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Ertunc O, Smearman E, Zheng Q, Hicks JL, Brosnan-Cashman JA, Jones T, Gomes-Alexandre C, Trabzonlu L, Meeker AK, De Marzo AM, Heaphy CM. Chromogenic detection of telomere lengths in situ aids the identification of precancerous lesions in the prostate. Prostate 2024; 84:148-157. [PMID: 37849074 PMCID: PMC10843147 DOI: 10.1002/pros.24633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Telomeres are terminal chromosomal elements that are essential for the maintenance of genomic integrity. The measurement of telomere content provides useful diagnostic and prognostic information, and fluorescent methods have been developed for this purpose. However, fluorescent-based tissue assays are cumbersome for investigators to undertake, both in research and clinical settings. METHODS A robust chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) approach was developed to visualize and quantify telomere content at single cell resolution in human prostate tissues, both frozen and formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE). RESULTS This new assay (telomere chromogenic in situ hybridization ["Telo-CISH"]) produces permanently stained slides that are viewable with a standard light microscope, thus avoiding the need for specialized equipment and storage. The assay is compatible with standard immunohistochemistry, thereby allowing simultaneous assessment of histomorphology, identification of specific cell types, and assessment of telomere status. In addition, Telo-CISH eliminates the problem of autofluorescent interference that frequently occurs with fluorescent-based methods. Using this new assay, we demonstrate successful application of Telo-CISH to help identify precancerous lesions in the prostate by the presence of markedly short telomeres specifically in the luminal epithelial cells. CONCLUSIONS In summary, with fewer restrictions on the types of tissues that can be tested, and increased histologic information provided, the advantages presented by this novel chromogenic assay should extend the applicability of tissue-based telomere length assessment in research and clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Onur Ertunc
- Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Erica Smearman
- Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Qizhi Zheng
- Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Jessica L. Hicks
- Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | | | - Tracy Jones
- Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | | | - Levent Trabzonlu
- Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Alan K. Meeker
- Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Urology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Oncology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Institute at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Angelo M. De Marzo
- Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Urology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Oncology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Institute at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Christopher M. Heaphy
- Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
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Bromley RL, Bickle Graz M, Bluett-Duncan M, Chambers C, Damkier P, Dietrich K, Dolk H, Grant K, Mattson S, Meador KJ, Nordeng H, Oberlander TF, Ornoy A, Revet A, Richardson J, Rovet J, Schuler-Faccini L, Smearman E, Simms V, Vorhees C, Wide K, Wood A, Yates L, Ystrom E, Supraja TA, Adams J. Expert consensus on neurodevelopmental outcomes in pregnancy pharmacovigilance studies. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1094698. [PMID: 37332344 PMCID: PMC10270323 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1094698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Exposure in utero to certain medications can disrupt processes of fetal development, including brain development, leading to a continuum of neurodevelopmental difficulties. Recognizing the deficiency of neurodevelopmental investigations within pregnancy pharmacovigilance, an international Neurodevelopmental Expert Working Group was convened to achieve consensus regarding the core neurodevelopmental outcomes, optimization of methodological approaches and barriers to conducting pregnancy pharmacovigilance studies with neurodevelopmental outcomes. Methods: A modified Delphi study was undertaken based on stakeholder and expert input. Stakeholders (patient, pharmaceutical, academic and regulatory) were invited to define topics, pertaining to neurodevelopmental investigations in medication-exposed pregnancies. Experts were identified for their experience regarding neurodevelopmental outcomes following medicinal, substances of misuse or environmental exposures in utero. Two questionnaire rounds and a virtual discussion meeting were used to explore expert opinion on the topics identified by the stakeholders. Results: Twenty-five experts, from 13 countries and professionally diverse backgrounds took part in the development of 11 recommendations. The recommendations focus on the importance of neurodevelopment as a core feature of pregnancy pharmacovigilance, the timing of study initiation and a core set of distinct but interrelated neurodevelopmental skills or diagnoses which require investigation. Studies should start in infancy with an extended period of investigation into adolescence, with more frequent sampling during rapid periods of development. Additionally, recommendations are made regarding optimal approach to neurodevelopmental outcome measurement, comparator groups, exposure factors, a core set of confounding and mediating variables, attrition, reporting of results and the required improvements in funding for potential later emerging effects. Different study designs will be required depending on the specific neurodevelopmental outcome type under investigation and whether the medicine in question is newly approved or already in widespread use. Conclusion: An improved focus on neurodevelopmental outcomes is required within pregnancy pharmacovigilance. These expert recommendations should be met across a complementary set of studies which converge to form a comprehensive set of evidence regarding neurodevelopmental outcomes in pregnancy pharmacovigilance.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. L. Bromley
- Division of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Biology and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Manchester Academic Sciences Park, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - M. Bickle Graz
- Neonatology, Department Woman-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - M. Bluett-Duncan
- Division of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Biology and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - C. Chambers
- Division of Environmental Science and Health, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - P. Damkier
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Odense University Hospital, Denmark and Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - K. Dietrich
- Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences, Division of Epidemiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - H. Dolk
- Maternal, Fetal and Infant Research Unit, Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, United Kingdom
| | - K. Grant
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - S. Mattson
- Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - K. J. Meador
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, United States
| | - H. Nordeng
- Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Child Health and Development, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - T. F. Oberlander
- Department Pediatrics and School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - A. Ornoy
- Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School, Adelson School of Medicine, Ariel University, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - A. Revet
- INSERM University of Toulouse 3, Toulouse, France
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Toulouse University Hospital, Toulouse, France
| | - J. Richardson
- UK Teratology Information Service, Newcastle, United Kingdom
| | - J. Rovet
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - L. Schuler-Faccini
- Genetics Department, Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - E. Smearman
- Department of Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - V. Simms
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, United Kingdom
| | - C. Vorhees
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neurology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - K. Wide
- Department of Pediatrics, CLINTEC, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - A. Wood
- Clinical Sciences, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - L. Yates
- Northern Genetics Service, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle, United Kingdom
- KRISP, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - E. Ystrom
- Department of Mental Disorders, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - T. A. Supraja
- National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences NIMHANS, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - J. Adams
- Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, United States
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3
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Ertunc O, Smearman E, Zheng Q, Hicks JL, Brosnan-Cashman JA, Jones T, Gomes-Alexandre C, Trabzonlu L, Meeker AK, De Marzo AM, Heaphy CM. Chromogenic detection of telomere lengths in situ aids the identification of precancerous lesions in the prostate. bioRxiv 2023:2023.04.04.535575. [PMID: 37066381 PMCID: PMC10104079 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.04.535575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres are terminal chromosomal elements that are essential for the maintenance of genomic integrity. The measurement of telomere content provides useful diagnostic and prognostic information, and fluorescent methods have been developed for this purpose. However, fluorescent-based tissue assays are cumbersome for investigators to undertake, both in research and clinical settings. Here, a robust chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) approach was developed to visualize and quantify telomere content at single cell resolution in human prostate tissues, both frozen and formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE). This new assay ("Telo-CISH") produces permanently stained slides that are viewable with a standard light microscope, thus avoiding the need for specialized equipment and storage. The assay is compatible with standard immunohistochemistry, thereby allowing simultaneous assessment of histomorphology, identification of specific cell types, and assessment of telomere status. In addition, Telo-CISH eliminates the problem of autofluorescent interference that frequently occurs with fluorescent-based methods. Using this new assay, we demonstrate successful application of Telo-CISH to help identify precancerous lesions in the prostate by the presence of markedly short telomeres specifically in the luminal epithelial cells. In summary, with fewer restrictions on the types of tissues that can be tested, and increased histologic information provided, the advantages presented by this novel chromogenic assay should extend the applicability of tissue-based telomere length assessment in research and clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Onur Ertunc
- The Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
| | - Erica Smearman
- The Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
| | - Qizhi Zheng
- The Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
| | - Jessica L. Hicks
- The Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
| | | | - Tracy Jones
- The Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
| | | | - Levent Trabzonlu
- The Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
| | - Alan K. Meeker
- The Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
- The Department of Urology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
- The Department of Oncology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Institute at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Angelo M. De Marzo
- The Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
- The Department of Urology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
- The Department of Oncology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
- The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Institute at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Christopher M. Heaphy
- The Department of Medicine, Boston University, School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
- The Department Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University, School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
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4
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Sales JM, Smearman E, Brown JL, Brody GH, Philibert RA, Rose E, DiClemente RJ. Associations Between a Dopamine D4 Receptor Gene, Alcohol Use, and Sexual Behaviors among Female Adolescent African Americans. J HIV AIDS Soc Serv 2015; 14:136-153. [PMID: 27087792 PMCID: PMC4831568 DOI: 10.1080/15381501.2014.920759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Adolescent African-American females are disproportionately impacted by HIV, thus there is a clear need to understand factors associated with increased HIV-risk behaviors among this vulnerable population. We sought to explore the association between a dopamine D4 receptor gene (DRD4), a genetic marker associated with natural variations in rewarding behaviors, and self-reported alcohol-use and sexual risk-behaviors, while controlling for other known correlates of risk-taking such as impulsivity, sensation seeking, and peer norms among a group of high-risk African American female adolescents to evaluate whether this biological factor enhances our understanding of patterns of risk in this vulnerable group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica M. Sales
- Rollins School of Public Health, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
- Emory University Center for AIDS Research, Social & Behavioral Sciences Core
- Center for Contextual Genetics and Prevention Science, University of Georgia
| | - Erica Smearman
- Rollins School of Public Health, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
- Emory University School of Medicine, Medical Scientist Training Program
| | - Jennifer L. Brown
- Rollins School of Public Health, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
- Emory University Center for AIDS Research, Social & Behavioral Sciences Core
| | - Gene H. Brody
- Rollins School of Public Health, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
- Emory University Center for AIDS Research, Social & Behavioral Sciences Core
- Center for Contextual Genetics and Prevention Science, University of Georgia
| | - Robert A. Philibert
- Center for Contextual Genetics and Prevention Science, University of Georgia
- University of Iowa, Department of Psychiatry
| | - Eve Rose
- Rollins School of Public Health, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
| | - Ralph J. DiClemente
- Rollins School of Public Health, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education
- Emory University Center for AIDS Research, Social & Behavioral Sciences Core
- Center for Contextual Genetics and Prevention Science, University of Georgia
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5
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Ousley OY, Smearman E, Fernandez-Carriba S, Rockers KA, Coleman K, Walker EF, Cubells JF. Axis I psychiatric diagnoses in adolescents and young adults with 22q11 deletion syndrome. Eur Psychiatry 2013; 28:417-22. [PMID: 23916466 PMCID: PMC5700766 DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2013.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2013] [Revised: 06/01/2013] [Accepted: 06/02/2013] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) associates with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs), autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), and other psychiatric disorders, but co-occurrence of diagnoses are not well described. METHODS We evaluated the co-occurrence of SSDs, ASDs and other axis I psychiatric diagnoses in 31 adolescents and adults with 22q11DS, assessing ASDs using either stringent Collaborative Program for Excellence in Autism (ASD-CPEA) criteria, or less stringent DSM-IV criteria alone (ASD-DSM-IV). RESULTS Ten (32%) individuals met criteria for an SSD, five (16%) for ASD-CPEA, and five others (16%) for ASD-DSM-IV. Of those with ASD-CPEA, one (20%) met SSD criteria. Of those with ASD-DSM-IV, four (80%) met SSD criteria. Depressive disorders (8 individuals; 26%) and anxiety disorders (7; 23%) sometimes co-occurred with SSDs and ASDs. SSDs, ASDs, and anxiety occurred predominantly among males and depression predominantly among females. CONCLUSIONS Individuals with 22q11DS can manifest SSDs in the presence or absence of ASDs and other axis I diagnoses. The results suggest that standard clinical care should include childhood screening for ASDs, and later periodic screening for all axis I diagnoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- O Y Ousley
- Emory University School of Medicine, Emory Autism Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 1551 Shoup Court, 30322 Atlanta, Georgia, United States.
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