Effect of p18 on endothelial barrier function by mediating vascular endothelial Rab11a-VE-cadherin recycling

Endothelial barrier integrity requires recycling of VE-cadherin to adherens junctions. Both p18 and Rab11a play significant roles in VE-cadherin recycling. However, the underlying mechanism and the role of p18 in activating Rab11a have yet to be elucidated. Performing in vitro and in vivo experiments, we showed that p18 protein bound to VE-cadherin before Rab11a through its VE-cadherin-binding domain (aa 1-39). Transendothelial resistance showed that overexpression of p18 promoted the circulation of VE-cadherin to adherens junctions and the recovery of the endothelial barrier. Silencing of p18 caused endothelial barrier dysfunction and prevented Rab11a-positive recycling endosome accumulation in the perinuclear recycling compartments. Furthermore, p18 knockdown in pulmonary microvessels markedly increased vascular leakage in mice challenged with lipopolysaccharide and cecal ligation puncture. This study showed that p18 regulated the pulmonary endothelial barrier function in vitro and in vivo by regulating the binding of Rab11a to VE-cadherin and the activation of Rab11a.

RECK expression is associated with angiogenesis and immunogenic Tumor Microenvironment in Hepatocellular Carcinoma, and is a prognostic factor for better survival

Angiogenesis and immunosuppression have been described as closely related processes that can occur in parallel. As an inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase, whether the level of reversion-inducing cysteine-rich protein with Kazal motifs (RECK) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) reflects a link between angiogenesis and immunosuppression is still unknown. We analyzed RNA expression, immune infiltration and survival of HCC from The Cancer Genome Atlas databases. Immune scores and stromal scores were calculated based on the ESTIMATE algorithm to quantify the immune and stromal components in HCC. The association between RECK and clinicopathological features was further investigated by immunohistochemistry on tissue microarray. We found that the prognosis of patients with high RECK expression was significantly better than that of patients with low RECK expression. High RECK expression was associated with high ESTIMATE Score, recruitment of more tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, low tumor purity, and high PD-L1 expression. In addition, positive RECK expression was associated with a lower incidence of vascular invasion and recurrence, a lower level of alpha fetoprotein (AFP) and microvessel density and a better tumor differentiation. Multivariate analyses revealed that reduced RECK expression was an independent prognostic factor for recurrence and poor prognosis. In conclusion, high RECK expression reflects an immunogenic and hypovascularity status in HCC. RECK is a promising prognostic marker for survival of HCC and may act as a complementary indicator for patients to receive anti-angiogenic therapy or immunotherapy.

Clinical Benefit of Antiviral Agents for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients With Low Preoperative HBV-DNA Loads Undergoing Curative Resection: A Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The clinical benefit of adjuvant antiviral therapy after curative therapy for HCC in patients with high preoperative HBV-DNA loads has been studied widely but that in patients with low preoperative HBV-DNA loads remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of antiviral treatment prophylaxis on HBV reactivation, overall survival (OS), and postoperative liver function in patients with low preoperative HBV-DNA levels undergoing curative resection.

METHODS

A meta-analysis was conducted by searching Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library until May 2020. We used REVMAN for data analysis and completed the study under the PRISMA guidelines.

RESULTS

Three randomized trials and seven cohort studies, comprising of 1,131 individuals, were included in the meta-analysis. Antiviral treatment significantly reduced the rate of HBV reactivation after curative treatment of HCC, with a pooled risk ratio of 0.12 (95% c.i. 0.07 to 0.21; P < 0.00001). The trials were consistently favorable for the antiviral group, with a pooled hazard ratio of 0.52 (95% c.i. 0.37 to 0.74; P = 0.0002) in respect of OS rate. However, by pooling the data from studies that reported ALT on the 30th day postoperatively, the result didn't reach statistical significance (mean difference -4.38, 95% c.i. -13.83 to 5.07; P = 0.36). The I² values of the heterogeneity test for the above three comparisons are zero.

CONCLUSION

Antiviral therapy during curative resection is effective in reducing HBV reactivation and improving OS rate in HCC patients with low viral load.

TMPRSS4 Drives Angiogenesis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Promoting HB-EGF Expression and Proteolytic Cleavage

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Heparin-binding epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF), a member of the epidermal growth factor family, plays a pivotal role in the progression of several malignancies, but its role and regulatory mechanisms in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain obscure. Here, we report that transmembrane protease serine 4 (TMPRSS4) significantly enhanced the expression and proteolytic cleavage of HB-EGF to promote angiogenesis and HCC progression.

APPROACH AND RESULTS

A mechanistic analysis revealed that TMPRSS4 not only increased the transcriptional and translational levels of HB-EGF precursor, but also promoted its proteolytic cleavage by enhancing matrix metallopeptidase 9 expression through the EGF receptor/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin/ hypoxia-inducible factor 1 α signaling pathway. In addition, HB-EGF promoted HCC proliferation and invasion by the EGF receptor/phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt signaling pathway. The level of HB-EGF in clinical samples of serum or HCC tissues from patients with HCC was positively correlated with the expression of TMPRSS4 and the microvessel density, and was identified as a prognostic factor for overall survival and recurrence-free survival, which suggests that HB-EGF can serve as a potential therapeutic target for HCC. More importantly, we provide a demonstration that treatment with the HB-EGF inhibitor cross-reacting material 197 alone or in combination with sorafenib can significantly suppress angiogenesis and HCC progression.

CONCLUSIONS

HB-EGF can be regulated by TMPRSS4 to promote HCC proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis, and the combination of the HB-EGF inhibitor cross-reacting material 197 with sorafenib might be used for individualized treatment of HCC.

An Incidentally Discovered Hepatic Mass with Rim Calcification

A wide array of pathologic abnormalities can cause hepatic calcifications, which are relatively uncommon and may result from both benign and malignant tumors, as well as inflammatory and infectious conditions. A pattern recognition approach is important to follow when faced with characterization of a calcified hepatic lesion. Radiologists should be aware of morphologic imaging features of calcified liver lesions to help differentiate benign from malignant lesions. Liver biopsy should be offered when the diagnosis is doubtful.

Role of the E3 Ubiquitin Ligase TRIM4 in Predicting the Prognosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The E3 ubiquitin ligase TRIM4 has been reported to regulate the assembly of the antiviral signalling complex, induce mitochondrial aggregation and sensitize cells to H₂O₂-induced death. However, the relationship between TRIM4 and human malignancies, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is unclear. In this study, we detected the expression of TRIM4 in 134 pairs of HCC tissues and peritumoural tissues and investigated the association of TRIM4 expression with the prognosis of HCC. We found that the TRIM4 expression was much lower in HCC tissues than in peritumoural tissues and was significantly associated with vascular invasion, tumour capsule and Hong Kong Liver Cancer (HKLC) stage. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that the TRIM4 expression was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in our HCC cohort. Patients with higher TRIM4 expression had a lower incidence of intrahepatic recurrence and a higher OS rate (p<0.001 and p<0.01, respectively). These results were further validated in another independent cohort of 200 HCC patients. In conclusion, the TRIM4 level in HCC tissues is an independent prognostic factor for HCC patients. Close clinical monitoring is recommended for patients with low TRIM4 expression.

Preoperative Albumin-Bilirubin Score for Postoperative Solitary Hepatocellular Carcinoma within the Milan Criteria and Child-Pugh A Cirrhosis

Surgical resection remains the initial treatment of choice for the majority of early stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Although the factors that influence the prognosis of postoperative HCC patients have been well elucidated, there are a limited number of simple, objective, and distinct methods for estimating survival for postoperative patients with solitary HCC within the Milan criteria and Child-Pugh (C-P) A cirrhosis. The Albumin-Bilirubin (ALBI) score is a new evidence-based approach to assess liver function. The ALBI score eliminates subjective variables, such as ascites and encephalopathy which are the requirements for the conventional C-P grading system. This study enrolled 654 patients to determine whether the ALBI score can predict the outcomes of postoperative solitary HCC patients within the Milan criteria and C-P A cirrhosis. Our results showed the ALBI score significantly influenced the overall survival and cumulative recurrence rates. Furthermore, the ALBI score was significantly related to the degree of liver cirrhosis and serum γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) concentration in solitary HCC cases within the Milan criteria and C-P A cirrhosis. Additionally, the combination of the ALBI score and serum GGT concentration contributed to the prognosis prediction in this cohort. In conclusion, we externally validated the ALBI grade as a novel biomarker to predict prognosis for solitary HCC within the Milan Criteria and C-P A cirrhosis.

Von Hippel-Lindau disease involving pancreas and biliary system: A rare case report

RATIONALE

Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease is a rare inherited, autosomal-dominant syndrome caused by heterozygous germline mutations in the VHL gene. VHL patients are prone to develop benign and malignant tumors and cysts in multiple organ systems involving kidneys, pancreas and central nervous system (CNS). The varied and complex clinical manifestations and radiological findings of VHL are of interest.

PATIENT CONCERNS

We report a 38-year-old woman with a ten-year history of VHL disease involving both pancreas and biliary system. To the best of our knowledge, direct involvement of the biliary system in VHL disease has never been reported.

DIAGNOSES

The diagnosis was established via computed tomography scan and was confirmed by genetic testing.

INTERVENTIONS

The patient chose to receive conservative treatment and was followed up by magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography and magnetic resonance imaging examination.

OUTCOMES

Renal angiomas and cysts were found during follow-up and there were no evidence of malignant change of the pancreas and biliary system.

LESSONS

We described the first case of VHL-associated choledochal cysts and may present new visceral manifestations of VHL disease. Gastroenterologists should be aware of the clinical presentations of this rare disease for early detection of its life-threatening manifestations.

Long Non-Coding RNA (LncRNA) Urothelial Carcinoma Associated 1 (UCA1) Increases Multi-Drug Resistance of Gastric Cancer via Downregulating miR-27b

BACKGROUND In this study, we aimed to investigate the association between UCA1 and miR-27b in gastric cancer and further study their involvement in multi-drug resistance (MDR) of gastric cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS The microarray data of dysregulated lncRNAs in gastric cancer tissues was retrieved in the GEO dataset. QRT-PCR analysis was performed to assess UCA1 expression based on 28 paired cancerous and peritumoral normal tissues. The human gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901, and SGC-7901 derived Adriamycin (doxorubicin) resistant SGC-7901/ADR, cisplatin resistant SGC-7901/DDP, and 5-FU resistant SGC-7901/FU cells were used as in vitro cell models to assess the effect of UCA1 and miR-27b on MDR. RESULTS UCA1 was significantly upregulated in the cancerous tissues and its expression was negatively correlated with miR-27b expression level. Inhibition of UCA1 significantly restored miR-27b expression in MDR gastric cancer cells. UCA1 knockdown and miR-27b overexpression reduced IC50 of ADR, DDP, and 5-FU in SGC-7901/ADR cells and increased ADR induced cell apoptosis. UCA1 overexpression and miR-27b inhibition increased the IC50 of ADR, DDP, and 5-FU in SGC-7901 cells and reduced ADR induced cell apoptosis. Western blot analysis showed that UCA1 knockdown and miR-27b overexpression also decreased anti-apoptotic protein BCL-2 and increased apoptotic protein cleaved caspase-3. CONCLUSIONS UCA1 is negatively correlated with miR-27b expression in gastric cancer tissue. Knockdown of UCA1 restored miR-27b expression in gastric cancer cells. The UCA1-miR-27b axis was involved in regulation of chemosensitivity of gastric cancer cells.

Calcified Cystic Lesion of the Pancreas

Pancreatic cystic lesion is a relatively uncommon condition with an estimated prevalence of 2 % in the general population. In the past two decades, there has been a dramatic increase in the prevalence of pancreatic cystic lesions because of the widespread use of high-resolution imaging, as well as the aging of the population. Pancreatic cystic lesions cover a wide spectrum of pathology and can range from obviously benign to borderline malignant potential lesions to overt malignancy. Though the presence of mural nodules, septa-like structures, or calcification on imaging examination contributes to the differential diagnosis, preoperatively determining the biological nature of these cystic lesions is sometimes challenging. In this paper, we report a rare case of pancreatic cystic lesion with an egg-shell like calcification. Complete resection was performed and histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of calcified pancreatic pseudocyst.

Preoperative prediction of conversion from laparoscopic rectal resection to open surgery: a clinical study of conversion scoring of laparoscopic rectal resection to open surgery

OBJECTIVE

The objectives of this paper were to establish a model for the conversion of laparoscopic rectal resection to open surgery and to predict possible conversion before surgery.

METHODS

The clinical data of 602 cases of laparoscopic rectal resection were retrospectively assessed. Risk factors associated with conversion of laparoscopic rectal resection to open rectal surgery were identified by logistic regression analysis. Also, a scoring system was created to calculate a score for the conversion of laparoscopic rectal resection to predict possible conversion for patients who underwent laparoscopic rectal resection before surgery.

RESULTS

A total of 90 patients required conversion (total conversion rate = 14.95%). The established model included six variables: male gender, surgical experience (≤25 cases), history of abdominal surgery, body mass index ≥ 28, tumor diameter ≥ 6 cm, and tumor invasion or metastasis, for which 6, 4, 5, 10, 15, and 21 points were assigned, respectively. A patient with a total score >14.5 points was considered to have a high probability of conversion, whereas a patient with a total score <14.5 points was considered at a low risk.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative determination of conversion score may predict possible conversion of laparoscopic rectal resection and thus reduce unnecessary open rectal surgery.

Submucosal Lipoma: a Rare Cause of Recurrent Intestinal Obstruction and Intestinal Intussusception

Intestinal lipomas are rare nonepithelial tumors that are usually detected incidentally. They are usually asymptomatic, but lipomas larger than 2 cm may become symptomatic due to obstruction, bleeding, or intussusception. Adult intussusception due to intestinal lipoma is a very rare condition. In this paper, we report a case of small bowel lipoma that became symptomatic due to intermittent obstruction episodes and ileo-ileal intussuception. Segmental ileal resection was performed, and histopathological examination of the resected specimen confirmed the diagnosis of lipoma.

TMPRSS4 facilitates epithelial-mesenchymal transition of hepatocellular carcinoma and is a predictive marker for poor prognosis of patients after curative resection

TMPRSS4 (Transmembrane protease serine 4) is up-regulated in a broad spectrum of cancers. However, little is known about the biological effects of TMPRSS4 on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the related mechanisms. In the present study, we found that overexpression of TMPRSS4 significantly promoted the invasion, migration, adhesion and metastasis of HCC. Further more, TMPRSS4 induced EMT of HCC, which was mediated via snail and slug as a result of Raf/MEK/ERK1/2 activation, and inhibition of ERK1/2 activation by its inhibitor was associated with reduced cell invasion and reversion of EMT. In addition, we demonstrated that TMPRSS4 remarkably suppressed the expression of RECK, an inhibitor of angiogenesis, and drastically induced tumor angiogenesis and growth. More important, in clinical HCC specimens, TMPRSS4 expression was significantly correlated with tumor staging and was inversely correlated with E-cadherin and RECKS expression. Expression of TMPRSS4 is significantly associated with HCC progression and is an independent prognostic factor for postoperative worse survival and recurrence. In conclusion, TMPRSS4 functions as a positive regulator of Raf/MEK/ERK1/2 pathway and promotes HCC progression by inducing EMT and angiogenesis. The increase of TMPRSS4 expression may be a key event for HCC progression and may be regarded as a potential prognostic marker for HCC.

Mannose-mediated inhibitory effects of PA-MSHA on invasion and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma via EGFR/Akt/IκBβ/NF-κB pathway

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Elevation of high-mannose glycans is a common feature of malignant cells and has been suggested to be the basis for alternative cancer therapy for several years. Here we want to investigate the antitumour effect of pseudomonas aeruginosa-mannosesensitive haemagglutinin (PA-MSHA), a genetically engineered heat-inactivated PA strain with mannose-sensitive binding activity, on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

Tumourigenicity and metastatic potentials of HCC were studied after PA-MSHA treatment by utilizing the in vitro/in vivo model of HCC. Expression of apoptosis-associated proteins and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) related genes were evaluated, and possible signalling pathways involved were investigated.

RESULTS

PA-MSHA induced significant cell proliferation inhibition and cell cycle arrest of HCC through decreasing the levels of cyclins D1, cyclins E, CDK2, CDK4, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and increasing the level of p21 and p27. Moreover, PA-MSHA suppressed the invasion, migration and adhesion of HCC through inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). PA-MSHA also inhibited EGFR/Akt/IκBβ/NF-κB pathway and overexpression of NF-κB significantly abrogated PA-MSHA induced EMT inhibition. In addition, competitive inhibition of the mannose binding activity of PA-MSHA by D-mannose significantly blocked its effect on cell cycle arrest and EMT. PA-MSHA also abrogated lung metastasis of HCC and significantly inhibited tumour growth in the in vivo study.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrated the essential role of EGFR/Akt/IκBβ/NF-κB pathway in the inhibitory effect of PA-MSHA on invasion and metastasis of HCC through suppressing EMT, and revealed an attractive prospect of PA-MSHA as a novel candidate agent in the treatment of HCC.

End-to-End Invaginated Pancreaticojejunostomy with Three Overlapping U-Sutures--A Safe and Simple Method of Pancreaticoenteric Anastomosis

BACKGROUND

Postoperative pancreatic fistula associated with mortality and morbidity remains an intractable problem after pancreaticoduodenectomy. To date it still carries a notable incidence of roughly 10% to 30% in large series in spite of numerous pharmacological and technical methods that have been proposed to achieve a leakproof pancreatic remnant.

METHODS

In order to perform a safe anastomosis to pancreatic remnant with less sophisticated sutures and shorter operative duration, a fast and simple technique of end-to-end invaginated pancreaticojejunostomy with three overlapping U-sutures was devised in our institution.

RESULTS

Between April 2011 and July 2013, end-to-end invaginated pancreaticojejunostomy with three overlapping U-sutures technique was used in 23 consecutive cases that underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy in our institute. The median operative time for pancreaticojejunostomy was 12 min. The incidence of pancreatic fistula was 8.7% (n = 2) and both cases were grade A fistula with no clinical impact or delayed hospital discharge. Neither relaparotomy nor postoperative mortality was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

The technique of using three overlapping U-sutures in an end-to-end invaginated pancreaticojejunostomy represents a simple management of pancreaticoenteric anastomosis with reliability and applicability, and provides an alternative choice for pancreaticojejunostomy to senior pancreatic surgeons as well as those without experience.