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Supplementary Figure from Antizyme Inhibitor 1 Regulates Matrikine Expression and Enhances the Metastatic Potential of Aggressive Primary Prostate Cancer

Supplementary Table from Antizyme Inhibitor 1 Regulates Matrikine Expression and Enhances the Metastatic Potential of Aggressive Primary Prostate Cancer

Supplementary Data from Antizyme Inhibitor 1 Regulates Matrikine Expression and Enhances the Metastatic Potential of Aggressive Primary Prostate Cancer

Results of lipid association analyses

Supplementary Figures S1-S6

Patient and sample clinical characteristics

Dysregulated lipid metabolism is a prominent feature of prostate cancer that is driven by androgen receptor (AR) signaling. Here we used quantitative mass spectrometry to define the “lipidome” in prostate tumors with matched benign tissues (n = 21), independent unmatched tissues (n = 47), and primary prostate explants cultured with the clinical AR antagonist enzalutamide (n = 43). Significant differences in lipid composition were detected and spatially visualized in tumors compared with matched benign samples. Notably, tumors featured higher proportions of monounsaturated lipids overall and elongated fatty acid chains in phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylserine lipids. Significant associations between lipid profile and malignancy were validated in unmatched samples, and phospholipid composition was characteristically altered in patient tissues that responded to AR inhibition. Importantly, targeting tumor-related lipid features via inhibition of acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 significantly reduced cellular proliferation and induced apoptosis in tissue explants. This characterization of the prostate cancer lipidome in clinical tissues reveals enhanced fatty acid synthesis, elongation, and desaturation as tumor-defining features, with potential for therapeutic targeting.Significance:This study identifies malignancy and treatment-associated changes in lipid composition of clinical prostate cancer tissues, suggesting that mediators of these lipidomic changes could be targeted using existing metabolic agents.

Five programmed death-1/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors are currently approved for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma of the bladder and the upper urinary tract. Following the FDA and EMA restrictions of first-line treatment with Atezolizumab and Pembrolizumab in platinum-ineligible patients, immunohistochemical PD-L1 testing is now required. Several emerging issues on antibodies, test platforms and scoring algorithms have raised concerns about the comparability and interchangeability between these assays. In this review, we have focused on the interchangeability of the used algorithms and assays for PD-L1 testing in urothelial carcinoma, on the predictive reliability of PD-L1 testing in urothelial carcinoma and the potential of other new and upcoming biomarkers.

BACKGROUND: Peyronie's disease (PD) is an acquired fibrotic disease affecting the penile tunica albuginea that can lead to curvature and deformities, shortening, and erectile dysfunction. Although immunological mechanisms have been suggested for the pathophysiology of PD, these have not been investigated using single-cell transcriptomics. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the immunological signature of plaques from PD patients using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq). DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Tunica albuginea biopsy was performed in patients undergoing penile surgery for either PD (n = 12) or plication or penile cancer (control, n = 6). The inclusion criteria for PD patients were stable chronic disease (≥12 mo in duration) and no previous penile surgery or intralesional injection therapy. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: IHC was performed on surgical samples from ten patients with PD and five control subjects. An additional two PD and one control sample were used for scRNA-Seq (droplet-based; 10X Genomics). Cell clusters were visualised using heatmaps and t-distributed stochastic neighbour embedding plots (BioTuring v2.7.5). RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: IHC revealed the presence of myeloid dendritic cells (DCs; CD68+, TLR4+, CD206+), cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs; CD3+, CD8+), and B lymphocytes (CD20+) in PD plaques, which were absent in controls. scRNA-Seq yielded results for 3312 PD and 5658 control cells. Cell clusters contained fibroblasts (COL1A2+), myofibroblasts (COL1A2+, ACTA2+), smooth muscle cells (ACTA2+, DES+), endothelial cells (VWF+), myeloid cells (CD14+), T lymphocytes (CD3D+), and neutrophils (ALPL+). Myeloid cell subclustering showed infiltration of monocyte-derived cells; control tissue contained classical DCs and resident macrophages. Lymphocyte subclustering revealed mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells and CTLs in PD. Differential gene expression suggests an increase in inflammatory and immune responses in chronic PD. The study is limited by the small scRNA-seq sample size (n = 3) for IHC, mitigated by a larger cohort of historic paraffin-embedded samples (n = 15), which showed largely parallel findings. Owing to tissue stiffness and extracellular matrix adhesion, our single-cell yield was lower for PD than for the control sample. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that even in the chronic PD stage (painless and stable curvature) there is a sustained inflammatory reaction. While vascularisation and collagen production are elevated, the inflammation is driven by specialised monocyte-derived CTL and MAIT cells. These findings could uncover new avenues for medical treatment of PD. PATIENT SUMMARY: We looked at the role of the immune system in patients suffering from Peyronie's disease, a condition causing shortening and curvature of the penis. We found that even in a stable, chronic stage of the disease, there is activation of the immune system. Our results suggest that there is potential for novel treatments for this condition. ispartof: EUROPEAN UROLOGY FOCUS vol:8 issue:3 pages:814-828 ispartof: location:Netherlands status: published

The detection of the Programmed Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1) protein by immunohistochemistry is currently the only approved test predictive of response to drugs targeting the PD1/PDL1 axis. The role of this test is debated since several reagents have been used as companion diagnostics for different drugs on diverse immunostaining platforms. In addition, different scoring systems for PD-L1 immunohistochemistry have been applied in the registration studies regarding single drugs. This review deals with the various issues that are related to the immunohistochemical test for PD-L1. We discuss currently unsolved problems such as the advantages and the flaws of PD-L1 immunohistochemistry; the choice of the best reagents and the best scoring system. Finally, we review the current experiences on the role of immunohistochemistry for PD-L1 in clinical trials with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

High-risk prostate cancer (PCa) patients have a high risk of biochemical recurrence and metastatic progression following radical prostatectomy (RP).To determine the efficacy of neoadjuvant degarelix plus apalutamide before RP compared with degarelix with a matching placebo.ARNEO was a randomized, placebo-controlled, phase II neoadjuvant trial before RP performed between March 2019 and April 2021. Eligible patients had high-risk PCa and were amenable to RP.Patients were randomly assigned at a 1:1 ratio to degarelix (240-80-80 mg) + apalutamide (240 mg/d) versus degarelix + matching placebo for 3 mo followed by RP. Prior to and following neoadjuvant treatment, pelvicThe primary endpoint was the difference in proportions of patients with minimal residual disease (MRD; = residual cancer burden (RCB) ≤0.25 cmPatients were randomized to neoadjuvant degarelix + apalutamide (n = 45) or degarelix + matching placebo (n = 44) for 12 wk and underwent RP. Patients in the degarelix + apalutamide arm achieved a significantly higher rate of MRD than those in the control arm (38% vs 9.1%; relative risk [95% confidence interval] = 4.2 [1.5-11], p = 0.002). Patients with PTEN loss in baseline prostate biopsy attained significantly less MRD (11% vs 43%, p = 0.002) and had a higher RCB at final pathology (1.6 vs 0.40 cmIn high-risk PCa patients, neoadjuvant degarelix plus apalutamide prior to RP results in a significantly improved pathological response (MRD and RCB) compared with degarelix alone. Our trial results provide a solid hypothesis-generating basis for neoadjuvant phase 3 trials, which are powered to detect differences in long-term oncological outcome following neoadjuvant androgen receptor signaling inhibitor therapy.In this study, we looked at the difference in pathological responses in high-risk prostate cancer patients treated with degarelix plus apalutamide or degarelix plus matching placebo prior to radical prostatectomy. We demonstrated that patients treated with degarelix plus apalutamide achieved a significantly better tumor response than patients treated with degarelix plus matching placebo. Long-term follow-up is required to determine whether improved pathological outcome translates into better oncological outcomes.

Dysregulated lipid metabolism is a prominent feature of prostate cancer that is driven by androgen receptor (AR) signaling. Here we used quantitative mass spectrometry to define the “lipidome” in prostate tumors with matched benign tissues (n = 21), independent unmatched tissues (n = 47), and primary prostate explants cultured with the clinical AR antagonist enzalutamide (n = 43). Significant differences in lipid composition were detected and spatially visualized in tumors compared with matched benign samples. Notably, tumors featured higher proportions of monounsaturated lipids overall and elongated fatty acid chains in phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylserine lipids. Significant associations between lipid profile and malignancy were validated in unmatched samples, and phospholipid composition was characteristically altered in patient tissues that responded to AR inhibition. Importantly, targeting tumor-related lipid features via inhibition of acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 significantly reduced cellular proliferation and induced apoptosis in tissue explants. This characterization of the prostate cancer lipidome in clinical tissues reveals enhanced fatty acid synthesis, elongation, and desaturation as tumor-defining features, with potential for therapeutic targeting. Significance: This study identifies malignancy and treatment-associated changes in lipid composition of clinical prostate cancer tissues, suggesting that mediators of these lipidomic changes could be targeted using existing metabolic agents.

Patients with high-risk prostate cancer treated with curative intent are at an increased risk of biochemical recurrence, metastatic progression and cancer-related death compared with patients treated for low-risk or intermediate-risk disease. Thus, these patients often need multimodal therapy to achieve complete disease control. Over the past two decades, multiple studies on the use of neoadjuvant treatment have been performed using conventional androgen deprivation therapy, which comprises luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonists or antagonists and/or first-line anti-androgens. However, despite results from these studies demonstrating a reduction in positive surgical margins and tumour volume, no benefit has been observed in hard oncological end points, such as cancer-related death. The introduction of potent androgen receptor signalling inhibitors (ARSIs), such as abiraterone, apalutamide, enzalutamide and darolutamide, has led to a renewed interest in using neoadjuvant hormonal treatment in high-risk prostate cancer. The addition of ARSIs to androgen deprivation therapy has demonstrated substantial survival benefits in the metastatic castration-resistant, non-metastatic castration-resistant and metastatic hormone-sensitive settings. Intuitively, a similar survival effect can be expected when applying ARSIs as a neoadjuvant strategy in high-risk prostate cancer. Most studies on neoadjuvant ARSIs use a pathological end point as a surrogate for long-term oncological outcome. However, no consensus yet exists regarding the ideal definition of pathological response following neoadjuvant hormonal therapy and pathologists might encounter difficulties in determining pathological response in hormonally treated prostate specimens. The neoadjuvant setting also provides opportunities to gain insight into resistance mechanisms against neoadjuvant hormonal therapy and, consequently, to guide personalized therapy. Cancer recurrence after radical prostatectomy for high-risk prostate cancer is common. The addition of neoadjuvant hormonal therapy with the introduction of potent androgen receptor signalling inhibitors has gained interest in the oncological community. However, conclusions of a survival benefit with this therapy cannot currently be made and results of several phase II trials are much anticipated.

Introduction: Bladder cancer detection typically requires unpleasant and costly cystoscopy, a procedure potentially harmful and often accompanied by variable adverse effects. The use of urine analysis as a noninvasive method is of great scientific interest since it is enriched in tumor-related proteins, DNA and RNA which can provide a molecular landscape with multiple alterations identified in bladder cancer.Areas covered: Current sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of FDA approved urine-based assays are still suboptimal with none of them routinely used by clinics. The recent introduction of RNA/DNA based bladder cancer tests, some of them commercially available, establishes a promising new horizon of clinical applicability.Expert opinion: There is growing evidence toward the use of minimally invasive 'liquid biopsies' to identify biomarkers in urothelial malignancy. Urine has been identified as an optimal noninvasive source of proteins, DNA and RNA; therefore, it has been identified as a type of liquid biopsy likely to soon be routine clinical practice. Cell-free proteins and peptides, exosomes, cell-free DNA, methylated DNA and DNA mutations, circulating tumor cells, miRNA, lncRNA, rtRNA and mRNAs, have been assessed in urine specimens. However, lack of well-designed multicenter clinical studies remain as important limitation, and therefore, precludes their use in clinical practice.

OBJECTIVES: To create a rat model for neurogenic detrusor underactivity (DU) by bilateral pelvic nerve crush injury (BPNI) and to study temporal changes in detrusor contractility and morphology. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to BPNI or sham surgery and evaluated 1, 3 and 9 weeks after surgery. Bladder function was determined in vivo by awake cystometry, micturition pattern analysis and 24-hours urine collection. Bladders were harvested for in vitro pharmacological investigation by isometric tension recording. Bladders and major pelvic ganglia were investigated by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and histochemistry. RESULTS: Overflow incontinence was observed 1 week after BPNI. At 3 and 9 weeks after BPNI, rats showed a bladder phenotype characteristic for DU with increased post-void residuals, reduced voiding efficiencies and lower maximum pressures. In isolated bladder strips, contractile responses to potassium chloride (KCl), carbachol and α,β-methylene adenosine 5'-triphosphate (α,β-mATP) were preserved. On the other hand, neural induced contractility was reduced after BPNI, in line with reduced expression of protein gene product 9.5 and choline acetyltransferase in the major pelvic ganglion 1 week after BPNI. Bladder-to-body weight ratio and detrusor thickness increased following BPNI, indicating detrusor hypertrophy to compensate for the reduced neural input. CONCLUSIONS: BPNI induces a rat model for neurogenic DU. In this model, the detrusor maintains its contractility but denervation of the detrusor was observed. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. ispartof: BJU Int vol:123 issue:5A pages:E86-E96 ispartof: location:England status: Published online

Molecular drivers of metastasis in patients with high-risk localized prostate cancer are poorly understood. Therefore, we aim to study molecular drivers of metastatic progression in patients with high-risk prostate cancer. A retrospective matched case-control study of two clinico-pathologically identical groups of patients with high-risk prostate cancer was undertaken. One group developed metastatic recurrence (n = 19) while the other did not (n = 25). The primary index tumor was identified by a uro-pathologist, followed by DNA and RNA extraction for somatic copy-number aberration (SCNA) analysis and whole-transcriptome gene expression analysis. In vitro and in vivo studies included cell line manipulation and xenograft models. The integrative CNA and gene expression analyses identified an increase in Antizyme Inhibitor 1 (AZIN1) gene expression within a focal amplification of 8q22.3, which was associated with metastatic recurrence of patients with high-risk prostate cancer in four independent cohorts. The effects of AZIN1 knockdown were evaluated, due to its therapeutic potential. AZIN1 knockdown effected proliferation and metastatic potential of prostate cancer cells and xenograft models. RNA sequencing after AZIN1 knockdown in prostate cancer cells revealed upregulation of genes coding for collagen subunits. The observed effect on cell migration after AZIN1 knockdown was mimicked when exposing prostate cancer cells to bio-active molecules deriving from COL4A1 and COL4A2. Our integrated CNA and gene expression analysis of primary high-risk prostate cancer identified the AZIN1 gene as a novel driver of metastatic progression, by altering collagen subunit expression. Future research should further investigate its therapeutic potential in preventing metastatic recurrence. Implications: AZIN1 was identified as driver of metastatic progression in high-risk prostate cancer through matrikine regulation.

Fibroblast activation protein-α (FAP) is a transmembrane peptidase and a surrogate marker for cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). FAP has been linked to worse prognosis and therapy resistance in several cancers. We hypothesised that FAP might have a prognostic 3biomarker potential to stratify patients with high-grade (HG) T1 non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). We selected 30 patients with HG T1 NMIBC that progressed to ≥T2 disease which were pair-matched based on CUETO progression score variables with 90 patients that did not progress. After revision a final cohort of 86 patients was retained. Slides were stained for FAP, the luminal marker GATA3 and the basal marker CK5. All HG T1 tumour regions of interest (ROIs) within each patient were annotated, analysed and scored using image analysis software. FAP expression in HG T1 ROIs was significantly higher in progressors vs. non-progressors and was prognostic for recurrence-free survival, progression-free survival, cancer-specific survival, and overall survival. FAP expression in HG T1 ROIs remained strongly prognostic for these outcomes in a bivariable model corrected for adequate BCG per FDA definition. Expression of GATA3 and CK5 did not differ between progressors vs. non-progressors, and were not prognostic for these outcomes. FAP might serve as an easily applicable prognostic biomarker to risk-stratify patients with HG T1 NMIBC if these results are prospectively validated in a larger series. ispartof: PLOS ONE vol:16 issue:9 ispartof: location:United States status: published

The development of targeted therapies increases treatment options for metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients. There is a need for strong predictive and prognostic signatures to guide physicians in treating mCRPC patients. In this review we unravel the possible actionability in the AR pathway, PI3K AKT signaling, and DNA repair pathways. Additionally, we make recommendations on biomarker trial design, and the clinical use of this new type of data. ispartof: CELLS vol:9 issue:11 ispartof: location:Switzerland status: published

Dysregulated lipid metabolism is a prominent feature of prostate cancer that is driven by androgen receptor (AR) signaling. Herein, we used quantitative mass spectrometry to define the “lipidome” in prostate tumors with matched benign tissues (n=21), independent tissues (n=47), and primary prostate explants cultured with a clinical AR antagonist, enzalutamide (n=43). Significant differences in lipid composition were detected and spatially visualized in tumors compared to matched benign samples. Notably, tumors featured higher proportions of monounsaturated lipids overall and elongated fatty acid chains in phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylserine lipids. Significant associations between lipid profile and malignancy were validated in unmatched samples, and PL composition was characteristically altered in patient tissues that responded to AR inhibition. Importantly, targeting of altered tumor-related lipid features, via inhibition of acetyl CoA carboxylase 1, significantly reduced cellular proliferation in tissue explants (n=13). This first characterization of the prostate cancer lipidome in clinical tissues revealed enhanced fatty acid synthesis, elongation and desaturation as tumor-defining features, with potential for therapeutic targeting.

Objective To perform an external validation of the Cancer of the Bladder Risk Assessment (COBRA) score for estimating cancer-specific survival (CSS) after radical cystectomy (RC) in a large bi-institutional cohort of patients. Patients and methods Patients treated with RC and lymph node dissection (LND) between May 1996 and July 2017 were retrieved from the RC databases of Leuven and Turin. Collected variables were age at RC, tumour stage, lymph node (LN) density, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the extent of LND, and nodal stage. The primary outcome was CSS visualised using Kaplan-Meier plots. Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the impact of variables on CSS. We performed a pairwise comparison between the COBRA score levels using a log-rank test corrected by Bonferroni, and developed a simplified COBRA score with three risk categories. To compare models, we assessed concordance indices (C-indices), receiver operating characteristic curves with area under the curve (AUC), calibration plots, and decision curve analysis (DCA). Finally, we compared both COBRA and simplified COBRA models with the established American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) model. Results A total of 812 patients were included. All COBRA score variables had a significant impact on CSS in a Cox proportional hazard model. However, pairwise comparison of the COBRA subscores could not differentiate significantly between all COBRA score levels. Based on these findings, we developed a simplified COBRA score by introducing three categories within the following COBRA score ranges: low- (0-1) vs intermediate- (2-4) vs high-risk (5-7). A pairwise comparison could discriminate significantly between all COBRA risk categories. When finally comparing COBRA and simplified COBRA models with the AJCC model, AJCC performed better than both. C-indices, AUCs, calibration plots and DCA for AJCC were all better compared with the original and simplified COBRA models. Conclusion We performed an external validation of the COBRA score in a large bi-institutional cohort. We observed that several risk groups had overlapping CSS, demonstrating suboptimal performance of the COBRA score. Therefore, we constructed a simplified model with three COBRA score risk categories. This model resulted in demarcated risk groups with non-overlapping CSS and good predictive accuracy. However, both COBRA score models were outperformed by the AJCC staging system. Therefore, we conclude that the AJCC staging system should remain the current standard for stratifying patients after RC for CSS.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:Molecular classification of muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) has revealed several subtypes, with luminal and basal as most distinct. A consensus is arising that at I...

Inhibitory checkpoint proteins such as programmed cell death-1 (PD-1), programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) or cytotoxic T-lymphocyte–associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) suppress anti-tumor T-cell resp...

WOS: 000509085800001, PubMed: 31975650, Purpose: To evaluate the oncological outcome and complications of patients treated with complete urinary tract extirpation (CUTE) in our department, and to identify prognostic factors for survival. Methods: Clinico-pathological data of patients treated with one-step or stepwise CUTE between 1999 and 2017 were collected retrospectively. Complications were classified according to the modified Clavien-Dindo classification (CDC) in the early (30 days) follow-up. Log-rank test was used to assess independent predictors of overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). Results: Twenty-five patients (20 male) underwent CUTE (16 one-step) for BC + unilateral/bilateral UTUC. Minor (CDC 1-2) and major (CDC3-5) complications were observed in 72% and 40% of patients, respectively, in the early postoperative period (, European Urologic Scholarship Program (EUSP), Murat Akand is supported by a clinical scholarship from the European Urologic Scholarship Program (EUSP). Steven Joniau is a senior clinical researcher of the Research Foundation of Flanders (FWO).

Five programmed death-1 (PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors are currently approved for treatment of locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma of the bladder and the upper urinary tract. Due to restrictions by the FDA and EMA first-line treatment with Atezolizumab and Pembrolizumab in platinum-ineligible patients requires immunohistochemical PD-L1 testing. In the second-line setting all drugs are approved without PD-L1 testing. Used PD-L1 assays in clinical trials include the 28-8 pharmDx (Nivolumab), the 22C3 pharmDx (Pembrolizumab), Ventana SP142 (Atezolizumab), and the Ventana PD-L1 SP263 assays (Durvalumab). Differences in antibodies, needed platforms and testing algorithms have raised questions about interchangeability and comparability among these assays and their diagnostic use. We provide a practical review about the current recommendations, used assays and algorithms of PD-L1 testing in urothelial carcinoma to help oncologists, urologists and pathologists to understand analytical features, differences in antibody assays, differences in scoring algorithms and comparability of various PD-L1 assays. We reviewed and summarized published studies from the last four years (2016-2019) on PD-L1 testing in bladder cancer and present a condensed practical guideline including pre-analytical, analytical and test-specific issues. ispartof: ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE vol:7 issue:22 ispartof: location:China status: published

BACKGROUND: Improvement of bladder emptying by modulating afferent nerve activity is an attractive therapeutic strategy for detrusor underactivity. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) is a sensory ion channel in urothelial cells that contribute to the detection of bladder filling. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the potential benefit of intravesical TRPV4 agonists in a pelvic nerve injury rat model for detrusor underactivity. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Female wild-type and Trpv4 knockout rats underwent sham surgery or bilateral pelvic nerve injury (bPNI). Four weeks later, rats underwent cystometry with infusion of the TRPV4 agonist GSK1016790A. Bladders were harvested for in vitro pharmacological studies, quantitative reverse polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Data are expressed as median ± interquartile range. Statistical comparisons were made using the Mann-Witney U test and Wilcoxon signed rank test as appropriate. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Rats with bPNI showed a phenotype characteristic of detrusor underactivity with lower-amplitude voiding contractions, decreased voiding frequency, and increased postvoid residual. Intravesical application of GSK1016790A increased voiding frequency and reduced postvoid residual in wild-type, but not Trpv4-/-, rats. In isolated bladder strips, GSK1016790A did not induce relevant contractions, indicating that the observed improvements in bladder function are the result of increased afferent signalling through TRPV4 activation, rather than a local effect on the detrusor. The altered urinary phenotype of Trpv4-/- mice was not apparent in the Trpv4-/- rat model, suggesting species-related functional variations. Our results are limited to the preclinical setting in rodents. CONCLUSIONS: Intravesical activation of TRPV4 improves bladder dysfunction after bPNI by increasing afferent signalling. PATIENT SUMMARY: We demonstrate that the sensory protein transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) can be targeted to improve bladder function in animals that have iatrogenic injury to the nerves innervating the bladder. Further research is required to determine whether these results can be translated to patients with an underactive bladder. ispartof: EUROPEAN UROLOGY vol:74 issue:3 pages:336-345 ispartof: location:Switzerland status: published

Interstitial cells (ICs) are thought to play a functional role in urinary bladder. Animal models are commonly used to elucidate bladder physiology and pathophysiology. However, inter-species comparative studies on ICs are rare. We therefore analyzed ICs and their distribution in the upper lamina propria (ULP), the deeper lamina propria (DLP) and the detrusor muscular layer (DET) of human, guinea pig (GP) and pig. Paraffin slices were examined by immunohistochemistry and 3D confocal immunofluorescence of the mesenchymal intermediate filament vimentin (VIM), alpha-smooth muscle actin (αSMA), platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRα) and transient receptor potential cation channel A1 (TRPA1). Image stacks were processed for analysis using Huygens software; quantitative analysis was performed with Fiji macros. ICs were identified by immunoreactivity for VIM (excluding blood vessels). In all species ≥ 75% of ULP ICs were VIM+/PDGFRα+ and ≥ 90% were VIM+/TRPA1+. In human and pig ≥ 74% of ULP ICs were VIM+/αSMA+, while in GP the percentage differed significantly with only 37% VIM+/αSMA+ ICs. Additionally, over 90% of αSMA+ ICs were also TRPA1+ and PDGFRα+ in human, GP and pig. In all three species, TRPA1+ and PDGFRα+ ICs point to an active role for these cells in bladder physiology, regarding afferent signaling processes and signal modification. We hypothesize that decline in αSMA-positivity in GP reflects adaptation of bladder histology to smaller bladder size. In our experiments, pig bladder proved to be highly comparable to human urinary bladder and seems to provide safer interpretation of experimental findings than GP.

Immunotherapy is gradually becoming a key factor in the therapeutic algorithm for patients with genito-urinary (GU) cancers at different stages of disease. Robust and reliable biomarkers are crucial for an appropriate inclusion of patients in clinical trials and for a reliable patient selection for treatments with immunomodulatory drugs. The increasing knowledge on the genomic landscape of GU cancers supports stratification of patients for targeted therapies. This review focusses on emerging biomarkers and the role of genomics in predicting clinical benefit to immunomodulatory agents in GU cancers. Based on cancer incidences and available data we restricted this overview to bladder, prostate and renal cancer.

PURPOSE: We sought to expand current prediction tools for lymph node invasion in patients with prostate cancer using current state-of-the-art available tumor information, including multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging based tumor stage and detailed biopsy information. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We selected patients with prostate cancer for study who had available registered information on ISUP (International Society of Urological Pathology) based biopsy grading and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging, and who had undergone radical prostatectomy with extended pelvic lymph node dissection. We developed a lymph node invasion prediction tool in 420 patients and externally validated it in 187. A concordance index was estimated to quantify the discriminative performance of the model. RESULTS: In the development cohort a median of 21 lymph nodes were removed per patient and 71 patients (16.9%) were diagnosed with lymph node invasion. Statistically significant predictors of lymph node invasion were the initial prostate specific antigen value, multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging based T stage, maximum tumor length in 1 core in mm and ISUP grade group corresponding to the maximum tumor involvement in 1 core. The predictive accuracy of this lymph node invasion prediction tool was 79.7% after fivefold internal cross validation and 72.5% after external validation. CONCLUSIONS: We report a contemporary, externally validated prediction tool for lymph node invasion in patients with prostate cancer. This prediction tool is a response to the paradigm shift from systematic to targeted biopsies by incorporating additional core specific biopsy information instead of the percent of positive cores. This new tool will also overcome stage migration, which is a potential risk when multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging information is used in digital rectal examination based nomograms. ispartof: JOURNAL OF UROLOGY vol:203 issue:4 pages:713-718 ispartof: location:United States status: published

Background: Decipher is a genomic classifier designed to predict the development of distant metastases after surgical treatment of prostate cancer (PC). Its long-term prognostic role in a highrisk PC population has not been investigated previously. Objective: To determine the prognostic role of the Decipher genomic classifier in two high-risk PC case-control studies. Design, setting, and participants: Patients who developed distant metastases after surgery for high-risk, nonmetastatic PC in a European tertiary referral center from 1991 to 2011 were matched to patients not developing distant metastases (n = 54). A validation study (n = 298) was performed using a similar US case-control cohort. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue blocks from the index PC lesion were used for RNA extraction and gene expression analysis. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: The outcome investigated was the development of distant metastasis within 10-yr follow-up. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed, with statistical significance considered at p < 0.05. Results and limitations: In both the European and US case-control studies, the median Decipher scores were higher in the population that developed metastases. In the multivariable analysis, each 10% increase in Decipher score translated to an increase in the risk of distant metastases within 10-yr follow- up, with an odds ratio of 1.53 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06–2.22; p = 0.025) and 1.58 (95% CI 1.31–1.92; p < 0.001) for the European and US cohorts, respectively. Median follow-up for the European cohort was 12 yr (interquartile range 8–12). The study limitation is the small size of the European cohort. Conclusions: Our study validates Decipher as a predictor for metastatic recurrence even in patients with high-risk, nonmetastatic PC within 10-yr follow-up. Patient summary: Decipher is a test based on gene expression profiles in primary tumors in prostate cancer. It has already been proven to predict cancer recurrence after surgery, but this has not yet been shown for patients with high-risk prostate cancer. This is the first study confirming that Decipher predicts a patient’s risk of developing cancer recurrence after surgery for high-risk prostate cancer. ispartof: European Urology Oncology vol:2 issue:5 pages:589-596 ispartof: location:Netherlands status: published

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) information on clinical staging, risk stratification, and treatment recommendations for prostate cancer (PCa) according to the European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines. METHODS: We performed a single-center analysis of 180 men with PCa, undergoing clinical staging by digital rectal examination (DRE) as well as MRI before their robot-assisted radical prostatectomy. Patients were stratified according to the EAU guidelines into 4 well-defined risk categories, based on their clinical T-stage assessed by either DRE or MRI. Descriptive statistics of categorical variables are shown as frequencies and proportions. Differences between both scenarios (DRE- vs MRI-staged) were analyzed using a paired-samples sign test. RESULTS: Use of MRI information instead of DRE information leads to significant upstaging of clinical T-stage (33%) and EAU risk grouping (31%). When comparing these results with the pathologic T-stage, MRI showed a higher sensitivity than DRE to detect nonorgan-confined PCa (59% vs 41%; P

Radical cystectomy (RC) with pelvic lymph node dissection (LND) is the standard of care local treatment for patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) (≥ pT2) (1,2).

// Lien Spans 1, 2 , Thomas Van den Broeck 1, 3 , Elien Smeets 1 , Stefan Prekovic 1 , Bernard Thienpont 4, 5 , Diether Lambrechts 4, 5 , R. Jeffrey Karnes 6 , Nicholas Erho 7 , Mohammed Alshalalfa 7 , Elai Davicioni 7 , Christine Helsen 1 , Thomas Gevaert 8 , Lorenzo Tosco 3 , Karin Haustermans 9 , Evelyne Lerut 10, 11 , Steven Joniau 3 , Frank Claessens 1 1 Molecular Endocrinology Laboratory, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Leuven, Campus Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium 2 Current address: Laboratory for Genetics of Malignant Disorders, Department of Human Genetics, University of Leuven, Campus Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium 3 Department of Urology, University Hospitals Leuven, Campus Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium 4 Vesalius Research Center, VIB, Leuven, Belgium 5 Laboratory of Translational Genetics, Department of Oncology, University of Leuven, Campus Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium 6 Department of Urology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA 7 Research and Development, GenomeDx Biosciences, Inc., Vancouver, BC, Canada 8 Organ Systems, Department of Development and Regeneration, University of Leuven, Campus Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium 9 Laboratory of Experimental Radiotherapy, Department of Oncology, University of Leuven, Campus Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium 10 Translational Cell & Tissue Research, Department of Imaging and Pathology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium 11 PEARL Consortium Correspondence to: Frank Claessens, e-mail: Frank.Claessens@kuleuven.be Keywords: high-risk prostate cancer, genomics, TET1, epigenetics, DNA hydroxymethylation Received: August 07, 2015 Accepted: March 04, 2016 Published: March 21, 2016 ABSTRACT The clinical heterogeneity of prostate cancer (PCa) makes it difficult to identify those patients that could benefit from more aggressive treatments. As a contribution to a better understanding of the genomic changes in the primary tumor that are associated with the development of high-risk disease, we performed exome sequencing and copy number determination of a clinically homogeneous cohort of 47 high-risk PCas. We confirmed recurrent mutations in SPOP , PTEN and TP53 among the 850 point mutations we detected. In seven cases, we discovered genomic aberrations in the TET1 (Ten-Eleven Translocation 1) gene which encodes a DNA hydroxymethylase than can modify methylated cytosines in genomic DNA and thus is linked with gene expression changes. TET1 protein levels were reduced in tumor versus non-tumor prostate tissue in 39 of 40 cases. The clinical relevance of changes in TET1 levels was demonstrated in an independent PCa cohort, in which low TET1 mRNA levels were significantly associated with worse metastases-free survival. We also demonstrate a strong reduction in hydroxymethylated DNA in tumor tissue in 27 of 41 cases. Furthermore, we report the first exploratory (h)MeDIP-Seq analyses of eight high-risk PCa samples. This reveals a large heterogeneity in hydroxymethylation changes in tumor versus non-tumor genomes which can be linked with cell polarity.

547 Background: Cisplatin-based NAC followed by surgery is the gold standard treatment of non-metastatic MIBC. However, predictive biomarkers have not been established yet. Here, we addressed the relevance of TILs for NAC response and prognosis in MIBC patients (pts). Methods: We conducted a single center, retrospective cohort analysis of consecutive MIBC pts treated with cisplatin-based NAC followed by surgery. Pts with pathological complete response (pCR; ypT0/isN0) were grouped as responders, pts with pathological residual disease as non responders. TIL stromal count were assessed pre- and post-NAC. Next Generation Sequencing of selected genes was performed on pre-NAC samples. We catalogued the 3-years(y) relapse free rate and 3-y overall survival rate (OS, Kaplan Meier) for the overall cohort and by subgroups. Results: Of the 25 pts who received cisplatin-gemcitabine NAC, a total of 14 (56%) pts achieved a pCR and 11 (44%) had residual disease. NAC was discontinued in 17 (65%) after completing treatment; and in 8 (32%) pts after 2 cycles due to toxicity. Median follow-up was 54.2 months(mos). At baseline, median TIL count was 60% in the overall cohort. Numerically higher TIL count was observed among responders (80%) compared to non-responders (50%) ( p=0.22). Median TIL count post-NAC in residual samples was 40%, not significantly different to matched pre-NAC samples ( p=0.93). Overall, 3-y relapse free rate was 74.7% (95%CI 51.7-87.9); 3-y OS rate was 79.6% (95%CI 57.6-91) with 6 deaths of which 4 were related to metastatic disease. Table reports subset analyses. Most frequently altered genes were PIK3CA and TP53 in the overall cohort (each 20%) and in the responders subgroup (each 29%). Conclusions: In our study, pts who achieved pCR had numerically greater TIL infiltrate in baseline samples and pCR was associated with reduced risk of recurrence. TILs did not increase in residual tumors after NAC. The independent predictive value of TILs warrants assessment in large cohorts.[Table: see text]

The complexity of delivering precision medicine to oncology patients has led to the creation of molecular tumourboards (MTBs) for patient selection and assessment of treatment options. New technologies like the liquid biopsy are augmenting available therapeutic opportunities. This report aims to analyse the experience of our MTB in the implementation of personalised medicine in a cancer network., info:eu-repo/semantics/published