Abstract 43: Application of MiniPDX® in clinical indication identification and anti-tumor drug development

MiniPDX® represents a novel in vivo drug sensitivity test with fast turnaround (7-10 days), using either fresh patient tumor samples or tissues from established PDX models. We systematically evaluated and compared the response rates of MiniPDX® assays and PDX assays pair-wise in 26 PDX models across 3 types of cancers to 12 clinically relevant regimens for chemical and targeting drugs. The results showed a high correlation between drug responses of the two assays, with sensitivity and specificity of 80% and 93%, respectively. More studies of different tumor types showed that MiniPDX drug sensitivity test results were consistent with clinical responses in most patients, which indicated that MiniPDX® models have great potential in guiding personalized cancer therapy. LIDE has completed over 3,000 MiniPDX® tests for clinical precision medicine, covering more than 50 indications. MiniPDX® was used to rank clinically approved drugs or drug regimens to guide the selection of the best individualized treatment strategy. At the same time, screening other compounds facilitates selection of the best drug candidates for further R&D. Importantly, performing MiniPDX® Mouse Trial using fresh tumor samples generated from clinic is beneficial for determination of potential clinical indications. Only thousands of fresh cells leftover from MiniPDX® preparation are sufficient to get genomic and transcription data by OncoVee™ K-cell technology. The combination of MiniPDX® assay and omics data would be very useful for determination of potential bio-markers in order to distinguish responders and non-responders in population with certain indication(s) and leveraged for patient stratification and selection criteria in clinical trial design. Currently, we are developing a new version of MiniPDX® assay for immunotherapy (IO-FIVE, Immuno-Oncology Fast In Vivo Efficacy test) by using fresh patient cancer cells with autologous immune cells to maximally mimic human tumor microenvironment before seeding in immune-deficient mice. Total cell viability and cell phenotyping are tracked before and after drug treatment to evaluate its in vivo efficacy within two weeks. More than 60 samples have been tested and the IO-FIVE functional assay can effectively distinguish the non-responder from responders for immunotherapeutic drugs. Several Investigator Initiated Trials (II-T) are on-going to further validate the correlation of IO-FIVE result to clinic endpoint.

Citation Format: Yuan Long, Bin Xie, Hongkui Chen, Shizhu Zhao, Le Li, Song Xi, Danyi Wen. Application of MiniPDX® in clinical indication identification and anti-tumor drug development [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 43.

[Anti-inflammatory mechanism of Balanophora involucrata: a network pharmacology and molecular docking-based analysis and verification in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 cells]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the main chemical constituents of Balanophora involucrata and the mechanism of its antiinflammatory effect based on network pharmacology and molecular docking technology.

METHODS

Literature reports, Materia Medica, GeneCards and other databases were searched for anti-inflammatory compounds and their targets. String database and Cytoscape 3.7.2 software were used to obtain the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and the drug-active ingredienttargets network and for GO and KEGG enrichment analyses. Molecular docking was performed using Auto Dock Tools 1.5.6. In an inflammatory RAW264.7 cell model induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the effect of 25, 50, 100, 200 μg/mL Balanophora involucrata extract was tested on the production of inflammatory cytokines and phosphorylation level of PI3K and Akt using ELISA and Western blotting.

RESULTS

A total of 318 common targets of drugs and diseases were identified, and the core targets were Src, HSP90AA1 and PIK3CA, involving cancer, PI3K/Akt, MAPK and other signaling pathways as shown by KEGG analysis. Molecular docking showed that both the main active constituents of Balanophora involucrata could spontaneously bind to the core targets. In the inflammatory cell model, treatment with Balanophora involucrata extract significantly inhibited the production of IL-1β at the concentrations of 100 and 200 μg/mL, reduced IL-6 and TNF-α expressions at the concentrations of 50, 100, and 200 μg/mL, and lowered phosphorylation levels of PI3K and Akt proteins at the concentrations of 25, 50, 100, and 200 μg/mL (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The anti-inflammatory mechanism of Balanophora involucrata involves multiple targets and multiple pathways, and its effect is mediated possibly by reducing IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α production and inhibiting phosphorylation levels of PI3K and Akt proteins to suppress the activation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Translation Potential and Challenges of In Vitro and Murine Models in Cancer Clinic

As one of the leading causes of death from disease, cancer continues to pose a serious threat to human health globally. Despite the development of novel therapeutic regimens and drugs, the long-term survival of cancer patients is still very low, especially for those whose diagnosis is not caught early enough. Meanwhile, our understanding of tumorigenesis is still limited. Suitable research models are essential tools for exploring cancer mechanisms and treatments. Herein we review and compare several widely used in vitro and in vivo murine cancer models, including syngeneic tumor models, genetically engineered mouse models (GEMM), cell line-derived xenografts (CDX), patient-derived xenografts (PDX), conditionally reprogrammed (CR) cells, organoids, and MiniPDX. We will summarize the methodology and feasibility of various models in terms of their advantages and limitations in the application prospects for drug discovery and development and precision medicine.

Patient-derived intrafemoral orthotopic xenografts of peripheral blood or bone marrow from acute myeloid and acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients: clinical characterization, methodology, and validation

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are malignant clonal diseases of the hematopoietic system with an unsatisfactory overall prognosis. The main obstacle is the increased resistance of AML and ALL cells to chemotherapy. The development and validation of new therapeutic strategies for acute leukemia require preclinical models that accurately recapitulate the genetic, pathological, and clinical features of acute leukemia. A patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) model is established using surgical orthotopic implantation. They closely resemble human tumor progression and microenvironment and are more reliable translational research tools than subcutaneous-transplant models. In this study, we established PDOX models by direct intrafemoral injection of bone marrow and peripheral blood cells from AML and ALL patients, characterized their pathology, cytology, and genetics, and compared the model's characteristics and drug responsiveness with those of the corresponding patients.

Abstract 3102: MiniPDX and omics analysis for clinical indication and biomarker identification

MiniPDX as an in vivo version of the organoid assay represents a novel platform of fast turnaround (7 days) in vivo drug sensitivity test, using either fresh patient tumor samples or tissues from established PDX models. We systematically evaluated and compared the response rates of MiniPDX assays and PDX assays pair-wise in 26 PDX models involving 3 types of cancers to 12 clinical relevant regimens, and found a high correlation between drug responses between the two assays, with sensitivity and specificity of 80% and 93%, respectively. LIDE has completed over 2,400 MiniPDX assays for precision medicine in clinical, including over 50 indications. Using MiniPDX for ranking the drug/treatment approved in clinical practice facilitates prioritization of the best strategy for benefiting patient in precision medicine, while screening a series of small/large molecules within the similar scaffold enables selection of the best candidate for further drug R&D. Importantly, performing MiniPDX Mouse Trial using fresh tumor samples generated from clinic is beneficial for determination of potential clinical indication that would be fit for the investigating new drug. RNA or DNA can be extracted and enriched from only thousands of cells left from MiniPDX preparation by K cell technology, while RNAseq can be further analyzed via functional genomic imaging (FGI). The Omics data would be useful for determination of potential biomarkers to distinguish responders vs non-responders in population with certain indication(s) and further application in patient stratification to confirm inclusive/exclusive criteria in clinical trials.

Citation Format: Shuai Wang, Yu Di, Rongyu Li, Yang Liu, Xiaorong Gu, Kaimeng Hu, Danyi Wen. MiniPDX and omics analysis for clinical indication and biomarker identification [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 3102.

Abstract 1628: Application of conditionally reprogrammed cell in cancer model establishment and new target identification

Tumor cell immortalization through conditional reprogramming, particularly from limited biopsy specimen, is an invaluable tool to generate propagating tumor cells for cell-based drug sensitivity assay and bio-banking in vitro. We have successfully reprogrammed primary tumor cells from a number of tumor types, including lung carcinoma, breast cancer and glioma .etc. The conditionally reprogrammed cells exhibited typical colonized growth, which is well maintained upon cryopreservation. In some cases, the cells can be passaged for multiple times and likely become stable cell lines. We attempt to extend conditional reprogrammed tumor cells to reconstitute and grow PDX models in vivo and find the tumor formation rate is much higher than the primary tissue’s. This attempt provides a new process for establishing PDX models from variant types of cancer, especially the cancer types with low success rate in PDX establishment. We also establish PDX-derived cell lines by conditional reprogramming, which could be used in in vitro drug efficacy study and anti-cancer drug target identification. Functional library screening, such as genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 library or specific pro-siRNA library screening, could discover new targets directly by evaluating the effect of the knockout/knockdown of specific genes. We have established several cell lines from drug resistant PDX, including Osimertinib and other targeted drugs resistant models, and found potential targets by pro-siRNA library screening. These potential targets could be validated on the matching cell line and PDX and the matching in vitro and in vivo tools will also enhance the further research of new targeted small molecules or antibodies.

Citation Format: Yuan Long, Le Li, Shizhu Zhao, Song Xi, Danyi Wen. Application of conditionally reprogrammed cell in cancer model establishment and new target identification [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 1628.

Abstract 3103: Liquid tumor orthotopic PDX models of acute leukemia

Liquid tumor orthotopic xenograft models were established by intra femoral injection on NCG mice using freshly prepared leukemia cells from peripheral blood (PB) or bone marrow (BM) of AML/ALL patient samples. The establishment of the orthotopic models were monitored by the flow cytometry analysis of peripheral blood of engrafted mice:CD45+/CD33+ for AML and CD45+/CD19+ for B-ALL. The double positive cells in the peripheral blood of the successfully transplanted model can reach 5-15%. Typically, it takes 120 -170 days to establish the P0 AML orthotopic model. It takes 45-60 days to establish the P0 ALL orthotopic model. Spleen from engrafted P0 mice was used for P1-P3 reconstitution of the orthotopic model. On these orthotopic models, we tested whether medicines such as etoposide, cytarabine, vincristine, ibrutinib and imatinib are sensitive. And anti-CD47 antibody was also tested on these models. NGS profiling was used to confirm the genotype of established orthotopic PDX.

Citation Format: Hongkui Chen, Lintao Bi, Shizhu Zhao, Shuai Wang, Wenqiang Huang, Josh Caggiula, Loc Van, Danyi Wen. Liquid tumor orthotopic PDX models of acute leukemia [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 3103.

Predicting haemodynamic significance of coronary stenosis with radiomics-based pericoronary adipose tissue characteristics

AIM

To investigate the diagnostic performance of the radiomics features of pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) in determining haemodynamically significant coronary artery stenosis as evaluated by fractional flow reserve (FFR).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 92 patients with clinically suspected coronary artery disease who underwent coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography (CCTA), invasive coronary angiography (ICA), and FFR examination within 1 month were included retrospectively, and 121 lesions were randomly assigned to the training and testing set. Based on manual segmentation of PCAT, 1,116 radiomics features were computed. After radiomics robustness assessment and feature selection, radiomics models were established using the different machine-learning algorithms. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) and net reclassification index (NRI) were analysed to compare the discrimination and reclassification abilities of radiomics models.

RESULTS

Two radiomics features were selected after exclusions, and both were significantly higher in coronary arteries with FFR ≤0.8 than those with FFR >0.8. ROC analysis showed that the combination of CCTA and decision tree radiomics model achieved significantly higher diagnostic performance (AUC: 0.812) than CCTA alone (AUC: 0.599, p=0.015). Furthermore, the NRI of the combined model was 0.820 and 0.775 in the training and testing sets, respectively, suggesting the radiomics features of PCAT had were effective in classifying the haemodynamic significance of coronary stenosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Adding PCAT radiomics features to CCTA enabled identification of haemodynamically significant coronary artery stenosis.

Oridonin Enhances the Anti-Metastasis Effect of Oxaliplatinliplatin on Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastasis

The anti-metastasis effect of oridonin in combination with oxaliplatin on colorectal cancer liver metastasis was studied using a BALB/c nude mouse model. The liver condition, bloody ascites, cholestasis, and liver metastasis scores in the three groups receiving oxaliplatin combined with oridonin were significantly milder than in the control group and importantly the anti-migratory effect of oxaliplatin combined with oridonin was obviously the strongest (p<0.05). Oridonin possessed no hepatotoxicity; instead, it effectively alleviated liver injury caused by oxaliplatin. Oridonin alone or in combination with oxaliplatin significantly decreased serum levels of α-fetoprotein and carcinoembryonic antigen. Therefore, oridonin combined with oxaliplatin displays great potential to markedly increase the anti-metastasis effect of oxaliplatin in the treatment of liver metastases of colorectal cancer.

Circulating Cell-Free DNA-Based Detection of Tumor Suppressor Gene Copy Number Loss and Its Clinical Implication in Metastatic Prostate Cancer

Current liquid biopsy assays lack sufficient sensitivity to detect copy number loss, which limits the interrogation of critical tumor suppressor gene deletions during cancer progression and treatment. Here we describe a liquid biopsy assay with improved sensitivity for detection of copy number loss in blood samples with low levels of circulating tumor DNA, and demonstrate its utility by profiling PTEN, RB1, and TP53 genetic loss in metastatic prostate cancer patients.

Mini-patient-derived xenograft assay based on microfluidic technology promises to be an effective tool for screening individualized chemotherapy regimens for advanced non-small cell lung cancer

Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) assay has been widely used in preclinical research in patients with multidrug-resistant lung cancer. One hundred patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were divided into MiniPDX group and conventional group, with 50 cases in each group. The MiniPDX assay was established by enriching high-purity tumor cells using microfluidic technology to detect the drug sensitivity of NSCLC cells. All patients underwent conventional computed tomography (CT) scans of lung and mediastinum at baseline and during follow-up. Kaplan-Meier method was used to compare the overall survival and progression-free survival of two groups. The sensitivity of the same drug in different tumor xenograft varied greatly. The overall survival, progression-free survival, and clinical benefit rate of patients in the MiniPDX-guided chemotherapy group were significantly longer than those in the conventional chemotherapy group. MiniPDX assay may be an effective tool for screening chemotherapy regimens in NSCLC patients.

Metabolomics Changes of Serum and Tissues in Mice Died of Acute Tetracaine Poisoning

Abstract

Objective To study the changes of metabolites in serum and tissues （kidney, liver and heart） of mice died of acute tetracaine poisoning by metabolomics, to search for potential biomarkers and related metabolic pathways, and to provide new ideas for the identification of cause of death and research on toxicological mechanism of acute tetracaine poisoning. Methods Forty ICR mice were randomly divided into control group and acute tetracaine poisoning death group. The model of death from acute poisoning was established by intraperitoneal injection of tetracaine, and the metabolic profile of serum and tissues of mice was obtained by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-electrostatic field orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry （UPLC-Orbitrap HRMS）. Multivariate statistical principal component analysis （PCA） and orthogonal partial least square-discriminant analysis （OPLS-DA） were used, combined with t-test and fold change to identify the differential metabolites associated with death from acute tetracaine poisoning. Results Compared with the control group, the metabolic profiles of serum and tissues in the mice from acute tetracaine poisoning death group were significantly different. Eleven differential metabolites were identified in serum, including xanthine, spermine, 3-hydroxybutylamine, etc.; twenty-five differential metabolites were identified in liver, including adenylate, adenosine, citric acid, etc.; twelve differential metabolites were identified in heart, including hypoxanthine, guanine, guanosine, etc; four differential metabolites were identified in kidney, including taurochenodeoxycholic acid, 11, 12-epoxyeicosatrienoic acid, dimethylethanolamine and indole. Acute tetracaine poisoning mainly affected purine metabolism, tricarboxylic acid cycle, as well as metabolism of alanine, aspartic acid and glutamic acid. Conclusion The differential metabolites in serum and tissues of mice died of acute tetracaine poisoning are expected to be candidate biomarkers for this cause of death. The results can provide research basis for the mechanism and identification of acute tetracaine poisoning.

[Influence of Halogenated Hydroxyl-Alkanes Inhalation Anesthetic on the Determination of Ethanol Content in Blood]

Objective To study the influence of halogenated hydroxyl-alkanes inhalation anesthetic on the determination of ethanol content in blood. Methods Halogenated hydroxyl-alkanes were analyzed by headspace gas chromatography with double column confirmatory detection method. The influence of halogenated hydroxyl-alkanes on determination of ethanol content in blood sample by headspace gas chromatography was explored under the different detection conditions of KB-BAC1/ KB-BAC2 and J&W DB-ALC1/DB-ALC2 gas chromatographic column. Results The retention time of sevoflurane and enflurane was similar to that of ethanol and tert butanol respectively when using the J&W DB-ALC1/DB-ALC2 gas chromatographic column, and interfered with the detection of ethanol content in blood; only J&W DB-ALC1 gas chromatographic column can separate the sevoflurane and ethanol components, so as to eliminate their influence on the detection of ethanol content in blood. When using KB-BAC1/KB-BAC2 gas chromatographic column, the retention time of sevoflurane, isoflurane and ethanol is similar, especially that of sevoflurane and ethanol, and sevoflurane obviously interferes with the determination of ethanol content in blood. Conclusion Halogenated hydroxy-alkanes interfere with determination of ethanol content in blood by headspace gas chromatography. The interference can be discriminated effectively by choosing the suitable chromatographic column and double column confirmatory detection.

Abstract 6223: Combination of BCL-2/BCL-xL dual inhibitor APG-1252 and chemotherapeutics overcomes resistance to osimertinib in EGFR mutant NSCLC in preclinical models

Osimertinib (AZD9291) is the first-line treatment for EGFR-mutated NSCLC; however, the majority of patients inevitably develop resistance due to de novo genomic abnormalities, such as C797S mutation, EGFR exon 20 insertion, MET amplification and other unknown mechanisms. Hence, effective therapies to overcome acquired resistance are urgently needed. Inhibition of BCL-2/BCL-xL has been reported to enhance apoptosis in EGFR-TKI resistant cells with low sensitivity to EGFR inhibition. In this study, we evaluated whether the combination of a dual BCL-2/BCL-xL inhibitor APG-1252 and chemotherapeutics could overcome osimertinib resistance in preclinical xenograft models.

First, EGFR C797S mutation was introduced to human NCI-H1975 NSCLC cells to construct an NCI-H1975-C797S resistant cell line using CRISPR technology. NCI-H1975-C797S derived-xenografts were treated with APG-1252, cisplatin/docetaxel or their combinations.

Combination therapy with APG-1252 and cisplatin or docetaxel exhibited synergistic antitumor activity. APG-1252 plus docetaxel combination achieved 100% tumor partial regression (PR). Similar results were demonstrated in a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) tumor model derived from an osimertinib-resistant NSCLC patient harboring 19del-T790M-C797S mutations. Furthermore, the combinations also exhibited enhanced antitumor activity in an osimertinib-resistant PDX model that the resistant mechanism remained unknown.

In summary, our results suggest that the combination treatment with APG-1252 and chemotherapeutics can overcome acquired resistance to osimertinib and the combination deserves further clinical evaluations.

Citation Format: Ran Tao, Guangfeng Wang, Douglas D. Fang, Guoqin Zhai, Yuanbao Li, Jing Lv, Miaoyi Wu, Yangfeng Ge, Feifei Zhang, Danyi Wen, Dajun Yang, Yifan Zhai. Combination of BCL-2/BCL-xL dual inhibitor APG-1252 and chemotherapeutics overcomes resistance to osimertinib in EGFR mutant NSCLC in preclinical models [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 6223.

Abstract 3001: Drug resistant PDX models for new drug discovery

Drug resistant is one of the biggest challenge for cancer therapy. How to understand the mechanism and to overcome the drug resistant with new therapeutics represent the hot focus for oncology drug discovery. Drug resistant patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models derived from surgery samples, biopsy samples, hydrothorax or ascetic fluid provides unique tool for new therapeutics R&D. We have successfully established an array of drug resistant PDX models. Representative drug resistant PDX includes: clinically AZD9291-resistant EGFR triple mutant (Ex19del, T790M, C797S) PDX model. In vivo efficacy results show that this triple mutant NSCLC PDX model was resistant to Erlotinib and AZD9291 and sensitive to the combination of Cetuximab and Brigatinib. We also established CD74-ROS1 fusion and G2032R mutant NSCLC PDX model; EML4-ALK fusion and L1196M mutant NSCLC PDX model; Olaparib resistant Ovarian cancer PDX model; Heceptin resistant gastric PDX model; Rituximab and ABT-199 resistant DLBCL PDX model, and so on. In conclusion, these precious PDX models provide insight into resistance mechanisms as well as serve as models to develop new therapeutics drug candidates that overcome the drug resistant.

Citation Format: Feifei Zhang, Yuan Long, Danyi Wen. Drug resistant PDX models for new drug discovery [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 3001.

High prevalence of norovirus GII.P16/GII.2 and chicken anemia virus in two acute gastroenteritis outbreaks in Huzhou, China

Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is one of the most frequently occuring illnesses in children and adults worldwide. In February 2017, two AGE outbreaks occurred in two adjacent schools in Huzhou city, Zhenjiang province of China. We detected high percentages of recombinant norovirus GII.P16/GII.2 in one school and chicken anemia virus (CAV) in another school using next generation sequencing (NGS) and specific PCR. The results highlight the importance of continuous surveillance of GII.P16/GII.2, and suggest the need of further studies on whether CAV causes AGE. Keywords: acute gastroenteritis; norovirus; chicken anemia virus; Huzhou; School.

Application of Demirjian's and Cameriere's Method in Dental Age Estimation of 8-16 Year Old Adolescents from Hunan Han Nationality

Abstract

Objective To apply Demirjian's and Cameriere's method for dental age estimation of adolescents from Hunan Han nationality, and compare the accuracy of the two methods. Methods A total of 480 orthopantomograms of?8-16 year?old adolescents from Hunan Han nationality?with no special diseases and good nutritional status were collected?by Xiangya Stomatological Hospital of Central South University from January, 2016 to July, 2017, among them 236 males and 244 females. The dental age of each adolescent was determined by Demirjian's method and Cameriere's method, respectively, and the paired t-test of the estimated dental age and the chronological age determined by the two methods was conducted by SPSS 20.0 software to compare the difference between estimated dental age and chronological age. Results Mean chronological age of males and females was 11.91 and 11.88 years, respectively. The estimated dental age determined by Demirjian's method showed an underestimate of chronological age by an average of 0.11 years （males） and 0.15 years （females）, while the estimated dental age determined by Cameriere's method showed an underestimate of chronological age by an average of 0.83 years （males） and 0.72 years （females）. Conclusion Demirjian's method is more accurate than Cameriere's method in dental age estimation of adolescents from Hunan Han nationality, therefore more suitable for dental age estimation of adolescents in this region.

Abstract 1066: Drug resistant PDX models for testing targeted drug sensitivity

Advanced lung cancer of late stage patients is selectively sensitive to available targeted therapeutics and often develops resistance to early sensitive drug treatment, thus, the patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models are critical to evaluate drug sensitivity and resistance. We established PDX models from routine surgery tissues, as well as from tumor cells in pleural effusion specimens and from biopsies of advanced cancer patients who are refractory to treatments. Genetic profiling of the PDX lung models revealed a group of them with TKI drug-associated EGFR mutations (L858R, T790M, Exon19del, C797S). Among them, are an AZD9291-resistant sub-group with EGFR double mutations (Exon19Δ, T790M) in the clinic before AZD9291 treatment, and yet, acquired resistance to AZD9291 either through emergence C797S mutation or T790M loss in EGFR or through mutations in other pathways, providing insights into potential combo therapies. Indeed, combinations of AZD9291 with Cetuximab as well as with inhibitors targeting other signaling pathways such as MEK, are efficacious against an AZD9291-resistant lung PDX model with EGFR triple mutations (Exon19Δ, T790M, C797S). We also establish valuable lung models resistant to ALK inhibitors, Avastin, PD-1 antibody drugs, and resistant hematopoietic models. In summary, functional drug sensitivity profiling and genetic profiling with drug resistant PDX models provide insights into resistance mechanisms as well as precise therapeutic options against resistance emergence.

Citation Format: Jijun Cheng, Feifei Zhang, Zhen Zhou, Yuan Long, Wenhua Xu, Shizhu Zhao, Hongkui Chen, Shun Lu, Danyi Wen. Drug resistant PDX models for testing targeted drug sensitivity [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1066.

Abstract 1063: In vivo humanized immuno-oncologymodels for drug discovery

Reliable translational, especially humanized mouse models are critical to evaluate efficacy of immuno-therapeutics. While transgenic humanized mice and human CD34+ HSC-reconstituted mice are often used, their human cellular or molecular immune components are limited or defective. Human peripheral blood monocytic cell (PBMC)-reconstitution in immunocompromised mice, although, is transient and limited in infiltrating xenografts, one can manipulate to delicately reconstitute tumor microenvironment with one type, human T cells, or a few types of human immune cells, dendritic and macrophages, from human PBMC, through either systemic reconstitution or local reconstitution. We found that optimized stable PBMC models, both CDX and PDX, can often meet needs of targeting by many developing IO antibody therapeutics, including bi-specifics, in comparison to other humanized models. In particular, for efficacy study and for the convenience of mouse trials, we arrayed panels of PDX models expressing PD-L1 at different levels, in lung, liver, endometrial and gastric cancers, and panels of MSI-H and/or dMMR positive PDX models in these cancer types. In aiding studies of efficacy and resistance, we establish clinically drug-resistant PDX models, such as those resistant to checkpoint antibody drugs. These models are valuable to evaluate efficacy not only for antibody agents but also for combinational therapies involving biotherapeutics such as oncolytic virus.

Citation Format: Jijun Cheng, Feifei Zhang, Yuan Long, Wenhua Xu, Hongkui Chen, Danyi Wen. In vivo humanized immuno-oncologymodels for drug discovery [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1063.

Analysis of Common Herbicides in Blood by UPLC-HRMS

OBJECTIVES

To develop a method to screen and quantify 10 common herbicides （paraquat, diquat, glyphosate, glufosinate, cyanazine, atrazine, metazachlor, acetochlor, chlorsulfuron, and metsulfuron） in blood.

METHODS

With acetonitrile-water solution [V（acetonitrile）∶V（water）=3∶1] as protein precipitant, 10 common herbicides in blood were detected using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry （UPLC-HRMS）.

RESULTS

All the 10 herbicides had good linearity in their linear range （coefficient of determination R²≥0.993）, with the recovery rates 67.4%-111.9%, the relative standard deviations 1.5%-10.8%, the accuracies 85.1%-106.1%, intra-day precisions 2.7%-13.5%, and inter-day precisions 3.3%-13.3%.

CONCLUSIONS

This method is easy to operate with high recovery rates. It enables rapid and accurate qualitative screening and quantitative analysis of various herbicides in blood simultaneously.

Characterization of drug responses of mini patient-derived xenografts in mice for predicting cancer patient clinical therapeutic response

Background

Patient-derived organoids and xenografts (PDXs) have emerged as powerful models in functional diagnostics with high predictive power for anticancer drug response. However, limitations such as engraftment failure and time-consuming for establishing and expanding PDX models followed by testing drug efficacy, and inability to subject to systemic drug administration for ex vivo organoid culture hinder realistic and fast decision-making in selecting the right therapeutics in the clinic. The present study aimed to develop an advanced PDX model, namely MiniPDX, for rapidly testing drug efficacy to strengthen its value in personalized cancer treatment.

Methods

We developed a rapid in vivo drug sensitivity assay, OncoVee^® MiniPDX, for screening clinically relevant regimens for cancer. In this model, patient-derived tumor cells were arrayed within hollow fiber capsules, implanted subcutaneously into mice and cultured for 7 days. The cellular activity morphology and pharmacokinetics were systematically evaluated. MiniPDX performance (sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values) was examined using PDX as the reference. Drug responses were examined by tumor cell growth inhibition rate and tumor growth inhibition rate in PDX models and MiniPDX assays respectively. The results from MiniPDX were also used to evaluate its predictive power for clinical outcomes.

Results

Morphological and histopathological features of tumor cells within the MiniPDX capsules matched those both in PDX models and in original tumors. Drug responses in the PDX tumor graft assays correlated well with those in the corresponding MiniPDX assays using 26 PDX models generated from patients, including 14 gastric cancer, 10 lung cancer and 2 pancreatic cancer. The positive predictive value of MiniPDX was 92%, and the negative predictive value was 81% with a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 93%. Through expanding to clinical tumor samples, MiniPDX assay showed potential of wide clinical application.

Conclusions

Fast in vivo MiniPDX assay based on capsule implantation was developed-to assess drug responses of both PDX tumor grafts and clinical cancer specimens. The high correlation between drug responses of paired MiniPDX and PDX tumor graft assay, as well as translational data suggest that MiniPDX assay is an advanced tool for personalized cancer treatment.

Genetic contribution of suppressor of cytokine signalling polymorphisms to the susceptibility to infection after traumatic injury

Suppressor of cytokine signalling (SOCS) proteins are crucial negative regulators in many signalling pathways and are implicated in the pathogenesis of infectious diseases. The purpose of this study was to uncover possible associations of common polymorphisms within SOCS genes with infectious outcomes after traumatic injury. A total of 1087 trauma patients (Chongqing cohort 806 and Yunnan cohort 281) were recruited and followed-up for the development of infectious outcomes, such as sepsis and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). Twelve selected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were screened by pyrosequencing to determine their genotypes and associations with infectious complications. Among the 12 selected SNPs, only the cytokine-inducible Src homology (SH2) domain protein (CISH) promoter rs414171 polymorphism was found consistently to be associated statistically with the incidence of sepsis and MOD score in the two cohorts, despite analysing the SNPs independently or in combination. Further, patients with a T allele had significantly lower CISH expression and lower production of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, but higher production of interleukin (IL)-10. Luciferase assay confirmed that the A→T variant in the rs414171 polymorphism inhibited the transcriptional activities of the CISH gene significantly. The CISH rs414171 polymorphism is associated significantly with susceptibility to sepsis and MODS in traumatic patients, which might prove to be a novel biomarker for indicating risk of infectious outcomes in critically injured patients.

Personalized treatment based on mini patient-derived xenografts and WES/RNA sequencing in a patient with metastatic duodenal adenocarcinoma

Background

Treatment guidelines for a variety of cancers have been increasingly used in clinical practice, and have resulted in major improvement in patient outcomes. However, recommended regimens (even first-line treatments) are clearly not ideal for every patients. In the present study, we used mini patient-derived xenograft (mini-PDX) and next-generation sequencing to develop personalized treatment in a patient with metastatic duodenal adenocarcinoma.

Methods

Resected metachronous metastatic tumor tissues were implanted into SCID mice to determine the sensitivity to a variety of drug regimens. Mutation profiles were assessed using both DNA whole-exome sequencing (DNA–WES) and RNA sequencing. The results of the analyses were used to select optimal treatment for the patient with metastatic duodenal adenocarcinoma.

Results

Assessment with mini-PDX models took only 7 days. The results showed high sensitivity to S-1 plus cisplatin, gemcitabine plus cisplatin and everolimus alone. The patient received gemcitabine plus cisplatin initially, but the treatment was terminated due to toxicity. The patient was then switched to treatment with S-1 alone. The overall disease-free survival was 34 months. DNA–WES and RNA sequencing identified KRAS mutation (A146T), TP53 (C229Yfs*10) and RICTOR amplification in the metastatic duodenal adenocarcinoma. These findings provided further support to the results of the mini-PDX, and suggest mTOR inhibitors should be used if and when relapse eventually occurs in this patient.

Conclusions

Mini-PDX model combined with WES/RNA sequencing can rapidly assess drug sensitivity in cancer patients and reveal key genetic alterations. Further research on this technology for personalized therapy in patients with refractory malignant tumors is warranted.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s40880-018-0323-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Abstract 2164: Conditional tumor cell reprogramming: From in vitro sensitivity to in vivo PDX modeling

Tumor cell immortalization through conditional reprogramming, particularly from limited biopsy specimen, is an invaluable tool to generate propagating tumor cells for cell-based diagnostics, drug sensitivity assay and bio-banking in vitro. We have successfully reprogrammed primary tumor cells from a number of unreported tumor types, including lung carcinoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma, towards immortalization. The propagating cells exhibited typical colonized growth, which is well maintained upon cryo-frozen. In some cases, the cells can be passaged for multiple times and likely become useful cell lines. Like primary tumor cells, conditional reprogrammed tumor cells are reliable to test drug sensitivity in vitro. We attempt to extend conditional reprogrammed tumor cells to reconstitute and grow PDX models in vivo for testing drug efficacy. Preliminary data indicate that, in a 7-day in vivo assay utilizing hollow-fiber tubes grown subcutaneously in mouse, which we call OncoVee Mini-PDX, conditional reprogrammed tumor cells, like primary tumor cells and PDX tumor cells, can be successfully used to test drug efficacy in vivo. In summary, this study explores and evaluates applications of conditional reprogrammed tumor cells in drug efficacy tests both in vitro and in vivo.

Citation Format: Yuan Long, Loc Van, Song Xi, Le Li, Yuhui Zheng, Ying Ling, Feifei Zhang, Jijun Cheng, Danyi Wen. Conditional tumor cell reprogramming: From in vitro sensitivity to in vivo PDX modeling [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2164.

Abstract 2165: Mini-patient-derived xenograft sensitive assay: A rapid systemic detection method for assessment of cancer therapeutics

Patient-derived xenografts (PDX) have a high predictive power for efficacy of anticancer therapeutics. Limitations such as engraftment failure and time consuming for establishment and expansion of PDX models for drug efficacy testing need to be overcome for immediate application in patient decision-making for therapeutics. We developed a rapid in vivo drug sensitivity assay system so-called OncoVee® Mini-PDX, in which patient-derived tumor cells were arrayed within hollow fiber capsules in vivo over 7 days and screened against clinical relevant regimens. For validation study, the Mini-PDX was assessed by comparing the drug response in PDX tumor-bearing mice to response in Mini-PDX (capsule-containing) mice. The correlation between PDX tumorgrafts assay and Mini-PDX assay was evaluated using PDX models generated from 21 cancer patients. In the 21 cases, the overall predictive accuracy of the PDX assay for sensitivity was 69% and resistance was 88%, respectively. We also extended the approach to the patients with advanced malignancies. We report clinical cases in which Mini-PDX guided treatment improved the outcomes of treated cancer patients. In sum, Mini-PDX assay based on the capsule implantation was developed and optimized for quick assessment of the chemosensitivity of patients' cancers and found to be compatible with that of PDX tumorgrafts assay. This method hold promise for application of personalized chemotherapy for cancer patients.

Citation Format: Xiaoqing Pan, Feifei Zhang, Yuan Long, Hui Liu, Lin Guo, Jijun Cheng, Danyi Wen. Mini-patient-derived xenograft sensitive assay: A rapid systemic detection method for assessment of cancer therapeutics [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2165.

Abstract 1164: Pdx model of pleural effusion of lung cancer patient for testing on targeted drug sensitivity and resistance

Advanced lung cancer of late stage patients is selectively sensitive to available targeted therapeutics and often develops resistance to early sensitive drug treatment. Surgery tumor tissues are usually not available to establish patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models which is critical to evaluate drug sensitivity and resistance. We applied CD45 magnet beads to enrich the tumor cell population from pleural effusion specimens of advanced lung cancer. Valuable drug-resistant PDX models were successfully established both from pleural effusion and from routine surgery tissues. Genetic profiling of the PDX models revealed TKI drug-associated EGFR mutations (L858R, T790M, Exon19del, C797S). In particular we successfully established a clinically AZD9291-resistant EGFR triple mutant (Ex19del, T790M, C797S) PDX model. In vivo efficacy results with gefitinib, erlotinib and AZD9291 well matched corresponding gene mutations among the models. Interestingly, we successfully induced AZD9291-resistant clones in vivo using an EGFR double mutant (L858R, T790M) PDX model, and NGS revealed mutations in kinases involved in other signaling pathways, indicating potential therapeutic options against resistance emergence. In conclusion, these precious PDX models provide insight into resistance mechanisms as well as serve as models to test potency of many drugs including current investigational TKIs.

Citation Format: Feifei Zhang, Zhen Zhou, Yuan Long, Wenhua Xu, Shizhu Zhao, Yang Yang, Hui Liu, Jijun Cheng, Shun Lu, Danyi Wen. Pdx model of pleural effusion of lung cancer patient for testing on targeted drug sensitivity and resistance [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1164.

Xenograft tumors derived from malignant pleural effusion of the patients with non-small-cell lung cancer as models to explore drug resistance

Background

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusions show dramatic responses to specific tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs); however, after 10–12 months, secondary mutations arise that confer resistance. We generated a murine xenograft model using patient-derived NSCLC cells isolated from the pleural fluid of two patients with NSCLC to investigate the mechanisms of resistance against the ALK- and EGFR-targeted TKIs crizotinib and osimertinib, respectively.

Methods

Genotypes of patient biopsies and xenograft tumors were determined by whole exome sequencing (WES), and patients and xenograft-bearing mice received targeted treatment (crizotinib or osimertinib) accordingly. Xenograft mice were also treated for prolonged periods to identify whether the development of drug resistance and/or treatment responses were associated with tumor size. Finally, the pathology of patients biopsies and xenograft tumors were compared histologically.

Results

The histological characteristics and chemotherapy responses of xenograft tumors were similar to the actual patients. WES showed that the genotypes of the xenograft and patient tumors were similar (an echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4-ALK (EML4–ALK) gene fusion (patient/xenograft: CTC15035_EML4–ALK) and EGFR L858R and T790M mutations (patient/xenograft: CTC15063_{EGFR L858R, T790M})). After continuous crizotinib or osimertinib treatment, WES data suggested that acquired ALK E1210K mutation conferred crizotinib resistance in the CTC15035_EML4–ALK xenograft, while decreased frequencies of EGFR L858R and T790M mutations plus the appearance of v-RAF murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B (BRAF) G7V mutations and phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit type 2 alpha (PIK3C2A) A86fs frame shift mutations led to osimertinib resistance in the CTC15063_{EGFR L858R, T790M} xenografts.

Conclusions

We successfully developed a new method of generating drug resistance xenograft models from liquid biopsies using microfluidic technology, which might be a useful tool to investigate the mechanisms of drug resistance in NSCLC.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s40880-018-0284-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Diagnostic performance of two corrected transluminal attenuation gradient metrics in coronary CT angiography for the evaluation of significant in-stent restenosis by dual-source CT: a validation study with invasive coronary angiography

AIM

To determine the diagnostic potential of transluminal attenuation gradients (TAG) with exclusion of stented coronary segments (TAG-ExS) and TAG-corrected contrast opacification (CCO) excluding stented coronary segments (TAG-CCO-ExS) for the assessment of in-stent restenosis (ISR).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

TAG-ExS and TAG-CCO-ExS were calculated in 93 coronary arteries with 190 stents. The diagnostic performances and the incremental values of the two metrics to coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) were analysed and compared.

RESULTS

For all stents and stents >3 mm in diameter, TAG-ExS and TAG-CCO-ExS were significantly lower in ≥50% than that in <50% of ISR (both p<0.05). For stent diameters ≤3 mm, significantly lower TAG-CCO-ExS (p=0.000), but not TAG-ExS (p=0.059), was found in ≥50% than in <50% of ISR. Addition of TAG-ExS or TAG-CCO-ExS to CCTA, did not improve the diagnostic accuracy of CCTA significantly (all p>0.05). Only TAG-CCO-ExS had a significant impact on CCTA for the reclassifications of ISR (p=0.046) in stent diameters ≤3 mm.

CONCLUSIONS

TAG-ExS and TAG-CCO-ExS did not provide incremental diagnostic value over CCTA in assessing ISR. TAG-CCO-ExS slightly enhanced the reclassifications of ISR for stents ≤3 mm in diameter.

Abstract 2668: Efficacy study of immuno-checkpoint antibodies in humanized CDX and PDX models

Immune therapeutic intervention has been accepted widely for many hematopoietic malignancies and solid malignancies in past several years. Preclinical animal models with reconstitution of immune cells and target-expressing tumor cells were urgently needed for prove of concept studies demonstrating stimulatory immune system activation. Here we describe two established models of human PBMC co-transplantation of CDX and PDX. The study design was based on co-inoculation of human PBMC and PD-L1 expressing cell in NOG mice for reconstitution of immuno-checkpoint blockage. A therapeutic anti-PD1 antibody was applied for immune system activation and tumor growth inhibition measurement. After drugs were administrated i.p. for three weeks, 95 % TGI for A375 CDX model were observed. At the termination of the efficacy study at 28 days post therapeutic intervention, tumors of vehicle (tumor only, PMBC only), PD1 Ab treated groups were collected for immunostaining of CD45. Infiltrating T-cell with CD45+ label was found within the tumors when co-inoculated with human PBMC. PBMC humanized PDX models of ovarian cancer was implanted into mice which reconstituted with human PBMC for therapeutic intervention. Results showed that 85% TGI for PBMC humanized ovarian PDX models was observed. In conclusion, the models established here are feasible for immunotherapeutic evaluation and further additional immune therapeutic test articles can be explored with similar approaches.

Citation Format: Feifei Zhang, Yang Yang, Hongkui Chen, Lijun Jia, Kedong Ouyang, Danyi Wen, Taiping Chen. Efficacy study of immuno-checkpoint antibodies in humanized CDX and PDX models [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2668. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-2668

[Risk for metastasis of lymph node between sternocleidomastoid and sternohyoid muscle in papillary thyroid cancer]

Objective: To analyze the risk factors for metastasis of lymph nodes between sternocleidomastoid and sternohyoid muscle (LNSS) in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). Methods: Papillary thyroid cancer patients with clinically positive lateral lymph node metastasis (cN1) who underwent surgery including LNSS dissection between May 1, 2013 and May 31, 2016 at the Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center were retrospectively studied. Logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate possible clinicopathological factors related to LNSS metastasis. Results: In 85 patients, 54 patients (63.5%) showed LNSS in their surgical specimen, and 20 patients (23.5%) had pathologically positive LNSS metastasis. Patients with LNSS showed preoperatively higher levels of serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO-Ab) compared to patients only with fibrofatty tissues between sternocleidomastoid and sternohyoid muscle (P<0.05), and they also displayed a higher proportion of multifocality in ipsilateral thyroid lobe (P<0.05). Multi-factor analysis indicated that LNSS metastasis was correlated with original tumor size (OR=1.819, 95%CI 1.050-3.850, P=0.002) and Level Ⅳ lymph node metastasis (OR=2.190, 95%CI 1.132-2.334, P=0.005). Furthermore, the number of positive LNSS was tightly correlated to that of level Ⅳ lymph node metastasis(P<0.05). Conclusion: LNSS metastasis is occult but not quite rare in PTC. Patients with extensive lymph node metastasis in Level Ⅳhave a higher risk for metastasis of LNSS.

Bone Fracture Enhances Trauma Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in young individuals worldwide. However, the understanding of TBI at secondary phase remained obscure, and more knowledge of the pathophysiology of TBI is necessary. In this study, we examined the influence of bone fracture (BF) on TBI and investigated whether blocking high mobility group 1 (HMGB1) protein, an inflammatory mediator, could be effective to alleviate TBI. We found neurological severity was significantly increased by BF at 4 days post-TBI with longer removal time of adhesive tape and higher percentage of left turn in the corner test compared to TBI treatment alone. Additionally, higher brain lesion volume and severer brain oedema in TBI + BF mice supports the negative effect of BF on TBI. HMGB1 level was significantly stimulated by BF, suggesting the important role of HMGB1 in the development of secondary TBI. Notably, ablation of HMGB1 significantly reduced this negative influence of BF on TBI. These results suggest that HMGB1 can be massively induced by the systemic immune activation triggered by BF, which in turn aggravates inflammation. Blocking HMGB1 reduced the inflammatory effect of BF and therefore helps lessen the severity of secondary TBI. In conclusion, these results provided the evidence that anti-HMGB1 may be an effective and feasible method to alleviate TBI.

Probable aerosol transmission of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus in southeastern China

Some clusters of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) infection were reported in China as of 2010. However, to date, there has been no epidemiologic evidence of aerosol transmission of SFTSV. Epidemiologic investigations were conducted after a cluster of 13 cases of SFTSV in May 2014. A total of 13 cases, including 11 confirmed cases and one clinically diagnosed case, were identified besides the case of the index patient. The index patient experienced onset of SFTSV on 23 April and died on 1 May. The patients with secondary cases had onset from 10 to 16 May, peaking on 13 May. Moreover, eight secondary cases occurred in family members of the index patient, and the other five cases occurred in neighbors of the index patient. According to epidemiologic investigations, patients 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 and 12 contracted the disease through contact with blood of the index patient. Notably, patients 8 and 10 did not have a history of contact with the blood of the index patient, but they stayed in the mourning hall for hours. SFTSV could be transmitted from person to person by direct contact and/or aerosol transmission, and it is important to consider aerosol transmission as a possible transmission route.

Establishment and characterization of 7 novel hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines from patient-derived tumor xenografts

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common cancer with poor prognosis worldwide and the molecular mechanism is not well understood. This study aimed to establish a collection of human HCC cell lines from patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. From the 20 surgical HCC sample collections, 7 tumors were successfully developed in immunodeficient mice and further established 7 novel HCC cell lines (LIXC002, LIXC003, LIXC004, LIXC006, LIXC011, LIXC012 and CPL0903) by primary culture. The characterization of cell lines was defined by morphology, growth kinetics, cell cycle, chromosome analysis, short tandem repeat (STR) analysis, molecular profile, and tumorigenicity. Additionally, response to clinical chemotherapeutics was validated both in vitro and in vivo. STR analysis indicated that all cell lines were unique cells different from known cell lines and free of contamination by bacteria or mycoplasma. The other findings were quite heterogeneous between individual lines. Chromosome aberration could be found in all cell lines. Alpha-fetoprotein was overexpressed only in 3 out of 7 cell lines. 4 cell lines expressed high level of vimentin. Ki67 was strongly stained in all cell lines. mRNA level of retinoic acid induced protein 3 (RAI3) was decreased in all cell lines. The 7 novel cell lines showed variable sensitivity to 8 tested compounds. LIXC011 and CPL0903 possessed multiple drug resistance property. Sorafenib inhibited xenograft tumor growth of LIXC006, but not of LIXC012. Our results indicated that the 7 novel cell lines with low passage maintaining their clinical and pathological characters could be good tools for further exploring the molecular mechanism of HCC and anti-cancer drug screening.

Epidemiological link between exposure to poultry and all influenza A(H7N9) confirmed cases in Huzhou city, China, March to May 2013

We analysed the association between influenza A(H7N9) confirmed cases and exposure to poultry in Huzhou city, China. All cases (n=12) had a history of direct exposure to poultry or live poultry markets. We detected A(H7N9)-positive poultry samples from each site that was epidemiologically associated with cases. None of the cases’ close contacts tested positive. After closure of the markets, no new cases were identified, suggesting an epidemiological link between poultry exposure and A(H7N9) virus infection.

Epidemiological link between exposure to poultry and all influenza A(H7N9) confirmed cases in Huzhou city, China, March to May 2013

Binary file ES_Abstracts_Final_ECDC.txt matches

Identification of NME5 as a contributor to innate resistance to gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer cells

The limited therapeutic effect of gemcitabine on pancreatic cancer is largely attributed to pre-existing or acquired resistance of the tumor cells. This study was aimed at screening for candidate resistance-related gene(s) and elucidating the underlying mechanisms. NME5 was found to be highly expressed in an innate gemcitabine-resistant human pancreatic cancer sample and the cell line PAXC002 derived from the sample. Downregulation of NME5 significantly reversed gemcitabine resistance in PAXC002 cells, whereas NME5 overexpression induced gemcitabine resistance in the pancreatic cancer cell line BxPC-3. NME5 attenuated the induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest induced by gemcitabine, probably accounting for the blunted sensitivity to gemcitabine. Furthermore, NME5 was demonstrated to play its role in a nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB)-dependent manner. NME5 was capable of directly binding NF-κB, and possibly regulated its expression level in PAXC002 cells. Our results also suggest that NF-κB is a key executor of NME5 in regulating apoptosis and cell cycle. All of these data suggest that NME5 is a promising target for relieving innate gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer cells.

Intrinsic gemcitabine resistance in a novel pancreatic cancer cell line is associated with cancer stem cell-like phenotype

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) remains one of the most lethal malignancies in the world, often diagnosed at an advanced stage, resistant to conventional chemotherapy and having high invasive and metastatic potential. The mechanism of drug resistance of PDA is still not clear. In the present study, we established two novel pancreatic cancer cell lines PAXC-002 and PAXC-003 from human primary xenograft models. The cell lines were characterized by morphology, karyotype, pancreatic cancer marker and short tandem repeat (STR) analysis, and growth kinetics and tumorigenicity. The in vitro anti-proliferation test revealed that PAXC-002 cell was intrinsically resistant to the standard of care chemotherapy-gemcitabine, compared with that of PAXC-003 and other widely used pancreatic cancer cell lines. Interestingly, the gemcitabine resistant PAXC-002 cell line was more potent in forming colonies in 3-Dimensional matrigel culture conditions and had a higher percentage of CD133 positive cells, which is recognized as a cancer stem cell marker, compared to the gemcitabine-sensitive PAXC-003 cell line. In this study, we present two novel pancreatic cancer cell lines which could be used for gemcitabine resistance investigation, mechanism identification of pancreatic cancer and anticancer drug screening. The preliminary data indicate that the drug resistance of pancreatic carcinoma cells is associated with a cancer stem cell-like phenotype.

Anatomic site variability in rat skeletal uptake and desorption of fluorescently labeled bisphosphonate

OBJECTIVES

Bisphosphonates commonly used to treat osteoporosis, Paget's disease, multiple myeloma, hypercalcemia of malignancy and osteolytic lesions of cancer metastasis have been associated with bisphosphonate-associated jaw osteonecrosis (BJON). The underlying pathogenesis of BJON is unclear, but disproportionate bisphosphonate concentration in the jaw has been proposed as one potential etiological factor. This study tested the hypothesis that skeletal biodistribution of intravenous bisphosphonate is anatomic site-dependent in a rat model system.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Fluorescently labeled pamidronate was injected intravenously in athymic rats of equal weights followed by in vivo whole body fluorimetry, ex vivo optical imaging of oral, axial, and appendicular bones and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid bone decalcification to assess hydroxyapatite-bound bisphosphonate.

RESULTS

Bisphosphonate uptake and bisphosphonate released per unit calcium were similar in oral and appendicular bones but lower than those in axial bones. Hydroxyapatite-bound bisphosphonate liberated by sequential acid decalcification was the highest in oral, relative to axial and appendicular bones (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates regional differences in uptake and release of bisphosphonate from oral, axial, and appendicular bones of immune deficient rats.

Altered juvenile hormone metabolism, reproduction and stress response in Drosophila adults with genetic ablation of the corpus allatum cells

Juvenile hormone (JH), which controls many developmental and physiological processes in Drosophila melanogaster, is synthesized de novo in the specialized endocrine glands, corpus allatum (CA). The present study concerns JH metabolism, reproduction and stress resistance in Drosophila with genetic ablation of a part of CA cells. The correlated regulation of JH biosynthesis and degradation in Drosophila adults has been found: ablation of CA cells led to (1) a dramatic decrease in activity of the key regulatory enzyme of JH biosynthesis, juvenile hormone acid methyl transferase and (2) a considerable increase in JH-hydrolyzing activity. It has been also shown that ablation of CA cells caused three significant physiological changes: (1) an increase in the intensity of response of JH degradation system to heat stress; (2) a disturbance of reproduction; (3) a decrease in stress resistance. Pharmacological rise of JH level rescued JH-hydrolyzing activity, fecundity and stress resistance in CA-ablated females. Pronouncedly, all the physiological effects caused by CA ablation were significant in females but not in males indicating a sexual dimorphism of JH physiological roles in Drosophila adults.