THU396 Digital Spatial Profiling Of Human Parathyroid Tumors Reveals Distinct Cellular And Molecular Alterations Linked To Vitamin D Deficiency
Authors: Tu Chia-Ling , Chang Wenhan , Sosa Julie Ann , Koh James 
Published: October 2023

Disclosure: C. Tu: None. W. Chang: None. J.A. Sosa: Advisory Board Member; Self; Novo Nordisk, AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly & Company. Grant Recipient; Self; Exelixis, Inc., Eli Lilly & Company. J. Koh: None.

Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is a common endocrine neoplastic disorder characterized by disrupted calcium homeostasis secondary to inappropriately elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion. Low levels of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) are significantly more prevalent in PHPT patients than in the general population, but the pathophysiological basis for this association remains unclear. We employed a spatially defined in situ whole-transcriptomics and selective proteomics profiling approach to compare gene expression patterns and cellular composition in parathyroid adenomas from 9 vitamin D-deficient or 34 vitamin D-replete PHPT patients with 12 eucalcemic cadaveric donor parathyroid glands as normal tissue controls. Parathyroid oxyphil cell content is markedly higher in tumors from vitamin D-deficient PHPT patients (Def-Ts) relative to tumors from vitamin D-replete PHPT patients (Rep-Ts) (47.8% vs 17.8%, respectively; p &lt;0.0001) and normal donor parathyroid glands (7.7%). Def-Ts display increased expression of genes encoding electron transport chain (corr. coefficient=0.546), proteasomal catabolism (corr. coefficient=0.587), and oxidative phosphorylation (corr. coefficient=0.982) pathway components. In contrast, Rep-Ts are characterized by upregulation of the ras (corr. coefficient=0.632) and myc (corr. coefficient=0.811) signaling pathways, suggestive of an oncogene-driven etiology. Parathyroid oxyphil cells are comparable to chief cells at the transcriptional level, and vitamin D-status is reflected in the transcriptional profiles of both cell types in a similar manner. Among PHPT patients who did not present as vitamin D deficient, three distinct tumor transcriptional profile clusters showed a dose-dependent relationship to pre-operative 25OHD levels (p &lt;0.0001 by ANOVA). Relative to normal tissue, the abundance of calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) protein is reduced in Def-Ts (mean protein count 253.6 vs 492.3, respectively; p=0.039 for difference), while the type B γ-aminobutyric acid receptor 1 (GABAB1R) is increased (mean protein count 114.5 vs 64.65, respectively; p=0.0099 for difference). These expression changes resulted in a vitamin D dose-dependent reduction in the ratio of CaSR to GABAB1R receptors in Def-T tumor cells (r2 = 0.218, p&lt;0.0001), favoring the formation of calcium sensing-attenuated CaSR:GABAB1R heteromers. The abundance of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) peptide derivative Aβ1-42, a putative GABAB1R ligand, is preferentially increased in Def-Ts compared to normal tissue (mean protein count 5797 vs 4500, respectively; p=0.0318). Collectively, these findings suggest a novel mechanism where chronic vitamin D deficiency can contribute to tonic PTH hypersecretion in PHPT patients by increasing GABAB1R-mediated antagonism of CaSR activity in parathyroid adenomas.

Presentation: Thursday, June 15, 2023