Telomerase and N‐Cadherin Differential Importance in Adrenocortical Cancers and Adenomas. Issue 8 (21st April 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pereira, Sofia S.; Máximo, Valdemar; Coelho, Ricardo; Batista, Rui; Soares, Paula; Guerreiro, Susana G.; Sobrinho‐Simões, Manuel; Monteiro, Mariana P.; Pignatelli, Duarte
• Is Part Of: Journal of cellular biochemistry. Volume 118:Issue 8(2017)
• Page Start: 2064
• Page End: 2071
• Publication Date: 2017-04-21
• Subjects: ADRENOCORTICAL TUMORS -- ADRENAL GLAND -- TERT PROMOTER MUTATIONS -- TELOMERASE EXPRESSION -- N‐CADHERIN EXPRESSION; Cytochemistry -- Periodicals; 572
• DOI: 10.1002/jcb.25811
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0730-2312

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Adrenocortical carcinomas (ACC) are most frequently highly aggressive tumors. We assessed the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) and N‐cadherin role in the biology of ACC and their potential utility as molecular biomarkers, in different types of tumoral adrenocortical tissue. A total of 48 adrenal cortex samples (39 tumoral and 9 normal adrenal glands) were studied. TERT promoter mutations were searched by PCR and Sanger sequencing in two hotspots positions (−124 and −146). Also, telomerase and N‐cadherin expression were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. TERT promoter mutations were not detected in any of the samples either malignant or benign. Telomerase nuclear expression was present in 26.6% of ACC and in 45.5% of non‐functioning adenomas. It was absent in benign Cushing's lesions and in normal adrenal glands. Contrarily, N‐cadherin was always expressed in the cellular membranes of benign adenomas or normal adrenals but no expression was detected in the majority of ACC. Nuclear telomerase and membrane N‐cadherin expression were positively correlated in ACCs. We conclude that in ACC, the loss of N‐cadherin is a frequent phenomenon while the existence of TERT promoter mutations is not and nuclear telomerase expression is present in only a minority of cases. Since the loss of N‐cadherin expression was identified in both high and low proliferative ACC, this marker should be considered important for diagnostic application. Our study also suggests the existence of a TERT non‐canonical function in cell adhesion. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 2064–2071, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Abstract : TERT promoter mutations are rarely found in adrenocortical carcinomas and nuclear telomerase expression is present in around one‐fourth of the cases. N‐cadherin is lost in the majority of the cases of adrenocortical carcinomas. It may in the future have a great importance as a biomarker to identify cases of ACC. TERT may have a non‐canonical function in the cell adhesion.