RESUMEN
The human adrenal gland is a complex endocrine tissue. Studies on adrenal renewal have been limited to animal models or human foetuses. Enhancing our understanding of adult human adrenal homeostasis is crucial for gaining insights into the pathogenesis of adrenal diseases, such as adrenocortical tumours. Here, we present a comprehensive cellular genomics analysis of the adult human normal adrenal gland, combining single-nuclei RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptome data to reconstruct adrenal gland homeostasis. As expected, we identified primary cells of the various zones of the adrenal cortex and medulla, but we also uncovered additional cell types. They constitute the adrenal microenvironment, including immune cells, mostly composed of a large population of M2 macrophages, and new cell populations, including different subpopulations of vascular-endothelial cells and cortical-neuroendocrine cells. Utilizing spatial transcriptome and pseudotime trajectory analysis, we support evidence of the centripetal dynamics of adrenocortical cell maintenance and the essential role played by Wnt/ß-catenin, sonic hedgehog, and fibroblast growth factor pathways in the adult adrenocortical homeostasis. Furthermore, we compared single-nuclei transcriptional profiles obtained from six healthy adrenal glands and twelve adrenocortical adenomas. This analysis unveiled a notable heterogeneity in cell populations within the adenoma samples. In addition, we identified six distinct adenoma-specific clusters, each with varying distributions based on steroid profiles and tumour mutational status. Overall, our results provide novel insights into adrenal homeostasis and molecular mechanisms potentially underlying early adrenocortical tumorigenesis and/or autonomous steroid secretion. Our cell atlas represents a powerful resource to investigate other adrenal-related pathologies.
Asunto(s)
Glándulas Suprarrenales , Homeostasis , Transcriptoma , Humanos , Transcriptoma/genética , Glándulas Suprarrenales/metabolismo , Homeostasis/genética , Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal/genética , Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal/metabolismo , Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal/patología , Adulto , Neoplasias de las Glándulas Suprarrenales/genética , Neoplasias de las Glándulas Suprarrenales/metabolismo , Neoplasias de las Glándulas Suprarrenales/patologíaRESUMEN
Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare yet devastating tumour of the adrenal gland with a molecular pathology that remains incompletely understood. To gain novel insights into the cellular landscape of ACC, we generated single-nuclei RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) data sets from twelve ACC tumour samples and analysed these alongside snRNA-seq data sets from normal adrenal glands (NAGs). We find the ACC tumour microenvironment to be relatively devoid of immune cells compared to NAG tissues, consistent with known high tumour purity values for ACC as an immunologically "cold" tumour. Our analysis identifies three separate groups of ACC samples that are characterised by different relative compositions of adrenocortical cell types. These include cell populations that are specifically enriched in the most clinically aggressive and hormonally active tumours, displaying hallmarks of reorganised cell mechanobiology and dysregulated steroidogenesis, respectively. We also identified and validated a population of mitotically active adrenocortical cells that strongly overexpress genes POLQ, DIAPH3 and EZH2 to support tumour expansion alongside an LGR4+ progenitor-like or cell-of-origin candidate for adrenocortical carcinogenesis. Trajectory inference suggests the fate adopted by malignant adrenocortical cells upon differentiation is associated with the copy number or allelic balance state of the imprinted DLK1/MEG3 genomic locus, which we verified by assessing bulk tumour DNA methylation status. In conclusion, our results therefore provide new insights into the clinical and cellular heterogeneity of ACC, revealing how genetic perturbations to healthy adrenocortical renewal and zonation provide a molecular basis for disease pathogenesis.
Asunto(s)
Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal , Carcinoma Corticosuprarrenal , Regulación Neoplásica de la Expresión Génica , Microambiente Tumoral , Humanos , Carcinoma Corticosuprarrenal/genética , Carcinoma Corticosuprarrenal/patología , Carcinoma Corticosuprarrenal/metabolismo , Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal/genética , Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal/patología , Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal/metabolismo , Microambiente Tumoral/genética , Análisis de la Célula Individual , Péptidos y Proteínas de Señalización Intercelular/genética , Péptidos y Proteínas de Señalización Intercelular/metabolismo , Proteínas de Unión al Calcio , Proteínas de la MembranaRESUMEN
CONTEXT: Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare endocrine malignancy with poor prognosis in advanced stages. While therapies targeting the checkpoint molecules programmed cell death 1 (PD-1), its ligand PD-L1, and the cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) have revolutionized treatment in many cancers, the results in ACCs were heterogeneous. OBJECTIVE: Their expression in ACC has not been systematically studied and might explain the variable response to immune checkpoint inhibitors. METHODS: The expression of PD-1, PD-L1 and CTLA-4 was examined in 162 tumor samples from 122 patients with ACC by immunohistochemistry (threshold of >1%) and correlated with tumoral T lymphocyte infiltration and clinical endpoints. Finally, univariate and multivariate analyses of progression-free and overall survival were performed. RESULTS: PD-1 and PD-L1 were expressed in 26.5% and 24.7% of samples, respectively, with low expression in most tumor samples (median positive cells: 2.1% and 21.7%). In contrast, CTLA-4 expression was observed in 52.5% of ACC with a median of 38.4% positive cells. Positive PD-1 expression was associated with longer progression-free survival (HR 0.50, 95% CI 0.25-0.98, P = .04) even after considering prognostic factors. In contrast, PD-L1 and CTLA-4 did not correlate with clinical outcome. Additionally, PD-1 and PD-L1 expression correlated significantly with the amount of CD3+, CD4+, FoxP3+, and CD8+ T cells. CONCLUSION: The heterogeneous expression of PD1, PD-L1, and CTLA-4 in this large series of well-annotated ACC samples might explain the heterogeneous results of the immunotherapies in advanced ACC. In addition, PD-1 expression is a strong prognostic biomarker that can easily be applied in routine clinical care and histopathological assessment.
Asunto(s)
Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal , Carcinoma Corticosuprarrenal , Antígeno B7-H1 , Antígeno CTLA-4 , Receptor de Muerte Celular Programada 1 , Humanos , Antígeno CTLA-4/metabolismo , Masculino , Carcinoma Corticosuprarrenal/patología , Carcinoma Corticosuprarrenal/mortalidad , Carcinoma Corticosuprarrenal/metabolismo , Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal/mortalidad , Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal/metabolismo , Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal/patología , Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal/inmunología , Femenino , Receptor de Muerte Celular Programada 1/metabolismo , Persona de Mediana Edad , Pronóstico , Antígeno B7-H1/metabolismo , Antígeno B7-H1/análisis , Adulto , Anciano , Biomarcadores de Tumor/metabolismo , Biomarcadores de Tumor/análisis , Adulto Joven , Linfocitos Infiltrantes de Tumor/inmunología , Linfocitos Infiltrantes de Tumor/metabolismo , Adolescente , Anciano de 80 o más AñosRESUMEN
The insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) promotes cell growth by overactivating the IGF system in an autocrine loop in adrenocortical carcinomas (ACCs). The cytoskeleton protein filamin A (FLNA) acts as a repressor of IGF2 mitogenic signalling in ACC cells. The aims of this study were to test FLNA expression by immunohistochemistry in 119 ACCs and 26 adrenocortical adenomas (ACAs) and to evaluate its relationship with clinicopathological features and outcome in ACCs. We found that 71.4% of ACCs did not express FLNA, whereas FLNA absence was a rare event in ACAs (15.4%, p < 0.001 vs. ACCs). In addition, the expression of FLNA was associated with a less aggressive tumour behaviour in ACCs. Indeed, the subgroup of ACCs with high FLNA showed a lower ENSAT stage, Weiss score, and S-GRAS score compared to ACCs with low FLNA expression (p < 0.05). Moreover, patients with high FLNA had a longer overall survival than those with low FLNA (p < 0.05). In conclusion, our data suggest that FLNA may represent a "protective" factor in ACCs, and the integration of FLNA immunohistochemical expression in ACC tissues along with other clinical and molecular markers could be helpful to improve diagnostic accuracy and prognosis prediction in ACCs.
Asunto(s)
Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal , Adenoma Corticosuprarrenal , Carcinoma Corticosuprarrenal , Filaminas , Humanos , Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal/diagnóstico , Adenoma Corticosuprarrenal/diagnóstico , Carcinoma Corticosuprarrenal/diagnóstico , Filaminas/genética , Filaminas/metabolismo , Transducción de Señal , PronósticoRESUMEN
Background: We performed a transcriptomic analysis of adrenal signaling pathways in various forms of endogenous Cushing's syndrome (CS) to define areas of dysregulated and druggable targets. Methodology: Next-generation sequencing was performed on adrenal samples of patients with primary bilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia (PBMAH, n=10) and control adrenal samples (n=8). The validation groups included cortisol-producing adenoma (CPA, n=9) and samples from patients undergoing bilateral adrenalectomy for Cushing's disease (BADX-CD, n=8). In vivo findings were further characterized using three adrenocortical cell-lines (NCI-H295R, CU-ACC2, MUC1). Results: Pathway mapping based on significant expression patterns identified PPARG (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma) pathway as the top hit. Quantitative PCR (QPCR) confirmed that PPARG (l2fc<-1.5) and related genes - FABP4 (l2fc<-5.5), PLIN1 (l2fc<-4.1) and ADIPOQ (l2fc<-3.3) - were significantly downregulated (p<0.005) in PBMAH. Significant downregulation of PPARG was also found in BADX-CD (l2fc<-1.9, p<0.0001) and CPA (l2fc<-1.4, p<0.0001). In vitro studies demonstrated that the PPARG activator rosiglitazone resulted in decreased cell viability in MUC1 and NCI-H295R (p<0.0001). There was also a significant reduction in the production of aldosterone, cortisol, and cortisone in NCI-H295R and in Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in MUC1 (p<0.05), respectively. Outcome: This therapeutic effect was independent of the actions of ACTH, postulating a promising application of PPARG activation in endogenous hypercortisolism.
Asunto(s)
Síndrome de Cushing , Humanos , Adrenalectomía/métodos , Síndrome de Cushing/genética , Síndrome de Cushing/cirugía , Síndrome de Cushing/tratamiento farmacológico , Hidrocortisona/metabolismo , Hiperplasia , PPAR gamma/genéticaRESUMEN
Introduction: Adrenal vein sampling (AVS) is not a routine procedure in patients with primary bilateral macronodular adrenocortical hyperplasia (PBMAH), but has been used to determine lateralization of cortisol secretion in order to guide decision of unilateral adrenalectomy. Our aim was to characterize the steroid fingerprints in AVS samples of patients with PBMAH and hypercortisolism and to identify a reference hormone for AVS interpretation. Method: Retrospectively, we included 17 patients with PBMAH from the German Cushing's registry who underwent AVS. 15 steroids were quantified in AVS and peripheral blood samples using LC-MS/MS. We calculated lateralization indices and conversion ratios indicative of steroidogenic enzyme activity to elucidate differences between individual adrenal steroidomes and in steroidogenic pathways. Results: Adrenal volume was negatively correlated with peripheral cortisone (r=0.62, p<0.05). 24-hour urinary free cortisol correlated positively with peripheral androgens (rDHEA=0.57, rDHEAS=0.82, rA=0.73, rT=0.54, p<0.05). DHEA was found to be a powerful reference hormone with high selectivity index, which did not correlate with serume cortisol and has a short half-life. All investigated steroids showed lateralization in single patients indicating the heterogenous steroid secretion pattern in patients with PBMAH. The ratios of corticosterone/aldosterone (catalyzed by CYP11B2), androstenedione/dehydroepiandrosterone (catalyzed by HSD3B2) and cortisone/cortisol (catalyzed by HSD11B2) in adrenal vein samples were higher in smaller adrenals (p<0.05). ARMC5 mutation carriers (n=6) showed lower androstenedione/17-hydroxyprogesterone and higher testosterone/androstenedione (p<0.05) ratios in peripheral blood, in line with lower peripheral androstenedione concentrations (p<0.05). Conclusion: Steroid profiling by LC-MS/MS led us to select DHEA as a candidate reference hormone for cortisol secretion. Lateralization and different steroid ratios showed that each steroid and all three steroidogenic pathways may be affected in PBMAH patients. In patients with germline ARMC5 mutations, the androgen pathway was particularly dysregulated.
Asunto(s)
Cortisona , Hidrocortisona , Humanos , Cromatografía Liquida , Hiperplasia , Androstenodiona , Estudios Retrospectivos , Espectrometría de Masas en Tándem , Esteroides , Andrógenos , DeshidroepiandrosteronaRESUMEN
MiRNAs are important epigenetic players with tissue- and disease-specific effects. In this study, our aim was to investigate the putative differential expression of miRNAs in adrenal tissues from different forms of Cushing's syndrome (CS). For this, miRNA-based next-generation sequencing was performed in adrenal tissues taken from patients with ACTH-independent cortisol-producing adrenocortical adenomas (CPA), from patients with ACTH-dependent pituitary Cushing's disease (CD) after bilateral adrenalectomy, and from control subjects. A confirmatory QPCR was also performed in adrenals from patients with other CS subtypes, such as primary bilateral macronodular hyperplasia and ectopic CS. Sequencing revealed significant differences in the miRNA profiles of CD and CPA. QPCR revealed the upregulated expression of miR-1247-5p in CPA and PBMAH (log2 fold change > 2.5, p < 0.05). MiR-379-5p was found to be upregulated in PBMAH and CD (log2 fold change > 1.8, p < 0.05). Analyses of miR-1247-5p and miR-379-5p expression in the adrenals of mice which had been exposed to short-term ACTH stimulation showed no influence on the adrenal miRNA expression profiles. For miRNA-specific target prediction, RNA-seq data from the adrenals of CPA, PBMAH, and control samples were analyzed with different bioinformatic platforms. The analyses revealed that both miR-1247-5p and miR-379-5p target specific genes in the WNT signaling pathway. In conclusion, this study identified distinct adrenal miRNAs as being associated with CS subtypes.
Asunto(s)
Síndrome de Cushing , MicroARNs , Glándulas Suprarrenales/metabolismo , Adrenalectomía , Hormona Adrenocorticotrópica/metabolismo , Animales , Síndrome de Cushing/clasificación , Síndrome de Cushing/genética , Síndrome de Cushing/metabolismo , Humanos , Hidrocortisona/metabolismo , Ratones , MicroARNs/genética , MicroARNs/metabolismo , Hipersecreción de la Hormona Adrenocorticotrópica Pituitaria (HACT)/genética , Hipersecreción de la Hormona Adrenocorticotrópica Pituitaria (HACT)/metabolismoRESUMEN
Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are a type of genetic material that do not encode proteins but regulate the gene expression at an epigenetic level, such as microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). The role played by ncRNAs in many physiological and pathological processes has gained attention during the last few decades, as they might be useful in the diagnosis, treatment and management of several human disorders, including endocrine and oncological diseases. Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare and aggressive endocrine cancer, still characterized by high mortality and morbidity due to both endocrine and oncological complications. Despite the rarity of this disease, recently, the role of ncRNA has been quite extensively evaluated in ACC. In order to better explore the role of the ncRNA in human ACC, this review summarizes the current knowledge on ncRNA dysregulation in ACC and its potential role in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of this tumor.
Asunto(s)
Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal , Carcinoma Corticosuprarrenal , MicroARNs , ARN Largo no Codificante , Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal/genética , Carcinoma Corticosuprarrenal/genética , Humanos , MicroARNs/genética , MicroARNs/metabolismo , ARN Largo no Codificante/genética , ARN Largo no Codificante/metabolismo , ARN no Traducido/genética , ARN no Traducido/metabolismoRESUMEN
Objective: Endogenous hypercortisolism predisposes to impaired immune function and infections. To date, however, it is unknown whether there is a subtype-specific pattern in white blood cell (WBC) and WBC differential (WBCD) count. Methods: A retrospective monocentric cohort study was carried out in patients with overt endogenous Cushing's syndrome (CS) or adrenal incidentalomas and autonomous cortisol secretion (ACS), with WBC/WBCD analysis at initial diagnosis and after biochemical remission. Cut-offs were obtained by receiver-operating characteristics analysis. Results: In total, 253 patients were analyzed (Cushing's disease (CD); n = 88; ectopic CS (ECS), n = 31; cortisol-producing adrenal adenomas (CPA), n = 40; ACS, n = 45; adrenocortical carcinomas (ACC), n = 49). Total leukocytes and neutrophils correlated positively with serum cortisol after 1-mg dexamethasone (r = 0.314 and r = 0.428), while a negative correlation was observed for lymphocytes and eosinophils (r = -0.374 and r= -0.380) (each P < 0.0001). Similar observations were made for 24 h-urinary free cortisol. CD and ECS differed in numbers of neutrophils and lymphocytes (P < 0.0001) and were well differentiated at a cut-off of 6.1 for the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (sensitivity 90.0%, specificity 89.4%, and areas under the curve (AUC) 0.918). For adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-independent CS, the best diagnostic outcome was obtained for the discrimination of CPA and ACC at a cut-off of 187.9 for the platelet/lymphocyte ratio (sensitivity 59.6%, specificity 80.6%, and AUC 0.713). For ECS, CPA, and CD, neutrophils decreased (delta -47.0, -29.7, and -26.2%) and lymphocytes increased (+123.2, +78.1, and +17.7%) already 3 months after remission. Conclusion: Most immune cells correlate with the degree of hypercortisolism and differ among CS subtypes. WBCD changes are already identified 3 months after remission from endogenous hypercortisolism.
Asunto(s)
Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal , Neoplasias de las Glándulas Suprarrenales , Carcinoma Corticosuprarrenal , Síndrome de Cushing , Hipersecreción de la Hormona Adrenocorticotrópica Pituitaria (HACT) , Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal/diagnóstico , Neoplasias de las Glándulas Suprarrenales/diagnóstico , Carcinoma Corticosuprarrenal/diagnóstico , Estudios de Cohortes , Diagnóstico Diferencial , Humanos , Hidrocortisona , Leucocitos , Hipersecreción de la Hormona Adrenocorticotrópica Pituitaria (HACT)/diagnóstico , Estudios RetrospectivosRESUMEN
FGF/FGFR signaling regulates embryogenesis, angiogenesis, tissue homeostasis and wound repair by modulating proliferation, differentiation, survival, migration and metabolism of target cells. Understandably, compelling evidence for deregulated FGF signaling in the development and progression of different types of tumors continue to emerge and FGFR inhibitors arise as potential targeted therapeutic agents, particularly in tumors harboring aberrant FGFR signaling. There is first evidence of a dual role of the FGF/FGFR system in both organogenesis and tumorigenesis, of which this review aims to provide an overview. FGF-1 and FGF-2 are expressed in the adrenal cortex and are the most powerful mitogens for adrenocortical cells. Physiologically, they are involved in development and maintenance of the adrenal gland and bind to a family of four tyrosine kinase receptors, among which FGFR1 and FGFR4 are the most strongly expressed in the adrenal cortex. The repeatedly proven overexpression of these two FGFRs also in adrenocortical cancer is thus likely a sign of their participation in proliferation and vascularization, though the exact downstream mechanisms are not yet elucidated. Thus, FGFRs potentially offer novel therapeutic targets also for adrenocortical carcinoma, a type of cancer resistant to conventional antimitotic agents.
Asunto(s)
Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal , Carcinoma Corticosuprarrenal , Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal/tratamiento farmacológico , Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal/genética , Carcinoma Corticosuprarrenal/tratamiento farmacológico , Carcinoma Corticosuprarrenal/genética , Carcinogénesis , Transformación Celular Neoplásica , Factores de Crecimiento de Fibroblastos/genética , Factores de Crecimiento de Fibroblastos/metabolismo , Humanos , Neovascularización Patológica/tratamiento farmacológico , Receptores de Factores de Crecimiento de Fibroblastos/metabolismo , Transducción de SeñalRESUMEN
Targeting molecular alterations as an effective treatment for isocitrate dehydrogenase-wildtype glioblastoma (GBM) patients has not yet been established. Sterol-O-Acyl Transferase 1 (SOAT1), a key enzyme in the conversion of endoplasmic reticulum cholesterol to esters for storage in lipid droplets (LD), serves as a target for the orphan drug mitotane to treat adrenocortical carcinoma. Inhibition of SOAT1 also suppresses GBM growth. Here, we refined SOAT1-expression in GBM and IDH-mutant astrocytoma, CNS WHO grade 4 (HGA), and assessed the distribution of LD in these tumors. Twenty-seven GBM and three HGA specimens were evaluated by multiple GFAP, Iba1, IDH1 R132H, and SOAT1 immunofluorescence labeling as well as Oil Red O staining. To a small extent SOAT1 was expressed by tumor cells in both tumor entities. In contrast, strong expression was observed in glioma-associated macrophages. Triple immunofluorescence labeling revealed, for the first time, evidence for SOAT1 colocalization with Iba1 and IDH1 R132H, respectively. Furthermore, a notable difference in the amount of LD between GBM and HGA was observed. Therefore, SOAT1 suppression might be a therapeutic option to target GBM and HGA growth and invasiveness. In addition, the high expression in cells related to neuroinflammation could be beneficial for a concomitant suppression of protumoral microglia/macrophages.
Asunto(s)
Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal , Carcinoma Corticosuprarrenal , Neoplasias Encefálicas , Glioblastoma , Glioma , Esterol O-Aciltransferasa/metabolismo , Neoplasias Encefálicas/metabolismo , Glioblastoma/metabolismo , Glioma/metabolismo , Humanos , Isocitrato Deshidrogenasa/genética , MutaciónRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most frequent cancer in men. The prognosis of PCa is heterogeneous with many clinically indolent tumors and rare highly aggressive cases. Reliable tissue markers of prognosis are lacking. Active cholesteryl ester synthesis has been associated with prostate cancer aggressiveness. Sterol-O-Acyl transferases (SOAT) 1 and 2 catalyze cholesterol esterification in humans. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the value of SOAT1 and SOAT2 tissue expression as prognostic markers in high risk PCa. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue samples from 305 high risk PCa cases treated with radical prostatectomy were analyzed for SOAT1 and SOAT2 protein expression by semi-quantitative immunohistochemistry. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards modeling were used to compare outcome. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Biochemical recurrence (BCR) free survival. RESULTS: SOAT1 expression was high in 73 (25%) and low in 219 (75%; not evaluable: 13) tumors. SOAT2 was highly expressed in 40 (14%) and at low levels in 249 (86%) samples (not evaluable: 16). By Kaplan-Meier analysis, we found significantly shorter median BCR free survival of 93 months (95% confidence interval 23.6-123.1) in patients with high SOAT1 vs. 134 months (112.6-220.2, Log-rank p < 0.001) with low SOAT1. SOAT2 expression was not significantly associated with BCR. After adjustment for age, preoperative PSA, tumor stage, Gleason score, resection status, lymph node involvement and year of surgery, high SOAT1 but not SOAT2 expression was associated with shorter BCR free survival with a hazard ratio of 2.40 (95% CI 1.57-3.68, p < 0.001). Time to clinical recurrence and overall survival were not significantly associated with SOAT1 and SOAT2 expression CONCLUSIONS: SOAT1 expression is strongly associated with BCR free survival alone and after multivariable adjustment in high risk PCa. SOAT1 may serve as a histologic marker of prognosis and holds promise as a future treatment target.
Asunto(s)
Recurrencia Local de Neoplasia , Neoplasias de la Próstata , Esterol O-Aciltransferasa , Colesterol/metabolismo , Supervivencia sin Enfermedad , Humanos , Masculino , Clasificación del Tumor , Recurrencia Local de Neoplasia/genética , Antígeno Prostático Específico , Prostatectomía , Neoplasias de la Próstata/patología , Esterol O-Aciltransferasa/genética , Esterol O-Aciltransferasa/metabolismoRESUMEN
Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare endocrine malignancy and treatment of advanced disease is challenging. Clinical trials with multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitors in the past have yielded disappointing results. Here, we investigated fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptors and their pathways in adrenocortical tumors as potential treatment targets. We performed real-time RT-PCR of 93 FGF pathway related genes in a cohort of 39 fresh frozen benign and malignant adrenocortical, 9 non-adrenal tissues and 4 cell lines. The expression of FGF receptors was validated in 166 formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues using RNA in situ hybridization (RNAscope) and correlated with clinical data. In malignant compared to benign adrenal tumors, we found significant differences in the expression of 16/94 FGF receptor pathway related genes. Genes involved in tissue differentiation and metastatic spread through epithelial to mesechymal transition were most strongly altered. The therapeutically targetable FGF receptors 1 and 4 were upregulated 4.6- and 6-fold, respectively, in malignant compared to benign adrenocortical tumors, which was confirmed by RNAscope in FFPE samples. High expression of FGFR1 and 4 was significantly associated with worse patient prognosis in univariate analysis. After multivariate adjustment for the known prognostic factors Ki-67 and ENSAT tumor stage, FGFR1 remained significantly associated with recurrence-free survival (HR=6.10, 95%CI: 1.78 - 20.86, p=0.004) and FGFR4 with overall survival (HR=3.23, 95%CI: 1.52 - 6.88, p=0.002). Collectively, our study supports a role of FGF pathways in malignant adrenocortical tumors. Quantification of FGF receptors may enable a stratification of ACC for the use of FGFR inhibitors in future clinical trials.
Asunto(s)
Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal/metabolismo , Carcinoma Corticosuprarrenal/metabolismo , Biomarcadores de Tumor/biosíntesis , Receptor Tipo 1 de Factor de Crecimiento de Fibroblastos/biosíntesis , Receptor Tipo 4 de Factor de Crecimiento de Fibroblastos/biosíntesis , Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal/genética , Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal/mortalidad , Carcinoma Corticosuprarrenal/genética , Carcinoma Corticosuprarrenal/mortalidad , Adulto , Biomarcadores de Tumor/genética , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Reacción en Cadena en Tiempo Real de la Polimerasa/métodos , Receptor Tipo 1 de Factor de Crecimiento de Fibroblastos/genética , Receptor Tipo 4 de Factor de Crecimiento de Fibroblastos/genética , Tasa de Supervivencia/tendenciasRESUMEN
The occurrence of different subtypes of endogenous Cushing's syndrome (CS) in single individuals is extremely rare. We here present the case of a female patient who was successfully cured from adrenal CS 4 years before being diagnosed with Cushing's disease (CD). The patient was diagnosed at the age of 50 with ACTH-independent CS and a left-sided adrenal adenoma, in January 2015. After adrenalectomy and histopathological confirmation of a cortisol-producing adrenocortical adenoma, biochemical hypercortisolism and clinical symptoms significantly improved. However, starting from 2018, the patient again developed signs and symptoms of recurrent CS. Subsequent biochemical and radiological workup suggested the presence of ACTH-dependent CS along with a pituitary microadenoma. The patient underwent successful transsphenoidal adenomectomy, and both postoperative adrenal insufficiency and histopathological workup confirmed the diagnosis of CD. Exome sequencing excluded a causative germline mutation but showed somatic mutations of the ß-catenin protein gene (CTNNB1) in the adrenal adenoma, and of both the ubiquitin specific peptidase 8 (USP8) and the glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1) genes in the pituitary adenoma. In conclusion, our case illustrates that both ACTH-independent and ACTH-dependent CS may develop in a single individual even without evidence for a common genetic background.
Asunto(s)
Síndrome de Cushing/genética , Endopeptidasas/genética , Complejos de Clasificación Endosomal Requeridos para el Transporte/genética , Hipersecreción de la Hormona Adrenocorticotrópica Pituitaria (HACT)/genética , Receptores de Glucocorticoides/genética , Ubiquitina Tiolesterasa/genética , beta Catenina/genética , Adenoma/diagnóstico , Adenoma/genética , Adenoma/cirugía , Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal/diagnóstico , Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal/genética , Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal/cirugía , Adrenalectomía/efectos adversos , Síndrome de Cushing/complicaciones , Síndrome de Cushing/diagnóstico , Femenino , Alemania , Humanos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Mutación , Hipersecreción de la Hormona Adrenocorticotrópica Pituitaria (HACT)/complicaciones , Hipersecreción de la Hormona Adrenocorticotrópica Pituitaria (HACT)/diagnósticoRESUMEN
Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare disease, associated with poor survival. Several "multiple-omics" studies characterizing ACC on a molecular level identified two different clusters correlating with patient survival (C1A and C1B). We here used the publicly available transcriptome data from the TCGA-ACC dataset (n = 79), applying machine learning (ML) methods to classify the ACC based on expression pattern in an unbiased manner. UMAP (uniform manifold approximation and projection)-based clustering resulted in two distinct groups, ACC-UMAP1 and ACC-UMAP2, that largely overlap with clusters C1B and C1A, respectively. However, subsequent use of random-forest-based learning revealed a set of new possible marker genes showing significant differential expression in the described clusters (e.g., SOAT1, EIF2A1). For validation purposes, we used a secondary dataset based on a previous study from our group, consisting of 4 normal adrenal glands and 52 benign and 7 malignant tumor samples. The results largely confirmed those obtained for the TCGA-ACC cohort. In addition, the ENSAT dataset showed a correlation between benign adrenocortical tumors and the good prognosis ACC cluster ACC-UMAP1/C1B. In conclusion, the use of ML approaches re-identified and redefined known prognostic ACC subgroups. On the other hand, the subsequent use of random-forest-based learning identified new possible prognostic marker genes for ACC.
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BACKGROUND: The response of advanced adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) to current chemotherapies is unsatisfactory and a limited rate of response to immunotherapy was observed in clinical trials. High tumour mutational burden (TMB) and the presence of a specific DNA signature are characteristic features of tumours with mutations in the gene MUTYH encoding the mutY DNA glycosylase. Both have been shown to potentially predict the response to immunotherapy. High TMB in an ACC cell line model has not been reported yet. DESIGN AND METHODS: The JIL-2266 cell line was established from a primary ACC tumour, comprehensively characterised and oxidative damage, caused by a dysfunctional mutY DNA glycosylase, confirmed. RESULTS: Here, we characterise the novel patient-derived ACC cell line JIL-2266, which is deficient in mutY-dependent DNA repair. JIL-2266 cells have a consistent STR marker profile that confirmed congruousness with primary ACC tumour. Cells proliferate with a doubling time of 41 ± 13 h. Immunohistochemistry revealed positivity for steroidogenic factor-1. Mass spectrometry did not demonstrate significant steroid hormone synthesis. JIL-2266 have hemizygous mutations in the tumour suppressor gene TP53 (c.859G>T:p.E287X) and MUTYH (c.316C>T:p.R106W). Exome sequencing showed 683 single nucleotide variants and 4 insertions/deletions. We found increased oxidative DNA damage in the cell line and the corresponding primary tumour caused by impaired mutY DNA glycosylase function and accumulation of 8-oxoguanine. CONCLUSION: This model will be valuable as a pre-clinical ACC cell model with high TMB and a tool to study oxidative DNA damage in the adrenal gland.
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Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal/genética , Neoplasias de la Corteza Suprarrenal/patología , Carcinoma Corticosuprarrenal/genética , Carcinoma Corticosuprarrenal/patología , ADN Glicosilasas/genética , Línea Celular Tumoral , Proliferación Celular , Femenino , Mutación de Línea Germinal , Humanos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Carga Tumoral , Secuenciación del ExomaRESUMEN
A clinically relevant proportion of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) cases shows a tendency to metastatic spread. The objective was to determine whether the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), a mechanism associated with metastasizing in several epithelial cancers, might play a crucial role in ACC. 138 ACC, 29 adrenocortical adenomas (ACA), three normal adrenal glands (NAG), and control tissue samples were assessed for the expression of epithelial (E-cadherin and EpCAM) and mesenchymal (N-cadherin, SLUG and SNAIL) markers by immunohistochemistry. Using real-time RT-PCR we quantified the alternative isoform splicing of FGFR 2 and 3, another known indicator of EMT. We also assessed the impact of these markers on clinical outcome. Results show that both normal and neoplastic adrenocortical tissues lacked expression of epithelial markers but strongly expressed mesenchymal markers N-cadherin and SLUG. FGFR isoform splicing confirmed higher similarity of adrenocortical tissues to mesenchymal compared to epithelial tissues. In ACC, higher SLUG expression was associated with clinical markers indicating aggressiveness, while N-cadherin expression inversely associated with these markers. In conclusion, we could not find any indication of EMT as all adrenocortical tissues lacked expression of epithelial markers and exhibited closer similarity to mesenchymal tissues. However, while N-cadherin might play a positive role in tissue structure upkeep, SLUG seems to be associated with a more aggressive phenotype.
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Context: Cushing's syndrome (CS) is a rare disease of endogenous hypercortisolism associated with high morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis and classification of CS is still challenging. Objective: Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are minimally invasive diagnostic markers. Our aim was to characterize the circulating miRNA profiles of CS patients and to identify distinct profiles between the two major CS subtypes. Methods: We included three groups of patients from the German Cushing's registry: ACTH-independent CS (Cortisol-Producing-Adenoma; CPA), ACTH-dependent pituitary CS (Cushing's Disease; CD), and patients in whom CS had been ruled out (controls). Profiling of miRNAs was performed by next-generation-sequencing (NGS) in serum samples of 15 CS patients (each before and after curative surgery) and 10 controls. Significant miRNAs were first validated by qPCR in the discovery cohort and then in an independent validation cohort of 20 CS patients and 11 controls. Results: NGS identified 411 circulating miRNAs. Differential expression of 14 miRNAs were found in the pre- and postoperative groups. qPCR in the discovery cohort validated 5 of the significant miRNAs from the preoperative group analyses. Only, miR-182-5p was found to be significantly upregulated in the CD group of the validation cohort. Comparing all CS samples as a group with the controls did not reveal any significant differences in expression. Outcome: In conclusion, our study identified miR-182-5p as a possible biomarker for CD, which has to be validated in a prospective cohort. Furthermore, our results suggest that presence or absence of ACTH might be at least as relevant for miRNA expression as hypercortisolism itself.
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Adenoma/diagnóstico , MicroARN Circulante/sangre , Síndrome de Cushing/diagnóstico , Hipersecreción de la Hormona Adrenocorticotrópica Pituitaria (HACT)/diagnóstico , Adenoma/sangre , Adulto , Biomarcadores/sangre , Síndrome de Cushing/sangre , Diagnóstico Diferencial , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Hipersecreción de la Hormona Adrenocorticotrópica Pituitaria (HACT)/sangre , Sistema de Registros , Estudios RetrospectivosRESUMEN
Chronic activation and dysregulation of the neuroendocrine stress response have severe physiological and psychological consequences, including the development of metabolic and stress-related psychiatric disorders. We provide the first unbiased, cell type-specific, molecular characterization of all three components of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, under baseline and chronic stress conditions. Among others, we identified a previously unreported subpopulation of Abcb1b+ cells involved in stress adaptation in the adrenal gland. We validated our findings in a mouse stress model, adrenal tissues from patients with Cushing's syndrome, adrenocortical cell lines, and peripheral cortisol and genotyping data from depressed patients. This extensive dataset provides a valuable resource for researchers and clinicians interested in the organism's nervous and endocrine responses to stress and the interplay between these tissues. Our findings raise the possibility that modulating ABCB1 function may be important in the development of treatment strategies for patients suffering from metabolic and stress-related psychiatric disorders.
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Mutations in the PRKACA gene are the most frequent cause of cortisol-producing adrenocortical adenomas leading to Cushing's syndrome. PRKACA encodes for the catalytic subunit α of protein kinase A (PKA). We already showed that PRKACA mutations lead to impairment of regulatory (R) subunit binding. Furthermore, PRKACA mutations are associated with reduced RIIß protein levels; however, the mechanisms leading to reduced RIIß levels are presently unknown. Here, we investigate the effects of the most frequent PRKACA mutation, L206R, on regulatory subunit stability. We find that Ser114 phosphorylation of RIIß is required for its degradation, mediated by caspase 16. Last, we show that the resulting reduction in RIIß protein levels leads to increased cortisol secretion in adrenocortical cells. These findings reveal the molecular mechanisms and pathophysiological relevance of the R subunit degradation caused by PRKACA mutations, adding another dimension to the deregulation of PKA signaling caused by PRKACA mutations in adrenal Cushing's syndrome.