Trogocytosis in innate immunity to cancer is an intimate relationship with unexpected outcomes

Trogocytosis is a cellular process whereby a cell acquires a membrane fragment from a donor cell in a contact-dependent manner allowing for the transfer of surface proteins with functional integrity. It is involved in various biological processes, including cell-cell communication, immune regulation, and response to pathogens and cancer cells, with poorly defined molecular mechanisms. With the exception of eosinophils, trogocytosis has been reported in most immune cells and plays diverse roles in the modulation of anti-tumor immune responses. Here, we report that eosinophils acquire membrane fragments from tumor cells early after contact through the CD11b/CD18 integrin complex. We discuss the impact of trogocytosis in innate immune cells on cancer progression in the context of the evidence that eosinophils can engage in trogocytosis with tumor cells. We also discuss shared and cell-specific mechanisms underlying this process based on in silico modeling and provide a hypothetical molecular model for the stabilization of the immunological synapse operating in granulocytes and possibly other innate immune cells that enables trogocytosis

Tgf-β1 transcriptionally promotes 90K expression: possible implications for cancer progression.

The 90K protein, also known as Mac-2 BP or LGALS3BP, can activate the immune response in part by increasing major histocompatibility (MHC) class I levels. In studies on a non-immune cell model, the rat FRTL-5 cell line, we observed that transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, like γ-interferon (IFN), increased 90K levels, despite its immunosuppressive functions and the ability to decrease MHC class I. To explain this paradoxical result, we investigated the mechanisms involved in the TGF-β1 regulation of 90K expression with the aim to demonstrate that TGF-β1 utilizes different molecular pathways to regulate the two genes. We found that TGF-β1 was able to increase the binding of Upstream Stimulatory Factors, USF1 and USF2, to an E-box element, CANNTG, at -1926 to -1921 bp, upstream of the interferon response element (IRE) in the 90K promoter. Thyrotropin (TSH) suppressed constitutive and γ-IFN-induced 90K expression by decreasing USF binding to the E-box. TGF-β1 was able to overcome TSH suppression at the transcriptional level by increasing USF binding to the E-box. We suggest that the ability of TGF-β1 to increase 90K did not result in an increase in MHC class I because of a separate suppressive action of TGF-β1 directly on the MHC class I gene. We propose that the increased levels of 90K may play a role, rather than in immune response, in the context of the TGF-β1-induced changing of the cellular microenvironment that predisposes to cell motility and cancer progression. Consistently, analyzing the publicly available cancer patient data sets cBioPortal, we found that 90K expression directly correlated with TGF-β1 and USFs and that high levels of 90K were significantly associated with increased mortality in patients affected by different types of cancer

Abnormal placenta implantation. Integration between first- and third-trimester imaging in predicting the severity of Placenta Accreta Spectrum (PAS) disorders

Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) disorders are pathological conditions correlated to a high risk of adverse maternal surgical outcomes, especially if not diagnosed. In the last 10 years, the literature interest for prenatal diagnosis of PAS disorders has been noticeably greater. More recently, significant progression in prenatal imaging techniques permitted an increase of early identified cases and a more accurate diagnosis of these anomalies, especially in women with multiple risk factors. The aim of this chapter is to give an overhaul on prenatal diagnosis of PAS disorders throughout gestation and to report whether integration between first- and third-trimester ultrasound can predict the development and severity of these anomalies

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and adverse pregnancy outcome: a systematic review and meta-analysis

To investigate the association between ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) and adverse pregnancy outcome

Role of Extracellular Vesicles in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: A Systematic Review

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a heterogeneous group of cell-derived submicron vesicles released under physiological or pathological conditions. EVs mediate the cellular crosstalk, thus contributing to defining the tumor microenvironment, including in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). The available literature investigating the role of EVs in EOC has been reviewed following PRISMA guidelines, focusing on the role of EVs in early disease diagnosis, metastatic spread, and the development of chemoresistance in EOC. Data were identified from searches of Medline, Current Contents, PubMed, and from references in relevant articles from 2010 to 1 April 2020. The research yielded 194 results. Of these, a total of 36 papers, 9 reviews, and 27 original types of research were retained and analyzed. The literature findings demonstrate that a panel of EV-derived circulating miRNAs may be useful for early diagnosis of EOC. Furthermore, it appears clear that EVs are involved in mediating two crucial processes for metastatic and chemoresistance development: the epithelial–mesenchymal transition, and tumor escape from the immune system response. Further studies, more focused on in vivo evidence, are urgently needed to clarify the role of EV assessment in the clinical management of EOC patients

Outcome of cesarean scar pregnancy according to gestational age at diagnosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

reserved14siObjective: The association between the most severe types of placenta accreta spectrum disorders and caesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) poses the question of whether early diagnosis may impact the clinical outcome of these anomalies. The aim of this study is to report the outcome of cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) diagnosed in the early ( 9 weeks) versus late (>9 weeks) first trimester of pregnancy. Study design: Medline, Embase and Clinicaltrail.gov databases were searched. Studies including cases of CSP with an early ( 9 weeks of gestation) compared to a late (>9 weeks) first trimester diagnosis of CSP, followed by immediate treatment, were included in this systematic review. The primary outcome was a composite measure of severe maternal morbidity including either severe first trimester bleeding, need for blood transfusion, uterine rupture or emergency hysterectomy. The secondary outcomes were the individual components of the primary outcome. Random-effect meta-analyses were used to combine data. Results: Thirty-six studies (724 women with CSP) were included. Overall, composite adverse outcome complicated 5.9 % (95 % CI 3.59.0) of CSP diagnosed 9 weeks and 32.4 % (95 % CI 15.751.8) of those diagnosed >9 weeks. Massive hemorrhage occurred in 4.3 % (95 % CI 2.37.0) of women with early and in 28.0 % (95 % CI 14.144.5) of those with late first trimester diagnosis of CSP, while the corresponding figures for the need for blood transfusion were 1.5 % (95 % CI 0.62.8) and 15.8 % (95 % CI 5.530.2) respectively. Uterine rupture occurred in 2.5 % (95 % CI 1.24.1) of women with a prenatal diagnosis of CSP 9 weeks and in 7.5 % (95 % CI 2.514.9) of those with CSP>9 weeks, while an emergency intervention involving hysterectomy was required in 3.7 % (95 % CI 2.25.4) and 16.3 % (95 % CI5.930.6) respectively. When computing the risk, early diagnosis of CSP was associated with a significantly lower risk of composite adverse outcome, (OR: 0.14; 95 % CI 0.10.4 p < 0.001). Conclusions: Early first trimester diagnosis of CSP is associated with a significantly lower risk of maternal complications, thus supporting a policy of universal screening for these anomalies in women with a prior cesarean delivery although the cost-effectiveness of such policy should be tested in future studies.mixedTimor-Tritsch, Ilan; Buca, Danilo; Di Mascio, Daniele; Cali, Giuseppe; D’Amico, Alice; Monteagudo, Ana; Tinari, Sara; Morlando, Maddalena; Nappi, Luigi; Greco, Pantaleo; Rizzo, Giuseppe; Liberati, Marco; Jose-Palacios-Jaraquemada, null; D’Antonio, FrancescoTimor-Tritsch, Ilan; Buca, Danilo; Di Mascio, Daniele; Cali, Giuseppe; D’Amico, Alice; Monteagudo, Ana; Tinari, Sara; Morlando, Maddalena; Nappi, Luigi; Greco, Pantaleo; Rizzo, Giuseppe; Liberati, Marco; Jose-Palacios-Jaraquemada, Null; D’Antonio, Francesc