TLR2 Mediates Microglial Activation and Contributes to Central Sensitization in a Recurrent Nitroglycerin-induced Chronic Migraine Model

Central sensitization is an important pathophysiological mechanism underlying chronic migraine (CM). Previous studies have shown that microglial activation and subsequent inflammation in the trigeminal nucleus caudalis (TNC) contribute to central sensitization. Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) is a receptor expressed on the membrane of microglia and participates in central sensitization in inflammatory and chronic pain; however, its role in CM is unclear. Therefore, this study investigated TLR2 involvement in CM in detail. Mice treated with recurrent nitroglycerin (NTG) were used as a CM model. Hyperalgesia was assessed using a 50% paw mechanical threshold and a 50% periorbital threshold on a Von Frey filament pain meter. Western blotting and immunofluorescence analyses were used to detect the expression of TLR2, microglia, c-fos and CGRP in TNC. The expression of inflammatory factors (IL-6, IL-1β、 IL-10、TNF-α and IFN-β1) was detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). A selective TLR2 antagonist (C29) was systematically administered to observe its effect on hyperalgesia, microglia activation and the expression of c-fos, CGRP and inflammatory factors. Recurrent administration of NTG resulted in acute and chronic hypersensitivity, accompanied by upregulation of TLR2 expression and microglial activation in TNC. C29 partially inhibited pain hypersensitivity. C29 suppressed microglial activation induced by NTG administration. Inhibition of TLR2 reduced the expression of c-fos and CGRP in TNC after NTG treatment. C29 inhibited the expression of inflammatory mediators in TNC. These data showed that microglial TLR2 plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of CM by regulating microglial activation in TNC.

Strategic treatment for a patient with missing lateral incisor and first molar accompanied by posterior scissor bite and an impacted premolar

Managing orthodontic treatment for adults with missing permanent teeth can be intricate, especially when dealing with a posterior scissor bite and an impacted tooth. This case report presents successful treatment of a female patient with dental and skeletal Class II malocclusion, high mandibular plane angle, missing maxillary left lateral incisor and mandibular right first molar, as well as right posterior scissor bite, and a deeply impacted mandibular left second premolar. In the maxilla, the right second molar and right lateral incisor were strategically extracted to eliminate the scissor bite and enhance frontal esthetic balance. In the mandible, the edentulous space caused by early loss of the first molar was successfully closed and the impacted second premolar was guided into its proper position after surgical exposure. Finally, symmetric frontal esthetics, well-aligned dentition with ideal intercuspation and an improved profile were achieved, which remained stable in the 17 month follow-up.

Effect of Intraoperative Opioid Dose on Perioperative Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio and Lymphocyte-to-Monocyte Ratio in Glioma

Background

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) are inflammatory biomarkers. Until now, it is unknown the impact of opioid dosage on perioperative immunity in glioma patients. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of intraoperative opioid dosage on perioperative immune perturbations using NLR and LMR as inflammatory biomarkers and evaluate the correlation between inflammatory biomarkers and pathological grade of glioma.

Methods

The study included 208 patients with primary glioma who underwent glioma resection from February 2012 to November 2019 at Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital. Complete blood count (CBC) was collected at 3 time points: one week before surgery, and 24 hours and one week after surgery. Patients were divided into high-dose and low-dose groups, based on the median value of intraoperative opioid dose. The relationships between perioperative NLR, LMR and intraoperative opioid dosage were analyzed using repeated measurement analysis of variance (ANOVA). Correlations between preoperative various factors and pathological grade were analyzed by Spearman analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were performed to assess the predictive performance of the NLR and LMR for pathological grade.

Results

The NLR (P=0.020) and lower LMR (P=0.037) were statistically significant different between high-dose and low-dose groups one week after surgery. The area under the curve (AUC) of the NLR to identify poor diagnosis was 0.685, which was superior to the LMR (AUC: 0.607) and indicated a correlation between the NLR with pathological grade. The preoperative NLR (P=0.000), LMR (P=0.009), age (P=0.000) and tumor size (P=0.001) exhibited a significant correlation with the pathological grade of glioma.

Conclusion

Intraoperative opioids in the high-dose group were associated with higher NLR and lower LMR in postoperative glioma patients. The preoperative NLR and LMR demonstrated predictive value for distinguishing between high-grade and low-grade gliomas.

Chaihu Shugan Powder inhibits interstitial cells of cajal mitophagy through USP30 in the treatment of functional dyspepsia

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Chaihu Shugan Powder (CHSGP) has significant clinical efficacy in the treatment of functional dyspepsia (FD), but the specific mechanism requires further study.

AIM OF STUDY

The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effect of CHSGP on FD rats and the underlying mechanism of the effect on interstitial cells of cajal (ICC) mitophagy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The tail-clamping stimulation method was utilized to establish an FD rat model in vivo. Gastric emptying rate and small intestinal propulsion rate test, H&E staining, and Immunohistochemistry were conducted to evaluate the therapeutic effects of CHSGP on FD rats. In vitro, the regulatory effect of CHSGP on CCCP-mediated ICC mitophagy was further investigated by CCK8, Transmission electron microscope, immunofluorescence co-staining, Quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot to reveal the potential mechanisms of CHSGP inhibited ICC mitophagy.

RESULTS

Animal experiments provided evidence that CHSGP promoted gastric motility, increased ICC numbers, reduced Parkin expression, and elevated USP30 expression in FD rats. In vitro, further mechanism research demonstrated that CHSGP decreased LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ、PINK1、Parkin、PHB2 protein expression and increased USP30 protein expression. Furthermore, CHSGP increased Mfn2 protein expression by suppressing activation of the PINK1/Parkin pathway when USP30 is knocked down, consequently reducing CCCP-induced ICC mitophagy.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that CHSGP may treat FD against CCCP-induced ICC mitophagy by the up-regulation of via PINK1/Parkin pathway.

In-Depth Profiling of 4-Hydroxy-2-nonenal Modification via Reversible Thiazolidine Chemistry

Protein modification by lipid-derived electrophiles (LDEs) is associated with various signaling pathways. Among these LDEs, 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE) is the most toxic, and protein modified with HNE has been linked to various diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. However, due to their low abundance, in-depth profiling of HNE modifications still presents challenges. This study introduces a novel strategy utilizing reversible thiazolidine chemistry to selectively capture HNE-modified proteins and a palladium-mediated cleavage reaction to release them. Thousands of HNE-modified sites in different cell lines were identified. Combined with ABPP, we discovered a set of HNE-sensitive sites that offer a new tool for studying LDE modifications in proteomes.

A novel strategy of tannery sludge disposal - converting into biochar and reusing for Cr(VI) removal from tannery wastewater

Tannery sludge with high chromium content has been identified as hazardous solid waste due to its potential toxic effects. The safety disposal and valorization of the tannery sludge remains a challenge. In this study, the chromium stabilization mechanism was systematically investigated during chromium-rich tannery sludge was converted to biochar and the removal performance of the sludge biochar (SBC) for Cr(VI) from tannery wastewater was also investigated. The results showed that increase in pyrolysis temperature was conductive to the stabilization of Cr and significant reduction of the proportion of Cr(VI) in SBC. It was confirmed that the stabilization of chromium mainly was attributed to the embedding of chromium in the C matrix and the transformation of the chromium-containing substances from the amorphous Cr(OH)3 to the crystalline state, such as (FeMg)Cr2O5. The biochar presented high adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) at low pH and the maximal theoretical adsorption capacity of SBC produced at 800°C can reach 352 mg Cr(VI)/g, the process of which can be well expressed by Langmuir adsorption isotherm and pseudo second order model. The electrostatic effect and reduction reaction were dominantly responsible for the Cr(VI) adsorption by SBC800. Overall, this study provided a novel strategy for the harmless disposal and resource utilization for the solid waste containing chromium in leather industry.

Effect of Chaihu-Shugan-San on functional dyspepsia and gut microbiota: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Chaihu-Shugan-San (CSS) is a classic traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula from the Ming Dynasty "Jingyue's Complete Works". In China, it is prevalent for the treatment of a wide range of ailments, with a particular emphasis on functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs). Clinical evidence suggests that CSS has been found to be a highly effective therapeutic approach for the treatment of Functional Dyspepsia (FD), however, there is a limited amount of high-quality clinical evidence, particularly randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials to support this claim.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of Chaihu-Shugan-San (CSS) for treating functional dyspepsia (FD) by comparing it to placebos, as well as to investigate the impact of CSS on the gut microbiota in individuals diagnosed with FD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial implemented at Shuguang Hospital in Shanghai. Between May 2021 and December 2022, 94 participants satisfying the Rome IV diagnostic criteria for FD were enrolled. They were assigned randomly to either the CSS group or the placebo group, with an equal allocation ratio of 1:1. Patients in both groups received the intervention for four weeks. The primary outcome was the dyspepsia symptom scores evaluated by using single dyspepsia symptom scale (SDS) after four weeks of treatment. The secondary outcomes were the solid gastric empties rate measured by a barium strip method, Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA), Hamilton depression scale (HAMD), and Functional dyspepsia Quality of life scale (FDDQL). In addition, after unblinding, 30 patients in the CSS group were randomly selected and divided into before and after treatment of the FD groups (FD1, FD2), and 30 healthy participants were selected as healthy control group (HC), and the gut microbiota was analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing.

RESULTS

After four weeks of treatment, the SDS score exhibited a significant improvement in the CSS group compared to the placebo group (t = 4.882; P ＜0.001). The difference in barium strip gastric emptying rate in the CSS group showed a significant ascent compared to the control group (P < 0.01). The HAMA, HAMD, and FDDQL scores in the CSS group showed a statistically significant increase compared to the control group (all P < 0.01). The results of 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that FD patients had less diverse and abundant microbiota than the healthy people. Additionally, the application of CSS resulted in the modulation of certain bacterial populations, leading to both up-regulation and down-regulation of their quantities.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggested that CSS is more effective compared to a placebo in treating FD, relieves anxiety and depression, increases gastric emptying rate in FD patients, and that CSS also affects the bacterial community structure in FD patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ChiCTR, ChiCTR2100045793. Registered 25 Mach 2021.

Effects of Soliton Creation on Transient Transport through a Polymer Chain

By using a nonadiabatic molecular dynamics method combined with the hierarchical equations of motion, we have investigated the nonequilibrium transient transport through a conjugated polymer chain. The polymer chain is described by the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model, and its two ends are coupled with metal electrodes of different chemical potentials. In order to present the evolutions of the electronic injection and transport in the real-time domain, we have mainly discussed the dynamic relaxation processes of the excited states and transient transport currents. It is found that due to the existence of electron-phonon couplings in the conjugated polymers, creation of solitons not only affects the time of the system achieving the steady state but also leads to periodical oscillations of the steady-state transport currents with time in our simulations. Furthermore, with increasing applied bias voltage, the steady-state transport electronic current increases, which proved that the creation of the solitons can assist the electronic transport. These results have shown that the creation of the excited states is important in understanding the transport properties in organic nanostructures.

Intraoperative femurofibular angle combined with tibiofibular angle measurement has fewer correction errors in open-wedge high tibial osteotomy

AIM

This study aimed to verify the accuracy of intraoperative femurofibular angle combined with tibiofibular angle (FFA-TFA) measurement and compare it with traditional alignment line methods in open-wedge high tibial osteotomy (OWHTO).

METHODS

A total of 174 knees of 122 patients undergoing OWHTO and using an alignment line or FFA-TFA measurement as an index of optimal correction were included in this retrospective study. The intraoperative alignment line passed through the targeted weight-bearing line (WBL) of the tibial plateau in the alignment line group. The intraoperative FFA-TFA aligned to the preplanned FFA-TFA angle in the FFA-TFA group. WBL, FFA, TFA, and knee joint-line convergence angle of the femur and tibia were assessed as radiological results preoperatively and one year after surgery. The Knee Society Score and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities were assessed as objective clinical results.

RESULTS

Postoperative WBL in the FFA-TFA group was closer to the target WBL than in the alignment line group (FFA-TFA vs alignment line group: 1.43 ± 1.20% vs 3.82 ± 3.29%; P < 0.001). The FFA-TFA group had fewer over-correction and under-correction rates than the alignment line group (28.7% and 12.6% vs 11.5% and 3.40%; P < 0.001). No significant differences were observed in the clinical results between the two groups one year after surgery (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The intraoperative measurement of FFA-TFA had fewer complications in terms of under-correction and over-correction compared with the alignment line measurement. No significant differences between the two methods were observed in clinical results one year after surgery.

High-throughput intact Glycopeptide quantification strategy with targeted-MS (HTiGQs-target) reveals site-specific IgG N-glycopeptides as biomarkers for hepatic disorder diagnosis and staging

Liver disease is one of the leading causes of global mortality, and identifying biomarkers for diagnosing the progression of liver diseases is crucial for improving its outcomes. Targeted mass spectrometry technology is a powerful tool with unique advantages for verifying biomarker candidates and clinical applications. It is particularly useful in validating protein biomarkers with post-translational modifications, eliminating the need for site-specific antibodies. Especially, targeted mass spectrometry technique is particularly critical for translation of glycoproteins into clinical applications as there are no site-specific antibodies for N-glycosylation. Nevertheless, its limitation in analyzing only one sample per run has become apparent when dealing with a large number of clinical samples. Herein, we developed a high-throughput intact N-glycopeptides quantification strategy with targeted-MS (HTiGQs-Target), which allows the validation of 20 samples per run with an average analysis time of only 3 min per sample. We applied HTiGQs-Target in a cohort of 461 serum samples (including 120 healthy controls (HC), 127 chronic hepatitis B (CHB) cases, 106 liver cirrhosis (LC) cases, and 108 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) cases) and found that a panel of 10 IgG N-glycopeptides have strong clinical utility in evaluating the severity of the liver disease.

Microglia TREM1-mediated neuroinflammation contributes to central sensitization via the NF-κB pathway in a chronic migraine model

BACKGROUND

Neuroinflammation, mediated by the activation of microglia, contributes to central sensitization, which is associated with the development of chronic migraine (CM). TREM1 receptors amplify the inflammatory response. However, their relationship to CM is unclear. Thus, this study endeavoured to elucidate the exact role of TREM1 in CM.

METHODS

Nitroglycerin (NTG) was repeatedly administered intraperitoneally to establish the CM model. Mechanical and thermal sensitivities were assessed using von Frey filaments and hot plate assays. Using Western blotting, TREM1, NF-κB pathway, NLRP3 inflammasome components, and proinflammatory cytokines were all detected. Immunofluorescence was used to examine the cellular distribution of TREM1 and NLRP3, the number of microglia, immunoreactivity, and morphological changes. We examined the effects of TREM1 antagonists (LR12) and NF-κB inhibitors (PDTC) on pain behaviour, as well as the production of c-fos and CGRP. Additionally, we investigated whether LR12 and PDTC affect the activation of microglia and the NLRP3 inflammasome. We synthesized siRNA and TREM1-overexpressing plasmids to transfect BV2 cells treated with LPS and normal BV2 cells and treated TREM1-overexpressing BV2 cells with PDTC. The NF-κB pathway, NLRP3 inflammasome components, and proinflammatory cytokines were quantified using Western blotting.

RESULTS

Following NTG administration, the expression of TREM1 was significantly upregulated and exclusively localized in microglia in the TNC, and was well co-localized with NLRP3. Furthermore, activation of the classical NF-κB pathway was observed. Pre-treatment with LR12 and PDTC effectively attenuated mechanical hypersensitivity, suppressed the expression of c-fos and CGRP, and inhibited NF-κB activity in CM mice. Additionally, inhibition of TREM1 and NF-κB activity mitigated NTG-induced microglia and NLRP3 activation, as well as proinflammatory cytokines production. In vitro, knockdown of TREM1 resulted in attenuated activation of the NF-κB pathway following lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment and reduced expression of NLRP3 inflammasome components as well as proinflammatory cytokines. After TREM1 overexpression, the NF-κB pathway was activated, NLRP3 inflammasome components and proinflammatory cytokines were upregulated, and PDTC reversed this phenomenon.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that TREM1 regulates microglia and NLRP3 activation via the NF-κB pathway, thereby contributing to central sensitization and implicating its involvement in chronic migraine pathogenesis.

Dual blockade of EGFR and PI3K signaling pathways offers a therapeutic strategy for glioblastoma

BACKGROUND

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a devastating disease that lacks effective drugs for targeted therapy. Previously, we found that the third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor AZD-9291 persistently blocked the activation of the ERK pathway but had no inhibitory effect on the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway. Given that the PI3K inhibitor GDC-0084 is being evaluated in phase I/II clinical trials of GBM treatment, we hypothesized that combined inhibition of the EGFR/ERK and PI3K/Akt pathways may have a synergistic effect in the treatment of GBM.

METHODS

The synergistic effects of cotreatment with AZD-9291 and GDC-0084 were validated using cell viability assays in GBM and primary GBM cell lines. Moreover, the underlying inhibitory mechanisms were assessed through colony formation, EdU proliferation, and cell cycle assays, as well as RNA-seq analyses and western blot. The therapeutic effects of the drug combination on tumor growth and survival were investigated in mice bearing tumors using subcutaneously or intracranially injected LN229 xenografts.

RESULTS

Combined treatment with AZD-9291 and GDC-0084 synergistically inhibited the proliferation and clonogenic survival, as well as induced cell cycle arrest of GBM cells and primary GBM cells, compared to monotherapy. Moreover, AZD-9291 plus GDC-0084 combination therapy significantly inhibited the growth of subcutaneous tumors and orthotopic brain tumor xenografts, thus prolonging the survival of tumor-bearing mice. More importantly, the combination of AZD-9291 and GDC-0084 simultaneously blocked the activation of the EGFR/MEK/ERK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways, thereby exerting significant antitumor activity.

CONCLUSION

Our findings demonstrate that the combined blockade of the EGFR/MEK/ERK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways is more effective against GBM than inhibition of each pathway alone, both in vitro and in vivo. Our results suggest that AZD-9291 combined with GDC-0084 may be considered as a potential treatment strategy in future clinical trials. Video Abstract.

Genetic and pathogenicity analysis for the two FCV strains isolated from Eastern China

In this study, the diversity and regularity of two new feline calicivirus (FCV) isolates, QD-7 and QD-164, were investigated. The genomes of these new strains were compared with 39 strains from the NCBI database including isolates from China, United States, Germany, South Korea, the United Kingdom and Japan. The nucleotide sequence identities ranged from 75-88%, indicating a high degree of variability. These variations were not related to distributions of the virus by time of isolation and geographical location. Cats that were experimentally infected with the new isolate QD-164 showed typical clinical symptoms of sneezing, fever and conjunctivitis and all recovered within 30 days. In contrast, QD-7 infections were asymptomatic and the virus was cleared within 16 days. These results indicate that QD-7 and QD-164 were naturally attenuated strains. NNS mutations characteristic of highly virulent strains at positions 441-443 were absent in QD-7 while QD-164 possessed an N at position 442. This indicated that mutations in regions 441-443 may be linked to disease severity.

Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase genes family in Salicaceae during grafting

BACKGROUND

Poplar (Populus cathayana)and willow (Salix rehderiana) are important fast-growing trees in China. Grafting plays an important role in improving plant stress resistance and construction of ornamental plants. It is found that willow scions grafted onto poplar rootstocks can form ornamental plants. However, this grafted combination has a low survival rate. Many studies have reported that the xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase (XTH) family plays an important role in the healing process of grafts.

RESULTS

A total of 38 PtrXTHs and 32 SpuXTHs were identified in poplar and willow respectively, and were classified into three subfamilies. Tandem duplication was the main reason for the expansion of the PtrXTHs. Grafting treatment and Quantitative real time PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis revealed that five XTH genes differentially expressed between self-grafted and reciprocal grafted combinations. Specifically, the high expression levels of SrXTH16, SrXTH17, SrXTH25, PcXTH22 and PcXTH17 may contribute to the high survival rate of the grafted combination with willow scion and poplar rootstock. Subcellular localization identified that the SrXTH16, SrXTH17, SrXTH25, PcXTH17 and PcXTH22 proteins were located on the cell walls. Transcription factors (NAC, MYB and DOF) may regulate the five XTH genes.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides a new understanding of the roles of PcXTH and SrXTH genes and their roles in grafting. Our results will give some hints to explore the molecular mechanisms of PcXTH and SrXTH genes involved in grafting in the future.

Artificial warming affects sugar signals and flavonoid accumulation to improve female willows' growth faster than males

Increasing global warming is severely affecting tree growth and development. However, research on the sex-specific responses of dioecious trees to warming is scarce. Here, male and female Salix paraplesia were selected for artificial warming (an increase of 4 °C relative to ambient temperature) to investigate the effects on morphological, physiological, biochemical and molecular responses. The results showed that warming significantly promoted the growth of female and male S. paraplesia, but females grew faster than males. Warming affected photosynthesis, chloroplast structures, peroxidase activity, proline, flavonoids, nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs) and phenolic contents in both sexes. Interestingly, warming increased flavonoid accumulation in female roots and male leaves but inhibited it in female leaves and male roots. The transcriptome and proteome results indicated that differentially expressed genes and proteins were significantly enriched in sucrose and starch metabolism and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways. The integrative analysis of transcriptomic, proteomic, biochemical and physiological data revealed that warming changed the expression of SpAMY, SpBGL, SpEGLC and SpAGPase genes, resulting in the reduction of NSCs and starch and the activation of sugar signaling, particularly SpSnRK1s, in female roots and male leaves. These sugar signals subsequently altered the expression of SpHCTs, SpLAR and SpDFR in the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway, ultimately leading to the differential accumulation of flavonoids in female and male S. paraplesia. Therefore, warming causes sexually differential responses of S. paraplesia, with females performing better than males.

Spatial transcriptomics analysis of esophageal squamous precancerous lesions and their progression to esophageal cancer

Esophageal squamous precancerous lesions (ESPL) are the precursors of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) including low-grade and high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia. Due to the absence of molecular indicators, which ESPL will eventually develop into ESCC and thus should be treated is not well defined. Indicators, for predicting risks of ESCC at ESPL stages, are an urgent need. We perform spatial whole-transcriptome atlas analysis, which can eliminate other tissue interference by sequencing the specific ESPL regions. In this study, the expression of TAGLN2 significantly increases, while CRNN expression level decreases along the progression of ESCC. Additionally, TAGLN2 protein level significantly increases in paired after-progression tissues compared with before-progression samples, while CRNN expression decreases. Functional studies suggest that TAGLN2 promotes ESCC progression, while CRNN inhibits it by regulating cell proliferation. Taken together, TAGLN2 and CRNN are suggested as candidate indicators for the risk of ESCC at ESPL stages.

Preclinical evaluation of Mito-LND, a targeting mitochondrial metabolism inhibitor, for glioblastoma treatment

BACKGROUND

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a brain tumor with the highest level of malignancy and the worst prognosis in the central nervous system. Mitochondrial metabolism plays a vital role in the occurrence and development of cancer, which provides critical substances to support tumor anabolism. Mito-LND is a novel small-molecule inhibitor that can selectively inhibit the energy metabolism of tumor cells. However, the therapeutic effect of Mito-LND on GBM remains unclear.

METHODS

The present study evaluated the inhibitory effect of Mito-LND on the growth of GBM cells and elucidated its potential mechanism.

RESULTS

The results showed that Mito-LND could inhibit the survival, proliferation and colony formation of GBM cells. Moreover, Mito-LND induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Mechanistically, Mito-LND inhibited the activity of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I and reduced mitochondrial membrane potential, thus promoting ROS generation. Importantly, Mito-LND could inhibit the malignant proliferation of GBM by blocking the Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway. In vivo experiments showed that Mito-LND inhibited the growth of GBM xenografts in mice and significantly prolonged the survival time of tumor-bearing mice.

CONCLUSION

Taken together, the current findings support that targeting mitochondrial metabolism may be as a potential and promising strategy for GBM therapy, which will lay the theoretical foundation for further clinical trials on Mito-LND in the future.

Using the H2O Automatic Machine Learning Algorithms to Identify Predictors of Web-Based Medical Record Nonuse Among Patients in a Data-Rich Environment: Mixed Methods Study

BACKGROUND

With the advent of electronic storage of medical records and the internet, patients can access web-based medical records. This has facilitated doctor-patient communication and built trust between them. However, many patients avoid using web-based medical records despite their greater availability and readability.

OBJECTIVE

On the basis of demographic and individual behavioral characteristics, this study explores the predictors of web-based medical record nonuse among patients.

METHODS

Data were collected from the National Cancer Institute 2019 to 2020 Health Information National Trends Survey. First, based on the data-rich environment, the chi-square test (categorical variables) and 2-tailed t tests (continuous variables) were performed on the response variables and the variables in the questionnaire. According to the test results, the variables were initially screened, and those that passed the test were selected for subsequent analysis. Second, participants were excluded from the study if any of the initially screened variables were missing. Third, the data obtained were modeled using 5 machine learning algorithms, namely, logistic regression, automatic generalized linear model, automatic random forest, automatic deep neural network, and automatic gradient boosting machine, to identify and investigate factors affecting web-based medical record nonuse. The aforementioned automatic machine learning algorithms were based on the R interface (R Foundation for Statistical Computing) of the H2O (H2O.ai) scalable machine learning platform. Finally, 5-fold cross-validation was adopted for 80% of the data set, which was used as the training data to determine hyperparameters of 5 algorithms, and 20% of the data set was used as the test data for model comparison.

RESULTS

Among the 9072 respondents, 5409 (59.62%) had no experience using web-based medical records. Using the 5 algorithms, 29 variables were identified as crucial predictors of nonuse of web-based medical records. These 29 variables comprised 6 (21%) sociodemographic variables (age, BMI, race, marital status, education, and income) and 23 (79%) variables related to individual lifestyles and behavioral habits (such as electronic and internet use, individuals' health status and their level of health concern, etc). H2O's automatic machine learning methods have a high model accuracy. On the basis of the performance of the validation data set, the optimal model was the automatic random forest with the highest area under the curve in the validation set (88.52%) and the test set (82.87%).

CONCLUSIONS

When monitoring web-based medical record use trends, research should focus on social factors such as age, education, BMI, and marital status, as well as personal lifestyle and behavioral habits, including smoking, use of electronic devices and the internet, patients' personal health status, and their level of health concern. The use of electronic medical records can be targeted to specific patient groups, allowing more people to benefit from their usefulness.

In situ polymerized ionic liquids in polyester fiber composite membranes for detection of trace oil

In situ trace detection on ultra-clean surfaces is an important technology. The polyester fiber (PF) was introduced to serve as the template, to which the ionic liquids were bonded by hydrogen bonding. Polymerized ionic liquids (PIL) in PF were formed by in situ polymerization with the azodiisobutyronitrile (AIBN) and IL. The trace oil on metal surfaces was enriched by the composite membrane based on similar compatibility principle. The absolute recovery of the trace oil ranged from 91%-99% using this composite membrane. In the extraction samples, desirable linear correlations were obtained for trace oil in the range of 1.25-20 mg/mL. It has been proven that a 1 cm² PIL-PF composite membrane can effectively extract as little as 1 mg of lubricating oil on an ultra-clean metal surface of 0.1 m² with the LOD of 0.9 mg/mL, making it a promising material for in situ detection of trace oil on metal surfaces.

Phase-Selective Synthesis of Cobalt Sulfide Heterostructure Catalysts as Efficient Counter electrodes in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Developing a cost-saving, high-efficiency, and simple synthesis of counter electrode (CE) material to replace pricy Pt for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) has become a research hotspot. Owing to the electronic coupling effects between various components, semiconductor heterostructures can significantly enhance the catalytic performance and endurance of counter electrodes. However, the strategy to controllably synthesize the same element in several phase heterostructures used as the CE in DSSCs is still absent. Here, we fabricate well-defined CoS2/CoS heterostructures and use them as CE catalysts in DSSCs. The as-designed CoS2/CoS heterostructures display high catalytic performance and endurance for the triiodide reduction in DSSCs thanks to the combined and synergistic effects. As a result, a DSSC with CoS2/CoS achieves a high power conversion efficiency of 9.47% under illumination, surpassing that of pristine Pt-based CE (9.20%). Besides, the CoS2/CoS heterostructures possess a quick activity initiation process and extended stability, broadening their potential applications in various areas. Therefore, our proposed synthetic approach could offer new insights for synthesizing functional heterostructure materials with improved catalytic activities in DSSCs.

Short-term effect of apparent temperature on daily hospitalizations for osteoporotic fractures in Beijing, China: A retrospective observational study

BACKGROUND

Studies on the associations between temperature and osteoporotic fractures (OF) hospitalizations are limited. This study aimed to assess the short-term effect of apparent temperature (AT) on the risk of OF hospitalizations.

METHODS

This retrospective observational study was conducted in Beijing Jishuitan Hospital from 2004 to 2021. Daily OF hospitalizations, meteorological variables and fine particulate matter were collected. A Poisson generalized linear regression model combined with a distributed lag non-linear model was applied to analyze the lag-exposure-response relationship between AT and the number of OF hospitalizations. Subgroup analysis by gender, age and fracture type was also conducted.

RESULTS

Total daily hospitalization visits for OF during the studied period were 35,595. The exposure-response curve of AT and OF presented a non-linear relationship, with optimum apparent temperature (OAT) at 28.40 °C. Taking OAT as the reference, the cold effect (-10.58 °C, 2.5th percentage) on single lag day had statistical significance from the current day of exposure (RR = 1.18, 95 % CI: 1.08-1.28) to lag 4 day (RR = 1.04, 95 % CI: 1.01-1.08), while the cumulative cold effect increased the risk of OF hospitalization visits from lag 0 to 14 days, with the maximum RR over lag 0-14 days (RR = 1.84, 95 % CI: 1.21-2.79). There were no significant risks of OF hospitalizations for warm effects (32.53 °C, 97.5th percentage) on single or cumulative lag days. The cold effect might be more evident among females, patients aged 80 years or older, and patients with hip fractures.

CONCLUSION

Exposure to cold temperatures is associated with an increased risk of OF hospitalizations. Females, patients aged 80 years or older and patients with hip fractures might be more vulnerable to the cold effect of AT.

The Fate of Heavy Metals and Risk Assessment of Heavy Metal in Pyrolysis Coupling with Acid Washing Treatment for Sewage Sludge

Pyrolysis is an emerging and effective means for sludge disposal. Biochar derived from sludge has broad application prospects, however, is limited by heavy metals. In this study, the fate of heavy metals (HMs) in pyrolysis coupling with acid washing treatment for sewage sludge was comprehensively investigated for the first time. Most of the HMs redistributed in the pyrolyzed residues (biochar) after pyrolysis, and the enrichment order of the HMs was: Zn > Cu > Ni > Cr. Compared with various washing agents, phosphoric acid presented a superior washing effect on most heavy metals (Cu, Zn, and Cr) in biochars derived at low pyrolysis temperature and Ni in biochars derived at high pyrolysis temperature. The optimal washing conditions for heavy metals (including Cu, Zn, Cr, and Ni) removal by H₃PO₄ were obtained by batch washing experiments and the response surface methodology (RSM). The total maximum HM removal efficiency was 95.05% under the optimal washing specifications by H₃PO₄ (acid concentration of 2.47 mol/L, L/S of 9.85 mL/g, and a washing temperature of 71.18 °C). Kinetic results indicated that the washing process of heavy metals in sludge and biochars was controlled by a mixture of diffusion and surface chemical reactions. After phosphoric acid washing, the leaching concentrations of HMs in the solid residue were further reduced compared with that of biochar, which were below the USEPA limit value (5 mg/L). The solid residue after pyrolysis coupling with acid washing resulted in a low environmental risk for resource utilization (the values of the potential ecological risk index were lower than 20). This work provides an environmentally friendly alternative of pyrolysis coupling with acid washing treatment for sewage sludge from the viewpoint of the utilization of solid waste.

Summer O3 pollution cycle characteristics and VOCs sources in a central city of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area, China

One of the major pollutants influencing urban air quality in China is O₃. O₃ is the second most important pollutant affecting air quality in Shijiazhuang, which is the third largest city in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area and the provincial capital of Hebei province. To fully understand the characteristics of O₃ and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are O₃ precursors, and the role of VOCs to ozone formation, we measured the hourly concentrations of O₃ and 85 VOCs in Shijiazhuang continuously from January to November 2020, and the concentration characteristics of both together with the chemical reactivity and sources of VOCs were analyzed from a seasonal perspective. The O₃ concentration in Shijiazhuang showed a phenomenon of high summer and low winter, and the VOCs showed a phenomenon of high winter and low spring. In the summer when the O₃ exceedance rate is the highest, the time-domain variation characteristics of O₃ were analyzed by wavelet analysis model, and the main periods controlling the O₃ concentration variation in Shijiazhuang in summer 2020 were 52 days, 32 days, 19 days and 12 days. The maximum incremental reactivity (MIR) and propylene equivalence method indicated ethene, propylene and 1-pentene were common substances in the top five species of each season. The T/B, Iso-p/N-p, Iso-p/E, N-p/E, and positive matrix factorization (PMF) model showed that industrial source (18.62%-22.03%) and vehicle emission (13.20%-17.69%) were the major VOCs sources in Shijiazhuang. Therefore, to control the O₃ concentration in Shijiazhuang, it is necessary to decrease alkenes emissions as well as VOCs from industrial source and vehicle emission.

Risk of ozone exposure-induced fracture

Introduction

Ozone (O3) is known to induce oxidative stress that influences various cells and tissues, which may further lead to diminished bone mineral density. Nevertheless, few studies have investigated the association between O3 exposure and fractures. Considering the similar growing trends of O3 concentrations and fracture morbidity in recent years, in the present study, we aimed to examine whether O3 exposure is associated with the fracture morbidity.

Methods

Using a retrospective cohort study design, we analyzed the records of 8,075 patients with fracture admitted in the warm season to Beijing Jishuitan Hospital from 2014 to 2019 and matched them to the corresponding exposure time and concentration of O3.

Results

The results showed that increased odds of fracture were associated with increased O3 concentrations, presumably because O3 induces oxidative stress (OS) that leads to bone mineral density (BMD) loss.

Discussion

Our findings suggest that O3 exposure is a risk factor for fractures, providing new evidence of the adverse health effect induced by air pollution. We can conclude that more intensive air pollution control is needed for the prevention of fracture occurrence.

Conductive and self-healing hydrogel for flexible electrochemiluminescence sensor

A flexible electrochemiluminescence (ECL) hydrogel sensor exhibiting good self-healing was constructed. A transparent self-healing oxidized sodium alginate/hydrazide polyethylene glycol (OSA/PEG-DH) hydrogel was prepared by crosslinking dynamic covalent acylhydrazone bond. The introduction of 4-amino-DL-phenylalanine, a catalyst with good biocompatibility, allows rapid gelation and self-healing of hydrogel under mild conditions. Using the hydrogel as the sensing substrate, the ionic liquid (IL) 2-hydroxy-N,N,N-trimethylethanaminium chloride and the luminescent reagent N-(aminobutyl)-N-(ethylisoluminol) (ABEI) were simultaneously immobilized in the OSA/PEG-DH hydrogel to obtain the ABEI/IL/OSA/PEG-DH hydrogel. The ABEI/IL/OSA/PEG-DH hydrogel can be directly used as a semi-solid electrolyte for constructing a flexible ECL hydrogel sensor for the detection of H₂O₂, which acted as a coreactant of ABEI. The prepared flexible ECL sensor showed good self-healing performance, can restore ECL signal intensity within 20 min after physical damage, and showed high accuracy in the analysis of complex serum samples. This research shed new light on the development of flexible ECL sensor for bioanalytical applications.

[Study on protective effects and mechanisms of total glucosides of Paeony on Graves disease in BALB/c mice]

Objective: To investigate the protective effect and its immunoregulatory mechanism of Total Glucosides of Paeony (TGP) against Graves' Disease (GD) model on BALB/c mice. Methods: Fifty female (6 weeks old, weighing 16-18 g) BALB/c mice of specific pathogen free were divided into control group according to random number table method, model group, early low-dose TGP intervention group (250 mg·kg^-1·d^-1), early high-dose TGP intervention group (500 mg·kg^-1·d^-1), and late TGP intervention group, with 10 mice in each group. Except the control group, the other 4 groups were immunized 3 times (0, 3^rd, and 6^th week) with recombinant adenovirus expressing the thyroid stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) A subunit to establish the GD model. The early low-dose and high-dose intervention group were given diets containing different doses of TGP throughout the whole process, and the late intervention group was given diets containing low doses of TGP from the 1^st week after the 2^nd immunization (week 4). The levels of thyrotropin receptor antibody (TRAb) and total thyroxine (TT4) were detected in the tail venous blood of mice at the 4^th week. At the 10^th week, the serum TRAb and TT4 levels and the ratio of regulatory T cells (Treg) in each group were detected, and the pathological changes of thyroid tissue were observed. Serum helper T cell 1(Th1) and Th2 cell-related factors interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-12p70, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factors-α (TNF-α) were detected to investigate the protective effect of TGP on GD model in BALB/c mice and its mechanism. Results: At the 4^th week, The level of TT4 [(55.07±12.89) μg/L] in early high-dose intervention group was lower than that in model group [(74.33±8.63) μg/L] (all P<0.05). The level of TT4 in early low-dose intervention group and late intervention group and model group had no statistical significance (all P>0.05). TRAb level of mice between early low-dose, early high-dose, late intervention groups and model group was no significant difference (all P>0.05). At the 10^th week, TRAb [(90.00±26.89) U/L] and TT4[(32.66±8.11) μg/L] levels in the early high-dose intervention group were lower than those in the model group [(396.97±95.35) U/L, (73.70±16.33) μg/L] (all P<0.05). The TRAb and TT4 levels in the early low-dose intervention group and late intervention group were not significantly different from those in the model group (all P>0.05). The thyroid tissue of hyperthyroidism mice in the early high dose intervention group showed focal hypertrophic changes, while the thyroid tissue of other hyperthyroidism mice showed diffuse hypertrophic changes. The CD4⁺CD25⁺/CD4⁺Treg ratio in early high-dose intervention group was higher than that in model group at the 10^th week (4 weeks after three recombinant adenovirus immunization) (P<0.05). Compared with the model group at the 10^th week, the levels of IL-2, IL-12p70 and IFN-γ in the early high-dose intervention group were all decreased (all P<0.05), and the levels of IL-10 were increased (P<0.05). Conclusion: Early high-dose (500 mg·kg^-1·d^-1) TGP intervention group displays a protective effect against GD mice, the mechanism of which may be related to regulatory T cell function changes and Th1/Th2 cytokine balance restoration.

Erianin suppresses constitutive activation of MAPK signaling pathway by inhibition of CRAF and MEK1/2

Constitutive activation of RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK signaling pathway (MAPK pathway) frequently occurs in many cancers harboring RAS or RAF oncogenic mutations. Because of the paradoxical activation induced by a single use of BRAF or MEK inhibitors, dual-target RAF and MEK treatment is thought to be a promising strategy. In this work, we evaluated erianin is a novel inhibitor of CRAF and MEK1/2 kinases, thus suppressing constitutive activation of the MAPK signaling pathway induced by BRAF V600E or RAS mutations. KinaseProfiler enzyme profiling, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), cellular thermal shift assay, computational docking, and molecular dynamics simulations were utilized to screen and identify erianin binding to CRAF and MEK1/2. Kinase assay, luminescent ADP detection assay, and enzyme kinetics assay were investigated to identify the efficiency of erianin in CRAF and MEK1/2 kinase activity. Notably, erianin suppressed BRAF V600E or RAS mutant melanoma and colorectal cancer cell by inhibiting MEK1/2 and CRAF but not BRAF kinase activity. Moreover, erianin attenuated melanoma and colorectal cancer in vivo. Overall, we provide a promising leading compound for BRAF V600E or RAS mutant melanoma and colorectal cancer through dual targeting of CRAF and MEK1/2.

Sn Anodes Protected by Intermetallic FeSn2 Layers for Long-lifespan Sodium-ion Batteries with High Initial Coulombic Efficiency of 93.8

With a theoretical capacity of 847 mAh g^-1 , Sn has emerged as promising anode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, enormous volume expansion and agglomeration of nano Sn lead to low Coulombic efficiency and poor cycling stability. Herein, an intermetallic FeSn₂ layer is designed via thermal reduction of polymer-Fe₂ O₃ coated hollow SnO₂ spheres to construct a yolk-shell structured Sn/FeSn₂ @C. The FeSn₂ layer can relieve internal stress, avoid the agglomeration of Sn to accelerate the Na⁺ transport, and enable fast electronic conduction, which endows quick electrochemical dynamics and long-term stability. As a result, the Sn/FeSn₂ @C anode exhibits high initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE=93.8 %) and a high reversible capacity of 409 mAh g^-1 at 1 A g^-1 after 1500 cycles, corresponding to an 80 % capacity retention. In addition, NVP//Sn/FeSn₂ @C sodium-ion full cell shows outstanding cycle stability (capacity retaining rate of 89.7 % after 200 cycles at 1 C).

[Effect of methylene blue labeling on therapeutic effect and prognosis of gastric cancer patients in D2 radical gastrectomy under laparoscope]

Objective: To investigate the effect of methylene blue tracing on the effect of surgical resection and the prognosis of gastric cancer patients in D2 radical surgery under laparoscope. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, 160 patients with advanced gastric cancer who underwent surgical treatment in Xinxiang Central Hospital, the 4th Clinical College of Xinxiang Medical College from January 2016 to January 2019 were selected for retrospective analysis. Among them, 84 patients underwent laparoscopic D2 radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer combined with methylene blue labeling operation (labeling group), and the other 76 patients underwent only laparoscopic D2 radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer (control group). The difference of intraoperative and postoperative recovery, lymph node dissection, and postoperative 3-year cumulative survival rate between the two groups were analyzed. Results: The age of patients in the labeled group and the control group were (64.9±7.8) and (66.0±8.3) years old, respectively (P=0.389); And the male patients accounted for 61.9% (52 cases) and 55.3% (42 cases), respectively (P=0.394); The operation time in the labeled group was (218.5±19.6) min, which was shorter than that in the control group (230.1±17.4) min (P<0.001). There was no significant difference between the labeled group and the control group in the amount of bleeding during operation, the time of anal exhaust after operation, the time of eating after operation, the time of hospitalization after operation, and the average diameter of lymph nodes (P>0.05). The total number of dissected lymph nodes, D1 lymph nodes and D2 lymph nodes in the labeled group were significantly higher than those in the control group (all P values<0.05). The operative complication rate in the labeled group was 11.9% (10 cases), which was lower than that in the control group (25.0%, 19 cases) (P=0.032); There was no statistical significance in 3-year cumulative survival rates of patients between the labeled group (61.9%) and the control group (52.6%) (χ²=3.46,P=0.065). Conclusion: The use of methylene blue tracing in laparoscopic D2 radical surgery for gastric cancer is beneficial to reduce the operation time, improve the lymph node clearance rate, and reduce surgical complications.

Important revelations of different degrees of COVID-19 lockdown on improving regional air quality: a case study of Shijiazhuang, China

To control the spread of COVID-19, Shijiazhuang implemented two lockdowns of different magnitudes in 2020 (lockdown I) and 2021 (lockdown II). We analyzed the changes in air quality index (AQI), PM_2.5, O₃, and VOCs during the two lockdowns and the same period in 2019 and quantified the effects of anthropogenic sources during the lockdowns. The results show that AQI decreased by 13.2% and 32.4%, and PM_2.5 concentrations decreased by 12.9% and 42.4% during lockdown I and lockdown II, respectively, due to the decrease in urban traffic mobility and industrial activity levels. However, the sudden and unreasonable emission reductions led to an increase in O₃ concentrations by 160.6% and 108.4%, respectively, during the lockdown period. To explore the causes of the O₃ surge, the major precursors NO_x and VOCs were studied separately, and the main VOCs species affecting ozone formation during the lockdown period and the source variation of VOCs were identified, and it is important to note that the relationship between diurnal variation characteristics of VOCs and cooking became apparent during the lockdown period. These findings suggest that regional air quality can be improved by limiting production, but attention should be paid to the surge of O₃ caused by unreasonable emission reductions, clarifying the control priorities for urban O₃ management.

Strengthened removal of emerging contaminants over S/Fe codoped activated carbon fabricated by a mild one-step thermal transformation scheme

Thermal transformation of carbonized materials to functional activated carbon (AC) is a simplified, economical and eco-friendly strategy, which has great potential in the practical applications of water purification. Herein, a S/Fe codoped activated carbon (S/Fe@AC) with only 0.90 wt% S and 0.76 wt% Fe was creatively fabricated by one synchronous method of physical activation, carbothermal reduction and sulfidation in the solid phase. The formed iron sulfide shell significantly enhances the antioxidation ability of nanoscale zero-valent iron (NZVI, >180 d) and dramatically improves the hydrophobicity of the composite. Meanwhile, the doped thiophenic S in AC enhances the hydrophobicity and increases the specific surface area to 1194.14 m² g^-1. Incorporating with AC in turn greatly strengthens the dispersibility and stability of sulfurized NZVI particles. Compared to NZVI@AC, AC and NZVI, the removal capacity of S/Fe@AC for the representative hydrophobic contaminant-triclosan (TCS) increases to 519.68 mg g^-1 by 66.60%, 78.60% and 981.21%, respectively, outperforming most of the previously reported materials. The strong hydrophobic and π-π interactions, and weak hydrogen bonding and electrostatic repulsion are responsible for the excellent removal performance for TCS. More importantly, the improved chemical property (29.38%) of the composite caused by the doped S/Fe has a greater effect on TCS removal compared with the changed physical structure (14.56%). Furthermore, the stable S/Fe@AC shows strong anti-interference capability and exceptional regenerability. These intriguing discoveries provide new insights into the design of advanced and sustainable adsorbing materials for emerging contaminants.

UBA1 inhibition contributes radiosensitization of glioblastoma cells via blocking DNA damage repair

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a brain tumor with high mortality and recurrence rate. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy after surgery are the main treatment options available for GBM. However, patients with glioblastoma have a grave prognosis. The major reason is that most GBM patients are resistant to radiotherapy. UBA1 is considered an attractive potential anti-tumor therapeutic target and a key regulator of DNA double-strand break repair and genome replication in human cells. Therefore, we hypothesized that TAK-243, the first-in-class UBA1 inhibitor, might increase GBM sensitivity to radiation. The combined effect of TAK-243 and ionizing radiation on GBM cell proliferation, and colony formation ability was detected using CCK-8, colony formation, and EdU assays. The efficacy of TAK-243 combined with ionizing radiation for GBM was further evaluated in vivo, and the mechanism of TAK-243 sensitizing radiotherapy was preliminarily discussed. The results showed that TAK-243, in combination with ionizing radiation, significantly inhibited GBM cell proliferation, colony formation, cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase, and increased the proportion of apoptosis. In addition, UBA1 inhibition by TAK-243 substantially increased the radiation-induced γ-H2AX expression and impaired the recruitment of the downstream effector molecule 53BP1. Therefore, TAK-243 inhibited the radiation-induced DNA double-strand break repair and thus inhibited the growth of GBM cells. Our results provided a new therapeutic strategy for improving the radiation sensitivity of GBM and laid a theoretical foundation and experimental basis for further clinical trials.

Base MRI Imaging Characteristics of Meningioma Patients to Discuss the WHO Classification of Brain Invasion Otherwise Benign Meningiomas

PURPOSE

Compared and analyzed the MRI imaging features of brain invasion otherwise benign (BIOB) meningiomas and WHO grade 1, grade 2 meningiomas, discussed the WHO grading of BIOB from the perspective of imaging.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed on 675 meningiomas patients who carried on MRI examination from January 2006 to February 2022. Setting the 2022 Central nervous system (CNS) WHO Guidelines as the gold standard for pathological diagnosis. Statistical analysis of age, gender, and MRI features of meningiomas in relation to WHO grade and brain invasion.

RESULTS

Among 675 cases meningiomas, 543 (80.4%) were WHO grade 1, 123 (18.2%) were WHO grade 2, and 9 (1.3%) were WHO grade 3. There were 108 cases meningiomas with brain invasion (BI) (16.0%) and 567 cases without BI (84.0%). Among BI cases, 67 cases were BIOB. Compared the MRI features between BIOB and WHO grade 1 meningiomas, multivariate analysis demonstrated that the most strongly factors associated with distinguish them were enhancement degree, peritumoral edema, tumor-brain interface, fingerlike protrusion, mushroom sign, and bone invasion (AUC: 0.925 (0.901∼0.945), sensitivity: 0.925, specificity: 0.801). Compared the MRI features between BIOB and WHO grade 2 meningiomas, multivariate analysis demonstrated that the most strongly factors associated with distinguish them were enhancement degree and the tumor-brain interface (AUC: 0.779 (0.686∼0.841), sensitivity: 0.746, specificity: 0.732), their efficacy was slightly weaker.

CONCLUSIONS

BIOB is more similar to WHO grade 2 meningiomas in clinical and imaging features than WHO grade 1, so we think that it may be reasonable to classify BIOB as WHO Grade 2 meningiomas in the guidelines.

[The prevalence of atrial cardiomyopathy in patients with different types of acute ischemic stroke and its relationship with cryptogenic stroke]

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of atrial cardiomyopathy in patients with different types of acute ischemic stroke and its relationship with cryptogenic stroke. Methods: Patients with acute ischemic stroke within 7 days of onset who were admitted to the Department of Neurology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January to September 2019 were prospectively and consecutively enrolled. All included patients were classified according to TOAST classification of ischemic stroke. Chi-square test was used to compare the prevalence of atrial cardiomyopathy among patients with different TOAST classifications. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the related factors of cryptogenic stroke. Results: A total of 1 098 patients with acute ischemic stroke were enrolled in the study, including 661 males and 437 females, with a median age [M(Q₁,Q₃)] of 61 (53, 68) years. The prevalence of atrial cardiomyopathy in patients with cryptogenic stroke[53.5% (46/86)] was higher than that in patients with large artery atherosclerosis [38.0%(63/166), P=0.018] and small vessel occlusion [19.4%(37/191), P<0.001], but was lower than that of patients in the cardioembolic group [97.3% (72/74), P<0.001]. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that atrial cardiomyopathy was an associated factor for cryptogenic stroke (OR=2.945, 95%CI: 1.766-4.911, P<0.001). Conclusions: Atrial cardiomyopathy is associated with cryptogenic stroke. The prevalence of atrial cardiomyopathy in patients with cryptogenic stroke is higher than that in patients with large artery atherosclerosis and small vessel occlusion, but lower than that in patients with cardiac embolism.

Medicarpin Improves Depressive-Like Behaviors in a Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress-Induced Mouse Model of Depression by Upregulating Liver X Receptor β Expression in the Amygdala

Presently, the regulatory mechanism underlying depression is indistinct, and almost 50% of depression sufferers undergo no apparent effects during treatment. This study explored the effects of medicarpin on depressive-like behaviors in a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced mouse model of depression. The results of network pharmacological analysis revealed that liver X receptor β (LXRβ) might be a potential target of medicarpin and depression. The LXRβ level was reduced in the amygdala of mice induced by CUMS; however, this effect was suppressed by co-treatment with medicarpin. Medicarpin treatment ameliorated depressive-like behaviors in CUMS-induced mice by modulating LXRβ level. Moreover, medicarpin treatment reduced M1 polarization and enhanced M2 polarization of amygdala microglia in CUMS-induced mice, as well as increased GFAP level in the amygdala. Medicarpin treatment also suppressed CUMS-induced inflammation and hindered nuclear factor-κ B (NF-κB) signaling activation. These data indicate that medicarpin activated astrocytes and inhibited microglia M1 polarization while promoted M2 polarization by enhancing the expression of LXRβ. Hence, our results suggest that medicarpin could have a positive effect on the treatment of depression, and LXRβ could serve as a novel therapeutic target.

Topical Application of Butyl Flufenamate Ointment Promotes Cranial Defect Healing in Mice by Inducing BMP2 Secretion in Skin Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Bone defects and fractures heal slowly compared with injuries to other tissues, creating a heavy burden for patients, their families, and society. Alongside conventional treatment methods for fractures and bone defects, adjuvant therapies play an important but underappreciated role. In a previous study, we found that systemic administration of flufenamic acid promoted osteogenesis in vivo, but its side effects limited the application of our findings. In the present study, we assess the effects of external butyl flufenamate ointment on the healing of cranial defects in mice. We found that application of butyl flufenamate ointment on the surface of the skin accelerated the healing of cranial defects in mice by promoting BMP2 secretion from mouse-skin mesenchymal stem-cells. These findings indicate that butyl flufenamate ointment has potential therapeutic value for treating superficial fractures or bone defects while avoiding the toxicity and side effects of systemic medication, representing a safe and convenient adjuvant therapy to promote healing of superficial bone defects and fractures.

Plagiodera versicolora feeding induces systemic and sexually differential defense responses in poplars

Dioecious plants have evolved effective defense strategies to deal with various biotic and abiotic stresses. However, little is known regarding sexual differences in their defense against herbivores. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of systemic defense responses in male and female Populus cathayana attacked by Plagiodera versicolora Laicharting. The results revealed that P. cathayana exhibits sexually differential responses to a defoliator. The percentage of damaged leaf area was greater in males than in females. Furthermore, the observed saccharide changes imply that males and females exhibit different response times to defoliators. The contents of flavonoids and anthocyanins were significantly increased in both sexes but were higher in females. Specifically, the jasmonic acid (JA) pathway plays an important role. Expression of pest-related genes further revealed that hormones induce changes in downstream genes and metabolites, and upregulation of JA ZIM-domain (JAZ) and CORONATINE INSENSITIVE 1 (COI1) was more significant in females. In the undamaged adjacent leaves, metabolite and gene changes displayed similar patterns to the damaged local leaves, but levels of JA, JAZ1, and COI1 were higher in females. Therefore, our data confirmed that plants initiate the JA pathway to defend against herbivores, that there is systematic signal transduction, and that this ability is stronger in females than in males. This study provides new insights into the resistance of dioecious plants to herbivory and adds a new theoretical basis for the systemic signal transduction of plants in response to biotic stress.

[The impact of the dosage of intraoperative opioids on postoperative survival outcomes in patients with pancreatic cancer]

Objective: To investigate the impact of the dosage of intraoperative opioids on postoperative survival of pancreatic cancer patients who underwent pancreatectomy. Methods: The clinical data of 95 patients with pancreatic cancer who underwent pancreatectomy at Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital from September 2013 to August 2018 were retrospectively collected. Dosage of intraoperative opioid medications was converted to fentanyl equivalent dose. Patients were divided into high-dose group (fentanyl consumption ≥2.21 mg, n=46) and low-dose group (fentanyl consumption<2.21 mg, n=49) according to the median intra-operative fentanyl equivalents. The relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) between the two groups were compared. Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to analyze the impact of important covariates on RFS and OS. Results: RFS of patients in low-dose group at 1, 3 and 5 years was 75.5%, 26.5% and 15.2% respectively. OS of patients in low-dose group at 1, 3 and 5 years was 77.6%, 32.5% and 24.4% respectively. RFS of patients in high-dose group at 1, 3 and 5 years was 76.1%, 23.9% and 12.0% respectively. OS of patients in high-dose group at 1, 3 and 5 years was 76.1%, 37.0% and 15.0%. There was no significant difference in RFS and OS between the two groups (all P>0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis showed that dosage of intraoperative fentanyl was not associated with RFS (HR=1.205, 95%CI: 0.737-1.970, P=0.456) or OS (HR=1.062, 95%CI: 0.634-1.778, P=0.818). Conclusion: Dosage of intraoperative opioid has no effect on RFS and OS in pancreatic cancer patients undergoing pancreatectomy.

A c-Fos activation map in nitroglycerin/levcromakalim-induced models of migraine

Background

Chronic migraine is a common and highly disabling disorder. Functional MRI has indicated that abnormal brain region activation is linked with chronic migraine. Drugs targeting the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) or its receptor have been reported to be efficient for treating chronic migraine. The CGRP signaling was also shared in two types of chronic migraine models (CMMs). However, it remains unclear whether the activation of specific brain regions could contribute to persistent behavioral sensitization, and CGRP receptor antagonists relieve migraine-like pain in CMMs by altering specific brain region activation. Therefore, it’s of great interest to investigate brain activation pattern and the effect of olcegepant (a CGRP receptor-specific antagonist) treatment on alleviating hyperalgesia by altering brain activation in two CMMs, and provide a reference for future research on neural circuits.

Methods

Repeated administration of nitroglycerin (NTG) or levcromakalim (LEV) was conducted to stimulate human migraine-like pain and establish two types of CMMs in mice. Mechanical hypersensitivity was evaluated by using the von Frey filament test. Then, we evaluated the activation of different brain regions with c-Fos and NeuN staining. Olcegepant was administered to explore its effect on mechanical hyperalgesia and brain region activation.

Results

In two CMMs, acute and basal mechanical hyperalgesia was observed, and olcegepant alleviated mechanical hyperalgesia. In the NTG-induced CMM, the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and the caudal part of the spinal trigeminal nucleus (Sp5c) showed a significant increase of c-Fos expression in the NTG group (p < 0.05), while pre-treatment with olcegepant reduced c-Fos expression compared with NTG group (p < 0.05). No significant difference of c-Fos expression was found in the paraventricular thalamic nucleus (PVT) and ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) between the vehicle control and NTG group (p > 0.05). In the LEV-induced CMM, mPFC, PVT, and Sp5c showed a significant increase of c-Fos expression between vehicle control and LEV group, and olcegepant reduced c-Fos expression (p < 0.05). No significant difference in c-Fos expression was found in vlPAG and ACC (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

Our study demonstrated the activation of mPFC and Sp5c in two CMMs. Olcegepant may alleviate hyperalgesia of the hind paw and periorbital area by attenuating brain activation in CMMs.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s10194-022-01496-8.

[Effects of composite laser technique combined with multipoint microinjection of triamcinolone acetonide in the treatment of hypertrophic scars in burn children]

Objective: To explore the effects of pulsed dye laser (PDL) and ultra-pulsed fractional carbon dioxide laser (UFCL) combined with multipoint microinjection of triamcinolone acetonide in the treatment of red hypertrophic scar at early stage in burn children. Methods: A retrospective cohort before-after control study in the same patients was conducted. From February 2019 to December 2020, a total of 67 burn children who met the inclusion criteria (32 males and 35 females, aged 1 to 12 years) with red hyperplastic scar at early stage, were treated in Hunan Provincial People's Hospital (1st Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University). All the children were treated with composite laser technique (PDL and UFCL) combined with triamcinolone acetonide (hereinafter referred to as combined treatment). After 2 months, they received the second combined treatment. Before the first combined treatment and 6 months after the last combined treatment, the scar of children was evaluated with the patient and observer scar assessment scale (POSAS) by physicians and family members. Six months after the last combined treatment, the satisfaction of the patients' family members with the efficacy was recorded and the overall satisfaction rate was calculated. Adverse reactions were recorded throughout the treatment process. Data were statistically analyzed with paired sample t test. Results: Six months after the last combined treatment, the POSAS scores of children on the thickness, blood vessels distribution, color, surface roughness, texture, scope, and overall evaluation of scar evaluated by the physicians, and the POSAS scores of children on the color, degree of pain, degree of itching, hardness, thickness, shape and size, and overall evaluation of scar evaluated by the family members were significantly lower than those before the first combined treatment (with t values of 17.32, 16.73, 15.00, 14.91, 19.62, 28.74, 29.83, 17.43, 20.52, 29.01, 28.82, 24.91, 20.30, and 42.13, respectively, P<0.01). Six months after the last combined treatment, 62 (93%), 3 (4%), and 2 (3%) children's family members were very satisfied, satisfied, and relatively satisfied with the treatment effect, respectively, and the overall satisfaction rate was 97% (65/67). Six months after the last combined treatment, no scar thickening or infection occurred in all the wounds of children. Conclusions: Composite laser technique combined with multipoint microinjection of triamcinolone acetonide in the treatment of red hypertrophic scar at early stage in burn children can improve the appearance and texture of scar, reduce scar pain and pruritus, with high satisfaction of children's family members to the treatment effect and less adverse reactions.

Nanoscale zero-valent iron/silver@activated carbon-reduced graphene oxide: Efficient removal of trihalomethanes from drinking water

AC-supported nanoscale zero-valent iron composites (nZVI/AC) exhibit significant environmental implications for trihalomethanes (THMs)-contaminated water remediation. To improve the adsorption and degradation capability of AC, herein, a composite (nZVI/Ag@AC-RGO) consisting of AC, reduced graphene oxide (RGO), nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI), and silver (Ag) was synthesized and characterized using several techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, N₂ adsorption-desorption isotherms, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The analysis of textural and morphological structures showed that a tightly-attached RGO film, amorphous iron, and weak crystal silver nanoparticles with a size of 20-30 nm were evenly immobilized on the support. Specific surface area increased by 19.12% after supporting RGO, while it decreased after supporting nZVI and Ag due to the partial blockage of micropores. The Fe surface was concurrently coated by iron oxides (Fe₂O₃, FeOOH) and Ag. THMs were eliminated through multilayer reaction processes. The values of the adsorption constant (K_F) of chloroform (CHCl₃), dichlorobromoethane (CHBrCl₂), dibromochloroethane (CHBr₂Cl), and tribromomethane (CHBr₃) adsorbed by nZVI/Ag@AC-RGO increased by 34.4, 33.7, 81.6, and 67.3%, respectively, compared to pristine AC. THMs with more Br atoms exhibited better removal efficiency and adsorption capacity, along with a higher oxidation degree of the Fe surface. CHBrCl₂ and CHBr₂Cl mainly decomposed into chloromethane (CH₃Cl) and dichloromethane (CH₂Cl₂), and CHBr₃ and CHCl₃ primarily degraded into dibromomethane (CH₂Br₂) and CH₂Cl₂, respectively, along with generating Cl^- and Br^-. Conclusively, THMs-contaminated water could be remediated by coupling AC pre-enrichment and the reactivity of nZVI/Ag.

[Clinical characteristics and diagnosis and treatment strategies of patients with severe traumatic aortic injury]

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics and diagnosis and treatment strategies of patients with severe traumatic aortic injury (TAI). Methods: A total of 25 patients with TAI, who hospitalized in our hospital between August 2005 to March 2021 and underwent thoracic aortic endovascular repair (TEVAR), were included in this retrospective study. According to the time from admission to TEVAR, the patients were divided into emergency TEVAR group (14 cases, TEVAR within 24 h of admission) and elective TEVAR group (11 cases, patients underwent surgery or fracture reduction and fixation first for serious injuries and then underwent TEVAR more than 24 h after admission). The general clinical data of patients, injury severity score (ISS), time from admission to intervention, total hospital stay, the proportion of closed chest drainage and the proportion of abdominal organ repair were obtained and compared. Clinical follow-up and 1-year postoperative aortic computed tomography angiography (CTA) were performed on the patients. Death, the occurrence of aortic adverse events and injury recovery were followed up and recorded. Results: The mean age of these 25 TAI patients was (41.4±14.4) years, 20 patients were males (80.0%). 21 patients (84.0%) had persistent chest and back pain, 17 (68.0%) had pleural effusion and 5 (20.0%) had mediastinal hematoma. The injury severity score (ISS) was significantly higher in the elective TEVAR group than in the emergency TEVAR group (24.9±14.4 vs. 35.5±9.3, P=0.044). The time from admission to intervention ((1.0±0.0) d vs. (3.4±0.9) d, P<0.001], the time from admission to TEVAR ((1.0±0.0) d vs. (11.5±13.8) d, P=0.030) and total hospital stay ((6.1±2.3) d vs. (26.8±7.7) d, P<0.001) were significantly longer in elective TEVAR group than in emergency TEVAR group. The proportion of thoracic closed drainage was significantly lower in the elective TEVAR group than in the emergency TEVAR group (9 (64.3%) vs. 2 (18.2%), P=0.042). The proportion of abdominal organ repair was significantly higher than in the emergency TEVAR group (0 vs. 4 (36.4%), P=0.026). All of 25 patients were discharged alive and followed up for (84.0±30.5) months. All patients survived and completed 1-year postoperation CTA. There were no aortic adverse events occurred, and no complications after surgery, and the fractures and organ injuries healed well. Conclusions: The clinical characteristics of severe TAI are acute multi-injuries combined with persistent chest and/or back pain, pleural effusion, and mediastinal hematoma. Timely diagnosis and treatment are important factors for the outcome. The treatment strategy for multi-injuries should give priority to dealing with life-threatening injuries. TEVAR is the primary treatment strategy for severe TAI and is related to satisfactory outcomes.

Toll-like receptors and their role in neuropathic pain and migraine

Migraine is a complex neurological disease of unknown etiology involving both genetic and environmental factors. It has previously been reported that persistent pain may be mediated by the immune and inflammatory systems. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a significant role in immune and inflammatory responses and are expressed by microglia and astrocytes. One of the fundamental mechanisms of the innate immune system in coordinating inflammatory signal transduction is through TLRs, which protect the host organism by initiating inflammatory signaling cascades in response to tissue damage or stress. TLRs reside at the neuroimmune interface, and accumulating evidence has suggested that the inflammatory consequences of TLR activation on glia (mainly microglia and astrocytes), sensory neurons, and other cell types can influence nociceptive processing and lead to pain. Several studies have shown that TLRs may play a key role in neuropathic pain and migraine etiology by activating the microglia. The pathogenesis of migraine may involve a TLR-mediated crosstalk between neurons and immune cells. Innate responses in the central nervous system (CNS) occur during neuroinflammatory phenomena, including migraine. Antigens found in the environment play a crucial role in the inflammatory response, causing a broad range of diseases, including migraines. These can be recognized by several innate immune cells, including macrophages, microglia, and dendritic cells, and can be activated through TLR signaling. Given the prevalence of migraine and the insufficient efficacy and safety of current treatment options, a deeper understanding of TLRs is expected to provide novel therapies for managing chronic migraine. This review aimed to justify the view that TLRs may be involved in migraine.

Abstract 5755: Mutation profiling of homologous recombination-related (HRR) genes in sarcoma patients

BACKGROUND: Homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) is associated with tumorigenesis. Therapy directed toward HRD has been approved in breast and ovarian cancer, however, whether there is a chance of benefit for patients with other cancers remains unknown. Herein, we investigated the mutation characteristics of homologous recombination-related (HRR) genes in Chinese patients with sarcoma to explore possible benefit opportunities for sarcoma patients.

METHODS: The genetic landscape of HRR genes was assessed in 700 Chinese sarcoma patients with different subtypes including Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS, n = 67), Liposarcoma (LPS, n = 58), Osteosarcoma (n = 34), Synovial sarcoma (n = 30), Leiomyosarcoma (n = 29), Ewing's sarcoma (EWS, n = 27), Angiosarcoma (n = 20), other rare (n = 375) and unknown subtypes (n = 60). Molecular profiles were performed by using next generation sequencing (NGS)-based Onco Panscan plus࣪ at Genetronhealth, a laboratory accredited by College of American Pathologists and Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments.

RESULTS: Among the 700 patients, the overall mutation frequency of HRR genes was 19.0%. Correspond to specific subtypes, the mutation frequency of HRR genes were higher in Leiomyosarcoma (27.6%, 8/29), Angiosarcoma (25.0%, 5/20) and LPS (17.2%, 10/58) compared with RMS (14.9%, 10/67), Osteosarcoma (14.7%, 5/34), Synovial sarcoma (13.3%, 4/30) and EWS (3.7%, 1/27). ATRX was the most commonly mutated gene (5.1%, n = 36) and was preferentially identified in Leiomyosarcoma (10.3%) and Angiosarcoma. (10.0%), followed by ARID1A (3.1%, n = 22), ATM (2.1%, n = 15) and FANCA/C/D2/E/F/G/L (1.7%, n = 12). The median tumor mutational burden (TMB) was 2.35 in patients with HRD and 0.94 in patients without HRD. Although BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations were less common overall (1.1% and 0.7%), a significant proportion of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations was found in Angiosarcoma, Liposarcoma and Leiomyosarcoma (5.0%, 3.4% and 3.4%, respectively).

CONCLUSION: Our results reported the genetic landscape of HRR genes in Chinese sarcoma patients, providing a reference for the clinical application of PARP inhibitors.

Citation Format: Feng Gao, Xuejiao Liu, Xiaojuan Wang, Chunyang Wang, Tonghui Ma, Changsheng Yang. Mutation profiling of homologous recombination-related (HRR) genes in sarcoma patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 5755.

Abstract 5756: Next-generation sequencing (NGS) reveals different molecular profiles of pediatric sarcoma in children and adults

Background: Pediatric sarcomas represent approximately 12% of all pediatric cancers with over 100 subtypes. Although some molecular detection techniques can be used to assist the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric sarcoma, it still remains challenging due to overlapping morphological features and limited biopsy specimens. Here we performed next generation sequencing (NGS) to analyze the molecular profiles of pediatric and adult sarcomas in China.

Methods: A total of 700 Chinese patients with sarcoma were collected. The tumor tissue and matching blood specimens were tested by the integrative DNA and RNA sequencing panel Onco Panscan plus࣪ at Genetronhealth.

Results: Of the 700 sarcoma patients, there were 224 children (32%) and 476 adults (68%). Difference from the almost same ratio of men to women in adults, there were more males (n = 134) than females (n = 90) in children. Rhabdomyosarcoma was the most common soft tissue tumor in children, accounting for 24.1% (n = 54), followed by Ewing's sarcoma (9.8%, n = 22) and Osteosarcoma (8.5%, n = 34), while Angiosarcoma (3.8%, n = 18) and Fibrosarcoma (3.6%, n = 17) were the most common in adults. Based on mutation types, the frequent alterations were missense mutations (n = 326, 51.2%), fusions (n = 129, 20.3%) and copy number variants (n = 66, 10.4%) in children with a mean of 3 mutations per patient, and missense mutations (n = 1438, 66.8%), fusions (n = 221, 10.3%) and truncating mutations (n = 215, 10.0%) in adults with an average 5 mutations. TP53 (12.9%, n = 29), EWSR1 (8.9%, n = 20) and ALK mutations (6.7%, n = 15) were common in children, which was distinct from TP53 (29.4%, n = 140), NF1 (4.8%, n = 23), CTNNB1 (4.2%, n = 20) and RB1 (4.2%, n = 20) in adults. Based on NGS results, pathological subtypes could be confirmed in 40.2% (90/224) and 48.1% (229/476) of children and of adults sarcoma patients, respectively. In addition, we identified a total of 72 drug-targeted gene mutations in the 57 children patients, of which 35 (48.6%) gene mutations could be targeted by FDA-approved drugs. In adults, 256 drug-targeted gene mutations were detected and the proportion of actionable mutations was up to 78.9% (n = 202).

Conclusion: The genomic landscape of pediatric sarcomas is different from that of adults. NGS aids in the subtype classification and clinical guidance of pediatric sarcomas, providing evidence for personalized treatments with clinical benefit.

Citation Format: Weisong Cai, Fang Liu, Xuejiao Liu, Xiaojuan Wang, Chunyang Wang, Tonghui Ma, Shu Li. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) reveals different molecular profiles of pediatric sarcoma in children and adults [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 5756.