Loss of LECT2 promotes ovarian cancer progression by inducing cancer invasiveness and facilitating an immunosuppressive environment

Leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin 2 (LECT2) is a multifunctional cytokine that can bind to several receptors and mediate distinct molecular pathways in various cell settings. Changing levels of LECT2 have been implicated in multiple human disease states, including cancers. Here, we have demonstrated reduced serum levels of LECT2 in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and down-regulated circulating Lect2 as the disease progresses in a syngeneic mouse ID8 EOC model. Using the murine EOC model, we discovered that loss of Lect2 promotes EOC progression by modulating both tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment. Lect2 inhibited EOC cells' invasive phenotype and suppressed EOC's transcoelomic metastasis by targeting c-Met signaling. In addition, Lect2 downregulation induced the accumulation and activation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). This fostered an immunosuppressive microenvironment in EOC by inhibiting T-cell activation and skewing macrophages toward an M2 phenotype. The therapeutic efficacy of programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)/PD-L1 pathway blockade for the ID8 model was significantly hindered. Overall, our data highlight multiple functions of Lect2 during EOC progression and reveal a rationale for synergistic immunotherapeutic strategies by targeting Lect2.

Umbelliferone and eriodictyol suppress the cellular entry of SARS-CoV-2

BACKGROUND

Artemisia argyi (A. argyi), also called Chinese mugwort, has been widely used to control pandemic diseases for thousands of years since ancient China due to its anti-microbial infection, anti-allergy, and anti-inflammation activities. Therefore, the potential of A. argyi and its constituents in reducing the infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was investigated in this study.

RESULTS

Among the phytochemicals in A. argyi, eriodictyol and umbelliferone were identified to target transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) proteins, the essential factors for the cellular entry of SARS-CoV-2, in both FRET-based enzymatic assays and molecular docking analyses. These two ingredients of A. argyi suppressed the infection of ACE2-expressed HEK-293 T cells with lentiviral-based pseudo-particles (Vpp) expressing wild-type and variants of SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein (SARS-CoV-2 S-Vpp) via interrupting the interaction between S protein and cellular receptor ACE2 and reducing the expressions of ACE2 and TMPRSS2. Oral administration with umbelliferone efficiently prevented the SARS-CoV-2 S-Vpp-induced inflammation in the lung tissues of BALB/c mice.

CONCLUSIONS

Eriodictyol and umbelliferone, the phytochemicals of Artemisia argyi, potentially suppress the cellular entry of SARS-CoV-2 by preventing the protein binding activity of the S protein to ACE2.

Development of a core outcome set for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma trials: identification of core domains and outcomes

BACKGROUND

The lack of uniformity in the outcomes reported in clinical studies of the treatment of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) complicates efforts to compare treatment effectiveness across trials.

OBJECTIVES

To develop a core outcome set (COS), a minimum set of agreed-upon outcomes to be measured in all clinical trials of a given disease or outcome, for the treatment of cSCC.

METHODS

One hundred and nine outcomes were identified via a systematic literature review and interviews with 28 stakeholders. After consolidation of this long list, 55 candidate outcomes were rated by 19 physician and 10 patient stakeholders, in two rounds of Delphi exercises. Outcomes scored 'critically important' (score of 7, 8 or 9) by ≥ 70% of patients and ≥ 70% of physicians were provisionally included. At the consensus meeting, after discussion and voting of 44 international experts and patients, the provisional list was reduced to a final core set, for which consensus was achieved among all meeting participants.

RESULTS

A core set of seven outcomes was finalized at the consensus meeting: (i) serious or persistent adverse events, (ii) patient-reported quality of life, (iii) complete response, (iv) partial response, (v) recurrence-free survival, (vi) progression-free survival and (vii) disease-specific survival.

CONCLUSIONS

In order to increase the comparability of results across trials and to reduce selective reporting bias, cSCC researchers should consider reporting these core outcomes. Further work needs to be performed to identify the measures that should be reported for each of these outcomes.

Clinical significance of wound infiltration with ropivacaine for elderly patients in china underwent total laparoscopic radical gastrectomy: A retrospective cohort study

The study aimed to evaluate analgesic effects and postoperative recovery of ropivacaine wound infiltration for elderly patients in China after total laparoscopic radical gastrectomy.We retrospectively received clinical data of 132 elderly patients who received total laparoscopic gastrectomy and tracheal intubation general anesthesia from cancer center of First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University between September 2014 and September 2017, patients were divided into 2 groups according to local injection of drug: group I (ropivacaine group, 0.5% ropivacaine, 40 mL in total, n = 69), group II (control group, no analgesic, n = 63). The demographics, postoperative pain using numeric ratings scale (NRS), rescue analgesics as well as incidence of complications were investigated.Significantly lower pain scores were observed in group I than in group II at 6, 12, 24, and 48 h postoperatively; the use of remedy analgesia was less in group I than in group II; there was no statistical significance in the incidence of surgical-related complications between the 2 groups. The recovery time were shorter in group I than in group II, meanwhile, postoperative hospital stay, medical expenses, and anesthesia-related complications were significantly less in group I than in group II.This is a review of ropivacaine infiltration use in the elderly patients underwent total laparoscopic radical gastrectomy. This analysis describes the postoperative analgesic effect and postoperative recovery of wound infiltration with ropivacaine. Multicentered large sample prospective randomized controlled study is needed to evaluate the feasibility, security, and economic practicality.

Detection of QTLs controlling fast kernel dehydration in maize (Zea mays L.)

In order to understand the effect of grain moisture of inbred lines at the silking and physiological maturity stages on kernel dehydration rate, 59 maize inbred lines from six subgroups were selected. Grain moisture was measured and QTLs associated with kernel dehydration were mapped. A rapid dehydration evaluation and association analysis revealed eight inbred lines with faster dehydration rate, including Yuanwu 02, K36, Zhonger/O2, Lo1125, Han 49, Qi 319, Hua 160, and PH4CV. A single sequence repeat analysis using 85 pairs detected five QTLs with phenotypic variation contribution ≥10% in the permanent F2 generation populations Zheng 58 x S1776 and Chang 7-2 x K1131, which had LOD threshold values ≥ 3 in both 2013 and 2014. The chromosome region of qFkdr7b had not previously been reported and is preliminarily identified as a new major QTL. A false positive field verification of grain dehydration rate of 53 inbred lines indicated that the screening result of the rapid dehydration inbred lines by specific amplification with marker Phi114 was most similar to the field assessment result, followed by markers Phi127 and Phi029. The rapid dehydration lines selected based on primer Phi114 amplification were also similar to the field dehydration rate and can thus be used for molecular marker-assisted selection. A significant effort is needed to improve stress resistance and shorten the growth period via fast kernel dehydration in intermediate materials of the inbred lines K36, Zhonger/ O2, Lo1125, Han 49, Hua 160, and PH4CV, and further using the selected lines for new combinations.

Wnt Signaling Regulates Blood Pressure by Downregulating a GSK-3β-Mediated Pathway to Enhance Insulin Signaling in the Central Nervous System

Aberrant Wnt signaling appears to play an important role in the onset of diabetes. Moreover, the insulin signaling pathway is defective in the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and fructose-fed rats. Nevertheless, the relationships between Wnt signaling and the insulin pathway and the related modulation of blood pressure (BP) in the central nervous system have yet to be established. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential signaling pathways involved in Wnt-mediated BP regulation in the NTS. Pretreatment with the LDL receptor-related protein (LRP) antagonist Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) significantly attenuated the Wnt3a-induced depressor effect and nitric oxide production. Additionally, the inhibition of LRP6 activity using DKK1 significantly abolished Wnt3a-induced glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β)(S9), extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2(T202/Y204), ribosomal protein S6 kinase(T359/S363), and Akt(S473) phosphorylation; and increased insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1)(S332) phosphorylation. GSK-3β was also found to bind directly to IRS1 and to induce the phosphorylation of IRS1 at serine 332 in the NTS. By contrast, administration of the GSK-3β inhibitor TWS119 into the brain decreased the BP of hypertensive rats by enhancing IRS1 activity. Taken together, these results suggest that the GSK-3β-IRS1 pathway may play a significant role in Wnt-mediated central BP regulation.

Shear-wave elasticity imaging of a liver fibrosis mouse model using high-frequency ultrasound

The objective of this study was to develop a high-frequency imaging platform for evaluating liver fibrosis in mice based on shear-wave elasticity imaging (SWEI). Although SWEI has been used to diagnose hepatic fibrosis clinically, it is performed at relatively low frequencies (<20 MHz). For preclinical ultrasound imaging in small animals, a high-frequency (>30 MHz) single-element transducer with mechanical scanning is often used. In this study we developed a new SWEI system based on a 40-MHz single-element transducer for imaging and a separate 20-MHz excitation transducer for producing the radiation force and the associated shear waves. Liver fibrosis was induced in ten C57BL/6 (B6) mice using carbon tetrachloride; the other ten mice served as the control group. Synchronizing the excitation beam (i.e., the beam from the excitation transducer) and the detection beam sequence (i.e., the beam from the imaging transducer) allows this mechanical-scanning setup to analyze the shear-wave dispersion relation. The liver viscoelastic properties were determined in vivo by measuring the shear-wave dispersion curve followed by fitting to the Voigt model. The mice were then killed and the fibrosis stage was evaluated (from F0 to F4) based on the METAVIR score. The measured mean values of liver elasticity and viscosity, respectively, ranged from 1.06 to 1.89 kPa and from 1.29 to 1.75 Pa∙s for normal F0 and fibrosis stages of F3 and F4. The Spearman coefficients for the correlations between the measured elasticity and viscosity at various fibrosis stages as assessed by the METAVIR score were 0.73 (p < 0.001) and 0.634 (p = 0.0013), respectively. We also found that the collagen content in the liver was linearly correlated with the measured elasticity (r(2) = 0.54, p < 0.001) and less strongly with the viscosity (r2 = 0.26, p = 0.022). Finally, the diagnosis performance of high-frequency SWEI was evaluated using multivariate receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis. The areas under the multivariate ROC curve for diagnosing fibrosis stages of F ≥ 3, F = 4, F0 vs. F3, F0 vs. F4, and F3 vs. F4 were 0.9, 0.98, 0.83, 1.0, and 0.96, respectively. Compared with traditional ROC analysis, an improved diagnosis performance was found for diagnosing fibrosis stages of F ≥ 3 and F0 vs. F3. These results demonstrate that the developed high-frequency SWEI platform can yield quantitative viscoelastic properties for diagnosing various fibrosis stages in mice. It is a promising tool for studying the progression of liver fibrosis in preclinical animal models both noninvasively and quantitatively.

Rad23 interaction with the proteasome is regulated by phosphorylation of its ubiquitin-like (UbL) domain

Rad23 was identified as a DNA repair protein, although a role in protein degradation has been described. The protein degradation function of Rad23 contributes to cell cycle progression, stress response, endoplasmic reticulum proteolysis, and DNA repair. Rad23 binds the proteasome through a UbL (ubiquitin-like) domain and contains UBA (ubiquitin-associated) motifs that bind multiubiquitin chains. These domains allow Rad23 to function as a substrate shuttle-factor. This property is shared by structurally similar proteins (Dsk2 and Ddi1) and is conserved among the human and mouse counterparts of Rad23. Despite much effort, the regulation of Rad23 interactions with ubiquitinated substrates and the proteasome is unknown. We report here that Rad23 is extensively phosphorylated in vivo and in vitro. Serine residues in UbL are phosphorylated and influence Rad23 interaction with proteasomes. Replacement of these serine residues with acidic residues, to mimic phosphorylation, reduced proteasome binding. We reported that when UbL is overexpressed, it can compete with Rad23 for proteasome interaction and can inhibit substrate turnover. This effect is not observed with UbL containing acidic substitutions, consistent with results that phosphorylation inhibits interaction with the proteasome. Loss of both Rad23 and Rpn10 caused pleiotropic defects that were suppressed by overexpressing either Rad23 or Rpn10. Rad23 bearing a UbL domain with acidic substitutions failed to suppress rad23Δ rpn10Δ, confirming the importance of regulated Rad23/proteasome binding. Strikingly, threonine 75 in human HR23B also regulates interaction with the proteasome, suggesting that phosphorylation is a conserved mechanism for controlling Rad23/proteasome interaction.

Caffeine intake improves fructose-induced hypertension and insulin resistance by enhancing central insulin signaling

Recent clinical studies found that fructose intake leads to insulin resistance and hypertension. Fructose consumption promotes protein fructosylation and formation of superoxide. In a previous study, we revealed that inhibition of superoxide production in the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) reduces blood pressure. Caffeine displays significant antioxidant ability in protecting membranes against oxidative damage and can lower the risk of insulin resistance. However, the mechanism through which caffeine improves fructose-induced insulin resistance is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate whether caffeine consumption can abolish superoxide generation to enhance insulin signaling in the NTS, thereby reducing blood pressure in rats with fructose-induced hypertension. Treatment with caffeine for 4 weeks decreased blood pressure, serum fasting glucose, insulin, homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance, and triglyceride levels and increased the serum direct high-density lipoprotein level in fructose-fed rats but not in control rats. Caffeine treatment resulted in the recovery of fructose-induced decrease in nitric oxide production in the NTS. Immunoblotting and immunofluorescence analyses further showed that caffeine reduced the fructose-induced phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1(S307)) and reversed Akt(S473) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase phosphorylation. Similarly, caffeine was able to improve insulin sensitivity and decrease insulin levels in the NTS evoked by fructose. Caffeine intake also reduced the production of superoxide and expression of receptor of advanced glycation end product in the NTS. These results suggest that caffeine may enhance insulin receptor substrate 1-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt-neuronal nitric oxide synthase signaling to decrease blood pressure by abolishing superoxide production in the NTS.

Chronic oral etoposide and tamoxifen in the treatment of far-advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a chemoresistant tumor that frequently expresses a high level of p 170 glycoprotein of the multidrug-resistance (MDR) gene. Preliminary data suggested that VP-16 showed modest activity in HCC. Recently, schedule-dependent cytotoxicity of VP-16 has been demonstrated. In this study, we tested the therapeutic efficacy of chronic oral VP-16 plus tamoxifen, a potential MDR-reversing agent, in patients with far-advanced HCC.

METHODS

A prospective single-arm study was conducted in the National Taiwan University Hospital. To be eligible, patients must have had unresectable and non-embolizable HCC, objectively measurable tumors, adequate hemogram with absolute granulocyte count greater than or equal to 2,000/mm3, and platelet count greater than or equal to 1x10 (5)/mm3, total serum bilirubin less than or equal to 3.0 mg/dl, age less than or equal to 75 years, and a Karnofsky performance status of greater then or equal to 50%. The treatment included VP-16 (Bristol-Myers-Squibb, Princeton, NJ), 50 mg/m2/day, orally, Days 1 to 21, and tamoxifen (Pharmachemie B.V. Haarlem, Netherlands), 40 mg/day, orally, Days 1 to 21; repeated every 5 weeks.

RESULTS

Between December 1990 and December 1993, a total of 33 patients were enrolled in the study. There were 28 men and 5 women, with a median age of 51 years. They received an average of 3.2 (range: 1-10) courses of chemotherapy. ECOG (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group) Grade 3 and Grade 4 leucopenia developed in 6 patients (18.2%) and 4 (12.1%) patients, respectively. Grade 3 and 4 thrombocytopenia developed in 2 patients (6.1%). Treatment-related death occurred in one patient due to sepsis. Mild gastrointestinal toxicities were common with Grade 1 and 2 nausea. Grade 1 and 2 vomiting, Grade 1 and 2 diarrhea, and Grade 1 and 2 stomatitis, developed in 13 (39.4%), 7 (21.2%), 12 (36.4%), and 16 (48.5%) patients, respectively. Grade 3 and 4 gastrointestinal toxicities were rare. Deep vein thrombosis occurred in one patient (3.0%). Eight patients (24.2%, 95% confidence interval 11%-42%) had achieved a partial remission, with a median time-to-progression of 6 months (2-11). Median survivals of the responders and non-responders were 8.0 and 3.0 months, respectively (P < 0.05). The median Karnofsky performance status of the responders improved from 70% to 80%.

CONCLUSIONS

Chronic oral VP-16 and tamoxifen has modest activity and acceptable toxicity in far-advanced HCC, and is a useful palliative treatment in about a quarter of such patients.

[Testis yolk sec tumor--a case report]

A 16-months old normal boy, a right testicular mass was discovered incidentally by his grandmother. Right inguinal orchiectomy was performed. Histological examination showed yolk sac tumor of testis. A preoperative alpha-fetoprotein level was markedly elevated at 13568.9 ng/ml, by the end of the twelve postoperative months, the serum alpha-fetoprotein levels was 118 ng/ml. The patient is doing well one-year postoperatively.

Use of retinoic acids in the treatment of peripheral T-cell lymphoma: a pilot study

PURPOSE

We have systemically analyzed, both in vitro and in vivo, the effect of 13-cis-retinoic acids (RA) on non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).

METHODS

The in vitro growth-inhibitory effect of 13-cis-RA was examined in 11 (T cell, five; B cell, six) lymphoma cell lines by a tetrazolium colorimetric assay. A pilot clinical trial with oral 13-cis-RA 1 mg/kg/d was conducted in a selected group of 18 lymphoma patients, of whom 16 had failed to respond to at least one regimen of intensive chemotherapy. The in vitro and in vivo effects of 13-cis-RA were correlated with immunophenotypes, RA-induced changes of morphology, and patterns of DNA fragmentation of the lymphoma cells.

RESULTS

Four of five T-lymphoma cell lines and none of six B-lymphoma cell lines were sensitive (concentration of 50% growth inhibition [IC50] < 1.5 microns) to 13-cis-RA (P = .015). In the clinical trial, five (two Ki-1, one angioinvasive type, one diffuse mixed cell, and one diffuse large cell) complete remissions and one (Ki1) partial remission were observed in 12 patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL), while none of six patients with B-cell lymphoma responded to 13-cis-RA. 13-cis-RA-induced cellular differentiation and apoptosis, as evidenced by the more mature morphology, characteristic nuclear condensation, and DNA ladder pattern signifying internucleosomal fragmentation, were demonstrated in the sensitive cell lines, as well as in the remitting lymphoma tissues.

CONCLUSION

The 13-cis-RA appears to be active on lymphomas of T-lineage and their therapeutic indication may be extended to include some subtypes of PTCL. The mechanisms of action are related to differentiation and apoptosis of lymphoma cells. There appears to be no cross-resistance between 13-cis-RA and conventional chemotherapy.

Five-drug combination chemotherapy (FAPEL) for advanced gastric cancer: a pilot study

To test if the incorporation of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and leucovorin in a modified etoposide, doxorubicin, cisplatin (EAP) regimen could diminish its toxicity and improve its efficacy, 18 patients with far-advanced, unresectable gastric cancer, diagnosed at National Taiwan University Hospital between January 1991 and December 1992, were treated with a FAPEL combination chemotherapy. The regimen consisted of doxorubicin 25 mg/m2 i.v. on day 1, cisplatin 60 mg/m2 i.v. infusion on day 1, etoposide 60 mg/m2/day i.v. infusion on days 1-3, 5-fluorouracil 500 mg/m2/day i.v. on days 1-3, and leucovorin 50 mg/day i.v. on days 1-3; repeated every three to four weeks. The patients included nine metastatic, six locally advanced and inoperable, and three post-gastrectomy recurrent cancer patients with median Karnofsky performance status of 60%. There were 11 men and seven women with a median age of 52.5 years. The patients tolerated the treatment toxicity relatively well and received an average of 4.3 courses of chemotherapy. Most patients completed the protocol therapy except one who refused and another who died of leucopenic sepsis. Myelosuppression was the limiting toxicity, with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) grade 3-4 leucopenia developing in 35.9% and grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia developing in 11.5% of a total of 78 courses given. The overall objective response rate was 44.4% with 5.5% complete responses and 38.9% partial responses. The overall median survival was seven months (0.5-21 months). The median survival of responders and non-responders was 13 months (5-21 months) and three months (0.5-7 months), respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Teratoma of testis--a case report]

A case of mature testicular teratoma in a 5-year-old child is presented. The level of serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-HCG), alpha-fetoprotein (alpha-AFP), and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were all within normal limit one year post-operatively. We discussed the clinical features, treatment and the result of this patient and reviewed the literature.

Dynamic modelling for implementation of a right turn in bipedal walking

This paper deals with the development of a conceptual model for the control of a multilink biped during a turning maneuver. The skeletal model is a seven link biped for which the equations of motion are derived. A set of lower limb muscles are idealized by simple force actuators with no co-contraction of agonist-antagonist muscle pairs. A nonlinear control scheme is proposed to guide the model along the desired trajectory and to control ground reaction forces. The input to the system is a desired set of trajectories as functions of time and the patterns of desired ground reaction forces in a turn. One set of such inputs are inferred from the existing literature. With this input, the nonlinear control strategy allows computation of muscular forces needed for the turning maneuver.