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. 2022 Dec;35(12):1870-1881.
doi: 10.1038/s41379-022-01129-0. Epub 2022 Jul 6.

Defining the spatial landscape of KRAS mutated congenital pulmonary airway malformations: a distinct entity with a spectrum of histopathologic features

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Defining the spatial landscape of KRAS mutated congenital pulmonary airway malformations: a distinct entity with a spectrum of histopathologic features

Nya D Nelson et al. Mod Pathol. 2022 Dec.

Abstract

The potential pathogenetic mechanisms underlying the varied morphology of congenital pulmonary airway malformations (CPAMs) have not been molecularly determined, but a subset have been shown to contain clusters of mucinous cells (MCC). These clusters are believed to serve as precursors for potential invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma, and they are associated with KRAS codon 12 mutations. To assess the universality of KRAS mutations in MCCs, we sequenced exon 2 of KRAS in 61 MCCs from 18 patients, and we found a KRAS codon 12 mutation in all 61 MCCs. Furthermore, all MCCs from a single patient always had the same KRAS mutation, and the same KRAS mutation was also found in non-mucinous lesional tissue. Next generation sequencing of seven MCCs showed no other mutations or copy number variations. Sequencing of 46 additional CPAMs with MCCs revealed KRAS mutations in non-mucinous lesional tissue in all cases. RNA in situ hybridization confirmed widespread distribution of cells with mutant KRAS RNA, even extending outside of the bronchiolar type epithelium. We identified 25 additional CPAMs with overall histologic architecture similar to CPAMs with KRAS mutations but without identifiable MCCs, and we found KRAS mutations in 17 (68%). The histologic features of these KRAS mutated CPAMs included type 1 and type 3 morphology, as well as lesions with an intermediate histologic appearance, and analysis revealed a strong correlation between the specific amino acid substitution and histomorphology. These findings, together with previously published model organism data, suggests that the formation of type 1 and 3 CPAMs is driven by mosaic KRAS mutations arising in the lung epithelium early in development and places them within the growing field of mosaic RASopathies. The presence of widespread epithelial mutation explains late metastatic disease in incompletely resected patients and reinforces the recommendation for complete resection of these lesions.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest

None of the authors of the paper have competing financial interests.

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Congenital pulmonary airway malformations with mucinous cell clusters (MCCs) contain KRAS codon 12 mutations within MCCs and throughout the lesion. MCCs from separate blocks (A), lesional tissue without MCCs (B), and normal lung tissue (B) were macrodissected from 20 μm thick FFPE tissue sections. C) Within each patient, the same KRAS codon 12 mutation was found throughout the lesion, including in each MCC. Adjacent uninvolved lung always had wild type KRAS sequence. *p<0.05, binomial distribution.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
RNAish-based BaseScope in CPAMs detects cells expressing mutant KRAS. In an area of non-mucinous cyst epithelium (A), both KRAS p.G12D (c.35G>A) (B) and wild type KRAS (C) are detected. In an area of flattened cyst epithelium and alveoli (D), both KRAS p.G12D (c.35G>A) (E) and wild type KRAS (F) are identified. RNAish-based BaseScope images were all equivalently manipulated to decrease hematoxylin counterstain. The original images are available in supplemental figure 2.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Shared histologic features in KRASmutated CPAMs. KRAS mutated CPAMs demonstrate epithelial complexity (A-C). Clear pneumocytes with foamy cytoplasm are seen lining alveolar type spaces in a subset of lesions (D). Cartilage is occasionally seen within the large cyst wall (E). Three cases had large cyst spaces that directly connected with normal airway type epithelium (F).
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Gross and histologic features of type 1 CPAMs. Three examples are shown. Grossly, these lesions are defined by large cystic spaces (A-C). There are numerous abrupt transitions between the large cystic spaces and adjacent alveolar and bronchiolar type spaces (D-F), and large spaces are lined by ciliated columnar epithelium with occasional pseudostratification.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
Gross and histologic features of type 3 CPAMs. Three examples are shown Grossly, these lesions are predominantly solid in appearance with occasional small cystic spaces (A-C). Histologically, they are characterized by a somewhat solid appearance at low power with no visible alveolar type spaces within the lesion (D-F) and consist of small irregularly shaped spaces lined by low columnar epithelium with ample intervening mesenchyme (G-I).
Figure 6.
Figure 6.
Gross and histologic features of type 1/3 CPAMs. Three examples are shown Grossly, these lesions consist of solid appearing parenchyma with admixed larger cystic spaces (A-C). The low power appearance is heterogenous, with more solid appearing areas intermixed with large cysts and relatively normal appearing alveolar type spaces (D-F). Larger cysts are lined by ciliated columnar epithelium, similar to a type 1, while more solid appearing areas demonstrate increased mesenchyme, similar to a type 3 (G-I).

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