This study aimed to investigate the cytotoxic activity of decidual lymphocytes and the mRNA/protein expression of cytotoxic proteins in various cell types in the context of preeclampsia (PE) compared to those of healthy pregnancies. We analyzed fresh decidua basalis tissue and tissue embedded in paraffin (FFPE) from PE pregnancies (n = 15) and compared them with those of healthy pregnancies (n = 15) of the corresponding gestational age. Using double immunofluorescence staining, we observed differences in the intensity and distribution of staining for granzyme K (GZMK) and FasL in extravillous trophoblasts. RT-qPCR analysis of FFPE placental tissue showed that GZMK mRNA expression was statistically higher (p < 0.0001) in PE compared to that of healthy controls. On the contrary, there was a low expression (p < 0.001) of FasL mRNA in PE compared to controls, while there was no statistically significant difference for IFN-γ mRNA between PE and controls. Although the level of cytotoxic activity changed depending on the ratio of effector and target cells, there was no significant difference observed between PE and controls in this in vitro study. In conclusion, in PE, extravillous trophoblasts exhibited increased expression of GZMK and decreased expression of FasL. These changes may contribute to impaired trophoblast invasion. However, these alterations did not appear to affect the cytotoxic properties of decidual lymphocytes. Additionally, the possibility of cell sorter separation of decidual lymphocytes would greatly contribute to a better understanding of single cells’ genetic profiles.

Background: this study aimed to determine the expression of RNA-binding oncofetal proteins IMP3 and LIN28A in extravillous (EVT) and villous trophoblast (VT) cells of placentas from pre-eclamptic (PE) pregnancies to better understand the pathogenesis of PE. Methods: placental tissue of 10 patients with PE with severe features, 10 patients with PE without severe features and 20 age-matched healthy pregnancy controls were analyzed by immunohistochemistry, double immunofluorescence and qPCR. Results: We found a decreased percentage of IMP3-positive EVT cells in PE with and without severe features compared to that of the healthy control (p < 0.001). IMP3 expression was significantly low in VT of PE placentas compared to that of the healthy control (p = 0.002). There was no significant difference in LIN28A expression between groups of PE and the control group. Additionally, we noticed the trend toward downregulation of IMP3 mRNA and LIN28A mRNA in severe PE compared to that of healthy controls. Conclusions: We demonstrated that IMP3 expression is decreased in EVT and VT cells of placentas from pregnancies complicated with both PE with and without severe features. However, additional functional investigations are needed to clarify the role of IMP3 as a potential therapeutic target in the management of PE.

UBASH3A and UBASH3B are protein families of atypical protein tyrosine phosphatases that function as regulators of various cellular processes during mammalian development. As UBASH3A has only mild phosphatase activity, its regulatory effects are based on the phosphatase-independent mechanisms. On the contrary, UBASH3B has strong phosphatase activity, and the suppression of its receptor signalling is mediated by Syk and Zap-70 kinases. The regulatory functions of UBASH3A and UBASH3B are particularly evident in the lymphoid tissues and kidney development. These tyrosine phosphatases are also known to play key roles in autoimmunity and neoplasms. However, their involvement in mammalian development and its regulatory functions are largely unknown and are discussed in this review.

While clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is curable, advanced metastatic (mRCC) remains a clinical challenge. We analyzed clinical, pathohistological, and molecular data (Receptor Interacting Protein 5—RIP5 and Vestigial Like Family Member 4—VGLL4 expression) of 55 mRCC patients treated with first-line treatment with sunitinib. The trend of linear increase in the protein expression of RIP5 was observed with the progression of tumor grade. Overall, 80% of RIP5-positive cells were in the control kidneys and high-grade mRCC. On the contrary, RIP5 displayed low expression in grade 2 mRCC (5.63%). The trend of linear decrease in the expression of VGLL4 was observed with the progression of tumor grade. The highest protein expression of VGLL4 was observed in grade 2 (87.82%) in comparison to grade 3 and 4 and control. High expression of RIP5 mRNA was associated with longer first-line overall survival and longer progression-free survival in mRCC. In addition, a high VGLL4 mRNA expression showed better overall survival in patients with ccRCC. In conclusion, high mRNA expression of RIP5 and VGLL4 are important markers of better survival rates in mRCC patients.

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the deadliest neoplasm of the urinary tract, and we are still far from completely understanding ccRCC development and treatment. The renal tissue paraffin blocks (20) of patients with ccRCC were collected at the University Hospital in Split from 2019 to 2020, and tissue sections were stained with patched (PTCH), anti-smoothened (SMO) and anti-Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) antibodies. SHH was highly expressed (31.9%) in grade 1 tumour, it being higher than all other grades and the control (p < 0.001–p < 0.0001). The trend of a linear decrease in the expression of SHH was observed with the progression of the tumour grade (p < 0.0001). PTCH expression was significantly lower in grades 1 and 2 in comparison to the control (p < 0.01) and grade 4 (p < 0.0001). A significant increase in the expression of SMO was found in grade 4 compared to all other grades (p < 0.0001) and the control (p < 0.001). The strong expression of SHH was observed in carcinoma cells of the G1 stage with a diffuse staining pattern (>50% of neoplastic cells). Stroma and/or inflammatory infiltrate display no staining and no expression of SHH in G1 and G2, while mild focal staining (10–50% of neoplastic cells) was observed in G3 and G4. Patients with high PTCH and low SMO expression had significant time survival differences (p = 0.0005 and p = 0.029, respectively). Therefore, high levels of PTCH and low levels of SMO expression are important markers of better survival rates in ccRCC patients.

We analyzed the expression of the serotonin receptors 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, and 5-HT3A at four different stages of fetal lung development from 12 to 40 weeks of gestation, divided into four groups: the pseudoglandular stage (12–16th week of development; n = 8), the canalicular stage (16th–26th week of development; n = 7), the saccular stage (26th-36th week of development; n = 5), and the alveolar stage (36th–40th week of development; n = 5). The strongest expression of all three receptor types was found in the epithelium of the proximal airways during the pseudoglandular, canalicular, and saccular stages and in a vascular wall. 5-HT1A was also strongly expressed in the smooth muscle cells of the proximal airway. Vascular smooth muscle cells and endothelium occasionally showed a strong expression of 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A. In the alveolar stage, the expression of 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, and 5-HT3A was detected in both type I (p1) and type II (p2) pneumocytes, with a stronger expression in p2. A significant decrease in percent the 5-HT2A area and in the integrated density was observed at the alveolar stage. On the other hand, a significant decrease in the percentage area but an increase in the integrated density was observed for 5-HT3A toward the alveolar stage, suggesting that a smaller number of cells expressed 5-HT3A but that they (p1 and p2) significantly increased their 5-HT3A expression at the alveolar stage. The results presented provided us with new data on the development and function of the serotonin system in the human fetal lung and gave us insight into their possible involvement in the pathogenesis of lung pathology, particularly that characteristic of the neonatal period.

Background: In the last decade the association between congenital single functional kidney (cSFK) and increased risk of hypertension, proteinuria and kidney injury has become clear. Regarding CKD long-term outcome, kidney hypertrophy at ultrasound (US) in the early months of life is reported as protective. Kidney US measuring renal lenght (BPL) and renal scintigraphy (RS) measuring GFR (mGFR) are both useful tools for the clinical management. The follow-up is frequently based on local protocols, although clinical recommendations have been proposed recently. The aim of the present study was to assess the utility of RS and to compare it to US in gathering information on kidney function, long term outcome and the appropriate use in the follow-up of patients with cSFK. Methods: Retrospective, monocentric, observational study enrolling pediatric cSKF patients. Demographic, clinical, instrumental and laboratory data were collected from medical records for all the patients included in this study. CKD was considered as composite outcome (at least one: reduced mGFR or eGFR, proteinuria in at least two different examinations, hypertension). Results: 163 cSFK patients were included. The BPL showed a linear increase over time, with curve flattening after 144 months of age. Conversely, mGFR rapidly increased between 0 and 60 months, stabilizing thereafter (Fig.1) and reaching a median value over the threshold of normal function between 24 and 60 months; we observed a slight decrease after 180 months, although not statistically significant. Comparing the trend of BPL and mGFR over time, we observed a significant correlation (R2=0.5, p-value<0.05) between 1 and 60 months of life, that was lot thereafter. Proteinuria, hypertension, impaired eGFR and mGFR were found in 11.7 %, 18.7%, 30.4% and 39.3% patients, respectively, with overall CKD rate of 41.6%. Of note, 25% of these patients were identified only by RS, having no other considered abnormality. Moreover in this subgroup patients only one showed kidney hypertrophy at US before the age of 60 months. Conclusions: RS can be as useful as US in the follow-up of cSFK. It allows to early spot an higher number of CKD patients and probably represent the best option for those with late referral in which early US is not available, to guide the clinicians in defining the risk of CKD and inform prognosis.

The expression pattern of the markers p19, Ki-67, MSX1, MSX2, PDL1, pRB, and CYCLINA2 was quantitatively and semiquantitatively analyzed in histologic sections of the developing and postnatal human eye at week 8, in retinoblastoma, and in various uveal melanomas post hoc studies by double immunofluorescence. The p19 immunoreactivity characterized retinal and/or choroidal cells in healthy and tumor tissues: expression was lower in the postnatal retina than in the developing retina and retinoblastoma, whereas it was high in epithelioid melanomas. Ki67 expression was high in the developing eye, retinoblastoma, and choroidal melanomas. MSX1 and MSX2 expression was similar in the developing eye and retinoblastoma, whereas it was absent in the postnatal eye. Their different expression was evident between epithelioid and myxoid melanomas. Similarly, PDL1 was absent in epithelioid melanomas, whereas it was highly expressed in developing and tumor tissues. Expression of pRB and CYCA2 was characteristic of developing and tumorous eye samples but not of the healthy postnatal eye. The observed expression differences of the analyzed markers correlate with the origin and stage of cell differentiation of the tissue samples. The fine balance of expression could play a role in both human eye development and ocular tumorigenesis. Therefore, understanding their relationship and interplay could open new avenues for potential therapeutic interventions and a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the developmental plasticity of the eye and the development of neoplasms.

The expression pattern of Connexins (Cx) 37, 40, 43, 45 and Pannexin 1 (Pnx1) was analyzed immunohistochemically, as well as semi-quantitatively and quantitatively in histological sections of developing 8th- to 12th-week human eyes and postnatal healthy eye, in retinoblastoma and different uveal melanomas. Expressions of both Cx37 and Cx43 increased during development but diminished in the postnatal period, being higher in the retina than in the choroid. Cx37 was highly expressed in the choroid of retinoblastoma, and Cx43 in epitheloid melanoma, while they were both increasingly expressed in mixoid melanoma. In contrast, mild retinal Cx40 expression during development increased to strong in postnatal period, while it was significantly higher in the choroid of mixoid melanoma. Cx45 showed significantly higher expression in the developing retina compared to other samples, while it became low postnatally and in all types of melanoma. Pnx1 was increasingly expressed in developing choroid but became lower in the postnatal eye. It was strongly expressed in epithelial and spindle melanoma, and particularly in retinoblastoma. Our results indicate importance of Cx37 and Cx40 expression in normal and pathological vascularization, and Cx43 expression in inflammatory response. Whereas Cx45 is involved in early stages of eye development, Pnx1might influence cell metabolism. Additionally, Cx43 might be a potential biomarker of tumor prognosis.