COVID-19 Infection Induce miR-371a-3p Upregulation Resulting in Influence on Male Fertility

In December 2019, the first case of COVID-19 was reported and since then several groups have already published that the virus can be present in the testis. To study the influence of SARS-CoV-2 which cause a dysregulation of the androgen receptor (AR) level, thereby leading to fertility problems and inducing germ cell testicular changes in patients after the infection. Formalin-Fixed-Paraffin-Embedded (FFPE) testicular samples from patients who died with or as a result of COVID-19 (n = 32) with controls (n = 6), inflammatory changes (n = 9), seminoma with/without metastasis (n = 11) compared with healthy biopsy samples (n = 3) were analyzed and compared via qRT-PCR for the expression of miR-371a-3p. An immunohistochemical analysis (IHC) and ELISA were performed in order to highlight the miR-371a-3p targeting the AR. Serum samples of patients with mild or severe COVID-19 symptoms (n = 34) were analyzed for miR-371a-3p expression. In 70% of the analyzed postmortem testicular tissue samples, a significant upregulation of the miR-371a-3p was detected, and 75% of the samples showed a reduced spermatogenesis. In serum samples, the upregulation of the miR-371a-3p was also detectable. The upregulation of the miR-371a-3p is responsible for the downregulation of the AR in SARS-CoV-2-positive patients, resulting in decreased spermatogenesis. Since the dysregulation of the AR is associated with infertility, further studies have to confirm if the identified dysregulation is regressive after a declining infection.

Viable germ cell tumor and teratoma can be distinguished from necrosis in postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection specimens by a combination of microRNA-371a-3p and 375-5p

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Background: Our objective was to identify a combination of microRNAs (miRNA) to differentiate between viable tumor (V) or teratoma (T) and necrosis/fibrosis (N) in pcRPLND specimens of metastatic nonseminomatous germ cell tumor (NSGCT) patients with residual masses ≥1cm after chemotherapy. Our hypothesis is that a biomarker guided therapy could reduce overtreatment with pcRPLND in patients with only N. Methods: Forty-eight patients were identified, n = 16 each with T/V/N. Representative regions of T/V/N were microdissected, subsequently total RNA was isolated and miRNA expression was analyzed for miR-371a-3p, 375-3p, and 375-5p using qPCR. ROC analysis was performed for each miRNA and for all combinations in order to determine the discriminatory capacity of V and T vs. N. Results: For the group comparisons of V vs. N miR-371a-3p achieved the highest fold change (FC) of 31.1 (p = 0.023) while for T vs. N miR-375-5p performed best (FC 64,2; p < 0.001). Likewise, the most accurate AUC for V was 0.75 using miR-371a-3p, for T 0.80 using miR-375-5p. Combining the best performing miRNAs for V and T resulted in an AUC of 0.94 with a sensitivity of 93.75, specificity of 93.75, PPV of 96.8 and NPV of 83.3. Conclusions: In pcRPLND tissue samples V and T could be distinguished from necrosis/fibrosis by combining miR-371a-3p and miR-375-5p with great accuracy. This combination of miRNAs might serve as new biomarker in the future, in order to spare miRNA-negative patients from pcRPLND. However, further studies analyzing patient’s serum are needed to confirm the clinical impact of these biomarkers.

Predictors for Outcome and Complications Related to Urinary Diversion

BACKGROUND/AIM

Predictors for complications such as insufficiency of intestinal anastomosis in urinary diversion and other risk factors are not well defined. We aimed to elucidate predictive factors for complications in urinary diversions based on preoperative comorbidities and major complications. A special focus was set on anastomosis insufficiency as a major complication.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Preoperative comorbidities, postoperative complications, duration of hospital stay, and follow-up were analyzed in 317 patients with urinary diversion. The impact of preoperative comorbidities on diversion types was described and quantified as defined by the age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index.

RESULTS

Overall, 14.8% of patients showed anastomosis-related complications, most within the ileal conduit group (15.9% in the cohort). Severe complications (Clavien-Dindo Classification Score >IIIa) were found in smokers (p=0.046), and in patients with vascular diseases (p=0.007), a high American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA)-score (p=0.047), a R1- (p=0.009), as well as a pN1 (p=0.007) status.

CONCLUSION

Several independent predictors for several postoperative complications in urinary diversions were identified, which were independent of the diversion method.

The combination of microRNA-371a-3p and 375-5p can distinguish viable germ cell tumor and teratoma from necrosis in postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection specimens

Background

To identify a combination of microRNAs (miRNA) to differentiate between viable tumor (V) or teratoma (T) and necrosis/fibrosis (N) in pcRPLND specimens of metastatic germ cell tumor (GCT) patients with residual masses ≥1 cm after chemotherapy. Biomarker guided therapy could reduce overtreatment with pcRPLND in patients with only N.

Methods

We selected 48 metastatic GCT patients who had undergone pcRPLND. V, pure T and N was shown in the resected tissue of 16 patients, respectively. Of these areas total RNA was isolated and miRNA expression was analyzed for miR-371a-3p, 375-3p, and 375-5p using qPCR. ROC analysis was performed for each miRNA and for all combinations in order to determine the discriminatory capacity of V and T vs. N.

Results

On comparing V vs. N miR-371a-3p achieved the highest fold change (FC) of 31.1 (P=0.023) while for T vs. N miR-375-5p performed best (FC 64.2; P<0.001). Likewise, the most accurate AUC for V was 0.75 using miR-371a-3p, for T 0.80 using miR-375-5p. Combining the best performing miRNAs for V and T resulted in an AUC of 0.94 with a sensitivity of 93.75, specificity of 93.75, PPV of 96.8 and NPV of 83.3.

Conclusions

By combining miR-371a-3p and miR-375-5p in pcRPLND tissue samples V and T could be distinguished from necrosis/fibrosis with great accuracy. This combination of miRNAs might serve as new biomarker in the future, in order to spare miRNA-negative patients from pcRPLND. However, further studies analyzing patient’s serum are needed to confirm the clinical impact of these biomarkers.