[Current status of reproductive health and its occupational influencing factors among female medical staff in a provincial maternal and child health hospital]

Objective: To investigate the current status of reproductive health among the female medical staff in a provincial maternal and child health hospital and analyze the occupational influencing factors for reproductive health, particularly the effects of high-intensity work, work shift, chemical poisons, and physical and biological factors on reproductive health, and to provide a scientific basis for developing related intervention measures and promoting the reproductive health of professional females. Methods: A reproductive health questionnaire was designed in terms of age, type of work, professional title, education level, working hours, working strength, and the reproductive health of female staff to analyze the current status of reproductive health, working strength, and occupational hazardous factors. The female medical staff in the provincial maternal and child health hospital completed the questionnaire on the internal network of the hospital voluntarily. Results: Of all respondents, 19.46% had a history of miscarriage, 5.90% visited the hospital due to infertility, 21.31% had irregular menstruation within the last 3 months, and 30.57% had reproductive system disease; 72.28% of the investigated medical staff often worked at night, 47.25% often worked overtime (more than 3 days a week) , and 22.27% worked over 8 hours daily. The respondents who often worked overtime had a significantly higher prevalence of reproductive system disease than those who did not often work overtime (χ(2)= 58.65, P<0.01) . The respondents who often worked at night had a significantly higher rate of miscarriage than those who did not work at night (χ(2)=41.57, P<0.01) . In all respondents, 87.08% were often exposed to chemical injuries such as disinfectants, and 78.15% had contact with noise, radiation, and other physical injuries; the medical staff exposed to chemical and physical injuries had a significantly higher proportion of individuals with a history of miscarriage than the unexposed staff (χ(2)=10.04, P<0.01; χ(2)=13.30, P<0.01) . Conclusion: Much attention should be paid to the reproductive health of female medical staff in the provincial maternal and child health hospital, who have high working strength. The occupational hazard factors can be avoided by reasonably arranging the work schedule and creating a supportive environment to improve the reproductive health of female medical staff.

[Mental health problems among female staff in a provincial maternal and child health hospital: an investigation of 647 individuals]

Objective: To investigate the current status of depression and anxiety among female staff in a maternal and child health hospital, and to provide a basis for developing related prevention and intervention measures and promoting the mental health of female staff. Methods: The female staff from a provincial maternal and child health hospital completed a psycho-health questionnaire survey on Internet from June to October, 2016. The questionnaires used in the survey consisted of Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) , Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) , and Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) . The distribution features of mental health problems such as depression and anxiety were analyzed according to the results: of the questionnaire survey. Results Of all female staff surveyed, 42.04% showed depression symptoms, 28.90% showed anxiety symptoms, and 26.12% showed comorbid symptoms of depression and anxiety. Moderate or severe depression (anxiety) was mainly distributed among the female staff with comorbid symptoms (90.63% and 97.01%, respectively) . There were significant differences in the distribution of moderate or severe anxiety symptoms between the medical staff and nursing staff (χ(2)= 5.81, P=0.05) and between those with intermediate and junior professional titles (χ(2)=7.99, P=0.018) . As for SCL-90 results, the total score, total average score, and scores on factors of somatization, compulsion, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, and anxiety in the female staff with comorbid symptoms, moderate or severe depression, and moderate or severe anxiety were significantly higher than the national norm (P<0.01) , while the scores on paranoid and psychotic factors were significantly lower than the national norm (P<0.01) . The numbers of cases of positive factors were significantly higher in the female staff with comorbid symptoms than in the female staff with a single symptom and asymptomatic female staff (both P<0.01) , and positive cases were mainly distributed in depression, interpersonal sensitivity, compulsion, anxiety, and somatic factors. Conclusion: The prevalence of depression and anxiety is high among female staff in the maternal and child health hospital, mainly characterized by comorbid symptoms of moderate or severe depression and anxiety. Comorbidity is accompanied by mental health problems such as interpersonal sensitivity, obsessive compulsion, and physical discomfort. Corresponding measures are needed for the prevention and intervention of mental health problems among female staff in the maternal and child health hospital.

Abstract B43: Disruption of the YAP-LATS2 feedback loop switches ovarian cells from YAP-induced senescence to malignant transformation

Introduction: Dysregulation of the Hippo signaling pathway leads to tumorigenesis in many organs and tissues. Our previous studies show that Yes-associated protein (YAP) induces tumorigenesis in immortalized ovarian surface epithelial cells and fallopian tube secretory epithelial cells. However, the role of Hippo/YAP signaling pathway in primary human ovarian cells is unknown.

Aims: The present study seeks to: 1) determine the role of the Hippo/YAP pathway in primary human ovarian cells and 2) investigate the molecular mechanism by which interruption of the Hippo pathway regulates ovarian cell malignant transformation.

Methods: Primary human ovarian surface epithelial (hOSE) cells and granulosa cells (hGCs) were employed as cellular models to determine potential roles of the core components of the Hippo/YAP pathway in ovarian cells. CRISPR/Cas9-based gene knockout system, lentiviral-based gene expression system, and siRNAs were utilized to manipulate the expression and activities of the major components of the Hippo/YAP pathway. Soft agar assays and xenograft mouse models were used to examine the role of the Hippo/YAP pathway in tumorigenesis.

Results: Ectopic expression of YAP, the major oncogenic effector of the Hippo pathway, induced cell cycle arrest and cellular senescence in cultured primary hOSE cells and hGCs. Importantly, we found that LATS2, a major upstream suppressor of YAP, was elevated in both natural replicative and YAP-induced senescence. Knockout of LATS2 in primary hOSE cells not only diminished natural replicative senescence, but also prevented YAP-induced cellular senescence. Overexpression of LATS2 in primary hOSE cells sped the progression of natural replicative and YAP-induced senescence. Further studies showed that constitutive activation of YAP stimulated the expression of LATS2 in hOSE cells, indicating that YAP and LATS2 formed a negative feedback loop to regulate cellular senescence. Intriguingly, we found that constitutive activation of YAP in LATS2-deficient hOSE cells induced malignant transformation and tumor formation in a xenograft mouse model. Finally, our mechanistic studies showed that the ectopic expression of LATS2 in primary hOSE cells significantly increased expression of several major components of the DREAM (dimerization partner, RB-Like, E2F, and multi-vulval class B) complex, which represses gene expression during cellular quiescence, suggesting that the Hippo/YAP pathway may control cell fate via regulating assembly of DREAM complex.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that LATS2 and YAP, two major components of the Hippo/YAP pathway, form a negative feedback loop to control cellular senescence and prevent ovarian cells from malignant transformation. Disruption of the Hippo pathway and the subsequent loss of the YAP-LATS2 negative feedback system may switch ovarian cells from YAP-induced senescence to tumorigenesis.

Citation Format: Chunbo He, Xiangmin Lv, Huang Cong, Guohua Hua, Bowen Ma, Xingcheng Chen, Peter C. Angeletti, Jixin Dong, Jin Zhou, Bo Rueda, John S. Davis, Cheng Wang. Disruption of the YAP-LATS2 feedback loop switches ovarian cells from YAP-induced senescence to malignant transformation. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Conference: Addressing Critical Questions in Ovarian Cancer Research and Treatment; Oct 1-4, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2018;24(15_Suppl):Abstract nr B43.

Abstract B50: YAP induces development of mesenchymal subtype of high-grade serous ovarian cancer from granulosa cells

The Hippo pathway plays critical roles in both organ development and tumorigenesis. Our previous studies demonstrated that Yes-Associated Protein 1 (YAP), a transcription coactivator and the major effector of the Hippo pathway, plays a critical role in ovarian cancer development. The present study investigates the role of the Hippo/YAP signaling pathway in the tumorigenesis of ovarian granulosa cells. Fluorescent and chromogenic immunohistochemistry were used to examine YAP expression in human and mouse ovaries. Western blot and qRT-PCR were used to determine protein and mRNA expression. Retrovirus-based YAP expressing constructs and YAP siRNAs were utilized to manipulate YAP levels in primary or immortalized human granulosa cells. A new three-dimensional hanging-drop culture system was used to mimic the growth of granulosa cells in vivo. The soft agar assay and xenograft mouse models were employed to investigate the role of YAP in transformation and tumorigenesis of granulosa cells. Immunohistochemical analyses showed that the active form of YAP (nuclear YAP) was expressed in proliferative granulosa cells in human and mouse ovaries, whereas the inactive form of YAP (cytoplasmic YAP) was detected predominantly in terminally differentiated luteal cells, indicating that YAP activity may be involved in the regulation of granulosa cell proliferation and differentiation. Overexpression of wild-type or constitutively active YAP compromised the expression of genes required for steroidogenesis and induced de-differentiation of differentiated granulosa cells. Ectopic expression of the constitutively active form of YAP in less-differentiated human granulosa cells derived from growing follicles induced tumors in a xenograft mouse model. Intriguingly, we found that these tumors resembled human high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) morphologically, histologically, and genetically. The tumors were accompanied by accumulation of large amount of ascites in the peritoneal cavity. Highly proliferative and aggressive tumor cells invaded into omentum, visceral fat tissue, diaphragm, pancreas, liver, and gastrointestinal system. Deletion of the BRCA1 gene in these tumor cells promoted tumor progression and significantly reduced survival rate. Interestingly, these tumors have high expression of N-cadherin but very low expression of CA125 and E-cadherin, which are molecular characteristics of a recently identified mesenchymal subtype of HGSOC. Studies from The Cancer Genome Atlas and the Australian Ovarian Cancer Study Group indicate that the mesenchymal subtype of HGSOC has the poorest prognosis among all subtypes of ovarian cancers. In conclusion, results from this study indicate that YAP plays a critical role in regulating granulosa cell proliferation and differentiation. Overactivation of YAP can result in de-differentiation and reprogramming of ovarian granulosa cells, leading to development of mesenchymal subtype of HGSOC. Our results identify early-stage granulosa cells as a cell of origin of newly identified mesenchymal type of HGSOC.

Citation Format: Xiangmin Lv, Chunbo He, Cong Huang, Guohua Hua, Bowen Ma, Xingcheng Chen, Jin Zhou, Zhengfeng Wang, Jixin Dong, Bo R. Rueda, John S. Davis, Cheng Wang. YAP induces development of mesenchymal subtype of high-grade serous ovarian cancer from granulosa cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Conference: Addressing Critical Questions in Ovarian Cancer Research and Treatment; Oct 1-4, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2018;24(15_Suppl):Abstract nr B50.

Genomic variation in Pekin duck populations developed in three different countries as revealed by whole-genome data

It is well known that both British and American Pekin ducks originated from China. However, the populations differ substantially in production performance, but the genetic changes involved are still poorly understood. Herein, we sequenced 24 individual Pekin ducks (eight from each population) with an average sequencing depth of more than 45× for each population (mean coverage of 6.29 per individual). Among these populations from three different countries, we identified a large number of SNPs and indels as well as many unique population variants, which can be used as population-specific molecular markers. Genomic comparisons among the three duck populations revealed many candidate genes as well as pathways and Gene Ontology categories that are putatively associated with meat yield in the British population, growth in the American population and brain development in all three populations. These findings will enable a better understanding of the artificial selection history of Pekin ducks and provide a valuable resource for future research on the breeding of this species.

Fe-Si networks in Na2FeSiO4 cathode materials

Using a combination of adaptive genetic algorithm search, motif-network search scheme and first-principles calculations, we have systematically studied the low-energy crystal structures of Na2FeSiO4. We show that the low-energy crystal structures with different space group symmetries can be classified into several families based on the topologies of their Fe-Si networks. In addition to the diamond-like network which is shared by most of the low-energy structures, another three robust Fe-Si networks are also found to be stable during the charge/discharge process. The electrochemical properties of representative structures from these four different Fe-Si networks in Na2FeSiO4 and Li2FeSiO4 are investigated and found to be strongly correlated with the Fe-Si network topologies. Our studies provide a new route to characterize the crystal structures of Na2FeSiO4 and Li2FeSiO4 and offer useful guidance for the design of promising cathodes for Na/Li ion batteries.

Berberine Improves Cognitive Deficiency and Muscular Dysfunction via Activation of the AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1a Pathway in Skeletal Muscle from Naturally Aging Rats

OBJECTIVE

The manifestations of aging include cognitive deficits and muscular dysfunction, which are closely linked to impairment of mitochondrial biogenesis. Berberine, an isoquinoline alkaloid, presents multiple anti-diabetic pharmacological effects. Evidence has indicated that insulin resistance and cognitive impairment share the same pathogenesis, and berberine could reverse glucose metabolism abnormalities and muscle mitochondrial dysfunction induced by a high-fat diet. This study was used to investigate whether berberine could be used as an anti-aging drug to prevent cognitive deficits and muscular dysfunction in natural aging.

METHODS

Biochemical indicators and an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test were tested in 5-month-old rats (5 mo group), 24-month-old rats (24 mo group) and 24-month-old rats that had undergone 6 months of berberine treatment (BBR group). A Morris water maze test was conducted to assess the cognitive ability of the rats. Insulin resistance in whole-body was evaluated by intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT). The morphology of the skeletal muscle tissue was observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. The levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, ATP and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were assessed with corresponding reagent kits. The protein expressions of GLUT4, AMPK, SIRT1 and PGC-1α in skeletal muscle were examined by Western blot.

RESULTS

The results showed that administration of berberine for 6 months significantly improved cognitive deficits and insulin resistance in naturally aging rats (p<0.01). Furthermore, berberine treatment helped normalize the disordered alignment and the decreased number of muscle fibers (p<0.01) in the skeletal muscle of 24 mo rats. Berberine decreased the levels of ROS in both the serum and the skeletal muscle of 24 mo rats (p<0.01). Berberine increased the protein expression of p-AMPK, SIRT1 and PGC-1α and increased the production of ATP in the skeletal muscle of aging rats (p<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Berberine markedly ameliorates aging-related reductions in cognitive ability and muscular function, and the activation of the AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α pathway in skeletal muscle may be the underlying protective mechanism of berberine on muscular function.

Abstract LB-A01: Yes-associated protein 1 regulates cervical cancer initiation and progression via suppressing innate immunity and increasing cell susceptibility to human papillomavirus infection

Introduction: Although human Papillomavirus (HPV) has been identified as a causative reagent for cervical cancer (CVC), accumulating evidence indicates that HPV alone is insufficient to induce CVC. The molecular mechanisms underlying CVC development are largely unknown. Our previous in vitro studies indicated that YAP1, the major effector of the Hippo pathway, interacts with HPV to drive the progression of CVC. However, whether the Hippo/YAP1 pathway also regulates cervical carcinogenesis in vivo is unknown.

Aims: To examine the molecular mechanism(s) by which the Hippo/YAP pathway interacts with HPV to regulate the cervical carcinogenesis.

Methods: The cBioportal for Cancer Genomics, an online tool developed to visualize The Cancer Genomic Atlas (TCGA) studies, was used to analyze alterations of the Hippo pathway in human CVC. Primary cervical epithelial cells and cervical cancer cell lines were used to determine effects of YAP1 on cell susceptibility to HPV infection. KRT14-YAPS127A mice, which express constitutively active YAP1 (YAPS127A) in cervical epithelial cells under doxycycline (Dox) induction, and KRT14-E6/E7-YAPS127A mice, which express both HPV E6/E7 and YAPS127A in cervical epithelial cells under Dox induction, were used to examine the role of YAP1 gene in cervical carcinogenesis.

Results: Multidimensional cancer genomic data showed that disruption of the Hippo signaling pathway is a common event in human CVC, which is featured by frequent amplification and up-regulation of oncogenes and deletion/mutation of tumor suppressors. Moreover, the disrupted Hippo pathway is associated with poor prognosis of CVC patients. Dox-induced expression of

YAPS127A in KRT14-YAPS127A mouse cervical epithelial cells resulted in neoplasia of cervical epithelium within 2 months. Most KRT14-YAPS127A mice developed invasive CVC after induction with dox for 6 months. Metastatic spread of CVC induced urethral and outlet obstruction in some KRT14-YAPS127A mice. Around 50% of KRT14-YAPS127A mice died of CVC within 16 months of Dox induction. Histological analysis revealed that KRT14-YAPS127A mice developed squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). Although KRT14-E6/E7 mice (only expressing E6/E7) rarely developed CVC after induction with Dox for 12 months, KRT14-E6/E7-YAPS127A mice developed cervical cancer within 4 months of Dox induction. Compared to KRT14-YAPS127A mice, cancer cells in the cervical tissue of KRT14-E6/E7-YAPS127A mice were more proliferative and invasive. Mechanistic studies showed that ectopic expression of YAPS127A in human cervical epithelial cells resulted in a significant increase in cell susceptibility to HPV infection, while inhibition of YAP1 activity reduced the acceptability of cervical epithelial cells to HPV infection. Intriguingly, we found that activation of YAP induced up-regulation of the putative HPV cellular receptor and disrupted innate immunity in cervical epithelial cells.

Conclusion: Our research demonstrates that constitutive activation of YAP1 is sufficient to induce cervical SCC. Hyper-activation of YAP increases the susceptibility of cervical epithelial cells to HPV infection. HPV, in turn, synergistically promotes YAP1-induced initiation and progression of cervical cancer. The Hippo/YAP signaling pathway may represent a promising target for developing novel strategies to prevent and treat cervical cancer.

[C.H., X.L., and C.H. contributed equally to this work.]

Citation Format: Chunbo He, Xiangmin Lv, Cong Huang, Guohua Hua, Jin Zhou, Zhengfeng Wang, Jixin Dong, Peter C Angeletti, Paul F. Lambert, Bo R Rueda, John S Davis, Cheng Wang. Yes-associated protein 1 regulates cervical cancer initiation and progression via suppressing innate immunity and increasing cell susceptibility to human papillomavirus infection [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2017 Oct 26-30; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2018;17(1 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-A01.

Analysis on clinical characteristics and drug resistance of Candida parapsilosis bloodstream infections in West China Hospital, China, from 2012 to 2015

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

Candida parapsilosis has emerged as an important cause of bloodstream infections (BSI) in the health care setting. We aimed to describe the clinical characteristics and drug resistance of C. parapsilosis BSI in West China Hospital of Sichuan University in China and provide the basis for prevention and treatment of this disease.

PATIENTS

We retrospectively collected and analyzed patients presented in our hospital reported with C. parapsilosis BSI from January 2012 to January 2015.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data regarding age, gender, the department distribution, the potential clinical risk factors and the result of clinical treatment and prognosis were retrospectively evaluated. As to the antifungal drugs susceptibility testing, we used Etest method for determining the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of amphotericin B, fluconazole, voriconazole, caspofungin and flucytosine for all the clinical isolates of C. parapsilosis. Standard quality strains were used as the controls.

RESULTS

Most of the patients with C. parapsilosis BSI were over 60-year-old (37.5%) or within 10years old (28.13%). Among patients, 78.13% came from an intensive care unit or had undergone surgery in the past several months. The major risk factors associated with an increased risk of infection included the use of broad-spectrum antibacterial drugs and deep vein indwelling. The overall mortality of patients with C. parapsilosis BSI was 31.25%. The drug sensitivity tests revealed that all isolates were sensitive to amphotericin B and flucytosine. Two and 1 isolates were found susceptible to fluconazole and voriconazole in a dose-dependent manner, respectively. Only 1 isolate was resistant to fluconazole. 4 isolates (12.5%) were medium sensitive to caspofungin, but no one showed drug resistance.

CONCLUSION

In summary, elders and newborns were more vulnerable to C. parapsilosis infections. C. parapsilosis was found frequently as pathogens leading to BSI in patients admitted to ICU and departments of surgery and often causing a high mortality rate. C. parapsilosis rarely showed drug resistance at present, so common antifungal drugs could be used for treatment. Recommendations for using of antifungal drugs focused on paying close attention to possible drug resistance trend.

Down-regulation of fibronectin and the correlated expression of neuroligin in hirschsprung disease

AIM

The goal of this study was to investigate the expression of fibronectin (FN) and the correlated abundance of neuroligins (NLs) in the enteric nervous system (ENS) and to find a novel diagnostic marker in the serum of Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) patients.

METHODS

The expression levels of FN, neuroligin-1 and neuroligin-2 were detected in 114 children with or without HSCR. The expression and localization of the NLs and FN were assessed morphologically by immunohistochemical staining. Western blot analysis and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qPCR) were performed to examine the correlated expression of the NLs and FN in aganglionic, transitional, and normal ganglionic colon tissues. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to evaluate and compare serum FN levels between HSCR and non-HSCRand between long-type HSCR and short-type HSCR.

RESULTS

These studies showed that both neuroligin-1 and neuroligin-2 were expressed at low levels in aganglionic segments and at intermediate levels in transitional segments compared to their high level of expression in normal tissue. In contrast, FN expression was negatively correlated, with expression in these three samples transitioning from highest to lowest. The serum FN level was higher in HSCR than in non-HSCR, but no significant difference between short-type HSCR and long-type HSCR was observed.

CONCLUSION

FN affects the expression of both neuroligin-1 and neuroligin-2 in HSCR, which may lead to the hypoplasia of ganglion cells in the ENS. This correlation may play a key role in the pathogenesis, diagnosis, or classification of HSCR.

[Lateral semicircular canal cupulolithiasis in children: a case report]

We report a case of lateral semicircular canal cupulolithiasis in a 12 years old child. He presented to ENT clinic due to vertigo and nausea for 4 hours. Roll test showed strong apogeotropic nystagmus for about 70 seconds when roll to the left recumbent position. The right lateral semicircular canal cupulolithiasis was diagnosed. The child was treated with the Li's quick repositioning maneuver and the vertigo was disappeared. His symptoms did not occurred after 6 months follow-up.

Abstract MIP-058: YAP, VIA INTERACTIONS WITH THE FGF SIGNALING PATHWAY, REGULATES TUMORIGENESIS OF FALLOPIAN TUBE SECRETORY EPITHELIAL CELLS

INTRODUCTION: Accumulating evidence indicates that ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) originates from Fallopian tube secretory epithelial cells (FTSECs). Our recent studies indicated that the Hippo/YAP signaling pathway contributes to transformation of ovarian surface epithelial cells. However, whether this pathway is also involved in the initiation and progression of FTSEC-derived ovarian HGSC has not been examined.

AIMS: The present study aims to determine whether the Hippo/YAP signaling pathway plays a role in initiation and progression of Fallopian tube-derived HGSC and the potential mechanism(s) by which YAP regulates FTSEC tumorigenesis.

RESULTS: Immunohistochemical analysis showed that YAP expression was very low in normal human fallopian tube and ovarian tissues. However, YAP immunosignals significantly increased in ovarian HGSCs, cancerous and inflammatory fallopian tube tissues. Data extracted from multidimensional human cancer genomics datasets revealed that the YAP and TEADs (the major target transcription factors of YAP) genes are frequently amplified and/or up-regulated, while the upstream tumor suppressor genes such as NF1 and LATS1, are frequently deleted and/or mutated in ovarian HGSC tissues. Overexpression of YAP in immortalized non-tumorigenic FTSECs promoted cell proliferation in both 2D and 3D culture systems, induced colony formation in soft agar, and drove tumorigenesis in athymic nude mice. Pathohistological and biochemical analyses clearly indicated that tumors derived from the FTSECs resembled ovarian HGSC. In addition, our mechanistic studies showed that activation of YAP in human FTSECs upregulated the expression of fibroblast growth factors (FGF1, FGF2) and their receptors (FGFR1, FGFR2, FGFR3 and FGFR4). Intriguingly, we found that the activated FGF signaling in turn suppressed the Hippo pathway and activated YAP protein. Consistent with this result, treatment of FTSECs with YAP antagonist (Verteporfin) and/or FGFR inhibitor (BGI398) not only blocked YAP-induced FTSECs transformation, but also suppressed tumor cell growth and induced tumor cell death in a human HGSC xenograft model.

CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that the disruption of the Hippo/YAP signaling pathway contributes to the carcinogenesis of the fallopian tube secretory epithelial cells. The Hippo/YAP and FGF signaling pathways formed an autocrine/paracrine positive feedback loop to drive the progression of the FTSECs-derived HGSC. Evidence in this study strongly suggests that combined targeting of YAP and FGFRs represents a novel therapeutic strategy for ovarian HGSCs.

Citation Format: Chunbo He, Guohua Hua, Xiangmin Lv, Zhengfeng Wang, Ronny I. Drapkin, John S. Davis, Cheng Wang. YAP, VIA INTERACTIONS WITH THE FGF SIGNALING PATHWAY, REGULATES TUMORIGENESIS OF FALLOPIAN TUBE SECRETORY EPITHELIAL CELLS [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 11th Biennial Ovarian Cancer Research Symposium; Sep 12-13, 2016; Seattle, WA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2017;23(11 Suppl):Abstract nr MIP-058.

Bone mass loss is associated with systolic blood pressure in postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes in Tibet: a retrospective cross-sectional study

We conducted an observational cross-section study to investigate the status of bone mineral mass of Tibetan postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes and the possible predictors for osteoporosis. We found that prevalence of osteoporosis was 27.0% and blood pressure was an independent risk factor for bone mass loss.

INTRODUCTION

The aims of this study is to investigate the prevalence of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes dwelling in Tibet and the possible risk factors for bone mass loss.

METHODS

We recruited 99 Chinese Tibetan postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes from the department of endocrinology of People's Hospital Tibet Autonomous Region. Multiple sites of bone mineral density (BMD) were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The subjects were divided into three groups based on BMD T-score: osteoporosis, osteopenia, and normal. The clinical characteristics were compared between groups. The risk factors for bone mass loss were assessed by multiple linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

Among diabetic postmenopausal women dwelling in high altitude, mean age was 62 ± 8 years, the median postmenopausal period was 12 years (5, 20), the median duration of diabetes mellitus was 3 years (1, 8), and mean BMI was 27.6 ± 4.2 kg/m². Patients (52.5%) had hypertension. The percentages of patients with osteoporosis, osteopenia and normal BMD were 27.3, 42.4, and 30.3%, respectively. HbA1c and systolic blood pressure (SBP) were independently associated with T-scores of spine; ages and SBP were independently associated with T-scores of femoral neck or hip.

CONCLUSIONS

Among diabetic postmenopausal women dwelling in high altitude, 27.3% patients have osteoporosis, 42.4% patients have osteopenia, and 30.3% are normal. The BMD T-score of spine was inversely associated with SBP and positively associated with HbA1c, while the BMD T-score of femoral neck or hip was inversely associated with ages and SBP.

G-1 Inhibits Breast Cancer Cell Growth via Targeting Colchicine-Binding Site of Tubulin to Interfere with Microtubule Assembly

G-protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER1) has been reported to play a significant role in mediating the rapid estrogen actions in a wide range of normal and cancer cells. G-1 was initially developed as a selective agonist for GPER. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the actions of G-1 are unknown, and recent studies report inconsistent effects of G-1 on the growth of breast cancer cells. By employing high-resolution laser scanning confocal microscopy and time-lapse imaging technology, as well as biochemical analyses, in the current study, we provide convincing in vitro and in vivo evidence that G-1 is able to suppress the growth of breast cancer cells independent of the expression status of GPERs and classic estrogen receptors. Interestingly, we found that triple-negative breast cancer cells (TNBC) are very sensitive to G-1 treatment. We found that G-1 arrested the cell cycle in the prophase of mitosis, leading to caspase activation and apoptosis of breast cancer cells. Our mechanistic studies indicated that G-1, similar to colchicine and 2-methoxyestradiol, binds to colchicine binding site on tubulin, inhibiting tubulin polymerization and subsequent assembly of normal mitotic spindle apparatus during breast cancer cell mitosis. Therefore, G-1 is a novel microtubule-targeting agent and could be a promising anti-microtubule drug for breast cancer treatment, especially for TNBC treatment. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(6); 1080-91. ©2017 AACR.

Intensity modulated radiotherapy and brachytherapy for a cervical cancer after renal transplantation

Radiotherapy and surgery are important radical treatment options for cervical cancer, but the presence of a pelvic kidney complicates the situation. Fine radiation technique can help avoiding side effects. Radiation to the modified pelvis using intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) followed by brachytherapy, while avoiding the renal allograft is technically feasible which ensures adequate target volume and reduces side effects. Here, the authors report a 45-year-old patient with invasive cervical cancer with a pelvic kidney who was treated by pelvic IMRT in combination with high-dose rate brachytherapy. There was no evidence of disease and with normal kidney function currently at 12 months.

Combined QSAR-based virtual screening and fluorescence binding assay to identify natural product mediators of Interferon Regulatory Factor 7 (IRF-7) in pulmonary infection

Interferon regulatory factor-7 (IRF-7) is involved in pulmonary infection and pneumonia. Here, a synthetic strategy that combined quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR)-based virtual screening and in vitro binding assay was described to identify new and potent mediator ligands of IRF-7 from natural products. In the procedure, a QSAR scoring function was developed and validated using Gaussian process (GP) regression and a structure-based set of protein-ligand affinity data. By integrating hotspot pocket prediction, pharmacokinetics profile analysis and molecular docking calculations, the scoring function was successfully applied to virtual screening against a large library of structurally diverse, drug-like natural products. With the method we were able to identify a number of potential hits, from which several compounds were found to have moderate or high affinity to IRF-7 using fluorescence binding assays, with dissociation constants K_d at micromolar level. We have also examined the structural basis and noncovalent interactions of computationally modelled IRF-7 complex with its potent ligands. It is revealed that hydrophobic forces and van der Waals contacts play a central role in stabilization of the complex architecture, while few hydrogen bonds confer additional specificity for the protein-ligand recognition.

The Hippo/YAP pathway interacts with EGFR signaling and HPV oncoproteins to regulate cervical cancer progression

The Hippo signaling pathway controls organ size and tumorigenesis through a kinase cascade that inactivates Yes-associated protein (YAP). Here, we show that YAP plays a central role in controlling the progression of cervical cancer. Our results suggest that YAP expression is associated with a poor prognosis for cervical cancer. TGF-α and amphiregulin (AREG), via EGFR, inhibit the Hippo signaling pathway and activate YAP to induce cervical cancer cell proliferation and migration. Activated YAP allows for up-regulation of TGF-α, AREG, and EGFR, forming a positive signaling loop to drive cervical cancer cell proliferation. HPV E6 protein, a major etiological molecule of cervical cancer, maintains high YAP protein levels in cervical cancer cells by preventing proteasome-dependent YAP degradation to drive cervical cancer cell proliferation. Results from human cervical cancer genomic databases and an accepted transgenic mouse model strongly support the clinical relevance of the discovered feed-forward signaling loop. Our study indicates that combined targeting of the Hippo and the ERBB signaling pathways represents a novel therapeutic strategy for prevention and treatment of cervical cancer.