Identification Of Strn-Ntrk2 Rearrangement In A High Grade Sarcoma, With Good Clinical Response To Firstline Larotrectinib Therapy

Casestudy

Gene fusions involving tropomyosin receptor kinase genes, NTRK (NTRK1-3), are important in tumorigenesis. Larotrectinib, a selective NTRK inhibitor, is recently approved to treat NTRK fusion positive solid tumors. We herein report a case of soft tissue sarcoma harboring two STRN-NTRK2 gene fusions, with good clinical response to firstline larotrectinib treatment.

Results

A 35 year-old female presented with pain in the right gluteal region, and a large solid mass without overlying erythema, edema and induration was identified. Initial MRI study showed a heterogenous, vascular and partially necrotic mass (16.5 x 12.9 x 10.4 cm) centered in the right gluteus medius and maximus muscles. A core biopsy of the mass showed a cellular mesenchymal neoplasm with round/ovoid cells, high mitosis (21 per 10 HPFs) and focal staghorn type vessels, reminiscent of solitary fibrous tumor. However, STAT6 immunostaining was negative.

Additional immunostains show no specific lineage. Our in-house NGS fusion panel showed two in-frame STRN- NTRK2 fusions, containing the same 5’ partner sequence (exon 1-3) of STRN, with the 3’ fusion partner starting from either the exon 15 or the exon 16 of NTRK2. Due to the large size and location of the tumor, larotrectinib was initiated as firstline therapy. The patient noticed a quick amelioration of tumor related pain, and a significant shrinkage of the size of tumor following the initial 7-day treatment. On post-treatment day 52, MRI showed the tumor significantly decreased in size to 7.7 x 7.4 x 6.6 cm with satisfactory symptomatic relief.

Conclusion

NTRK2 fusions are relatively rare when compared with NTRK1 and NTRK3, especially in sarcoma. Of note, the only other report in the literature of NRTK2 fusion- positive sarcoma also showed SFT-like morphology, and the patient responded well to larotrectinib as second line therapy.

Identification Of Strn-Ntrk2 Rearrangement In A High Grade Sarcoma, With Good Clinical Response To Firstline Larotrectinib Therapy

Casestudy

Gene fusions involving tropomyosin receptor kinase genes, NTRK (NTRK1-3), are important in tumorigenesis. Larotrectinib, a selective NTRK inhibitor, is recently approved to treat NTRK fusion positive solid tumors. We herein report a case of soft tissue sarcoma harboring two STRN-NTRK2 gene fusions, with good clinical response to firstline larotrectinib treatment.

Results

A 35 year-old female presented with pain in the right gluteal region, and a large solid mass without overlying erythema, edema and induration was identified. Initial MRI study showed a heterogenous, vascular and partially necrotic mass (16.5 x 12.9 x 10.4 cm) centered in the right gluteus medius and maximus muscles. A core biopsy of the mass showed a cellular mesenchymal neoplasm with round/ovoid cells, high mitosis (21 per 10 HPFs) and focal staghorn type vessels, reminiscent of solitary fibrous tumor. However, STAT6 immunostaining was negative.

Additional immunostains show no specific lineage. Our in-house NGS fusion panel showed two in-frame STRNNTRK2 fusions, containing the same 5’ partner sequence (exon 1-3) of STRN, with the 3’ fusion partner starting from either the exon 15 or the exon 16 of NTRK2. Due to the large size and location of the tumor, larotrectinib was initiated as firstline therapy. The patient noticed a quick amelioration of tumor related pain, and a significant shrinkage of the size of tumor following the initial 7-day treatment. On post-treatment day 52, MRI showed the tumor significantly decreased in size to 7.7 x 7.4 x 6.6 cm with satisfactory symptomatic relief.

Conclusion

NTRK2 fusions are relatively rare when compared with NTRK1 and NTRK3, especially in sarcoma. Of note, the only other report in the literature of NRTK2 fusion- positive sarcoma also showed SFT-like morphology, and the patient responded well to larotrectinib as second line therapy.

Identification of differentially expressed genes and signalling pathways in the ovary of higher and lower laying ducks

1. Ovarian transcriptomic profiling between birds showing high egg number (HEN) and birds of low egg number (LEN) in Longyan Shan-ma ducks at 71 weeks of age was carried out using Illumina Hiseq 2500 technology. 2. A total of 343 differentially expressed genes (DEGs, 269 upregulated and 74 downregulated) were identified between HEN and LEN ovaries. These DEGs were enriched in 30 Gene Ontology terms. Pathway functional analysis found that the DEGs were enriched in 10 metabolic pathways (P < 0.05), one of which was regulation of the actin cytoskeleton pathway (Q < 0.05). 3. Three integrin family genes, ITGB2, ITGB5 and ITGA8 were differentially expressed in the RNA-seq and qPCR experiments. 4. The DEGs and signalling pathways identified in ovarian tissue in this study provide new insights into high egg production in Longyan Shan-ma duck.

Responses of glutathione and phytochelatins biosysthesis in a cadmium accumulator of Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt. under cadmium contaminated conditions

Screening new accumulators of heavy metal and identifying their tolerance, enrichment capacity of heavy metals are currently hot issues in phytoremediation research. A series of hydroponic experiments were conducted to analyze the effects of glutathione and phytochelatins in roots, stems, and leaves of Perilla frutescens under cadmium stress. The results showed that the non-protein thiols in roots and stems mainly existed in the form of GSH, PC₂, PC₃, and PC₄ under Cd stress condition, while in leaves they existed in the form of GSH, PC₂, and PC₃. Furthermore, the contents of GSH and PCs positively correlated with Cd, but negatively correlated with root vigor and chlorophyll content under Cd stress conditions. After 21 days of treatments, the contents of Cd in different parts of the plant were 1465.2-3092.9 mg· kg^-1 in the roots, 199.6-478.4 mg·kg^-1 in the stems and 61.3-96.9 mg· kg^-1 in the leaves at 2, 5, 10 mg·L^-1 Cd levels respectively, and the amount of Cd uptakes were up to 3547.7-5701.7 μg·plant^-1. Therefore, P. frutescens performed high capacity in Cd accumulation, and PCs played a key role in Cd tolerance. The application prospect of the plant in phytoremediation Cd polluted soil was also discussed.

Effects of phenolic acids on free radical scavenging and heavy metal bioavailability in kandelia obovata under cadmium and zinc stress

Current mechanism studies in plant heavy metal tolerance do not consider the effects of different phenolic acids on the bioavailability of heavy metals and the comparison with antioxidant enzyme system in the hydroxyl radical scavenging capacity. In present study, by a set of pot culture experiments with adding cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) to the sediments, the effects of different phenolic acids on the toxicity of Cd and Zn in Kandelia obovata and the dominant role in scavenging hydroxyl radicals were evaluated. The results showed that 100 mg kg^-1 Zn treatment promoted the growth of plant under high concentrations of Cd and Zn stress. Under the stress of Cd and Zn, the phenolic acids were mainly metabolized by phenylpropanoid and flavonoid pathways, supplemented by shikimate and monolignol pathways in K. obovata. Eleven phenolic acids with different abilities of scavenging free radicals were detected in the plant, including pyrogallic acid (Gal), coumaric acid (Cou), protocatechuic acid (Pro), chlorogenic acid (Chl), 4-hydroxy benzoic acid (Hyd), caffeic acid (Caf), vanillic acid (Van), ferulic acid (Fer), benzoic acid (Ben), and salicylic acid (Sal). By adding phenolic acids to the sediments, chlorogenic acid (Chl), pyrogallic acid (Gal), cinnamic acid (Cin), and coumaric acid (Cou) behave as more reactive in changing Cd or Zn into residual fractions than the others, and chlorogenic acid (Chl), pyrogallic acid (Gal), ferulic acid (Fer) and caffeic acid (Caf) have higher ability of scavenging hydroxyl radicals than the others. In summary, K. obovata tends to synthesize phenolic acids with strong scavenging ability of free radicals and changing the bioavailability of Cd and Zn under high concentration of Cd and Zn stress. Phenolic acids played a crucial role in the mitigative effect of heavy metal stress via scavenging free radicals and involving in the process of Cd and Zn uptake and tolerance. The results will provide important theoretical basis and method guidance for mangrove wetland conservation.

Multiplexed drug testing of tumor slices using a microfluidic platform

Current methods to assess the drug response of individual human cancers are often inaccurate, costly, or slow. Functional approaches that rapidly and directly assess the response of patient cancer tissue to drugs or small molecules offer a promising way to improve drug testing, and have the potential to identify the best therapy for individual patients. We developed a digitally manufactured microfluidic platform for multiplexed drug testing of intact cancer slice cultures, and demonstrate the use of this platform to evaluate drug responses in slice cultures from human glioma xenografts and patient tumor biopsies. This approach retains much of the tissue microenvironment and can provide results rapidly enough, within days of surgery, to guide the choice of effective initial therapies. Our results establish a useful preclinical platform for cancer drug testing and development with the potential to improve cancer personalized medicine.

Transinguinal preperitoneal repair of giant inguinoscrotal hernias using Kugel mesh

INTRODUCTION

Giant inguinoscrotal hernias are rarely encountered in clinical settings, and their repair is technically challenging. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of transinguinal preperitoneal repair (TIPP) of giant inguinoscrotal hernias using Kugel mesh.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 9 patients with 11 giant inguinoscrotal hernias who underwent TIPP repair using Kugel mesh between December 2008 and January 2019. Demographics and perioperative and postoperative data were collected, and the operative experience was summarized.

RESULTS

The patients underwent a successful repair procedure with simultaneous omentectomy but without resection of the other abdominal organs. The median operation time was 120min, the median intraoperative blood loss was 75mL and the median defect area was 72 cm². The median duration for diet restoration was 4 days, and the median postoperative hospital stay was 6 days. The drainage tube placed in the preperitoneal space was removed after a median duration of 5 days, and the drainage tube placed in the distal hernia sac was removed after a median duration of 6 days. Three patients suffered from a postoperative increase in intra-abdominal pressure, while one patient deteriorated into abdominal compartment syndrome accompanied by respiratory dysfunction. No haematomas, seromas, incisional or mesh infections, recurrence or chronic pain occurred during the follow-up period.

CONCLUSIONS

TIPP repair using Kugel mesh is a feasible and effective method for giant inguinoscrotal hernias.

Chitinase-like protein YKL-40 regulates human bronchial epithelial cells proliferation, apoptosis, and migration through TGF-β1/Smads pathway

In order to study the effects of chitinase-like protein YKL-40 on proliferation, apoptosis, and migration of human bronchial epithelial cell line (BEAS-2B), and the underlying mechanisms, we cultured BEAS-2B alone or with different concentrations of YKL-40. thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to examine the cell proliferation. Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate isomer (FITC)/propidium iodide staining and scratch assay were performed to test the cell apoptosis and migration. The concentrations of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), Smad3, Smad7, alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-6, and IL-8 in the cell culture supernatant were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The messenger RNA and protein levels of YKL-40, TGF-β1, Smad3, Smad7, and α-SMA were detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. BEAS-2B cells cultured with different concentrations of YKL-40 showed significantly higher cell proliferation and migration and inflammatory cytokines compared with that of control group, while the cell apoptosis was significantly lower than that of control group (p < 0.05). In addition, BEAS-2B cells cultured with YKL-40 had increased TGF-β1, Smad3, Smad7, and α-SMA levels in the supernatant, compared with that of BEAS-2B cells cultured alone (p < 0.05). Furthermore, LY364947, as TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway inhibitor, decreased cell proliferation and migration ability and enhanced cell apoptosis of BEAS-2B cells compared with control group (p < 0.05). However, YKL-40 administration reversed the effect of LY364947 on the biological behavior of BEAS-2B cells. YKL-40 could affect the biological behaviors of BEAS-2B cells, which might be related to the TGF-β1/Smads pathway.