Expression of Matrix-Degrading Cysteine Proteinase Cathepsin K in Cholesteatoma Torsten Hansen, M.D., Ronald E
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Expression of Matrix-Degrading Cysteine Proteinase Cathepsin K in Cholesteatoma Torsten Hansen, M.D., Ronald E. Unger, Ph.D., Andreas Gaumann, M.D., Inga Hundorf, M.D., Jan Maurer, M.D., C. James Kirkpatrick, M.D., Ph.D., D.Sc., Jörg Kriegsmann, M.D., Ph.D. Institute of Pathology (TH, REU, AG, IH, CJK, JK) and Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology (JM), Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany Cholesteatoma is a nonneoplastic but potentially Cholesteatoma is a nonneoplastic lesion of the mid- aggressive lesion characterized by the presence of dle ear space or mastoid that is histologically char- keratin-producing squamous epithelium in the acterized by a progressive bone erosion of the os- middle ear space or mastoid. Cholesteatoma may sicles and surrounding bone. Several matrix- be congenital or acquired. Congenital cholesteato- degrading enzymes have been implicated as mas have been attributed to the proliferation of mediators of this bone erosion. Because the novel aberrant epithelial remnants. They are commonly cysteine proteinase cathepsin K has been shown to found in children with no history of ear disease. play a central role in bone resorption, we examined They are localized behind an intact tympanic mem- the expression of this enzyme in tissue specimens of brane. In contrast, most acquired cholesteatomas cholesteatoma. Tissue specimens of 9 patients with are associated with a perforated eardrum and a cholesteatoma were obtained during middle-ear history of chronic otitis media, trauma, or surgical surgery. Expression of cathepsin K mRNA was de- manipulation (1). Regardless of its origin, cho- termined by RT-PCR using specific primers. Immu- lesteatoma is histologically composed of keratina- nohistochemical analysis of cathepsin K protein ex- ceous debris in a concentric fashion surrounded by pression in tissue sections was performed by using keratinizing squamous epithelium that is also the streptavidin–alkaline phosphatase technique. called matrix (1, 2). The underlining subepithelial Expression of both cathepsin K mRNA and protein inflammatory tissue (i.e., perimatrix) consists of was detected in areas affected by cholesteatoma, mononuclear and multinucleated macrophages, whereas specimens of nonaffected ear cartilage and lymphocytes, neutrophils, fibroblasts, and endo- surrounding tissue were not positive. In addition, thelial cells (2, 3). cathepsin K was detected in numerous multinucle- Progressive bone erosion of the ossicles and sur- ated giant cells, particularly osteoclasts at the site of rounding bone is one of the hallmarks of cholestea- bone degradation. In contrast, keratinized squa- tomas. Originally, it was believed that this bone mous epithelium was negative for cathepsin K. erosion was due to the pressure from within the These data demonstrate that the matrix-degrading tumor mass (1, 2). However, numerous studies have cysteine proteinase cathepsin K may be involved in shown that collagenolytic enzymes are involved in bone erosion in cholesteatoma. Strong expression the destruction of the bone matrix as well. A variety of this collagenolytic enzyme in osteoclasts suggests of matrix-degrading proteinases have been found, that these cells are mainly involved in cathepsin such as several types of matrix metalloproteinases K–mediated bone destruction. (MMP), acid phosphatase, calpain Types I and II, and the cysteine proteinase cathepsin B (3–8). The KEY WORDS: Bone degradation, Cathepsin K, Cho- recently discovered cysteine proteinase cathepsin K lesteatoma, Osteoclasts. may play a crucial role in bone resorption because Mod Pathol 2001;14(12):1226–1231 it degrades large amounts of the major bone colla- gen Type I as well as the bone matrix protein os- teonectin (9, 10). Furthermore, it has been shown to be unique among mammalian proteinases because Copyright © 2001 by The United States and Canadian Academy of it is able to cleave the collagen molecule both inside Pathology, Inc. VOL. 14, NO. 12, P. 1226, 2001 Printed in the U.S.A. and outside of the collagen helix (10). Deficiency of Date of acceptance: August 8, 2001. cathepsin K results in pyknodysostosis, an autoso- Address reprint requests to: Torsten Hansen, M.D., Institute of Pathology, University of Mainz, Langenbeckstrasse 1, D-55101 Mainz, Germany; mal recessive osteochondrodysplasia (11). Expres- e-mail: [email protected]; fax: 49-6131-176604. sion of cathepsin K has been demonstrated in sev- 1226 eral chronic inflammatory lesions associated with cga tgg ag 3'. Cathepsin K (13): forward, 5' ggc caa bone destruction such as osteomyelitis (12), rheu- ctc aag aag aaa ac 3'; reverse, 5' gtg ctt gtt tcc ctt ctg matoid arthritis (13), osteoarthritis (14), nodular te- g 3'. cDNA was amplified by PCR under standard nosynovitis (15), and aseptic hip prosthesis loosen- conditions using Taq DNA-polymerase (Qiagen) ing (16). In addition, specific exogenous inhibitors and 5 pmol of both -actin primers or 1 pm of both of cathepsin K have been shown to decrease the cathepsin K primers. In the case of PCR for -actin, destruction of bone significantly (17). To provide a 3-step protocol was performed with 35 cycles and new insights in the pathogenesis of bone destruc- an annealing temperature of 65° C, denaturation at tion by cholesteatoma, we investigated the expres- 94° C for 2 minutes, extension at 72° C for 30 sec- sion of cathepsin K mRNA and protein in tissue onds, and a final extension at 72° C for 10 minutes specimens of patients with cholesteatoma. (Gene Amplification System 2400; PE Applied Bio- systems, Weiterstadt, Germany). Water was used instead of the cDNA as a negative control. MATERIALS AND METHODS In the case of PCR for cathepsin K, a 3-step pro- tocol was applied with 40 cycles and an annealing Patient Selection and Tissue Preparation temperature of 60° C, denaturation at 94° C for 2 Tissue samples of nine patients (all male; age minutes, extension at 72° C for 30 seconds, and final range: 9–71 years) with an acquired cholesteatoma extension at 72° C for 10 minutes. As a positive were obtained during middle-ear surgery. Examina- control for cathepsin K, we used cDNA of cathepsin tion of cathepsin K mRNA expression by RT-PCR K (13) that were cloned in an LXSN vector. Water was performed on six cholesteatoma specimens was applied instead of the cDNA for negative and on 2 specimens of ear cartilage and surround- control. ing external ear canal skin that were macroscopi- Reaction products were analyzed by running PCR cally not affected by cholesteatoma. These samples samples on a 0.8% agarose gel (Life Technologies, were rapidly frozen in liquid nitrogen without prior Paisley, UK) and staining with ethidium bromide. Ϫ fixation and were stored at 80° C. For immuno- The size of the amplification products was con- histochemical analysis of cathepsin K protein ex- firmed by a commercial molecular weight marker ϭ pression, cholesteatoma specimens (n 9) and (100-bp DNA ladder; New England BioLab, Beverly, ϭ nonaffected tissue probes (n 2) were fixed in 4% MA). PBS-buffered formaldehyde and embedded in par- affin according to standard protocols. Immunohistochemistry RNA Isolation Four-micrometer paraffin sections were mounted Frozen tissue specimens were disrupted using a on silane-coated slides, dewaxed, and rehydrated Polytron homogenizer (Kinematica, Littau, Switzer- through alcohol gradients. Staining with monoclonal land). Total RNA was then isolated from homoge- antibodies against human cathepsin K (clone 182– nized specimens using the RNeasy Mini Kit (Qiagen, 12G5; Chemicon, Temecula, CA) was performed us- Hilden, Germany) with the additional incubation ing the streptavidine-alkaline phosphatase technique. step, using RNase-free DNase (Qiagen) for 15 minutes As control, mouse immunoglobulins (Cymbus Bio- at room temperature, according to the manufactur- technology, Chandlers Ford, UK) were used to replace er’s instructions. RNA samples were stored at Ϫ80° C the primary antibodies. All steps were performed at until used. room temperature. Slides were treated with an avi- din–biotin blocking kit (Vector, Burlingame, CA), after which nonspecific binding of immunoglobulins was cDNA Synthesis (Reverse Transcription) blocked by incubation with 4% nonfat dried bovine The RNA templates were incubated with a master milk (Sigma, St. Louis, MO) and 2% normal horse mix (Qiagen) including RNase-free water, 1ϫ reac- serum (Vector) in Tris buffer (pH 7.6). Primary anti- tion buffer, 0.5 mM dNTP Mix, 1.0 M oligo-dT bodies diluted 1:2000 and negative control (diluted primer, RNase inhibitor (30 units/L), and 4 U per 1:200) in Tris buffer (pH 7.6) were then incubated for reaction of Omniscript reverse transcriptase in a 1:2 1 hour, followed by a 30-minute incubation with bi- dilution for 60 minutes at 37° C. After reverse tran- otinylated horse anti-mouse IgG (Vector). Slides were scription samples were stored at Ϫ20° C. then covered with streptavidine-conjugated alkaline phosphatase (1:50 dilution; DAKO, Glostrup, Den- mark) for 30 minutes. The color reaction was per- Polymerase Chain Reaction formed using the new fuchsin method. Endogenous The following specific primer pairs were applied alkaline phosphatase was blocked by adding levami- for the subsequent PCR. -actin: forward, 5' gac ctg sole (Sigma) to the substrate solution. Color develop- act gac tac ctc atg a 3'; reverse, 5' agc att tgc cgt gga ment was stopped by immersing the slides in Tris Matrix-Degrading Cysteine Proteinase Cathepsin K (T. Hansen et al.) 1227 buffer (pH 7.6). Finally, slides were counterstained squamous epithelium of the matrix (Fig. 2). This with Mayer’s hematoxylin (Merck, Darmstadt, Ger- proteinase was abundantly expressed in numerous many) and mounted in Kaiser’s glycerol gelatin osteoclasts at sites of bone destruction (Fig. 3). (Merck). Nonaffected ear cartilage and surrounding external Slides were examined and photographed with a ear skin did not reveal cathepsin K expression (Fig. Leica Microscope DMRX (Leitz, Wetzlar, Germany). 4). Negative controls did not exhibit staining. Microscopic evaluation of the slides was performed according to previously described methods (15).