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Liu N, Zheng Q, Zhang Y, Wang H, Zhang Z, He L, Wei C, Xia H, Liu Y, Wang X. Hypoxia differently regulates the proportion of ALDH hi cells in lung squamous carcinoma H520 and adenocarcinoma A549 cells via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Thorac Cancer 2024; 15:1419-1428. [PMID: 38736300 PMCID: PMC11194122 DOI: 10.1111/1759-7714.15328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a specific subpopulation of cancer cells with the ability of self-renewal, infinite proliferation, multidifferentiation and tumorigenicity, and play critical roles in cancer progression and treatment resistance. CSCs are tightly regulated by the tumor microenvironment, such as hypoxia; however, how hypoxia regulates CSCs in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unclear. METHODS The proportion of ALDHhi cells was examined using the Aldefluor assay. Tankyrase inhibitor XAV939 and siRNA were used to inhibit β-catenin while pcDNA3-β-catenin (S33Y) plasmid enhanced the expression of β-catenin. Western blot was administered for protein detection. The mRNA expression was measured by quantitative real-time PCR. RESULTS We found that hypoxia led to an increase in the proportion of ALDHhi cells in lung squamous carcinoma (LUSC) H520 cells, while causing a decrease in the ALDHhi cell proportion in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) A549 cells. Similarly, β-catenin expression was upregulated in H520 cells but downregulated in A549 cells upon exposure to hypoxia. Mechanically, the proportion of ALDHhi cells in both cell lines was decreased by β-catenin inhibitor or siRNA knockdown, whereas increased after β-catenin overexpression. Furthermore, hypoxia treatment suppressed E-cadherin expression in H520 cells and enhanced N-cadherin and β-catenin expression, while this effect was completely opposite in A549 cells. CONCLUSION The hypoxia-EMT-β-catenin axis functions as an important regulator for the proportion of CSCs in NSCLC and could potentially be explored as therapeutic targets in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ni Liu
- Department of Medical OncologyQilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinanChina
| | - Qi Zheng
- Department of Medical OncologyQilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinanChina
| | - Yuqing Zhang
- Department of Medical OncologyQilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinanChina
| | - Huimin Wang
- Department of Medical OncologyQilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinanChina
- Department of OncologyYantai Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical UniversityYantaiChina
| | - Zhihui Zhang
- National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer HospitalChinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeBeijingChina
| | - Long He
- Department of OncologyThe Third Hospital of JinanJinanChina
| | - Chenxi Wei
- Department of Medical OncologyQilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinanChina
| | - Handai Xia
- Department of Medical OncologyQilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinanChina
| | - Yanguo Liu
- Department of Medical OncologyQilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinanChina
| | - Xiuwen Wang
- Department of Medical OncologyQilu Hospital of Shandong UniversityJinanChina
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Sun C, Deng H, Li Q, Wang P, Chen Y, Sun Y, Han C. HOXB9 promotes laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma progression by upregulating MMP12. Funct Integr Genomics 2024; 24:78. [PMID: 38632141 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-024-01357-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Transcriptional factor HOXB9, a part of the HOX gene family, plays a crucial role in the development of diverse cancer types. This study aimed to elucidate the regulatory mechanism of HOXB9 on the proliferation and invasion of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) cells to provide guidance for the development and prognosis of LSCC. The CRISPR/Cas9 method was employed in LSCC cell lines to knock out the HOXB9 gene and validate its effects on the proliferation, migration, invasion, and regulation of LSCC cells. CCK-8 and flow cytometry were used to detect cell viability and proliferation; Tunnel was used to detect cell apoptosis, and transwell was used to detect cell migration and invasion. The effect of HOXB9 on tumor growth was tested in nude mice. The downstream target genes regulated by HOXB9 were screened by microarray analysis and verified by Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and double-luciferase reporter assays. The current research investigated molecular pathways governed by HOXB9 in the development of LSCC. Additionally, both laboratory- and living-organism-based investigations revealed that disrupting the HOXB9 gene through the CRISPR/CAS9 mechanism restrained cellular growth, movement, and infiltration, while enhancing cellular apoptosis. Detailed analyses of LSCC cell strains and human LSCC samples revealed that HOXB9 promoted LSCC progression by directly elevating the transcriptional activity of MMP12. HOXB9 could influence changes in LSCC cell functions, and the mechanism of action might be exerted through its downstream target gene, MMP12.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuanhui Sun
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 550001, Guiyang, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Hua Deng
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 550001, Guiyang, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiuying Li
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, No. 246 Xue Fu Road, 150001, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Peng Wang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, No. 246 Xue Fu Road, 150001, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Yujiang Chen
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 71 Bao Shan Bei Road, 550001, Guiyang, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanan Sun
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, No. 246 Xue Fu Road, 150001, Harbin, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China.
| | - Changsong Han
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 71 Bao Shan Bei Road, 550001, Guiyang, Guizhou, People's Republic of China.
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Nandagopal S, Choudhary G, Sankanagoudar S, Banerjee M, Elhence P, Jena R, Selvi MK, Shukla KK. Expression of stem cell markers as predictors of therapeutic response in metastatic prostate cancer patients. Urol Oncol 2024; 42:68.e21-68.e31. [PMID: 38278632 DOI: 10.1016/j.urolonc.2023.12.012] [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: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been implicated in prostate cancer (PCA) progression and therapeutic resistance. This study aimed to compare the expression levels of CSC CD (CD 44, CD 133, and CD 24) markers in treatment-naive patients with metastatic PCA before and after treatment. METHODS The study included 60 treatment-naïve patients with metastatic PCA who received androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) alone (n = 30) and ADT plus chemotherapy (n = 30). The level of CD44, CD133, and CD24 were obtained by flow cytometric analysis before and after treatment. Baseline characteristics were also assessed, including age, pretreatment testosterone levels, and pretreatment prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. RESULTS The baseline characteristics analysis showed no significant difference in pre-treatment testosterone levels between the ADT+ chemotherapy and ADT-alone groups. In the flow cytometric analysis, no significant difference was observed in pre-treatment CD44+ and CD133+ levels between the 2 treatment groups, although a trend towards higher pretreatment CD24- levels was observed in the ADT+ chemotherapy group. After treatment, significant reductions in testosterone and PSA levels were observed in both treatment arms. The ADT+ chemotherapy group showed a greater reduction in CD44+ and CD133+ levels compared to the ADT-alone group. Bioinformatic analysis using the UALCAN TCGA database also showed a similar trend of CD 44, CD 24, and CD 133 gene expression patterns. CONCLUSION Combination therapy involving chemotherapy and ADT appears to have a greater impact on suppressing CSCs compared to ADT alone. These findings highlight the potential of targeting CSCs as a prognostic and predictive marker therapeutic strategy in metastatic PCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srividhya Nandagopal
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Gautam Choudhary
- Department of Urology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
| | | | - Mithu Banerjee
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Poonam Elhence
- Department of Pathology and Lab Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Rahul Jena
- Department of Urology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Maithili Karpaga Selvi
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
| | - Kamla Kant Shukla
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India.
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Associations between Body Mass Index and Prostate Cancer: The Impact on Progression-Free Survival. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2023; 59:medicina59020289. [PMID: 36837490 PMCID: PMC9967817 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59020289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Background and objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of body mass index on PCa outcomes in our institution and also to find if there are statistically significant differences between the variables. Materials and Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed to extract information about all male patients with prostate cancer between 1 February 2015, and 25 October 2022, and with information about age, weight, height, follow-up, and PSA. We identified a group of 728 patients, of which a total of 219 patients resulted after the inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival, which was defined as the length of time that the patient lives with the disease, but no relapses occur, and this group included 105 patients. In this case, 114 patients had a biological, local or metastatic relapse and were included in the progression group. Results: Our study suggests that prostate cancer incidence rises with age (72 ± 7.81 years) in men with a normal BMI, but the diagnostic age tends to drop in those with higher BMIs, i.e., overweight, and obese in the age range of 69.47 ± 6.31 years, respectively, 69.1 ± 7.51 years. A statistically significant difference was observed in the progression group of de novo metastases versus the absent metastases group at diagnostic (p = 0.04). The progression group with metastases present (n = 70) at diagnostic had a shorter time to progression, compared to the absent metastases group (n = 44), 18.04 ± 11.37 months, respectively, 23.95 ± 16.39 months. Also, PSA levels tend to diminish with increasing BMI classification, but no statistically significant difference was observed. Conclusions: The median diagnostic age decreases with increasing BMI category. Overweight and obese patients are more likely to have an advanced or metastatic prostate cancer at diagnosis. The progression group with metastatic disease at diagnostic had a shorter time to progression, compared to the absent metastases group. Regarding prostate serum antigen, the levels tend to become lower in the higher BMI groups, possibly leading to a late diagnosis.
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Ma M, He W, Zhao K, Xue L, Xia S, Zhang B. Targeting aldehyde dehydrogenase for prostate cancer therapies. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1006340. [PMID: 36300093 PMCID: PMC9589344 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1006340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common cancer in men in the United States. About 10 – 20% of PCa progress to castration-resistant PCa (CRPC), which is accompanied by metastasis and therapeutic resistance. Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) is famous as a marker of cancer stem-like cells in different cancer types, including PCa. Generally, ALDHs catalyze aldehyde oxidation into less toxic carboxylic acids and give cancers a survival advantage by reducing oxidative stress caused by aldehyde accumulation. In PCa, the expression of ALDHs is associated with a higher tumor stage and more lymph node metastasis. Functionally, increased ALDH activity makes PCa cells gain more capabilities in self-renewal and metastasis and reduces the sensitivity to castration and radiotherapy. Therefore, it is promising to target ALDH or ALDHhigh cells to eradicate PCa. However, challenges remain in moving the ALDH inhibitors to PCa therapy, potentially due to the toxicity of pan-ALDH inhibitors, the redundancy of ALDH isoforms, and the lack of explicit understanding of the metabolic signaling transduction details. For targeting PCa stem-like cells (PCSCs), different regulators have been revealed in ALDHhigh cells to control cell proliferation and tumorigenicity. ALDH rewires essential signaling transduction in PCa cells. It has been shown that ALDHs produce retinoic acid (RA), bind with androgen, and modulate diverse signaling. This review summarizes and discusses the pathways directly modulated by ALDHs, the crucial regulators that control the activities of ALDHhigh PCSCs, and the recent progress of ALDH targeted therapies in PCa. These efforts will provide insight into improving ALDH-targeted treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Siyuan Xia
- *Correspondence: Siyuan Xia, ; Baotong Zhang,
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Homeobox B9 Promotes the Progression of Hepatocellular Carcinoma via TGF-β1/Smad and ERK1/2 Signaling Pathways. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 2022:1080315. [PMID: 36158877 PMCID: PMC9507699 DOI: 10.1155/2022/1080315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Objectives Homeobox B9 (HOXB9), a homeodomain-containing transcription factor, may play a role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. However, the exact mechanisms underlying its action remain unclear. Materials and methods. Immunohistochemistry was used to investigate the expression of HOBX9 and its prognostic values in HCC patients. HCC cells were transfected with pBabe-HOXB9 and shHOXB9 plasmids, and MTT assay, Transwell assays, and xenograft mouse models were employed to determine the effects of HOXB9 on HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro and in vivo. The biological mechanisms involved in the role of HOXB9 were determined with Western blot and RT-qPCR methods. Results HOXB9 expression was significantly increased in HCC tissues and cell lines. Patients with higher HOXB9 levels were associated with poor prognosis. Overexpression of HOXB9 in BEL-7405 cells promoted proliferation, migration, and invasion, whereas knockdown of HOXB9 in HepG2 cells significantly reduced cell proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities. Mechanically, a positive correlation was found between HOXB9 expression and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 pathway in HCC tissues. HOXB9 overexpression stimulated TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway in BEL-7405 cells. In contrast, HOXB9 knockdown inhibited the TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway in HepG2 cells. In addition, the treatment with TGF-β1 inhibitor, LY364947, significantly reserved HOXB9 overexpression-induced cell proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities. Conclusions These findings validated that HOXB9 promoted proliferation, migration, and invasion in HCC cells by stimulating the TGF-β1/Smads and ERK1/2 signaling pathway. HOXB9 could be a promising prognostic biomarker and a potential therapeutic target in HCC.
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Yao Y, Liu C, Wang B, Guan X, Fang L, Zhan F, Sun H, Li H, Lou C, Yan F, Lu X, Cui L, Liao Y, Han S, Yao Y, Zhang Y. HOXB9 blocks cell cycle progression to inhibit pancreatic cancer cell proliferation through the DNMT1/RBL2/c-Myc axis. Cancer Lett 2022; 533:215595. [PMID: 35182659 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2022.215595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Homeobox B9 (HOXB9) is involved in the occurrence and development of malignant tumors. However, the functions and underlying molecular mechanisms of HOXB9 in pancreatic cancer have yet to be identified. In this study, we find that both HOXB9 mRNA and protein levels are down-regulated in pancreatic cancer tissues and cell lines. Kaplan-Meier survival plots of 150 pancreatic cancer cases show that higher expression of HOXB9 in pancreatic cancer patients is associated with higher survival rates. We also find that over-expression of HOXB9 inhibits pancreatic cancer cell proliferation both in cell lines and the nude mouse xenograft as well as PDX models. Applying cell cycle PCR array analysis, Flow CytoMetry, ChIP-qPCR, and luciferase experiments, we observe that HOXB9 blocks cell cycle progression in the G0/G1 phase via up-regulating RBL2 and inhibiting c-Myc, and we further find that DNMT1 inhibits the expression of HOXB9 in pancreatic cancer by promoting the methylation of its promoter. Our findings highlight a novel mechanism of the DNMT1/HOXB9/RBL2/c-Myc pathway in regulating the cell cycle and proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells and provide a research basis for the prognosis and therapeutic application of HOXB9 in pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yao
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China; Translational Medicine Research and Cooperation Center of Northern China, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Harbin, China; Heilongjiang Province Key Laboratory of Tumor Immunology, China
| | - Chao Liu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China; Translational Medicine Research and Cooperation Center of Northern China, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Harbin, China; Heilongjiang Province Key Laboratory of Tumor Immunology, China
| | - Bojun Wang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China; Translational Medicine Research and Cooperation Center of Northern China, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Xin Guan
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China; Translational Medicine Research and Cooperation Center of Northern China, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Lin Fang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China; Translational Medicine Research and Cooperation Center of Northern China, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Fei Zhan
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China; Translational Medicine Research and Cooperation Center of Northern China, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Haoxiu Sun
- School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Hengzhen Li
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China; Translational Medicine Research and Cooperation Center of Northern China, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Changjie Lou
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China; Translational Medicine Research and Cooperation Center of Northern China, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Feihu Yan
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China; Translational Medicine Research and Cooperation Center of Northern China, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Xiaolin Lu
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China; Translational Medicine Research and Cooperation Center of Northern China, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Luying Cui
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China; Translational Medicine Research and Cooperation Center of Northern China, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Yuanyu Liao
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China; Translational Medicine Research and Cooperation Center of Northern China, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Shuling Han
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China; Translational Medicine Research and Cooperation Center of Northern China, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Yuanfei Yao
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China; Heilongjiang Province Key Laboratory of Tumor Immunology, China; Heilongjiang Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, China.
| | - Yanqiao Zhang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China; Translational Medicine Research and Cooperation Center of Northern China, Heilongjiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Harbin, China; Heilongjiang Province Key Laboratory of Tumor Immunology, China.
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