OP0201 DYNAMIC CHANGES IN O-GLCNACYLATION REGULATE OSTEOCLAST DIFFERENTIATION AND BONE LOSS IN ARTHRITIS

Background:

Bone remodeling is a constant process maintained by the balance between osteoclast-triggered bone resorption and osteoblast-mediated bone formation. In inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the pro-inflammatory environment favors osteoclast differentiation and skews the balance towards resorption, leading to progressive bone erosion and bone loss. O-GlcNAcylation is a post-translational modification, which transfers a single N-acetylglucosamine molecule to the serine or threonine of the target protein. The modification is accomplished by a single pair of enzymes, O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase (OGA). Unlike other glycosylation, O-GlcNAcylation occurs in multiple cellular compartments, including the nucleus. Although O-GlcNAcylation is one of the most common modifications, its role in bone homeostasis is still poorly understood.

Objectives:

We aimed to investigate the role of O-GlcNAcylation in osteoclastogenesis under pro-inflammatory milieus. We also focused on dissecting the signaling pathways affected by O-GlcNAcylation during osteoclast differentiation.

Methods:

We examined the levels of O-GlcNAc during in vitro osteoclastogenesis by western blotting. The levels of O-GlcNAc in tissue from RA patients and experimental arthritis were detected by immunofluorescence. Pharmacological inhibition and genetic knockout were used to manipulate O-GlcNAcylaiton during osteoclastogenesis. RNA sequencing was performed to study O-GlcNAc-mediated pathways.

Results:

We demonstrate the dynamic changes in O-GlcNAcylation during osteoclastogenesis. The elevated O-GlcNAcylation was found in the early differentiation stages, whereas its downregulation was detected in the maturation process. TNFα elaborates the dynamic changes in O-GlcNAcylation, which further intensifies osteoclast differentiation.

Targeting OGT by selective inhibitor and genetic knockout restrain O-GlcNAcylation and hinder the expression of the early differentiation marker Nfatc1. Inhibition of OGA, which forces high levels of O-GlcNAcylation throughout the differentiation, reduces the formation of multinucleated mature osteoclasts. Consistent with our in vitro data, suppressing OGT and OGA both ameliorate bone loss in experimental arthritis. We detected a reduced number of TRAP-expressing precursors and mature osteoclasts in the mice subjected to OGT inhibition. While inhibiting OGA only lowers the number of TRAP+F4/80– mature osteoclasts without affecting the number of TRAP+F4/80+ precursors.

Transcriptome profiling reveals that O-GlcNAcylation regulates several biological processes. Increased O-GlcNAcylation promotes cytokine signaling and oxidative phosphorylation. The downregulation of O-GlcNAcylation is essential for cytoskeleton organization and cell fusion.

Conclusion:

We demonstrate that the dynamic changes of O-GlcNAcylation are essential for osteoclast differentiation. These findings reveal the therapeutic potential of targeting O-GlcNAcylation in pathologic bone resorption.

Disclosure of Interests:

Chih-Wei Chen: None declared, Yi-Nan Li: None declared, Thuong Trinh-Minh: None declared, ZHU Honglin: None declared, Alexandru-Emil Matei: None declared, Xiao Ding: None declared, Cuong Tran Manh: None declared, Xiaohan Xu: None declared, Christoph Liebel: None declared, Ruifang Liang: None declared, Min-Chuan Huang: None declared, Neng-Yu Lin: None declared, Andreas Ramming Speakers bureau: Boehringer Ingelheim, Roche, Janssen, Consultant of: Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis, Gilead, Pfizer, Grant/research support from: Pfizer, Novartis, Georg Schett Speakers bureau: AbbVie, BMS, Celgene, Janssen, Eli Lilly, Novartis, Roche and UCB, Jörg H.W. Distler Shareholder of: 4D Science, Speakers bureau: Boehringer Ingelheim, Paid instructor for: Boehringer Ingelheim, Consultant of: Actelion, Active Biotech, Anamar, ARXX, Bayer Pharma, Boehringer Ingelheim, Celgene, Galapagos, GSK, Inventiva, JB Therapeutics, Medac, Pfizer, RuiYi and UCB, Grant/research support from: Anamar, Active Biotech, Array Biopharma, aTyr, BMS, Bayer Pharma, Boehringer Ingelheim, Celgene, Galapagos, GSK, Inventiva, Novartis, Sanofi-Aventis, RedX, UCB, Employee of: FibroCure

RBM8A promotes growth and invasion through the Notch/STAT3 pathway in glioblastoma

e14038

Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) is a prevalent brain malignance with an extremely poor prognosis, which is attributable to its invasive biological behaviors. The RNA-binding motif protein 8A (RBM8A) has different effects on various human cancers. However, the implication of RBM8A in glioblastoma progression remains unclear. Methods: Glioblastoma (GBM) data set was downloaded from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Differential expression analysis was used to screen the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between GBM and control, RBM8A high and low expression samples, Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene Genomes (KEGG) analysis were performed on the co-upregulated DEGs. Additionally, We investigated the expression levels of RBM8A in 94 glioblastoma patients and explored the correlation between the RBM8A expressions with prognosis. Using in vitro and in vivo assays, we addressed the functional impacts of RBM8A on and the underlying mechanisms through which RBM8A contribute to glioblastoma progression. In addition, a comprehensive regulatory network of RBM8A regulation was constructed based on STRING database. Molecular docking model was used to predict the possibility of RBM8A binding to target genes. Combined with TCGA and Chinese glioma genome map (CGGA), gene set variance analysis (GSVA) was used to calculate the GSVA scores of the genes involved in the mechanism. Receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC) curve analysis and survival analysis were performed to explore the prognostic and diagnostic ability of GSVA score for GBM. Results: Our results indicate that higher RBM8A expression in glioblastoma tissues was associated with a poor prognosis. In addition, functional enrichment analysis based on genes related to RBM8A expression showed that RBM8A was related to cell cycle and Notch signaling pathway. RBM8A may promote glioblastoma cell proliferation and migration by activating Notch/STAT3 pathway in glioblastoma cells. In vitro and in vivo assays confirmed that knocking down RBM8A inhibited glioblastoma progression and invasion ability. We also observed that the pro-oncogenic effects of RBM8A in glioblastoma tissues were mediated by activation of the Notch/STAT3 pathway. Finally, it was concluded that the GSVA score has good diagnostic and prognostic value for GBM. Conclusions: RBM8A may promote glioblastoma cell proliferation and migration by activating Notch/STAT3 pathway in glioblastoma cells, suggesting that RBM8A may serve as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of glioblastoma.

H Long Terminal Repeat-Associating 2 (HHLA2) is a Biomarker of Advanced Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Promotes Tumor Cell Development In Vitro

Background

Several risk factors contribute to the inflammation promoting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Human endogenous retrovirus H long terminal repeat-associating 2 (HHLA2), a B7 family member, is highly expressed in various malignant tumor tissues and is related to tumor progression and metastasis.

Material/Methods

Bioinformatics analysis was used to analyze the gene expression chip GSE33006 of HCC tissue in the GEO database, draw a heat map of differentially expressed genes, and analyze the GO pathway of gene function annotation. Then, we compared HCC tissues with para-carcinoma liver tissues from 55 patients for expression patterns and associations with HHLA2. Effects of HHLA2 knockdown were examined in the human HCC cell line HepG2 to explore effects of HHLA2 on HepG2 cells.

Results

A significantly higher expression of HHLA2 at the mRNA and protein levels was detected in HCC tissues than in para-carcinoma liver tissues, which was similar to HHLA2 expression in the GSE33006 data. A higher expression of HHLA2 protein was associated with advanced cancer stage, tumor differentiation, and invasion of adjacent structures. In vitro knockdown of HHLA2 expression significantly increased HepG2 cell adhesion, promoted cell apoptosis, induced cell cycle arrest in the G1/S phase, and inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion.

Conclusions

Our data indicated there was a higher expression of HHLA2 in HCC tissues than in para-carcinoma liver tissues, and HHLA2 plays a major role in the development and progression of HCC. Owing to its higher expression, HHLA2 is a potential prognostic biomarker for HCC.

The clinicopathological and molecular features of sinusoidal large B-cell lymphoma

We report 17 cases of sinusoidal large B-cell lymphoma (SLBCL). Clinical, morphologic, immunophenotypic, and molecular features were detected and analyzed. All cases showed an obvious sinusoidal growth pattern, usually associated with residual atrophic lymphoid tissue. All tumors contained large pleomorphic lymphoid cells and one or more prominent nucleoli, with abundant amphophilic cytoplasms; 15/17 cases showed anaplastic morphologic features. The patient age ranged from 43 to 80 years (median 57 years), and 7 males and 10 females were included. Eleven of 15 (73.3%) patients had Ann Arbor stage III or IV disease, and 10/15 (66.6%) patients had an International Prognostic Index (IPI) score ≥3. Immunophenotypically, 16/17 (94.1%) cases displayed a nongerminal center B-cell (non-GCB) immunophenotype. Furthermore, 16/17 (94.1%) cases were positive for CD30, and p53 was expressed in 10/16 (62.5%) cases. In total, 12/14 (85.7%) cases expressed BCL2 and MYC simultaneously (double expression), and 11/14 (78.6%) cases showed PD-L1 positivity (6/11 had a PD-L1 tumor proportion score ≥50%). Cytogenetically, concurrent MYC and BCL2 and/or BCL6 abnormalities (break-apart or extra copy) were detected in 10/15 cases, and 7/13 (53.8%) cases harbored a PD-L1/L2 amplification. TP53 mutation was found in 7/13 (53.8%) cases by Sanger sequencing. Whole-exome and large-panel sequencing results revealed high mutation frequencies of TP53 (4/7), MYD88 (3/7), KMT2D (3/7), CREBBP (3/7), and PIM1 (3/7). Among the 13 patients with SLBCL treated with aggressive chemotherapy regimens, the median overall survival (OS) was 18 months, and the 2-year OS rate was 34.6%. The OS of patients with SLBCL was markedly worse than that of 35 control group patients with common diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) without sinusoidal features (P < 0.001). SLBCL may represent a specific type of DLBCL that has characteristic pathologic features. The cancer is aggressive in most clinical cases, and outcomes are poor. SLBCL and anaplastic DLBCL (A-DLBCL) have many overlapping clinicopathological and molecular features.

Surgical outcomes after radioactive 125I seed versus hookwire localization of non-palpable breast cancer: a multicentre randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have suggested improved efficiency and patient outcomes with 125I seed compared with hookwire localization (HWL) in breast-conserving surgery, but high-level evidence of superior surgical outcomes is lacking. The aim of this multicentre pragmatic RCT was to compare re-excision and positive margin rates after localization using 125I seed or hookwire in women with non-palpable breast cancer.

METHODS

Between September 2013 and March 2018, women with non-palpable breast cancer eligible for breast-conserving surgery were assigned randomly to preoperative localization using 125I seeds or hookwires. Randomization was stratified by lesion type (pure ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) or other) and study site. Primary endpoints were rates of re-excision and margin positivity. Secondary endpoints were resection volumes and weights.

RESULTS

A total of 690 women were randomized at eight sites; 659 women remained after withdrawal (125I seed, 327; HWL, 332). Mean age was 60.3 years in the 125I seed group and 60.7 years in the HWL group, with no difference between the groups in preoperative lesion size (mean 13.2 mm). Lesions were pure DCIS in 25.9 per cent. The most common radiological lesion types were masses (46.9 per cent) and calcifications (28.2 per cent). The localization modality was ultrasonography in 65.5 per cent and mammography in 33.7 per cent. The re-excision rate after 125I seed localization was significantly lower than for HWL (13.9 versus 18.9 per cent respectively; P = 0.019). There were no significant differences in positive margin rates, or in specimen weights and volumes.

CONCLUSION

Re-excision rates after breast-conserving surgery were significantly lower after 125I seed localization compared with HWL. Registration number: ACTRN12613000655741 (http://www.ANZCTR.org.au/).

Association between exposure of light rare earth elements and outcomes of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer in North China

The adverse health effects of rare earth elements (REEs) on reproductive health remain a subject of debate, and few clinical observations are available. This study investigated the association between light REEs (LREEs) exposure and the outcome of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET). We recruited a total of 305 women undergoing IVF-ET in Beijing City and Shandong Province of northern China. Their demographic information and lifestyle characteristics were collected using questionnaires at enrollment. Fasting blood samples were collected on the day before the IVF-ET treatment cycle began. Serum concentrations of the LREEs of concern were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, and four LREEs were measured with a high detection rate, including lanthanum (La), cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), and neodymium (Nd). We found that a higher serum La concentration was associated with a 30% increased likelihood of clinical pregnancy failure [relative risk (RR) = 1.30, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00-1.67] and a 230% increased likelihood of preclinical spontaneous abortion (RR = 3.30, 95% CI: 1.57-6.94). There was a negative correlation between serum La concentration and the number of good-quality oocytes. For the other LREEs, no statistically significant associations were observed. We concluded that a high serum La concentration may have an adverse effect on IVF-ET outcomes.

P-Type Cobalt Phosphide Composites (CoP-Co2P) Decorated on Titanium Oxide for Enhanced Noble-Metal-Free Photocatalytic H2 Evolution Activity

Nowadays, transition-metal phosphides have been reported to function well in photocatalytic water splitting and possess great potential to substitute traditional noble-metal cocatalysts in the future. Herein, p-type cobalt phosphide (CoP-Co₂P) nanomaterials were synthesized by phosphating the solvothermally prepared Co(OH)₂ nanoflowers at a low temperature (300 °C). Then, we combined the phosphides with commercial TiO₂ through facile mechanical mixing to fabricate a useful noble-metal-free photocatalyst. The phosphating time that had an influence on the composition of phosphides was tuned, and 3 h was an ideal condition after comparison. The cobalt phosphide-modified TiO₂ at the optimal weight percentage (nominal 0.5%) exhibited the highest photocatalytic hydrogen rate of approximately 824.5 μmol g^-1 h^-1 under simulated sunlight irradiation, which was nearly equal to 160 times that of bare TiO₂ and 1.7 times that of single CoP-modified TiO₂. The CoP_x/TiO₂ heterojunction interfaces were studied using photoluminescence (PL), time-resolved PL, and photoelectrochemical methods, which revealed that the effective charge separation and transfer accelerated by the built-in electric field of p-n junction contributed significantly to the photocatalytic performance.

Artificial neural network model to predict post-hepatectomy early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma without macroscopic vascular invasion

BACKGROUND

The accurate prediction of post-hepatectomy early recurrence (PHER) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is vital in determining postoperative adjuvant treatment and monitoring. This study aimed to develop and validate an artificial neural network (ANN) model to predict PHER in HCC patients without macroscopic vascular invasion.

METHODS

Nine hundred and three patients who underwent curative liver resection for HCC participated in this study. They were randomly divided into derivation (n = 679) and validation (n = 224) cohorts. The ANN model was developed in the derivation cohort and subsequently verified in the validation cohort.

RESULTS

PHER morbidity in the derivation and validation cohorts was 34.8 and 39.2%, respectively. A multivariable analysis revealed that hepatitis B virus deoxyribonucleic acid load, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase level, α-fetoprotein level, tumor size, tumor differentiation, microvascular invasion, satellite nodules, and blood loss were significantly associated with PHER. These factors were incorporated into an ANN model, which displayed greater discriminatory abilities than a Cox's proportional hazards model, preexisting recurrence models, and commonly used staging systems for predicting PHER. The recurrence-free survival curves were significantly different between patients that had been stratified into two risk groups.

CONCLUSION

When compared to other models and staging systems, the ANN model has a significant advantage in predicting PHER for HCC patients without macroscopic vascular invasion.

Combining Aspartate Aminotransferase-to-Platelet Ratio Index with Future Liver Remnant to Assess Preoperative Hepatic Functional Reserve in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Accurate preoperative assessment of hepatic functional reserve is essential for conducting a safe hepatectomy. In recent years, aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (APRI) has been used as a noninvasive model for assessing fibrosis stage, hepatic functional reserve, and prognosis after hepatectomy with a high level of accuracy. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the clinical value of combining APRI with standardized future liver remnant (sFLR) for predicting severe post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

Six hundred thirty-seven HCC patients who had undergone hepatectomy were enrolled in this study. The performance of the Child-Pugh (CP) grade, model for end-stage liver disease (MELD), APRI, sFLR, and APRI-sFLR in predicting severe PHLF was assessed using the area under the ROC curve (AUC).

RESULTS

Severe PHLF was found to have developed in 101 (15.9%) patients. Multivariate logistic analyses identified that prealbumin, cirrhosis, APRI score, sFLR, and major resection were significantly associated with severe PHLF. The AUC values of the CP, MELD, APRI, and sFLR were 0.626, 0.604, 0.725, and 0.787, respectively, indicating that the APRI and sFLR showed significantly greater discriminatory abilities than CP and MELD (P < 0.05 for all). After APRI was combined with sFLR, the AUC value of APRI-sFLR for severe PHLF was 0.816, which greatly improved the prediction accuracy, compared with APRI or sFLR alone (P < 0.05 for all). Stratified analysis using the status of cirrhosis and extent of resection yielded similar results. Moreover, the incidence and grade of PHLF were significantly different among the three risk groups.

CONCLUSION

The combination of APRI and sFLR can be considered to be a predictive factor with increased accuracy for severe PHLF in HCC patients, compared with CP grade, MELD, APRI, or sFLR alone.

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) Improves the Gait Disorders of Rats Under Simulated Microgravity Conditions Associated With the Regulation of Motor Cortex

In previous studies, it has been proved that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) improves dyskinesia induced by conditions such as spinal cord injury, Parkinson diseases and cerebral ischemia. However, it is still unknown whether it can be used as a countermeasure for gait disorders in astronauts during space flight. In this study, we evaluated the effects of rTMS on the rat gait function under simulated microgravity (SM) conditions. The SM procedure continued for consecutive 21 days in male Wistar rats. Meanwhile, the high-frequency rTMS (10 Hz) was applied for 14 days from the eighth day of SM procedure. The behavioral results showed that SM could cause gait disorders such as decreased walking ability and contralateral limb imbalance in rats, which could be reversed by rTMS. Furthermore, rTMS affected the neural oscillations of motor cortex, enhancing in δ (2–4 Hz) band, suppressing in θ (4–7 Hz), and α (7–12 Hz) bands. Additionally, rTMS could activate mTOR in the motor cortex. These data suggests that the improvement effects of rTMS on gait disorders in rats under SM conditions might be associated with its regulation on neural oscillations in the cerebral motor cortex and the expression of some motor-related proteins which may enhance the control of nervous system on muscle function. Based on our results, rTMS can be used as an potential effective supplement in the field of clinical and rehabilitation research to reduce gait disorders caused by the space environment.

Mechanism and Molecular Network of RBM8A-Mediated Regulation of Oxaliplatin Resistance in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

RNA-binding motif protein 8A (RBM8A) is abnormally overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and involved in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). The EMT plays an important role in the development of drug resistance, suggesting that RBM8A may be involved in the regulation of oxaliplatin (OXA) resistance in HCC. Here we examined the potential involvement of RBM8A and its downstream pathways in OXA resistance using in vitro and in vivo models. RBM8A overexpression induced the EMT in OXA-resistant HCC cells, altering cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. Moreover, whole-genome microarrays combined with bioinformatics analysis revealed that RBM8A has a wide range of transcriptional regulatory capabilities in OXA-resistant HCC, including the ability to regulate several important tumor-related signaling pathways. In particular, histone deacetylase 9 (HDAC9) emerged as an important mediator of RBM8A activity related to OXA resistance. These data suggest that RBM8A and its related regulatory pathways represent potential markers of OXA resistance and therapeutic targets in HCC.

predicting and improving the probability of live birth for women undergoing frozen-thawed embryo transfer: a data-driven estimation and simulation model

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET) is now widely used for the treatment of infertility. For many couples and clinicians, concerns over the probability and how to increase the chance of a successful birth are very common. Currently, there is not a single model to predict the live birth outcomes for FET. To estimate the probability of live birth (PLB) in FET and to provide advice on potential treatment options by a data-driven predictive (DDP) model.

METHODS

2,189 FET cycles from Jan 2012 to Dec 2015 were recruited in a single center. 815 cycles of FET outcomes were live births and 1,374 cycles of FET outcomes failed. To verify the consistency of the DDP model, we carried out 10-fold cross-validation, and the mean and standard deviation of the accuracy were measured. Moreover, the performance of this model was evaluated by the mean and standard deviation of receiver operating characteristic curve and area under the curve (AUC).

RESULTS

Nine dominant factors, including age, BMI, HOMA-IR, basal follicle stimulating hormone, basal luteinizing hormone, basal estradiol, endometrial thickness, the number of embryo transfers and the total number of embryos, were automatically extracted from 28 candidate factors. The accuracy of our prediction model is 76.9%±1.6%, and the AUC is 0.83. Then, the PLB is estimated by the random forest algorithm. On this basis, the DDP model can comprehensively traverse and dynamically visualize the impact of several factors on live birth outcomes. Finally, optimal suggestions for the treatment of patients before FET are attempted to be made by the genetic algorithm.

CONCLUSION

The DDP model can not only provide satisfactory performance for predicting live birth outcomes in FET but also offer a visual estimation and simulation tool for clinicians to make treatment plans.

LINC01315 silencing inhibits the aggressive phenotypes of colorectal carcinoma by sponging miR-205-3p

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are important regulatory factors in the progression of cancers. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism of long intergenic non-coding 01315 (LINC01315) in inhibiting the aggressive characteristics of colorectal carcinoma (CRC) cells. We proved that LINC01315 was significantly upregulated in CRC. Knockdown of LINC01315 decreased CRC cell growth and invasion in vitro. Bioinformatics analysis and a luciferase reporter experiment showed direct binding between LINC01315 and miR-205-3p. Furthermore, LINC01315 positively modulated protein kinase AMP-activated catalytic subunit α 1 (PRKAA1) expression by serving as a "sponge" for miR-205-3p. Moreover, LINC01315 regulated the growth and invasive phenotypes of CRC cells by sponging miR-205-3p. Downregulation of LINC01315 remarkedly impaired the tumorigenicity of CRC cells in vivo in a transplanted tumour model. Altogether, our results demonstrated that downregulation of LINC01315 suppresses CRC progression by sponging miR-205-3p.

Mental Health in Persons With Chronic Myeloid Leukemia During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: The Need for Increased Access to Health Care Services

Mental health problems in the general population have been reported during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic; however, there were rare data in persons with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Therefore, we performed a cross-sectional study on mental health evaluated using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9; depression), the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7; anxiety), and the 22-item Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R; distress), including subscales of avoidance, intrusion, and hyper-arousal in persons with CML, non-cancer persons, and immediate family members of persons with cancer as controls (≥16 years) by an online survey. Data from 3,197 persons with CML and 7,256 controls were collected. In multivariate analyses, CML was significantly associated with moderate to severe depression (OR = 1.6; 95% Confidence Interval [CI], 1.4, 1.9; p < 0.001), anxiety (OR = 1.4 [1.1, 1.7]; p = 0.001), distress (OR = 1.3 [1.1, 1.5]; p < 0.001), and hyper-arousal (OR = 1.5 [1.3, 1.6]; p < 0.001). Moreover, delay in regular monitoring was significantly associated with depression (OR 1.3 [1.0, 1.7]; p = 0.024), anxiety (OR = 1.3 [1.0, 1.8]; p = 0.044), avoidance (OR = 1.2 [1.0, 1.4]; p = 0.017), and intrusion (OR = 1.2 [1.0, 1.4]; p = 0.057); tyrosine kinase-inhibitor dose reduction or discontinuation, depression (OR = 1.9 [1.3, 2.8]; p = 0.001), distress (OR = 2.0 [1.4, 2.8]; p < 0.001), avoidance (OR = 1.6 [1.2, 2.1]; p = 0.004), intrusion (OR = 1.6 [1.1, 2.1]; p = 0.006), and hyper-arousal (OR = 1.3 [1.0, 1.8]; p = 0.088). We concluded that persons with CML during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic have worse mental health including depression, anxiety, and distress symptoms. Decreasing or stopping monitoring or dose resulted in adverse mental health consequences.

A Multichannel Flexible Optoelectronic Fiber Device for Distributed Implantable Neurological Stimulation and Monitoring

Optical fibers made of polymeric materials possess high flexibility that can potentially integrate with flexible electronic devices to realize complex functions in biology and neurology. Here, a multichannel flexible device based on four individually addressable optical fibers transfer-printed with flexible electronic components and controlled by a wireless circuit is developed. The resulting device offers excellent mechanics that is compatible with soft and curvilinear tissues, and excellent diversity through switching different light sources. The combined configuration of optical fibers and flexible electronics allows optical stimulation in selective wavelengths guided by the optical fibers, while conducting distributed, high-throughput biopotential sensing using the flexible microelectrode arrays. The device has been demonstrated in vivo with rats through optical stimulation and simultaneously monitoring of spontaneous/evoked spike signals and local field potentials using 32 microelectrodes in four brain regions. Biocompatibility of the device has been characterized by behavior and immunohistochemistry studies, demonstrating potential applications of the device in long-term animal studies. The techniques to integrate flexible electronics with optical fibers may inspire the development of more flexible optoelectronic devices for sophisticated applications in biomedicine and biology.

Post-Traumatic Growth of Nurses Who Faced the COVID-19 Epidemic and Its Correlation With Professional Self-Identity and Social Support

OBJECTIVE

To investigate post-traumatic growth (PTG) and analyze its correlation with professional self-identity and social support in Chinese nurses who faced the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic.

METHODS

A cross-sectional descriptive design was used in this study. An online questionnaire was completed by 266 nurses who faced the COVID-19 emergency in Hubei Province, China. The Post-traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), Professional Self-identity Scale, and Perceived Social Support Scale were used to assess the level of PTG, professional self-identity, and social support. Descriptive, univariate analysis and multiple regression analyses were used in exploring related influencing factors.

RESULTS

Participants' mean scores were 96.26 (SD = 21.57) for PTG, 115.30 (SD = 20.82) for professional self-identification, and 66.27 (SD = 12.90) for social support. Multiple regression analysis showed that nurses from other provinces moving to support Hubei Province, professional self-identity, and social support were the main factors affecting nurse stress (p = 0.014, < 0.001, and 0.017, respectively). Professional self-identity and social support were positively correlated with PTG (r = 0.720 and 0.620, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

There was a phenomenon of PTG when the nurses faced COVID-19 in Hubei Province. Providing an active coping style helps to improve the level of PTG.

Remodeling of β-Carotene-Encapsulated Protein-Stabilized Nanoparticles during Gastrointestinal Digestion In Vitro and in Mice

The remodeling of β-carotene-encapsulated protein nanoparticles (NPs) during digestion in vitro and in vivo was investigated. The NPs were formed using three different proteins. Hydrolysis of the surface protein during digestion resulted in structure remodeling of NPs and the formation of small-sized micellar-like aggregates below 100 nm, accelerating the release of β-carotene into the aqueous phase. However, the reduced surface ζ-potential in the intestinal fluid suggested the adsorption of bile salts, favoring the formation of small-sized micellar-like aggregates. A shifted peak of β-carotene in the micellar phase from 965 cm^-1 to about 855 cm^-1 in Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis indicated that β-carotene existed in the amorphous state. Microstructure observation in vivo further confirmed that β-carotene was loaded in micellar-like aggregates and dispersed uniformly in water. The cellular uptake study showed that the absorption rate of digested NPs was significantly increased by 1.34- to 4.16-fold when compared with undigested NPs.

RNA-Binding Motif Protein 38 as a Potential Biomarker and Therapeutic Target in Cancer

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) act as a key factor in gene regulation by governing RNA metabolism. They contribute to the expression and functions of most RNAs by binding to them and forming complexes. RNA-binding motif protein 38 (RBM38), a member of the RBP family, alters the stability and translation of targeted mRNAs to affect various biological processes, such as cell proliferation, cell cycle arrest, and myogenic differentiation. RBM38 contains a highly conserved RNA recognition motif (RRM) consisting of two subunits, RNP1 and RNP2, which specifically bind to RNAs. Recent studies have revealed that RBM38 regulates the mRNA stability of several tumor-related genes, such as p53, mdm2, p63, p73, p21, and c-Myc, by binding to their 3′ untranslated regions (3′ UTRs); thus, RBM38 modulates targeted gene expression and affects the biological processes of tumors. In addition, abnormal RBM38 expression in some malignant tumors and its correlation with prognosis have been documented in many studies, indicating its value for potential clinical applications. In this review, we present an overview of RBM38, specifically highlighting its relationship with tumor manifestation and development. A brief overview of the potential use of RBM38 in cancer therapy is also included to provide ideas for further research on RBM38.

Progress in Understanding the IL-6/STAT3 Pathway in Colorectal Cancer

As a pleiotropic cytokine, interleukin-6 (IL-6) not only regulates the cellular immune response, but it also promotes tumor development by activating multiple carcinogenic pathways. IL-6 expression is significantly elevated in colorectal cancer (CRC) and is closely related to CRC development and patient prognosis. In CRC, IL-6 activates signal transducers and activators of transduction-3 (STAT3) to promote tumor initiation and tumor growth. IL-6/STAT3 signalling has a profound effect on tumor-infiltrating immune cells in the tumor immune microenvironment in CRC. Additionally, IL-6/STAT3 pathway activates downstream target genes to protect tumor cells from apoptosis; drive tumor cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, invasion and metastasis; promote tumor angiogenesis; and stimulate drug resistance. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the many effects of the IL-6/STAT3 pathway in CRC is needed, which the present review examines.

Mine Gas Concentration Forecasting Model Based on an Optimized BiGRU Network

To improve the utilization of mine gas concentration monitoring data with deep learning theory, we propose a gas concentration forecasting model with a bidirectional gated recurrent unit neural network (Adamax-BiGRU) using an adaptive moment estimation maximum (Adamax) optimization algorithm. First, we apply the Laida criterion and Lagrange interpolation to preprocess the gas concentration monitoring data. Then, the MSE is used as the loss function to determine the parameters of the hidden layer, hidden nodes, and iterations of the BiGRU model. Finally, the Adamax algorithm is used to optimize the BiGRU model to forecast the gas concentration. The experimental results show that compared with the recurrent neural network, LSTM, and gated recurrent unit (GRU) models, the error of the BiGRU model on the test set is reduced by 25.58, 12.53, and 3.01%, respectively. Compared with other optimization algorithms, the Adamax optimization algorithm achieved the best forecasting results. Thus, Adamax-BiGRU is an effective method to predict gas concentration values and has a good application value.

Thermal Hall conductivity in the cuprate Mott insulators Nd2CuO4 and Sr2CuO2Cl2

The heat carriers responsible for the unexpectedly large thermal Hall conductivity of the cuprate Mott insulator La₂CuO₄ were recently shown to be phonons. However, the mechanism by which phonons in cuprates acquire chirality in a magnetic field is still unknown. Here, we report a similar thermal Hall conductivity in two cuprate Mott insulators with significantly different crystal structures and magnetic orders – Nd₂CuO₄ and Sr₂CuO₂Cl₂ – and show that two potential mechanisms can be excluded – the scattering of phonons by rare-earth impurities and by structural domains. Our comparative study further reveals that orthorhombicity, apical oxygens, the tilting of oxygen octahedra and the canting of spins out of the CuO₂ planes are not essential to the mechanism of chirality. Our findings point to a chiral mechanism coming from a coupling of acoustic phonons to the intrinsic excitations of the CuO₂ planes.

What makes the phonons in cuprates become chiral, as measured by their thermal Hall effect, is an unresolved question. Here, the authors rule out two extrinsic mechanisms and argue that chirality comes from a coupling of acoustic phonons to the intrinsic excitations of the CuO₂ planes.

Identification and validation of a ten-gene set variation score as a diagnostic and prognostic stratification tool in hepatocellular carcinoma

We aimed to identify a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-specific gene set during progression. Using the HCC data set from The Cancer Genome Atlas, we found that 10 genes were gradually upregulated with the progression of HCC and associated with survival, classified as HCC-unfavorable genes; 29 genes were gradually downregulated and associated with survival, classified as HCC-favorable genes. Gene set variation analysis (GSVA) was used to score individual samples against the two gene sets. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that both the HCC-unfavorable GSVA score and HCC-favorable GSVA score were reliable biomarkers for diagnosing HCC. Moreover, tROC curve analysis and univariate/multivariate Cox proportional hazards analyses indicated that the HCC-unfavorable GSVA score was an independent prognostic biomarker. The results were validated in an external independent data set. Our results support a ten-gene set variation score as a diagnostic and predictive strategy tool in HCC.

Artificial Neural Network Model for Liver Cirrhosis Diagnosis in Patients with Hepatitis B Virus-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background

Testing for the presence of liver cirrhosis (LC) is one of the most critical diagnostic and prognostic assessments for patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). More non-invasive tools are needed to diagnose LC but the predictive abilities of current models are still inconclusive. This study aimed to develop and validate a novel and non-invasive artificial neural network (ANN) model for diagnosing LC in patients with HBV-related HCC using routine laboratory serological indicators.

Methods

A total of 1152 HBV-related HCC patients who underwent hepatectomy were included and randomly divided into the training set (n = 864, 75%) and validation set (n = 288, 25%). The ANN model was constructed from the training set using multivariate Logistic regression analysis and then verified in the validation set.

Results

The morbidity of LC in the training and validation sets was 41.2% and 46.8%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that age, platelet count, prothrombin time and total bilirubin were independent risk factors for LC (P < 0.05). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) analyses revealed that the ANN model had higher predictive accuracy than the Logistic model (ANN: 0.757 vs Logistic: 0.721; P < 0.001), and other scoring systems (ANN: 0.757 vs CP: 0.532, MELD: 0.594, ALBI: 0.575, APRI: 0.621, FIB-4: 0.644, AAR: 0.491, and GPR: 0.604; P < 0.05 for all) in diagnosing LC. Similar results were obtained in the validation set.

Conclusion

The ANN model has better diagnostic capabilities than other commonly used models and scoring systems in assessing LC risk in patients with HBV-related HCC.

Construction of a Comprehensive Multiomics Map of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Screening of Possible Driver Genes

Objectives: The occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a complex process involving genetic mutations, epigenetic variation, and abnormal gene expression. However, a comprehensive multiomics investigation of HCC is lacking, and the available multiomics evidence has not led to improvements in clinical practice. Therefore, we explored the molecular mechanism underlying the development of HCC through an integrative analysis of multiomics data obtained at multiple levels to provide innovative perspectives and a new theoretical basis for the early diagnosis, personalized treatment and medical guidance of HCC.

Methods: In this study, we collected whole-exome sequencing data, RNA (mRNA and miRNA) sequencing data, DNA methylation array data, and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We analyzed the copy number variation (CNV) in HCC using GISTIC2. MutSigCV was applied to identify significantly mutated genes (SMGs). Functional enrichment analyses were performed using the clusterProfiler package in R software. The prognostic values of discrete variables were estimated using Kaplan–Meier survival curves.

Results: By analyzing the HCC data in TCGA, we constructed a comprehensive multiomics map of HCC. Through copy number analysis, we identified significant amplification at 29 loci and significant deletions at 33 loci. A total of 13 significant mutant genes were identified. In addition, we also identified three HCC-related mutant signatures, and among these, signature 22 was closely related to exposure to aristolochic acids. Subsequently, we analyzed the methylation level of HCC samples and identified 51 epigenetically silenced genes that were significantly associated with methylation. The differential expression analysis identified differentially expressed mRNAs and miRNAs in HCC samples. Based on the above-described results, we identified a total of 93 possible HCC driver genes, which are driven by mutations, methylation, and CNVs and have prognostic value.

Conclusion: Our study reveals variations in different dimensions of HCC. We performed an integrative analysis of genomic signatures, single nucleotide variants (SNVs), CNVs, methylation, and gene expression in HCC. Based on the results, we identified HCC possible driver genes that might facilitate prognostic prediction and support decision making with regard to the choice of therapy.

AB0088 N6-METHYLADENOSINE-MODIFIED CIRC_0088194 PROMOTES MIGRATION AND INVASION OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS FIBROBLAST-LIKE SYNOVIOCYTES THROUGH MIR-766-3P/MMP2 AXIS

Background:

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) participate in the initiation and progression of various diseases by miRNA sponges including postmenopausal osteoporosis[1], bladder cancer[2], and osteoarthritis (OA)[3]. However, the activity of circRNAs as “miRNA sponges” in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has not been studied.

Objectives:

To investigate whether circRNA acts as competing endogenous RNA to regulate pathological processes of RA, and whether the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification affects Circ_0088194 stability in RA fibroblast-like synoviocytes (RA-FLSs).

Methods:

CircRNA microarray analysis was conducted to characterize the expression profiles of circRNAs in 3 RA-FLSs and 3 osteoarthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes (OA-FLSs). Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation was performed to validate the level of m6A modification on Circ_0088194 in RA-FLSs and OA-FLSs. Dual-luciferase reporter assay, bioinformatics analysis, protein array analysis, and fluorescence in situ hybridization were employed to evaluate the interaction between Circ_0088194 and miR-766-3p, and between target miR-766-3p and matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2).

Results:

Overexpression of Circ_0088194 promoted the migration and invasion of RA-FLSs and increased MMP2 expression. The expression and function of miR-766-3p were inversely correlated with Circ_0088194, which sponged miR-766-3p to upregulate MMP2 expression. Although m6A modification of Circ_0088194 exists in RA-FLSs and OA-FLSs, their level did not differ.

Conclusion:

This study presents an important role of this novel circRNA as a sponge of miR-766-3p to promote RA-FLS migration and invasion by targeting MMP2. However, the modification might not affect Circ_0088194 stability in RA-FLSs and OA-FLSs. Therefore, Circ_0088194 may contribute to RA development and represent as an auspicious therapeutic target.

References:

[1]Yu, L., and Liu, Y. (2019). circRNA_0016624 could sponge miR-98 to regulate BMP2 expression in postmenopausal osteoporosis. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 516: 546-550.

[2]Yang, C., et al. (2018). Circular RNA circ-ITCH inhibits bladder cancer progression by sponging miR-17/miR-224 and regulating p21, PTEN expression. MOL CANCER 17.

[3]Shen, S., et al. (2019). CircSERPINE2 protects against osteoarthritis by targeting miR-1271 and ETS-related gene. ANN RHEUM DIS 78: 826-836.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

Expression and gene regulation network of RBM8A in hepatocellular carcinoma based on data mining

RNA binding motif protein 8A (RBM8A) is an RNA binding protein in a core component of the exon junction complex. Abnormal RBM8A expression is associated with carcinogenesis. We used sequencing data from the Cancer Genome Atlas database and Gene Expression Omnibus, analyzed RBM8A expression and gene regulation networks in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Expression was analyzed using Oncomine^TM and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis tools, while RBM8A alterations and related functional networks were identified using cBioPortal. LinkedOmics was used to identify differential gene expression with RBM8A and to analyze Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways. Gene enrichment analysis examined target networks of kinases, miRNAs and transcription factors. We found that RBM8A is overexpressed and the RBM8A gene often amplified in HCC. Expression of this gene is linked to functional networks involving the ribosome and RNA metabolic signaling pathways. Functional network analysis suggested that RBM8A regulates the spliceosome, ribosome, DNA replication and cell cycle signaling via pathways involving several cancer-related kinases, miRNAs and E2F Transcription Factor 1. Our results demonstrate that data mining efficiently reveals information about RBM8A expression and potential regulatory networks in HCC, laying a foundation for further study of the role of RBM8A in carcinogenesis.

Long Non-Coding RNA Taurine Upregulated Gene 1 (TUG1) Downregulation Constrains Cell Proliferation and Invasion through Regulating Cell Division Cycle 42 (CDC42) Expression Via MiR-498 in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells

Background

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a malignant tumor of the gastrointestinal tract. Taurine upregulated gene 1 (TUG1), a long non-coding (lnc) RNA, also known as LIN00080 or TI-227H, was connected with the tumorigenesis of various diseases. Hence, we plumed the role and molecular mechanism of TUG1 in the progression of ESCC.

Material/Methods

Expression patterns of TUG1, microRNA-498 (miR-498), and cell division cycle 42 (CDC42) mRNA were assessed using quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The expression level of CDC42 protein was evaluated via western blot analysis. Cell proliferation and invasion were determined with Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay or Transwell assay. The relationship between miR-498 and TUG1 or CDC42 was predicted by online bioinformatics database LncBase Predicted v.2 or microT-CDS and confirmed through dual-luciferase reporter system or RNA immunoprecipitation assay (RIP).

Results

TUG1 and CDC42 were upregulated while miR-498 was strikingly decreased in ESCC tissues and cells (P<0.0001). Besides, TUG1 suppression blocked the proliferation and invasion of ESCC cells (P<0.001). Importantly, TUG1 decrease restrained CDC42 expression via binding to miR-498 in ESCC cells. Also, the suppressive impacts of TUG1 silencing on the proliferation and invasion of ESCC cells were mitigated by miR-498 reduction. Meanwhile, the repression of proliferation and invasion induced by miR-498 elevation was weakened by CDC42 overexpression.

Conclusions

Inhibition of TUG1 hampered cell proliferation and invasion by downregulating CDC42 via upregulating miR-498 in ESCC cells. Thus, TUG1 might be an underlying therapeutic target for ESCC.

Global transcriptomic study of circRNAs expression profile in sorafenib resistant hepatocellular carcinoma cells

The anti-angiogenic drugs represented by sorafenib over the years have always been the first-line treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the drug resistance has always been a "bottleneck" in curative effect. Recently, aberrant expression of circular RNA (circRNA) is considered to play a crucial role in many types of cancers. However, the genome-wide expression pattern of circRNAs in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells remains unknown. Herein, we identified 1717 differentially expressed circRNAs with 559 up-regulated and 1158 down-regulated (fold change > 2, P < 0.05) in sorafenib-resistant (HUH7-S) HCC cells along with 582 differentially expressed circRNAs with 272 up-regulated and 310 down-regulated (fold change > 2, P < 0.05) in sorafenib-resistant (HepG2-S) HCC cells, compared to parental sorafenib-sensitive (HUH7, HepG2) HCC cells by high-throughput sequencing. In addition, GO (Gene Ontology) term enrichment analysis results revealed an enrichment for binding and catalytic activity and for biological regulation of metabolic processes in both the Huh7-S and HepG2-S cell lines compared to parental cell lines. Moreover, KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) Pathway analysis of the differentially expressed genes were significantly related to pathways in cancer. Among them, hsa_circ_0006294 and hsa_circ_0035944 expression were consistently down-regulated in resistant HCC cells. Taken together, our data demonstrate, using a global transcriptomic network, that the circRNA expression profile is significantly altered in sorafenib-resistant HCC cells and that the differentially expressed circRNAs may play important functions in HCC sorafenib resistance and HCC progression.

Carbon Sphere Template Derived Hollow Nanostructure for Photocatalysis and Gas Sensing

As a green and preferred technology for energy crisis and environmental issues, continuous research on photocatalysis and gas sensing has come forth at an explosive rate. Thus far, promising synthetic methods have enabled various designs and preparations of semiconductor-based nanostructure which have shown superior activity. This review summarized various synthetic routines toward carbon sphere template derived hollow nanostructures and their successful attempts in synthesize doping, solid solution, heterostructure, and surface modified nanostructures for heterogeneous photocatalysis and gas sensing. Moreover, the challenges and future prospects are briefly discussed. It is eagerly anticipated that this review may broaden the view and in-depth understanding of carbon sphere template derived hollow nanostructures while expected to have further progresses in heterogeneous photocatalysis, gas sensing and other related fields which will make great contributions to their application.

Comprehensive analysis of biological networks and the eukaryotic initiation factor 4A-3 gene as pivotal in hepatocellular carcinoma

Eukaryotic initiation factor 4A-3 (EIF4A3) is a core component of the exon junction complex (EJC). Abnormalities in EIF4A3 are associated with carcinogenesis. The present study aimed to determine the biological role of EIF4A3 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our study is based on the analysis of HCC sequencing data from public databases. We first used the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis tool and ONCOMINE to analyze the EIF4A3 expression, and the results were validated in human clinical tissues by a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and immunohistochemical. Then, we used cBioPortal to identify EIF4A3 alterations and function networks. Finally, we created a network of genes that were positively correlated with EIF4A3 using LinkedOmics, and analyzed this network using Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses. For the genes identified, we also analyzed the relevant kinase and transcription factor target networks as well as the protein-protein interaction networks. Our results show that EIF4A3 was overexpressed in HCC tissues in comparison with normal tissues, and high EIF4A3 expression was significantly associated with poor prognosis. Analysis of the functional networks of genes that were co-occurring with EIF4A3 amplification revealed connections with several chemokine signaling pathways. Furthermore, genes that positively correlated with EIF4A3 were mainly related to cell cycle and spliceosome pathways, several cell cycle regulatory kinases, and tumor-associated transcription factors. Finally, crosslinking-immunoprecipitation and high-throughput sequencing (CLIP-seq) data showed that EIF4A3 protein binds to multiple exon regions of the cell cycle regulatory genes cyclin-dependent kinases 1 and 2 and transcription factor E2F1. Our study unveils potential biological networks in HCC and the pivotal role of EIF4A3 as a bridging protein, highlighting the need for an in-depth study of EIF4A3 in carcinogenesis.

Antidepressant Drugs Correct the Imbalance Between proBDNF/p75NTR/Sortilin and Mature BDNF/TrkB in the Brain of Mice with Chronic Stress

Depression is a worldwide problem with a great social and economic burden in many countries. In our previous research, we found that the expression of proBDNF/p75NTR/sortilin is upregulated in patients with major depressive disorder. In addition, the treatment of proBDNF antibodies reversed both the depressive behaviors and the reduced BDNF mRNA detected in our rodent chronic stress models. Antidepressant drugs are usually only effective in a subpopulation of patients with major depression with a delayed time window of 2-4 weeks to exert their efficacy. The mechanism underlying such delayed response is not known. In this study, we hypothesize that antidepressant drugs exert their therapeutic effect by modulating proBDNF/p75NTR and mature BDNF/TrkB signaling pathways. To test the hypothesis, C57 mice were randomly divided into normal control, chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), vehicle (VEH), fluoxetine (FLU), and clozapine (CLO) groups. Behavioral tests (sucrose preference, open field, and tail suspension tests) were performed before and after 4 weeks of CUMS. The gene and protein expression of proBDNF, the neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR), sortilin, and TrkB in the cortex and hippocampus were examined. At the protein level, CUMS induced a significant increase in proBDNF, p75NTR, and sortilin production while the TrkB protein level was found to be lower in the cortex and hippocampus compared with the control group. Consistently, at the mRNA level, p75NTR expression increased with reduced BDNF/TrkB mRNA in both cortex and hippocampus, while sortilin increased only in the hippocampus after CUMS. FLU and CLO treatments of CUMS mice reversed all protein and mRNA expression of the biomarkers in both cortex and hippocampus, except for sortilin mRNA in the cortex and proBDNF in the hippocampus, respectively. This study further confirms that the imbalance between proBDNF/p75NTR/sortilin and mBDNF/TrkB production is important in the pathogenesis of depression. It is likely that antidepressant FLU and antipsychotic CLO exert their antidepressant-like effect correcting the imbalance between proBDNF/p75NTR/sortilin and mBDNF/TrkB.

Young age at diagnosis is associated with better prognosis in stage IV breast cancer

Numerous studies have shown that young age is a risk factor in early breast cancer. But for stage IV breast cancer, it is unclear whether age has a similar effect on patient survival. We collected and analyzed data from patients with stage IV breast cancer between January 2010 and December 2015 in SEER database. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard model was used in this study. 13,069 patients with stage IV breast cancer were included in the analysis, of which 1,135 were young breast cancer patients (≤40 years old). In a multivariate analysis that adjusted for sociodemographic factors, clinical-pathological characteristics and therapeutic methods, the risk of death in patients with stage IV ≤40 years was significantly reduced (hazard ratio [HR], 0.72; 95% CI, 0.65-0.79). Subgroup analyses showed that, with the same adjustment of all factors, young age only significantly reduced the risk of death in patients with luminal A (HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.68-0.89) and luminal B (HR 0.46; 95% CI, 0.35-0.60) subtypes. Young age at diagnosis is associated with better survival in patients with stage IV breast cancer. The effect of young age at diagnosis on the survival outcome of stage IV breast cancer varies by subtypes.

Molecular targeted and immune checkpoint therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

Molecular targeted therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has changed markedly. Although sorafenib was used in clinical practice as the first molecular targeted agent in 2007, the SHARPE and Asian-Pacific trials demonstrated that sorafenib only improved overall survival (OS) by approximately 3 months in patients with advanced HCC compared with placebo. Molecular targeted agents were developed during the 10-year period from 2007 to 2016, but every test of these agents from phase II or phase III clinical trial failed due to a low response rate and high toxicity. In the 2 years after, 2017 through 2018, four successful novel drugs emerged from clinical trials for clinical use. As recommended by updated Barcelona Clinical Liver cancer (BCLC) treatment algorithms, lenvatinib is now feasible as an alternative to sorafenib as a first-line treatment for advanced HCC. Regorafenib, cabozantinib, and ramucirumab are appropriate supplements for sorafenib as second-line treatment for patients with advanced HCC who are resistant, show progression or do not tolerate sorafenib. In addition, with promising outcomes in phase II trials, immune PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors nivolumab and pembrolizumab have been applied for HCC treatment. Despite phase III trials for nivolumab and pembrolizumab, the primary endpoints of improved OS were not statistically significant, immune PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint therapy remains to be further investigated. This review summarizes the development and progression of molecular targeted and immune-based checkpoint therapies in HCC.

Identification and characterization of uterine micro-peristalsis in women undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer via dynamic ultrasound features

PURPOSE

This study aimed to identify the existence of uterine micro-peristalsis (UMP) by dynamic ultrasound features and evaluate the feasibility of UMP as a tool to distinguish pregnant and non-pregnant infertility patients undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET), using clinical pregnancy results as a benchmark.

METHODS

Fifty-one women, including 29 pregnant and 22 non-pregnant patients were recruited. Also, ultrasound videos were collected before embryo transfer. First of all, undiscoverable uterine micro-peristalsis was magnified by video magnification. Then, the dynamic features of UMP were characterized by a novel index termed histogram entropy based on the micro-peristalsis feature selection by entropy weight (HEMEW), which was generated by combining frame difference and volume local phase quantization. Finally, a comparative experiment of HEMEW between non-pregnant and pregnant patients, logistic regression analysis for HEMEW and other independent clinical characteristics, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis were performed.

RESULTS

The magnified uterine video clearly exhibited UMP, which was invisible in the original ultrasound video. Further, there existed a significant difference in HEMEW between pregnant patients and non-pregnant patients after micro-motion magnification (p = 0.003, n = 51). The logistic regression result showed that HEMEW (p = 0.006) was significantly associated with clinical pregnancy outcome, while other independent variables had no significant effect on it. The ROC performance of HEMEW was 72.6% accuracy (AUC = 0.774, 95% CI: 0.644-0.905).

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed micro-motion magnification and characterization strategy identified the existences of uterine micro-peristalsis, and verified that UMP has the feasibility to distinguish the outcomes of IVF-ET.

Lineage-negative lymphoma with a helper innate lymphoid cell phenotype

Helper innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) were recently recognized as lineage-negative lymphoid cells that do not express rearranged receptors and have important effector and regulatory functions in innate immunity. However, to our knowledge, no cases of hematological malignancies arising from helper ILCs have ever been reported in the literature. Here, we report a case of a 17-year-old man with multiple lymphadenopathy who was diagnosed with lineage-negative lymphoma that displayed a helper ILC phenotype. Histological examination showed large monomorphic atypical lymphoid cells with prominent nucleoli and abundant eosinophilic cytoplasms with scattered and patchy distributions. Large amounts of histiocytes and infiltrating lymphocytes were observed in the background. Immunostaining revealed positive LCA and CD79a expression but negative expression of all lineage markers. IG and TCR rearrangement analysis showed no clonal rearrangements. Tumor cells strongly expressed helper ILC phenotypic markers, such as CD127, IL-1R, GATA3, ST2, IL-17Rβ, and RANKL, and helper ILC-produced cytokines, such as IL-4 and GM-CSF. PD-L1/PD-L2-positive histiocytes and FOXP3-positive Tregs were observed in the tumor microenvironment. Flow cytometry of bone marrow at recurrence was positive for IL-1R and negative for T, B, NK, and myelogenous lineage markers. TP53 sequencing showed that exon 5 was replaced with an intergenic sequence of chromosome 21. Next-generation sequencing demonstrated a novel IGLV2-14/IGLL5 fusion and mutations or deletions of tumor suppressor genes, such as PTPRB, PPP2CB, and UPK1A. This tumor was very aggressive, resistant to chemotherapy, recurred with bone marrow involvement, and caused the death of the patient within 6 months. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a hematological malignancy potentially arising from helper ILCs. We propose negativity for lineage markers and positivity for CD127/IL-1R in combination with specific transcription factor expression as markers of this tumor. This finding represents a novel addition to the growing spectrum of hematological malignancies.

Low-Frequency Pulsed Magnetic Field Improves Depression-Like Behaviors and Cognitive Impairments in Depressive Rats Mainly via Modulating Synaptic Function

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has shown great promise as a medical treatment of depression. The effectiveness of TMS treatment at high frequency has been well investigated; however, low-frequency TMS in depression treatment has rarely been investigated in depression-induced cognitive deficits. Herein, this study was carried out to assess the possible modulatory role of low-frequency pulsed magnetic field (LFPMF) on reversing cognitive impairment in a model of depression induced by chronic unpredictable stress (CUS). Wistar rats were randomly allocated into four groups as follows: a control group (CON), a control applied with LFPMF (CON + LFPMF), a CUS group, and a CUS treated with LFPMF (CUS + LFPMF) group. During 8 weeks of CUS, compared to those in the CON group, animals not only gained less weight but also exhibited anhedonia, anxiety, and cognitive decline in behavioral tests. After 2-week treatment of LFPMF, a 20 mT, 1 Hz magnetic stimulation, it reversed the impairment of spatial cognition as well as hippocampal synaptic function including long-term potentiation and related protein expression. Thus, LFPMF has shown effectively improvements on depressant behavior and cognitive dysfunction in CUS rats, possibly via regulating synaptic function.

Crizotinib-resistant MET mutations in gastric cancer patients are sensitive to type II tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Aim: Crizotinib has been used to counter MET amplification in different human malignancies. However, transient responses were observed in some patients with rapid acquisition of resistant mutations in MET. Materials & methods: MET mutations stably expressed Ba/F3 cell lines were used for IC₅₀ detection. Signaling pathway analysis was done using 293T cell line. Results: Four MET mutations conferred resistance to crizotinib with sustained activation of downstream signaling pathways of MET. On the other hand, the four MET mutations displayed different response to type II tyrosine kinase inhibitors with variable deterioration of the downstream signals. Conclusion: This study suggested that patients carrying MET V1092L, D1228G or Y1230H mutations could benefit from type II tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment, but not patients with G1163R or D1228Y/N mutations.

Protective approaches and mechanisms of microencapsulation to the survival of probiotic bacteria during processing, storage and gastrointestinal digestion: A review

In recent years, there is a rising interest in the number of food products containing probiotic bacteria with favorable health benefit effects. However, the viability of probiotic bacteria is always questionable when they exposure to the harsh environment during processing, storage, and gastrointestinal digestion. To overcome these problems, microencapsulation of cells is currently receiving considerable attention and has obtained valuable effects. According to the drying temperature, the commonly used technologies can be divided into two patterns: high temperature drying (spray drying and fluid bed drying) and low temperature drying (ultrasonic vacuum spray drying, spray chilling, electrospinning, supercritical technique, freeze drying, extrusion, emulsion, enzyme gelation, and impinging aerosol technique). Furthermore, not only should the probiotic bacteria maintain high viability during processing but they also need to keep alive during storage and gastrointestinal digestion, where they additionally suffer from water, oxygen, heat as well as strong acid and bile conditions. This review focuses on demonstrating the effects of different microencapsulation techniques on the survival of bacteria during processing as well as protective approaches and mechanisms to the encapsulated probiotic bacteria during storage and gastrointestinal digestion that currently reported in the literature.

Activation of the NF-κB Pathway and Heterozygous Deletion of TNFAIP3 (A20) Confer Superior Survival in Extranodal Natural Killer/T-Cell Lymphoma, Nasal Type

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the role of TNFAIP3 deletions and NF-κB activation in extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTCL), nasal type.

METHODS

In total, 138 patients with ENKTCL were included. Activation of NF-κB pathway and expression of TNFAIP3 (A20) were examined by immunohistochemistry. TNFAIP3 was analyzed for deletions using FICTION (fluorescence immunophenotyping and interphase cytogenetics as a tool for investigating neoplasms), for mutations using Sanger sequencing, and for promoter methylation using methylation-specific sequencing.

RESULTS

NF-κB pathway activation was observed in 31.2% of cases (43/138), TNFAIP3 expression was negative in 15.2% of cases (21/138), and heterozygous TNFAIP3 deletion was observed in 35% of cases (35/100). TNFAIP3 exons 2 to 9 mutations and promoter methylation were not observed. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed patients with NF-κB pathway activation or TNFAIP3 heterozygous deletion to have a longer overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrated that NF-κB activation and TNFAIP3 heterozygous deletion confer superior survival in patients with ENKTCL.

LncRNA WWC2-AS1 functions AS a novel competing endogenous RNA in the regulation of FGF2 expression by sponging miR-16 in radiation-induced intestinal fibrosis

Background

Recently, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were considered as important gene expression regulators involving various biological processes. In this study, we explored the role of lncRNAs in the pathogenesis of radiation-induced intestinal fibrosis (RIF).

Methods

LncRNAs were screened by microarray (Human LncRNA Array v3.0, Arraystar, Inc.) and the differentially expressed lncRNAs in RIF and non-RIF were analyzed by bioinformatics methods. The expression of WWC2-AS1/miR-16/FGF2 axis was compared on mRNA and protein level between human intestinal CCD-18Co fibroblasts cell lines and subepithelial SEMFs in response to radiation treatment. The significance of WWC2-AS1 in regulating FGF2 associated proliferation, migration, invasion and fibrosis of CCD-18Co and SEMFs by exposure to radiation was analyzed by shRNA (WWC2-AS1 shRNA) knock-down of endogenous WWC2-AS1.

Results

WWC2-AS1 and FGF2 level was significantly higher while miR-16 was down-regulated in radiation-treated intestinal tissues. WWC2-AS1 more potently boosted FGF2 expression via reducing miR-16, and WWC2-AS1 shRNA remarkably inhibited FGF2 associated proliferation, migration, invasion and fibrosis of radiation treatment in vitro, further demonstrating physical interaction between miR-16 and WWC2-AS1 in radiation-induced fibrosis progress.

Conclusions

WWC2-AS1 was highly expressed in RIF, may function as a ceRNA in the regulation of FGF2 by binding miR-16. Targeting WWC2-AS1 thus may benefit radiation-induced fibrosis treatment.