Evaluation of EGFR protein expression by immunohistochemistry using H-score and the magnification rule: re-analysis of the SATURN study

Pathological changes in the spleen of mice subjected to different time courses of restraint stress

The objective of this study was to investigate spleen pathology and immune cell subset alterations in mice exposed to acute and chronic restraint stress over various timeframes. A deeper understanding of stress-induced spleen injuries can provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying stress-induced disorders. C57BL/6N mice were restrained for different durations (1, 3, 7, 14 and 21 days) for 6-8 h daily. The control mice were observed at the same time points. Post restraint, behavioural experiments were conducted to assess spleen weight, gross morphology and microscopic histological changes. Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect changes in glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression, immune cell subsets and cell proliferation in response to stress. Our analysis revealed significant behavioural abnormalities in the stressed mice. In particular, there was an increase in the nuclear expression of GR beginning on Day 3, and it peaked on Day 14. The spleens of stressed mice displayed a reduction in size, disordered internal tissue structure and reduced cell proliferation. NK cells and M2-type macrophages exhibited immune cell subset alterations under stress, whereas T or B cells remained unaltered. Restraint stress can lead to pathomorphological alterations in spleen morphology, cell proliferation and immune cell counts in mice. These findings suggest that stress-induced pathological changes can disrupt immune regulation during stress.

Clinicopathological and immunohistochemical characteristics of bullous pilomatricoma: a retrospective, single-center study, and comparison with ordinary pilomatricoma

BACKGROUND

Bullous pilomatricoma is a rare variant of pilomatricoma. As it has been published in sporadic case reports, a limited understanding of its clinicopathological characteristics restricts its effective diagnosis and treatment.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to analyze the clinicopathological and immunohistochemical characteristics of bullous pilomatricoma to better understand the bullous transformation of pilomatricoma.

METHODS

The authors conducted a retrospective study of 12 patients with bullous pilomatricoma and compared their clinical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical data with those of patients with ordinary pilomatricoma.

RESULTS

Bullous pilomatricoma showed no sex preference, with a mean onset age of 31.2 years. The common sites were the upper extremities and trunk. Bullous pilomatricoma had a shorter disease duration, a larger diameter, and a greater tendency to increase in size than those of ordinary pilomatricoma. Histopathologically, bullous pilomatricoma had a shorter duration, lesser calcification, more mitotic figures, and distinct dermal features from those of ordinary pilomatricoma. Immunohistochemically, the expression of Matrix Metalloprotease (MMP)-2, MMP-9, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3 (VEGFR-3), and VEGF-C was elevated.

STUDY LIMITATIONS

The study was retrospective, and the sample size was small.

CONCLUSION

The distinctive features of bullous pilomatricoma potentially result from dermal changes associated with the release of angiogenic factors and proteolytic enzymes. This comprehensive analysis provides novel insights into the clinical features and pathogenesis of bullous pilomatricoma.

Upregulation of the histone γ-H2AX correlates with worse patient survival and basal-like subtype in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

PURPOSE

Patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) have yet to experience significant benefits from targeted therapy. Olaparib is currently the only active substance in BRCA-mutated PDACs that successfully influences the DNA repair of carcinoma cells. H2AX belongs to the histone family and is known as a part of the DNA repair system. The inhibition of γ-H2AX could lead to the inhibition of mitotically active tumor cells. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the predictive value of the γ-H2AX in patients with PDAC.

METHODS

All included patients (n = 311) received a pancreatic resection with curative intention in one of our PANCALYZE study centers. Subsequently, they were enrolled in a standardized follow-up protocol. Immunohistochemical stainings for γ-H2AX were conducted on tissue microarrays.

RESULTS

Patients exhibiting high levels of γ-H2AX expression experience more frequent R1 resections, indicating advanced tumor stages in this subgroup. Additionally, patients with high γ-H2AX expression demonstrated significantly poorer survival compared to those with low expression (median OS: 15 vs. 25 months, p < 0.001). In multivariate analyses, high γ-H2AX expression could be identified as an independent risk factor for worse patient survival. Moreover, high γ-H2AX expression could be more frequently observed in the more aggressive basal-like subtype.

CONCLUSION

γ-H2AX can be characterized as a predictive biomarker for poorer patient survival. Consequently, upcoming clinical trials focused on the efficacy of targeted therapies influencing the DNA repair system and radiotherapy should evaluate γ-H2AX as a potential biomarker for therapy response. Furthermore, γ-H2AX may serve as a viable target for treatment in the future.

Design, Preclinical Evaluation, and Clinical Translation of 68Ga-FAPI-LM3, a Heterobivalent Molecule for PET Imaging of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Extensive research has been conducted on radiolabeled fibroblast activation protein (FAP) inhibitors (FAPIs) and p-Cl-Phe-cyclo(d-Cys-Tyr-d-4-amino-Phe(carbamoyl)-Lys-Thr-Cys)d-Tyr-NH2 (LM3) peptides for imaging of FAP and somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2)-positive tumors. In this study, we designed and synthesized a FAPI-LM3 heterobivalent molecule radiolabeled with 68Ga and evaluated its effectiveness in both tumor xenografts and patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods: The synthesis of FAPI-LM3 was based on the structures of FAPI-46 and LM3. After radiolabeling with 68Ga, its dual-receptor-binding affinity was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Preclinical studies, including small-animal PET and biodistribution evaluation, were conducted on HT-1080-FAP and HT-1080-SSTR2 tumor xenografts. The feasibility of 68Ga-FAPI-LM3 PET/CT in a clinical setting was evaluated in patients with NPC, and the results were compared with those of 18F-FDG. Results: 68Ga-FAPI-LM3 showed high affinity for both FAP and SSTR2. The tumor uptake of 68Ga-FAPI-LM3 was significantly higher than that of 68Ga-FAPI-46 and 68Ga-DOTA-LM3 in HT-1080-FAP-plus-HT-1080-SSTR2 tumor xenografts. In a clinical study involving 6 NPC patients, 68Ga-FAPI-LM3 PET/CT showed significantly higher uptake than did 18F-FDG in primary and metastatic lesions, leading to enhanced lesion detectability and tumor delineation. Conclusion: 68Ga-FAPI-LM3 exhibited FAPI and SSTR2 dual-receptor-targeting properties both in vitro and in vivo, resulting in improved tumor uptake and retention compared with that observed with monomeric 68Ga-FAPI and 68Ga-DOTA-LM3. This study highlights the clinical feasibility of 68Ga-FAPI-LM3 PET/CT for NPC imaging.

Expression of EGFR, PD-L1, and the mismatch repair proteins before and following therapy in malignant serous effusions with metastatic high-grade serous tubo-ovarian carcinoma

AIM

To compare the immunochemical expression of EGFR, PD-L1, and the mismatch repair (MMR) proteins MLH1, PMS2, MSH2, and MSH6 between matched malignant effusions obtained before and following the administration of chemotherapy in patients with high-grade serous tubo-ovarian carcinoma (HGSC).

METHODS

In the enrolled HGSCs, matched formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded cell blocks (CBs) from effusions sampled before (treatment-naïve patients) and during recurrence (following chemotherapy administration), in addition to their matched HGSC tissues obtained from the ovaries at initial diagnosis (treatment-naïve patients), were subjected to EGFR, PD-L1, and MMR immunochemical analysis.

RESULTS

EGFR was more often overexpressed in effusions obtained after chemotherapy administration compared to both effusions (100% vs. 57.1%) and their matched tubo-ovarian tumors (100% vs. 7.1%) from treatment-naïve patients, respectively. EGFR immunochemistry was concordant in just 9.1% of the effusions sampled during recurrence and their paired ovarian samples before recurrence. Whereas all HGSC treatment-naïve samples (ovarian lesions and effusions) were PD-L1 negative, 3/11 (27.3%) malignant effusions obtained during recurrence showed PD-L1 overexpression. Lastly, none of the tested HGSC samples exhibited MMR deficiency.

CONCLUSION

Measuring biomarkers using CBs from malignant effusions may provide clinicians with significant information related to HGSC prognosis and therapy selection, especially in patients with resistance to chemotherapy.

CP-673451, a Selective Platelet-Derived Growth Factor Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor, Induces Apoptosis in Opisthorchis viverrini-Associated Cholangiocarcinoma via Nrf2 Suppression and Enhanced ROS

Platelet-derived growth factors (PDGFs) and PDGF receptors (PDGFRs) play essential roles in promoting cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) cell survival by mediating paracrine crosstalk between tumor and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), indicating the potential of PDGFR as a target for CCA treatment. Clinical trials evaluating PDGFR inhibitors for CCA treatment have shown limited efficacy. Furthermore, little is known about the role of PDGF/PDGFR expression and the mechanism underlying PDGFR inhibitors in CCA related to Opisthorchis viverrini (OV). Therefore, we examined the effect of PDGFR inhibitors in OV-related CCA cells and investigated the molecular mechanism involved. We found that the PDGF and PDGFR mRNAs were overexpressed in CCA tissues compared to resection margins. Notably, PDGFR-α showed high expression in CCA cells, while PDGFR-β was predominantly expressed in CAFs. The selective inhibitor CP-673451 induced CCA cell death by suppressing the PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 pathway, leading to a decreased expression of Nrf2-targeted antioxidant genes. Consequently, this led to an increase in ROS levels and the promotion of CCA apoptosis. CP-673451 is a promising PDGFR-targeted drug for CCA and supports the further clinical investigation of CP-673451 for CCA treatment, particularly in the context of OV-related cases.

Amivantamab plus lazertinib in osimertinib-relapsed EGFR-mutant advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a phase 1 trial

Patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) often develop resistance to current standard third-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs); no targeted treatments are approved in the osimertinib-relapsed setting. In this open-label, dose-escalation and dose-expansion phase 1 trial, the potential for improved anti-tumor activity by combining amivantamab, an EGFR-MET bispecific antibody, with lazertinib, a third-generation EGFR TKI, was evaluated in patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC whose disease progressed on third-generation TKI monotherapy but were chemotherapy naive (CHRYSALIS cohort E). In the dose-escalation phase, the recommended phase 2 combination dose was established; in the dose-expansion phase, the primary endpoints were safety and overall response rate, and key secondary endpoints included progression-free survival and overall survival. The safety profile of amivantamab and lazertinib was generally consistent with previous experience of each agent alone, with 4% experiencing grade ≥3 events; no new safety signals were identified. In an exploratory cohort of 45 patients who were enrolled without biomarker selection, the primary endpoint of investigator-assessed overall response rate was 36% (95% confidence interval, 22-51). The median duration of response was 9.6 months, and the median progression-free survival was 4.9 months. Next-generation sequencing and immunohistochemistry analyses identified high EGFR and/or MET expression as potential predictive biomarkers of response, which will need to be validated with prospective assessment. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02609776 .

Interleukin 6 (IL-6) Regulates GABAA Receptors in the Dorsomedial Hypothalamus Nucleus (DMH) through Activation of the JAK/STAT Pathway to Affect Heart Rate Variability in Stressed Rats

The dorsomedial hypothalamus nucleus (DMH) is an important component of the autonomic nervous system and plays a critical role in regulating the sympathetic outputs of the heart. Stress alters the neuronal activity of the DMH, affecting sympathetic outputs and triggering heart rate variability. However, the specific molecular mechanisms behind stress leading to abnormal DMH neuronal activity have still not been fully elucidated. Therefore, in the present study, we successfully constructed a stressed rat model and used it to investigate the potential molecular mechanisms by which IL-6 regulates GABAA receptors in the DMH through activation of the JAK/STAT pathway and thus affects heart rate variability in rats. By detecting the c-Fos expression of neurons in the DMH and electrocardiogram (ECG) changes in rats, we clarified the relationship between abnormal DMH neuronal activity and heart rate variability in stressed rats. Then, using ELISA, immunohistochemical staining, Western blotting, RT-qPCR, and RNAscope, we further explored the correlation between the IL-6/JAK/STAT signaling pathway and GABAA receptors. The data showed that an increase in IL-6 induced by stress inhibited GABAA receptors in DMH neurons by activating the JAK/STAT signaling pathway, while specific inhibition of the JAK/STAT signaling pathway using AG490 obviously reduced DMH neuronal activity and improved heart rate variability in rats. These findings suggest that IL-6 regulates the expression of GABAA receptors via the activation of the JAK/STAT pathway in the DMH, which may be an important cause of heart rate variability in stressed rats.

Immunohistochemistry and oxygen saturation endoscopic imaging reveal hypoxia in submucosal invasive esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hypoxic microenvironment is prominent in advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, it is unclear whether ESCC becomes hypoxic when it remains in the mucosal layer or as it invades the submucosal layer. We aimed to investigate whether intramucosal (Tis-T1a) or submucosal invasive (T1b) ESCC becomes hypoxic using endoscopic submucosal dissection samples.

METHODS

We evaluated the expression of hypoxia markers including hypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α), carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX), and glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) by H-score and vessel density by microvessel count (MVC) and microvessel density (MVD) for CD31 and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) with immunohistochemical staining (n = 109). Further, we quantified oxygen saturation (StO2 ) with oxygen saturation endoscopic imaging (OXEI) (n = 16) and compared them to non-neoplasia controls, Tis-T1a, and T1b.

RESULTS

In Tis-T1a, cccIX (13.0 vs. 0.290, p < 0.001) and GLUT1 (199 vs. 37.6, p < 0.001) were significantly increased. Similarly, median MVC (22.7/mm2 vs. 14.2/mm2 , p < 0.001) and MVD (0.991% vs. 0.478%, p < 0.001) were markedly augmented. Additionally, in T1b, the mean expression of HIF-1α (16.0 vs. 4.95, p < 0.001), CAIX (15.7 vs. 0.290, p < 0.001), and GLUT1 (177 vs. 37.6, p < 0.001) were significantly heightened, and median MVC (24.8/mm2 vs. 14.2/mm2 , p < 0.001) and MVD (1.51% vs. 0.478%, p < 0.001) were markedly higher. Furthermore, OXEI revealed that median StO2 was significantly lower in T1b than in non-neoplasia (54% vs. 61.5%, p = 0.00131) and tended to be lower in T1b than in Tis-T1a (54% vs. 62%, p = 0.0606).

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that ESCC becomes hypoxic even at an early stage, and is especially prominent in T1b.

Identification of an Autophagy-Related Signature for Prognosis and Immunotherapy Response Prediction in Ovarian Cancer

BACKGROUND

Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the most malignant tumors in the female reproductive system, with a poor prognosis. Various responses to treatments including chemotherapy and immunotherapy are observed among patients due to their individual characteristics. Applicable prognostic markers could make it easier to refine risk stratification for OC patients. Autophagy is closely implicated in the occurrence and development of tumors, including OC. Whether autophagy -related genes can be used as prognostic markers for OC patients remains unclear.

METHODS

The gene transcriptome data of 374 OC patients were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The correlation between the autophagy levels and outcomes of OC patients was identified through the single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA). Recognized molecular markers of autophagy in different clinical specimens were detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay. The gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), ESTIMATE, and CIBERSORT analysis were applied to explore the correlation of autophagy with the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from seven OC patients were included for characterizing cell-cell interaction patterns of autophagy-high or low tumor cells. Machine learning, Stepwise Cox regression and LASSO-Cox analysis were used to screen autophagy hub genes, which were used to establish an autophagy-related signature for prognosis evaluation. Four tumor immunotherapy cohorts were obtained from the GEO (Gene Expression Omnibus) database and the literature for autophagy risk score validation.

RESULTS

The autophagy levels were closely related to the prognosis of the OC patients. Additionally, the autophagy levels were correlated with TIME status including immune score, and immune-cell infiltration. The scRNA-seq analysis found that tumor cells with high or low autophagy levels had different interactions with immune cells, especially macrophages. Eight autophagy-hub genes (ZFYVE1, AMBRA1, LAMP2, TRAF6, PDPK1, ATG2B, DAPK1 and TP53INP2) were screened for an autophagy-related signature. According to this signature, higher risk score was correlated with poor prognosis and better immunotherapy response in the OC patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The autophagy-related signature is applicable to predict the prognosis and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) therapy efficiency in OC patients. It is possible to identify OC patients who will respond to ICIs therapy and have a favorable prognosis, although more verification is needed.

PRMT6 functionally associates with PRMT5 to promote colorectal cancer progression through epigenetically repressing the expression of CDKN2B and CCNG1

BACKGROUND

Protein arginine methyltransferase 6 (PRMT6) is a type I arginine methyltransferase that asymmetrically dimethylates histone H3 arginine 2 (H3R2me2a). However, the biological roles and underlying molecular mechanisms of PRMT6 in colorectal cancer (CRC) remain unclear.

METHODS

PRMT6 expression in CRC tissue was examined using immunohistochemistry. The effect of PRMT6 on CRC cells was investigated in vitro and in vivo. Mass spectrometry, co-immunoprecipitation and GST pulldown assays were performed to identify interaction partners of PRMT6. RNA-seq, chromatin immunoprecipitation, Western blot and qRT-PCR assays were used to investigate the mechanism of PRMT6 in gene regulation.

RESULTS

PRMT6 is significantly upregulated in CRC tissues and facilitates cell proliferation of CRC cells in vitro and in vivo. Through RNA-seq analysis, CDKN2B (p15^INK4b) and CCNG1 were identified as new transcriptional targets of PRMT6. PRMT6-dependent H3R2me2a mark was predominantly deposited at the promoters of CDKN2B and CCNG1 in CRC cells. Furthermore, PRMT5 was firstly characterized as an interaction partner of PRMT6. Notably, H3R2me2a coincides with PRMT5-mediated H4R3me2s and H3R8me2s marks at the promoters of CDKN2B and CCNG1 genes, thus leading to transcriptional repression of these genes.

CONCLUSIONS

PRMT6 functionally associates with PRMT5 to promote CRC progression through epigenetically repressing the expression of CDKN2B and CCNG1. These insights raise the possibility that combinational intervention of PRMT6 and PRMT5 may be a promising strategy for CRC therapy.

Sustained activation of EGFR-ERK1/2 signaling limits the response to tigecycline-induced mitochondrial respiratory deficiency in liver cancer

BACKGROUND

Identification of tumor dependencies is important for developing therapeutic strategies for liver cancer.

METHODS

A genome-wide CRISPR screen was performed for finding critical vulnerabilities in liver cancer cells. Compounds screen, RNA sequencing, and human phospho-receptor tyrosine kinase arrays were applied to explore mechanisms and search for synergistic drugs.

FINDINGS

We identified mitochondrial translation-related genes associated with proliferation for liver cancer cells. Tigecycline induced deficiency of respiratory chain by disturbing mitochondrial translation process and showed therapeutic potential in liver cancer. For liver cancer cells extremely insensitive to tigecycline, a compounds screen was applied to identify MEK inhibitors as synergistic drugs to tigecycline-insensitive liver cancer cells. Mechanistically, sustained activation of EGFR-ERK1/2-MYC cascade conferred the insensitivity to tigecycline, which was mediated by enhanced secretion of EREG and AREG. Moreover, glycolytic enzymes, such as HK2 and PKM2 were upregulated to stimulate glycolysisin a MYC-dependent manner. Tigecycline induced respiratory chain deficiency in combination with cutting off EGFR-ERK1/2-MYC cascade by MEK inhibitors or EGFR inhibitors, resulting in decrease of both oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis in liver cancer cells.

INTERPRETATION

Our study proved that blocking EGFR-ERK1/2-MYC cascade combined with tigecycline could be a potential therapeutic strategy for liver cancer.

FUNDING

This work was funded by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82073039,82222047, 81920108025), Program of Shanghai Academic/Technology Research Leader (22XD1423100), Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Project (20JC1411100), 111 Project (B21024), Innovative Research Team of High-level Local Universities in Shanghai (SHSMU-ZDCX20212700, SHSMU-ZDCX20210802) and Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (YG2019GD01).

Extra copy number of BCL2 is correlated with increased BCL-2 protein expression and poor survival in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with chemoimmunotherapy

The clinical significance of extra copy (EC) genotypes of BCL2, MYC, and BCL6 have not been fully elucidated. We evaluated the EC and translocation statuses of BCL2, MYC, and BCL6 in 190 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) cases using fluorescence in situ hybridization. EC genotype was sub-classified according to copy number-gained tumor cell ratio (EC1, >20% but ≤50%; EC2, >50%). Only the BCL2-EC groups, not MYC-EC or BCL6-EC groups, displayed significantly increased immunoreactivity of the corresponding protein. Moreover, the BCL2-EC2 group was significantly associated with poor overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in a 147 R-CHOP-treated patient subset, which was also statistically significant as per the multivariate survival analysis for PFS. No significant differences in the survival of MYC, BCL6, concurrent BCL2/MYC, BCL6/MYC, BCL2/BCL6, or triple EC groups were observed. BCL2-EC may contribute to increased BCL-2 protein expression and serve as a predictor of treatment outcomes in DLBCL.

Identification of macrophage correlated biomarkers to predict the prognosis in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Background

It has been shown that tumor-associated immune cells, particularly macrophages, play a fundamental role in the development and treatment response of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). However, little is known about macrophages at the single cellular level of ICC patients.

Methods

ScRNA-seq from Zhang et al. was used in the present study to identify the genes differentially expressed in ICCs. Furthermore, transcriptomic data from TCGA datasets, IHC and flowcytometry from our cohort were used to confirm the findings. Kaplan-Meier and TIDE scores were also used for prognostic analysis and ICB responses.

Results

A significant number of macrophages were found in ICCs as compared to adjacent tissues. We then extracted, processed, and classified the macrophages from the ICCs and adjacent tissues into 12 clusters. Significantly, the macrophages from the ICC exhibited an immunosuppressed state in terms of both signature gene expression and functional enrichment. Furthermore, our results indicate that, of the 10 selective tumor-promoting genes of macrophages, only MMP19 and SIRPα can predict ICB responses in ICCs. Although a higher expression of MMP19 and SIRPα predict a poor prognosis for ICCs without immunotherapy after surgery, patients with high SIRPα expression were more sensitive to immunotherapy, whereas those with high MMP19 expression were not sensitive to immunotherapy. To define the mechanisms, we found that SIRPα^hi ICCs exhibited an increased enrichment KEGG pathway of leukocyte transendothelial migration and neutrophil extracellular trap formation. The increased immune cell infiltration will increase sensitivity to immunotherapy.

Conclusion

Collectively, macrophages are critical to the immune status of ICCs, and MMP19 and SIRPα can predict prognosis and ICB responses for ICCs.

[68Ga]Ga-PSMA PET/MRI, histological PSMA expression and preliminary experience with [177Lu]Lu-PSMA therapy in relapsing high-grade glioma

Purpose

High-grade gliomas (HGG) are still associated with a dismal prognosis. Prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is discussed as a theranostic target for PSMA-directed radioligand therapy ([¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu-PSMA RLT). Here, we report on the correlation of [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-PSMA uptake with histological PSMA expression and on our preliminary experience with [¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu-PSMA RLT in relapsing HGG.

Methods

Patients with relapsing HGG underwent [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-PSMA PET/MRI to evaluate eligibility for an individualized treatment approach with [¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu-PSMA. Standard uptake values (SUV) for tumor and liver and respective tumor-to-background ratios (compared to the liver) (TBR) on [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-PSMA PET/MRI were assessed. Eligibility criteria for [¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu-PSMA therapy were exhaustion of all standard treatment options available and TBR_max>1.0. In 11 samples, immunohistochemical PSMA expression was determined, quantified using the H-score and correlated with uptake on [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-PSMA PET/MRI.

Results

We included 20 patients with a median age of 53 years (IQR 42-57). The median SUV on [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-PSMA PET/MRI was 4.5 (3.7-6.2) for SUV_max and 1.4 (1.1-1.7) for SUV_mean. The respective TBR was maximum 0.6 (0.4-0.8) and mean 0.3 (0.2-0.4). High TBR_max correlated with increased endothelial PSMA expression [H-score of 65 (62.5-77.5)]. Three patients (15%) presented a TBR_max>1.0 and qualified for [¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu-PSMA RLT. No treatment related toxicity was observed.

Conclusion

Only a minority of patients with relapsing HGG qualified for [¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu-PSMA RLT. Our data demonstrates that PSMA expression in the neo-vasculature corresponds to PSMA uptake on [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-PSMA PET/MRI and might be used as a screening tool for patient selection. Future prospective studies need to focus the debate on TBR_max thresholds as inclusion criteria for PSMA RLT.

Elevated FOXA1 Expression Indicates Poor Prognosis in Liver Cancer due to Its Effects on Cell Proliferation and Metastasis

Purpose

Studying the pathogenesis of liver cancer is conducive to the exploration of effective diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. In this study, we investigated the expression of FOXA1 and its oncogenic role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

Transcriptome data of HCC tissues were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and GEO databases and analyzed using R software. We also upregulated FOXA1 expression in HCC cells and investigated the role of FOXA1 in the proliferation and migration of HCC cells through proliferation, colony formation, wound healing, and Transwell assays.

Results

An analysis of the transcriptome data in TCGA database revealed found that FOXA1 is highly expressed in HCC tissues and that patients with low FOXA1 expression have a better prognosis. High FOXA1 expression was mainly associated with extracellular matrix organization, cancer, and mitosis. The results of an immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay showed that FOXA1 protein was highly expressed in HCC tissues, and patients with low FOXA1 expression showed longer disease-specific survival times and progression-free intervals. The results from quantitative reverse transcription–PCR (RT–qPCR) and Western blot experiments showed that the expression of FOXA1 in liver cancer cell lines was higher than that in immortalized human liver cell lines. Proliferation, wound healing, and Transwell experiments showed that FOXA1 enhanced the proliferation and migration abilities of liver cancer and immortalized human cell lines.

Conclusion

Our research suggests that FOXA1 plays an important role in promoting the recurrence and metastasis of HCC by increasing cell proliferation and metastasis.

CircEZH2/miR-133b/IGF2BP2 aggravates colorectal cancer progression via enhancing the stability of m6A-modified CREB1 mRNA

BACKGROUND

Aberrant expression of circular RNAs (circRNAs) contributes to the initiation and progression of human malignancies, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely elusive.

METHODS

High-throughput sequencing was performed to screen aberrantly expressed circRNAs or miRNAs in colorectal cancer (CRC) and adjacent normal tissues. A series of gain- and loss-of-function studies were conducted to evaluate the biological behaviors of CRC cells. RNA pulldown, mass spectrometry, RIP, qRT-PCR, Western blot, luciferase reporter assays and MeRIP-seq analysis were further applied to dissect the detailed mechanisms.

RESULTS

Here, a novel circRNA named circEZH2 (hsa_circ_0006357) was screened out by RNA-seq in CRC tissues, whose expression is closely related to the clinicpathological characteristics and prognosis of CRC patients. Biologically, circEZH2 facilitates the proliferation and migration of CRC cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, circEZH2 interacts with m⁶A reader IGF2BP2 and blocks its ubiquitination-dependent degradation. Meanwhile, circEZH2 could serve as a sponge of miR-133b, resulting in the upregulation of IGF2BP2. Particularly, circEZH2/IGF2BP2 enhances the stability of CREB1 mRNA, thus aggravating CRC progression.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings not only reveal the pivotal roles of circEZH2 in modulating CRC progression, but also advocate for attenuating circEZH2/miR-133b/IGF2BP2/ CREB1 regulatory axis to combat CRC.

G9a inhibition by CM-272: Developing a novel anti-tumoral strategy for castration-resistant prostate cancer using 2D and 3D in vitro models

Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is an incurable form of prostate cancer (PCa), with DNMT1 and G9a being reported as overexpressed, rendering them highly attractive targets for precision medicine. CM-272 is a dual inhibitor of both methyltransferases' activity. Herein, we assessed the response of different PCa cell lines to CM-272, in both 2D and 3D models, and explored the molecular mechanisms underlying CM-272 inhibitory effects. CRPC tissues displayed significantly higher DNMT1, G9a and H3K9me2 expression than localized PCa. In vitro, CM-272 caused a significant decrease in PCa cell viability and proliferation alongside with increased apoptotic levels. We disclose that, under the evaluated dose, CM-272 led to G9a activity inhibition, while not significantly affecting DNMT1 activity. Upon G9a knockdown, DU145 and PC3 showed decreased cell viability. Remarkably, DU145 cells treated with CM-272 or with G9a knockdown displayed no differences in viability, suggesting a SET-dependent mechanism. Contrarily, PC3 cell viability impact was higher in G9a knockdown, compared with CM-272 treatment, suggesting an additional G9a function. Moreover, DU145 cells overexpressing catalytically functional G9a disclosed higher resistance to CM-272 treatment, reinforcing that the drug mechanism of action is dependent on G9a catalytic function. Importantly, we successfully assembled spheroids from several prostate cell lines. Our results showed that CM-272 retained its anti-tumoral effects in 3D PCa models, leading to a clear reduction in cancer cell survival. We concluded that inhibition of G9a methyltransferase activity by CM-272 has anti-tumor effect in PCa cells, holding therapeutic potential against CRPC.

Abnormal ECA-Binding Membrane Glycans and Galactosylated CAT and P4HB in Lesion Tissues as Potential Biomarkers for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Diagnosis

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common types of cancer. Despite decades of research efforts, the search for novel biomarkers is still urgently needed for the diagnosis of HCC and the improvement of clinical outcomes. Previous studies of HCC clinical biomarkers have usually focused on serum and urine samples (e.g., serum Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). However, cellular membrane proteins in lesion tissues are less used in HCC diagnosis. The abnormal expression of membrane glycoproteins in tumor lesions are considered as potential targets for tumor diagnosis and tumor therapies. Here, a lectin array has been employed to screen and identify abnormal glycopatterns and cellular membrane glycans in HCC lesion tissues compared with adjacent non-tumor tissues. We found that there was significantly less expression of Erythrina cristagalli (ECA) lectin binding (Galβ1-3/β1-4) glycans on the cellular membrane of HCC lesion tissues compared with those of adjacent non-tumor tissues. Immunohistochemistry analysis further showed that ECA-binding ability on the membrane proteins of HCC tissues progressively decreased in different tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stages (stage I to stage III) as the malignancy of liver cancer increased. Receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis showed ECA-binding ability yielding a sensitivity of 85% and specificity of 75%, and a combination of ECA and AFP has better clinical diagnostic efficiency, yielding a sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 85%, than ECA or AFP assay alone. ECA pull-down followed by mass spectrometry further showed that there was significantly less expression of ECA binding membrane catalase (CAT) and prolyl 4-hydroxylase beta polypeptide (P4HB) in HCC tissues compared with the adjacent non-tumor tissues. The abnormally increased expression of total CAT and P4HB and decreased expression of galactosylated membrane CAT and P4HB in HCC cell lines were correlated with an HCC metastasis status. Our findings suggest that abnormal declined ECA-binding galatosylated membrane glycans and two galactosylated-CAT and P4HB glycoproteins in lesion tissues are potential biomarkers in the diagnosis and/or metastasis prediction for HCC.

CDK6 Immunophenotype Implicates Potential Therapeutic Application of CDK4/6 Inhibitors in Urothelial Carcinoma

Background

Infiltrating bladder urothelial carcinoma is the most common bladder malignancy with limited therapeutic options and poor prognosis. Identifying new therapeutic targets or strategies has important clinical significance. The data from public sources indicate poor prognosis in urothelial carcinoma cases with high CDK6 mRNA levels. Furthermore, studies have shown that CDK6 expression is elevated in urothelial carcinoma tissue compared to the surrounding urothelium, thus presenting a case for performing CDK4/6 inhibitor targeted research in urothelial carcinoma. However, a phase II trial showed that CDK4/6 inhibitors are not effective for advanced urothelial carcinoma, suggesting that case screening is important for targeted therapy.

Objective

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is simple and easy to perform and can be used to screen urothelial carcinoma cases with high CDK6 expression in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to determine the CDK6 expression threshold for positive cases.

Methods

We evaluated the correlation between the H-score of CDK6 protein expression and survival or CDK6 mRNA level using RNA sequencing. The effects of different CDK4/6 inhibitors were tested on bladder carcinoma cell lines with different CDK6 expression levels.

Results

The H-score, which predicts poor prognosis and reflects a high CDK6 mRNA level, was determined as the selection criterion for positive cases. Furthermore, we found that urothelial carcinoma cell lines with higher CDK6 expression levels displayed greater sensitivity to CDK4/6 inhibitors than cells with lower expression levels.

Conclusions

IHC staining for CDK6 protein in urothelial carcinoma is proposed as a promising screening platform for CDK4/6 inhibitor targeted therapy.

Paradoxical development of pleural-based masses in patients with pleural tuberculosis during treatment: a clinical observational study in China

Background

To explored the clinical, pathological, and bacteriological characteristics of pleural-based masses occurred during anti-tuberculosis (TB) treatment in patients with pleural TB.

Methods

Patients referred with newly diagnosed pleural TB were prospectively enrolled into the study. Patients were followed up throughout the treatment, and clinical data were recorded. Percutaneous biopsy and surgical tissues from pleural-based masses were examined histologically and samples sent for PCR. Cytokines in the pleural effusions and clinical factors were collected and compared between different patients.

Results

A total of 122 patients with pleural TB were enrolled, and 34.4% (42/122) displayed newly observed pleural-based mass during the treatment. Twelve cases underwent surgical resection at the 12 ± 0.5 months during the treatment course. Based on the surgical observation, 58.3% (7 /12) were located in pleura, 41.7% (5/12) were located in the lung parenchyma. Pathological observations showed that the pleural-based masses were typed as granulomatous inflammation, fibrous hyperplasia and necrosis. Mycobacterium tuberculosis PCR was positive in 57.1% of the cases (24/42). Any first-line anti-TB drug resistance gene mutations were positive in only 9.5% (4/42). Aside from 12 cases who underwent the surgical operation, 86.7% of the patients (26/30) still had a pleural-based mass at the end of 12 months treatment course. Patients with a pleural-based mass were younger, had a thicker pleural, a higher proportion of pleural adhesive, loculated pleural effusion and residual pleural effusion, and a higher level of LDH, ADA and lower glucose in pleural effusion than those without a pleural-based mass occurrence during the treatment (all Pcorr < 0.05).

Conclusions

Pleural-based masses were observed in about one-third of patients with pleural TB. The masses were in the lung or pleura and were divided into three pathological types.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12890-022-01910-6.

Biomarkers expression among paired serous ovarian cancer primary lesions and their peritoneal cavity metastases in treatment-naïve patients: A single-center study

Background

High‐grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC), the most common histologic subtype of ovarian epithelial cancer, is associated with treatment resistance, enhanced recurrence rates, and poor prognosis. HGSOCs often metastasize to the peritoneal cavity, while fluid cytology examination could identify such metastases. This retrospective study aimed to identify potential biomarker discrepancies between paired HGSOC primary tissues and metastatic peritoneal fluid cytology samples, processed as cell blocks (CBs).

Methods

Twenty‐four pairs of formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded primary tissues and metastatic CBs from an equal number of treatment‐naïve patients were used, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), human epidermal growth factor receptor, programmed cell death‐1 ligand 1 (PD‐L1), and CD147 was applied.

Results

13/24 pairs showed discordant EGFR IHC results; in all these 13 patients, EGFR was positive (≥1+ membranous staining intensity found in at least 10% of the cancer cells) in the peritoneal, yet negative in the primary tissue samples. Notably, EGFR IHC was positive in 15/24 of the metastatic, whereas in just 2/24 of the primary HGSOC samples (p < 0.001). Although most PD‐L1 results were concordant, 5/24 and 6/24 pairs exhibited discordant results when stained with the E1L3N and 22C3 clones, respectively. Lastly, CD147 overexpression was found more often in the metastatic rather than the matched primary HGSOCs stained with CD147, though the difference was not significant.

Conclusions

Cytology from effusions could be considered for biomarker testing when present, even when tissue from the primary cancer is also available and adequately cellular, as it could provide additional information of potential clinical significance.

c-MET Receptor-Targeted Fluorescence on the Road to Image-Guided Surgery in Penile Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients

In penile squamous cell carcinoma (pSCC), primary surgery aims to obtain oncologically safe margins while minimizing mutilation. Surgical guidance provided by receptor-specific tracers could potentially improve margin detection and reduce unnecessary excision of healthy tissue. Here, we present the first results of a prospective feasibility study for real-time intraoperative visualization of pSCC using a fluorescent mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (c-MET) receptor targeting tracer (EMI-137). Methods: EMI-137 tracer performance was initially assessed ex vivo (n = 10) via incubation of freshly excised pSCC in a solution containing EMI-137 (500 nM). The in vivo potential of c-MET targeting and intraoperative tumor visualization was assessed after intravenous administration of EMI-137 to 5 pSCC patients scheduled for surgical resection using a cyanine-5 fluorescence camera. Fluorescence imaging results were related to standard pathologic tumor evaluation and c-MET immunohistochemistry. Three of the 5 in vivo patients also underwent a sentinel node resection after local administration of the hybrid tracer indocyanine green- 99mTc-nanocolloid, which could be imaged using a near-infrared fluorescence camera. Results: No tracer-related adverse events were encountered. Both ex vivo and in vivo, EMI-137 enabled c-MET-based tumor visualization in all patients. Histopathologic analyses showed that all pSCCs expressed c-MET, with expression levels of at least 70% in 14 of 15 patients. Moreover, the highest c-MET expression levels were seen on the outside rim of the tumors, and a visual correlation was found between c-MET expression and fluorescence signal intensity. No complications were encountered when combining primary tumor targeting with lymphatic mapping. As such, simultaneous use of cyanine-5 and indocyanine green in the same patient proved to be feasible. Conclusion: Fluorescence imaging of c-MET receptor- expressing pSCC tumors after intravenous injection of EMI-137 was shown to be feasible and can be combined with fluorescence-based lymphatic mapping. This combination is unique and paves the way toward further development of this surgical guidance approach.

Decoding the Role of DVL1 in Intracranial Meningioma

In the search for molecular candidates for targeted meningioma therapies, increasing attention has been paid to the role of signaling pathways in the development and progression of intracranial meningiomas. Although it is well known that the Wnt signaling pathway is involved in meningioma progression, the role of its central mediator, DVL1, is still unclear. In order to investigate the influence of DVL1 gene alterations on the progression of human intracranial meningioma, we focused on its central PDZ domain, which is responsible for DVL interaction with the Fzd receptor and the phosphorylation of DVL mediated through the casein kinases CK1 and CK2. A genetic analysis of genomic instability revealed the existence of microsatellite instability in 9.09% and the loss of heterozygosity in 6.06% of the samples. The sequencing of the PDZ gene region showed repetitive deletions of two bases located in intron 7 and exon 8, and a duplication in intron 8 in most samples, with different outcomes on the biological function of the DVL1 protein. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the nuclear expression of DVL1 was significantly correlated with a higher expression of active β-catenin (p = 0.029) and a higher meningioma grade (p = 0.030), which leads to the conclusion that it could be used as biomarker for meningioma progression and the activation of the Wnt signaling pathway.

Valosin-containing Protein in Psoriasis: A Clinical and Immunohistochemical Study

Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease, affects about 2% to 3% of the world population. Valosin-containing protein (VCP) is one of the newly discovered markers that is highly expressed in neoplasms and hyperproliferative lesions. This work aimed to study the role of VCP in psoriasis vulgaris by immunohistochemical study and correlate its expression with the available clinicopathologic data. This prospective case-control study was conducted on 25 patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 25 age-matched and sex-matched healthy individuals as a control group. Skin biopsies were taken under local anesthesia from cases and controls. VCP immunoreactivity showed that epidermal VCP expression had a significant stepwise increase (P=0.002) from control to lesional psoriatic sections. Epidermal VCP H-score was significantly associated with the progressive course (P=0.037). Similarly, VCP in the dermis showed a significant expression in lesional psoriatic skin (P≤0.001). Higher VCP in the dermis in cases with a history of joint affection (P<0.05) was detected. We concluded that VCP is a promising marker for follow-up and monitoring of psoriatic patients and may play a role as a therapeutic target.

Study of Programmed Death Ligand 1 and EGFR/HER2 Expression in Non-Small-Cell Lung Carcinoma With a Clinicopathological Spectrum

Non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is a disease characterized by the upregulation of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) along with alterations in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and HER2-neu (HER2) amplification in addition to EGFR mutation. In the present study, the expression of PD-L1 and EGFR and HER2-neu in NSCLC was studied and their expression in relation to various clinicopathological parameters was analysed. We studied 49 core biopsy specimens of NSCLC for PD-L1, EGFR and HER2-neu expressions using immunohistochemistry. Scoring was based on the intensity and percentage of tumour cells expressing the immunomarkers. PD-L1, EGFR and HER2-neu expression was seen in 20.4%, 32.7% and 14.2% of NSCLC, respectively. The analysis showed no significant difference in PD-L1 expression in relation to any clinicopathological parameters. Low or negative EGFR expression was significantly associated with positive lymph node status (P=0.04). HER2-neu expression showed a significant difference in relation to tumour histology (adenocarcinoma; P=0.01). Also, there was no difference noted with PD-L1 expression in relation to EGFR and HER2-neu expression. As our study has a small number of cases, the validation of the predictive and prognostic value of these markers in lung cancer patients requires further studies.

EGFR activation limits the response of liver cancer to lenvatinib

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-the most common form of liver cancer-is an aggressive malignancy with few effective treatment options¹. Lenvatinib is a small-molecule inhibitor of multiple receptor tyrosine kinases that is used for the treatment of patients with advanced HCC, but this drug has only limited clinical benefit². Here, using a kinome-centred CRISPR-Cas9 genetic screen, we show that inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is synthetic lethal with lenvatinib in liver cancer. The combination of the EGFR inhibitor gefitinib and lenvatinib displays potent anti-proliferative effects in vitro in liver cancer cell lines that express EGFR and in vivo in xenografted liver cancer cell lines, immunocompetent mouse models and patient-derived HCC tumours in mice. Mechanistically, inhibition of fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR)  by lenvatinib treatment leads to feedback activation of the EGFR-PAK2-ERK5 signalling axis, which is blocked by EGFR inhibition. Treatment of 12 patients with advanced HCC who were unresponsive to lenvatinib treatment with the combination of lenvatinib plus gefitinib (trial identifier NCT04642547) resulted in meaningful clinical responses. The combination therapy identified here may represent a promising strategy for the approximately 50% of patients with advanced HCC who have high levels of EGFR.

Usefulness of BATF3 Immunohistochemistry in Diagnosing Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma

It is well recognized that the AP-1 transcription factor BATF3 is constitutively expressed in Hodgkin/Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells, but its potential as a diagnostic marker for classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) has not yet been addressed. In this study, we performed immunohistochemistry and analyzed the BATF3 expression in lymphoma cells on 218 lymphoma samples belonging to 14 different lymphoma entities. We observed varying degrees of BATF3 expression in nearly half of the cases (n = 100) with BATF3 expression being a constitutive feature of cHL (n = 53) and anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). By scoring BATF3 expression (BATF3-score) we observed constitutively high BATF3-scores in cHL and ALCL and low to moderate BATF3-scores in all other entities examined. Western blot analysis confirmed BATF3 protein expression in cell lysates from cHL cell lines (n = 7). Thus, BATF3 can be considered a useful IHC marker for the diagnosis of cHL as it is highly sensitive and sufficiently specific when analyzed by BATF3-scoring.

Nucleotide binding and oligomerization domain 2 in psoriasis: a clinical and immunohistochemical study

Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disease, affecting about 2 to 3% of the population worldwide. Nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain 2-like receptor has been implicated in the pathogenesis of different inflammatory diseases. The current work aims to investigate the expression of nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain 2-like receptor in psoriatic skin through an immunohistochemical study. This cross-sectional case-control study included 20 patients with chronic plaque psoriasis and 20 age- and sex-matched normal subjects as controls. Psoriasis severity was assessed through the use of Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) score. Skin biopsies were taken under local anesthesia from cases and from matched sites of controls. Expression of nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain 2 in epidermis of studied cases and controls showed positive epidermal expression of nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain 2 in all cases (100%) versus 6 (30%) controls with a significant increase (χ2 = 21.54, P˂0.001). Moreover, dermal expression of nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain 2 was higher in psoriatic skin lesion (95%) compared to controls (15%) with a significant difference (χ2 = 25.86, P˂0.001). We concluded that nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain 2 may be implicated in psoriasis pathogenesis being higher in cases in comparison to controls.

Orai3-Mediates Cisplatin-Resistance in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells by Enriching Cancer Stem Cell Population through PI3K/AKT Pathway

Simple Summary

Lung cancer is recognized for having a very poor prognosis with an overall survival rate of 5-years not exceeding 15%. Platinum-doublet therapy is the most current chemotherapeutic treatment used to treat lung tumors. However, resistance to such drugs evolves rapidly in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and is one of the major reasons behind therapy failure. Tumor recurrence due to chemoresistance is mainly attributed to the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs) subpopulations. Thus, the identification of resistance actors and markers is necessary. The Orai3 channel has been recently identified as a predictive marker of metastasis and survival in resectable NSCLC tumors. Our results show, for the first time, that the Orai3 channel is able to induce chemoresistance by enriching CSCs population. Our findings present Orai3 as a promising predictive biomarker which could help with selecting chemotherapeutic drugs.

Abstract

The development of the resistance to platinum salts is a major obstacle in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Among the reasons underlying this resistance is the enrichment of cancer stem cells (CSCs) populations. Several studies have reported the involvement of calcium channels in chemoresistance. The Orai3 channel is overexpressed and constitutes a predictive marker of metastasis in NSCLC tumors. Here, we investigated its role in CSCs populations induced by Cisplatin (CDDP) in two NSCLC cell lines. We found that CDDP treatment increased Orai3 expression, but not Orai1 or STIM1 expression, as well as an enhancement of CSCs markers. Moreover, Orai3 silencing or the reduction of extracellular calcium concentration sensitized the cells to CDDP and led to a reduction in the expression of Nanog and SOX-2. Orai3 contributed to SOCE (Store-operated Calcium entry) in both CDDP-treated and CD133⁺ subpopulation cells that overexpress Nanog and SOX-2. Interestingly, the ectopic overexpression of Orai3, in the two NSCLC cell lines, lead to an increase of SOCE and expression of CSCs markers. Furthermore, CD133⁺ cells were unable to overexpress neither Nanog nor SOX-2 when incubated with PI3K inhibitor. Finally, Orai3 silencing reduced Akt phosphorylation. Our work reveals a link between Orai3, CSCs and resistance to CDDP in NSCLC cells.

Apoptosis-Inducing Factor, Protein Expression, and Apoptosis Changes with Glutamine in Podocytes Cells Exposed with Cisplatin

Cisplatin is a well-known chemotherapeutic drug. It is one of the most effective anticancer agents and is widely used for the treatment of several types of tumors. However, side effects in normal tissues and organs, such as nephrotoxicity that induces apoptosis in epithelial cells in the kidney, limit the use of cisplatin. Glutamine is a substrate for the synthesis of glutathione as an antioxidant and promotes HSP70 release, protecting cells from apoptosis induced by different stimuli. In the present study, we investigated the protective effect of glutamine on cisplatin nephrotoxicity in the kidney. Mice were divided into three groups such as a group of control (P0), a group of intraperitoneal injection of a single dose cisplatin 20 mg/kg BW at 7th day (P1), and a group of intravenous glutamine injection 100 mg/kg BW at days 1–7 and given an intraperitoneal injection of single dose cisplatin 20 mg/kg BW at 7th day (P2). Measurement of AIF expression and apoptotic cells was carried out by immunohistochemical methods. The number of AIF expressions and apoptotic cells is expressed in the Allred score. AIF expression result is as follows: P0: 3.29 ± 0.79, P1: 5.32 ± 0.68, and P2: 4.49 ± 0.47. Apoptosis result is as follows: P0: 3.04 ± 0.70, P1: 5.26 ± 0.53, and P2: 4.44 ± 0.41. There is a decreased expression of AIF on intravenous glutamine administration, followed by a decrease in apoptosis in the podocyte. In conclusion, glutamine administration might represent the treatment of nephrotoxic-induced cisplatin.

Effect of Hesperidin against Induced Colon Cancer in Rats: Impact of Smad4 and Activin A Signaling Pathway

SCOPE

To evaluate the chemopreventive efficacy of hesperidin (Hsd) in 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced colorectal cancer (CRC) and demonstrate its role in mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 4(Smad4) and activin A signaling pathways.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A CRC rat model was established by DMH exposure, and the animals were randomly divided into five groups: Control group, Hsd, DMH, DMH + Hsd, and DMH followed by Hsd. The resected colon was subjected to macroscopic, microscopic, molecular, histopathological, and immunohistochemical examination. Activin A, Smad4, malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), reduced glutathione (GSH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels in tissues were also measured. The DMH group exhibited a significant increase in the gene and protein expression of activin A as well as MDA and NO levels in tissues. There was a significant reduction in the gene and protein expression of Smad4 as well as GSH and SOD levels in tissues. Administration of Hsd significantly upregulated Smad4 and activin A gene expressions in both the DMH + Hsd and DMH followed by Hsd groups. Moreover, Hsd improved the antioxidant status of the former two groups.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated the chemopreventive effect of Hsd against CRC by modulating Smad4 and activin A signaling in vivo. Further studies are needed to demonstrate its clinical value and explore its possible role in advanced malignancy.

Are We Benign? What Can Wnt Signaling Pathway and Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition Tell Us about Intracranial Meningioma Progression

Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), which is characterized by the reduced expression of E-cadherin and increased expression of N-cadherin, plays an important role in the tumor invasion and metastasis. Classical Wnt signaling pathway has a tight link with EMT and it has been shown that nuclear translocation of β-catenin can induce EMT. This research has showed that genes that are involved in cadherin switch, CDH1 and CDH2, play a role in meningioma progression. Increased N-cadherin expression in relation to E-cadherin was recorded. In meningioma, transcription factors SNAIL, SLUG, and TWIST1 demonstrated strong expression in relation to E- and N-cadherin. The expression of SNAIL and SLUG was significantly associated with higher grades (p = 0.001), indicating their role in meningioma progression. Higher grades also recorded an increased expression of total β-catenin followed by an increased expression of its active form (p = 0.000). This research brings the results of genetic and protein analyzes of important molecules that are involved in Wnt and EMT signaling pathways and reveals their role in intracranial meningioma. The results of this study offer guidelines and new markers of progression for future research and reveal new molecular targets of therapeutic interventions.

Quantification of Global DNA Methylation in Canine Mammary Gland Tumors via Immunostaining of 5-Methylcytosine: Histopathological and Clinical Correlations

Mammary tumors are the most prevalent neoplasms in non-neutered female dogs, with genetic and epigenetic alterations contributing to canine mammary carcinogenesis. This study quantified global DNA methylation in 5-methylcytosine (5mC)-immunostained canine mammary tumor samples and established histopathological and clinical correlations. A total of 91 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded mammary tumor samples from female dogs were retrospectively selected and subjected to immunohistochemistry using an anti-5mC mouse monoclonal antibody. We evaluated 5mC+ stained nuclei of neoplastic epithelial cells in canine mammary glands to obtain semiquantitative histoscores based on staining intensity. Survival rates were estimated based on owners' or veterinary records. Histological samples comprised 28 and 63 benign and malignant canine mammary gland tumors, respectively. Results revealed significant differences between global DNA methylation patterns when mammary samples were categorized as benign or malignant (p = 0.024), with hypomethylated patterns more prevalent in malignant tumors and those with higher relapse behavior (p = 0.011). Of note, large diameter (>5 cm) tumors revealed a lower methylation pattern (p = 0.028). Additionally, we found non-statistically significant differences when tumors were grouped by histopathological characteristics, clinical parameters, or survival. These findings propose global DNA methylation assessment as a promising tool for detecting canine mammary tumors with relapse propensity.

Testis-Specific Thioredoxins TXNDC2, TXNDC3, and TXNDC6 Are Expressed in Both Testicular and Systemic DLBCL and Correlate with Clinical Disease Presentation

DLBCL is the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma with a substantial group of patients suffering a poor prognosis. Therefore more specific markers are required for better understanding of disease biology and treatment. This study demonstrates that testis-specific antioxidant enzymes TXNDC2, TXNDC3, and TXNDC6 alongside oxidative stress marker 8-OHdG are expressed in both testicular and systemic DLBCL, and their presence or absence has correlations with clinical risk factors such as the number of extranodal effusion, the appearance of B-symptoms, and treatment response. Biopsy samples were collected from 28 systemic and 21 testicular male DLBCL patients. The samples were histostained with TXNDC2, TXNDC3, TXNDC6, and 8-OHdG, then graded by a hematopathologist blinded to clinical data. Immunoelectron microscopy was used as a second method to confirm the reliability of the acquired immunohistochemistry data. The absence of nuclear TXNDC2 expression in testicular DLBCL cells correlated with worse primary treatment response, cytoplasmic TXNDC3 expression in testicular and systemic DLBCL associated with lower frequency of B-symptoms, and TXNDC6 expression in cytoplasm in systemic DLBCL had a clinical significance with higher LD levels suggesting a role in the biological nature of these lymphomas. Overall, TXNDC3 cytoplasmic expression is correlated with a more positive outcome in both testicular and systemic DLBCL, while TXNDC6 cytoplasmic expression is associated with a negative outcome in systemic DLBCL.

Effects of Solanum undatum extract (SR-T100) on photocarcinogenesis and photoaging of actinic keratosis

SR-T100 gel, containing solamargine extracted from Solanum undatum (synonym: Solanum incanum), had good therapeutic effects on actinic keratosis (AK) in human and ultraviolet B-induced papilloma in mice. This study aimed to investigate the immunohistochemical changes in the human skin after SR-T100 treatment. An immunohistochemical study was performed and the changes in photocarcinogenesis and photoaging markers after 16-week SR-T100 gel treatment were documented. SR-T100 gel treatment for 16 weeks resulted in complete remission in nine AK lesions and partial remission in four AK lesions. SR-T100 gel abolished the expression of mutant p53 and SOX2 and restored the expression of NOTCH1. Additionally, SR-T100 gel improved wrinkling in human skin, while restoring the expression of lamin B1 and increasing synthesis of new elastic fibers. SR-T100 gel had therapeutic effects on photocarcinogenesis and photoaging of photodamaged skin with AK.

Kinesin Superfamily Member 18B (KIF18B) Promotes Cell Proliferation in Colon Adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

The role of kinesin superfamily proteins (KIFs) has been reported in a variety of tumors and KIFs contributed to the proliferation of cancer cells. But few studies were focus on colon adenocarcinoma.

METHODS

Through bioinformatics analysis and immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays, the expression of KIF18B in colon adenocarcinoma tissues was determined. Stable KIF18B-depleted cell lines were constructed using lentivirus-mediated shRNA of KIF18B. Cell colony formation assay and CCK8 assay were performed to assess cell proliferation degree, and the expression level of KI67 and PCNA was used to indicate cell proliferation in vitro and verified using xenograft tumors in vivo.

RESULTS

KIF18B is highly expressed in colon adenocarcinoma tissues and has a negative correlation with the prognosis and tumor grade of colon adenocarcinoma. Interfering with KIF18B inhibits cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo.

CONCLUSION

KIF18B can be used as a prognostic marker for colon adenocarcinoma and may be a therapeutic target for colon adenocarcinoma treatment.

Identification of colorectal cancers with defective DNA damage repair by immunohistochemical profiling of mismatch repair proteins, CDX2 and BRCA1

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a complex disease as shown by consensus classification. The present study attempted to identify subtypes with known prognostic markers for better clinical management. A total of 72 CRC tumors were examined for the expression of mismatch repair (MMR) proteins, along with caudal-type homeobox protein 2 (CDX2) and BRCA1, by immunohistochemistry. Tumors were assigned based on the presence or loss of MMR proteins as proficient or deficient. Correlations were examined with CDX2 and BRCA1 along with clinico-pathological features. Expressional pattern of microRNAs (miRs/miRNAs), such as miR-183-96-182, known to be associated with defective DNA damage repair were evaluated by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. A total of 22% of the CRC tumors were assigned as deficient in mismatch repair. 71% of the tumors expressed CDX2 while only 21% had nuclear expression of BRCA1. Loss of CDX2 protein was higher in the deficient subtype compared with the proficient subtype. A total of 14% of the tumors had dual loss of MMR and BRCA1 proteins and showed aggressive clinical features in addition to elevated expression of DNA damage repair microRNAs. The present study shows the presence of a small proportion of colorectal tumors with dual loss of key proteins involved in DNA damage repair which may be amenable to specific therapy. The implication of the present observations warrants investigation in a larger patient cohort with prognostic information.

Inhibition of Oxidative Phosphorylation Reverses Bone Marrow Hypoxia Visualized in Imageable Syngeneic B-ALL Mouse Model

Abnormally low level of interstitial oxygen, or hypoxia, is a hallmark of tumor microenvironment and a known promoter of cancer chemoresistance. Inside a solid tumor mass, the hypoxia stems largely from inadequate supply of oxygenated blood through sparse or misshapen tumor vasculature whilst oxygen utilization rates are low in typical tumor's glycolytic metabolism. In acute leukemias, however, markers of intracellular hypoxia such as increased pimonidazole adduct staining and HIF-1α stabilization are observed in advanced leukemic bone marrows (BM) despite an increase in BM vasculogenesis. We utilized intravital fast scanning two-photon phosphorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FaST-PLIM) in a BCR-ABL B-ALL mouse model to image the extracellular oxygen concentrations (pO₂) in leukemic BM, and we related the extracellular oxygen levels to intracellular hypoxia, vascular markers and local leukemia burden. We observed a transient increase in BM pO₂ in initial disease stages with intermediate leukemia BM burden, which correlated with an expansion of blood-carrying vascular network in the BM. Yet, we also observed increased formation of intracellular pimonidazole adducts in leukemic BM at the same time. This intermediate stage was followed by a significant decrease of extracellular pO₂ and further increase of intracellular hypoxia as leukemia cellularity overwhelmed BM in disease end-stage. Remarkably, treatment of leukemic mice with IACS-010759, a pharmacological inhibitor of mitochondrial Complex I, substantially increased pO₂ in the BM with advanced B-ALL, and it alleviated intracellular hypoxia reported by pimonidazole staining. High rates of oxygen consumption by B-ALL cells were confirmed by Seahorse assay including in ex vivo cells. Our results suggest that B-ALL expansion in BM is associated with intense oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) leading to the onset of metabolic BM hypoxia despite increased BM vascularization. Targeting mitochondrial respiration may be a novel approach to counteract BM hypoxia in B-ALL and, possibly, tumor hypoxia in other OxPhos-reliant malignancies.

Quadruplicate Synchronous Adenocarcinoma of the Colon with Distant Metastases-Long-Term Molecular Follow-Up by KRAS and TP53 Mutational Profiling

Anatomically independent tumor foci represent biologically distinct neoplasias, potentially featured by different progressivity and treatment responsiveness. To demonstrate the biological complexity, a metastatic colon adenocarcinoma patient originally presenting with four independent primary tumors of the right colon half and altogether eight distant metastases was followed by molecular testing. Next-generation sequencing results highlighted the mutational profile of the individual primaries and the dynamics of the different gene variants observed during follow-up. The four primary colon tumors presented with four different KRAS genotypes, one of them with a wild-type and three with pathogenic variants, without overlap. These were the following: c.35G > A; p.Gly12Asp with 40.6% variant allele frequency (VAF); c.34G > T; p.Gly12Cys with 16.2% VAF and c.35G > T; p.Gly12Val with 15.1% VAF. In metastatic tumors, with one exception where no mutation was detected, only the KRAS c.34G > T; p.Gly12Cys mutation could be detected. TP53 gene variants were variable in the primary tumors, with a single dominant variant evolving in the follow-up metastases (c.820G > T; p.Val274Phe). Genetic profiling of individually developing synchronous malignancies uncovers the clonal relations of metastatic tumors. NGS gene panels provide a solution to follow the dynamics of key oncogene variants during the course of the disease and greatly contribute to therapy optimization.

p53 and MDM2 expression in primary and metastatic testicular germ cell tumors: Association with clinical outcome

BACKGROUND

Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) are highly sensitive to platinum-based chemotherapy, and wild-type p53 seems to play a pivotal role in this susceptibility. On the other hand, overexpression of MDM2 seems to entail treatment resistance and unfavorable prognosis.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to describe p53 and MDM2 immunoexpression in a well-characterized cohort of primary and metastatic TGCTs and evaluate associations with clinicopathological and prognostic variables, including survival.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

237 primary tumor samples and 12 metastases were evaluated for p53 and MDM2 immunoexpression using digital image analysis. Clinical records of all patients were reviewed for baseline clinical/pathologic characteristics and follow-up.

RESULTS

A significant positive correlation between p53 and MDM2 H-scores was found (r_s  = 0.590, P < .0001). Non-seminomas showed significantly higher expression levels of both p53 and MDM2 (P = .0002, P < .0001), which peaked in embryonal carcinomas and choriocarcinomas. Percentage of immunoexpressing cells and H-score were significantly higher in chemo-treated metastases compared with chemo-naïve primary tumors for MDM2 (P ≤ .0001 for both), but not for p53 (P = .919 and P = .703, respectively). Cases with higher MDM2 immunoexpression showed a statistically significant trend for association with poorer prognosis (P = .043). Relapse/progression-free survival at 12 months post-diagnosis was lower in the "MDM2-high" (≥P50) vs. the "MDM2-low" (<P50) expression groups.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

In TGCTs, MDM2 overexpression may indicate a more aggressive tumor phenotype, with propensity for therapy resistance and recurrence. If validated in larger multi-institutional studies with precise quantification, it may be envisioned as a useful predictive biomarker of poor response to cisplatin.

Foxf2 and Smad6 co-regulation of collagen 5A2 transcription is involved in the pathogenesis of intrauterine adhesion

The replacement of normal endometrial epithelium by fibrotic tissue is the pathological feature of intrauterine adhesion (IUA), which is caused by trauma to the basal layer of the endometrium. COL5A2 is a molecular subtype of collagen V that regulates collagen production in fibrotic tissue. Here, we investigated the roles of Foxf2 and Smad6 in regulating the transcription of COL5A2 and their involvement in the pathogenesis of IUA. Small interference‐mediated Foxf2 (si‐Foxf2) silencing and pcDNA3.1‐mediated Smad6 (pcDNA3.1‐Smad6) up‐regulation were performed in a TGF‐β1‐induced human endometrial stromal cell line (HESC) fibrosis model. Assessment of collagen expression by Western blotting, immunofluorescence and qRT‐PCR showed that COL5A2, COL1A1 and FN were significantly down‐regulated in response to si‐Foxf2 and pcDNA3.1‐Smad6. Transfection of lentivirus vector‐Foxf2 (LV‐Foxf2) and pcDNA3.1‐Smad6 into HESCs and qRT‐PCR showed that Foxf2 promoted COL5A2 expression and Smad6 inhibited Foxf2‐induced COL5A2 expression. Co‐immunoprecipitation, chromatin immunoprecipitation and dual‐luciferase reporter assays to detect the interaction between Foxf2 and Smad6 and their role in COL5A2 transcription showed that Foxf2 interacted with Smad6 and bond the same promoter region of COL5A2. In a rat IUA model, injection of ADV2‐Foxf2‐1810 and ADV4‐Smad6 into the uterine wall showed that Foxf2 down‐regulation and Smad6 up‐regulation decreased fibrosis and the expression of COL5A2 and COL1A1, as detected by haematoxylin/eosin, Masson trichrome staining and immunohistochemistry. Taken together, these results suggested that Foxf2 interacted with Smad6 and co‐regulated COL5A2 transcription in the pathogenesis of IUA, whereas they played opposite roles in fibrosis.

L1CAM Predicts Adverse Outcomes in Patients with Endometrial Cancer Undergoing Full Lymphadenectomy and Adjuvant Chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM) has been established as an important predictor of poor survival of early-stage endometrial cancer patients. We investigated whether L1CAM remains a significant predictor of poor survival of patients with advanced-stage endometrial cancer undergoing extensive surgical staging and adjuvant chemotherapy.

METHODS

We prepared tissue microarray (TMA) from surgical tissue specimens of 161 endometrial cancer patients who underwent full lymphadenectomy combined with adjuvant chemotherapy for patients at risk for recurrence, and evaluated expression of L1CAM using immunohistochemistry. The correlation between L1CAM positivity and clinicopathological factors and the prognostic significance of L1CAM expression was investigated.

RESULTS

Among 161 cases who had a follow-up duration of over 3 years, 48 cases (29.8%) showed positive staining for L1CAM. L1CAM positivity was significantly correlated with non-endometrioid histology (p < 0.0001), vascular invasion (p = 0.0157), and positive cytology (p = 0.005), and was a significant predictor of poor survival among advanced-stage patients, but not early-stage patients in our cohort. L1CAM-positive patients showed a higher recurrence rate and frequency of distant failure than L1CAM-negative patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that para-aortic lymph node metastasis (PANM) and L1CAM positivity were independent predictors of poor survival. Overall survival can be stratified into three groups by the combination of PANM and L1CAM positivity.

CONCLUSION

L1CAM is an independent predictor of poor survival in endometrial cancer patients undergoing full lymphadenectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy, thus indicating that L1CAM can be clinically used as a biomarker to identify those patients at increased risk of recurrence.

The potency of chitosan-based Pinus merkusii bark extract nanoparticles as anti-cancer on HeLa cell lines

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Cervical cancer accounts for the fourth as a cause of death from cancer in women worldwide, with more than 85% of events and deaths occurring in developing countries. The main problems of chemotherapy are the lack of selectivity and drug resistance. This study aimed to investigate the signal transduction of chitosan-based Pinus merkusii bark extract nanoparticles (Nano-PMBE) as an anticancer on HeLa cell line.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Nano-PMBE was prepared based on the ionic gelation method. Its anticancer activities in HeLa cells were investigated through cytotoxicity test, cell cycle, and apoptosis analysis. The expression of p53 and caspase-9 was also observed.

RESULTS

The results showed that Nano-PMBE has a size of 394.3 nm. Meanwhile, the Nano-PMBE was cytotoxic to HeLa cells (IC50 of 384.10 µg/ml), caused G0/G1 phase arrest and cell apoptosis in HeLa cells. Besides, the expression of p53 and caspase-9 has increased.

CONCLUSION

The results showed a notable anticancer effect of Nano-PMBE by arresting the cell cycle and inducing apoptosis in HeLa cells, suggesting that it might have therapeutic potential for cervical cancer. Further research is needed to find out more about the anticancer mechanism of Nano-PMBE in HeLa cells to in vivo and clinical studies.

Tumor apelin immunoreactivity is correlated with body mass index in ovarian high grade serous carcinoma

Ovarian cancer has a high mortality rate. Serous carcinoma is the most common subtype and can be detected by distant or lymph node metastasis in advanced stages. Apelin, an adipokine associated with obesity, and its receptor, APJ, participate in lymphatic invasion. Angiogenesis also can affect lymph node involvement in serous ovarian carcinomas. We investigated apelin/APJ receptor immunoreactivity in stages III and IV ovarian cancer with or without lymph node involvement and correlated the results with body mass index (BMI) to determine whether the potential relation of the two affects the outcome of the cancer. We investigated 30 patients diagnosed between 2014 and 2016 with high grade serous ovarian cancer. Tumor:stroma ratio, indirect immunoperoxidase method, H-score and MATLAB analysis were performed. In obese and pre-obese patients, tumor apelin immunoreactivity was stronger than for patients with normal BMI. Tumor:stroma ratio was correlated with survival and lymph node involvement. Strong apelin and moderate APJ immunoreactivity was detected in both lymph node negative and positive patients. BMI was related to both survival outcome and apelin immunoreactivity. BMI, adipokines such as apelin, and the stromal compartment play critical roles in advanced stage serous carcinomas.

A Free Radical Scavenger Ameliorates Teratogenic Activity of a DNA Hypomethylating Hematological Therapeutic

The spin-trap free radical scavenger N-tert-butyl-α-phenylnitron (PBN) ameliorated effects of several teratogens involving reactive oxygen species (ROS). We investigated for the first time whether PBN could ameliorate teratogenesis induced by a DNA hypomethylating hematological therapeutic 5-azacytidine (5azaC). At days 12 and 13 of gestation, Fisher rat dams were pretreated by an i.v. injection of PBN (40 mg/kg) and 1 h later by an i.p. injection of 5azaC (5mg/kg). Development was analyzed at gestation day 15 in embryos and day 20 in fetuses. PBN alone did not significantly affect development. PBN pretreatment restored survival of 5azaC-treated dams' embryos to the control level, restored weight of embryos and partially of fetuses, and partially restored crown-rump lengths. PBN pretreatment converted limb adactyly to less severe oligodactyly. PBN pretreatment restored global DNA methylation level in the limb buds to the control level. Cell proliferation in limb buds of all 5azaC-treated dams remained significantly lower than in controls. In the embryonic liver, PBN pretreatment normalized proliferation diminished significantly by 5azaC; whereas in embryonic vertebral cartilage, proliferation of all 5azaC-treated dams was significantly higher than in PBN-treated dams or controls. Apoptotic indices significantly enhanced by 5azaC in liver and cartilage were not influenced by PBN pretreatment. However, PBN significantly diminished ROS or reactive nitrogen species markers nitrotyrosine and 8-hydroxy-2'deoxyguanosine elevated by 5azaC in embryonic tissues, and, therefore, activity of this DNA hypomethylating agent was associated to the activation of free radicals. That pretreatment with PBN enhanced proliferation in the liver and not in immature tissue is interesting for the treatment of 5azaC-induced hepatotoxicity and liver regeneration.

Cyclin A1 is associated with poor prognosis in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Dysregulation of cyclin A1 (CCNA1) is implicated in the carcinogenesis, progression and metastasis of many types of solid tumours. In the present study, an mRNA single-channel expression profile chip experiment revealed that the CCNA1 mRNA levels in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) were increased >10-fold compared with those in the adjacent non-cancer tissues. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry analyses were performed to additionally investigate the role of CCNA1 in the development and progression of ESCC in patients treated by radical resection of the oesophagus. The association between CCNA1 mRNA expression and the clinicopathological parameters of patients with ESCC was statistically analysed. The results indicated that upregulation of CCNA1 occurred in ~70% of patients with ESCC, and increased CCNA1 mRNA expression was significantly associated with advanced clinical stage, lymph node metastasis, invasiveness and poor clinical outcome, including disease-free survival and overall survival rates. Taken together, the data suggested that CCNA1 had an important function in ESCC development and progression, and may serve as a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in ESCC.

Prevalence and Clinical Correlations of Somatostatin Receptor-2 (SSTR2) Expression in Neuroblastoma

Alternative radiolabeled, targeted agents are being investigated for children with relapsed neuroblastoma (NB) who do not respond to I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) therapy. (DOTA-Tyr)-octreotate targets somatostatin receptors (SSTRs), particularly SSTR2, which are expressed on NB cells. We investigated SSTR2 expression in NB tumors (36 high-risk [HR]; 33 non-HR patients) and correlated SSTR2 levels with clinical features, norepinephrine transporter (NET) expression, and MIBG avidity. SSTR2 and NET immunohistochemistry scores (0 to 3) were calculated on biopsies using digital image analysis based on staining intensity and distribution. Clinical data were correlated with SSTR2 expression. Median SSTR2 score for 69 patients was 1.31 (0.26 to 2.55). Non-HR NB was associated with a higher SSTR2 score (P=0.032). The SSTR2 expression did not correlate with age, International Neuroblastoma Staging System (INSS) stage, MYCN amplification and histology. Higher SSTR2 scores were observed in MIBG-avid versus MIBG-nonavid NB. SSTR2 score was not significantly associated with NET score (r=-0.062, P=0.62). Twenty-six patients who relapsed or progressed had a median SSTR2 score of 1.33 (0.26 to 2.55). Patients with NB including relapsed or progressive disease showed SSTR2 expression at diagnosis, suggesting they could be candidates for radiolabeled-DOTA-conjugated peptide imaging or therapy.

In vitro anticancer activity Annona squamosa extract nanoparticle on WiDr cells

This study aimed to prepare Annona squamosa leaf extract-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (nano-ASLE) against human colon cancer (WiDr) cells. Nano-ASLE was made with ionic gelation method. Four concentrations of the nano-ASLE (50, 100, 200, and 400 μg/mL) in dimethyl sulfoxide were prepared on WiDr cells to determine the IC₅₀ value using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Then, it was divided into three groups of concentration of IC₅₀, 2IC₅₀, and 4IC₅₀ and continued with analysis of caspase-3 expression and cell cycle arrest. The results of particles size were obtained 535.1 nm and showed potent cytotoxicity with IC₅₀ 292.39 μg/mL. The expression of caspase-3 increased significantly and caused cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and induced apoptosis on WiDr cells. Further studies are needed to obtain the loading efficiency, release of drug concentration, and in vivo study of nano-ASLE to suppress WiDr cells.