Circ_0017639 facilitates proliferative, migratory, and invasive potential of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells via PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has increased morbidity and mortality rate worldwide. The current NSCLS therapies are associated with poor outcomes and need further improvement. CircRNAs were shown to regulate NSCLC progression. However, little is known re garding the functions and mechanisms of circ_0017639 in NSCLC, which requires further extensive studies. The circ_0017639 expression in NSCLC tissues and cell lines was evaluated via qRT-RCR. Moreover, using ectopic plasmid incorporation and shRNA assays, we analyzed the circ_0017639-mediated cellular proliferative, migratory and invasive processes in NSCLC cell lines, using CCK-8, EdU, and transwell assays. Furthermore, the core proteins (p-PI3K, PI3K, p-AKT, and AKT) levels of the PI3K/AKT signaling cascade were investigated via immunoblotting. Finally, we tested the functional role of circ_0017639 by examining its regulation of xenograft tumor growths in nude mice in vivo. Circ_0017639 expression was remarkably high in the NSCLC tissues and cell lines. The transfection experiments showed that circ_0017639 overexpression was able to promote proliferative, migratory, and invasive properties of NSCLC cells, while sh-circ_0017639 showed opposing effects. We further showed that circ_0017639 knockdown suppressed the cellular development via PI3K/AKT cascade inactivation. Additionally, in-vivo experiment in nude mice demonstrated that sh-circ_0017639 could reduce the tumor growth of NSCLC. Circ_0017639 may promote the development of NSCLC by accelerating NSCLC metastasis through stimulating the PI3K/AKT cascade.

[Risk factors and prognosis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia associated pulmonary hypertension in preterm infants]

Objective: To analyze clinical features, prognosis and risk factors of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) associated pulmonary hypertension (PH). Methods: Clinical data of 338 infants with BPD were collected from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Shenzhen Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, Southern Medical University between January 2016 and December 2018. These infants were divided into PH group and non-PH group. The clinical features and prognosis were compared between these two groups by Chi-square test or nonparametric test. Risk factors for BPD-PH were analyzed with binary logistic regression model. Results: Among the 338 BPD infants, 314 had no PH (92.9%) and 24 had PH (7.1%), with an average gestational age of (27.1±1.8) weeks, and 206 were males and 132 females.PH infants had younger gestational age ((26.4±2.1) vs. (27.2±1.7) weeks, t=2.201, P=0.028) and lower birth weight ((798±255) vs. (1 003±240) g, t=4.030, P<0.01), compared to non-PH infants. Besides, duration of mechanical ventilation and non-invasive positive pressure ventilation were higher in PH group than that in non-PH group (14.3 (2.1, 43.7) vs. 0.5 (0, 4.7) d, Z=-4.553, P<0.01; 30.0 (22.5, 64.2) vs. 15.0 (7.0, 26.0) d, Z=-4.838, P<0.01). The proportions of maternal hypertension, small for gestational age (SGA), late onset sepsis, ventilator associated pneumonia, hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (hsPDA), patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) requiring ligation, severe BPD and severe extrauterine growth retardation (EUGR) were higher in PH group than those in non-PH group ((20.8% (5/24) vs. 6.4% (20/314), 33.3% (8/24) vs. 7.6% (24/314), 54.2% (13/24) vs. 7.3% (23/314), 25.0% (6/24) vs. 6.1% (19/314), 75.0% (18/24) vs. 39.2% (123/314), 45.8% (11/24) vs. 1.9% (6/314), 66.7% (16/24) vs. 7.3% (23/314), 75.0% (18/24) vs. 45.5% (143/314), all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that maternal hypertension (OR=12.950, 95%CI: 1.740-96.385), severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (OR=10.160, 95%CI: 2.725-37.884), SGA (OR=4.992, 95%CI: 1.432-16.920), PDA requiring ligation (OR=19.802, 95%CI: 3.297-118.921), severe EUGR (OR=20.316, 95%CI: 2.221-185.853) were independent risk factors of BPD associated PH. In the 24 infants with PH, all 7 mild PH infants and 8 moderate PH infants survived, while 4 out of 9 severe PH infants died. Among the survivors, the longest duration of oxygen therapy was up to the corrected gestational age of 1 year and 2 months. Conclusions: PH is a severe complication of BPD, and associated with higher mortality and poor prognosis. Echocardiography screening and regular post-discharge follow up are recommended for BPD infants with risk factors of PH.

[Clinicopathologic features and prognosis of adenoid cystic carcinoma of external auditory meatus]

Objective: To investigate clinicopathologic features and prognosis of adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) involving external auditory meatus. Methods: The clinical presentation and follow-up data of 63 patients with ACC of external auditory canal were collected from January 2006 to February 2017 at PLA General Hospital and Hainan Branch of PLA General Hospital. The clinicopathologic features and prognostic factors of external auditory canal ACC were analyzed. Results: (1) There were 28 males and 35 females and the average age of the first diagnosis was 48.9 years (22-81 years). The tumors showed cribriform pattern in 35 cases (15 cases of late stage), tubular pattern in 14 cases (8 cases of late stage), and solid pattern in 14 cases (9 cases of late stage). Cases with solid pattern was relatively more frequent than that of cribriform pattern and tubular pattern, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). (2) The average follow-up time was 62.4 months (2-228 months) in the 57 available cases. Among the 33 cases with recurrence, 18 cases had local recurrence and 15 cases had distant metastasis. The mean recurrence time was 40.6 months (2-204 months). Nine patients died of ACC: 2 cases in early stage (died at 48 and 102 months after the first treatment), 7 cases in late stage and 57 with (died at 9, 30, 32, 60, 72, 94 and 228 months). (3) Among the 37 patients with perineural invasion, there were 21 cases of cribriform pattern, 4 cases of tubular pattern and 12 cases of solid pattern; the number of cases in early stage and late stage were 15 and 22, respectively; and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). In addition, 31 cases had otalgia among the 37 patients with perineural invasion, where differences were not significant (P>0.05). (4) Thirty of 45 cases with tumor resection or partial resection of temporal bone had recurrence, whereas 3 of 12 cases of tumor combined with superficial lobectomy of parotid gland had recurrence. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy was given in 19 cases, including 7 cases of early stage (2 cases of recurrence), and 12 cases of late stage (8 cases of recurrence), among which there was no significant difference (P>0.05). Conclusions: ACC occurring in external auditory canal frequently recurs. Superficial parotid lobectomy at the first operation is necessary to prevent tumor recurrence. Postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy has certain curative effect on patients with early stage tumor, but it does not affect the recurrence rate. Patients at late stage are more prone to perineural invasion than those in early stage. In addition, cribriform and solid patterns are more common that tubular pattern, and there is no significant correlation between perineural invasion and otalgia.

[Clinicopathologic characterisitics of pancreatic acinar cell carcinomas]

Objective: To investigate clinical, pathological and immunohistochemical features of pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma. Methods: A retrospective review of surgical and pathological databases between 2011 and 2016 at PLA General Hospital was collected and 14 cases of acinar cell carcinoma (ACC) of the pancreas were identified. EnVision immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of Trypsin, bcl-10 and cytokeratin(CK) proteins. Results: The patients included nine cases of pure ACC, 3 cases of mixed acinar ductal carcinoma, 1 case of mixed acinar-neuroendocrine carcinoma and acinar-ductal-neuroendocrine carcinoma, respectively. Tumors involved different anatomic locations of the pancreas, including eight involving the head of pancreas, four in the body and tail, one in the uncinate process and one in a heterotopic pancreas. Two patients had lymph node and liver metastases before surgery. Microscopically, the tumor was hypercellular with less fibroblastic proliferation and tumor cells arranged in acinar or solid pattern. The well differentiated tumor cells showed eosinophilic, granular cytoplasm with single prominent nucleoli, while the poorly differentiated tumor cells tended to grow in solid sheets. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were positive for pan-cytokeratin (14/14), Trypsin (12/14) and bcl-10 (11/14). Stains for CK7 and CK19 were negative (11/14 and 3/4). According to the pTNM staging, there were 7 cases at stageⅠ, 3 at stage ⅡA, 3 at stage Ⅲ and 1 at stage Ⅳ. With average postoperative follow-up of 6-58 months, the median disease-free survival time was 16 months. Conclusions: Pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma is a rare and relatively indolent malignant tumor with characteristic histopathological and immunohistochemical features. Accurate pathological diagnosis plays an important role in patients' treatment and evaluation of prognosis.

Effect of atracylodes rhizome polysaccharide in rats with adenine-induced chronic renal failure

The aim of the study was to elucidate the therapeutic effects of Atracylodes rhizome polysaccharide on adenine-induced chronic renal failure in rats. Fifty male Sprague Dawley rats were selected and randomly divided in to 5 groups (n=10 rats per group): The normal control group, the chronic renal failure pathological control group, the dexamethasone treatment group and two Atracylodes rhizome polysaccharide treatment groups, treated with two different concentrations of the polysaccharide, the Atracylodes rhizome polysaccharide high group and the Atracylodes rhizome polysaccharide low group. All the rats, except those in the normal control group were fed adenine-enriched diets, containing 10 g adenine per kg food for 3 weeks. After being fed with adenine, the dexamethasone treatment group, Atracylodes rhizome polysaccharide high group and Atracylodes rhizome polysaccharide low group rats were administered the drug orally for 2 weeks. On day 35, the kidney coefficient of the rats and the serum levels of creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, total protein and hemalbumin were determined. Subsequent to experimentation on a model of chronic renal failure in rats, the preparation was proven to be able to reduce serum levels of creatinine, blood urea nitrogen and hemalbumin levels (P<0.05) and improve renal function. Atracylodes rhizome polysaccharide had reversed the majority of the indices of chronic renal failure in rats.

Effect of trapped energetic particles on the resistive wall mode

A stability analysis for the resistive wall mode is studied in the presence of trapped energetic particles (EPs). When the EPs' beta exceeds a critical value, a fishbonelike bursting mode (FLM) with an external kink eigenstructure can exist. This offers the first analytic interpretation of the experimental observations [Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 045001 (2009)]. The mode-particle resonances for the FLM and the q=1 fishbone occur in different regimes of the precession frequency of EPs. In certain ranges of the plasma rotation speed and the EPs' beta, a mode conversion can occur between the resistive wall mode and FLM.