Preparation of AIEgen-based near-infrared afterglow luminescence nanoprobes for tumor imaging and image-guided tumor resection

Fluorescence imaging represents a vital tool in modern biology, oncology and biomedical applications. Afterglow luminescence (AGL), which circumvents the light scattering and tissue autofluorescence interference associated with real-time excitation source, shows remarkably increased imaging sensitivity and depth. Here we present a protocol for the design and synthesis of AGL nanoprobes with an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) effect to simultaneously red shift and amplify the afterglow signal for tumor imaging and image-guided tumor resection. The nanoprobe (AGL AIE dot) is composed of an enol ether format of Schaap's agent and a near-infrared AIE fluorogen (AIEgen) (tetraphenylethylene-phenyl-dicyanomethylene-4H-chromene, TPE-Ph-DCM) to suppress the nonradiative dissipation pathway. Pre-irradiating AGL AIE dots with white light could generate singlet oxygen to convert Schaap's agent to its 1,2-dioxetane format, thus initializing the AGL process. With the aid of AIEgen, the AGL shows simultaneously red shifted emission maximum (from ~540 nm to ~625 nm) and enhanced intensity (by 3.2-fold), facilitating better signal-to-background ratio, imaging sensitivity and depth. Intriguingly, the activated AGL can last for over 10 days. Compared with conventional approaches, our method provides a new solution to concurrently red shift and amplify afterglow signals for better in vivo imaging outcomes. The preparation of AGL AIE dots takes ~2 days, the in vitro characterization takes ~10 days (less than 1 day if not involving afterglow kinetic profile study) and the tumor imaging and image-guided tumor resection takes ~7 days. These procedures can be easily reproduced and amended after standard laboratory training in chemical synthesis and animal handling.

Choline induced cardiac dysfunction by inhibiting the production of endogenous hydrogen sulfide in spontaneously hypertensive rats

To investigate the exact effects of dietary choline on hypertensive heart disease (HHD) and explore the potential mechanisms, male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) were randomly divided into five groups as follows: WKY group, WKY + Choline group, SHR group, SHR + Choline group, and SHR + Choline + NaHS group. In choline treatment groups, rats were fed with 1.3% (w/v) choline in the drinking water for 3 months. The rats in the SHR + Choline + NaHS group were intraperitoneally injected with NaHS (100 micromol/kg/day, a hydrogen sulfide (H2S) donor) for 3 months. After 3 months, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and fractional shortening (LVFS), the indicators of cardiac function measured by echocardiography, were increased significantly in SHR as compared to WKY, although there was no significant difference in collagen volumes and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio between the two groups, indicating the early stage of cardiac hypertrophy. There was a significant decrease in LVEF and LVFS and an increase in collagen volumes and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in SHR fed with choline, meanwhile, plasma H2S levels were significantly decreased significantly in SHR fed with choline accompanying by the decrease of cystathionine-gamma-lyase (CSE) activity. Three months of NaHS significantly increased plasma H2S levels, ameliorated cardiac dysfunction and inhibited cardiac fibrosis and apoptosis in SHR fed with choline. In conclusion, choline aggravated cardiac dysfunction in HHD through inhibiting the production of endogenous H2S, which was reversed by supplementation of exogenous H2S donor.

Bioconjugation and Reaction-Induced Tumor Therapy via Alkynamide-Based Thiol-Yne Click Reaction

Ferroptosis is associated with the occurrence and development of many diseases, which is the result of an imbalance in cellular metabolism and oxidation-reduction balance. Therefore, it is an effective therapeutic strategy that simultaneously regulating the intracellular oxidation-reduction system. Herein, a click reaction of alkynylamide with thiol groups in the presence of amine or in PBS (pH = 7.4) is developed, which can react efficiently with thiol substances, such as cysteine (Cys), glutathione (GSH), and bovine serum albumin (BSA). Notably, MBTB-PA, an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) photosensitizer with an alkynylamide unit, is synthesized and its intracellular behavior is visualized in situ by fluorescence imaging, demonstrating its excellent ability to target the endoplasmic reticulum. Furthermore, MBTB-PA reacted with proteins in tumor cells, consumed reducing substances, and triggered intracellular oxidative stress, resulting in cell death. Based on this reaction therapy strategy, click reaction is combined with photodynamic therapy to achieve effective killing of tumor cells by simultaneously raising the intracellular oxidative state and reducing the reductive state. This work not only develops an application of click reaction of alkynamide with thiol in bioconjugation and anti-tumor therapy, but also provides feasible ideas for organic reactions in the exploration of organisms.

HER2-low expression in patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors

BACKGROUND

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-low is a newly defined category with HER2 1+ or 2+ expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and lack of HER2 gene amplification measured by in situ hybridization (ISH). Much remains unknown about the HER2-low status across tumor types and changes in HER2 status between primary and metastatic samples.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

HER2 expression by IHC was evaluated in 4701 patients with solid tumors. We have evaluated the HER2 expression by IHC and amplification by ISH in paired breast and gastric/gastroesophageal (GEJ) primary and metastatic samples. HER2 expression was correlated with ERBB2 genomic alterations evaluated by next-generation sequencing (NGS) in non-breast, non-gastric/GEJ samples.

RESULTS

HER2 expression (HER2 IHC 1-3+) was found in half (49.8%) of the cancers, with HER2-low (1 or 2+) found in many tumor types: 47.1% in breast, 34.6% in gastric/GEJ, 50.0% in salivary gland, 46.9% in lung, 46.5% in endometrial, 46% in urothelial, and 45.5% of gallbladder cancers. The concordance evaluation of HER2 expression between primary and metastatic breast cancer samples showed that HER2 3+ remained unchanged in 87.1% with a strong agreement between primary and metastatic samples, with a weighted kappa (Κ) of 0.85 (95% confidence interval 0.79-0.91). ERBB2 alterations were identified in 117 (7.5%) patients with non-breast, non-gastric/GEJ solid tumors who had NGS testing. Of 1436 patients without ERBB2 alterations, 512 (35.7%) showed any level HER2 expression by IHC.

CONCLUSION

Our results show that HER2-low expression is frequently found across tumor types. These findings suggest that many patients with HER2-low solid tumors might benefit from HER2-targeted therapies.

A biocompatible pure organic porous nanocage for enhanced photodynamic therapy

Porphyrin-based photosensitizers have been widely utilized in photodynamic therapy (PDT), but they suffer from deteriorating fluorescence and reactive oxygen species (ROS) due to their close π-π stacking. Herein, a biocompatible pure organic porphyrin nanocage (Py-Cage) with enhanced both type I and type II ROS generation is reported for PDT. The porphyrin skeleton within the Py-Cage is spatially separated by four biphenyls to avoid the close π-π stacking within the nanocage. The Py-Cage showed a large cavity and high porosity with a Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area of over 300 m2 g-1, facilitating a close contact between the Py-Cage and oxygen, as well as the fast release of ROS to the surrounding microenvironment. The Py-Cage shows superb ROS generation performance over its precursors and commercial ones such as Chlorin E6 and Rose Bengal. Intriguingly, the cationic π-conjugated Py-Cage also shows promising type I ROS (superoxide and hydroxyl radicals) generation that is more promising for hypoxic tumor treatment. Both in vitro cell and in vivo animal experiments further confirm the excellent antitumor activity of the Py-Cage. As compared to conventional metal coordination approaches to improve PDT efficacy of porphyrin derivatives, the pure organic porous Py-Cage demonstrates excellent biocompatibility, which is further verified in both mice and rats. This work of an organic porous nanocage shall provide a new paradigm for the design of novel, biocompatible and effective photosensitizers for PDT.

Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy plus Programmed Death-1 (PD-1) Blockade for Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer: Preliminary Results of a Single-Arm, Open-Label, Phase II Trial

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

This study aims to assess the anti-tumor activity and safety of concurrent chemoradiotherapy plus PD-1 blockade in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer.

MATERIALS/METHODS

This is a single-arm, open-label, prospective phase II study. The key inclusion criteria were treatment-naive patients aged 18-75 years with stage II A2-IVA (FIGO 2018) locally advanced cervical cancer. All patients were treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy including 2 cycle cisplatin (75mg/m2, for three days, every 3 weeks[Q3W]), nedaplatin or carboplatin can be selected for patients who can't tolerate cisplatin. After CCRT, patients achieving complete response (CR), partial responses(PR), stable disease(SD) received adjuvant chemotherapy (docetaxel 75 mg/m2 day 1+ cisplatin DDP 25 mg/m2 day 1-3, Q3W) for 2 cycle. PD-1 blockade Sintilimab and Tislelizumab was administered intravenously at 200 mg every 3 weeks up to 1 year or until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or withdrawal of consent. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) assessed by investigators per Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumours (RECIST) version 1.1. Secondary endpoints were the 12, 24-month overall survival (OS) rates, the 12, 24-month disease free survival (DFS) rates and safety.

RESULTS

From February 2020 to June 2022, a total of 15 patients was enrolled. Median age was 57 years (range, 36-74 years). Stage IIA1 was documented in 2 patients, stage IIA2 in two patients, stage IIIA in one patient, stage IIIC1 in eight patients, and stage IVA in two patients. And 66.7% (10/15) of patients had Metastatic lymph node. Four patients received adjuvant chemotherapy. The ORR was 100%, with 4 patients achieving CR and 11 PR. The 12 and 24-month OS rates are 93.3% and 84%, the 12 and 24-month DFS rates are 86% and 75.4%, respectively. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) occurred in 86.7% (13/15) of patients. Grade 3 TRAEs are leukocyte (n = 1), thrombocytopenia (n = 1), hepatitis (n = 1), skin reaction (n = 1). No treatment-related deaths occurred. And IFN-γ was significantly elevated after radiotherapy (p = 0.0073).

CONCLUSION

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy plus PD-1 blockade showed promising antitumor activity and manageable toxicities in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer. Long-term outcomes are still pending to further evaluate their therapeutic effects. (ChiCTR2000032856).

NIR light-driven pure organic Janus-like nanoparticles for thermophoresis-enhanced photothermal therapy

Photothermal therapy (PTT) represents a promising noninvasive tumor therapeutic modality, but the current strategies for enhancing photothermal effect have been mainly based on promoting thermal relaxation or suppressing radiative dissipation process of excited energy, leaving little room for further improvement in photothermal effect. Herein, as a proof of concept, we report the thermophoresis-enhanced photothermal effect with pure organic Janus-like nanoparticles (Janus-like NPs) for PTT. The Janus-like NPs are eccentrically loaded with compactly J-aggregated photothermal molecules (DMA-BDTO), which show red-shifted absorption wavelength and inhibited radiative decay as compared to individual molecules. Under NIR irradiation, the asymmetric heat generation at particle surface endows Janus-like NPs the active thermophoresis, which further increases collisions and converts kinetic energy into thermal energy, and Janus-like NPs exhibit significantly elevated temperature as compared to conventional NPs with homogenously distributed DMA-BDTO. Both in vitro and in vivo results confirm such thermophoresis-enhanced photothermal effect for improved PTT. Our new strategy of thermophoresis-enhanced photothermal effect shall open new insights for improving photothermal-related tumor therapy.

Chemoradiotherapy Combined with Nab-Paclitaxel plus Cisplatin in Patients with Locally Advanced Borderline Resectable or Unresectable Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Phase I/II Study

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-PTX) plus cisplatin as the regimen of conversional chemoradiotherapy (cCRT) in locally advanced borderline resectable or unresectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

MATERIALS/METHODS

Patients with locally advanced ESCC (cT3-4, Nany, M0-1, M1 was limited to lymph node metastasis in the supraclavicular area) were enrolled. All the patients received the cCRT of nab-PTX plus cisplatin. After the cCRT, those resectable patients received esophagectomy; those unresectable patients continued to receive the definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT). The locoregional control (LRC), overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), distant metastasis free survival (DMFS), pathological complete response (pCR), R0 resection rate and adverse events (AEs) were calculated.

RESULTS

A total of 45 patients with ESCC treated from October 2019 to May 2021 were finally included. The median follow-up time was 30.3 months. The LRC, OS, EFS, DMFS at 1and 2 years were 81.5%, 86.6%, 64.3%, 73.2% and 72.4%, 68.8%, 44.8%, 52.7% respectively. 21 patients (46.7%) received conversional chemoradiotherapy plus surgery (cCRT+S). The pCR rate and R0 resection rate were 47.6% and 84.0%. The LRC rate at 1 and 2 years were 95.0%, 87.1% in cCRT+S patients and 69.3%, 58.7% in dCRT patients respectively (HR, 5.14; 95% CI, 1.10-23.94; P = 0.021). The OS rate at 1 and 2 years were 95.2% and 84.2% in resectable patients compared to 78.8% and 54.4% in unresectable patients (HR, 3.41; 95% CI, 1.10-10.61; P = 0.024). The toxicities during chemoradiotherapy were tolerated, the most common grade 3-4 toxicities were radiation esophagitis (15.6%).

CONCLUSION

Nab-PTX plus cisplatin were effective and safe as the regimen of conversional chemoradiotherapy of ESCC. The patients receiving conversional chemoradiotherapy plus surgery (cCRT+S) were prone to have a better survival.

A Cascade Strategy Boosting Hydroxyl Radical Generation with Aggregation-Induced Emission Photosensitizers-Albumin Complex for Photodynamic Therapy

Effective photodynamic therapy (PDT) requires photosensitizers (PSs) to massively generate type I reactive oxygen species (ROS) in a less oxygen-dependent manner in the hypoxia tumor microenvironment. Herein, we present a cascade strategy to boost type I ROS, especially hydroxyl radical (OH·-), generation with an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) photosensitizer-albumin complex for hypoxia-tolerant PDT. The cationic AIE PS TPAQ-Py-PF6 (TPA = triphenylamine, Q = anthraquinone, Py = pyridine) contains three important moieties to cooperatively enhance free radical generation: the AIE-active TPA unit ensures the effective triplet exciton generation in aggregate, the anthraquinone moiety possesses the redox cycling ability to promote electron transfer, while the cationic methylpyridinium cation further increases intramolecular charge transfer and electron separation processes. Inserting the cationic TPAQ-Py-PF6 into the hydrophobic domain of bovine serum albumin nanoparticles (BSA NPs) could greatly immobilize its molecular geometry to further increase triplet exciton generation, while the electron-rich microenvironment of BSA ultimately leads to OH·- generation. Both experimental and theoretical results confirm the effectiveness of our molecular cationization and BSA immobilization cascade strategy for enhancing OH·- generation. In vitro and in vivo experiments validate the excellent antitumor PDT performance of BSA NPs, superior to the conventional polymeric encapsulation approach. Such a multidimensional cascade strategy for specially boosting OH·- generation shall hold great potential in hypoxia-tolerant PDT and related antitumor applications.

Pure Organic AIE Nanoscintillator for X-ray Mediated Type I and Type II Photodynamic Therapy

X-ray induced photodynamic therapy (X-PDT) circumvents the poor penetration depth of conventional PDT with minimal radio-resistance generation. However, conventional X-PDT typically requires inorganic scintillators as energy transducers to excite neighboring photosensitizers (PSs) to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS). Herein, a pure organic aggregation-induced emission (AIE) nanoscintillator (TBDCR NPs) that can massively generate both type I and type II ROS under direct X-ray irradiation is reported for hypoxia-tolerant X-PDT. Heteroatoms are introduced to enhance X-ray harvesting and ROS generation ability, and AIE-active TBDCR exhibits aggregation-enhanced ROS especially less oxygen-dependent hydroxyl radical (HO•- , type I) generation ability. TBDCR NPs with a distinctive PEG crystalline shell to provide a rigid intraparticle microenvironment show further enhanced ROS generation. Intriguingly, TBDCR NPs show bright near-infrared fluorescence and massive singlet oxygen and HO•- generation under direct X-ray irradiation, which demonstrate excellent antitumor X-PDT performance both in vitro and in vivo. To the best of knowledge, this is the first pure organic PS capable of generating both 1 O2 and radicals (HO•- ) in response to direct X-ray irradiation, which shall provide new insights for designing organic scintillators with excellent X-ray harvesting and predominant free radical generation for efficient X-PDT.

Lysosome-Targeting Aggregation-Induced Emission Nanoparticle Enables Adoptive Macrophage Transfer-Based Precise Therapy of Bacterial Infections

Traditional antibacterial procedures are getting inefficient due to the emergence of antimicrobial resistance, which makes alternative treatments in urgent demand. However, the selectivity toward infectious bacteria is still challenging. Herein, by taking advantage of the self-directed capture of infectious bacteria by macrophages, we developed a strategy to realize precise in vivo antibacterial photodynamic therapy (APDT) through adoptive photosensitizer-loaded macrophage transfer. TTD with strong reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and bright fluorescence was first synthesized and was subsequently formulated into TTD nanoparticles for lysosome targeting. TTD-loaded macrophages (TLMs) were constructed by direct incubation of TTD nanoparticles with macrophages, in which the TTD was localized in the lysosomes to meet the captured bacteria in the phagolysosomes. The TLMs could precisely capture and eradicate bacteria while being activated toward the proinflammatory and antibacterial M1 phenotype upon light illumination. More importantly, after subcutaneous injection, TLMs could effectively inhibit bacteria in the infected tissue through APDT, leading to good tissue recovery from severe bacterial infection. Overall, the engineered cell-based therapeutic approach shows great potential in the treatment of severe bacterial infectious diseases.

[Expression and clinical significance of plasma methylated SEPT 9 gene in patients with primary liver cancer]

Objective: To investigate the expression and clinical significance of plasma methylated SEPT9 (mSEPT9) gene in patients with primary liver cancer. Methods: 393 cases who visited our hospital from May 2016 to October 2018 were selected. Among them, 75 cases were in the primary liver cancer (PLC) group, 50 cases were in the liver cirrhosis (LC) group, and 268 cases were in the healthy control group (HC). The three groups' positive rates of mSEPT9 expression in the peripheral plasma were detected by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) fluorescent probe method. The correlational clinical features of liver cancer were analyzed. At the same time, the electrochemiluminescence detection method was used to compare the AFP positive rate. Statistical analysis was conducted using chi-square tests or continuity-corrected chi-square tests. Results: 367 cases actually had valid samples. There were 64, 42, and 64 cases in the liver cancer group, cirrhosis group, and healthy control group, respectively. Among them, 34 cases of liver cancer were verified from pathological tissues. The positive rate of plasma mSEPT9 was significantly higher in the liver cancer group than that in the liver cirrhosis and healthy control groups [76.6% (49/64), 35.7% (15/42), and 3.8% (10/261), respectively], and the differences were statistically significant (χ (2) = 176.017, P < 0.001). The sensitivity of plasma mSEPT9 detection (76.6%) was significantly better in liver cancer (76.6%) than that of AFP patients (54.7%), and the difference was statistically significant (χ (2) = 6.788, P < 0.01). Compared with the single detection, the sensitivity and specificity of plasma mSEPT9 combined with AFP were significantly improved (89.7% vs. 96.3%, respectively). Patients with liver cancer aged≥50 years, with clinical stage II or above, and those with pathological signs of moderate to low differentiation had higher levels of plasma mSEPT9 positive expression, and the differences were statistically significant (χ (2) = 6.41, 9.279, 6.332, P < 0.05). During the follow-up period, the survival time of liver cancer patients with positive plasma mSEPT9 expression was significantly shorter than that of those with negative expression (310 ± 26 days vs. 487 ± 59 days, respectively), with statistically significant differences (Log Rank P = 0.039). Conclusion: In China, the positive rate of plasma mSEPT9 detection in liver cancer patients is higher than that of AFP in relation to age, clinical stage, and degree of tissue differentiation; additionally, it has certain survival predictive values. As a result, detecting this gene has important clinical significance and potential clinical application value in the non-invasive diagnosis and prognosis assessment of patients with primary liver cancer.

BSA-AIE Nanoparticles with Boosted ROS Generation for Immunogenic Cell Death Immunotherapy of Multiple Myeloma

The main obstacle of multiple myeloma (MM) therapy is the compromised immune microenvironment, which leads to MM relapses and extramedullary disease progression. In this study, a novel strategy is reported of enhanced immunogenic cell death (ICD) immunotherapy with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) photosensitizer-loaded bovine serum albumin (BSA) nanoparticles (referred as BSA/TPA-Erdn), which can activate T cells, convert the cold tumor to hot, and reverse T cell senescence to restore the immune microenvironment for MM treatment. Loading AIE photosensitizer into the hydrophobic domain of BSA proteins significantly immobilizes the molecular geometry, which massively increases reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and elicits a promising ICD immune response. Employing a NOD-SCID IL-2receptor gamma null mice model with MM patients' monocytes, it is shown that BSA/TPA-Erdn can simulate human dentric cell maturation, activate functional T lymphocytes, and increase additional polarization and differentiation signals to deliver a promising immunotherapy performance. Intriguingly, for the first time, it is shown that BSA/TPA-Erdn can greatly reverse T cell senescence, a main challenge in treating MM. Additionally, BSA/TPA-Erdn can effectively recruit more functional T lymphocytes into MM tumor. As a consequence, BSA/TPA-Erdn restores MM immune microenvironment and shows the best MM tumor eradication performance, which shall pave new insights for MM treatment in clinical practices.

An Activatable Near-Infrared Afterglow Theranostic Prodrug with Self-Sustainable Magnification Effect of Immunogenic Cell Death

Herein, we report an activatable near-infrared (NIR) afterglow theranostic prodrug that circumvents high background noise interference caused by external light excitation. The prodrug can release hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT) in response to the high intratumoral peroxynitrite level associated with immunogenic cell death (ICD), and synchronously activate afterglow signal to monitor the drug release process and cold-to-hot tumor transformation. The prodrug itself is an ICD inducer achieved by photodynamic therapy (PDT). PDT initiates ICD and recruits first-arrived neutrophils to secrete peroxynitrite to trigger HCPT release. Intriguingly, we demonstrate that HCPT can significantly amplify PDT-mediated ICD process. The prodrug thus shows a self-sustainable ICD magnification effect by establishing an "ICD-HCPT release-amplified ICD" cycling loop. In vivo studies demonstrate that the prodrug can eradicate existing tumors and prevent further tumor recurrence through antitumor immune response.

Size Optimization of Organic Nanoparticles with Aggregation-Induced Emission Characteristics for Improved ROS Generation and Photodynamic Cancer Cell Ablation

Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) fluorogens provide new opportunities to promote efficient reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in aggregates, which represent the promising candidates to construct theranostic nanoparticles for photodynamic therapy (PDT), but the size effect has been rarely explored. Herein, a universal method to fabricate organic nanoparticles with controllable sizes is reported and it demonstrates that ≈45 nm is the optimal size of AIE nanoparticles for PDT. Different from conventional Ce6 nanoparticles which show largely reduced fluorescence and ROS generation with increasing nanoparticle size, AIE nanoparticles show gradually enhanced brightness and ROS generation upon increasing the sizes from 6 to ≈45 nm. Further increasing sizes could continue to intensify the nanoparticle's brightness at the expense of ROS production, with the optimal size for ROS generation being achieved at ≈45 nm. Both 2D monolayer cell and 3D multicellular spheroid experiments confirm that 45 nm AIE nanoparticles have the highest cellular uptake, the deepest penetration depth, and the best photodynamic killing effect. Such a study not only manifests the advantages of AIE photosensitizers, but also delivers the optimal size ranging for efficient PDT, which shall provide an attractive paradigm to guide the development of phototheranostic nanoparticles besides molecular design to further promote PDT applications.

Cationization-Enhanced Type I and Type II ROS Generation for Photodynamic Treatment of Drug-Resistant Bacteria

Photodynamic therapy as an emerging phototheranostic approach holds great potential for antibacterial treatment, but is limited by compromised reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in an aggregate and hypoxic microenvironment. Herein, we report a molecular cationization approach to boost the ROS, especially type I ROS generation of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) photosensitizers for photodynamic treatment of drug-resistant bacteria. Such cationization reinforces the electron-accepting ability of the cationic moiety, promotes intersystem crossing (ISC), and increases electron separation and transfer processes. The resultant CTBZPyI exhibits largely enhanced ROS generation ability with predominant hydroxyl radical generation over its neutral counterpart in aggregate. Moreover, cationization also confers CTBZPyI with the bacterial binding ability and a moderate bacterial inactivation ability in the dark. Further light irradiation leads to superb antibacterial performance, which largely promotes the healing process of a MRSA-infected wound. Such a cationization strategy is expected to be a general strategy for the design of highly effective type I photosensitizers for bacterial infection treatment.

[Analysis of clinical features and treatment of pyoderma gangrenosum]

Objective: To explore the clinical features and treatment of pyoderma gangrenosum (PG). Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted. From January 2012 to July 2021, 25 patients with PG who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to Beijing Fucheng Hospital, including 16 males and 9 females, with the age of onset of disease being 14 to 75 years. Among them, the classification of PG identified 17 cases of ulcerative type, 6 cases of pustular type, 1 case of proliferative type, and 1 case of bullous type. Six patients were accompanied with systemic diseases, while 19 patients were not accompanied with systemic diseases. At the same time of systemic treatment with glucocorticoids, dressing changes or surgical skin grafting was performed on the wounds. The results of laboratory and histopathological examinations, the overall curative effects and follow-up of patients, the wound healing time of patients with negative and positive microbial culture results of wound secretion specimens, and the curative effects of patients with and without systemic diseases were analyzed. Results: The results of blood routine examination of 19 patients were abnormal, and all the immunological indexes were normal in all the patients; the microbial culture results of wound secretion specimens were positive in 14 patients; and the histopathological examination results of ulcer boundary tissue in 15 patients with rapid wound progress were mainly local tissue inflammatory changes. The wounds were cured in 17 patients, mostly healed in 7 patients, and not healed in 1 patient. After one-year's follow-up, the PG in 3 patients relapsed due to self-discontinuation of medication after discharge, and the wounds were healed gradually after adjustment of medication, while the remaining patients had no relapse. The days of wound healing in 14 patients with positive microbial culture results of wound secretion specimens were 21-55 days, and the days of wound healing in 11 patients with negative microbial culture results in wound secretion specimens were 20-54 days. In the 6 patients with systemic diseases, the wounds of 3 patients were cured, and the wounds of the other 3 patients were mostly healed. In the 19 patients without systemic diseases, the wounds of 14 patients were cured, the wounds of 4 patients were mostly healed, and the wound of 1 patient was not healed. Conclusions: The laboratory examination and pathological manifestations of patients with PG lacks characteristics, and their clinical manifestations are rich and diverse, thus PG can be easily misdiagnosed. The glucocorticoids combined with immunosuppressive therapy have good effects on PG. Surgical intervention can be performed on the wounds. Specifically, excessive debridement is not recommended in the acute phase, but skin grafting can be performed in the contraction phase.

Activatable Persistent Luminescence from Porphyrin Derivatives and Supramolecular Probes with Imaging-Modality Transformable Characteristics for Improved Biological Applications

Persistent luminescence without excitation light and tissue autofluorescence interference holds great promise for biological applications, but is limited by available materials with long-wavelength emission and excellent clinical potential. Here, we report that porphyrin derivatives can emit near-infrared persistent luminescence over 60 min after cessation of excitation light or on interaction with peroxynitrite. A plausible mechanism of the successive oxidation of vinylene bonds was demonstrated. A supramolecular probe with a β-sheet structure was constructed to enhance the tumor targeting ability and the photoacoustic and persistent luminescence signals. Such probes featuring light-triggered function transformation from photoacoustic imaging to persistent luminescence imaging permit advanced image-guided cancer surgery. Furthermore, peroxynitrite-activated persistent luminescence of the supramolecular probe also enables rapid and precise screening of immunogenic cell death drugs.

Polydatin alleviates osteoporosis by enhancing the osteogenic differentiation of osteoblasts

OBJECTIVE: Osteoporosis is a severe degenerative chronic metabolic bone disease associated with high fracture risk. Polydatin (PD), a major bioactive component of Polygonum cuspidatum, has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. This study investigated the anti-osteoporotic activity of PD in ovariectomized (OVX) mice and elucidated its underlying molecular mechanisms. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: An osteoporosis mouse model was established using OVX mice. OVX mice were then administered 10 or 40 mg/kg of PD for 60 days. Micro-CT and three-point bending tests were used to determine the therapeutic activities of PD in OVX mice. H&E staining was used to determine whether PD induced hepatorenal toxicity. In addition, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the functionality of PD were elucidated. RESULTS: Micro-CT results showed that compared to control mice, the bone mass of OVX mice was significantly reduced due to estrogen deficiency; however, PD administration significantly elevated bone mass. Furthermore, PD substantially improved the trabecular microstructure parameters of the femur and enhanced bone strength compared with OVX mice. Hepatorenal toxicity was not observed in liver and kidney samples stained with H&E. PD significantly increased the proliferation of pre-osteoblast MC3T3-E1 cells and upregulated the expression of osteogenic differentiation markers compared to those in controls, as determined by qRT-PCR and western blotting. CONCLUSIONS: PD exerted a significant anti-osteoporotic effect in OVX mice by promoting osteogenesis. PD has great potential as a therapeutic option for osteoporosis.

Smart Tetraphenylethene-Based Luminescent Metal-Organic Frameworks with Amide-Assisted Thermofluorochromics and Piezofluorochromics

Luminescent metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are appealing for the design of smart responsive materials, whereas aggregation-induced emission (AIE) fluorophores with twisted molecular rotor structure provide exciting opportunities to construct MOFs with new topology and responsiveness. Herein, it is reported that elongating AIE rotor ligands can render the newly formed AIE MOF (ZnETTB) (ETTB = 4',4''',4''''',4'''''''-(ethene-1,1,2,2-tetrayl)tetrakis(([1,1'-biphenyl]-3,5-dicarboxylic acid))) with more elasticity, more control for intramolecular motion, and specific amide-sensing capability. ZnETTB shows specific host-guest interaction with amide, where N,N-diethylformamide (DEF), as an example, is anchored through CH···O and CH···π bonds with Zn cluster and ETTB^8- ligand, respectively. DEF anchoring reduces both the distortion level and the intramolecular motions of ETTB^8- ligand to lead a blueshifted and intensified emission for DEF ∈ ZnETTB. Moreover, amide anchoring also affords the DEF ∈ ZnETTB with the excellent thermofluorochromic behavior, and further increases the piezofluorochromic sensitivity at low-pressure ranges on the basis of its elastic framework. This work is one of the rare examples of amide-responsive smart materials, which shall shed new lights on design of smart MOFs with twisted AIE rotors for further sensing and detection applications.

Effective Therapy of Drug-Resistant Bacterial Infection by Killing Planktonic Bacteria and Destructing Biofilms with Cationic Photosensitizer Based on Phosphindole Oxide

Developing effective therapies to fight against biofilm-associated infection is extremely urgent. The complex environment of biofilm forces the bacteria to evade the elimination of antibiotics, resulting in recalcitrant chronic infections. To address this issue, a cationic antibacterial agent based on phosphindole oxide (β-PM-PIO) is designed and prepared. The unique molecular structure endows β-PM-PIO with aggregation-induced emission feature and efficient singlet oxygen generation ability. β-PM-PIO shows excellent visual diagnostic function to planktonic bacteria and biofilm. In addition, owing to the synergistic effect of phototoxicity and dark toxicity, β-PM-PIO can achieve superb antibacterial and antibiofilm performance against Gram-positive bacteria with less potential of developing drug resistance. Notably, β-PM-PIO also holds excellent anti-infection capacity against drug-resistant bacteria in vivo with negligible side effects. This work offers a promising platform to develop advanced antibacterial agents against multidrug-resistant bacterial infection.

Porphyrin-Based Two-Dimensional Layered Metal-Organic Framework with Sono-/Photocatalytic Activity for Water Decontamination

Water treatment is crucial to improve the water quality and reduce diarrheal and chronological diseases caused by excessive discharge of organic dyes and other waste. The development and expansion of efficient catalysts for the degradation and sterilization of organic dyes has attracted widespread attention. Herein, we report an example of a porphyrin-based two-dimensional layered metal-organic framework (MOF) (2DZnTcpp) and its efficient sono-/photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes and bactericidal activity. The dislocated layers effectively avoid close π-π stacking and provide a porous space for oxygen/water/dye contact. The introduction of Zn ions increases the spin orbital coupling through the heavy atom effect and promotes the intersystem crossing process for singlet oxygen generation. The effective ligand-to-metal charge transfer and the excessive open Zn catalytic sites also facilitate water splitting for hydroxyl radical generation. These features together promote the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation of 2DZnTcpp under light illumination or ultrasound sonication. It is worth noting that the 2DZnTcpp with a high specific surface area and porosity shows efficient sono-/photocatalytic degradation of organic dye waste. Moreover, 2DZnTcpp could also largely inactivate Escherichia coli under light irradiation (the light power of 1 sun) or ultrasound sonication for 30 min with efficiencies over 99.99999%. This work provides an approach for the design and synthesis of MOF-based sono-/photocatalysts used in the purification and treatment of textile wastewater and is committed to the establishment of a more efficient, fast, and environmentally friendly catalytic system.

[Analysis on migration of HIV/AIDS cases and related factors in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan province, 2020]

Objective: To analyze the migration of the HIV/AIDS cases and related factors in Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture (Liangshan). Methods: According to HIV/AIDS Comprehensive Response Information Management System of China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention, a total of 28 772 HIV/AIDS cases who had follow-up records in Liangshan in 2020 were included in the survey. The migration of the HIV/AIDS cases was described and the related factors were analyzed using multiple logistic regression models, and the migration destinations of the HIV/AIDS cases were mapped. Results: Among the 28 772 HIV/AIDS cases, 20.89% (6 010/28 772) had migration in 2020. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that among the HIV/AIDS cases, the migration related factors included being aged 15-24 years (compared with being aged 0-14 years, OR=2.74, 95%CI:2.04-3.69) and ethnic group (compared with Han ethnic group, OR=2.44, 95%CI:2.19-2.72), having education level of junior high school (compared with having education level of primary school or below, OR=1.25, 95%CI:1.14-1.38), being unmarried (compared with being married, OR=1.29, 95%CI:1.20-1.39), being engaged in business services (compared with being engaged in farming, OR=1.96, 95%CI:1.31-2.92), receiving antiviral treatment <1 year (compared with receiving antiviral treatment >3 years, OR=1.42, 95%CI:1.26-1.61), having recent CD4⁺T lymphocytes (CD4) counts >500 cells/μl (compared with having recent CD4 counts <200 cells/μl, OR=1.15, 95%CI:1.03-1.29). The geographical distribution maps showed that among all cities in Sichuan, Xichang (13.26%, 797/6 010) and Chengdu (10.12%,608/6 010) were the main migration destinations of the HIV/AIDS cases, and the provinces outside Sichuan where the HIV/AIDS cases would like to migrate to were mainly Guangdong (18.19%, 1 093/6 010) and Zhejiang provinces (7.67%, 461/6 010) in 2020. The HIV/AIDS cases who migrated where Liangshan, within Sichuan province, and to other provinces accounted for 27.67% (1 663/6 010), 15.34% (922/6 010) and 56.99% (3 425/6 010), respectively. Conclusions: More attention should be paid to the mobility characteristics and the classification management of HIV/AIDS cases according to their characteristics in Liangshan. Timely access to information on changes in the place of work and residence of HIV/AIDS cases should be warranted when they have migration. Good referrals and management for mobility of HIV/AIDS cases in different places should be made to reduce loss to follow-up and improving interventions.

[Clinical effects of transplantation of turbocharged bipedicle deep inferior epigastric perforator flap in breast reconstruction]

Objective: To explore the clinical effects of transplantation of turbocharged bipedicle deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap in breast reconstruction. Methods: A retrospective observational study was used. From December 2008 to December 2016, 24 patients who met the inclusion criteria were treated in the Department of Plastic Surgery of Hunan Cancer Hospital, all patients were female, aged 28-51 (36.5±1.6) years. All cases received turbocharged bipedicle DIEP flap for two-staged breast reconstruction. According to the patterns of turbocharged vessels anastomosis, the turbocharged bipedicle DIEP flaps with length of (27.5±0.3) cm and width of (12.8±1.4) cm, were divided into three types: distal end of pedicle anastomosis type, main branch of pedicle anastomosis type, and muscular branch of pedicle anastomosis type. After complete hemostasis in the donor region, the anterior sheath was repaired with intermittent suture, and umbilical reconstruction was completed. Two negative pressure drainage tubes were indwelled, and subcutaneous tissue and skin were sutured layer by layer. The specific ways of vascular anastomosis of the flap pedicle with the internal thoracic vessels of recipient site included anastomosing the proximal end of one artery and one vein, anastomosing the proximal and distal end of one artery and one vein, and anastomosing the proximal end of one artery and two veins. Postoperatively, the survival and blood supply of flaps were observed. The patients were followed up to observe the reconstructed breast shape satisfaction, donor site complications, abdominal wall function, and scar hyperplasia. Results: All turbocharged bipedicle DIEP flaps for two-staged breast reconstruction survived well, with good blood supply. During follow-up for 14 to 56 (20±6) months, the shape of reconstructed breasts was satisfied. Only linear scar was left in the donor sites of abdomen with no complications, and the function of abdominal wall was not affected. Conclusions: For patients with clear indications, transplantation of free turbocharged bipedicle DIEP flap is a safe, reliable, and satisfactory choice for breast reconstruction with autologous tissue.

Boosting Photothermal Theranostics via TICT and Molecular Motions for Photohyperthermia Therapy of Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer

The development of photothermal agents with high photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE) can help to reduce drug and laser dosage, but still remains a big challenge. Herein, a novel approach is reported to design photothermal agents with high PCE values by promoting nonradiative heat generation processes through the cooperation of twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) and molecular motions. Within the designed molecule 2DMTT-BBTD, the tetraphenylethenes act as molecular rotors, the long alkyl chain grafted thiophene helps to twist the molecular geometry to facilitate TICT state formation and preserve molecular motions in aggregate, while the strong electron-withdrawing BBTD unit enhances TICT effect. 2DMTT-BBTD exhibits NIR-absorption and a high PCE value of 74.8% under 808 nm laser irradiation. Gambogic acid (GA) which surmounts tumor cell thermotolerance by inhibiting heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) expression is coloaded into the nanoparticles, RGD peptide is further introduced to the nanoparticle surface to improve tumor accumulation. The resultant nanoparticles facilitate the effective low-temperature hyperthermia therapy of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) with minimal damage to surrounding heathy tissues. This work delivers a new design concept for development of highly efficient photothermal agents, which also provides a safer approach for noninvasive treatment of MIBC and other malignant tumors.

Bevacizumab versus placebo in combination with paclitaxel and carboplatin as first-line treatment for recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a multicentre, randomised, open-label, phase II trial

BACKGROUND

The value of anti-angiogenesis antibody therapy in recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (R/M NPC) remains unknown. We carried out a phase II study to evaluate the addition of bevacizumab to paclitaxel plus carboplatin in R/M NPC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 80 patients with previously untreated R/M NPC were randomly assigned (1 : 1) to CPB or CP groups to receive carboplatin (area under the curve 6) and paclitaxel (175 mg/m²) intravenously every 3 weeks for a maximum of six cycles in combination with or without bevacizumab (7.5 mg/kg), respectively. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) as per investigators, and the secondary endpoints were PFS as per independent review committee (IRC), overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), and safety. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02250599).

RESULTS

The median PFS as per investigators was 7.5 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 6.53-8.45 months] in the CPB group and 6.5 months (95% CI, 5.53-7.52 months) in the CP group (P = 0.148), which were similar to IRC-assessed PFS. The median OS was also alike between CPB and CP arms (21.0 versus 24.7 months; P = 0.326). ORRs were 87.2% and 72.5%, respectively (P = 0.105). However, the tumor-shrinking rate was higher in the CPB arm than in the CP arm (P = 0.035). No differences in grade 3 or higher adverse events between the groups were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Addition of bevacizumab to paclitaxel plus carboplatin as first-line treatment did not prolong PFS and OS in patients with R/M NPC but improved tumor-shrinking rate. These results indicated that bevacizumab plus chemotherapy might be an optional choice for NPC with heavy tumor load or those pursuing short-term efficacy in neoadjuvant and concurrent chemotherapy.

[Analysis of the factors influencing the elimination strategies with the current status of diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis C in hospital]

Objective: To understand the current status of screening, diagnosis, and treatment and analyze the factors influencing micro-elimination strategy, so as to achieve hepatitis C elimination in hospital. Methods: Anti-HCV and HCV RNA test results of patients from October 2017 to September 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Anti-HCV positive rates and factors influencing different genders, ages, places of residence and departments were analyzed. After comparing anti-HCV-positive patients with HCV RNA-positive patients with duplicate entries in "Name" and "Date of birth", the data were divided into three categories: anti-HCV positive without HCV RNA test, HCV RNA positive in single test, and HCV RNA positive many times in multiple tests. The above three types of patients were followed-up by telephone. According to the hospital follow-up results, current status of diagnosis and treatment and the factors influencing the micro-elimination strategy of hepatitis C were studied and analyzed. The comparison of data between groups were performed using χ(2) or χ(2) continuity-correction test. Results: Anti-HCV positive detection rate was 1.34% (899/66 866). The positive rate of male patients aged 40 and over residing in cities was significantly higher than female patients under 40 years old residing in rural areas, and the difference was statistically significant (χ(2) = 55.178, 264.11, 36, 351, P < 0.05). There were 90 (10.02%) and 809 cases (89.98%) in outpatient and inpatient departments, respectively, with no statistically significant difference between the two (χ(2) = 0.002, P > 0.05). The total number of anti-HCV positive cases were 196 in Gastroenterology (22.0%), 75 in Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (8.3%), 74 in Neurology (8.2%), 63 in Orthopedics (7.0%) and 55 in Endocrinology departments (6.1%), and the difference in the positive rate among different departments were also statistically significant (χ(2) = 271.585, P < 0.05). Among the 480 cases who were followed-up, 215 (44.79%) were lost to follow-up, 84 cases (39.07%) were unregistered, 77 cases (16.04%) were untreated, 15 cases (19.48%) were unaware of their state of illness, 46 cases (59.74%) were diagnosed without concern, 16 cases (20.78%) were diagnosed but did not take medicine, 60 cases were under treatment, and 29 cases were mostly on counterfeit drugs (48.33%). Conclusion: Comprehensive diagnosis and treatment education to non-specialist clinicians and timely manner regular follow-up of patients is a key factor and an important link to formulate a simple, easy and sustainable model to improve the efficiency of screening, diagnosis, and treatment of hepatitis C micro-elimination strategy in hospital. In addition, it will also play an important role in achieving the strategic goal of "eliminating hepatitis C as a public health threat by 2030".

POS0785 CHANGING EXPRESSION PROFILES OF LONG NONCODING RNAS, MIRNAS, MRNAS AND CIRCULAR RNAS IN LABIAL SALIVARY GLANDS OF PRIMARY SJÖGREN’S SYNDROME (PSS)

Background:

Primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS) is a relatively common autoimmune disease characterized by oral and ocular dryness. An increasing number of studies have revealed that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), miRNA, mRNA and circular RNA (circRNA) contributes to the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases.

Objectives:

To explore lncRNA, miRNA, mRNA and circRNA expression profiles in labial salivary glands (LSGs) in pSS patients and their biological functions in the regulation of pSS.

Methods:

The expression of 75,550 lncRNAs, 2,318 miRNA, 20,292 mRNAs and 6,877 circRNAs were determined in the LSG of six pSS patients and six healthy controls using microarray experiments. Validation was performed in pSS patients and controls using real-time PCR. LncRNA-mRNA co-expression and gene-pathway networks were constructed using bioinformatics software.

Results:

A total of 599 lncRNAs (upregulated: 279, downregulated: 320), 78 miRNAs (upregulated: 26, downregulated: 52), 615 mRNAs (upregulated: 590, downregulated: 25) and 160 mRNAs (upregulated: 110, downregulated: 50) were differentially expressed in the LSGs of pSS patients. Five of these lncRNAs were validated using real-time PCR. lncRNA HCP5, lncRNA SNHG5, lncRNA IFI44L, lncRNA CMPK2 were significantly upregulated and lncRNA TTYH1 were downregulated in pSS. GO and KEGG biological pathway analysis were performed to predict the functions of differentially expressed lncRNAs and co-expressed potential targeting genes. Subsequently, a ceRNA (lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA) network including 2320 ceRNA pairs was constructed based on predicted miRNAs shared by lncRNAs and mRNAs.

Conclusion:

The expression profile provided a systematic perspective on the potential functions of lncRNAs miRNAs, mRNAs and circRNAs in the pathogenesis of pSS. Therefore, this study will aid in the development of new diagnostic biomarkers and drug therapies.

References:

[1]Le Dantec C, Varin MM, Brooks WH, Pers JO, Youinou P, Renaudineau Y. Epigenetics and Sjogren’s syndrome.Curr Pharm Biotechnol. 2012 Aug;13(10):2046-53.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

Effects of Cryopreservation on Acrosin Activity and DNA Damage of Russian Sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii) Semen

BACKGROUND

Cryopreservation of sturgeon sperm can be successful, but there can be a decrease in sperm viability and the reasons are not clear.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate variations in the acrosin activity and the DNA integrity of Acipenser gueldenstaedtii semen during cryopreservation at -196ºC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Fish semen samples were randomly divided into three groups: [1] fresh control; [2] native semen diluted 1:1 with 23.4 mM sucrose + 0.25 mM KCl + 30 mM Tris (pH 8.0) and the addition of 10% methanol as cryoprotectant; and [3] semen without any diluents or cryoprotectants. Acrosin activity and DNA damage (COMET assay) were assessed.

RESULTS

The average acrosin activity fell to 61% and 27% of the control for cryoprotected and non-cryoprotected semen after cryopreservation. The differences among the three groups were significant (P<0.05). We also observed that various indexes of DNA damage (L-tail; tail DNA, tail momentum, olive tail momentum) were higher in semen that had been frozen.

CONCLUSION

Although cryopreservation of semen induces decreased acrosin activity and increased DNA damage, cryoprotectants can protect the semen during cryopreservation.

The value of MRI in identifying pancreatic neuroendocrine tumour G3 and carcinoma G3

AIM

To explore the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) differences between pancreatic neuroendocrine tumour grade 3 (pNET-G3) and pancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma grade 3 (pNEC-G3).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Between 2009 and 2019, 31 patients underwent pNEN-G3 resection with preoperative MRI in two local hospitals in China. The 31 patients were assigned to a pNET-G3 group (n=13) or a pNEC-G3 group (n=18). The MRI findings between the groups were compared.

RESULTS

There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in lesion size, clinical characteristics, or laboratory indexes. The lesions showed high or slightly higher signal on diffusion-weighted imaging and decreased apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values, which differed between the two groups (p=0.013). The difference between the groups regarding positive enhancement integral, arterial phase and portal phase signal enhancement ratio were statistically significant; however, the delayed phase signal enhancement ratio was not significantly different.

CONCLUSIONS

pNET-G3 and pNEC-G3 showed different characteristics on MRI. In particular, the ADC value and dynamic enhanced imaging could have an important role in distinguishing between the two.

Recent advances of AIE light-up probes for photodynamic therapy

As a new non-invasive treatment method, photodynamic therapy (PDT) has attracted great attention in biomedical applications. The advantages of possessing fluorescence for photosensitizers have made it possible to combine imaging and diagnosis together with PDT. The unique features of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) fluorogens provide new opportunities for facile design of light-up probes with high signal-to-noise ratios and improved theranostic accuracy and efficacy for image-guided PDT. In this review, we summarize the recent advances of AIE light-up probes for PDT. The strategies and principles to design AIE photosensitizers and light-up probes are firstly introduced. The application of AIE light-up probes in photodynamic antitumor and antibacterial applications is further elaborated in detail, from binding/targeting-mediated, reaction-mediated, and external stimuli-mediated light-up aspects. The challenges and future perspectives of AIE light-up probes in the PDT field are also presented with the hope to encourage more promising developments of AIE materials for phototheranostic applications and translational research.

Novel biomarkers of intervertebral disc cells and evidence of stem cells in the intervertebral disc

OBJECTIVE

Rat intervertebral disc (IVD) is one of the most commonly used and cost-effective alternative models for human IVD. Many IVD related clinical studies need to be pre-tested on rat IVDs. However, studies on the heterogeneous cell clusters of the rat IVD are inadequate, and a further understanding of the marker genes and cell phenotypes of healthy mature IVD cells is essential.

METHODS

In this study, we used the 10X Genomics technology to analyze the single-cell transcriptome of purified wild-type rat IVDs.

RESULTS

We identified potentially new gene markers of IVDs via single-cell sequencing. Based on the unsupervised cluster analysis of 13,578 single-cell transcripts, 3 known IVD cell types were identified. We provided a complete single-cell gene expression map of the IVD. Immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence images of rat disc sections confirmed the new marker genes of all cell types. One group of heterologous cell groups expressed multi-functional stem cell (MSC)-specific genes, indicating the stem cell potential of IVD cells.

CONCLUSION

We provided the phenotype and marker genes of IVD cells at the single-cell level, reconfirmed existing data, and proposed new marker genes, including MSC marker genes. By identifying more accurate target cells and genes, our results pave the way for further study of the response of individual disc cells to disease states and provide the basis for future disc regeneration therapies.

Genetic variants in long non-coding RNAs UCA1 and NEAT1 were associated with the prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is known for its high incidence, death rate, and relatively low 5-year survival. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to play a significant role in cancerization and cancer progression. However, research on the association of polymorphisms in these lncRNAs with the prognosis of OSCC is lacking. Fifteen functional single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in seven lncRNAs were selected to explore the relationship between these lncRNA SNPs and the prognosis among 209 OSCC patients. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to examine the associations. Further functional exploration of significant SNPs was done by eQTL analysis. Using multivariate Cox hazards regression analysis, a predictive role of NEAT1 rs3741384 GG and UCA1 rs7255437 TC+TT in a worse prognosis of OSCC was identified. In addition, a marked increased risk of death was observed with an increasing number of unfavourable genotypes (NUG). The NUG was then incorporated with clinical variables in the receiver operating characteristic curve, and the results indicated a potential role of the NUG in predicting OSCC patient risk of death (area under the curve increase from 0.616 to 0.703). In conclusion, the study findings indicate that genetic variants rs3741384 in NEAT and rs7255437 in UCA1 may influence the survival of OSCC patients.

[Relationship of DNMT3b expression and SEPT9 methylation in theprogression of colorectal carcinogenesis]

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the expression of DNA methyltransferase 3b (DNMT3b) and the methylation of SEPT9 gene, and their application prospects in the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer. Methods: Seventy-five cases of colorectal cancer and adjacent tissues, 68 cases of colorectal high-grade internal neoplasia tissues (referred to as precancerous tissues) and high-grade internal adjacent neoplasia tissues (referred to as adjacent precancerous tissues) were collected. Pyrosequencing was used to detect the methylationlevel of SETP9. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to examine the mRNA expressionof SEPT9 and immunohistochemistry(IHC) was applied to detect the protein expressions of SETP9 and DNMT3b. Liposome-mediated method was used to transfect DNMT3b siRNA and negative control siRNA into HT-29 cells. Five groups including DNMT3b siRNA 15 nmol/L group, DNMT3b siRNA 30 nmol/L group, negative control siRNA 15 nmol/L group, negative control siRNA 30 nmol/L group and blank control group were set up. Pyrosequencing was applied to determine the methylation level of SEPT9 and mRNA expression of DNMT3b in each group. Results: The methylation rates of SEPT9 gene in colorectal cancer tissues, adjacent tissues, precancerous tissues and adjacent precancerous tissues were (76.8±6.5)%, (14.4±2.6)%, (34.6±5.0)% and (7.4±1.2)%, respectively, which was highest in colorectal cancer tissue (P<0.001). The relative expressions of SEPT9 mRNA were 0.18±0.03, 0.89±0.41, 0.69±0.41 and 1.01±0.21, respectively, which was lowest in colorectal cancer tissue (P<0.001), while there were no statistically significant differences in adjacent tissues, precancerous tissues and adjacent precancerous tissues (P>0.05). The positive rates of SEPT9 protein expression were 12.0% (9/75), 53.3% (40/75), 55.1% (38/69) and 62.3% (43/69), which was lowest in the colorectal cancer tissue (P<0.001), while there were no statistically significant differences in the adjacent group, precancerous group and adjacent precancerous group (P>0.016 7). The positive rates of DNMT3b protein expression were 56.3% (45/75), 26.7% (20/75), 46.4% (32/69) and 33.3% (23/69), respectively, which was highest in colorectal cancer tissue (P<0.001), while without statistically significant difference from the precancerous tissue (P>0.016 7). Experiments in vitro showed that DNMT3b mRNA expression was lowest in DNMT3b siRNA 30 nmol/L group among five groups and was statistically different from other groups (all P<0.05). Meanwhile, the methylationrate of SEPT9 gene was lowest in this group, but without statistically significant difference from the DNMT3b siRNA 15 nmol/L group (P>0.05). Conclusions: The expression of DNMT3b is significantly correlated with the methylation level of SEPT9 gene in different stages of colorectal cancer. The high expression of DNMT3b may be an important molecular event before SEPT9 gene methylation and it may have an important potential application value in the diagnosis and treatment of early colorectal cancer.

The Analysis of Drug-Resistant Gene Mutations of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by GeneChip in Lianyungang, China

BACKGROUND

Tuberculosis (TB) has raised major global health concerns, especially for that caused by drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis). The control of TB was hampered by time-consuming and insensitive diagnostic methods. GeneChip analysis is a rapid method for screening and identifying the gene mutations of M. tuberculosis. However, there was little relevant information about GeneChip analysis of M. tuberculosis in China.

METHODS

To compare the performance of GeneChip analysis in the diagnosis of drug-resistant M. tuberculosis with traditional drug susceptibility testing (DST), 1,747 sputum specimens from 2014 to 2016 in Lianyungang of China were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS

GeneChip analysis showed that the gene mutation site of M. tuberculosis to RFP resistance was 46.37% in rpoB 531 (TCG→TTG), and INH resistance was 69.89% in katG 315 (AGC→ACC). There was not significant different between GeneChip analysis and DST in detecting the resistance of M. tuberculosis to RPF or INH.

CONCLUSIONS

GeneChip analysis could be regarded as a rapid and recommended method for early screening and identifying the drug resistance of M. tuberculosis.