[The Value of SMI in the Evaluation of interventional therapy of liver cancer]

Objective: To evaluate the value of super microvascular imaging(SMI) for evaluating the effect of interventional therapy of liver cancer. Methods: A total of 30 patients with 40 leisions were enrolled in this study, from the tumor intervention department in the third affiliated hospital of suzhou university.This patients were underwent TACE, after the treatment 1 month, CDFI, SMI, and CT were study respectively. Using the continuity correction McNemar matching chi-square test, with P < 0.05 for the standard , CDFI and SMI shows the difference in monitoring the microvascular imaging in and around the tumors leisions. Results: A total of 30 patients, 12 cases were primary liver cancer (7 cases combined with liver cirrhosis), 18cases were metastatic liver cancer; 30 cases including 25 single and 5 multiple. Significant difference were found between CT and SMI in detecting blood flows inside the lesion (χ² = 8.642 9, P < 0.05), and were also found between CT and CDFI in detecting blood flows inside the lesion (χ² = 16.961 5, P < 0.05). The AUROC, sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, PPV and NPV of CDFI were 0.647, 29.4%、100%、29.4%、100%、20.0%, while in SMI were 0.809, 61.8%、100%、61.7%、100%、31.5%, respectively. Conclusions: SMI SMI can detect the microvascular inside the lesions. This new method was superior to CDFI, achieving the same effect as CT.

The rs4238326 polymorphism in ALDH1A2 gene potentially associated with non-post traumatic knee osteoarthritis susceptibility: a two-stage population-based study

OBJECTIVE

A recent genome-wide association study reported significant associations of genetic variants within the ALDH1A2 gene with osteoarthritis (OA) of the hand in European populations. However, these findings have not been well generalized to other joints, or to other populations.

METHODS

We performed a two-stage population-based case-control study including 196 non-post traumatic knee OA cases and 442 controls in the first stage and independent 143 non-post traumatic knee OA cases and 238 controls in the second stage in a Chinese population by genotyping eight tagging polymorphisms in ALDH1A2.

RESULTS

In the first stage, the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs4238326 was found to be potentially associated with knee OA risk (additive model: odds ratio [OR] = 0.70; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 0.49-1.01; P = 0.055), which was further confirmed in the second stage with similar effect (additive model: OR = 0.60; 95% CI = 0.38-0.95; P = 0.029). After combining the two stages, we found that the variant C allele of rs4238326 was probably associated with decreased risk of knee OA (additive model: OR = 0.65; 95% CI = 0.49-0.86; P = 0.003). Furthermore, interaction analyses showed that rs4238326 interacted multiplicatively with age to contribute to knee OA risk (interaction P = 0.041).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate that the SNP rs4238326 in ALDH1A2 gene may potentially modify individual susceptibility to knee OA in the Chinese population. Beyond that, further studies are warranted to validate and extend our findings, and future functional studies are required to clarify the possible mechanisms.

Long-term response in patient with recurrent oropharyngeal carcinoma treated with cetuximab, docetaxel and cisplatin (TPEx) as first-line treatment followed by cetuximab maintenance

BACKGROUND

Cetuximab, an anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody in combination with platinum and 5FU is the standard of care in first-line treatment of patients with recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), with an expected median outcome of 10months. For this population, development of efficacious and safer therapies is still needed.

CASE REPORT

A 62-year-old male with a first recurrence of human papillomavirus positive stage IVA (T3N2bM0) adenocarcinoma of the glossotonsillar sulcus not amenable to locoregional curative treatment was offered chemotherapy as part of the TPEx clinical trial. He was treated by cetuximab (loading dose 400mg/m² on day 1 cycle 1, then 250mg/m² weekly), and chemotherapy (cisplatin 75mg/m² and docetaxel 75mg/m², on day 1). Cycles were repeated every 21days for 4 cycles (TPEx regimen) with systematic granulocyte colony-stimulating factor support at each cycle. Bi-monthly maintenance cetuximab 500mg/m² was then administered. The patient showed a clinical complete response according to RECIST 1.1 criteria after 5months maintenance, with progression-free survival of 25months. Relapses that followed were treated with stereotactic irradiation, radiofrequency ablation, cetuximab and paclitaxel. The patient is alive eleven years after cancer diagnosis and remains controlled for his disease, with a cumulative period of 59months of cetuximab administration (equivalence of 121 injections).

CONCLUSION

This case report demonstrated that TPEx regimen, by synergistic interaction between taxanes and cetuximab, followed by bimonthly cetuximab maintenance may lead to patient complete remission within the first year of treatment. Furthermore, prolonged intermittent treatment with cetuximab seems to participate in the improved survival associated with preserved quality of life. Key favorable prognostic factors may be moderate tumor differentiation, oropharyngeal location, HPV p16 positive tumor status.

Temporal model for quasi-phase matching in high-order harmonic generation

We present a model for quasi-phase matching (QPM) in high-order harmonic generation (HHG). Using a one-dimensional description, we analyze the time-dependent, ultrafast wave-vector balance to calculate the on-axis harmonic output versus time, from which we obtain the output pulse energy. Considering, as an example, periodically patterned argon gas, as may be provided with a grid in a cluster jet, we calculate the harmonic output during different time intervals within the drive laser pulse duration. We find that identifying a suitable single spatial period is not straightforward due to the complex and ultrafast plasma dynamics that underlies HHG at increased intensities. The maximum on-axis harmonic pulse energy is obtained when choosing the QPM period to phase match HHG at the leading edge of the drive laser pulse.

Abstract PD8-03: Differences in the mutational landscape in African Americans and Caucasians with triple negative breast cancer

Background-Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) occurs at a higher frequency in African American (AA) premenopausal women compared with Caucasians. It is unclear if the biology and clinical outcome of TNBC is different in AA versus Caucasians. In this study, we sought to evaluate differences in the molecular pathology of TNBC in a large cohort of AA and Caucasians.

Methods-Using publicly available data from The Cancer Genome Atlas, we identified all patients with TNBC who had information on race. We analyzed the differences in clinical characteristics and tumor somatic mutations by race from whole exome sequencing using student's t test or one-way ANOVA for continuous variables and chi square or Fisher's test for categorical variables. Exome sequencing was performed with coverage of ≥70% and at a depth of 20x.

Results-A total of 1104 primary breast cancer patients were identified, of which 178 (16%) had TNBC. Overall, TNBC was more frequent in AA than in Caucasians (33.3% versus 14.9%; p value &lt;0.001). More AA than Caucasians were classified as basal-like from PAM50 gene expression analysis (34.8% versus 16.1%; p value 0.001). No differences in the TNBC cohort were observed, 91% of AA were basal-like versus 81% of Caucasians (p value 0.842). Median tumor somatic mutation counts were higher in AA (39.5) versus Caucasians (34) (p value 0.022). However, no racial differences in the mutation counts in TNBC were observed (AA=56, Caucasians=60, p value 0.399). Somatic mutation analysis revealed racial differences in specific high prevalence (&gt;5%) genes in all patients- [TP53 alterations: 46% in AA versus 27% in Caucasians; p value &lt;0.001, PIK3CA alterations: 23% in AA versus 34% in Caucasians; p value 0.019, and MLL3 alterations: 12% in AA versus 6% in Caucasians; p value 0.028]. The TNBC patients did not have any specific high prevalence (&gt;5%) genes associated with racial differences. AA with breast cancer had a shorter time to progression (TTP) (hazard ratio 1.62, p value 0.014) and worse disease free survival (DFS) than Caucasians. However, racial difference in TTP or DFS were not observed in the TNBC patients.

Conclusion-The mutational landscape of breast cancer may be different between AA and Caucasians, but appears to be similar in both races in the cohort with TNBC. Our findings have 2 implications: racial disparities in breast cancer may largely be due to differences in those with hormone receptor positive disease, and secondly, the higher frequency of TNBC in AA is unlikely due to differences in molecular features, but other modifiable factors.

Citation Format: Ademuyiwa FO, Tao Y, Luo J. Differences in the mutational landscape in African Americans and Caucasians with triple negative breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PD8-03.

Quantitative chemoproteomic profiling reveals multiple target interactions of spongiolactone derivatives in leukemia cells

Identifying the covalent targets of a natural product-derivative in cancer cells.

Phosphorus-based materials for high-performance rechargeable batteries

A review of P based materials used in LIB/NIB and their synthesis strategies, tailored materials properties and different electrochemical performances.

Ultrasensitive mechanical detection of magnetic moment using a commercial disk drive write head

Sensitive detection of weak magnetic moments is an essential capability in many areas of nanoscale science and technology, including nanomagnetism, quantum readout of spins and nanoscale magnetic resonance imaging. Here we show that the write head of a commercial hard drive may enable significant advances in nanoscale spin detection. By approaching a sharp diamond tip to within 5 nm from a write pole and measuring the induced diamagnetic moment with a nanomechanical force transducer, we demonstrate a spin sensitivity of 0.032 μB Hz(-1/2), equivalent to 21 proton magnetic moments. The high sensitivity is enabled in part by the pole's strong magnetic gradient of up to 28 × 10(6) T m(-1) and in part by the absence of non-contact friction due to the extremely flat writer surface. In addition, we demonstrate quantitative imaging of the pole field with ∼10 nm spatial resolution. We foresee diverse applications for write heads in experimental condensed matter physics, especially in spintronics, ultrafast spin manipulation and mesoscopic physics.

Comparison of hybrid polyimide films with silica and organosilica obtained via sol–gel process

A series of polyimide/silica (PI–S) and polyimide/organosilica (PI–OS) hybrid films were prepared via a sol–gel process from mixtures of poly(amic acid) (PAA) and tetraethoxysilane or a silane coupling agent in solution. The PAA was synthesized from bis-(3-phthalyl anhydride) ether and 1,4-bis (4-aminophenoxy) benzene. The hybrid films were produced via an imidization reaction to form silica particles or a silica network in a polymer matrix through a programmed heating process. The derived films were characterized and compared by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, tensile testing, contact angle measurements, moisture absorption measurements, and dielectric property analysis. Both the PI–S and PI–OS hybrid matrixes showed strong regularity with the increasing silica content and greatly improved thermal stability and mechanical properties. Among them, the PI–OS hybrid films possessed superior interphase interactions and were found to have better physicochemical properties.

eEF-2 kinase is a critical regulator of Warburg effect through controlling PP2A-A synthesis

Cancer cells predominantly metabolize glucose by glycolysis to produce energy in order to meet their metabolic requirement, a phenomenon known as Warburg effect. Although Warburg effect is considered a peculiarity critical for survival and proliferation of cancer cells, the regulatory mechanisms behind this phenomenon remain incompletely understood. We report here that eukaryotic elongation factor-2 kinase (eEF-2K), a negative regulator of protein synthesis, has a critical role in promoting glycolysis in cancer cells. We showed that deficiency in eEF-2K significantly reduced the uptake of glucose and decreased the productions of lactate and adenosine triphosphate in tumor cells and in the Ras-transformed mouse embryonic fibroblasts. We further demonstrated that the promotive effect of eEF-2K on glycolysis resulted from the kinase-mediated restriction of synthesis of the protein phosphatase 2A-A (PP2A-A), a key factor that facilitates the ubiquitin-proteasomal degradation of c-Myc protein, as knockdown of eEF-2K expression led to a significant increase in PP2A-A protein synthesis and remarkable downregulation of c-Myc and pyruvate kinase M2 isoform, the key glycolytic enzyme transcriptionally activated by c-Myc. In addition, depletion of eEF-2K reduced the ability of the transformed cells to proliferate and enhanced the sensitivity of tumor cells to chemotherapy both in vitro and in vivo. These results, which uncover a role of the eEF-2K-mediated control of PP2A-A in tumor cell glycolysis, provide new insights into the regulation of the Warburg effect.

Effects of missense mutations in sortase A gene on enzyme activity in Streptococcus mutans

Background

Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) is the major aetiological agent of dental caries, and the transpeptidase Sortase A (SrtA) plays a major role in cariogenicity. The T168G and G470A missense mutations in the srtA gene may be linked to caries susceptibility, as demonstrated in our previous studies. This study aimed to investigate the effects of these missense mutations of the srtA gene on SrtA enzyme activity in S. mutans.

Methods

The point mutated recombinant S.mutans T168G and G470A sortases were expressed in expression plasmid pET32a. S. mutans UA159 sortase coding gene srtA was used as the template for point mutation. Enzymatic activity was assessed by quantifying increases in the fluorescence intensity generated when a substrate Dabcyl-QALPNTGEE-Edans was cleaved by SrtA. The kinetic constants were calculated based on the curve fit for the Michaelis-Menten equation.

Results

SrtA_{△N40(UA159)} and the mutant enzymes, SrtA_△N40(D56E) and SrtA_{△N40(R157H)}, were expressed and purified. A kinetic analysis showed that the affinity of SrtA_△N40(D56E) and SrtA_{△N40(R157H)} remained approximately equal to the affinity of SrtA_{△N40(UA159)}, as determined by the Michaelis constant (K_m). However, the catalytic rate constant (k_cat) and catalytic efficiency (k_cat/K_m) of SrtA_△N40(D56E) were reduced compared with those of SrtA_{△N40(R157H)} and SrtA_{△N40(UA159)}, whereas the k_cat and k_cat/K_m values of SrtA_{△N40(R157H)} were slightly lower than those of SrtA_{△N40(UA159)}.

Conclusions

The findings of this study indicate that the T168G missense mutation of the srtA gene results in a significant reduction in enzymatic activity compared with S. mutans UA159, suggesting that the T168G missense mutation of the srtA gene may be related to low cariogenicity.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12903-016-0204-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Interspecific Y chromosome variation is sufficient to rescue hybrid male sterility and is influenced by the grandparental origin of the chromosomes

Y chromosomes display population variation within and between species. Co-evolution within populations is expected to produce adaptive interactions between Y chromosomes and the rest of the genome. One consequence is that Y chromosomes from disparate populations could disrupt harmonious interactions between co-evolved genetic elements and result in reduced male fertility, sterility or inviability. Here we address the contribution of 'heterospecific Y chromosomes' to fertility in hybrid males carrying a homozygous region of Drosophila mauritiana introgressed in the Drosophila simulans background. In order to detect Y chromosome-autosome interactions, which may go unnoticed in a single-species background of autosomes, we constructed hybrid genotypes involving three sister species: Drosophila simulans, D. mauritiana, and D. sechellia. These engineered strains varied due to: (i) species origin of the Y chromosome (D. simulans or D. sechellia); (ii) location of the introgressed D. mauritiana segment on the D. simulans third chromosome, and (iii) grandparental genomic background (three genotypes of D. simulans). We find complex interactions between the species origin of the Y chromosome, the identity of the D. mauritiana segment and the grandparental genetic background donating the chromosomes. Unexpectedly, the interaction of the Y chromosome and one segment of D. mauritiana drastically reduced fertility in the presence of Ysim, whereas the fertility is partially rescued by the Y chromosome of D. sechellia when it descends from a specific grandparental genotype. The restoration of fertility occurs in spite of an autosomal and X-linked genome that is mostly of D. simulans origin. These results illustrate the multifactorial basis of genetic interactions involving the Y chromosome. Our study supports the hypothesis that the Y chromosome can contribute significantly to the evolution of reproductive isolation and highlights the conditional manifestation of infertility in specific genotypic combinations.

Spectral control of high-harmonic generation via drive laser pulse shaping in a wide-diameter capillary

We experimentally investigate spectral control of high-harmonic generation in a wide-diameter (508 μm) capillary that allows using significantly lower gas pressures coupled with elevated drive laser energies to achieve higher harmonic energies. Using phase shaping to change the linear chirp of the drive laser pulses, we observe wavelength tuning of the high-harmonic output to both larger and smaller values. Comparing tuning via the gas pressure with the amount of blue shift in the transmitted drive laser spectrum, we conclude that both adiabatic and non-adiabatic effects cause pulse-shaping induced tuning of high harmonics. We obtain a fractional wavelength tuning, Δλ/λ, in the range from -0.007 to + 0.01, which is comparable to what is achieved with standard capillaries of smaller diameter and higher pressures.

Crystal structure, luminescence properties and energy transfer of Eu3+/Dy3+ doped GdNbTiO6 broad band excited phosphors

GdNbTiO₆ has been used as a broad band excited host material absorbing UV radiation, and the excitation energy is transferred from the O²⁻ → Nb⁵⁺(Ti⁴⁺) charge transfer band to the excited states of Eu³⁺/Dy³⁺ ions, presenting different emission colors.

Single-Crystal Diamond Nanowire Tips for Ultrasensitive Force Microscopy

We report the fabrication, integration, and assessment of sharp diamond tips for ultrasensitive force microscopy experiments. Two types of tips, corresponding to the upper and lower halves of a diamond nanowire, were fabricated by top-down plasma etching from a single-crystalline substrate. The lower, surface-attached halves can be directly integrated into lithographically defined nanostructures, like cantilevers. The upper, detachable halves result in diamond nanowires with a tunable diameter (50-500 nm) and lengths of a few microns. Tip radii were around 10 nm and tip apex angles around 15°. We demonstrate the integration of diamond nanowires for use as scanning tips onto ultrasensitive pendulum-style silicon cantilevers. We find the noncontact friction and frequency jitter to be exceptionally low, with no degradation in the intrinsic mechanical quality factor (Q ≈ 130,000) down to tip-to-surface distances of about 10 nm. Our results are an encouraging step toward further improvement of the sensitivity and resolution of force-detected magnetic resonance imaging.

Permanent reduction of dissipation in nanomechanical Si resonators by chemical surface protection

We report on mechanical dissipation measurements carried out on thin (∼100 nm), single-crystal silicon cantilevers with varying chemical surface termination. We find that the 1-2 nm-thick native oxide layer of silicon contributes about 85% to the friction of the mechanical resonance. We show that the mechanical friction is proportional to the thickness of the oxide layer and that it crucially depends on oxide formation conditions. We further demonstrate that chemical surface protection by nitridation, liquid-phase hydrosilylation, or gas-phase hydrosilylation can inhibit rapid oxide formation in air and results in a permanent improvement of the mechanical quality factor between three- and five-fold. This improvement extends to cryogenic temperatures. Presented recipes can be directly integrated with standard cleanroom processes and may be especially beneficial for ultrasensitive nanomechanical force- and mass sensors, including silicon cantilevers, membranes, or nanowires.

Single-shot fluctuations in waveguided high-harmonic generation

For exploring the application potential of coherent soft x-ray (SXR) and extreme ultraviolet radiation (XUV) provided by high-harmonic generation, it is important to characterize the central output parameters. Of specific importance are pulse-to-pulse (shot-to-shot) fluctuations of the high-harmonic output energy, fluctuations of the direction of the emission (pointing instabilities), and fluctuations of the beam divergence and shape that reduce the spatial coherence. We present the first single-shot measurements of waveguided high-harmonic generation in a waveguided (capillary-based) geometry. Using a capillary waveguide filled with Argon gas as the nonlinear medium, we provide the first characterization of shot-to-shot fluctuations of the pulse energy, of the divergence and of the beam pointing. We record the strength of these fluctuations vs. two basic input parameters, which are the drive laser pulse energy and the gas pressure in the capillary waveguide. In correlation measurements between single-shot drive laser beam profiles and single-shot high-harmonic beam profiles we prove the absence of drive laser beam-pointing-induced fluctuations in the high-harmonic output. We attribute the main source of high-harmonic fluctuations to ionization-induced nonlinear mode mixing during propagation of the drive laser pulse inside the capillary waveguide.

Long-term efficacy of a rural community-based integrated intervention for prevention and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a cluster randomized controlled trial in China's rural areas

This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a rural community-based integrated intervention for early prevention and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in China. This 18-year cluster-randomized controlled trial encompassing 15 villages included 1008 patients (454 men and 40 women in the intervention group [mean age, 54 ± 10 years]; 482 men and 32 women in the control group [mean age, 53 ± 10 years]) with confirmed COPD or at risk for COPD. Villages were randomly assigned to the intervention or the control group, and study participants residing within the villages received treatment accordingly. Intervention group patients took part in a program that included systematic health education, smoking cessation counseling, and education on management of COPD. Control group patients received usual care. The groups were compared after 18 years regarding the incidence of COPD, decline in lung function, and mortality of COPD. COPD incidence was lower in the intervention group than in the control group (10% vs 16%, <0.05). A decline in lung function was also significantly delayed in the intervention group compared to the control group of COPD and high-risk patients. The intervention group showed significant improvement in smoking cessation compared with the control group, and smokers in the intervention group had lower smoking indices than in the control group (350 vs 450, <0.05). The intervention group also had a significantly lower cumulative COPD-related death rate than the control group (37% vs 47%, <0.05). A rural community-based integrated intervention is effective in reducing the incidence of COPD among those at risk, delaying a decline in lung function in COPD patients and those at risk, and reducing mortality of COPD.

CXCL12/CXCR4 signal involved in the regulation of trophoblasts on peripheral NK cells leading to Th2 bias at the maternal-fetal interface

OBJECTIVE

In the early pregnancy, large number of decidual natural killer (dNK) cells are present in decidua, which exhibit distinctive phenotype and functions from peripheral blood NK cells (pNK)1. Unlike the cytotoxic pNK cells, dNK cells display more pronounced characteristics of immune tolerance, which contribute the Th2 bias at the maternal-fetal interface and ensure successful pregnancy2. However, the origin and the differentiation program of dNK still remain unknown.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Our previous study has demonstrated that the CXCL12/CXCR4 signal axis is involved in the shaping of Th2 bias at the maternal-fetal interface3,4.

RESULTS

In this study, we demonstrated the first-trimester human trophoblast cells secrete chemokine CXCL12 that can recruit pNK cells to the decidua. We've also found that the pNK cells differentiate locally under the influence of trophablast cells. After co-culture with trophoblast cells, pNK cells could acquire dNK characteristics phenotypically while compared to the dNK cells; however, the blocking of CXCL12/CXCR4 signal of pNK cells has abrogated the modulation of trophoblast cells on the pNK cells. We've also found that JNK1/2/MAPK and ERK/MAPK signal pathways were required for the modulation of trophoblast cells on the pNK cells. MAPK signal pathway is involved in the functional modulation of human first-trimester trophoblast cells and decidual stromal cells on pNK and dNK cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study has elucidated that CXCL12/CXCR4 can recruit pNK cells to the decidua, then positively modulate pNK cells differentiation into the dNK cells, which thus results in Th2 bias and maternal-fetal immune tolerance.

Phase I trial of everolimus in combination with thoracic radiotherapy in non-small-cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

This phase I study evaluated the safety and efficacy of the oral mTOR inhibitor everolimus in combination with thoracic radiotherapy followed by consolidation chemotherapy in locally advanced or oligometastatic untreated non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Everolimus dose was escalated in incremental steps [sequential cohorts of three patients until the occurrence of dose-limiting toxicity (DLT)] and administered orally weekly (weekly group: dose of 10, 20 or 50 mg) or daily (daily group: 2.5, 5 or 10 mg), 1 week before, and during radiotherapy until 3.5 weeks after the end of radiotherapy. Two cycles of chemotherapy (cisplatin-navelbine) were administrated 4.5 weeks after the end of radiotherapy.

RESULTS

Twenty-six patients were included in two centers, 56% had adenocarcinoma and 84% had stage III disease. In the weekly group (12 assessable patients), everolimus could be administered safely up to the maximum planned weekly dose of 50 mg; however, one patient experienced a DLT of interstitial pneumonitis at the weekly dose level of 20 mg. In the daily group (9 assessable patients): one DLT of interstitial pneumonitis with a fatal outcome was observed at the daily dose level of 2.5 mg; two other DLTs (one grade 3 esophagitis and one bilateral interstitial pneumonitis) were found at the daily dose level of 5 mg. Overall there were five patients with G3-4 interstitial pneumonitis related to treatment. Among 22 assessable patients for response, there were 9 (41%) partial response and 7 (32%) stable disease. At a median follow-up of 29 months, the 2-year overall survival and progression-free survival actuarial rates were 31% and 12%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

In previously untreated and unselected NSCLC patients, the recommended phase II dose of everolimus in combination with thoracic radiotherapy is 50 mg/week. Pulmonary toxicity is of concern and should be carefully monitored to establish the potential role of mTOR inhibitor with concomitant radiotherapy.

EUDRACT N

2007-001698-27.

Repression of Hox genes by LMP1 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and modulation of glycolytic pathway genes by HoxC8

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) causes human lymphoid malignancies, and the EBV product latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) has been identified as an oncogene in epithelial carcinomas such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). EBV can epigenetically reprogram lymphocyte specific processes and induce cell immortalization. However, the interplay between LMP1 and the NPC host cell remains largely unknown. Here, we report that LMP1 is important to establish the Hox gene expression signature in NPC cell lines and tumor biopsies. LMP1 induces repression of several Hox genes in part via stalling of RNA Pol II. Pol II stalling can be overcome by irradiation involving the epigenetic regulator TET3. Furthermore, we report that HoxC8, one of the genes silenced by LMP1, plays a role in tumor growth. Ectopic expression of HoxC8 inhibits NPC cell growth in vitro and in vivo, modulates glycolysis and regulates the expression of TCA-cycle related genes. We propose that viral latency products may repress via stalling key mediators that in turn modulate glycolysis.

All-trans retinoic acid induces cell-cycle arrest in human cutaneous squamous carcinoma cells by inhibiting the mitogen-activated protein kinase-activated protein 1 pathway

BACKGROUND

All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) has been tried for the treatment and prevention of a number of epithelial cancers. However, the precise mechanism by which ATRA inhibits the growth of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) remains elusive.

AIMS

To determine the suppressive effects of ATRA on the human cSCC cell line SCL-1, and explore the possible mechanisms involved.

METHODS

SCL-1 cells were treated with ATRA, then cell proliferation was measured by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, while apoptosis and cell cycle progression were analysed by flow cytometry. Protein levels of cell-cycle regulatory proteins and the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and Jun kinase (JNK) were detected by western blotting analysis. Transcriptional activity of activator protein (AP)-1 was examined by luciferase reporter assay.

RESULTS

ATRA inhibited the proliferation of SCL-1 cells and had modest proapoptotic effects. ATRA also induced G1 cell-cycle arrest, inhibited the expression of cyclin D1/cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)4 and cyclinE/CDK2, and increased the expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p21 and p27. In addition, ATRA significantly decreased the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and JNK1/2, and inhibited AP-1 transcriptional activity.

CONCLUSIONS

ATRA induces cell-cycle arrest in human cSCC cells by inhibiting the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-AP1 pathway, and could be effective in the prevention and chemotherapy of human cSCC.

Suppression of peripheral myelin protein 22 (PMP22) expression by miR29 inhibits the progression of lung cancer

PMP22 is recently recognized as a key player in a variety of prevalent cancers. In this study, we sought to explore the correlation of peripheral myelin protein 22 (PMP22) expression with cell proliferation, invasion and apoptosis in lung cancer cell line. miR29 was transfected into Anip973 lung adenocarcinoma cell line to interfere the expression of PMP22 using Lipofectamine ® 2000 reagent. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot were performed to determine the expression level of PMP22 at mRNA and protein level. Then MTT, Matrigel transwell assay and flow cytometry were respectively used to explore the proliferation, invasion and apoptosis in Anip973 lung adenocarcinoma cell line in vitro. miR29 could significantly down-regulate the expression level of PMP22 in Anip973 cells not only at mRNA level but also at protein level. Moreover, the proliferation rate, invasive cell number and apoptosis rate of Anip973 cells in miR29 transfected group significantly decreased compared with blank group, while no significant difference existed between control group and blank group. Our study found that suppression of PMP22 expression could inhibit cell proliferation, invasion and apoptosis in lung cancer cells. All these findings suggest that PMP22 may be involved in progression of lung cancer and could be a new therapeutic target for this disease.

Note: A novel normalization scheme for laser-based plasma x-ray sources

A kHz repetition rate laser pump-X-ray probe system for ultrafast X-ray diffraction is set up based on a laser-driven plasma X-ray source. A simple and reliable normalization approach has been developed to minimize the impact of large X-ray pulse intensity fluctuation on data quality. It utilizes one single X-ray area detector to record both sample and reference signals simultaneously. Performance of this novel normalization method is demonstrated in reflectivity oscillation measurement of a superlattice sample at sub-ps resolution.