Vasculogenic mimicry regulates immune infiltration and mutational status of the tumor microenvironment in breast cancer to influence tumor prognosis

BACKGROUND

Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) refers to the direct formation of microcirculatory ducts by invasive malignant tumors via cellular phenotypic transformation. However, there is a lack of VM-based biomarkers for breast cancer.

METHODS

We obtained transcriptomic expression data, single cell sequencing data, and clinical data of patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas Program (TCGA) database and GEO database, performed single cell analysis to obtain specific type annotations of breast cancer cells and analyzed their spatial expression analysis. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and gene ontology (GO) analyses as well as Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) analyses were performed to clarify the biological pathways and tumor functional enrichment relationships of the major expressed genes of VM in the breast cancer bulk data specimens. VM biomarkers were constructed. Meanwhile, the relationship between VM scores and tumor immune infiltration in breast cancer was analyzed using MCPcounter and ssGSEA methods. In addition, we assessed the specific relationship between NDRG1, a key VM gene in breast cancer, and tumor colonization, adhesion and invasion by biological experiments in breast cancer cell lines.

RESULTS

The main cell types of breast cancer (BRCA) samples were annotated by single cell transcriptome analysis. Most of the VM-high group was present in epithelial cells, whereas the VM-low group was present in immune and stromal cells. Multiple tumor pathways such as TGFβ p53 and MAPK were closely associated with VM-mediated breast cancer infiltration and invasion. A prognostic model of breast cancer based on VM key genes was constituted. Prognostic stratification of breast cancer was successfully achieved for the TCGA-BRCA and GSE58812 datasets. Through immune infiltration analysis, we found that differential expression of VM markers was associated with multiple immune cell regulation. In MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-453 cell lines, we found that the NDRG1 gene significantly promoted colony formation of breast cancer cells.

CONCLUSION

Our constructed VM-related gene-based model of breast cancer biology holds promise for prognostic prediction and patient stratification of breast cancer. This may provide a potentially clinically valuable aid in promoting a deeper understanding of the biological regulation of VM in breast cancer and exploring the specific mechanisms of tumor angiogenesis and breast cancer development.

The deubiquitinase BRCC3 increases the stability of ZEB1 and promotes the proliferation and metastasis of triple-negative breast cancer cells

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) has a high recurrence rate, metastasis rate and mortality rate. The aim of this study is to identify new targets for the treatment of TNBC. Clinical samples are used for screening deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs). MDA-MB-231 cells and a TNBC mouse model are used for in vitro and in vivo experiments, respectively. Western blot analysis is used to detect the protein expressions of DUBs, zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1), and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related markers. Colony formation and transwell assays are used to detect the proliferation, migration and invasion of TNBC cells. Wound healing assay is used to detect the mobility of TNBC cells. Immunoprecipitation assay is used to detect the interaction between breast cancer susceptibility gene 1/2-containing complex subunit 3 (BRCC3) and ZEB1. ZEB1 ubiquitination levels, protein stability, and protein degradation are also examined. Pathological changes in the lung tissues are detected via HE staining. Our results show a significant positive correlation between the expressions of BRCC3 and ZEB1 in clinical TNBC tissues. Interference with BRCC3 inhibits TNBC cell proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT. BRCC3 interacts with ZEB1 and interferes with BRCC3 to inhibit ZEB1 expression by increasing ZEB1 ubiquitination. Interference with BRCC3 inhibits TNBC cell tumorigenesis and lung metastasis in vivo. In all, this study demonstrates that BRCC3 can increase the stability of ZEB1, upregulate ZEB1 expression, and promote the proliferation, migration, invasion, EMT, and metastasis of TNBC cells, providing a new direction for cancer therapy.

[Impact of sinonasal anatomic changes after endoscopic anterior skull base surgery on nasal airflow and air conditioning: a computational fluid dynamics study]

Objective: To analyze the impact of the sinonasal anatomic changes after endonasal endoscopic anterior skull base surgery on the nasal airflow and heating and humidification by computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and to explore the correlation between the postoperative CFD parameters and the subjective symptoms of the patients. Methods: The clinical data in the Rhinology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from 2016 to 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients received the endoscopic resection of the anterior skull base tumor were selected as the case group, and the adults whose CT scans had no sinonasal abnormalities were chosen as the control group. The CFD simulation was performed on the sinonasal models after reconstructed from the patients' sinus CT images during the post-surgical follow-up. All the patients were asked to complete the Empty Nose Syndrome 6-Item Questionnaire (ENS6Q) to assess the subjective symptoms. The comparison between two independent groups and the correlation analysis were carried out by using the Mann-Whitney U test and the Spearman correlation test in the SPSS 26.0 software. Results: Nineteen patients (including 8 males and 11 females, from 22 to 67 years old) in the case group and 2 patients (a male of 38 years old and a female of 45 years old) in the control group were enrolled in this study. After the anterior skull base surgery, the high-speed airflow moved to the upper part of the nasal cavity, and the lowest temperature shifted upwards on the choana. Comparing with the control group, the ratio of nasal mucosal surface area to nasal ventilation volume in the case group decreased [0.41 (0.40, 0.41) mm^-1 vs 0.32 (0.30, 0.38) mm^-1; Z=-2.04, P=0.041], the air flow in the upper and middle part of the nasal cavity increased [61.14 (59.78, 62.51)% vs 78.07 (76.22, 94.43)%; Z=-2.28, P=0.023], the nasal resistance decreased [0.024 (0.022, 0.026) Pa·s/ml vs 0.016 (0.009, 0.018) Pa·s/ml; Z=-2.29, P=0.022], the lowest temperature in the middle of the nasal cavity decreased [28.29 (27.23, 29.35)℃ vs 25.06 (24.07, 25.50)℃; Z=-2.28, P=0.023], the nasal heating efficiency decreased [98.74 (97.95, 99.52)% vs 82.16 (80.24, 86.91)%; Z=-2.28, P=0.023], the lowest relative humidity decreased [(79.62 (76.55, 82.69)% vs 73.28 (71.27, 75.05)%; Z=-2.28, P=0.023], and the nasal humidification efficiency decreased [99.50 (97.69, 101.30)% vs 86.09 (79.33, 87.16)%; Z=-2.28, P=0.023]. The ENS6Q total scores of all patients in the case group were less than 11 points. There was a moderate negative correlation between the proportion of the inferior airflow in the post-surgical nasal cavity negatively and the ENS6Q total scores (r_s=-0.50, P=0.029). Conclusions: The sinonasal anatomic changes after the endoscopic anterior skull base surgery alter the nasal airflow patterns, reducing the efficiency of nasal heating and humidification. However, the post-surgical occurrence tendency of the empty nose syndrome is weak.

LncRNA PRKCQ-AS1 regulates paclitaxel resistance in triple-negative breast cancer cells through miR-361-5p/PIK3C3 mediated autophagy

Paclitaxel (PTX) resistance is a key cause of chemotherapy failure in patients with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). The aim of this study is to investigate the effect and mechanism of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) on the PTX resistance of TNBC cells through autophagy. MDA-MB-231 cells are used to induce the PTX-resistant TNBC cell line MDA-MB-231.PR (MDR) by increasing dose intermittently. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to validate the mRNA levels of phosphoinositide-3-kinase class 3 (PIK3C3), miR-361-5p and lncRNA PRKCQ-AS1 in the cells, and Western blot analysis was used to detect the protein expressions of PIK3C3, autophagy-related, drug-resistant and apoptosis-related genes. MDC staining detected the formation of autophagic vacuoles. The interactions between miR-361-5p and PIK3C3 and between lncRNA PRKCQ-AS1 and miR-361-5p were verified by dual-luciferase assay. Cell viability, apoptosis, migration and invasion were assessed by performing MTT, flow cytometry assay, and transwell assay. The mRNA level of miR-361-5p and the autophagy and drug resistance levels of TNBC PTX-resistant cells were significantly up-regulated. miR-361-5p could target autophagy-related gene PIK3C3, and overexpression of miR-361-5p could down-regulate PIK3C3 protein expression and autophagy level and PTX resistance of MDR cells. LncRNA PRKCQ-AS1 was selected through bioanalysis, and miR-361-5p could target lncRNA PRKCQ-AS1. In addition, lncRNA PRKCQ-AS1 level was up-regulated in TNBC PTX-resistant cells, and knockdown of lncRNA PRKCQ-AS1 could weaken autophagy and drug resistance level and could promote cell apoptosis. Overexpression of lncRNA PRKCQ-AS1 reversed the pro-apoptotic effect and down-regulation of autophagy and resistance levels was induced by miR-361-5p. In vivo experiments were performed to verify the role of lncRNA PRKCQ-AS1. We demonstrate that down-regulation of lncRNA PRKCQ-AS1 weakened PTX resistance and promoted cell apoptosis by miR-361-5p/PIK3C3 mediated autophagy.

The population characteristic analysis in RecurIndex for clinical decision-making on adjuvant therapy for early breast cancer: Results of a real-world study

e12514

Background: 28-gene signature (RecurIndex) is the first multi-gene panel for recurrence risk prediction after surgery developed from the Asian breast cancer population. In this study, we aimed to report the clinical and genomic characteristics of Chinese early-stage breast cancer patients whose primary lesions have been evaluated by 28-gene signature testing. Methods: In this study, 363 patients were assessed by 28-gene signatures between November 2019 and August 2021. Of these, 330 (90.9%) had stage I-II, hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer, 16 (4.4%) had triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), and 17 (4.7%) had HER2-enriched breast cancer. The genomic risks of local and distant recurrence were determined by 28-gene signature respectively; the clinical risk was evaluated by the modified Adjuvant! Online. The molecular subtyping of the 28-gene signature was also compared with immunohistochemistry (IHC) status. In the future analysis, we will report the clinical decisions and outcomes of these patients. Results: The 28-gene signature classified 86.8% (n = 315/363) of patients as genomic Low Risk (LR) and 13.2% (n = 48/363) as genomic High Risk (HR) for local recurrence; 83.7% (n = 304/363) and 16.3% (n = 59/363) for distant recurrence. Among clinical HR patient, a total of 72 patients (64.9%) were deemed to be genomic LR of distant recurrence, and a total of 88 patients (79.3%) were deemed to be genomic LR of local recurrence. The concordance of luminal type identified by IHC or 28-gene based molecular subtyping was 99.1% (n = 327/330); TNBC type was 25% (n = 4/16), and HER2 enriched was 70.6% (n = 12/17). Conclusions: This study showed that in clinical HR patients, 64.9% 28-gene LR patients who could waive their adjuvant chemotherapy and 79.3% who could have the adjuvant radiotherapy adjusted. Additionally, the results of IHC and 28-gene signature-based molecular subtyping were highly consistent in luminal type, while the potential value of TNBC and HER2 enriched subtyping identified by the 28-gene signature needs to be further explored in the future.[Table: see text]

Male Breast Carcinoma Metastatic to the Choroid: A Case Report and Opinions of Management

Male breast carcinoma metastatic to the choroid is very rare and often related to poor prognosis. Herein, we report the findings in a Chinese male breast cancer patient who developed choroidal metastasis, and give opinions on systemic treatments. A 45-year-old Chinese male represented with difficulty breathing and visual impairment in the left eye 6 years after his breast cancer surgery and postoperative adjuvant treatment. PET/CT revealed multi-organs metastasis of the patient. The IHC indicated the lung lesion to be originated from the breast (ER+/PR+/HER2-). Eye examination provided evidence for breast cancer choroidal metastasis. Two cycles of TX (docetaxel + capecitabine) followed by two courses of GP (gemcitabine + cis-platinum) were applied as salvage chemotherapy. Metastases in his lung and bone remained stable. As for choroidal metastasis, a regimen of CDK4/6 inhibitor (Palbociclib) plus fulvestrant was recommended to the patient, which led to a good response. Notably, CDK4/6 inhibitor combined with endocrine therapy may be considered as an effective treatment for hormonal receptor-positive breast cancer patients with choroidal metastasis. We recommend that eye examination should not be neglected in breast cancer patients.

Genetic analyses of blood β-hydroxybutyrate predicted from milk infrared spectra and its association with longevity and female reproductive traits in Holstein cattle

Ketosis is one of the most prevalent and complex metabolic disorders in high-producing dairy cows and usually detected through analyses of β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) concentration in blood. Our main objectives were to evaluate genetic parameters for blood BHB predicted based on Fourier-transform mid-infrared spectra from 5 to 305 d in milk, and estimate the genetic relationships of blood BHB with 7 reproduction traits and 6 longevity traits in Holstein cattle. Predicted blood BHB records of 11,609 Holstein cows (after quality control) were collected from 2016 to 2019 and used to derive 4 traits based on parity number, including predicted blood BHB in all parities (BHBp), parity 1 (BHB1), parity 2 (BHB2), and parity 3+ (BHB3). Single- and multitrait repeatability models were used for estimating genetic parameters for the 4 BHB traits. Random regression test-day models implemented via Bayesian inference were used to evaluate the daily genetic feature of BHB variability. In addition, genetic correlations were calculated for the 4 BHB traits with reproduction and longevity traits. The heritability estimates of BHBp, BHB1, BHB2, and BHB3 ranged from 0.100 ± 0.026 (± standard error) to 0.131 ± 0.023. The BHB in parities 1 to 3+ were highly genetically correlated and ranged from 0.788 (BHB1 and BHB2) to 0.911 (BHB1 and BHB3). The daily heritability of BHBp ranged from 0.069 to 0.195, higher for the early and lower for the later lactation periods. A similar trend was observed for BHB1, BHB2, and BHB3. There are low direct genetic correlations between BHBp and selected reproductive performance and longevity traits, which ranged from -0.168 ± 0.019 (BHBp and production life) to 0.157 ± 0.019 (BHBp and age at first calving) for the early lactation stage (5 to 65 d). These direct genetic correlations indicate that cows with higher BHBp (greater likelihood of having ketosis) in blood usually have shorter production life (-0.168 ± 0.019). Cows with higher fertility and postpartum recovery, such as younger age at first calving (0.157 ± 0.019) and shorter interval from calving to first insemination in heifer (0.111 ± 0.006), usually have lower BHB concentration in the blood. Furthermore, the direct genetic correlations change across parity and lactation stage. In general, our results suggest that selection for lower predicted BHB in early lactation could be an efficient strategy for reducing the incidence of ketosis as well as indirectly improving reproductive and longevity performance in Holstein cattle.

Silencing IKBKE inhibits the migration and invasion of glioblastoma by promoting Snail1 degradation

PURPOSE

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the most common malignant brain tumors in adults and has high mortality and relapse rates. Over the past few years, great advances have been made in the diagnosis and treatment of GBM, but unfortunately, the five-year overall survival rate of GBM patients is approximately 5.1%. Inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa-B kinase subunit epsilon (IKBKE) is a major oncogenic protein in tumors and can promote evil development of GBM. Snail1, a key inducer of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) transcription factor, is subjected to ubiquitination and degradation, but the mechanism by which Snail1 is stabilized in tumors remains unclear. Our study aimed to investigate the mechanism of IKBKE regulating Snail1 in GBM.

METHODS

First, we analyzed the correlation between the expression of IKBKE and the tumor grade and prognosis through public databases and laboratory specimen libraries. Second, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and western blot were used to detect the correlation between IKBKE and Snail expression in glioma samples and cell lines. Western blot and immunofluorescence (IF) experiments were used to detect the quality and distribution of IKBKE and Snail1 proteins. Third, In situ animal model of intracranial glioma to detect the regulatory effect of IKBKE on intracranial tumors.

RESULTS

In this study, Our study reveals a new connection between IKBKE and Snail1, where IKBKE can directly bind to Snail1, translocate Snail1 into the nucleus from the cytoplasm. Downregulation of IKBKE results in Snail1 destabilization and impairs the tumor cell migration and invasion capabilities.

CONCLUSION

Our studies suggest that the IKBKE-Snail1 axis may serve as a potential therapeutic target for GBM treatment.

[Assessment of heart's changes of elite Chinese male weightlifter by speckle tracking echocardiography]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the changes of heart structure and function in elite Chinese weightlifters by spot tracking technique.

METHODS

Chinese elite male weightlifters (weightlifter group, n=16) and age-matched healthy men (control group, n=16) were included as subjects. Transthoracic echocardiography and speckle-tracking automatic functional imaging were used for two-dimensional myocardial strain measurements.

RESULTS

The thickness of septum and left ventricular (LV) posterior wall and the myocardial mass index of LV were all higher than those of the control group [(9.3±1.3) mm vs. (8.0±0.4) mm, (9.2±0.8) mm vs. (8.0±0.8) mm, (77.8±12.8) g/m² vs. (67.8±11.2) g/m², all P < 0.05]. Although the LV ejection fraction (LVEF) and global long axis strain value (LVGLS) were not significantly different from those in the control group, the LV mean Sm and Em reflecting the systolic and diastolic functions of the LV were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Further myocardial strain analysis showed that the absolute value of the long axial strain of the basal anteroseptal and mid-inferoseptal segments of the weightlifters were significantly lower than those of the control group [|(-15.1±4.2)%|vs.|(-18.7±3.0)%|, |(-18.8±2.6)%|vs.|(-21.3±2.8)%|, all P < 0.05]. There was no significant difference in other segments. The athletes were divided into two groups according to their best performance in the National Youth Games. The athletes were divided into two sub-groups according to their performance in the National Youth Games. The thickness of the septum in the sub-group with better performance (who ranked the 1^st to 8^th) was larger [(10.2±1.1) mm vs. (8.5±1.0) mm, P < 0.05], and the absolute value of the long-axis strain in the mid-inferoseptal segment was lower [|(-17.1±2.1)%|vs.|(-20.4±2.1)%|, P < 0.05].

CONCLUSION

The thickening of septum is more obvious in the excellent weightlifters, accompanied by the decrease of myocardial systolic function. The speckle-tracking technique of echocardiography can identify the changes of the heart structure and function of elite athletes at an early stage, which may provide a basis for sports medicine supervision and the selection of excellent talents.

Serum TSH levels are associated with postoperative recurrence and lymph node metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

To explore the relationship between thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in the serum and postoperative recurrence and lymph node metastasis (LNM) in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) patients after surgery.

METHODS

We selected 272 patients diagnosed with PTC from June 2011 to July 2014. The clinical and pathological data of 272 PTC patients were collected at the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University and analysed retrospectively. All PTC patients were tested for the BRAF^V600E gene mutation before surgery by fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology, and TSH levels in the serum were determined one month after surgery. The optimal cut-off value of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) for predicting the recurrence or metastasis of PTC after surgery was determined by the establishment of a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate the correlation between the optimal cut-off value of TSH and disease-free survival rate and prognosis.

RESULTS

Of 272 patients, only 182 (73 BRAF^V600E+, 109 BRAF^V600E-) met the final study criteria. Among them, 60 cases had recurrence or metastasis, and 122 cases were controls. The optimal cut-off value of TSH for the prediction of recurrence or metastasis of PTC after surgery was 2.615 mlU/L. In our study, a high TSH level (> 2.615 mlU/L) was correlated with the BRAF^V600E mutation, multifocality, lymph node metastasis, recurrence, and metastasis. In all 182 patients, those with high TSH levels had worse disease-free survival. This result was more obvious in the 73 BRAF^V600E+ patients. The univariate analysis showed that lymph node metastasis, multifocality, lymph node dissection, tumour size, sex, BRAF^V600E mutation, and a high postoperative TSH level were all significantly correlated with recurrence or metastasis in PTC patients (all P < 0.05). In addition, the Cox multivariate analysis showed that lymph node metastasis, BRAF^V600E mutation, and high postoperative TSH levels were independent risk factors for PTC recurrence or metastasis (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

PTC patients with high TSH levels (> 2.615 mlU/L) have worse disease-free survival, which is more obvious in the BRAF^V600E+ population.

Automated annotation and visualisation of high-resolution spatial proteomic mass spectrometry imaging data using HIT-MAP

Spatial proteomics has the potential to significantly advance our understanding of biology, physiology and medicine. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) is a powerful tool in the spatial proteomics field, enabling direct detection and registration of protein abundance and distribution across tissues. MALDI-MSI preserves spatial distribution and histology allowing unbiased analysis of complex, heterogeneous tissues. However, MALDI-MSI faces the challenge of simultaneous peptide quantification and identification. To overcome this, we develop and validate HIT-MAP (High-resolution Informatics Toolbox in MALDI-MSI Proteomics), an open-source bioinformatics workflow using peptide mass fingerprint analysis and a dual scoring system to computationally assign peptide and protein annotations to high mass resolution MSI datasets and generate customisable spatial distribution maps. HIT-MAP will be a valuable resource for the spatial proteomics community for analysing newly generated and retrospective datasets, enabling robust peptide and protein annotation and visualisation in a wide array of normal and disease contexts.

Genetic parameters of hair cortisol as an indicator of chronic stress under different environments in Holstein cows

Chronic stress is a risk factor for a variety of physiological disorders because of its increased activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis; however, it is difficult to reveal environmental and genetic effects contributing to long-term HPA activity because of the complexity of chronic stress. The hair cortisol concentration (HCC) can be used to reflect the accumulation of HPA axis activity over time. Some studies suggest that the HCC might be associated with the protein concentration (PC) in the hair shaft; however, no studies have revealed a dynamic relationship between them. In the present study, 1,086 hair samples from 418 Holstein cows were collected, and the effects of environmental factors on HCC, PC, and ratio of HCC to PC (HCCP) were studied. Subsequently, regression analysis and curve fitting were used to identify for better-performing indicators of chronic stress. Additionally, univariate and bivariate genetic evaluation were used to estimate the genetic components of cortisol traits and genotype by environment interactions (G × E) under different environmental and physiological states. The results showed that HCC and PC are significantly affected by hair color, sampling year, and season, whereas HCCP is not influenced by hair color. Adjusted PC and HCCP, where confounding effects are excluded, were moderately related with chronic stress indicators. Moderate to high heritabilities were obtained for HCC (0.347 and 0.390 for winter and summer, respectively), PC (0.402 and 0.495 for winter and summer, respectively) and HCCP (0.289 and 0.460 for winter and summer, respectively) when animals in the same season were evaluated. A moderate G × E interaction was detected in this study, as indicated by the low or negative genetic correlation for the same cortisol trait in different environments (e.g. heat stress condition and thermoneutral condition). In conclusion, HCCP is not affected by hair color compared with the other 2 traits; thus, it has potential as an indicator of chronic stress. Hair cortisol traits could monitor stress response process in cattle, as well as provide a better understanding of genetic mechanism for long-term HPA activity.

Genetic parameters for rectal temperature, respiration rate, and drooling score in Holstein cattle and their relationships with various fertility, production, body conformation, and health traits

Genetic selection for improved climatic resilience is paramount to increase the long-term sustainability of high-producing dairy cattle, especially in face of climate change. Various physiological indicators, such as rectal temperature (RT), respiration rate score (RR), and drooling score (DS), can be used to genetically identify animals with more effective coping mechanisms in response to heat stress events. In this study, we investigated genetic parameters for RT, RR (score from 1-3), and DS (score from 1-3). Furthermore, we assessed the genetic relationship among these indicators and other economically important traits for the dairy cattle industry. After data editing, 59,265 (RT), 30,290 (RR), and 30,421 (DS) records from 13,592 lactating Holstein cows were used for the analyses. Variance components were estimated based on a multiple-trait repeatability animal model. The heritability ± standard error estimate for RT, RR, and DS was 0.06 ± 0.01, 0.04 ± 0.01, and 0.02 ± 0.01, respectively, whereas their repeatability was 0.19, 0.14, and 0.14, respectively. Moderate genetic correlations of RR with RT and DS (0.26 ± 0.11 and 0.25 ± 0.16) and nonsignificant correlation between RT and DS (-0.11 ± 0.14) were observed. Furthermore, the approximate genetic correlations between RT, RR, and DS with 12 production, 29 conformation, 5 fertility and reproduction, 5 health, and 9 longevity-indicator traits were assessed. In general, the approximate genetic correlations calculated were low to moderate. In summary, 3 physiological indicators of heat stress response were measured in a large number of animals and shown to be lowly heritable. There is a value in developing a selection index including all the 3 indicators to improve heat tolerance in dairy cattle. All the unfavorable genetic relationships observed between heat tolerance and other economically important traits can be accounted for in a selection index to enable improved climatic resilience while also maintaining or increasing productivity in Holstein cattle.

Effects of sodium selenite and coated sodium selenite on lactation performance, total tract nutrient digestion and rumen fermentation in Holstein dairy cows

Se can enhance lactation performance by improving nutrient utilization and antioxidant status. However, sodium selenite (SS) can be reduced to non-absorbable elemental Se in the rumen, thereby reducing the intestinal availability of Se. The study investigated the impacts of SS and coated SS (CSS) supplementation on lactation performance, nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation and microbiota in dairy cows. Sixty multiparous Holstein dairy cows were blocked by parity, daily milk yield and days in milk and randomly assigned to five treatments: control, SS addition (0.3 mg Se/kg DM as SS addition) or CSS addition (0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mg Se/kg DM as CSS addition for low CSS (LCSS), medium CSS (MCSS) and high CSS (HCSS), respectively). Experiment period was 110 days with 20 days of adaptation and 90 days of sample collection. Dry matter intake was higher for MCSS and HCSS compared with control. Yields of milk, milk fat and milk protein and feed efficiency were higher for MCSS and HCSS than for control, SS and LCSS. Digestibility of DM and organic matter was highest for CSS addition, followed by SS addition and then control. Digestibility of CP was higher for MCSS and HCSS than for control, SS and LCSS. Higher digestibility of ether extract, NDF and ADF was observed for SS or CSS addition. Ruminal pH decreased with dietary Se addition. Acetate to propionate ratio and ammonia N were lower, and total volatile fatty acids (VFAs) concentration was greater for SS, MCSS and HCSS than control. Ruminal H ion concentration was highest for MCSS and HCSS and lowest for control. Activities of cellobiase, carboxymethyl-cellulase, xylanase and protease and copies of total bacteria, fungi, Ruminococcus flavefaciens, Fibrobacter succinogenes and Ruminococcus amylophilus increased with SS or CSS addition. Activity of α-amylase, copies of protozoa, Ruminococcus albus and Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens and serum glucose, total protein, albumin and glutathione peroxidase were higher for SS, MCSS and HCSS than for control and LCSS. Dietary SS or CSS supplementation elevated blood Se concentration and total antioxidant capacity activity. The data implied that milk yield was elevated due to the increase in total tract nutrient digestibility, total VFA concentration and microorganism population with 0.2 or 0.3 mg Se/kg DM from CSS supplementation in dairy cows. Compared with SS, HCSS addition was more efficient in promoting lactation performance of dairy cows.

Effects of glucocorticoids on osteoporosis in rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

We evaluated the effects of glucocorticoids on bone mineral density (BMD), and prevalence of osteoporosis and fracture in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by meta-analysis. Until June 26, 2019, we conducted a systematic literature search in EMBASE, Web of science, PubMed, and Cochrane Library to obtain BMD and the prevalence of osteoporosis and fracture in glucocorticoid-treated subjects with RA. The BMD of the treatment and control groups were analyzed by meta-analysis (Stata. version 15), and the 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated. We identified 15 observational studies, including 46,711 RA subjects and 857 healthy controls. The BMD of the lumbar spine (- 0.038 g/cm²; CI, - 0.052, - 0.024) and femoral neck (- 0.017 g/cm²; - 0.030, - 0.003) in RA treated with glucocorticoids were significantly lower than those in RA controls. Compared with healthy control group, the BMD of the lumbar spine (- 0.094 g/cm²; - 0.126, - 0.061) and femoral neck (- 0.097 g/cm², - 0.109, - 0.085) of RA treated with glucocorticoids decreased more significantly. The prevalence of osteoporosis in whole body, spine, and femur was 38.6% (0.305, 0.466), 32.9% (0.277, 0.381), and 21.7% (0.106, 0.328), respectively. And the prevalence of vertebral fracture was 13.0% (0.058, 0.203). Glucocorticoids may lead to a decline in skeletal health in subjects with RA, especially in vertebral and femoral BMD, compared with normal people or RA without glucocorticoid therapy. Meanwhile, osteoporosis and fractures were also common. Therapeutic measures should be targeted at individuals, which needs further study. Through meta-analysis, we found that glucocorticoids have some negative effects on the bone health of subjects with rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore, when using glucocorticoids to treat rheumatoid arthritis, we should take strategic measures to prevent the decline of bone quality.

IKBKE enhances TMZ-chemoresistance through upregulation of MGMT expression in glioblastoma

PURPOSE

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and aggressive malignant type of brain tumor. Despite advances in diagnosis and therapy, the prognosis of patients with GBM has remained dismal. Multidrug resistance and high recurrence are two of the major challenges in successfully treating brain tumors. IKBKE (inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa-B kinase subunit epsilon) is a major oncogenic protein in tumors and can inhibit glioblastoma cell proliferation, migration, and tumorigenesis. Our study aimed to investigate the mechanism of IKBKE enhancing the resistance of glioma cells to temozolomide.

METHODS

For the in vitro experiments, LN18 and U118 glioblastoma cells were treated with a combination of sh/oe-IKBKE lentivirus and TMZ. Cell proliferation was determined by the EdU assay and colony formation assays. Apoptosis was analyzed by the TUNEL assay. In vivo, LN18 NC and LN18 sh-IKBKE cells were implanted into the cerebrums of nude mice to detect the effect of combination therapy. The protein and mRNA levels were assayed by western blot, immunohistochemistry, and qRT-PCR.

RESULTS

In this study, we demonstrated that IKBKE enhances the resistance of glioblastoma cells to temozolomide (TMZ) by activating the AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway to upregulate the expression of the DNA repair enzyme o6-methylguanine-dna methyltransferase (MGMT). In glioblastoma cells, IKBKE knockdown enhances apoptosis and suppresses cell proliferation, clone formation, and tumor development in vivo induced by TMZ. However, overexpression of IKBKE reduces the effects of TMZ.

CONCLUSION

Our studies suggest that inhibition of IKBKE can enhance the therapeutic effect of TMZ on GBM in vitro and in vivo, providing new research directions and therapeutic targets for the treatment of GBM.

Piperine, a functional food alkaloid, exhibits inhibitory potential against TNBS-induced colitis via the inhibition of IκB-α/NF-κB and induces tight junction protein (claudin-1, occludin, and ZO-1) signaling pathway in experimental mice

BACKGROUND

Inflammatory bowel disease is a chronic immunoinflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract. Piperine, an alkaloid, has been reported to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, and antiulcer potential.

AIM

To elucidate the plausible mechanisms of action of piperine on experimental trinitrobenzenesufonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis by assessing various biochemical, molecular, histological, and ultrastructural modifications.

METHODS

Colitis was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats via intrarectal instillation of TNBS. Then, the rats were treated with piperine (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg, p.o.) for 14 days.

RESULTS

TNBS induced significant (p < 0.05) colonic damage, which was assessed by disease activity index, macroscopic score, and stool consistency. The administration of piperine (20 and 40 mg/kg) significantly inhibited (p < 0.05) these damages. Treatments with piperine (20 and 40 mg/kg) notably inhibited (p < 0.05) the TNBS-induced elevation of oxido-nitrosative stress (superoxide dismutase, glutathione, malondialdehyde, and nitric oxide), 5-hydroxytryptamine, and hydroxyproline content in the colon. Furthermore, colonic inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOs), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, interferon-gamma, and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) messenger RNA (mRNA) expressions were upregulated after TNBS instillation and piperine (20 and 40 mg/kg) significantly attenuated (p < 0.05) these elevated mRNA expressions. TNBS decreased the expressions of tight junction (TJ) protein (claudin-1, occludin, and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1)) and increased the expressions of proapoptotic (caspase-1) protein. These expressions were markedly inhibited (p < 0.05) by piperine treatment. Histological and ultrastructural studies of transmission electron microscopy suggested that piperine significantly ameliorated (p < 0.05) TNBS-induced colonic aberrations.

CONCLUSION

Piperine ameliorated the progression of TNBS-induced colitis by modulating the nuclear factor of kappa light polypeptide gene enhancer in B-cells inhibitor-alpha/nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathway, thus inhibiting the overexpression of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL's), COX-2, iNOs, oxido-nitrosative stress, and proapoptotic proteins (caspase-1) that may improve the expression of TJ protein (claudin-1, occludin, and ZO-1).

Investigation of Streptococcus agalactiae using pcsB-based LAMP in milk, tilapia and vaginal swabs in Haikou, China

AIMS

To develop a pcsB-based Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method for the detection of Streptococcus agalactiae (GBS) in milk, tilapia and vaginal swabs.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The sensitivity of the LAMP method using real-time turbidity monitoring was 1 pg of template within 1 h at 64°C, 100-fold higher than conventional PCR. The sensitivity of visual detection dropped an order of magnitude using SYBR Green I or hydroxynaphthol blue. The validity of the visual LAMP assay was assessed by the detection of GBS in 180 vaginal swabs from one hospital, 14 brain tissues samples of diseased tilapias from two fishponds and fresh milk of 67 dairy cattle from one farm. In total, 17 samples (4 vaginal swabs, 13 tilapia brain tissues but no milk sample) tested positive for GBS. Subsequent bacterial identification confirmed the specificity and reliability of the LAMP method. Molecular serotyping and multilocus sequence typing demonstrated that all 13 tilapia GBS isolates were identical (serotype Ia, ST7), whereas the four human GBS isolates were more diverse and could be classified into two serotypes (Ia, III) and four sequence types (ST19, ST23, ST24, ST862). Virulence gene testing showed that only the bac, rib and lmb genes were not present in all isolates. Antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of the isolates were basically consistent with their genotypes, except for sulphonamide and fluoroquinolone.

CONCLUSIONS

We developed a reliable pcsB-based LAMP assay for GBS detection. Our results demonstrated that the prevalence of GBS was 92·9% among diseased tilapia, 2·2% among female patients and 0% on a dairy farm in Hainan.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The pcsB-based LAMP method is suitable for GBS detection and contains great potential of application in dairy industry, aquiculture and clinical.

Parathyroid hormone reference ranges in healthy individuals classified by vitamin D status

PURPOSE

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentrations are routinely measured in the diagnosis and management of bone and kidney diseases, but reference ranges can be overestimated if determined in otherwise healthy individuals for whom vitamin D deficiency was not evaluated. We establish PTH reference ranges in apparently healthy, normocalcemic, normophosphatemic individuals categorized by 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) status using the Elecsys^® PTH (cobas e 601) and Elecsys^® Vitamin D total II electrochemiluminescence immunoassays (cobas e 411).

METHODS

This prospective, non-interventional study measured PTH in serum from 653 apparently healthy adults [56.7% female; 68.2% white/Caucasian; 28.6% African American; median age 44 years (range 21-83)] from three diverse geographic sites across the USA during summer and winter months. Subjects were classified by concomitant vitamin D sufficiency (≥ 30 ng/mL), insufficiency (> 20 to < 30 ng/mL) or deficiency (≤ 20 ng/mL).

RESULTS

In vitamin D sufficiency, median PTH was 31.9 pg/mL [range (2.5th-97.5th percentile) 17.9-58.6] compared with 35.5 pg/mL (17.0-60.4) for insufficiency, and 39.8 pg/mL (19.5-86.4) for deficiency. A significant inverse relationship was found between PTH and 25(OH)D (P < 0.001). After accounting for vitamin D, potential effects of race or season as covariates were relatively small or absent.

CONCLUSIONS

Upper reference limits (URL) for PTH in vitamin D sufficiency/insufficiency were similar and lower than current values. Clinically important PTH elevations were observed in vitamin D deficiency, where revised reference ranges with a higher URL may be appropriate. These data may help to distinguish vitamin D-related PTH elevations from other causes [e.g., primary (normocalcemic) or secondary hyperparathyroidism].

Indole-2-Carboxamide Derivative LG25 Inhibits Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Growth By Suppressing Akt/mTOR/NF-κB Signalling Pathway

Background

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of breast cancer which is associated with poor patient outcome and lack of targeted therapy. Our laboratory has synthesized a series of indole-2-carboxamide derivatives. Among this series, compound LG25 showed a favorable pharmacological profile against sepsis and inflammatory diseases. In the present study, we investigated the chemotherapeutic potential of LG25 against TNBC utilizing in vitro and in vivo models.

Methods

Changes in cell viability, cell cycle phases and apoptosis were analyzed using MTT, clonogenic assay, FACS and Western blotting assays. The anti-cancer effects of LG25 were further determined in a xenograft mouse model.

Results

Our findings reveal that LG25 reduced TNBC viability in a dose-dependent manner. Flow cytometric and Western blot analyses showed that LG25 enhances G2/M cell cycle arrest and induced cell apoptosis. In addition, LG25 treatment significantly inhibited Akt/mTOR phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). These inhibitory activities of LG25 were confirmed in mice implanted MDA-MB-231 TNBC cells.

Conclusion

Our studies provide experimental evidence that indole-2-carboxamide derivative LG25 effectively targeted TNBC in preclinical models by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, through suppressing Akt/mTOR/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Three species of Aeromonas (A. dhakensis, A. hydrophila and A. jandaei) isolated from freshwater crocodiles (Crocodylus siamensis) with pneumonia and septicemia

Hundreds of farmed Siamese crocodiles (Crocodylus siamensis) died during July 2016 at a farm in Wenchang, Hainan, China. In two necropsied crocodiles, we observed symptoms of dermatorrhagia, hepatomegaly and hepatic congestion. Pulmonitis was diagnosed by pulmonary congestion and pulmonary fibrinous exudate. Septicaemia was diagnosed by isolation of three Aeromonas species from blood and visceral tissues; A. dhakensis, A. hydrophila and A. jandaei were identified by biochemical and molecular tests. We used a zebrafish model to determine the half-maximal lethal dose (LD₅₀ ), and A. dhakensis was found to be the most virulent species, with an LD₅₀ of 8·91 × 10⁵ CFU per ml. The results of a drug sensitivity test indicated that these species were sensitive to 11 antibiotics. This is the first report of A. dhakensis, A. hydrophila and A. jandaei being isolated from a mixed infection in Siamese crocodiles. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: In this study, we isolated three species of Aeromonas (A. dhakensis, A. hydrophila and A. jandae) from farmed Siamese crocodiles with fatal fibrinous pneumonia and septicaemia. This is the first description of a mixed infection with three Aeromonas species among captive crocodilians.

Genetic analysis of skinfold thickness and its association with body condition score and milk production traits in Chinese Holstein population

The skin has many important roles in dairy cattle, and skinfold thickness could be used as an indicator of body fat deposition. The objectives of this study were to estimate genetic parameters of skinfold thickness and to explore its association with body condition score (BCS) and milk production traits in a Chinese Holstein population. Skinfold thicknesses over the neck (STN) and the last rib (STR), BCS, and test-day records of milk production traits were available for 6,416 lactating Holstein cows in the summers of 2015 and 2016 in Beijing, China. Multi-trait animal models were used to estimate variance and covariance components using the DMU software. The average STN was 7.15 ± 1.28 mm, and the average STR was 11.76 ± 1.95 mm (mean ± standard deviation). Estimated heritability was 0.13 ± 0.03 for STN and 0.26 ± 0.04 for STR. We detected a high genetic correlation (0.79 ± 0.08; heritability ± standard error) between STN and STR. Genetic correlations between skinfold thickness and BCS were low to moderate: 0.18 between STR and BCS, and 0.33 between STN and BCS. Genetic correlations between skinfold thickness and milk yield, milk fat percentage, and milk protein percentage were negligible, ranging from -0.02 to 0.15. Collectively, skinfold thickness is characterized as a trait with moderate heritability. Skinfold thickness is sensitive to changes in body condition or fat deposition across parities and lactation stages in milking cows, and we confirmed the complementary nature of skinfold thickness and BCS genetically as well as phenotypically by comparing their changing trends throughout lactation and across lactations. The use of skinfold thickness, together with BCS, can assist in the monitoring of changes in body fat deposition to achieve higher management precision.

Effects of applying lactic acid bacteria and propionic acid on fermentation quality, aerobic stability and in vitro gas production of forage-based total mixed ration silage in Tibet

Total mixed ration (TMR) silage technology has been practically used to feed ruminants in Tibet. This study was conducted on forage-based TMR to evaluate the effects of supplementing lactic acid bacteria and propionic acid on its fermentation characteristics, aerobic stability and in vitro gas production kinetics and digestibility. Experimental treatments included four variants: (1) TMR supplemented with 10 mL deionised water per kilogram fresh matter (Control); (2) TMR supplemented with 1 × 106 cfu/g Lactobacillus plantarum (L); (3) TMR supplemented with 0.3% propionic acid (P); (4) TMR supplemented with a combination of 1 × 106 cfu/g Lactobacillus plantarum and 0.3% propionic acid (LP). The latter three additives were first dissolved in deionised water and then applied as a water solution (10 mL/kg fresh matter). All treatments were ensiled in laboratory-scale silos for 45 days, and then exposed to air for 12 days to evaluate the aerobic stability of TMR silage. Further, the four experimental treatments were fermented with buffered rumen fluid to measure in vitro gas production and nutrients’ digestibility. The results indicated that all TMR silages possessed good fermentation characteristics with low pH values (&lt;4.18) and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) contents (&lt;100 g/kg total nitrogen), and high lactic acid contents (&gt;66 g/kg DM) and Flieg points (&gt;80). The addition of L and LP stimulated a more efficient homofermentation of TMR silage than in the variant without L, as evidenced by higher ratios of lactic:acetic acid. The addition of P had no effect (P &gt; 0.05) on lactic acid production of TMR silage compared with the Control, whereas it decreased NH3-N content (P &lt; 0.05). Under aerobic conditions, L silage showed less aerobic stability compared with the Control silage, whereas P and LP silages were more (P &lt; 0.05) aerobically stable. Compared with the Control, all additives elevated (P &lt; 0.05) the total gas production and in vitro dry matter digestibility of TMR silages. L silage had a higher (P &lt; 0.05) in vitro neutral detergent fibre digestibility than the Control silage. Data obtained from this study suggested that TMR silage based on oat and common vetch can be well conserved with or without additives. Lactic acid bacteria were compatible with propionic acid, and addition of lactic acid bacteria together with propionic acid can improve the fermentation quality, aerobic stability and in vitro dry matter digestibility of TMR silage.

Effects of fibrolytic enzymes and isobutyrate on ruminal fermentation, microbial enzyme activity and cellulolytic bacteria in pre- and post-weaning dairy calves

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of fibrolytic enzymes (FE, containing 160 units of cellulase and 4000 units of xylanase) or isobutyrate (IB) supplementation on ruminal fermentation, microbial enzyme activity and cellulolytic bacteria in dairy calves. Forty-eight Holstein bull calves of 15 days of age and of 44.9 ± 0.28 kg of BW were randomly assigned to four groups in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Two levels of FE (0 g (FE–) or 1.83 g per calf per day (FE+)) and IB (0 g (IB–) or 6 g per calf per day (IB+)) were added. Calves were weaned at 60-day-old and four calves were selected from each treatment at random and slaughtered at 45 and 90 days of age. There was no IB × FE interaction effect. Ruminal pH decreased with IB or FE supplementation for post-weaned calves, whereas concentrations of total volatile fatty acids and acetate increased with IB or FE supplementation for pre- and post-weaned calves. Acetate to propionate ratio increased with IB supplementation, but was unaffected by FE supplementation. Ammonia-N concentration decreased with IB or FE supplementation for pre- and post-weaned calves. For post-weaned calves, activities of CMCase increased with IB or FE supplementation, and activities of cellobiase, xylanase, pectinase, β-amylase and protease increased with IB supplementation. Populations of B. fibrisolvens and F. succinogenes for pre- and post-weaned calves and R. flavefaciens for post-weaned calves increased with IB or FE supplementation. It is suggested that ruminal fermentation and growth performance of calves was improved with IB and FE supplementation, and the combination of IB and FE has the potential to stimulate the growth of pre- and post-weaned dairy calves.

Osthole inhibits triple negative breast cancer cells by suppressing STAT3

BACKGROUND

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subgroup of human breast cancer. Patients with TNBC have poor clinical outcome as they are non-responsive to current targeted therapies. There is an urgent need to identify new therapeutic targets and develop more effective treatment options for TNBC patients. Osthole, a natural product from C. monnieri, has been shown to inhibit certain cancer cells. However, the mechanisms of action as well as its effect on TNBC cells are not currently known.

METHODS

We investigated the effect of osthole in cultured TNBC cells as well as in a xenograft model of TNBC growth. We also used a high-throughput proteomics platform to identify the direct binding protein of osthole.

RESULTS

We found that osthole inhibited the growth of a panel of TNBC cells and induced apoptosis in both cultured cells and TNBC xenografts. We used a high-throughput proteomics platform and identified signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) as a potential binding protein of osthole. We further show that osthole suppressed STAT3 in TNBC cells to inhibit growth and induce apoptosis. Overexpressing STAT3 in TNBC reduced the effectiveness of osthole treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

These results provide support for osthole as a potential new therapeutic agent for the management of TNBC. Moreover, our results indicate that STAT3 may be targeted for the development of novel anti-TNBC drugs.

A mono-carbonyl analog of curcumin induces apoptosis in drug-resistant EGFR-mutant lung cancer through the generation of oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction

Introduction

Targeted therapies using epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) have revolutionized the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients harboring EGFR mutations, leading to the approval of gefitinib and erlotinib as standard first-line clinical treatment. Inevitably, a considerable proportion of patients develop resistance to EGFR-TKIs due to the acquisition of secondary mutations within EGFR. Therefore, alternative strategies to target NSCLC are desperately needed.

Materials and methods

In this study, we have evaluated the effect of a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-inducing agent WZ35, a mono-carbonyl analog of curcumin, to target an inherent biological property of cancer cells, increased oxidative stress. To study whether WZ35 can inhibit NSCLC tumorigenesis, we used gefitinib- and erlotinib-resistant cell line H1975.

Results

In this study, we show that WZ35 treatment dramatically decreases cell viability and induces apoptosis in H1975 cells through the generation of ROS. We also found that the antitumor activity of WZ35 involved ROS-mediated activation of the endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway and mitochondrial dysfunction. Furthermore, WZ35 significantly inhibited H1975 xenograft tumor growth through the inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis.

Discussion

These findings show that WZ35 may be a promising candidate for the treatment of EGFR-TKI-resistant NSCLC.