Radioproteomics modeling of metformin-enhanced radiosensitivity: an animal study

PURPOSE

Metformin is considered as radiation modulator in both tumors and healthy tissues. Radiomics has the potential to decode biological mechanisms of radiotherapy response. The aim of this study was to apply radiomics analysis in metformin-induced radiosensitivity and finding radioproteomics associations of computed tomography (CT) imaging features and proteins involved in metformin radiosensitivity signaling pathways.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 32 female BALB/c mice were used in this study and were subjected to injection of breast cancer cells. When tumors reached a mean volume of 150 mm3, mice were randomly divided into the four groups including Control, Metformin, Radiation, and Radiation + Metformin. Western blot analysis was performed after treatment to measure expression of proteins including AMPK-alpha, phospho-AMPK-alpha (Thr172), mTOR, phospho-mTOR (Ser2448), phospho-4EBP1 (Thr37/46), phospho-ACC (Ser79), and β-actin. CT imaging was performed before treatment and at the end of treatment in all groups. Radiomics features extracted from segmented tumors were selected using Elastic-net regression and were assessed in terms of correlation with expression of the proteins.

RESULTS

It was observed that proteins including phospho-mTOR, phospho-4EBP1, and mTOR had positive correlations with changes in tumor volumes in days 28, 24, 20, 16, and 12, while tumor volume changes at these days had negative correlations with AMPK-alpha, phospho-AMPK-alpha, and phospho-ACC proteins. Furthermore, median feature had a positive correlation with AMPK-alpha, phospho-ACC, and phospho-AMPK-alpha proteins. Also, Cluster shade feature had positive correlations with mTOR and p-mTOR. On the other hand, LGLZE feature had negative correlations with AMPK-alpha and phospho-AMPK-alpha.

CONCLUSION

Radiomics features can decode proteins that involved in response to metformin and radiation, although further studies are warranted to investigate the optimal way to integrate radiomics into biological experiments.

A Computed Tomography-Based Radiomics Analysis of Low-Energy Proximal Femur Fractures in the Elderly Patients

INTRODUCTION

Low-energy proximal femur fractures in elderly patients result from factors, like osteoporosis and falls. These fractures impose high rates of economic and social costs. In this study, we aimed to build predictive models by applying machine learning (ML) methods on radiomics features to predict low-energy proximal femur fractures.

METHODS

Computed tomography scans of 40 patients (mean ± standard deviation of age = 71 ± 6) with low-energy proximal femur fractures (before a fracture occurs) and 40 individuals (mean ± standard deviation of age = 73 ± 7) as a control group were included. The regions of interest, including neck, trochanteric, and intertrochanteric, were drawn manually. The combinations of 25 classification methods and 8 feature selection methods were applied to radiomics features extracted from ROIs. Accuracy and the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) were used to assess ML models' performance.

RESULTS

AUC and accuracy values ranged from 0.408 to 1 and 0.697 to 1, respectively. Three classification methods, including multilayer perceptron (MLP), sequential minimal optimization (SMO), and stochastic gradient descent (SGD), in combination with the feature selection method, SVM attribute evaluation (SAE), exhibited the highest performance in the neck (AUC= 0.999, 0.971 and 0.971, respectively; accuracy = 0.988, 0.988, and 0.988, respectively) and the trochanteric (AUC = 1, 1 and 1, respectively; accuracy = 1, 1 and 1, respectively) regions. The same methods demonstrated the highest performance for the combination of the 3 ROIs' features (AUC = 1, 1 and 1, respectively; accuracy =1, 1 and 1, respectively). In the intertrochanteric region, the combination methods, MLP+SAE, SMO+SAE, and SGD+SAE, as well as the combination of the SAE method and logistic regression (LR) classification method exhibited the highest performance (AUC= 1, 1, 1 and 1, respectively; accuracy= 1, 1, 1 and 1, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Applying machine learning methods to radiomics features is a powerful tool to predict low-energy proximal femur fractures. The results of this study can be verified by conducting more research on bigger datasets.

POS1095 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PLASMA IL-12, IL-23 LEVELS AND ENDOTHELIAL DYSFUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS

Background

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a heterogeneous, chronic, inflammatory spondyloarthropathy associated with psoriasis. PsA is accompanied by many comorbidities, especially hypertension, metabolic syndrome, obesity, hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) (1). Mediators that cause chronic inflammation such as IL-23R, IL-17, IL-12B are thought to play an important role in the pathogenesis of both PsA and its comorbidities (2,3).

Objectives

The aim of our study was to compare plasma levels of IL-12 and IL-23 with endothelium-dependent (FMD) and independent dilatation (NMD) measurements in psoriatic arthritis (PsA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients and healthy controls and to look for the relationship of IL-12, IL-23 with FMD, NMD, clinical findings, laboratory parameters and disease activity scores of patients.

Methods

A total of 136 subjects (49 patients with PsA, 46 patients with AS and 41 healthy controls) were included in the study. Subjects were evaluated with detailed anamnesis and physical examination. The routine biochemical parameters, CRP, ESR of all subjects and disease activity scores of all patients were noted. IL-12 and IL-23 were measured using ELISA method. Endothelial-dependent and independent dilatations were measured by Doppler USG on the brachial artery.

Results

Though IL-12 levels were higher in the PsA group when compared with the healthy group, this difference was not statistically significant. IL-23 levels were significantly higher in PsA patients when compared with the healthy control group (Table 1). IL-12 and IL-23 levels were found to be significantly higher in the AS group compared with the healthy group. A statistically significant difference in endothelial dependent measures were found between PsA patients and healthy controls. No statistically significant correlation was found between IL-12, IL-23 levels and brachial artery basal diameter, FMD, NMD values ​​in PsA patients. Fasting blood glucose and triglyceride levels were higher in PSA patients, while CRP and ESR were higher in AS patients. HDL levels of healthy controls were higher than those of PSA and AS patients. There was no significant correlation between IL-12, IL-23 and BASDAI, BASFI, DAPSA, DAS 28, PsAQoL, HAQ, HAD-A, VAS scores in PSA group; hospital anxiety and depression scale (HAD) and BASMI were positively correlated with IL-23. In the AS group, IL-23 was correlated with VAS and BASMI and IL-12 was correlated with HAQ score.

Table 1.

The average of the interleukin levels according to the diagnoses of the participants

pIL 12PSA0,0070,027ASPSA0,995Healthy ControlAS0,009Healthy ControlIL 23PSA0,706<0,001ASPSA0,006Healthy ControlAS0,010Healthy Control

Conclusion

In the PsA group, IL-23 levels and FMD values were higher than the healthy group in our study. The risk of metabolic syndrome and CVD increases due to high insidence of glucose dysregulation, dyslipidemia and obesity in these patients. PsA patients should be monitored for the development of these comorbidities and preventive measures should be taken. More studies are necessary to examine the relationship between IL-12, IL-23 levels and endothelial dysfunction, which is an early indicator of CVD and atherosclerosis in PsA patients.

References

[1]Gupta S, Syrimi Z, Hughes DM, et al. Comorbidities in psoriatic arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Rheumatol Int. 2021;41(2):275-284. doi:10.1007/s00296-020-04775-2

[2]Perez-Chada LM, Merola JF. Comorbidities associated with psoriatic arthritis: Review and update. Clin Immunol. 2020;214:108397. doi: 10.1016/j.clim.2020.108397.

[3]Egeberg A, Gisondi P, Carrascosa JM, et al. The role of the interleukin-23/Th17 pathway in cardiometabolic comorbidity associated with psoriasis. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2020;34(8):1695-1706. doi: 10.1111/jdv.16273

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Manisa Celal Bayar University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Department under the Grant No. 2021-021 for the supports.

Disclosure of Interests

None declared

Zinc oxide nanoparticles enhance expression of maspin in human breast cancer cells

Toxic and apoptotic impacts of zinc oxide nanoparticle (ZNP) on different cancer cells have been reported. Maspin (a mammary serine protease inhibitor) as a tumor suppressor gene can inhibit tumor growth and metastasis. The expression of maspin is modulated by p53, Bcl-2 family genes, and estrogen receptor α (ER-α). This study aimed to assess the ZNP effects on maspin expression in MCF-7 cells (a breast cancer cell). Experimental groups (ZNP5, ZNP10, and ZNP20) received 5, 10, and 20 μM/mL ZNP for 48 h, respectively. 17-β-estradiol (E2) was used to evaluate the role of ER-α in the anticancer impact of ZNP. Cell viability, Annexin V, migration assay, gene expression, and western blotting methods were applied to evaluate ZNP effects on the MCF-7 cells. ZNP at the concentrations of 10 and 20 μM/mL could significantly decrease the viability and migration rate, and significantly increase apoptosis percentage in the MCF-7 cells. ZNP significantly enhanced mRNA expression and protein level of maspin in MCF-7 cells in a concentration-dependent way. ZNP concentration-dependently elevated mRNA expression and protein level of p53 and Bax while reduced the expression of Bcl-2 and ER-α. E2 promoted cancer cell growth by enhancing survival and migration rates. E2 treatment reduced mRNA expression and protein level of maspin and p53, and elevated Bcl-2 expression. ZNP considerably changed these events induced by E2 in the MCF-7 cells. It is concluded that the maspin overexpression is one of the toxic mechanisms of the ZNP on the ER-α-positive breast cancer cells, and can suppress the migration of these cells.

The Role of Adenomyosis in the Pathogenesis of Preeclampsia

INTRODUCTION

Adenomyosis can cause defective deep placentation. Preeclampsia is known to be associated with abnormal placentation. The aim of this study was to compare the presence of adenomyosis on magnetic resonance imaging in patients with and without history of preeclampsia in order to investigate the possible role of adenomyosis in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This prospective, randomized study consisted of patients with (n = 35) and without (n = 34) history of preeclampsia. Direct (submucosal microcysts, adenomyoma and cystic adenomyoma) and indirect (maximal thickness of junctional zone, ratio of maximal thickness of junctional zone to myometrial thickness, junctional zone differential, focal thickening of junctional zone, globally enlarged uterus and non-uniform junctional zone contours) signs of adenomyosis were assessed by pelvic magnetic resonance imaging.

RESULTS

The prevalence of adenomyosis was found to be more common in patients with preeclampsia und fetal growth restriction compared to patients without fetal growth restriction (94.4 vs. 64.7 %; p = 0.041), respectively. There was a strong association between maximal thickness of junctional zone (9 vs. 13 mm, p = 0.005), ratio of maximal thickness of junctional zone to myometrial thickness (0.42 vs. 0.66, p = 0.001) and junctional zone differential (3 vs. 5 mm, p = 0.02) and late-onset preeclampsia.

CONCLUSIONS

Presence of adenomyoma is more common in patients with preeclampsia complicated with fetal growth restriction. Indirect signs of adenomyosis detected on pelvic magnetic resonance imaging might have a role in the pathogenesis of late-onset preeclampsia.

In Vitro Toxic Effects of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles on Rat Adipose Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Objective

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) are increasingly used in sunscreens, bio- sensors, food additives, pigments, manufacture of rubber products, and electronic materi- als. There are several studies about the effects of NPs on dermal fibroblast or keratino- cytes, but very little attention has been directed towards adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs). A previous study has revealed that ZnO-NPs restricted the migration capability of ASCs. However, the potential toxicity of these NPs on ASCs is not well un- derstood. This study intends to evaluate the effects of ZnO-NPs on subcutaneous ASCs.

Materials and Methods

In this experimental study, In order to assess toxicity, we ex- posed rat ASCs to ZnO-NPs at concentrations of 10, 50, and 100 µg/ml for 48 hours. Tox- icity was evaluated by cell morphology changes, cell viability assay, as well as apoptosis and necrosis detection.

Results

ZnO-NPs concentration dependently reduced the survival rates of ASCs as re- vealed by the trypan blue exclusion and 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazo- lium-bromide (MTT) tests. ZnO-NPs, at concentrations of 10 and 50 µg/ml, induced a significant increase in apoptotic indices as shown by the annexin V test. The concentration of 10 µg/ml of ZnO-NPs was more toxic.

Conclusion

Lower concentrations of ZnO-NPs have toxic and apoptotic effects on subcutaneous ASCs. We recommend that ZnO-NPs be used with caution if there is a dermatological problem.