SUMMARY Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a presumed autoimmune disease directed against central nervous system (CNS) myelin, in which diet and obesity are implicated as risk factors. Immune responses can be influenced by molecules produced by fat cells, called adipokines. Adiponectin is an adipokine with anti-inflammatory effects. We tested the hypothesis that adiponectin has a protective role in the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model for MS, that can be induced by immunization with myelin antigens or transfer of myelin-specific T lymphocytes. Adiponectin deficient (ADPKO) mice developed worse EAE with greater CNS inflammation, demyelination and axon injury. Lymphocytes from myelin-immunized ADP KO mice proliferated more, produced higher amounts of IFNγ, IL-17, TNFα, IL-6 and transferred more severe EAE than wild type (WT) lymphocytes. At EAE peak, the spleen and CNS of ADPKO had fewer Tregulatory cells (Tregs) than WT mice and during EAE recovery, Foxp3, IL-10 and TGFβ CNS expression levels were reduced in ADPKO compared to WT mice. Treatment with globular adiponectin (gADP) in vivo ameliorated EAE, and was associated with an increase in Tregs. These data indicate that adiponectin is an important regulator of T cell functions during EAE, suggesting a new avenue of investigation for MS treatment.

The sinonasal tract harbors several different types of papillomas, some of which can progress to carcinoma. The most frequent among these are inverted and oncocytic Schneiderian papillomas. The rates of progression are somewhat controversial but are approximately 5% to 10% and are almost invariably described in the literature as in situ or invasive squamous cell carcinoma. Other carcinoma types, such as mucoepidermoid and sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma, have also been described. Almost all of the described patterns of malignancy involve frank carcinoma with overtly dysplastic nuclear features, lack of cell maturation, and increased mitotic activity. Some squamous cell carcinomas, particularly nonkeratinizing, can grow in a papillary pattern, appearing to only line the surface epithelium, but they are cytologically overtly malignant throughout. In this case report, however, we describe a novel, human papillomavirus-negative, papillary carcinoma, which presented as a left nasal and maxillary sinus exophytic and inverted-appearing, papillomatous mass with very bland cytomorphology. The initial features were not typical for any defined Schneiderian papilloma but were also not clearly diagnostic of papillary carcinoma. The tumor recurred >10 times over 18 years despite extensive surgical resection including orbital exenteration. The tumor retained a bland appearance throughout the patient's entire clinical course, but did develop a pushing pattern of stromal invasion, increased mitotic activity, vesicular nuclei with prominent nucleoli, lymph node metastases, and eventually overwhelming local recurrence and nodal metastases, resulting in death. This tumor seems best characterized as a low-grade papillary Schneiderian carcinoma and appears to represent a novel type of sinonasal carcinoma.

Pseudohypoxia plays a central role in the progression and therapeutic resistance of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC); however, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. MicroRNA miR-126 has decreased expression in metastatic or relapsed ccRCC as compared to primary tumors, but the mechanisms by which miR-126 is implicated in RCC remain unknown. Through RNA-seq profiling to evaluate the impact of overexpression or CRISPR knockout of miR-126, we have identified SERPINE1 as a miR-126-5p target regulating cell motility, and SLC7A5 as a miR-126-3p target regulating the mTOR/HIF pathway. Specifically, miR-126 inhibits HIFα protein expression independent of von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor (VHL). On the other hand, deactivation of miR-126 induces a pseudohypoxia state due to increased HIFα expression, which further enhances therapeutic resistance and cell motility mediated by SLC7A5 and SERPINE1, respectively. Finally, the clinical relevance of miR-126 modulated gene regulation in ccRCC has been confirmed with profiling data from The Cancer Genome Atlas.

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