Pre-treatment tumor-infiltrating T cells influence response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in esophageal adenocarcinoma

Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is a disease with dismal treatment outcomes. Response to neoadjuvant chemoradiation (CRT) varies greatly. Although the underlying mechanisms of CRT resistance are not identified, accumulating evidence indicates an important role for local antitumor immunity. To explore the immune microenvironment in relation to response to CRT we performed an in-depth analysis using multiplex immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry and mRNA expression analysis (NanoString) to generate a detailed map of the immunological landscape of pretreatment biopsies as well as peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of EAC patients. Response to CRT was assessed by Mandard’s tumor regression grade (TRG), disease-free- and overall survival. Tumors with a complete pathological response (TRG 1) to neoadjuvant CRT had significantly higher tumor-infiltrating T cell levels compared to all other response groups (TRG 2–5). These T cells were also in closer proximity to tumor cells in complete responders compared to other response groups. Notably, immune profiles of near-complete responders (TRG 2) showed more resemblance to non-responders (TRG 3–5) than to complete responders. A high CD8:CD163 ratio in the tumor was associated with an improved disease-free survival. Gene expression analyses revealed that T cells in non-responders were Th2-skewed, while complete responders were enriched in cytotoxic immune cells. Finally, complete responders were enriched in circulating memory T cells. preexisting immune activation enhances the chance for a complete pathological response to neoadjuvant CRT. This information can potentially be used for future patient selection, but also fuels the development of immunomodulatory strategies to enhance CRT efficacy.

Heavy metal bioaccumulation, oxidative stress and genotoxicity in African catfish Clarias gariepinus from Orontes river

One of the major problems affecting the ecosystem health is the exposure of heavy metals due to anthropogenic activities. These exposures may induce toxiogenetic damage and carcinogenesis in aquatic organism. DNA damage biomarkers for fish species detect genotoxic parameters for ecological risk assessment. In the present study, the effect of heavy metals (Cr, Cd, Cu, Fe and Mn) on DNA damage and oxidative stress of Clarias gariepinus was examined by Comet assay at Reference site and two different sampling sites of the Orontes River. Moreover, the relationship between DNA damage and physiological response to oxidative stress caused in C. gariepinus was investigated by sampling seasonal water and fish samples for one year. In this study, Cr, Cd and Cu in water column of Orontes River and the concentrations of Fe and Mn in liver tissue of C. gariepinus were highly exceed the maximum permissible limit set by EPA (1999, 2016) WHO (1989) and TEG (2012) that can cause adverse effects on environment health. SOD activities in liver tissues were significantly higher than those in muscle tissues. SOD, CAT activity and MDA levels of both Site 1 and Site 2 at Orontes River were higher than those of the Reference site. In result of the COMET analysis, the highest levels of DNA damage were found at gill and liver tissues in Site 2 (17.746 ± 1.072% T-DNA; 16.014 ± 0.710% T-DNA respectively) at Orontes river. A higher level of DNA damage in gill cells compared to liver cells was observed in all regions of the Orontes River. In Principal component analysis (PCA), the heavy metals Cd, Cr and Cu (in the water column) and MDA in liver and muscle revealed strong contribution to the observed DNA damage that were scattered opposite to each other's along the principal components. Moreover, correlations between parameters revealed a positive significant relationship between Cd, Cr and Cu in water and DNA damage levels in C. gariepinus. Pearson correlation analysis detected a positive relationship between MDA, CAT and SOD and DNA damage levels in African catfish. Consequently, this study exposed genotoxic damage and oxidative stress of C. gariepinus due to metal pollution in Orontes River and lead to the better understanding of genotoxicty, oxidative stress and heavy metal relationships.

Digital volume tomography in the diagnosis of nasal bone fractures

Digital volume tomography (DVT) is a kind of cone beam computed tomography and enables high quality 3D images of osseous structures. It is a well-established diagnostic tool in dentistry. High detail resolution is reached with a reduced exposition of radiation dose in comparison to conventional computed tomography. The data volume can be analysed in three orthogonal plains, which can be changed in angle arbitrarily. The aim of the study was to evaluate, if and in which performance DVT is able to detect discrete nasal bone fractures that cannot be seen in conventional radiography occasionally. DVT was performed in sixty-five patients with suspected nasal bone fracture. Five of these patients underwent lateral radiographs of the nasal bones in other departments which failed to show any radiologic signs of a nasal bone fracture, whereas DVT showed clear fracture lines. DVT-findings were also used to classify fractures according to their dimensions. Additionally DVT enabled the reconstruction of three-dimensional volume images. With this technique it is possible to get an image of the extent of the nasal bone fracture and the dislocation of the fragments. Because of these facts as well as its high resolution and low radiation dose, DVT can be recommended as the routine radiological examination in suspected nasal bone fractures.