► Adrenocortical cancer can be associated with familial cancer susceptibility syndromes. ► Certain patient characteristics can provide clues for individual genetic testing. ► Patients with hereditary ...cancer syndromes may need a specialized health surveillance.
Our knowledge about inherited susceptibility to adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) almost exclusively stems from experiences with familial cancer susceptibility syndromes, which are caused by single gene mutations (e.g. Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS)). Population-based studies are largely unavailable. ACC diagnosed during childhood is known to be commonly part of hereditary cancer syndromes. Childhood ACC is part of the classical tumor spectrum of LFS and Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome (BWS). In adults ACC has been reported in patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN1), familial adenomatous polyposis coli (FAP) and neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). However, the evidence associating ACC with these syndromes is less well substantiated. Here, we will review the evidence for genetic predisposition in general and the association with known familial cancer susceptibility syndromes in particular. We will also review current recommendations regarding screening and surveillance of these patients as they apply to a specialized ACC or endocrine cancer clinic.
Age-Related Autonomous Aldosteronism Nanba, Kazutaka; Vaidya, Anand; Williams, Gordon H ...
Circulation (New York, N.Y.),
2017-July-25, Letnik:
136, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Both aging and inappropriate secretion of aldosterone increase the risk for developing cardiovascular disease; however, the influence of aging on aldosterone secretion and physiology is not well ...understood.
The relationship between age and adrenal aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2) expression was evaluated in 127 normal adrenal glands from deceased kidney donors (age, 9 months to 68 years). Following immunohistochemistry, CYP11B2-expressing area and areas of abnormal foci of CYP11B2-expressing cells, called aldosterone-producing cell clusters, were analyzed. In a separate ancillary clinical study of 677 participants without primary aldosteronism, who were studied on both high and restricted sodium diets (age, 18-71 years), we used multivariable linear regression to assess the independent associations between age and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system physiology.
In adrenal tissue, the total CYP11B2-expressing area was negatively correlated with age (
=-0.431,
<0.0001), whereas the total aldosterone-producing cell cluster area was positively correlated with age (
=0.390,
<0.0001). The integrated ratio of aldosterone-producing cell cluster to CYP11B2-expressing area was most strongly and positively correlated with age (
=0.587,
<0.0001). When participants in the clinical study were maintained on a high sodium balance, renin activity progressively declined with older age, whereas serum and urinary aldosterone did not significantly decline. Correspondingly, the aldosterone-to-renin ratio was positively and independently associated with older age (adjusted β=+5.54 ng/dL per ng/mL per hour per 10 years,
<0.001). In contrast, when participants were assessed under sodium-restricted conditions, physiological stimulation of aldosterone was blunted with older age (β=-4.6 ng/dL per 10 years,
<0.0001).
Aging is associated with a pattern of decreased normal zona glomerulosa CYP11B2 expression and increased aldosterone-producing cell cluster expression. This histopathologic finding parallels an age-related autonomous aldosteronism and abnormal aldosterone physiology that provides 1 potential explanation for age-related cardiovascular risk.
Somatic mutations have been identified in more than half of aldosterone-producing adenomas (APAs) through mutation hotspot sequencing. The underlying pathogenesis of inappropriate aldosterone ...synthesis in the remaining population is still unknown.
To investigate the prevalence and spectrum of somatic mutations in APAs using an aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2) immunohistochemistry (IHC)‒guided next-generation sequencing (NGS) approach.
Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded adrenal tissue from white American patients with primary aldosteronism who underwent adrenalectomy at the University of Michigan was used. Genomic DNA was isolated from 75 APAs (identified by CYP11B2 IHC). NGS was performed to identify somatic mutations by sequencing the entire coding region of a panel of genes mutated in APAs.
Somatic mutations were identified in 66 of 75 APAs (88%). Of the APAs with somatic mutations, six were smaller than coexisting CYP11B2-negative adrenocortical adenomas. The most frequently mutated gene was KCNJ5 (43%), followed by CACNA1D (21%), ATP1A1 (17%), ATP2B3 (4%), and CTNNB1 (3%). In addition to identification of previously reported mutations, we identified five previously unreported mutations (two in KCNJ5, one in ATP1A1, one in ATP2B3, and one in CACNA1D genes). KCNJ5 mutations were more frequent in women (70% vs 24% in men).
Comprehensive NGS of CYP11B2-expressing adrenal tumors identified somatic mutations in aldosterone-driving genes in 88% of APAs, a higher rate than in previous studies using conventional approaches.
Somatic mutations have been identified in aldosterone-producing adenomas (APAs) in genes that include KCNJ5, ATP1A1, ATP2B3, and CACNA1D. Based on independent studies, there appears to be racial ...differences in the prevalence of somatic KCNJ5 mutations, particularly between East Asians and Europeans. Despite the high cardiovascular disease mortality of blacks, there have been no studies focusing on somatic mutations in APAs in this population. In the present study, we investigated genetic characteristics of APAs in blacks using a CYP11B2 (aldosterone synthase) immunohistochemistry-guided next-generation sequencing approach. The adrenal glands with adrenocortical adenomas from 79 black patients with primary aldosteronism were studied. Seventy-three tumors from 69 adrenal glands were confirmed to be APAs by CYP11B2 immunohistochemistry. Sixty-five of 73 APAs (89%) had somatic mutations in aldosterone-driver genes. Somatic CACNA1D mutations were the most prevalent genetic alteration (42%), followed by KCNJ5 (34%), ATP1A1 (8%), and ATP2B3 mutations (4%). CACNA1D mutations were more often observed in APAs from males than those from females (55% versus 29%, P=0.033), whereas KCNJ5 mutations were more prevalent in APAs from females compared with those from males (57% versus 13%, P<0.001). No somatic mutations in aldosterone-driver genes were identified in tumors without CYP11B2 expression. In conclusion, 89% of APAs in blacks harbor aldosterone-driving mutations, and unlike Europeans and East Asians, the most frequently mutated aldosterone-driver gene was CACNA1D. Determination of racial differences in the prevalence of aldosterone-driver gene mutations may facilitate the development of personalized medicines for patients with primary aldosteronism.
Our understanding of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) has improved considerably, yet many unanswered questions remain. For instance, can molecular subtypes of ACC be identified? If so, what is their ...underlying pathogenetic basis and do they possess clinical significance?
We did a whole genome gene expression study of a large cohort of adrenocortical tissues annotated with clinicopathologic data. Using Affymetrix Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0 oligonucleotide arrays, transcriptional profiles were generated for 10 normal adrenal cortices (NC), 22 adrenocortical adenomas (ACA), and 33 ACCs.
The overall classification of adrenocortical tumors was recapitulated using principal component analysis of the entire data set. The NC and ACA cohorts showed little intragroup variation, whereas the ACC cohort revealed much greater variation in gene expression. A robust list of 2,875 differentially expressed genes in ACC compared with both NC and ACA was generated and used in functional enrichment analysis to find pathways and attributes of biological significance. Cluster analysis of the ACCs revealed two subtypes that reflected tumor proliferation, as measured by mitotic counts and cell cycle genes. Kaplan-Meier analysis of these ACC clusters showed a significant difference in survival (P < 0.020). Multivariate Cox modeling using stage, mitotic rate, and gene expression data as measured by the first principal component for ACC samples showed that gene expression data contains significant independent prognostic information (P < 0.017).
This study lays the foundation for the molecular classification and prognostication of adrenocortical tumors and also provides a rich source of potential diagnostic and prognostic markers.
Context:
The use of next-generation sequencing has resulted in the identification of recurrent somatic mutations underlying primary aldosteronism (PA). However, significant gaps remain in our ...understanding of the relationship between tumor aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2) expression and somatic mutation status.
Objective:
The objective of the study was to investigate tumor CYP11B2 expression and somatic aldosterone-driver gene mutation heterogeneity.
Methods:
Fifty-one adrenals from 51 PA patients were studied. Immunohistochemistry for CYP11B2 was performed. Aldosterone-producing adenomas with intratumor CYP11B2 heterogeneity were analyzed for mutation status using targeted next-generation sequencing. DNA was isolated from CYP11B2-positive, CYP11B2-negative, and adjacent normal areas from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections.
Results:
Of 51 adrenals, seven (14 %) showed distinct heterogeneity in CYP11B2 by immunohistochemistry, including six adenomas with intratumor heterogeneity and one multinodular hyperplastic adrenal with both CYP11B2-positive and -negative nodules. Of the six adrenocortical adenomas with CYP11B2 heterogeneity, three had aldosterone-regulating mutations (CACNA1D p.F747C, KCNJ5 p.L168R, ATP1A1 p.L104R) only in CYP11B2-positive regions, and one had two different mutations localized to two histologically distinct CYP11B2-positive regions (ATP2B3 p.L424_V425del, KCNJ5 p.G151R). Lastly, one adrenal with multiple CYP11B2-expressing nodules showed different mutations in each (CACNA1D p.F747V and ATP1A1 p.L104R), and no mutations were identified in CYP11B2-negative nodule or adjacent normal adrenal.
Conclusions:
Adrenal tumors in patients with PA can demonstrate clear heterogeneity in CYP11B2 expression and somatic mutations in driver genes for aldosterone production. These findings suggest that aldosterone-producing adenoma tumorigenesis can occur within preexisting nodules through the acquisition of somatic mutations that drive aldosterone production.
Telomere dysfunction and telomere maintenance mechanisms contribute to major steps of carcinogenesis. Dysfunctional telomeres lead to the generation of genomic aberrations, such as amplifications and ...deletions. Telomere maintenance mechanisms, such as telomerase activity and alternative telomere lengthening, provide the basis of malignant cell expansion independent of telomere shortening-induced apoptosis or senescence, ensuring tumor survival. Recent advances highlight the importance of these mechanisms in adrenocortical carcinogenesis. In this review, we will summarize the main models of telomere physiology and their impact on adrenocortical tissue maintenance, aging, and carcinogenesis.
Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is an endocrine malignancy with a poor prognosis. The association of adult-onset ACC with inherited cancer predisposition syndromes is poorly understood. Our study ...sought to define the prevalence of Lynch syndrome (LS) among patients with ACC.
One hundred fourteen patients with ACC were evaluated in a specialized endocrine oncology clinic and were prospectively offered genetic counseling and clinical genetics risk assessment (group 1). In addition, families with known mismatch repair (MMR) gene mutations that were recorded in the University of Michigan Cancer Genetics Registry were retrospectively reviewed for the presence of ACC (group 2). ACC tumors from patients with LS were tested for microsatellite instability and immunohistochemistry (IHC) to evaluate for MMR deficiency.
Ninety-four (82.5%) of 114 patients with ACC underwent genetic counseling (group 1). Three individuals (3.2%) had family histories suggestive of LS. All three families were found to have MMR gene mutations. Retrospective review of an additional 135 MMR gene-positive probands identified two with ACC (group 2). Four ACC tumors were available (group 1, 3; group 2, 1). All four tumors were microsatellite stable; three had IHC staining patterns consistent with germline mutation status.
The prevalence of LS among patients with ACC is 3.2%, which is comparable to the prevalence of LS in colorectal and endometrial cancer. Patients with ACC and a personal or family history of LS tumors should be strongly considered for genetic risk assessment. IHC screening of all ACC tumors may be an effective strategy for identifying patients with LS.
Somatic gene mutations have been identified in only about half of cortisol-producing adenomas (CPAs). Affected genes include PRKACA, GNAS, PRKAR1A, and CTNNB1.
This work aims to expand our ...understanding of the prevalence of somatic mutations in CPAs from patients with overt Cushing syndrome (OCS) and "subclinical" mild autonomous cortisol excess (MACE), with an immunohistochemistry (IHC)‒guided targeted amplicon sequencing approach using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue.
We analyzed FFPE adrenal tissue from 77 patients (n = 12 men, 65 women) with either OCS (n = 32) or MACE (n = 45). Using IHC for 17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase (CYP17A1) and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD3B2), we identified 78 CPAs (32 OCS CPAs and 46 MACE CPAs). Genomic DNA was isolated from the FFPE CPAs and subjected to targeted amplicon sequencing for identification of somatic mutations.
Somatic mutations were identified in 71.8% (56/78) of the CPAs. While PRKACA was the most frequently mutated gene in OCS CPAs (14/32, 43.8%), somatic genetic aberrations in CTNNB1 occurred in 56.5% (26/46) of the MACE CPAs. Most GNAS mutations were observed in MACE CPAs (5/7, 71.4%). No mutations were observed in PRKAR1A. In addition to the known mutations, we identified one previously unreported mutation in PRKACA. Two patients with MACE harbored 2 adjacent tumors within the same adrenal gland - one patient had 2 CPAs, and the other patient had a CPA and an aldosterone-producing adenoma (identified by IHC for aldosterone synthase).
A comprehensive FFPE IHC-guided gene-targeted sequencing approach identified somatic mutations in 71.8% of the CPAs. OCS CPAs demonstrated a distinct mutation profile compared to MACE CPAs.
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