0000000000065173

AUTHOR

Anna Gazzola

0000-0001-8131-7170

Platelet-derived growth factor alpha mediates the proliferation of peripheral T-cell lymphoma cells via an autocrine regulatory pathway.

Peripheral T-cell lymphomas not otherwise specified (PTCL/NOS) are very aggressive tumors characterized by consistent aberrant expression of platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA). In this study, we aimed to identify the determinants of PDGFRA activity in PTCL/NOS and to elucidate the biological consequences of its activation. We observed overexpression of the PDGFRA gene by gene expression profiling in most of the tested PTCLs and confirmed the expression of PDGFRA and phospho-PDGFRA using immunohistochemistry. The integrity of the PDFGRA locus was demonstrated using several different approaches, including massive parallel sequencing and Sanger sequencing. PDGF-AA was found…

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Pathobiology of Hodgkin Lymphoma

Despite its well-known histological and clinical features, Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) has recently been the object of intense research activity, leading to a better understanding of its phenotype, molecular characteristics, histogenesis, and possible mechanisms of lymphomagenesis. There is complete consensus on the B-cell derivation of the tumor in most cases, and on the relevance of Epstein-Barr virus infection and defective cytokinesis in at least a proportion of patients. The REAL/WHO classification recognizes a basic distinction between lymphocyte predominance HL (LP-HL) and classic HL (cHL), reflecting the differences in clinical presentation and behavior, morphology, phenotype, and molec…

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Peripheral T-cell lymphoma classification: the matter of cellular derivation.

Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs) represent approximately 12% of all non-Hodgkin's lymphomas in Western countries. They are quite heterogeneous as far as morphology and phenotype are concerned. Furthermore, until now, PTCLs could not be referred to specific normal counterparts, in contrast to B-cell-derived non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. In particular, in the last edition of the WHO classification of Tumors of the Hematopoietic and Lymphoid Tissues, for the majority of nodal PTCLs (including the not otherwise specified type and anaplastic large-cell lymphoma), the postulated cell of origin remained undefined. However, in the last few years, high-throughput genomic techniques, especially gene-ex…

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SNPs array karyotyping reveals a novel recurrent 20p13 amplification in primary myelofibrosis.

The molecular pathogenesis of primary mielofibrosis (PMF) is still largely unknown. Recently, single-nucleotide polymorphism arrays (SNP-A) allowed for genome-wide profiling of copy-number alterations and acquired uniparental disomy (aUPD) at high-resolution. In this study we analyzed 20 PMF patients using the Genome-Wide Human SNP Array 6.0 in order to identify novel recurrent genomic abnormalities. We observed a complex karyotype in all cases, detecting all the previously reported lesions (del(5q), del(20q), del(13q), +8, aUPD at 9p24 and abnormalities on chromosome 1). In addition, we identified several novel cryptic lesions. In particular, we found a recurrent alteration involving cytob…

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Distinctive Histogenesis and Immunological Microenvironment Based on Transcriptional Profiles of Follicular Dendritic Cell Sarcomas

Abstract Follicular dendritic cell (FDC) sarcomas are rare mesenchymal tumors with variable clinical, morphologic, and phenotypic characteristics. Transcriptome analysis was performed on multiple FDC sarcomas and compared with other mesenchymal tumors, microdissected Castleman FDCs, and normal fibroblasts. Using unsupervised analysis, FDC sarcomas clustered with microdissected FDCs, distinct from other mesenchymal tumors and fibroblasts. The specific endowment of FDC-related gene expression programs in FDC sarcomas emerged by applying a gene signature of differentially expressed genes (n = 1,289) between microdissected FDCs and fibroblasts. Supervised analysis comparing FDC sarcomas with mi…

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Pathogenetic and diagnostic significance of microRNA deregulation in peripheral T-cell lymphoma not otherwise specified

Peripheral T-cell lymphomas not otherwise specified (PTCLs/NOS) are rare and aggressive tumours whose molecular pathogenesis and diagnosis are still challenging. The microRNA (miRNA) profile of 23 PTCLs/NOS was generated and compared with that of normal T-lymphocytes (CD4+, CD8+, naive, activated). The differentially expressed miRNA signature was compared with the gene expression profile (GEP) of the same neoplasms. The obtained gene patterns were tested in an independent cohort of PTCLs/NOS. The miRNA profile of PTCLs/NOS then was compared with that of 10 angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphomas (AITLs), 6 anaplastic large-cell lymphomas (ALCLs)/ALK+ and 6 ALCLs/ALK - . Differentially expressed…

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Gene Expression Analysis Uncovers Similarity and Differences Among Burkitt Lymphoma Subtypes.

Abstract Abstract 2494 Background. Burkitt lymphoma (BL) is currently listed in the WHO classification of lymphoid tumors as a single genetic and morphological entity with variation in clinical presentation. In particular, three clinical subsets of BL are recognized: endemic (eBL), sporadic (sBL) and immunodeficiency associated (ID-BL). Each affects different populations and can present with different features. So far, possible differences in their gene expression profiles (GEP) have not been investigated. In this study we aimed to 1) assess whether BL subtypes present with differences in their GEP; 2) investigate the relationship of the different BL subtypes with the non-neoplastic cellula…

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