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Xi Y, Chen H, Xi Y, Hai W, Qu Q, Zhang M, Li B. Visualization research on ENT1/NIS dual-function gene therapy to reverse drug resistance mediated by MUC1 in GEM-resistant pancreatic cancer. Nucl Med Biol 2023; 120-121:108350. [PMID: 37229950 DOI: 10.1016/j.nucmedbio.2023.108350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To use bifunctional target genes to increase the intracellular transport of gemcitabine (GEM) to reverse chemotherapy resistance and to simultaneously use reporter gene imaging to localize therapeutic genes. The therapeutic effect was evaluated by [18F]FLT PET/CT to visualize the effect of gene therapy. METHODS A viral gene vector containing the pancreatic cancer-targeting promoter MUC1 for specific transcription of equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 (ENT1) and NIS (nuclide transport channel) was employed. [125I]NaI uptake tests and [131I]NaI SPECT imaging were performed to verify the function of NIS and the target function of MUC1. The correlation between [18F]FLT uptake and GEM resistance were assessed, and the influence ENT1 and thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) expression on [18F]FLT micro-PET/CT was measured, which provides a theoretical basis for the use of [18F]FLT micro-PET/CT to evaluate the efficacy of gene therapy. RESULTS First, functions of gene therapy were confirmed: ENT1 reversed the drug resistance of GEM-resistant pancreatic cancer cells by increasing GEM intracellular transport; MUC1 drove NIS target gene expression in pancreatic cancer; and therapeutic genes could be localized using [131I]NaI SPECT reporter gene imaging. Second, the [18F]FLT uptake ratio was affected by drug resistance and GEM treatment. The mechanism underlying this effect was related to ENT1 and TK1. Increased expression of ENT1 inhibited the expression of TK1 after GEM chemotherapy to reduce the uptake of [18F]FLT. Finally, micro-PET/CT indicated that the SUVmax of [18F]FLT could predict survival time. SUVmax exhibited an increasing trend in resistant pancreatic cancer but a trend of inhibition after upregulation of ENT1, which was more significant after GEM treatment. CONCLUSIONS Bifunctional targeted genes can localize therapeutic genes through reporter gene imaging, reverse the drug resistance of GEM-resistant pancreatic cancer and be visually evaluated through [18F]FLT micro-PET/CT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Xi
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical School Affiliated Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Hong Chen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical School Affiliated Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Yue Xi
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical School Affiliated Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Wangxi Hai
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical School Affiliated Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Qian Qu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical School Affiliated Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Min Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical School Affiliated Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai, China.
| | - Biao Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical School Affiliated Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai, China.
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Na J, Lee CH, Chung JK, Youn H. Overexpression of Both Human Sodium Iodide Symporter (NIS) and BRG1-Bromodomain Synergistically Enhances Radioiodine Sensitivity by Stabilizing p53 through NPM1 Expression. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032761. [PMID: 36769088 PMCID: PMC9917390 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Improved therapeutic strategies are required to minimize side effects associated with radioiodine gene therapy to avoid unnecessary damage to normal cells and radiation-induced secondary malignancies. We previously reported that codon-optimized sodium iodide symporter (oNIS) enhances absorption of I-131 and that the brahma-associated gene 1 bromodomain (BRG1-BRD) causes inefficient DNA damage repair after high-energy X-ray therapy. To increase the therapeutic effect without applying excessive radiation, we considered the combination of oNIS and BRG1-BRD as gene therapy for the most effective radioiodine treatment. The antitumor effect of I-131 with oNIS or oNIS+BRD expression was examined by tumor xenograft models along with functional assays at the cellular level. The synergistic effect of both BRG1-BRD and oNIS gene overexpression resulted in more DNA double-strand breaks and led to reduced cell proliferation/survival rates after I-131 treatment, which was mediated by the p53/p21 pathway. We found increased p53, p21, and nucleophosmin 1 (NPM1) in oNIS- and BRD-expressing cells following I-131 treatment, even though the remaining levels of citrulline and protein arginine deiminase 4 (PAD4) were unchanged at the protein level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juri Na
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
- Correspondence: (J.N.); (H.Y.); Tel.: +44-1752-431038 (J.N.); +82-2-3668-7026 (H.Y.)
| | - Chul-Hee Lee
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - June-Key Chung
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyewon Youn
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
- Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
- Cancer Imaging Centre, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea
- Correspondence: (J.N.); (H.Y.); Tel.: +44-1752-431038 (J.N.); +82-2-3668-7026 (H.Y.)
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Zhang L, Xi Y, Guo R, Miao Y, Chen H, Zhang M, Li B. Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells Mediated Radiosensitive Promoter-Combined Sodium Iodide Symporter for the Treatment of Breast Cancer. Hum Gene Ther 2022; 33:638-648. [PMID: 35171716 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2021.144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To develop a genetically engineered bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) that carries a radiotherapy gene to target triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and to evaluate the efficacy of radiation damage within the tumor microenvironment (TME). METHODS The early growth response protein 1 (Egr1)-human sodium iodide symporter (hNIS) gene was transfected into BMSCs by lentiviral transfection and the expression levels were evaluated by RT-PCR. Transwell and adipogenesis and osteogenesis assays were performed to determine the targeting properties and adipogenic and osteogenic characteristics of the transgenic stem cells. The uptake of radioiodine and the efflux characteristics of the transgenic stem cells were determined by iodine uptake experiments. 131I-SPECT imaging was used to determine the characteristics of targeting to TNBC and to quantify the iodine uptake of transgenic stem cells in vivo. The effects of 131I treatment on BMSCs were characterized using tumor growth, immune cell infiltration and tumor invasion endpoints based on immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry analysis of tumor samples. RESULTS BMSCs-Egr1-hNIS cells abundantly express hNIS after radiation induction and are chemotactically attracted to TNBC tumors. Iodine uptake of BMSCs-Egr1-hNIS gradually increased with increasing induction concentrations and times. When the inductive concentration of 131I was > 100 μCi/mL and lasted for 36 h, the rate of iodine uptake in cells increased. In vitro, the radioiodine quickly flowed out from cells within 20 minutes but in vivo, the rate of radioiodine loss was significantly slower and occurred over 24 hours. After 131I therapy, tumor growth was inhibited, white blood cells infiltrated into tumor site and the levels of invasion-related cytokines significantly decreased. CONCLUSIONS BMSCs-Egr1-hNIS mediates 131I therapy can achieve precisely targeted radiotherapy to inhibit tumor growth, promote immune cells infiltration to the tumor sites and reduce the invasiveness and metastasis characteristics of tumor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Zhang
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical School Affiliated Ruijin Hospital, 66281, No.197, Ruijin Er Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai, Shanghai, Shanghai, China, 021;
| | - Yue Xi
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical School Affiliated Ruijin Hospital, 66281, Shanghai, China;
| | - Rui Guo
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical School Affiliated Ruijin Hospital, 66281, Shanghai, China;
| | - Ying Miao
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical School Affiliated Ruijin Hospital, 66281, Shanghai, China;
| | - Hong Chen
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical School Affiliated Ruijin Hospital, 66281, Shanghai, China;
| | - Min Zhang
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical School Affiliated Ruijin Hospital, 66281, Shanghai, China;
| | - Biao Li
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University Medical School Affiliated Ruijin Hospital, 66281, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai, China;
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Zhang L, Zheng B, Guo R, Miao Y, Li B. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell-mediated ultrasmall gold nanoclusters and hNIS gene synergize radiotherapy for breast cancer. J Mater Chem B 2021; 9:2866-2876. [PMID: 33720270 DOI: 10.1039/d1tb00186h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The human sodium iodide symporter (hNIS) can be linked to the downstream of radiation-sensitive early growth response protein1 (Egr1) promoter, and activated by the Egr1 following 131I treatment. However, the rapid outflow of 131I restricted the radiotherapy effect. To overcome this barrier, ultrasmall gold nanoclusters (usAuNCs) were used to enhance the radiotherapy efficacy of Egr1-hNIS for its radiation sensitization. In this work, we prepared "cell bomb" BMSCs carrying both GSH@AuNCs and Egr1-hNIS. We found that the "cell bomb" can target TNBC tumor and reach a maximum 131I concentration 9 h following 131I injection. Colony formation assay revealed that 131I, 131I combined with GSH@AuNCs could independently inhibit 39.5% and 66.4% of cell growth, respectively. Moreover, in vivo131I therapy further demonstrated that the growth of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) was controlled by BMSC-Egr1-hNIS + AuNCs group, with relative volume inhibition percentages of 56.16% (compared with the control group) and 36.20% (compared with the BMSC-Egr1-hNIS group), respectively. To summarize, we successfully prepared BMSC-Egr1-hNIS carrying GSH@AuNCs to target TNBC which could synergistically improve the efficacy of hNIS gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai JiaoTong University, P. R. China.
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Shi S, Li F, Wu L, Zhang L, Liu L. Feasibility of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Mediated Synthetic Radiosensitive Promoter-Combined Sodium Iodide Symporter for Radiogenetic Ovarian Cancer Therapy. Hum Gene Ther 2021; 32:828-838. [PMID: 33339472 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2020.214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecological cancer, most patients relapse within 12-24 months, and eventually die, especially platinum-resistant patients. Gene therapy has been one of the most potential methods for tumor treatment. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have been used for systemic delivery of therapeutic genes to solid tumors. Sodium iodide symporter (NIS) is an intrinsic membrane glycoprotein and can concentrate 131I, which is important for radionuclide therapy and nuclear medicine imaging in recent years. However, the rapid iodine efflux has become a bottleneck for NIS-mediated radionuclide gene therapy. Our previous studies found that the early growth response-1 (Egr1) promoter containing CC(A/T)6GG (CArG) elements had an 131I radiation-positive feedback effect on the NIS gene. Other research showed the synthesized Egr1 promoter containing four CArG elements, E4, was nearly three times as sensitive as the Egr1 promoter. In our study, BMSC-E4-NIS was engineered to express NIS under the control of E4 promoter using lentivirial vectors. After BMSC-E4-NIS implantation, no tumors were seen in BALB/c nude mice and BMSC-E4-NIS did not promote the growth of SKOV3 tumor. BMSCs migrated toward ovarian cancer samples in chemotaxis assays and to ovarian tumors in mice. Using micro-single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) imaging, we found that E4 promoter produced a notable increase in 125I uptake after 131I irradiation, the radionuclide uptake is almost three and six times more than Egr1 and cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoters. These studies confirmed the feasibility of using BMSCs as carriers for lentivirus-mediated E4-NIS gene therapy for ovarian cancer. Further research on BMSC-E4-NIS gene therapy for ovarian cancer in vivo will also be carried on, and if successful, this might provide a new adjuvant therapeutical option for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer patients and provide a new method for dynamic evaluation of curative effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Shi
- Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fei Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liangcai Wu
- Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liwei Zhang
- Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Liu
- Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Lentiviral Vectors as Tools for the Study and Treatment of Glioblastoma. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11030417. [PMID: 30909628 PMCID: PMC6468594 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11030417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Revised: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) has the worst prognosis among brain tumors, hence basic biology, preclinical, and clinical studies are necessary to design effective strategies to defeat this disease. Gene transfer vectors derived from the most-studied lentivirus-the Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1-have wide application in dissecting GBM specific features to identify potential therapeutic targets. Last-generation lentiviruses (LV), highly improved in safety profile and gene transfer capacity, are also largely employed as delivery systems of therapeutic molecules to be employed in gene therapy (GT) approaches. LV were initially used in GT protocols aimed at the expression of suicide factors to induce GBM cell death. Subsequently, LV were adopted to either express small noncoding RNAs to affect different aspects of GBM biology or to overcome the resistance to both chemo- and radiotherapy that easily develop in this tumor after initial therapy. Newer frontiers include adoption of LV for engineering T cells to express chimeric antigen receptors recognizing specific GBM antigens, or for transducing specific cell types that, due to their biological properties, can function as carriers of therapeutic molecules to the cancer mass. Finally, LV allow the setting up of improved animal models crucial for the validation of GBM specific therapies.
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Wang J, Zhu L, Chen X, Huang R, Wang S, Dong P. Human Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells Functionalized by Hybrid Baculovirus-Adeno-Associated Viral Vectors for Targeting Hypopharyngeal Carcinoma. Stem Cells Dev 2019; 28:543-553. [PMID: 30747033 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2018.0252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Hypopharyngeal carcinoma is a common malignant tumor of the head and neck with a very poor prognosis; the median survival time for curatively treated patients was 17.2 months in India. However, cell-based gene therapy holds promise to improve patient outcomes. In this study, we investigated whether human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) possess potential homing capacity for hypopharyngeal carcinoma. To monitor the efficiency of BMSC transplantation therapy through reporter gene imaging, we employed a hybrid baculovirus vector containing the Luc-P2A-eGFP fusion or sodium iodide symporter (NIS) sequence under the control of the cytomegalovirus promoter. To enhance the transfection efficiency, baculovirus vectors (Bac-CMV-Luc-P2A-eGFP-ITR and Bac-CMV-NIS-ITR) were flanked by inverted terminal repeats (ITRs), which are key elements of adeno-associated viruses. The infection efficiency of Bac-CMV-Luc-P2A-eGFP-ITR in BMSCs was as high as 92.84 ± 1.14% with no obvious toxic effects at a multiplicity of infection of 400. Moreover, Bac-CMV-NIS-ITR-infected BMSCs showed highly efficient radioactive iodide (125I) uptake; these high uptake levels were maintained for at least 2 h. Transwell migration assays further demonstrated the chemotaxis of BMSCs to hypopharyngeal carcinoma cells (FaDu cells) in vitro. BMSCs modified by firefly luciferase report gene or NIS were injected into nude mice with hypopharyngeal carcinoma, and changes in the localization of the BMSCs were successfully tracked with bioluminescent imaging and micro-single-photon emission computed tomography imaging. These data indicate the potential utility of BMSCs as a promising targeted-delivery vehicle for hypopharyngeal carcinoma gene therapy. Importantly, BMSCs may represent a promising targeting vector for general tumor radionuclide therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Wang
- 1 Department of Otolaryngology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,2 Department of Otolaryngology and Rui Jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Liying Zhu
- 3 Department of Nuclear Medicine, Rui Jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinwei Chen
- 1 Department of Otolaryngology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ruofei Huang
- 1 Department of Otolaryngology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shili Wang
- 2 Department of Otolaryngology and Rui Jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Pin Dong
- 1 Department of Otolaryngology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Shi S, Zhang M, Guo R, Miao Y, Li B. Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Mediated Dual-Gene Therapy for Glioblastoma. Hum Gene Ther 2018; 30:106-117. [PMID: 29993289 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2018.092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Bone-marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have been used for systemic delivery of therapeutic genes to solid tumors. However, the optimal treatment time post-BMSC implantation and the assessment of the long-term fate of therapeutic BMSCs post-tumor treatment are critical if such promising therapies are to be translated into clinical practice. An efficient BMSC-based therapeutic strategy has been developed that simultaneously allows killing of tumor cells, inhibiting of tumor angiogenesis, and assessment and eradication of implanted BMSCs after treatment of glioblastoma. BMSCs were engineered to co-express the angiogenesis inhibitor kringle 5 (K5) of human plasminogen, under the control of the cytomegalovirus promoter (CMV) and the human sodium-iodide symporter (NIS), involved in uptake of radioisotopes, under the control of early growth response factor 1 (Egr1), a radiation-activated promoter. A significant decrease in tumor growth and tumor angiogenesis and a subsequent increase in survival were observed when mice bearing glioblastoma were treated with 188Re post-therapeutic intravenous BMSC implantation. Furthermore, the systemic administration of 188Re post-tumor treatment selectively eliminated therapeutic BMSCs expressing NIS, which was monitored in real time by 125I micro single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography imaging. Meanwhile, the Egr1 promoter induced a 188Re radiation positive feedback effect absorbed by NIS. After intravenous BMSC implantation, BMSCs levels in the tumor and lung both peaked on day 10 and decreased to the lowest levels on days 24 and 17, respectively. These findings suggest that day 17 post-BMSC implantation could be an optimal time for 188Re treatment. These results provide a new adjuvant therapy mediated by BMSCs for glioblastoma treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Shi
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Min Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Rui Guo
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Miao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Biao Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ruijin Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
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