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Yin Y, Wang Y, Wang C, Zhang Y, Qi A, Song J, Xu L, Yang W, Jiao L. Predicting the mechanism of action of YQYYJD prescription in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer using transcriptomics analysis. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 326:117984. [PMID: 38428661 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.117984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE The efficacy of the herbal formula Yiqi Yangyin Jiedu (YQYYJD) in the treatment of advanced lung cancer has been reported in clinical trials. However, the key anti-lung cancer herbs and molecular mechanisms underlying its inhibition of lung cancer are not well-understood. AIM OF THE STUDY To identify the key anti-lung cancer herbs in the YQYYJD formula and investigate their therapeutic effect and potential mechanism of action in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using transcriptomics and bioinformatics techniques. MATERIALS AND METHODS A mouse Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) subcutaneous inhibitory tumor model was established with 6 mice in each group. Mice were treated with the YQYYJD split formula: Yiqi Formula (YQ), Yangyin Formula (YY), and Ruanjian Jiedu Formula (RJJD) for 14 days. The tumor volume and mouse weight were recorded, and the status of tumor occurrence was further observed by taking photos. The tumor was stained with hematoxylin-eosin to observe its histopathological changes. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of the proliferation marker Ki67 and the apoptotic marker Caspase-3 in tumor tissues. Flow cytometry was used to detect the number of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and cytokines interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) in the spleen and tumor tissues. The differential genes of key drugs against tumors were obtained by transcriptome sequencing of tumors. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were performed on differential genes to obtain pathways and biological processes where targets were aggregated. TIMER2.0 and TISIDB databases were used to evaluate the impact of drugs on immune cell infiltration and immune-related genes. The binding activity of the key targets and compounds was verified by molecular docking. RESULTS YQ, YY, and RJJD inhibited the growth of subcutaneous transplanted tumors in LLC mice to varying degrees and achieved antitumor effects by inhibiting the expression of tumor cell proliferation, apoptosis, and metastasis-related proteins. Among the three disassembled prescriptions, YQ better inhibited the growth of subcutaneous transplanted tumors in LLC mice, significantly promoted tumor necrosis, significantly increased the expression of Caspase-3 protein in tumor tissue, and significantly decreased the expression of Ki-67 (P < 0.05), thereby increasing the infiltration of CD8+ T cells. YQ significantly increased the expression of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in tumor and splenic tissues of tumor-bearing mice and up-regulated the expression of IL-2 and IFN-γ. Transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics results showed that after YQ intervention, differentially expressed genes were enriched in more than one tumor-related pathway and multiple immune regulation-related biological functions. There were 12 key immune-related target genes. CONCLUSION YQ was the key disassembled prescription of YQYYJD, exerting significant antitumor effects and immune regulation effects on NSCLC. It may have relieved T cell exhaustion and regulated the immune microenvironment to exert antitumor effects by changing lung cancer-related targets, pathways, and biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinan Yin
- Department of Oncology, Yue Yang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yichao Wang
- Department of Oncology, Yue Yang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Chengyan Wang
- Department of Oncology, Jing'an Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yilu Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Yue Yang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ao Qi
- Department of Oncology, Yue Yang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiajun Song
- Department of Oncology, Yue Yang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling Xu
- Department of Oncology, Yue Yang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; Institute of Translational Cancer Research for Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenxiao Yang
- Department of Oncology, Yue Yang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Lijing Jiao
- Department of Oncology, Yue Yang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China; Institute of Translational Cancer Research for Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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Yue M, Chen MM, Zhang B, Wang Y, Li P, Zhao Y. The functional roles of chemokines and chemokine receptors in colorectal cancer progression. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 170:116040. [PMID: 38113624 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.116040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer is a common malignancy with significant rates of morbidity and mortality. A number of factors, including the tumor microenvironment, chemokines, the inflammatory response, have an impact on the development of colorectal cancer. A critical component of the tumor microenvironment is chemokines. Various cell subsets are attracted to the tumor microenvironment through interactions with chemokine receptors. These cells have varying effects on the development of the tumor and the effectiveness of treatment. Additionally, chemokines can participate in inflammatory processes and have effects that are either pro- or anti-tumor. Chemokines can be exploited as targets for medication resistance and treatment in colorectal cancer. In this review, we discuss the expression of chemokines and chemokine receptors, and their relationship with immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. At the same time, we also collect and discuss the significance of chemokines and chemokine receptors in colorectal cancer progression, and their potential as molecular targets for CRC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingli Yue
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, College of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266021, China
| | - Meng-Meng Chen
- Key Laboratory of Cancer and Immune Cells of Qingdao, Qingdao 266021, China; Qingdao Restore Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Qingdao, Shandong 266111, PR China
| | - Bingqiang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cancer and Immune Cells of Qingdao, Qingdao 266021, China
| | - Yin Wang
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, College of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266021, China
| | - Peifeng Li
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, College of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266021, China
| | - Yi Zhao
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, College of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266021, China; Key Laboratory of Birth Regulation and Control Technology of National Health Commission of China, Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital of Shandong Province affiliated to Qingdao University, Shandong Province, China.
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Zeng Z, Li Z, Xue J, Xue H, Liu Z, Zhang W, Liu H, Xu S. KDM4C silencing inhibits cell migration and enhances radiosensitivity by inducing CXCL2 transcription in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cell Death Discov 2023; 9:137. [PMID: 37117173 PMCID: PMC10147924 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-023-01418-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023] Open
Abstract
KDM4C, which is a histone lysine demethylase, has been proposed to participate in the malignant transformation and progression of several types of cancer. However, its roles in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain poorly understood. Here, we find that KDM4C protein expression is increased in HCC and promotes HCC cell growth, proliferation and migration. Furthermore, we provide evidence that depletion of KDM4C leads to a defective G2/M checkpoint, increases radiation-induced DNA damage, impairs DNA repair and enhances radiosensitivity in HCC cells. Using RNA sequencing, we identify that the chemokine CXCL2 is a downstream effector of KDM4C. KDM4C knockdown increases the binding of H3K36me3 to the promoter of CXCL2, thus upregulating CXCL2 expression and promoting CXCL2 secretion in HCC cells. Importantly, the observed effects of KDM4C depletion in HCC cells can be partially rescued by CXCL2 silencing. Thus, our findings reveal that KDM4C is involved in cell migration and radiosensitivity by modulating CXCL2 transcription, indicating that KDM4C may be a potential therapeutic target in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Zeng
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430022, Wuhan, China
- Institute of Radiation Oncology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430022, Wuhan, China
| | - Zixuan Li
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430022, Wuhan, China
- Institute of Radiation Oncology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430022, Wuhan, China
| | - Jun Xue
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430022, Wuhan, China
- Institute of Radiation Oncology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430022, Wuhan, China
| | - Huichan Xue
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430022, Wuhan, China
- Institute of Radiation Oncology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430022, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhiwei Liu
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430022, Wuhan, China
- Institute of Radiation Oncology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430022, Wuhan, China
| | - Wenxuan Zhang
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430022, Wuhan, China
- Institute of Radiation Oncology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430022, Wuhan, China
| | - Hongli Liu
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430022, Wuhan, China.
- Institute of Radiation Oncology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430022, Wuhan, China.
| | - Shuangbing Xu
- Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430022, Wuhan, China.
- Institute of Radiation Oncology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430022, Wuhan, China.
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Add-On Effect of Hemagglutinating Virus of Japan Envelope Combined with Chemotherapy or Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor against Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma: An In Vivo Study. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15030929. [PMID: 36765886 PMCID: PMC9913709 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15030929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a refractory tumor because most of the lesions are already disseminated at diagnosis. Previously, the main treatment for MPM was combination chemotherapy. However, recently, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are also used. For better efficacy of MPM treatment, we focused on hemagglutinating virus of Japan envelope (HVJ-E), which activates antitumor immunity and induces tumor-specific cell death. In this paper, we aimed to determine whether HVJ-E as a single agent therapy or in combination with chemotherapy or ICIs is effective in MPM bearing mouse. We confirmed its antitumor efficacy in MPM-bearing mouse. HVJ-E significantly prolonged the survival of human MPM-bearing mouse compared to that of control mouse and when combined with CDDP. This efficacy was lost in NOD-SCID mouse, suggesting that activation of innate immunity by HVJ-E was related to the survival rate. HVJ-E also showed antitumor efficacy in murine MPM-bearing mouse. The combination of chemotherapy and HVJ-E caused a significant increase in cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) compared to chemotherapy alone, suggesting that not only innate immunity activated by HVJ-E but also the increase in CTLs contributed to improved survival. The combination of anti-PD-1 antibody and HVJ-E significantly prolonged the survival rate of murine MPM-bearing mouse. Further, HVJ-E might have exhibited antitumor effects by maintaining immunogenicity against tumors. We believe that HVJ-E may be a beneficial therapy to improve MPM treatment in the future.
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Umeki Y, Ogawa N, Uegaki Y, Saga K, Kaneda Y, Nimura K. DNA barcoding and gene expression recording reveal the presence of cancer cells with unique properties during tumor progression. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:17. [PMID: 36564568 PMCID: PMC9789022 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04640-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Tumors comprise diverse cancer cell populations with specific capabilities for adaptation to the tumor microenvironment, resistance to anticancer treatments, and metastatic dissemination. However, whether these populations are pre-existing in cancer cells or stochastically appear during tumor growth remains unclear. Here, we show the heterogeneous behaviors of cancer cells regarding response to anticancer drug treatments, formation of lung metastases, and expression of transcription factors related to cancer stem-like cells using a DNA barcoding and gene expression recording system. B16F10 cells maintained clonal diversity after treatment with HVJ-E, a UV-irradiated Sendai virus, and the anticancer drug dacarbazine. PBS treatment of the primary tumor and intravenous injection of B16F10 cells resulted in metastases formed from clones of multiple cell lineages. Conversely, BL6 and 4T1 cells developed spontaneous lung metastases by a small number of clones. Notably, an identical clone of 4T1 cells developed lung metastases in different mice, suggesting the existence of cells with high metastatic potential. Cas9-based transcription recording analysis in a human prostate cancer cell line revealed that specific cells express POU5F1 in response to an anticancer drug and sphere formation. Our findings provide insights into the diversity of cancer cells during tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuka Umeki
- Division of Gene Therapy Science, Department of Genome Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamada-Oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 Japan
| | - Noriaki Ogawa
- Division of Gene Therapy Science, Department of Genome Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamada-Oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 Japan
| | - Yuko Uegaki
- Division of Gene Therapy Science, Department of Genome Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamada-Oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 Japan
| | - Kotaro Saga
- Division of Gene Therapy Science, Department of Genome Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamada-Oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 Japan
| | - Yasufumi Kaneda
- Division of Gene Therapy Science, Department of Genome Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamada-Oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 Japan
| | - Keisuke Nimura
- Division of Gene Therapy Science, Department of Genome Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamada-Oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 Japan
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Wei F, Cheng XX, Xue JZ, Xue SA. Emerging Strategies in TCR-Engineered T Cells. Front Immunol 2022; 13:850358. [PMID: 35432319 PMCID: PMC9006933 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.850358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy of cancer has made tremendous progress in recent years, as demonstrated by the remarkable clinical responses obtained from adoptive cell transfer (ACT) of patient-derived tumor infiltrating lymphocytes, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T cells (CAR-T) and T cell receptor (TCR)-engineered T cells (TCR-T). TCR-T uses specific TCRS optimized for tumor engagement and can recognize epitopes derived from both cell-surface and intracellular targets, including tumor-associated antigens, cancer germline antigens, viral oncoproteins, and tumor-specific neoantigens (neoAgs) that are largely sequestered in the cytoplasm and nucleus of tumor cells. Moreover, as TCRS are naturally developed for sensitive antigen detection, they are able to recognize epitopes at far lower concentrations than required for CAR-T activation. Therefore, TCR-T holds great promise for the treatment of human cancers. In this focused review, we summarize basic, translational, and clinical insights into the challenges and opportunities of TCR-T. We review emerging strategies used in current ACT, point out limitations, and propose possible solutions. We highlight the importance of targeting tumor-specific neoAgs and outline a strategy of combining neoAg vaccines, checkpoint blockade therapy, and adoptive transfer of neoAg-specific TCR-T to produce a truly tumor-specific therapy, which is able to penetrate into solid tumors and resist the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. We believe such a combination approach should lead to a significant improvement in cancer immunotherapies, especially for solid tumors, and may provide a general strategy for the eradication of multiple cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Wei
- Genetic Engineering Laboratory, School of Biological & Environmental Engineering, Xi'An University, Xi'An, China
| | - Xiao-Xia Cheng
- Genetic Engineering Laboratory, School of Biological & Environmental Engineering, Xi'An University, Xi'An, China
| | - John Zhao Xue
- Genetic Engineering Laboratory, School of Biological & Environmental Engineering, Xi'An University, Xi'An, China
| | - Shao-An Xue
- Genetic Engineering Laboratory, School of Biological & Environmental Engineering, Xi'An University, Xi'An, China
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Zhang DD, Wang WE, Ma YS, Shi Y, Yin J, Liu JB, Yang XL, Xin R, Fu D, Zhang WJ. A miR-212-3p/SLC6A1 Regulatory Sub-Network for the Prognosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancer Manag Res 2021; 13:5063-5075. [PMID: 34234551 PMCID: PMC8254378 DOI: 10.2147/cmar.s308986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a liver cancer with a poor prognosis. Owing to the complexity and limited pathogenic mechanism research on HCC, the molecular targeted therapy has been hindered. Methods In this study, we categorized transcriptome data into low-Myc and high-Myc expression groups in 365 HCC samples, screened the differentially expressed RNAs, including 441 DE-lncRNAs, 99 DE-miRNAs and 612 DE-mRNAs, constructed a lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network, and selected a hub triple regulatory network through cytoHubba analysis. Through Gene ontology and KEGG pathway, a hub regulatory network was particularly enriched in the “Wnt signaling pathway” and “Cytochrome P450-arranged by substrate type” by Metascape. The prognostic genes in the hub regulatory network were evaluated by the RNA expression analysis, Kaplan–Meier (KM) survival analysis, and correlation analysis. Results The results showed that miR-212-3p/SLC6A1 axis was a potential prognostic model for HCC. Furthermore, IHC analysis showed down-regulated expression of SLC6A1 in HCC tissues and Alb-Cre;Myc mouse liver cancer tissues. The genetics and epigenetic analysis indicated that SLC6A1 expression was negatively correlated with DNA methylation. Immune infiltration analysis showed a negative relation between SLC6A1 and T cell exhaustion/monocyte in liver cancer tissues. Conclusion In summary, the study revealed that miR-212-3p/SLC6A1 axis could serve as a crucial therapeutic target for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan-Dan Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832002, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Er Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, People's Hospital of Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture, Jishou, Hunan, 416000, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu-Shui Ma
- International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital/Institute, National Center for Liver Cancer, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi Shi
- International Cooperation Laboratory on Signal Transduction, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital/Institute, National Center for Liver Cancer, The Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Yin
- Department of General Surgery, Haian People's Hospital, Haian, Jiangsu, 226600, People's Republic of China
| | - Ji-Bin Liu
- Cancer Institute, Nantong Tumor Hospital, Nantong, 226631, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Li Yang
- Central Laboratory for Medical Research, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui Xin
- Central Laboratory for Medical Research, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, People's Republic of China
| | - Da Fu
- Central Laboratory for Medical Research, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200072, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Jie Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832002, People's Republic of China.,The Key Laboratories for Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Shihezi University School of Medicine, Shihezi, Xinjiang, 832002, People's Republic of China
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