Publications by authors named "Claudio Agostinelli"

Background: Classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (cHL) in adolescents between 15 and 18 years old shows a higher disease-related mortality, and the overall prognosis is worse than in both children and adults.

Objectives: We investigated the immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPIs) therapeutic targets and specific T-regulatory and cytotoxic T-cell subsets in the subgroup of adolescent cHL patients, and we challenged their prognostic power.

Methods: We retrieved formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue of adolescent patients diagnosed with cHL and tested by immunohistochemistry the immune checkpoint molecules CTLA-4, LAG-3, PD-1, and PDL1 as well as the biological markers FOXP3 and CD8.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

: Glioblastoma -wildtype (GBM -wt) is the most aggressive brain tumor in adults and is characterized by an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Different factors shaping its tumor microenvironment (TME) regulate tumor progression and treatment response. The aim of this study was to characterize the main immunosuppressive elements of the GBM -wt TME.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - CCR4 receptor plays a key role in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) therapy by weakening immune responses against cancerous T-cells, making it a critical target for treatment.
  • - Monoclonal antibodies like mogamulizumab help decrease tumor size and improve patient outcomes by blocking CCR4’s interaction with ligands, preventing harmful T-cell movement and survival; further combinations with other treatments are being researched.
  • - Challenges such as drug resistance and off-target effects remain, leading to the need for improved patient selection and ongoing trials; despite advances, more real-world data is essential to set realistic expectations for these new therapies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Primary cutaneous CD4+ small/medium T-cell lymphoproliferative disorders (PCSM-LPDs), represent a rare group of haematological diseases primarily affecting the skin. In this retrospective single-centre case series study, we aimed to investigate the demographic, clinical, therapeutic and prognostic aspects of PCSM-LPD. We collected data from cases diagnosed between 2010 and the present, employing histopathological and immunohistochemical methods following the World Health Organization criteria.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Cutaneous T cell lymphomas (CTCLs), encompassing mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary syndrome (SS), present a complex landscape influenced by cytokines and cellular responses. In this work, the intricate relationship between these inflammatory proteins and disease pathogenesis is examined, focusing on what is known at the clinical and therapeutic levels regarding the most well-known inflammatory mediators. An in-depth look is given to their possible alterations caused by novel immunomodulatory drugs and how they may alter disease progression.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Rearranged neoplasms are rare blood cancers, with about 80 cases, involving myeloid and lymphoid leukemias, linked to gene translocations that activate partner genes.
  • A case of a 54-year-old woman revealed a rare cryptic insertion of the gene associated with such neoplasms, initially diagnosed as idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome.
  • Advanced sequencing techniques led to the identification of specific fusion transcripts, confirming the diagnosis and prompting effective treatment with imatinib mesylate, resulting in lasting positive outcomes after over a year.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Standardized treatment options are lacking for patients with unresectable or multifocal follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS) and disease-related mortality is as high as 20%. Applying whole-genome sequencing (WGS) in one case and whole-exome sequencing (WES) in additional twelve cases, this study adds information on the molecular landscape of FDCS, expanding knowledge on pathobiological mechanisms and identifying novel markers of potential theragnostic significance. Massive parallel sequencing showed high frequency of mutations on oncosuppressor genes, particularly in RB1, CARS and BRCA2 and unveiled alterations on homologous recombination DNA damage repair-related genes in 70% (9/13) of cases.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Large B-cell lymphoma with IRF4 rearrangement (LBCL-IRF4) is a rare type of cancer mainly found in younger patients, but can also occur in older adults, sometimes mimicking other aggressive lymphomas like blastoid/pleomorphic mantle cell lymphoma.
  • A study of 12 cases revealed that while most cases had typical features, some patients were older or presented in unusual locations, complicating diagnosis.
  • The study found that CD5 was positive in some cases, but Cyclin D1 was always negative, and SOX11 expression was limited, helping differentiate LBCL-IRF4 from similar lymphomas.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the primary central nervous system (CNS-DLBCL) is an aggressive disease, with dismal prognosis despite the use of high-dose methotrexate-based polychemotherapy. Our study aimed to expand the biologic profiles of CNS-DLBCL and to correlate them with clinical/imaging findings to gain diagnostic insight and possibly identify new therapeutic targets. We selected 61 CNS-DLBCL whose formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples were available at first diagnosis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Follicular Lymphoma (FL) often leads to cycles of remission and relapse, making it nearly incurable, and current prognostic scores don't work well for all patients.
  • This study analyzed 49 FL lymph node biopsies to explore the relationship between immune cell types in the tumor microenvironment and patient outcomes, focusing on specific markers like CD56 and CD163.
  • Results indicated that certain ratios of immune cells were linked to survival rates, suggesting enhancing macrophage characterization could improve prognosis for FL patients, but further research is needed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD) is a relatively harmless condition that mainly causes swollen lymph nodes in young women and can be mistaken for more serious diseases due to similar T-cell features.
  • - A recent study analyzed 88 KFD cases to see if clonal T-cell receptor (TCR) amplifications could be detected, finding clonal peaks in 18% of cases without significant differences in other clinical parameters.
  • - The findings suggest that while clonal TCR gamma results can occur in KFD, care must be taken not to misinterpret these as signs of a serious illness, like T-cell neoplasia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The neoplastic Hodgkin-Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) represent only 1-10% of cells and are surrounded by an inflammatory microenvironment. The HL cytokine network is a key point for the proliferation of HRS cells and for the maintenance of an advantageous microenvironment for HRS survival. In the tumor microenvironment (TME), the fibroblasts are involved in crosstalk with HRS cells.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Richter's Transformation (RT) is a dangerous progression of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) that appears as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, with a key role suspected for protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5).
  • Research shows that PRMT5 is consistently overexpressed in patients developing RT and that mice with increased levels of PRMT5 face a higher death risk and develop aggressive B-cell diseases similar to RT.
  • The study also introduces PRT382, a new and selective inhibitor of PRMT5, suggesting its potential for targeted treatment in aggressive cases of CLL and RT, highlighting the need for clinical trials.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Extranodal T-lymphoproliferative disorders or T-cell lymphomas (TLPD) are classified according to the WHO Classification (4th and upcoming 5th editions) (Swerdlow et al., IARC Press 1; Alaggio et al., Leukemia 36(7):1720-1748, 2) and to the International Consensus Classification Update (Campo et al.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sezary syndrome (SS) are the two most common type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). Currently, no markers can be clearly related to prognosis or to differential diagnosis between early stages and inflammatory benign diseases (IBD). The thymocyte selection-associated high mobility group box factor (TOX), has been proposed as a possible marker in differential diagnosis between early CTCL stages and IBD.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • - Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a low mutation rate and fewer tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), complicating the search for targeted therapies, prompting this study on the role of TILs in HCC prognosis.
  • - The research involved 41 patients who underwent liver resection, revealing that HCCs with solid architecture had increased CD8+ TILs but a higher PD-1/TIA1 ratio, indicating less functional lymphocytes in these tumors.
  • - Analysis showed that a higher TIA1/CD8 ratio correlated with tumor recurrence, suggesting that more activated TILs indicate greater tumor aggressiveness, and a simple immunohistochemical panel could aid in post-surgical prognosis
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The role of macrophages (Mo) and their prognostic impact in diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL) remain controversial. By regulating the lipid metabolism, Liver-X-Receptors (LXRs) control Mo polarization/inflammatory response, and their pharmacological modulation is under clinical investigation to treat human cancers, including lymphomas. Herein, we surveyed the role of LXRs in DLBCL for prognostic purposes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

T-cell/histiocyte-rich large B-cell lymphoma (THRLBCL) is a rare and aggressive variant of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) that usually affects young to middle-aged patients, with disseminated disease at presentation. The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a key role in THRLBCL due to its peculiar cellular composition (<10% neoplastic B cells interspersed in a cytotoxic T-cell/histiocyte-rich background). A significant percentage of THRLBCL is refractory to rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (RCHOP)-based regimens and to chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy; thus, the development of a specific therapeutic approach for these patients represents an unmet clinical need.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The mechanisms involved in mycosis fungoides, and Sezary Syndrome progression are largely unknown. Over the last decade the interest in immune system contrast of neoplasm has grown owing to the introduction of immunotherapy. PD-1 and its ligand (PD-L1) are the target of several immunotherapy treatment.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates how myeloid nuclear differentiation antigen (MNDA) expression can aid in differentiating lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (LPL) from splenic marginal zone B-cell lymphoma (SMZL) since their characteristics often overlap.
  • It was found that while the MYD88 p.Leu265Pro mutation was identified in some LPL cases, MNDA was predominantly negative in these cases, indicating it could help rule out LPL.
  • MNDA expression was more frequent in SMZL cases, and additional specific immunohistochemical features correlated with MNDA positivity, suggesting its usefulness in diagnosing SMZL when genetic mutation tests are not available.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF