Reviews
The Inflammasome NLR Family Pyrin Domain-Containing Protein 3 (NLRP3) as a Novel Therapeutic Target for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a dramatic disease without cure. The US Food and Drug Administration–approved drugs, pirfenidone and nintedanib, only slow disease progression. The clinical investigation of novel therapeutic approaches for IPF is an unmet clinical need. Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor or NOD-like receptors are pattern recognition receptors capable of binding a large variety of stress factors. NLR family pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3), once activated, promotes IL-1β, IL-18 production, and innate immune responses.The Functional Roles of Immune Cells in Primary Liver Cancer
Primary liver cancer includes hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Incidence of liver cancer has been increasing in recent years, and the 5-year survival is <20%. HCC and CCA are often accompanied with a dense stroma coupled with infiltrated immune cells, which is referred to as the tumor microenvironment. Populations of specific immune cells, such as high density of CD163+ macrophages and low density of CD8+ T cells, are associated with prognosis and survival rates in both HCC and CCA.NELL-1 in Genome-Wide Association Studies across Human Diseases
Neural epidermal growth factor–like (EGFL)-like protein (NELL)-1 is a potent and key osteogenic factor in the development and regeneration of skeletal tissues. Intriguingly, accumulative data from genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have started unveiling potential broader roles of NELL-1 beyond its functions in bone and cartilage. With exploration of the genetic variants of the entire genome in large-scale disease cohorts, GWASs have been used for establishing the connection between specific single-nucleotide polymorphisms of NELL1, in addition to osteoporosis, metabolic diseases, inflammatory conditions, neuropsychiatric diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, and malignant tumors.Osteochondroma Pathogenesis: Mouse Models and Mechanistic Insights into Interactions with Retinoid Signaling
Osteochondromas are cartilage-capped tumors that arise near growing physes and are the most common benign bone tumor in children. Osteochondromas can lead to skeletal deformity, pain, loss of motion, and neurovascular compression. Currently, surgery is the only available treatment for symptomatic osteochondromas. Osteochondroma mouse models have been developed to understand the pathology and the origin of osteochondromas and develop therapeutic drugs. Several cartilage regulatory pathways have been implicated in the development of osteochondromas, such as bone morphogenetic protein, hedgehog, and WNT/β-catenin signaling.Slide Over: Advances in Slide-Free Optical Microscopy as Drivers of Diagnostic Pathology
Conventional analysis using clinical histopathology is based on bright-field microscopy of thinly sliced tissue specimens. Although bright-field microscopy is a simple and robust method of examining microscope slides, the preparation of the slides needed is a lengthy and labor-intensive process. Slide-free histopathology, however, uses direct imaging of intact, minimally processed tissue samples using advanced optical-imaging systems, bypassing the extended workflow now required for the preparation of tissue sections.Targeting Lymphangiogenesis and Lymph Node Metastasis in Liver Cancer
Increased lymphangiogenesis and lymph node metastasis, the important prognostic indicators of aggressive hepatobiliary malignancies such as hepatocellular cancer and cholangiocarcinoma, are associated with poor patient outcome. The liver produces 25% to 50% of total lymphatic fluid in the body and has a dense network of lymphatic vessels. The lymphatic system plays critical roles in fluid homeostasis and inflammation and immune response. Yet, lymphatic vessel alterations and function are grossly understudied in the context of liver pathology.Interplay between Brain Pericytes and Endothelial Cells in Dementia
Prevalence of dementia continues to increase because of the aging population and limited treatment options. Cerebral small vessel disease and Alzheimer disease are the two most common causes of dementia with vascular dysfunction being a large component of both their pathophysiologies. The neurogliovascular unit, in particular the blood-brain barrier (BBB), is required for maintaining brain homeostasis. A complex interaction exists among the endothelial cells, which line the blood vessels and pericytes, which surround them in the neurogliovascular unit.Cerebral Small Vessel Disease in Sporadic and Familial Alzheimer Disease
Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. Biological definitions of AD are limited to the cerebral burden of amyloid β plaques, neurofibrillary pathology, and neurodegeneration. However, current evidence suggests that various features of small vessel disease (SVD) are part of and covertly modify both sporadic and familial AD. Neuroimaging studies suggest that white matter hyperintensities explained by vascular mechanisms occurs frequently in the AD spectrum. Recent advances have further emphasized that frontal periventricular and posterior white matter hyperintensities are associated with cerebral amyloid angiopathy in familial AD.Ethics of AI in Pathology: Current Paradigms and Emerging Issues
Deep learning has rapidly advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic decision-making (ADM) paradigms, affecting many traditional fields of medicine, including pathology, which is a heavily data-centric specialty of medicine. The structured nature of pathology data repositories makes it highly attractive to AI researchers to train deep learning models to improve health care delivery. Additionally, there are enormous financial incentives driving adoption of AI and ADM due to promise of increased efficiency of the health care delivery process.
