Transgenic Targeting of Fcrls Creates a Highly Efficient Constitutively Active Microglia Cre Line with Differentiated Specificity

Microglia carry out important functions as the resident macrophages of the brain. To study their role in health and disease, the research community needs tools to genetically modify them with maximum completeness in a manner that distinguishes them from closely related cell types, such as monocytes. While currently available tamoxifen-inducible CreERT2 lines can achieve the differentiation from other cells, the field needs improved and publicly available constitutively active Cre lines, especially ones with favorable efficiency and specificity profiles for studies where high recombination efficiency is imperative and where tamoxifen administration is contraindicated. Here, we leverage the microglia-specific Fcrls gene to generate mice expressing Cre. Using genomic methods, we show correct positioning of the transgene and intact microglia homeostasis in Fcrls-2A-Cre mice. Crossing Fcrls-2A-Cre mice to four different reporters, we demonstrate highly efficient recombination in microglia across differentially sensitive loxP alleles in different genomic contexts, indicating robust applicability of the line. Further, we show that microglia recombine a loxP reporter during early embryonic development, supporting the use of the line for developmental studies. Finally, using immunofluorescence and flow cytometry, we reveal that most border-associated macrophages are also targeted whereas only few liver and spleen macrophages and virtually no white blood cell subsets exhibit Cre activity, distinguishing this line from another publicly available Cre line, Cx3cr1-CreM Fcrls-2A-Cre mice are immediately available (JAX #036591) and serve as a valuable addition to the community's microglia toolbox by providing highly efficient constitutive Cre activity with excellent specificity, particularly for studies where tamoxifen administration is undesirable.

Integrated platform for multiscale molecular imaging and phenotyping of the human brain

Understanding cellular architectures and their connectivity is essential for interrogating system function and dysfunction. However, we lack technologies for mapping the multiscale details of individual cells and their connectivity in the human organ-scale system. We developed a platform that simultaneously extracts spatial, molecular, morphological, and connectivity information of individual cells from the same human brain. The platform includes three core elements: a vibrating microtome for ultraprecision slicing of large-scale tissues without losing cellular connectivity (MEGAtome), a polymer hydrogel-based tissue processing technology for multiplexed multiscale imaging of human organ-scale tissues (mELAST), and a computational pipeline for reconstructing three-dimensional connectivity across multiple brain slabs (UNSLICE). We applied this platform for analyzing human Alzheimer's disease pathology at multiple scales and demonstrating scalable neural connectivity mapping in the human brain.

Conditional knockout of Shank3 in the ventral CA1 by quantitative in vivo genome-editing impairs social memory in mice

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have a higher prevalence of social memory impairment. A series of our previous studies revealed that hippocampal ventral CA1 (vCA1) neurons possess social memory engram and that the neurophysiological representation of social memory in the vCA1 neurons is disrupted in ASD-associated Shank3 knockout mice. However, whether the dysfunction of Shank3 in vCA1 causes the social memory impairment observed in ASD remains unclear. In this study, we found that vCA1-specific Shank3 conditional knockout (cKO) by the adeno-associated virus (AAV)- or specialized extracellular vesicle (EV)- mediated in vivo gene editing was sufficient to recapitulate the social memory impairment in male mice. Furthermore, the utilization of EV-mediated Shank3-cKO allowed us to quantitatively examine the role of Shank3 in social memory. Our results suggested that there is a certain threshold for the proportion of Shank3-cKO neurons required for social memory disruption. Thus, our study provides insight into the population coding of social memory in vCA1, as well as the pathological mechanisms underlying social memory impairment in ASD.

Evolutionary and developmental specialization of foveal cell types in the marmoset

In primates, high-acuity vision is mediated by the fovea, a small specialized central region of the retina. The fovea, unique to the anthropoid lineage among mammals, undergoes notable neuronal morphological changes during postnatal maturation. However, the extent of cellular similarity across anthropoid foveas and the molecular underpinnings of foveal maturation remain unclear. Here, we used high-throughput single-cell RNA sequencing to profile retinal cells of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), an early divergent in anthropoid evolution from humans, apes, and macaques. We generated atlases of the marmoset fovea and peripheral retina for both neonates and adults. Our comparative analysis revealed that marmosets share almost all their foveal types with both humans and macaques, highlighting a conserved cellular structure among primate foveas. Furthermore, by tracing the developmental trajectory of cell types in the foveal and peripheral retina, we found distinct maturation paths for each. In-depth analysis of gene expression differences demonstrated that cone photoreceptors and Müller glia (MG), among others, show the greatest molecular divergence between these two regions. Utilizing single-cell ATAC-seq and gene-regulatory network inference, we uncovered distinct transcriptional regulations differentiating foveal cones from their peripheral counterparts. Further analysis of predicted ligand-receptor interactions suggested a potential role for MG in supporting the maturation of foveal cones. Together, these results provide valuable insights into foveal development, structure, and evolution.

Simultaneous two-photon imaging and wireless EEG recording in mice

Background

In vivo two-photon imaging is a reliable method with high spatial resolution that allows observation of individual neuron and dendritic activity longitudinally. Neurons in local brain regions can be influenced by global brain states such as levels of arousal and attention that change over relatively short time scales, such as minutes. As such, the scientific rigor of investigating regional neuronal activities could be enhanced by considering the global brain state.

New method

In order to assess the global brain state during in vivo two-photon imaging, CBRAIN (collective brain research platform aided by illuminating neural activity), a wireless EEG collecting and labeling device, was controlled by the same computer of two-photon microscope. In an experiment to explore neuronal responses to isoflurane anesthesia through two-photon imaging, we investigated whether the response of individual cells correlated with concurrent EEG changes induced by anesthesia.

Results

In two-photon imaging, calcium activities of the excitatory neurons in the primary somatosensory cortex disappeared in about 30s after to the initiation of isoflurane anesthesia. The simultaneously recorded EEG showed various transitional activity for about 7 min from the initiation of anesthesia and continued with burst and suppression alternating pattern thereafter. As such, there was a dissociation between excitatory neuron activity of the primary somatosensory cortex and the global brain activity under anesthesia.

Comparison with existing methods

Existing methods to combine two-photon and EEG recording used wired EEG recording. In this study, wireless EEG was used in conjunction with two-photon imaging, facilitated by CBRAIN. More importantly, built-in algorithms of the CBRAIN can automatically detect brain state such as sleep. The codes used for EEG classification are easy to use, with no prior experience required.

Conclusion

Simultaneous recording of wireless EEG and two-photon imaging provides a practical way to capture individual neuronal activities with respect to global brain state in an experimental set-up.

Structurally divergent and recurrently mutated regions of primate genomes

We sequenced and assembled using multiple long-read sequencing technologies the genomes of chimpanzee, bonobo, gorilla, orangutan, gibbon, macaque, owl monkey, and marmoset. We identified 1,338,997 lineage-specific fixed structural variants (SVs) disrupting 1,561 protein-coding genes and 136,932 regulatory elements, including the most complete set of human-specific fixed differences. We estimate that 819.47 Mbp or ∼27% of the genome has been affected by SVs across primate evolution. We identify 1,607 structurally divergent regions wherein recurrent structural variation contributes to creating SV hotspots where genes are recurrently lost (e.g., CARD, C4, and OLAH gene families) and additional lineage-specific genes are generated (e.g., CKAP2, VPS36, ACBD7, and NEK5 paralogs), becoming targets of rapid chromosomal diversification and positive selection (e.g., RGPD gene family). High-fidelity long-read sequencing has made these dynamic regions of the genome accessible for sequence-level analyses within and between primate species.

Enhancement of mediodorsal thalamus rescues aberrant belief dynamics in a mouse model with schizophrenia-associated mutation

Optimizing behavioral strategy requires belief updating based on new evidence, a process that engages higher cognition. In schizophrenia, aberrant belief dynamics may lead to psychosis, but the mechanisms underlying this process are unknown, in part, due to lack of appropriate animal models and behavior readouts. Here, we address this challenge by taking two synergistic approaches. First, we generate a mouse model bearing patient-derived point mutation in Grin2a (Grin2aY700X+/-), a gene that confers high-risk for schizophrenia and recently identified by large-scale exome sequencing. Second, we develop a computationally trackable foraging task, in which mice form and update belief-driven strategies in a dynamic environment. We found that Grin2aY700X+/- mice perform less optimally than their wild-type (WT) littermates, showing unstable behavioral states and a slower belief update rate. Using functional ultrasound imaging, we identified the mediodorsal (MD) thalamus as hypofunctional in Grin2aY700X+/- mice, and in vivo task recordings showed that MD neurons encoded dynamic values and behavioral states in WT mice. Optogenetic inhibition of MD neurons in WT mice phenocopied Grin2aY700X+/- mice, and enhancing MD activity rescued task deficits in Grin2aY700X+/- mice. Together, our study identifies the MD thalamus as a key node for schizophrenia-relevant cognitive dysfunction, and a potential target for future therapeutics.

Long-term labeling and imaging of synaptically connected neuronal networks in vivo using double-deletion-mutant rabies viruses

Rabies-virus-based monosynaptic tracing is a widely used technique for mapping neural circuitry, but its cytotoxicity has confined it primarily to anatomical applications. Here we present a second-generation system for labeling direct inputs to targeted neuronal populations with minimal toxicity, using double-deletion-mutant rabies viruses. Viral spread requires expression of both deleted viral genes in trans in postsynaptic source cells. Suppressing this expression with doxycycline following an initial period of viral replication reduces toxicity to postsynaptic cells. Longitudinal two-photon imaging in vivo indicated that over 90% of both presynaptic and source cells survived for the full 12-week course of imaging. Ex vivo whole-cell recordings at 5 weeks postinfection showed that the second-generation system perturbs input and source cells much less than the first-generation system. Finally, two-photon calcium imaging of labeled networks of visual cortex neurons showed that their visual response properties appeared normal for 10 weeks, the longest we followed them.

Choline induced cardiac dysfunction by inhibiting the production of endogenous hydrogen sulfide in spontaneously hypertensive rats

To investigate the exact effects of dietary choline on hypertensive heart disease (HHD) and explore the potential mechanisms, male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) were randomly divided into five groups as follows: WKY group, WKY + Choline group, SHR group, SHR + Choline group, and SHR + Choline + NaHS group. In choline treatment groups, rats were fed with 1.3% (w/v) choline in the drinking water for 3 months. The rats in the SHR + Choline + NaHS group were intraperitoneally injected with NaHS (100 micromol/kg/day, a hydrogen sulfide (H2S) donor) for 3 months. After 3 months, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and fractional shortening (LVFS), the indicators of cardiac function measured by echocardiography, were increased significantly in SHR as compared to WKY, although there was no significant difference in collagen volumes and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio between the two groups, indicating the early stage of cardiac hypertrophy. There was a significant decrease in LVEF and LVFS and an increase in collagen volumes and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in SHR fed with choline, meanwhile, plasma H2S levels were significantly decreased significantly in SHR fed with choline accompanying by the decrease of cystathionine-gamma-lyase (CSE) activity. Three months of NaHS significantly increased plasma H2S levels, ameliorated cardiac dysfunction and inhibited cardiac fibrosis and apoptosis in SHR fed with choline. In conclusion, choline aggravated cardiac dysfunction in HHD through inhibiting the production of endogenous H2S, which was reversed by supplementation of exogenous H2S donor.

Evolutionary and Developmental Specialization of Foveal Cell Types in the Marmoset

In primates, high-acuity vision is mediated by the fovea, a small specialized central region of the retina. The fovea, unique to the anthropoid lineage among mammals, undergoes notable neuronal morphological changes during postnatal maturation. However, the extent of cellular similarity across anthropoid foveas and the molecular underpinnings of foveal maturation remain unclear. Here, we used high throughput single cell RNA sequencing to profile retinal cells of the common marmoset ( Callithrix jacchus ), an early divergent in anthropoid evolution from humans, apes, and macaques. We generated atlases of the marmoset fovea and peripheral retina for both neonates and adults. Our comparative analysis revealed that marmosets share almost all its foveal types with both humans and macaques, highlighting a conserved cellular structure among primate foveas. Furthermore, by tracing the developmental trajectory of cell types in the foveal and peripheral retina, we found distinct maturation paths for each. In-depth analysis of gene expression differences demonstrated that cone photoreceptors and Müller glia, among others, show the greatest molecular divergence between these two regions. Utilizing single-cell ATAC-seq and gene-regulatory network inference, we uncovered distinct transcriptional regulations differentiating foveal cones from their peripheral counterparts. Further analysis of predicted ligand-receptor interactions suggested a potential role for Müller glia in supporting the maturation of foveal cones. Together, these results provide valuable insights into foveal development, structure, and evolution.

Significance statement

The sharpness of our eyesight hinges on a tiny retinal region known as the fovea. The fovea is pivotal for primate vision and is susceptible to diseases like age-related macular degeneration. We studied the fovea in the marmoset-a primate with ancient evolutionary ties. Our data illustrated the cellular and molecular composition of its fovea across different developmental ages. Our findings highlighted a profound cellular consistency among marmosets, humans, and macaques, emphasizing the value of marmosets in visual research and the study of visual diseases.

A transcriptomic taxonomy of mouse brain-wide spinal projecting neurons

The brain controls nearly all bodily functions via spinal projecting neurons (SPNs) that carry command signals from the brain to the spinal cord. However, a comprehensive molecular characterization of brain-wide SPNs is still lacking. Here we transcriptionally profiled a total of 65,002 SPNs, identified 76 region-specific SPN types, and mapped these types into a companion atlas of the whole mouse brain1. This taxonomy reveals a three-component organization of SPNs: (1) molecularly homogeneous excitatory SPNs from the cortex, red nucleus and cerebellum with somatotopic spinal terminations suitable for point-to-point communication; (2) heterogeneous populations in the reticular formation with broad spinal termination patterns, suitable for relaying commands related to the activities of the entire spinal cord; and (3) modulatory neurons expressing slow-acting neurotransmitters and/or neuropeptides in the hypothalamus, midbrain and reticular formation for 'gain setting' of brain-spinal signals. In addition, this atlas revealed a LIM homeobox transcription factor code that parcellates the reticulospinal neurons into five molecularly distinct and spatially segregated populations. Finally, we found transcriptional signatures of a subset of SPNs with large soma size and correlated these with fast-firing electrophysiological properties. Together, this study establishes a comprehensive taxonomy of brain-wide SPNs and provides insight into the functional organization of SPNs in mediating brain control of bodily functions.

Conserved and divergent gene regulatory programs of the mammalian neocortex

Divergence of cis-regulatory elements drives species-specific traits1, but how this manifests in the evolution of the neocortex at the molecular and cellular level remains unclear. Here we investigated the gene regulatory programs in the primary motor cortex of human, macaque, marmoset and mouse using single-cell multiomics assays, generating gene expression, chromatin accessibility, DNA methylome and chromosomal conformation profiles from a total of over 200,000 cells. From these data, we show evidence that divergence of transcription factor expression corresponds to species-specific epigenome landscapes. We find that conserved and divergent gene regulatory features are reflected in the evolution of the three-dimensional genome. Transposable elements contribute to nearly 80% of the human-specific candidate cis-regulatory elements in cortical cells. Through machine learning, we develop sequence-based predictors of candidate cis-regulatory elements in different species and demonstrate that the genomic regulatory syntax is highly preserved from rodents to primates. Finally, we show that epigenetic conservation combined with sequence similarity helps to uncover functional cis-regulatory elements and enhances our ability to interpret genetic variants contributing to neurological disease and traits.

Pathway-specific alterations in striatal excitability and cholinergic modulation in a SAPAP3 mouse model of compulsive motor behavior

Deletion of the obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)-associated gene SAP90/PSD-95-associated protein 3 (Sapap3), which encodes a postsynaptic anchoring protein at corticostriatal synapses, causes OCD-like motor behaviors in mice. While corticostriatal synaptic dysfunction is central to this phenotype, the striatum efficiently adapts to pathological changes, often in ways that expand upon the original circuit impairment. Here, we show that SAPAP3 deletion causes non-synaptic and pathway-specific alterations in dorsolateral striatum circuit function. While somatic excitability was elevated in striatal projection neurons (SPNs), dendritic excitability was exclusively enhanced in direct pathway SPNs. Layered on top of this, cholinergic modulation was altered in opposing ways: striatal cholinergic interneuron density and evoked acetylcholine release were elevated, while basal muscarinic modulation of SPNs was reduced. These data describe how SAPAP3 deletion alters the striatal landscape upon which impaired corticostriatal inputs will act, offering a basis for how pathological synaptic integration and unbalanced striatal output underlying OCD-like behaviors may be shaped.

Third-generation rabies viral vectors allow nontoxic retrograde targeting of projection neurons with greatly increased efficiency

Rabies viral vectors have become important components of the systems neuroscience toolkit, allowing both direct retrograde targeting of projection neurons and monosynaptic tracing of inputs to defined postsynaptic populations, but the rapid cytotoxicity of first-generation (ΔG) vectors limits their use to short-term experiments. We recently introduced second-generation, double-deletion-mutant (ΔGL) rabies viral vectors, showing that they efficiently retrogradely infect projection neurons and express recombinases effectively but with little to no detectable toxicity; more recently, we have shown that ΔGL viruses can be used for monosynaptic tracing with far lower cytotoxicity than the first-generation system. Here, we introduce third-generation (ΔL) rabies viral vectors, which appear to be as nontoxic as second-generation ones but have the major advantage of growing to much higher titers, resulting in significantly increased numbers of retrogradely labeled neurons in vivo.

HER2-low expression in patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors

BACKGROUND

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-low is a newly defined category with HER2 1+ or 2+ expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and lack of HER2 gene amplification measured by in situ hybridization (ISH). Much remains unknown about the HER2-low status across tumor types and changes in HER2 status between primary and metastatic samples.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

HER2 expression by IHC was evaluated in 4701 patients with solid tumors. We have evaluated the HER2 expression by IHC and amplification by ISH in paired breast and gastric/gastroesophageal (GEJ) primary and metastatic samples. HER2 expression was correlated with ERBB2 genomic alterations evaluated by next-generation sequencing (NGS) in non-breast, non-gastric/GEJ samples.

RESULTS

HER2 expression (HER2 IHC 1-3+) was found in half (49.8%) of the cancers, with HER2-low (1 or 2+) found in many tumor types: 47.1% in breast, 34.6% in gastric/GEJ, 50.0% in salivary gland, 46.9% in lung, 46.5% in endometrial, 46% in urothelial, and 45.5% of gallbladder cancers. The concordance evaluation of HER2 expression between primary and metastatic breast cancer samples showed that HER2 3+ remained unchanged in 87.1% with a strong agreement between primary and metastatic samples, with a weighted kappa (Κ) of 0.85 (95% confidence interval 0.79-0.91). ERBB2 alterations were identified in 117 (7.5%) patients with non-breast, non-gastric/GEJ solid tumors who had NGS testing. Of 1436 patients without ERBB2 alterations, 512 (35.7%) showed any level HER2 expression by IHC.

CONCLUSION

Our results show that HER2-low expression is frequently found across tumor types. These findings suggest that many patients with HER2-low solid tumors might benefit from HER2-targeted therapies.

The endocannabinoid N-arachidonoyl dopamine is critical for hyperalgesia induced by chronic sleep disruption

Chronic pain is highly prevalent and is linked to a broad range of comorbidities, including sleep disorders. Epidemiological and clinical evidence suggests that chronic sleep disruption (CSD) leads to heightened pain sensitivity, referred to as CSD-induced hyperalgesia. However, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. The thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) has unique integrative functions in sensory processing, attention/arousal and sleep spindle generation. We report that the TRN played an important role in CSD-induced hyperalgesia in mice, through its projections to the ventroposterior region of the thalamus. Metabolomics revealed that the level of N-arachidonoyl dopamine (NADA), an endocannabinoid, was decreased in the TRN after CSD. Using a recently developed CB1 receptor (cannabinoid receptor 1) activity sensor with spatiotemporal resolution, CB1 receptor activity in the TRN was found to be decreased after CSD. Moreover, CSD-induced hyperalgesia was attenuated by local NADA administration to the TRN. Taken together, these results suggest that TRN NADA signaling is critical for CSD-induced hyperalgesia.

Sibling chimerism among microglia in marmosets

Chimerism happens rarely among most mammals but is common in marmosets and tamarins, a result of fraternal twin or triplet birth patterns in which in utero connected circulatory systems (through which stem cells transit) lead to persistent blood chimerism (12-80%) throughout life. The presence of Y-chromosome DNA sequences in other organs of female marmosets has long suggested that chimerism might also affect these organs. However, a longstanding question is whether this chimerism is driven by blood-derived cells or involves contributions from other cell types. To address this question, we analyzed single-cell RNA-seq data from blood, liver, kidney and multiple brain regions across a number of marmosets, using transcribed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to identify cells with the sibling's genome in various cell types within these tissues. Sibling-derived chimerism in all tissues arose entirely from cells of hematopoietic origin (i.e., myeloid and lymphoid lineages). In brain tissue this was reflected as sibling-derived chimerism among microglia (20-52%) and macrophages (18-64%) but not among other resident cell types (i.e., neurons, glia or ependymal cells). The percentage of microglia that were sibling-derived showed significant variation across brain regions, even within individual animals, likely reflecting distinct responses by siblings' microglia to local recruitment or proliferation cues or, potentially, distinct clonal expansion histories in different brain areas. In the animals and tissues we analyzed, microglial gene expression profiles bore a much stronger relationship to local/host context than to sibling genetic differences. Naturally occurring marmoset chimerism will provide new ways to understand the effects of genes, mutations and brain contexts on microglial biology and to distinguish between effects of microglia and other cell types on brain phenotypes.

Comparative transcriptomics reveals human-specific cortical features

The cognitive abilities of humans are distinctive among primates, but their molecular and cellular substrates are poorly understood. We used comparative single-nucleus transcriptomics to analyze samples of the middle temporal gyrus (MTG) from adult humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, rhesus macaques, and common marmosets to understand human-specific features of the neocortex. Human, chimpanzee, and gorilla MTG showed highly similar cell-type composition and laminar organization as well as a large shift in proportions of deep-layer intratelencephalic-projecting neurons compared with macaque and marmoset MTG. Microglia, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes had more-divergent expression across species compared with neurons or oligodendrocyte precursor cells, and neuronal expression diverged more rapidly on the human lineage. Only a few hundred genes showed human-specific patterning, suggesting that relatively few cellular and molecular changes distinctively define adult human cortical structure.

A marmoset brain cell census reveals regional specialization of cellular identities

The mammalian brain is composed of many brain structures, each with its own ontogenetic and developmental history. We used single-nucleus RNA sequencing to sample over 2.4 million brain cells across 18 locations in the common marmoset, a New World monkey primed for genetic engineering, and examined gene expression patterns of cell types within and across brain structures. The adult transcriptomic identity of most neuronal types is shaped more by developmental origin than by neurotransmitter signaling repertoire. Quantitative mapping of GABAergic types with single-molecule FISH (smFISH) reveals that interneurons in the striatum and neocortex follow distinct spatial principles, and that lateral prefrontal and other higher-order cortical association areas are distinguished by high proportions of VIP+ neurons. We use cell type-specific enhancers to drive AAV-GFP and reconstruct the morphologies of molecularly resolved interneuron types in neocortex and striatum. Our analyses highlight how lineage, local context, and functional class contribute to the transcriptional identity and biodistribution of primate brain cell types.

Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy plus Programmed Death-1 (PD-1) Blockade for Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer: Preliminary Results of a Single-Arm, Open-Label, Phase II Trial

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

This study aims to assess the anti-tumor activity and safety of concurrent chemoradiotherapy plus PD-1 blockade in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer.

MATERIALS/METHODS

This is a single-arm, open-label, prospective phase II study. The key inclusion criteria were treatment-naive patients aged 18-75 years with stage II A2-IVA (FIGO 2018) locally advanced cervical cancer. All patients were treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy including 2 cycle cisplatin (75mg/m2, for three days, every 3 weeks[Q3W]), nedaplatin or carboplatin can be selected for patients who can't tolerate cisplatin. After CCRT, patients achieving complete response (CR), partial responses(PR), stable disease(SD) received adjuvant chemotherapy (docetaxel 75 mg/m2 day 1+ cisplatin DDP 25 mg/m2 day 1-3, Q3W) for 2 cycle. PD-1 blockade Sintilimab and Tislelizumab was administered intravenously at 200 mg every 3 weeks up to 1 year or until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or withdrawal of consent. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) assessed by investigators per Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumours (RECIST) version 1.1. Secondary endpoints were the 12, 24-month overall survival (OS) rates, the 12, 24-month disease free survival (DFS) rates and safety.

RESULTS

From February 2020 to June 2022, a total of 15 patients was enrolled. Median age was 57 years (range, 36-74 years). Stage IIA1 was documented in 2 patients, stage IIA2 in two patients, stage IIIA in one patient, stage IIIC1 in eight patients, and stage IVA in two patients. And 66.7% (10/15) of patients had Metastatic lymph node. Four patients received adjuvant chemotherapy. The ORR was 100%, with 4 patients achieving CR and 11 PR. The 12 and 24-month OS rates are 93.3% and 84%, the 12 and 24-month DFS rates are 86% and 75.4%, respectively. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) occurred in 86.7% (13/15) of patients. Grade 3 TRAEs are leukocyte (n = 1), thrombocytopenia (n = 1), hepatitis (n = 1), skin reaction (n = 1). No treatment-related deaths occurred. And IFN-γ was significantly elevated after radiotherapy (p = 0.0073).

CONCLUSION

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy plus PD-1 blockade showed promising antitumor activity and manageable toxicities in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer. Long-term outcomes are still pending to further evaluate their therapeutic effects. (ChiCTR2000032856).

Chemoradiotherapy Combined with Nab-Paclitaxel plus Cisplatin in Patients with Locally Advanced Borderline Resectable or Unresectable Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Phase I/II Study

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-PTX) plus cisplatin as the regimen of conversional chemoradiotherapy (cCRT) in locally advanced borderline resectable or unresectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

MATERIALS/METHODS

Patients with locally advanced ESCC (cT3-4, Nany, M0-1, M1 was limited to lymph node metastasis in the supraclavicular area) were enrolled. All the patients received the cCRT of nab-PTX plus cisplatin. After the cCRT, those resectable patients received esophagectomy; those unresectable patients continued to receive the definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT). The locoregional control (LRC), overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), distant metastasis free survival (DMFS), pathological complete response (pCR), R0 resection rate and adverse events (AEs) were calculated.

RESULTS

A total of 45 patients with ESCC treated from October 2019 to May 2021 were finally included. The median follow-up time was 30.3 months. The LRC, OS, EFS, DMFS at 1and 2 years were 81.5%, 86.6%, 64.3%, 73.2% and 72.4%, 68.8%, 44.8%, 52.7% respectively. 21 patients (46.7%) received conversional chemoradiotherapy plus surgery (cCRT+S). The pCR rate and R0 resection rate were 47.6% and 84.0%. The LRC rate at 1 and 2 years were 95.0%, 87.1% in cCRT+S patients and 69.3%, 58.7% in dCRT patients respectively (HR, 5.14; 95% CI, 1.10-23.94; P = 0.021). The OS rate at 1 and 2 years were 95.2% and 84.2% in resectable patients compared to 78.8% and 54.4% in unresectable patients (HR, 3.41; 95% CI, 1.10-10.61; P = 0.024). The toxicities during chemoradiotherapy were tolerated, the most common grade 3-4 toxicities were radiation esophagitis (15.6%).

CONCLUSION

Nab-PTX plus cisplatin were effective and safe as the regimen of conversional chemoradiotherapy of ESCC. The patients receiving conversional chemoradiotherapy plus surgery (cCRT+S) were prone to have a better survival.

Comparative single cell epigenomic analysis of gene regulatory programs in the rodent and primate neocortex

Sequence divergence of cis- regulatory elements drives species-specific traits, but how this manifests in the evolution of the neocortex at the molecular and cellular level remains to be elucidated. We investigated the gene regulatory programs in the primary motor cortex of human, macaque, marmoset, and mouse with single-cell multiomics assays, generating gene expression, chromatin accessibility, DNA methylome, and chromosomal conformation profiles from a total of over 180,000 cells. For each modality, we determined species-specific, divergent, and conserved gene expression and epigenetic features at multiple levels. We find that cell type-specific gene expression evolves more rapidly than broadly expressed genes and that epigenetic status at distal candidate cis -regulatory elements (cCREs) evolves faster than promoters. Strikingly, transposable elements (TEs) contribute to nearly 80% of the human-specific cCREs in cortical cells. Through machine learning, we develop sequence-based predictors of cCREs in different species and demonstrate that the genomic regulatory syntax is highly preserved from rodents to primates. Lastly, we show that epigenetic conservation combined with sequence similarity helps uncover functional cis -regulatory elements and enhances our ability to interpret genetic variants contributing to neurological disease and traits.