local cancer progression in one area, while on the other hand is important for enhancing distant metastatic spread.

PAR-2, IL-4R, TGF-ß and TNF-α in bronchoalveolar lavage distinguishes extrinsic allergic alveolitis from sarcoidosis.

Sarcoidosis (SARC) and extrinsic allergic alveolitis (EAA) share certain markers, making a differential diagnosis difficult even with histopathological investigation. In lung tissue, proteinase-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2) is primarily investigated with regard to epithelial and inflammatory perspectives. Varying levels of certain chemokines can be a useful tool for distinguishing EAA and SARC. Thus, in the present study, differences in the levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin-4 receptor (IL-4R) and PAR-2 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were compared, using an ELISA method, between 14 patients with EAA and six patients with SARC. Statistically significant higher levels of IL-4R, PAR-2 and the PAR-2/TGF-ß1 and PAR-2/TNF-α ratios were observed in EAA patients as compared with SARC patients. Furthermore, the ratios of TNF-α/total protein, TGF-ß1/PAR-2 and TNF-α/PAR-2 were significantly lower in EAA patients than in SARC patients. The results indicated a higher detection of PAR-2 in EAA samples in association with TNF-α and TGF-ß levels. As EAA and PAR-2 in parallel belong to the Th2-mediated pathway, the results significantly indicated an association between this receptor and etiology. In addition, the results indicated that SARC is predominantly a granulomatous inflammatory disease, thus, higher levels of TNF-α are observed. Therefore, the detection of PAR-2 and investigated chemokines in BALF may serve as a useful tool in the differential diagnosis between EAA and SARC.

Higher TGF-ß with lower CD124 and TSLP, but no difference in PAR-2 expression in bronchial biopsy of bronchial asthma patients in comparison with COPD patients.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchial asthma (BA) are 2 severe respiratory disorders with different predominated immunopathologies. There are several "novel molecules" from different families that are proposed as part of the etiopathogenesis of COPD and BA. Proteinase-activated receptor 2 (PAR-2), thymic stromal lymphoprotein (TSLP), interleukin-4 and its receptor (CD124), Yin-Yang 1 (YY1), and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß) have been previously shown to be involved in the pathophysiology of both these diseases. We investigated PAR-2, TSLP, CD124 (interleukin-4R), TGF-ß, and YY1 immunohistochemical expression in endobronchial and transbronchial biopsies from 22 BA patients and 20 COPD patients. Immunostaining for the above-mentioned antigens was quantified using a modified semiquantitative scoring system and statistically evaluated. The values of TGF-ß in the epithelial cells (P=0.0007) and TGF-ß in the submucosa (P=0.0075) were higher in the BA samples, whereas values of CD124 (P=0.0015) and TSLP (P=0.0106) were higher in the COPD samples. No statistically significant differences between the groups were recorded for PAR-2 and YY1. Airway inflammatory reaction diversity in BA and COPD seems to be disease specific; however, there are also shared mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of both diseases.

IL-4 polymorphisms, HRCT score and lung tissue markers in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

AIMS: We studied the influence of IL-4 gene polymorphisms on the IPF phenotype, i.e., extent of radiological changes (HRCT interstitial (IS) and alveolar (AS) score) and histopathological markers from lung biopsies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 46 IPF patients underwent genotyping, 43 of them had HRCT and 14 patients had a surgical lung biopsy. The HRCT scans were evaluated for AS and IS. The histopathological evaluation comprised myofibroblast foci (MF), intensity of inflammation and fibrosis (Ashcroft score) and numbers of eosinophils and granulomas. For immunohistochemical evaluation primary antibodies against PAR-2, CD124, TGF beta, YY-1 and TSLP were used. The IL-4 and IL-4 R alpha gene polymorphisms were characterized. RESULTS: We found a correlation between eosinophils in lung biopsies and AS. The Ashcroft score was higher in IL-4 HA 2 GCC and MF were more frequent in IL-4 HA 2 TCC carriers. A relationship was found between IL-4 (-1098) A2 T and PAR-2 expression and IL-4 (-590) A1 T, IL-4 HA1TTT and CD124 expression. AS was lower in IL-4 (-590) A1 C, in IL-4 HA1 TCC and in IL-4RA (+1902) A1 A carriers. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that the polymorphisms of IL-4 genes might influence the phenotype of IPF reflected by histopathological changes in lung biopsies and HRCT score.