Identification of hub genes and potential therapeutic mechanisms related to HPV positive head and neck squamous carcinoma based on full transcriptomic detection and ceRNA network construction

Infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) is a major risk factor for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The objective of this study is to investigate the gene expression profiles and signaling pathways that are specific to HPV-positive HNSCC (HPV+ HNSCC). Moreover, a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network analysis was utilized to identify the core gene of HPV+ HNSCC and potential targeted therapeutic drugs. Transcriptome sequencing analysis identified 3,253 coding RNAs and 3,903 non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) that exhibited preferentially expressed in HPV+ HNSCC. Four key signaling pathways were selected through pathway enrichment analysis. By combining ceRNA network and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network topology analysis, RNA Polymerase II Associated Protein 2 (RPAP2), which also exhibited high expression in HPV+ HNSCC based on the TCGA database, was identified as the hub gene. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) results revealed RPAP2's involvement in various signaling pathways, encompassing basal transcription factors, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, adherens junction, other glycan degradation, ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, and oglycan biosynthesis. Five potential small molecule targeted drugs (enzastaurin, brequinar, talinolol, phenylbutazone, and afuresertib) were identified using the cMAP database, with enzastaurin showing the highest affinity for RPAP2. Cellular functional experiments confirmed the inhibitory effect of enzastaurin on cell viability of HPV+ HNSCC and RPAP2 expression levels. Additionally, enzastaurin treatment suppressed the expression levels of the top-ranked long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), circular RNA (circRNA), and microRNA (miRNA) in the ceRNA network. This study based on the ceRNA network provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms and potential therapeutic strategies for HPV+ HNSCC, and provide theoretical basis for the exploration of HPV+ HNSCC biomarkers and the development of targeted drugs.

Pan-cancer analysis of LRRC59 with a focus on prognostic and immunological roles in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

LRRC59 is a leucine-rich repeats-containing protein located in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), it serves as a prognostic marker in several cancers. However, there has been no systematic analysis of its role in the tumor immune microenvironment, nor its predictive value of prognosis and immunotherapy response in different cancers.

METHODS

A comprehensive pan-cancer analysis of LRRC59 was conducted from various databases to elucidate the associations between its expression and the prognosis of cancer, genetic alterations, tumor metabolism, and tumor immunity. Additionally, further functional assays were performed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to study its biological role in regulating cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and sensitivity to immunotherapy.

RESULTS

The pan-cancer analysis reveals a significant upregulation of LRRC59 in pan-cancer, and its overexpression is correlated with unfavorable prognosis in cancer patients. LRRC59 is negatively correlated with immune cell infiltration, tumor purity estimation, and immune checkpoint genes. Finally, the validation in HCC demonstrates LRRC59 is significantly overexpressed in cancer tissue and cell lines, and its knockdown inhibits cell proliferation and migration, promotes cell apoptosis, induces cell cycle arrest, and enhances the sensitivity to immunotherapy in HCC cells.

CONCLUSIONS

LRRC59 emerges as a novel potential prognostic biomarker across malignancies, offering promise for anti-cancer drugs and immunotherapy.

Single-cell RNA-seq reveals T cell exhaustion and immune response landscape in osteosarcoma

Background

T cell exhaustion in the tumor microenvironment has been demonstrated as a substantial contributor to tumor immunosuppression and progression. However, the correlation between T cell exhaustion and osteosarcoma (OS) remains unclear.

Methods

In our present study, single-cell RNA-seq data for OS from the GEO database was analysed to identify CD8+ T cells and discern CD8+ T cell subsets objectively. Subgroup differentiation trajectory was then used to pinpoint genes altered in response to T cell exhaustion. Subsequently, six machine learning algorithms were applied to develop a prognostic model linked with T cell exhaustion. This model was subsequently validated in the TARGETs and Meta cohorts. Finally, we examined disparities in immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoints, immune-related pathways, and the efficacy of immunotherapy between high and low TEX score groups.

Results

The findings unveiled differential exhaustion in CD8+ T cells within the OS microenvironment. Three genes related to T cell exhaustion (RAD23A, SAC3D1, PSIP1) were identified and employed to formulate a T cell exhaustion model. This model exhibited robust predictive capabilities for OS prognosis, with patients in the low TEX score group demonstrating a more favorable prognosis, increased immune cell infiltration, and heightened responsiveness to treatment compared to those in the high TEX score group.

Conclusion

In summary, our research elucidates the role of T cell exhaustion in the immunotherapy and progression of OS, the prognostic model constructed based on T cell exhaustion-related genes holds promise as a potential method for prognostication in the management and treatment of OS patients.

METTL16 promotes osteosarcoma progression by downregulating VPS33B in an m6 A-dependent manner

N6-methyladenosine (m6 A) is one of the main epitranscriptomic modifications that accelerates the progression of malignant tumors by modifying RNA. Methyltransferase-like 16 (METTL16) is a newly identified methyltransferase that has been found to play an important oncogenic role in a few malignancies; however, its function in osteosarcoma (OS) remains unclear. In this study, METTL16 was found to be upregulated in OS tissues, and associated with poor prognosis in OS patients. Functionally, METTL16 substantially promoted OS cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro and OS growth in vivo. Mechanistically, vacuolar protein sorting protein 33b (VPS33B) was identified as the downstream target of METTL16, which induced m6 A modification of VPS33B and impaired the stability of the VPS33B transcript, thereby degrading VPS33B. In addition, VPS33B was found to be downregulated in OS tissues, VPS33B knockdown markedly attenuated shMETTL16-mediated inhibition on OS progression. Finally, METTL16/VPS33B might facilitate OS progression through PI3K/AKT pathway. In summary, this study revealed an important role for the METTL16-mediated m6 A modification in OS progression, implying it as a promising target for OS treatment.

Ectopic and visceral fat deposition in aging, obesity, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: an interconnected role

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is considered an age-related disease. Age-related changes, along with other factors such as obesity, hormonal imbalances, and various metabolic disorders, lead to ectopic fat deposition (EFD). This accumulation of fat outside of its normal storage sites is associated with detrimental effects such as lipotoxicity, oxidative stress, inflammation, and insulin resistance. This narrative review provides an overview of the connection between ectopic and visceral fat deposition in aging, obesity, and IPF. It also elucidates the mechanism by which ectopic fat deposition in the airways and lungs, pericardium, skeletal muscles, and pancreas contributes to lung injury and fibrosis in patients with IPF, directly or indirectly. Moreover, the review discusses the impact of EFD on the severity of the disease, quality of life, presence of comorbidities, and overall prognosis in IPF patients. The review provides detailed information on recent research regarding representative lipid-lowering drugs, hypoglycemic drugs, and lipid-targeting drugs in animal experiments and clinical studies. This may offer new therapeutic directions for patients with IPF.

A Novel lncRNA FUAT1/TNS4 Axis Confers Chemoresistance by Suppressing Reactive Oxygen Species-Mediated Apoptosis in Gastric Cancer

Aims: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a vital role in conveying the cytotoxicity and resistance of most chemotherapy drugs. Therefore, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the intricate activities against oxidative stress in cancer cells may provide valuable insights into the discovery of common mechanisms underlying chemoresistance. Results: We identified a novel long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), designated fluorouracil-associated transcript-1 (FUAT1), as a key nongenetic player involved in ROS-mediated intrinsic chemoresistance by employing a unique screening strategy based on transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) technology. To investigate the precise role of the FUAT1 regulatory axis in chemoresistance, we conducted a series of in vitro and in vivo assays including gain/loss-of-function and rescue experiments. Mechanistically, our findings revealed that FUAT1 upregulates Tensin 4 (TNS4) by sponging miR-140-5p, which allows gastric cancer cells to survive chemotherapy by inhibiting ROS-mediated apoptosis. Clinically, we observed that the FUAT1/TNS4 regulatory axis is negatively associated with overall survival and progression-free survival among gastric and colon cancer patients treated with 5-fluorouracil adjuvant chemotherapy. Innovation: We devised a novel screening strategy distinct from conventional approaches using drug-resistant strains. Through this approach, we identified the previously unrecognized lncRNA FUAT1/TNS4 axis that plays a critical role in ROS-mediated intrinsic chemoresistance. Conclusions: Our findings shed light on fundamental adaptive mechanisms employed by cancer cells to respond to chemotherapy and provide new insights into developing strategies aiming at overcoming chemoresistance.

Establishment and application of the BRP prognosis model for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

BACKGROUND

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is the most common idiopathic interstitial lung disease. Clinical models to accurately evaluate the prognosis of IPF are currently lacking. This study aimed to construct an easy-to-use and robust prediction model for transplant-free survival (TFS) of IPF based on clinical and radiological information.

METHODS

A multicenter prognostic study was conducted involving 166 IPF patients who were followed up for 3 years. The end point of follow-up was death or lung transplantation. Clinical information, lung function tests, and chest computed tomography (CT) scans were collected. Body composition quantification on CT was performed using 3D Slicer software. Risk factors in blood routine examination-radiology-pulmonary function (BRP) were identified by Cox regression and utilized to construct the "BRP Prognosis Model". The performance of the BRP model and the gender-age-physiology variables (GAP) model was compared using time-ROC curves, calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA). Furthermore, histopathology fibrosis scores in clinical specimens were compared between the different risk stratifications identified by the BRP model. The correlations among body composition, lung function, serum inflammatory factors, and profibrotic factors were analyzed.

RESULTS

Neutrophil percentage > 68.3%, pericardial adipose tissue (PAT) > 94.91 cm3, pectoralis muscle radiodensity (PMD) ≤ 36.24 HU, diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide/alveolar ventilation (DLCO/VA) ≤ 56.03%, and maximum vital capacity (VCmax) < 90.5% were identified as independent risk factors for poor TFS among patients with IPF. We constructed a BRP model, which showed superior accuracy, discrimination, and clinical practicability to the GAP model. Median TFS differed significantly among patients at different risk levels identified by the BRP model (low risk: TFS > 3 years; intermediate risk: TFS = 2-3 years; high risk: TFS ≈ 1 year). Patients with a high-risk stratification according to the BRP model had a higher fibrosis score on histopathology. Additionally, serum proinflammatory markers were positively correlated with visceral fat volume and infiltration.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, the BRP prognostic model of IPF was successfully constructed and validated. Compared with the commonly used GAP model, the BRP model had better performance and generalization with easily obtainable indicators. The BRP model is suitable for clinical promotion.

Quercetin: A promising drug candidate against the potential SARS-CoV-2-Spike mutants with high viral infectivity

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2-Spike mutants not only enhances viral infectivity but also lead to treatment failure. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of the molecular binding mode between the mutant SARS-CoV-2-Spike and human ACE2 receptor is crucial for therapeutic development against this virus. Building upon our previous predictions and verifications regarding heightened viral infectivity of six potential SARS-CoV-2-Spike mutants, this study aims to further investigate the potential disruption of the interaction between these mutants and ACE2 by quercetin, a Chinese herbal compound. Molecular docking and dynamics simulations results reveal that the binding sites of quercetin particularly enriched around a specific "cavity" at the interface of Spike/ACE2 complex, indicating a favorable region for quercetin to interfere with Spike/ACE2 interaction. Virus infection assay confirms that quercetin not only attenuates wild-type virus infectivity but also suppresses the infectivity of all six tested SARS-CoV-2-Spike mutants. Therefore, quercetin represents a promising therapeutic candidate against both wild-type and potential future variants of SARS-CoV-2 exhibiting high viral infectivity.

SYVN1-mediated ubiquitylation directs localization of MCT4 in the plasma membrane to promote the progression of lung adenocarcinoma

Tumour cells mainly generate energy from glycolysis, which is commonly coupled with lactate production even under normoxic conditions. As a critical lactate transporter, monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4) is highly expressed in glycolytic tissues, such as muscles and tumours. Overexpression of MCT4 is associated with poor prognosis for patients with various tumours. However, how MCT4 function is post-translationally regulated remains largely unknown. Taking advantage of human lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) cells, this study revealed that MCT4 can be polyubiquitylated in a nonproteolytic manner by SYVN1 E3 ubiquitin ligase. The polyubiquitylation facilitates the localization of MCT4 into the plasma membrane, which improves lactate export by MCT4; in accordance, metabolism characterized by reduced glycolysis and lactate production is effectively reprogrammed by SYVN1 knockdown, which can be reversed by MCT4 overexpression. Biologically, SYVN1 knockdown successfully compromises cell proliferation and tumour xenograft growth in mouse models that can be partially rescued by overexpression of MCT4. Clinicopathologically, overexpression of SYVN1 is associated with poor prognosis in patients with LUAD, highlighting the importance of the SYVN1-MCT4 axis, which performs metabolic reprogramming during the progression of LUAD.

Pan-cancer analysis shows that IBSP is a potential prognostic and immunotherapeutic biomarker for multiple cancer types including osteosarcoma

Background

IBSP is a member of the small integrin-binding ligand N-linked glycoprotein (SIBLING) family that plays a vital role in bone formation, renewal and repair. Emerging evidence revealed that IBSP participated in the tumorigenesis and progression in some cancers. However, its significance in tumour prognosis and immunotherapy is still unknown.

Methods

In the current study, we studied the role of IBSP in tumorigenesis, tumor diagnosis, genomic heterogeneity, methylation modifications, immune infiltration, and therapy response in pan-cancer. In addition, we constructed a risk score model to assessed the prognostic classification efficiency of IBSP using the co-expression genes of IBSP in osteosarcoma (OS), and analyzed the expression and role of IBSP in OS through a series of assays in vitro.

Results

IBSP was upregulated in various cancers compared to the paired normal tissues, and it was strongly correlated with the prognosis, pathological stage, diagnostic accuracy, genomic heterogeneity, methylation modification, immune infiltration, immune and checkpoint. Moreover, the predictive model we established in combination with the clinical characteristics of OS patients showed high survival predictive power in these individuals. The assays in vitro showed that IBSP promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of OS cells, which further confirmed IBSP's role in cancers.

Conclusions

Our research revealed the multifunctionality of IBSP in the tumorigenesis, progression and therapy in various cancers, which demonstrated that IBSP may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker and a novel immunotherapy target in pan-cancer.

Neuroprotective Effects of IVIG against Alzheimer' s Disease via Regulation of Antigen Processing and Presentation by MHC Class I Molecules in 3xTg-AD Mice

BACKGROUND

The results of clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients treated with Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) revealed inconsistency in efficacy.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the neuroprotective effects and possible mechanisms of different IVIG in 3xTg-AD mice.

METHODS

3-month-old 3xTg-AD mice were administered intraperitoneally with different IVIG (A/B/C) for 3 months and then the therapeutic effects were observed and tested at 9 months of age. The bioavailability of IVIG and Aβ40/42 concentrations in parietotemporal cortex was measured by ELISA. Behavioral tests were performed to examine cognitive functions. Immunohistochemistry was utilized to examine the deposition of Aβ, the phosphorylation of tau, the levels of GFAP and Iba-1 in the hippocampus. Proteomics, Luminex assay and parallel reaction monitoring were performed to identify and verify the proteins that showed a marked change in the hippocampus.

RESULTS

IVIG-C was more effective than IVIG-A and IVIG-B in counteracting cognitive deficits, ameliorating Aβ deposits and tau phosphorylation, attenuating the activation of microglia and astrocytes in the hippocampus and inhibiting the secretion of pro-inflammatory factors. IVIG-C affected innate immunity and suppressed the activation of antigen processing and presentation by MHC class I molecule (APP-MHC-I).

CONCLUSION

The efficacy of different IVIG on AD was significantly different, and only IVIG-C has been confirmed to possess significant neuroprotective effects, which are related to the inhibition of APP-MHC-I. IVIG may be a potential therapeutic for AD but further research is needed to evaluate the functional of IVIG before clinical trials of AD treatment.

Analgesic dorsal root ganglion field stimulation blocks both afferent and efferent spontaneous activity in sensory neurons of rats with monosodium iodoacetate-induced osteoarthritis

OBJECTIVES

Chronic joint pain is common in patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and opioids are used to relieve OA pain, but they are often inadequately effective. Dorsal root ganglion field stimulation (GFS) is a clinically used neuromodulation approach, although it is not commonly employed for patients with OA pain. GFS showed analgesic effectiveness in our previous study using the monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) - induced OA rat pain model. This study was to evaluate the mechanism of GFS analgesia in this model.

METHODS

After osteoarthritis was induced by intra-articular injection of MIA, pain behavioral tests were performed. Effects of GFS on the spontaneous activity (SA) were tested with in vivo single-unit recordings from teased fiber saphenous nerve, sural nerve, and dorsal root.

RESULTS

Two weeks after intra-articular MIA injection, rats developed pain-like behaviors. In vivo single unit recordings from bundles teased from the saphenous nerve and third lumbar (L3) dorsal root of MIA-OA rats showed a higher incidence of SA than those from saline-injected control rats. GFS at the L3 level blocked L3 dorsal root SA. MIA-OA reduced the punctate mechanical force threshold for inducing AP firing in bundles teased from the L4 dorsal root, which reversed to normal with GFS. After MIA-OA, there was increased retrograde SA (dorsal root reflex), which can be blocked by GFS.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that GFS produces analgesia in MIA-OA rats at least in part by producing blockade of afferent inputs, possibly also by blocking efferent activity from the dorsal horn.

Integrated network pharmacology and serum metabolomics approach deciphers the anti-colon cancer mechanisms of Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Decoction

Huangqi Guizhi Wuwu Decoction (HGWD), as a classic Chinese herbal decoction, has been widely used in treating various diseases for hundreds of years. However, systematically elucidating its mechanisms of action remains a great challenge to the field. In this study, taking advantage of the network pharmacology approach, we discovered a potential new use of HGWD for patients with colon cancer (CC). Our in vivo result showed that orally administered HGWD markedly inhibited the growth of CC xenografts in mice. The subsequent enrichment analyses for the core therapeutic targets revealed that HGWD could affect multiple biological processes involving CC growth, such as metabolic reprogramming, apoptosis and immune regulation, through inhibiting multiple cell survival-related signalings, including MAPK and PI3K-AKT pathways. Notably, these in silico analysis results were most experimentally verified by a series of in vitro assays. Furthermore, our results based on serum metabolomics showed that the lipid metabolic pathways, including fatty acid biosynthesis and cholesterol metabolism, play key roles in delivery of the anti-CC effect of HGWD on tumor-bearing mice, and that cytochrome P450 family 2 subfamily E member 1 (CYP2E1) is a potential therapeutic target. Together, our integrated approach reveals a therapeutic effect of HGWD on CC, providing a valuable insight into developing strategies to predict and interpret the mechanisms of action for Chinese herbal decoctions.

A network pharmacology guided mechanism of action study on Oldenlandia diffusa against osteosarcoma

Background:

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most prevalent primary bone sarcoma in the global child and young adult population, and the current mainstream treatment regimens are not very effective. The unique efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for cancers has recently received increasing attention. Oldenlandia diffusa (OD) is commonly used as an adjuvant therapy for various cancers in Chinese herb medicine (CHM) with its unique pharmacological activities, but its therapeutic effect as well as the underlying mechanism against OS has yet to be systematically investigated.

Objective:

This study aims to find the underlying active mechanism of OD against OS.

Methods:

The candidate ingredients as well as drug targets of OD were obtained from the Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology (TCMSP) database, respectively. Meanwhile, the OS disease-related targets were acquired from GeneCards and MalaCards online databases. Then, by using Venny 2.1, the common key targets were imported into the STRING database to acquire their interaction relationship, and imported this PPI network files (.csv) into Cytoscape 3.6.0 software and merged to obtain PPI network intersections. Meanwhile, the MCODE plugin of Cytoscape was also used to further trim the core therapeutic targets. GO and KEGG enrichment and molecular docking analyses were performed to predict the underlying mechanism of OD against OS. Furthermore, in silico analysis results were validated by a series of cellular functional and molecular biological assays.

Results:

A total of 131 putative targets were identified to be involved in the anti-OS activity of OD. The PPI network, GO as well as KEGG analyses revealed that the 18 core targets were closely related to cell proliferation, apoptosis. Importantly, the subsequent in vitro assays verified that the suppressive effect of OD on OS cell growth was indeed resulted from disrupted apoptosis and cell proliferation via Akt and ERK signaling pathways. Furthermore, our results showed that quercetin, beta-sitosterol and 2-methoxy-3-methyl-9,10-anthraquinone were the key ingredients, while PTGS2, CASP3 and JUN were the key targets in delivering the pharmacological activities of OD against OS, thus providing an insight into the anti-OS action of OD from a holistic perspective.

Conclusion:

In summary, our results indicate that OD has good prospects in the treatment of OS.

POS1259 AXIAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS, AGE AND MALE GENDER IMPACT COVID VACCINATION AEs MORE THAN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Background

Rheumatologists recommend vaccination in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) patients, but there are few studies on the occurrence of adverse events (AEs), particularly worsening disease related activity and unrelated immune reactions in these groups.

Objectives

To evaluate the uptake of COVID vaccination in RA and axSpA patients, compare the frequency of AEs, and identify risk factors associated with vaccine AEs in two prospective cohorts comprised of these patients.

Methods

The IMPACT study is a monthly survey of two prospective cohorts of established RA and axSpA patients in northern Alberta, Canada from November 2020-2021 who answered at least one or more Redcap surveys through de-identified email link surveying demographics, disease characteristics, COVID symptoms, treatment of RA and axSpA, health care utilization, vaccination status, vaccine AEs and use of cannabis. Univariate analyses evaluated independent variables associated with the dependent variables of (1) any AE, (2) any severe AE, (3) any arthritis flare, and (4) any severe arthritis flare, followed by multivariate analyses of these four dependant variables using all clinically relevant variables from the univariate analysis.

Results

773/2167 patients (RA 574, axSpA 197) responded to at least one survey. 32/663 (5%) were single vaccinated, 631 (95%) double vaccinated and 230 (54%) triple vaccinated with 80% receiving Pfizer, 24% Moderna, 28% AstraZeneca and 30% “other”. 456 (69%) reported at least one AE (Figure 1) with 21 (3%) patients seeing a physician for their AE. Increased age was associated with all AEs. RA patients had lower reported AEs versus axSpA patients for all AE definitions except for severe arthritis flares. Generally, males reported worse AEs (Table 1). “Any arthritis flare” was lower in patients reporting cannabis use.

Table 1.

Summary of Multivariate Level Mixed-Effect Logistic Regression Models Evaluating the IMPACT of RA and axSpA Disease Characteristics on Vaccine AEs

VariableAny Adverse EventOR (95 % CI) p valueSevere Adverse Event* OR 95 % CI) p valueAny Arthritis Flare or Joint Ache Adverse Event OR (95 % CI) p valueAny Severe Arthritis Flare or Joint Ache* OR (95 % CI) p valueGenderMale1.47 (0.89 – 2.43)p=0.132.10 (1.30-3.41)p=0.0032.05 (1.20 – 3.50) p=0.013.97 (1.84 – 8.57)p=0.0004FemaleAge1.06 (1.04 – 1.08)p<0.011.05 (1.03 – 1.06)p<0.011.03 (1.01 – 1.04)p=0.0031.03 (1.01 – 1.06)p=0.004Rheumatic Disease TypeRA0.42 (0.23 – 0.76)p=0.050.55 (0.31 – 0.98)p=0.040.52 (0.28 – 0.98)p=0.040.78 (0.34 – 1.78)p=0.55axSpASteroidsYes0.85 (0.40 – 1.83) P=0.680.66 (0.32 – 1.35) p=0.250.84 (0.36 – 1.95) p=0.690.38 (0.15 – 0.97)p=0.04NoNSAIDSYes1.11 (0.81 – 1.52) p=0.511.03 (0.75 – 1.41)p=0.861.05 (0.74 – 1.48)p=0.801.17 (0.73 – 1.89)p=0.52NoCurrent Disease Activity0.95 (0.88 – 1.03) p=0.230.90 (0.83 – 0.97)p=0.190.92 (0.85 – 1.00)p=0.060.82 (0.74 – 0.92)p=0.001HAQ1.08 (0.73 – 1.61) p=0.700.77 (0.52 – 1.14)p=0.010.74 (0.48 – 1.13)p=0.170.65 (0.38 – 1.11)p=0.12Nicotine productsYes1.33 (0.75 – 2.37) p=0.341.42 (0.80 – 2.52)p=0.241.15 (0.60 – 2.01)p=0.760.97 (0.43 – 2.17)p=0.94NoCannabis productsYes0.78 (0.49 – 1.25) p=0.300.87 (0.55 – 1.38)p=0.550.51 (0.31 – 0.83)p=0.070.66 (0.35 – 1.26)p=0.21NoDMARDsYes1.98 (1.28 – 3.06)p=0.0021.52 (1.01 – 2.28)p=0.051.43 (0.91 – 2.23) p=0.121.86 (1.03 – 3.36)p=0.04NoBiologic DMARDYes0.72 (0.42 – 1.25) p=0.240.79 (0.45 – 1.41) p=0.431.20 (0.66 – 2.18 p=0.541.39 (0.63 – 3.08)p=0.42No

*Severe = Any of the following: ranked moderate to severe and/or lasting more than 7 days and/or saw physician

Conclusion

RA and axSpA patients showed high uptake of COVID vaccination with largely minor AEs. Older age and male gender were associated with more general and arthritis specific AEs. The association of any AE and/or arthritis-specific AEs in SpA versus RA patients is a novel finding which may correlate with the male predominance of SpA. The association of cannabis with fewer arthritis AEs may reflect the nociceptive properties of cannabis.

Acknowledgements

Epidemiology Coordinating and Research (EPICORE) Centre provided support for the REDCAP survey and biostatistical analyses.

Disclosure of Interests

Stephanie Keeling Speakers bureau: Pfizer, Abbvie, GSK, UCB, Consultant of: Abbvie, GSK, UCB, AstraZeneca, Sandoz, Pfizer, Grant/research support from: Abbvie, Sandoz, Merck, UCB, Bo Pan: None declared, Edna Hutchings Shareholder of: BMS, Stephanie Wichuk: None declared, Mohammed Osman Speakers bureau: Boehringer Ingelheim, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Grant/research support from: Boehringer Ingelheim and CSL-Behring, Ameeta Singh: None declared, Ashlesha Sonpar Speakers bureau: Novartis, Ilan Swartz: None declared, Walter P Maksymowych Speakers bureau: Abbvie, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB, Consultant of: Abbvie, Boehringer Ingelheim, Celegene, Eli-Lilly, Galapagos, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB, Grant/research support from: Abbvie, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB

POS1258 LESS THAN EXPECTED IMPACT OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND AXIAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS DISEASE ON COVID SEVERITY

Background

Throughout the pandemic, there has been ongoing concern that people with autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) will have more severe COVID-19 disease due to immune dysfunction associated with autoimmune diseases and their treatment.

Objectives

We aimed to compare the severity of COVID-19 in patients with RA versus axSpA and characterize the predictors of COVID-19 severity during the pre-Omicron pandemic phases.

Methods

The IMPACT (IMPact of inflammatory Arthritis on COVID Outcomes STudy) study is a monthly survey of two established northern Alberta, Canada prospective cohorts of RA and axSpA patients from November 2020-2021 who answered Redcap surveys through de-identified email link surveying patient demographics, disease characteristics, COVID-19 symptoms, treatment of RA and axSpA, health care utilization, vaccination status and vaccine adverse events. Descriptive and univariate analyses (dependent variable = severe COVID-19) were performed followed by multivariate analyses of all significant and clinically relevant independent variables from the univariate analysis. Infection severity was defined as any patient with COVID-19 symptoms who visited a doctor, ER or required hospital admission.

Results

773 of 2167 (36%) patients (RA n=574, axSpA n=197) registered in both cohorts answered at least one baseline survey, 28 (4%) reporting positive COVID-19 tests (24 positive once). Of 442 reporting COVID-19 symptoms during the survey, 11 (3%) were admitted for a mean of 4 days, 2 requiring ICU or blood clot treatment and 1 requiring advanced therapy. 116 (26%) visited a physician for Covid symptoms. Univariate analysis showed that the use of steroids, NSAIDs and increased disease activity were associated with having less severe infection but these associations were not significant in the multivariate analysis (Table 1). There were no significant impacts of RA vs axSpA, age, gender, treatment, disease activity, or smoking.

Table 1.

Multivariate Level Mixed-Effect Logistic Regression Model: IMPACT of RA and axSpA Disease Characteristics on COVID Infection Severity Defined as Patients with COVID Symptoms Requiring Visit to Doctor, Emergency Room and/or Hospital Admission.

VariableCoefficient (S.E)Odds Ratio (95 % Confidence Interval)P-valueGenderMale0.17 (0.34)1.18 (0.61 – 2.31)0.6193FemaleReferenceAge-0.01 (0.01)0.99 (0.97 – 1.01)0.2543Rheumatic Disease TypeRA0.18 (0.40)1.20 (0.58 – 2.48)0.6213SpAReferenceSteroidsYes-0.40 (0.56)0.67 (0.23 – 2.01)0.4757NoReferenceNSAIDSYes-0.20 (0.26)0.82 (0.49 – 1.37)0.4508NoReferenceCurrent Disease Activity-0.04 (0.06)0.96 (0.85 – 1.09)0.5275HAQ-0.03 (0.29)0.97 (0.55 – 1.70)0.9041Nicotine productsYes-0.67 (0.37)0.51 (0.25 – 1.06)0.0714NoReferenceCannabis productsYes-0.45 (0.31)0.64 (0.35 – 1.18)0.1510NoReferenceDMARDsYes0.26 (0.30)1.30 (0.72 – 2.35)0.3860NoReferenceBiologic DMARDYes-0.46 (0.43)0.63 (0.27 – 1.46)0.2813NoReference

Conclusion

Possible disease related risk factors for increased COVID-19 severity in RA and axSpA patients preceding the onset of the Omicron variant including use of steroids or DMARDs were not associated with severe infection. These findings are consistent with other international studies whereby other non-rheumatic disease comorbidities played a greater role in infection severity.

Acknowledgements

Epidemiology Coordinating and Research (EPICORE) Centre provided support for the REDCAP survey and biostatistical anayses.

Disclosure of Interests

Stephanie Keeling Speakers bureau: Abbvie, GSK, Pfizer, UCB, Consultant of: Abbvie, GSK, Pfizer, Sandoz, UCB, Eli-Lilly, Galapagos, Novartis, Grant/research support from: Abbvie, UCB, Sandoz, Pfizer, Merck, Bo Pan: None declared, Edna Hutchings Shareholder of: BMS, Stephanie Wichuk: None declared, Mohammed Osman Speakers bureau: Boehringer Ingelheim, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Grant/research support from: Yes, Boehringer Ingelheim and CSL-Behring, Ameeta Singh: None declared, Ashlesha Sonpar Speakers bureau: Novartis, Ilan Swartz: None declared, Walter P Maksymowych Speakers bureau: Abbvie, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB

, Consultant of: Abbvie, Boehringer Ingelheim, Celegene, Eli-Lilly, Galapagos, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB, Grant/research support from: Abbvie, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB

Cinnamomi Ramulus inhibits the growth of colon cancer cells via Akt/ERK signaling pathways

Background

Colon cancer (CC) ranks the second highest mortality rate among malignant tumors worldwide, and the current mainstream treatment regimens are not very effective. The unique efficacy of Chinese herb medicine (CHM) for cancer has recently attracted increasing attention. Cinnamomi Ramulus (CR), as a classic CHM, has been widely used in the treatment of a variety of diseases for hundreds of years in China, but its specific pharmacological mechanism against CC needs to be fully evaluated.

Methods

TCMSP and China National Knowledge Infrastructure database were utilized to predict the candidate ingredients of CR, and TCMSP and SwissTargetPrediction database were also employed to predict the drug targets of the candidate ingredients from CR. We subsequently evaluated the therapeutic effect of CR by orally administrating it on CC-bearing mice. Next, we further identified the potential CC-related targets by using Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Based on these obtained targets, the drug/disease-target PPI networks were constructed using Bisogenet plugin of Cytoscape. The potential core therapeutic targets were then identified through topological analysis using CytoNCA plugin. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were performed to predict the underlying mechanism of CR against CC. Furthermore, these in silico analysis results were validated by a series of cellular functional and molecular biological assays. UPLC–MS/MS method and molecular docking analysis were employed to identify the potential key components from CR.

Results

In this study, we firstly found that CR has potential therapeutic effect on cancer. Then, oral administration of CR could inhibit the growth of CC cells in C57BL/6 mice, while inhibiting the viability and motility of CC cells in vitro. We obtained 111 putative core therapeutic targets of CR. Subsequent enrichment analysis on these targets showed that CR could induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in CC cells by blocking Akt/ERK signaling pathways, which was further experimentally verified. We identified 5 key components from the crude extract of CR, among which taxifolin was found most likely to be the key active component against CC.

Conclusions

Our results show that CR as well as its active component taxifolin holds great potential in treatment of CC.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13020-022-00588-6.

Polygonum cuspidatum inhibits the growth of osteosarcoma cells via impeding Akt/ERK/EGFR signaling pathways

Osteosarcoma (OS), the most prevalent bone malignancy, mainly affects children and adolescents. Despite recent advances in multimodal therapy, the overall survival rate for OS patients remains poor. Chinese herb medicine (CHM) is an alternative therapeutic option for multifaceted diseases such as malignant tumors. For centuries in China, polygonum cuspidatum, a classic CHM, has been used to treat several diseases, nevertheless, the mechanisms underlying its therapeutic effects have not been fully elucidated. Through network pharmacology and bioinformatic tools, we evaluated the pharmacological activity of polygonum cuspidatum. We found that it has a potential therapeutic effect on malignant tumors, which was subsequently verified by intragastric administration of polygonum cuspidatum to OS cell xenografted mice models. Next, to establish the action mechanism of polygonum cuspidatum, we built a disease/drug-target PPI network that was made up of 250 core treatment targets against OS using Cytoscape software. Enrichment evaluation for the above targets indicated that polygonum cuspidatum may exert its effects on the cell cycle and apoptosis of OS cells through inhibiting Akt/ERK/EGFR pathways. Finally, the above in silico results were experimentally validated via a series of molecular biological and cell functional analyses. Taken together, the findings show that polygonum cuspidatum has a significant potential for OS treatment, which provides a novel insight into the discovery of CHM-based drug against malignancies.

COL1A1 is a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target in non-small cell lung cancer

Background:

Nowadays, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a common and highly fatal malignancy in worldwide. Therefore, to identify the potential prognostic markers and therapeutic targets is urgent for patients.

Objective:

This study aims to find hub targets associated with NSCLC using multiple databases.

Methods:

Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from Genome Expression Omnibus (GEO) cohorts were employed for the enrichment analyses of Gene Ontology (GO) terms and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome (KEGG) pathways. Candidate key genes, filtered from the topological parameter 'Degree' and validated using the The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort, were analyzed for their association with clinicopathological features and prognosis of NSCLC. Meanwhile, immunohistochemical cohort analyses and biological verification were further evaluated.

Results:

A total of 146 DEGs were identified following data preprocessing, and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) systematic network was constructed based on them. The top ten candidate core genes were further extracted from the above PPI network by using 'Degree' value, among which COL1A1 was shown to associate with overall survival (OS) of NSCLC as determined by using the Kaplan-Meier analysis (p=0.028), and could serve as an independent prognostic factor for OS in NSCLC patients (HR, 0.814; 95% CI, 0.665-0.996; p=0.046). We then analyzed the clinical stages, PPI, mutations, potential biological functions and immune regulations of COL1A1 in NSCLC patients using multiple bioinformatics tools, including GEPIA, GeneMANIA, cBioPortal, GESA and TISIDB. Finally, we further experimentally validated the overexpression of COL1A1 in NSCLC samples, and found that inhibition of COL1A1 expression moderately sensitized NSCLC cells to cisplatin.

Conclusion:

Thus, our results show that COL1A1 may serve as a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target in NSCLC.

Potential Prospective Biomarkers for Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: Mini-Chromosome Maintenance Proteins

Minichromosome maintenance proteins (MCMs) are considered to be essential factors coupling DNA replication to both cell cycle progression and checkpoint regulation. Previous studies have shown that dysregulation of MCMs are implicated in tumorigenesis of lung cancer. However, the distinct expression/mutation patterns and prognostic values of MCMs in lung cancer have yet to be systematically elucidated. In the present study, we analyzed the transcriptional levels, mutations, and prognostic value of MCM1-10 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients using multiple bioinformatics tools, including ONCOMINE, GEPIA, Kaplan-Meier Plotter, cBioPortal, and GESA. The analysis results from GEPIA dataset showed that MCM2/4/10 was significantly high expressed in both lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and squamous cell lung carcinomas (LUSCs). Meanwhile, the expression levels of MCM2/4/6/7/8 were associated with advanced tumor stages. Subsequent survival analysis using the Kaplan-Meier Plotter indicated that high expression levels of MCM1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/10 were associated with worse overall survival (OS), while high expression level of MCM9 predicted better OS in these patients. Furthermore, we experimentally validated overexpression of MCM2 and MCM4 in NSCLC, thus the results from this study support a view that they may serve as potential prospective biomarkers to identify high-risk subgroups of NSCLC patients.

A Mechanism of Action Study on Danggui Sini Decoction to Discover Its Therapeutic Effect on Gastric Cancer

Danggui Sini Decoction (DSD), a classic Chinese herb medicine (CHM) formula, has been used to treat various diseases in China for centuries. However, it remains challenging to reveal its mechanism of action through conventional pharmacological methods. Here, we first explored the mechanism of action of DSD with the assistance of network pharmacology and bioinformatic analysis tools, and found a potential therapeutic effect of DSD on cancer. Indeed, our in vivo experiment demonstrated that oral administration of DSD could significantly inhibit the growth of xenografted gastric cancer (GC) on mice. The subsequent enrichment analyses for 123 candidate core targets evacuated from the drug/disease-target protein-protein interaction network showed that DSD could affect the key biological processes involving the survival and growth of GC cells, such as apoptosis and cell cycle, and the disturbance of these biological processes is likely attributed to the simultaneous inhibition of multiple signaling pathways, including PI3K/Akt, MAPK, and p53 pathways. Notably, these in silico results were further validated by a series of cellular functional and molecular biological assays in vitro. Moreover, molecular docking analysis suggested an important role of MCM2 in delivering the pharmacological activity of DSD against GC. Together, these results indicate that our network pharmacology and bioinformatics-guided approach is feasible and useful in exploring not only the mechanism of action, but also the "new use" of the old CHM formula.