Genetic Modulation of Biosynthetic Gas Vesicles for Ultrasound Imaging

Gas vesicles (GVs) from microorganisms are genetically air-filled protein nanostructures, and serve as a new class of nanoscale contrast agents for ultrasound imaging. Recently, the genetically encoded GV gene clusters have been heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli, allowing these genetically engineered bacteria to be visualized in vivo in a real-time manner by ultrasound. However, most of the GV genes remained functionally uncharacterized, which makes it difficult to regulate and modify GVs for broad medical applications. Here, the impact of GV proteins on GV formation is systematically investigated. The results first uncovered that the deletions of GvpR or GvpU resulted in the formation of a larger proportion of small, biconical GVs compared to the full-length construct, and the deletion of GvpT resulted in a larger portion of large GVs. Meanwhile, the combination of gene deletions has resulted in several genotypes of ultrasmall GVs that span from 50 to 20 nm. Furthermore, the results showed that E. coli carrying the ΔGvpCRTU mutant can produce strong ultrasound contrast signals in mouse liver. In conclusion, the study provides new insights into the roles of GV proteins in GV formation and produce ultrasmall GVs with a wide range of in vivo research.

[A survey on the current situation of serum vitamin A and vitamin D levels among children aged 2-<7 years of 20 cities in China]

Objective: To investigate serum vitamin A and vitamin D status in children aged 2-<7 years in 20 cities in China. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 2 924 healthy children aged 2-<7 years were recruited from September 2018 to September 2019 from 20 cities in China, categorized by age groups of 2-<3 years, 3-<5 years, and 5-<7 years. The demographic and economic characteristics and health-related information of the enrolled children were investigated. Body weight and height were measured by professional staff members. The serum vitamin A and vitamin D levels were detected by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Chi-square test and Logistic regression were applied to analyze the association between vitamin A and vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency as well as their underlying impact factors. Results: The age of the 2 924 enrolled children was 4.33 (3.42, 5.17) years. There were 1 726 males (59.03%) and 1 198 females (40.97%). The prevalences of vitamin A and vitamin D deficiency in enrolled children were 2.19% (64/2 924) and 3.52% (103/2 924), respectively, and the insufficiency rates were 29.27% (856/2 924) and 22.20% (649/2 924), respectively. Children with both vitamin A and vitamin D deficiencies or insufficiencies were found in 10.50% (307/2 924) of cases. Both vitamin A (χ2=7.91 and 8.06, both P=0.005) and vitamin D (χ2=71.35 and 115.10, both P<0.001) insufficiency rates were higher in children aged 3-<5 and 5-<7 years than those in children aged 2-<3 years. Vitamin A and vitamin D supplementation in the last 3 months was a protective factor for vitamin A and D deficiency and insufficiency, respectively (OR=0.68 and 0.22, 95%CI 0.49-0.95 and 0.13-0.40, both P<0.05). The rates of vitamin A and D insufficiency was higher in children with annual household incomes <60 000 RMB than in those with annual household incomes ≥60 000 RMB (χ2=34.11 and 10.43, both P<0.01). Northwest and Southwest had the highest rates of vitamin A and vitamin D insufficiency in children aged 2-<7 yeas, respectively (χ2=93.22 and 202.54, both P<0.001). Conclusions: Among 20 cities in China, children aged 2-<7 years experience high rates of vitamin A and vitamin D insufficiency, which are affected by age, family economic level, vitamin A and vitamin D supplementation, and regional economic level. The current results suggest that high level of attention should be paid to vitamin A and vitamin D nutritional status of preschool children.

Improving the properties of polylactic acid/polypropylene carbonate blends through cardanol-induced compatibility enhancement

Cardanol (CD) is used as a reactive compatibilizer, and blended with polylactic acid (PLA) and polypropylene carbonate (PPC) resin (70/30(w/w)) to obtain a series of PLA/PPC/CD blends. The systematic study was conducted on the thermal properties, optical properties, rheological properties, mechanical properties, and microscopic morphology of the blend, by varying amounts of CD added to the blends. A detailed explanation and comprehensive analysis of the reaction mechanism between CD and PLA/PPC have been made. The study found that CD acts as a "bridge" between the PLA and PPC, forming the structure of a block copolymer (PLA-b-CD-b-PPC), and the copolymer can greatly improve the compatibility of PLA and PPC. When the amount of CD reaches 8 wt%, only one Tg is observed in the blend, simultaneously, PLA/PPC has already transitioned from a partially compatible system to a completely compatible system. At the same time, the addition of CD does not have any negative impact on the thermal stability of the PLA/PPC blend under processing temperature conditions, and the thermal stability of the PLA/PPC/CD blends can even be improved under extreme conditions. In addition, the addition of CD allows the PLA/PPC/CD blends to maintain a high light transmittance while reducing the opacity of the blend (the light transmittance remains above 92 %, and the opacity is reduced from 37 % to about 24 %), demonstrating excellent optical properties. Moreover, the elongation at break and impact strength of the PLA/PPC/CD blend both show a trend of first increasing and then decreasing with the increase of CD amount. When the CD amount varies within the range of 6- 8 wt%, the blends undergoes a brittle-ductile transition, and its toughness is greatly improved while the rigidity can also meet practical needs. When the amount of CD in the system increases to 12 wt%, the toughness of the blend reaches its peak, and its elongation at break and impact strength reach 513.24 % and 9211.5 J/m2 respectively (increased to 2442.84 % and 270.73 % of the PLA/PPC blend). Concurrently, the fracture surface of the blend exhibits large-scale plastic flow in the direction of the applied force, with marked shear yield phenomena, showing obvious characteristics of tough fracture.

Intravesical chemotherapy synergize with an immune adjuvant by a thermo-sensitive hydrogel system for bladder cancer

Surgical resection remains the prefer option for bladder cancer treatment. However, the effectiveness of surgery is usually limited for the high recurrence rate and poor prognosis. Consequently, intravesical chemotherapy synergize with immunotherapy in situ is an attractive way to improve therapeutic effect. Herein, a combined strategy based on thermo-sensitive PLEL hydrogel drug delivery system was developed. GEM loaded PLEL hydrogel was intravesical instilled to kill tumor cells directly, then PLEL hydrogel incorporated with CpG was injected into both groins subcutaneously to promote immune responses synergize with GEM. The results demonstrated that drug loaded PLEL hydrogel had a sol-gel phase transition behavior in response to physiological temperature and presented sustained drug release, and the PLEL-assisted combination therapy could have better tumor suppression effect and stronger immunostimulating effect in vivo. Hence, this combined treatment with PLEL hydrogel system has great potential and suggests a clinically-relevant and valuable option for bladder cancer.

[Comparison of BCR::ABL (P210) mRNA levels detected by dPCR and qPCR methods in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia]

Objective: To compare digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) measurements of BCR::ABL (P210) mRNA expression in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) . Methods: In this non-interventional, cross-sectional study, BCR::ABL (P210) mRNA was simultaneously measured by dPCR and qPCR in peripheral blood samples collected from patients with CML who underwent tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy and who achieved at least a complete cytogenetic response from September 2021 to February 2023 at Peking University People's Hospital. The difference, correlation, and agreement between the two methods were evaluated using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Spearman's correlation, and Bland-Altman analysis, respectively. Results: In total, 459 data pairs for BCR::ABL mRNA expression measured by dPCR and qPCR from 356 patients with CML were analyzed. There was a significant difference in BCR::ABL mRNA expression between the two methods (P<0.001). When analyzed by the depth of the molecular response (MR), a significant difference only existed for patients with ≥MR4.5 (P<0.001). No significant difference was observed for those who did not achieve a major MR (no MMR; P=0.922) or for those who achieved a major MR (MMR; P=0.723) or MR4 (P=0.099). There was a moderate correlation between the BCR::ABL mRNA expression between the two methods (r=0.761, P<0.001). However, the correlation gradually weakened or disappeared as the depth of the MR increased (no MMR: r=0.929, P<0.001; MMR: r=0.815, P<0.001; MR4: r=0.408, P<0.001; MR4.5: r=0.176, P=0.176). In addition, the agreement in BCR::ABL mRNA expression between the two methods in those with MR4.5 was weaker than other groups (no MMR: ▉= 0.042, P=0.846; MMR:▉=0.054, P=0.229; MR4:▉=-0.020, P=0.399; MR4.5:▉=-0.219, P<0.001) . Conclusions: dPCR is more accurate than qPCR for measuring BCR::ABL (P210) mRNA expression in patients with CML who achieve a stable deep MR.

[Evaluation of the application value of seven tumor-associated autoantibodies in non-small cell lung cancer based on machine learning algorithms]

Objective: Based on the diagnostic model established and validated by the machine learning algorithm, to investigate the value of seven tumor-associated autoantibodies (TAABs), namely anti-p53, PGP9.5, SOX2, GAGE7, GBU4-5, MAGEA1 and CAGE antibodies in the diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to differentiate between NSCLC and benign lung nodules. Methods: This was a retrospective study of clinical cases. Model building queue: a total of 227 primary patients who underwent radical lung cancer surgery in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, from November 2018 to June 2021 were collected as the NSCLC group, and 120 cases of benign lung nodules, 122 cases of pneumonia and 120 healthy individuals were selected as the control groups. External validation queue: a total of 100 primary patients who underwent radical lung cancer surgery in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, from May 2022 to December 2022 were collected as the NSCLC group, and 36 cases of benign lung nodules, 32 cases of pneumonia and 44 healthy individuals were selected as the control groups. In addition, NSCLC was divided into early (stage 0-ⅠB) and mid-to-late (stage ⅡA-ⅢB) subgroups. The levels of 7-TAABs were detected by enzyme immunoassay, and serum concentrations of CEA and CYFRA21-1 were detected by electrochemiluminescence. Four machine learning algorithms, XGBoost, Lasso logistic regression, Naïve Bayes, and Support Vector Machine are used to establish classification models. And the best performance model was chosen based on evaluation metrics and a multi-indicator combination model was established. In addition, an online risk evaluation tool was generated to assist clinical applications. Results: Except for p53, the levels of rest six TAABs, CEA and CYFRA21-1 were significantly higher in the NSCLC group (P<0.05). Serum levels of anti-SOX2 [1.50 (0.60, 10.85) U/ml vs. 0.8 (0.20, 2.10) U/ml, Z=2.630, P<0.05] and MAGEA1 antibodies [0.20 (0.10, 0.43) U/ml vs. 0.10 (0.10, 0.20) U/ml, Z=2.289, P<0.05], CEA [3.13 (2.12, 5.64) ng/ml vs. 2.11 (1.25, 3.09) ng/ml, Z=3.970, P<0.05] and CYFRA21-1 [4.31(2.37, 7.14) ng/ml vs. 2.53(1.92, 3.48) ng/ml, Z=3.959, P<0.05] were significantly higher in patients with mid-to late-stage NSCLC than in early stages. XGBoost model was used to establish a multi-indicator combined detection model (after removing p53). 6-TAABs combined with CYFRA21-1 was the best combination model for the diagnosis of NSCLC and early NSCLC. The optimal diagnostic thresholds were 0.410, 0.701 and 0.744, and the AUC was 0.828, 0.757 and 0.741, respectively (NSCLC vs. control, NSCLC vs. benign lung nodules, early NSCLC vs. benign lung nodules) in model building queue, and the AUC was 0.760, 0.710 and 0.660, respectively (NSCLC vs. control, NSCLC vs. benign lung nodules, early NSCLC vs. benign lung nodules) in external validation queue. Conclusion: In the diagnosis of NSCLC, 6-TAABs is superior to that of traditional tumor markers CEA and CYFRA21-1, and can compensate for the shortcomings of traditional tumor markers. For the differential diagnosis of NSCLC and benign lung nodule, "6-TAABs+CYFRA21-1" is the most cost-effective combination, and plays an important role in prevention and screening for early lung cancer.

Performance of Adaptive Deep Learning Models for Dose Predictions on High-Quality Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Images

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Online plan generation remains a patient-specific and time-consuming process that can place a significant burden on clinics strained with staffing shortages. As previous research show that dose-volume histogram (DVH) prediction plays a crucial role in automatic treatment planning, the objective of this study is to assess the capability of adaptive deep learning models in predicting dose information in volumetric modulation radiotherapy plans using the high-quality CBCT images and contour information of organs-at-risk (OARs).

MATERIALS/METHODS

The relationship between dose-volume histograms (DVHs) in radiotherapy plans and the geometric information of organs-at-risk (OAR) and planning target volume (PTV) has been well established. To evaluate the performance of the current state-of-the-art convolutional neural network (CNN) models including VIT3D and Unet3D, and intuitive machine learning methods (i.e., SVM and MLP), we implemented those models for dose prediction and conducted a comprehensive analysis with treatment plans created from images acquired from patients who consented to participate an IRB-approved imaging study designed to evaluate the imaging performance of the system. In total, 20 plans created by certified medical dosimetrists were employed in this study, with 15 used for training the machine-learning models and the remaining 5 used for performance testing. Two evaluation metrics were used: 1) root mean square error (RMSE) of the predicted dose and true dose and 2) time spent on dose prediction.

RESULTS

The results of the analysis showed that the ViT-3D (Transformer) model had the lowest RMSE of 3.682 ±0.010, followed by the Unet-3D (CNN) model with an RMSE of. 3.973 ±0.021 The MLP model had an RMSE of 8.007 ±0.019 while the SVM model had the highest RMSE of 9.156 ±0.032. For a fair comparison, we use 4-fold cross validation (each has 15 training plans and 5 testing plans), and report the mean value with standard deviation. All models are optimized with Adam optimizer of a learning rate 0.01, and the training process is stopped after 100 epochs. These findings indicate that the ViT-3D (Transformer) model performed the best in terms of predicting the dose information in volumetric modulation radiotherapy plans based on the CBCT images and contour information of OARs. For tested plan which contains 81 CT images (512 × 512 resolution), the inference time to predict dose information with a general CPU machine (6-Core Intel Core i7) is about 1.5 minutes. With GPU resources, such as NVIDIA A100, the inference process can be finished within seconds.

CONCLUSION

The study demonstrated that current state-of-the-art machine-learning models can achieve promising accuracy in dose prediction using high-quality CBCT images. A well-trained machine-learning model could offer clinicians a quick and reliable prediction of the true dose to patients in the case of significant anatomical changes or provide patient-specific optimization objectives if replanning is warranted.

Accuracy of Electron Density and Planning Dosimetry in a Novel High-Quality CBCT Imaging System

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

A high-quality Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) imaging system has been FDA approved for imaging guidance and dose calculation in radiotherapy. This study aims to evaluate the accuracy of the relative electron density in CBCT images acquired in this CBCT imaging system in a phantom study and its dosimetric impact on treatment planning in a patient study.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Astoichiometric CT calibration was performed with a CIRS phantom (SunNuclear, Model 062M) to generate the HU-electron density curve for two tube voltages, 125kVp and 140 kVp, respectively. The phantom has a longitudinal length of 26.5 cm and is equipped with interchangeable inserts of various compositions, supplied by the vendor. Measurements were taken with solid water plates added to both ends of the phantom to allow adequate scattering and repeated for various clinical protocols with different combinations of tube voltages and exposures. The accuracy of the relative electron density of the CBCT imaging system was verified by comparing the calculated electron density from the Hounsfield Units (HU) measurements obtained from a Gammex phantom to the relative electron densities provided in vendor's specifications. To benchmark the relative electron density of the CBCT imaging system against a standard helical CT simulator, ten clinical plans that were created on CT simulation images were copied and recalculated on the CBCT images acquired immediately after the CT simulation, the latter of which was a standard procedure in current radiotherapy care for all patients who had given their consent to participate in the IRB-approved imaging study. The dose grids used in these calculations were 2.5mm x 2.5mm x 3mm. The Gamma passing rate was calculated using a standard 3mm/3% criterion with a 10% threshold.

RESULTS

Ourresults showed the difference between the averaged CBCT calibration curves acquired at tube voltages of 125 kVP and 140 kVp was less than 2%. The mean discrepancy of the relative electron densities from vendor's specification was 0.0045 with a range between -0.02 and 0.04. Relative electron densities in all inserts were within 2% from the vendor's specifications except the cortical bone insert. Gamma passing rate was between 96.02% and 98.49% with mean value of 97.4% and a standard deviation of 0.95%. We consider this reflects the fact that the CT simulation and CBCT imaging were performed in separated rooms, which resulted in slight anatomical deformation that could negatively impact the Gamma passing rate.

CONCLUSION

The CBCT imaging system provides sufficient accuracy of electron density for dose calculation, and the dose distribution calculated on the CBCT images is clinically equivalent to those calculated on helical CT images. The enhanced imaging quality of CBCT could further extend the role of imaging guidance to planning for adaptive radiotherapy, potentially reducing the need for re-simulation and interruptions in the radiotherapy course.

An In Silico study of a One-Day One-Machine Workflow for Definitive Radiotherapy Cases on a Novel Simulation and Treatment Platform

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

The workflow in Radiotherapy (RT) has largely unchanged for the past three decades, despite increasing evidence suggesting that delayed access to RT, including the wait time between consultation, simulation, and treatment appointments, can negatively impact clinical outcomes. In this pilot study, we present preliminary results of an in silico study that demonstrate the feasibility of a novel RT platform, which integrates simulation into the treatment process and enables patients to receive immediate RT after their initial RT consultation.

MATERIALS/METHODS

A prospective clinical study has been approved to assess the capabilities of a novel RT platform with a high quality CBCT system for imaging guidance as well as planning. This new platform enables a novel clinical workflow that allows clinicians to review contours and plans created on diagnostic CT images prior to the initial RT consultation and allow them to approve new plans adapted on the actual simulation dataset acquired on the first treatment fraction. Four patients receiving standard of care RT (three abdomen and one thorax) consented for this study and underwent additional experimental CBCT simulation on the new platform in addition to their standard CT simulation. The CBCT simulation was taken in two setups: with a specific mold on a flat couch and without a mold on a curved couch. To demonstrate the equivalence of the new workflow to the current standard of care, the plan created on the most recent diagnostic CT images was compared to the plans adapted on the experimental simulation images and the standard CT simulation images, using a knowledge-based model. Contours were propagated from approved datasets to the new datasets through deformable image registration.

RESULTS

All experimental simulations were completed between 14 and 21 minutes with the assistance of two therapists. The contouring, editing, and replanning process took less than one hour in all cases, in line with our experience and peer-reviewed literature. Despite notable anatomical changes observed, the dose-volume histograms (DVH) were consistent, as shown in Table 1.

CONCLUSION

The novel workflow presented herein was feasible and demonstrates that the integration of simulation with image-guided RT on one single platform may unlock the potential of accelerating the RT workflow and reducing the wait time for treatment from weeks to hours.

Proton Online Adaptation Using Novel Cone-Beam Computed Tomography System

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) has been used in clinic frequently to provide quick, online, and handy three-dimensional images. However, due to its significant artifacts and inaccurate Hounsfield values (HU), CBCT based online proton adaptation is infeasible. Recently, a novel in-room imaging solution was developed to allow larger images, better contrast and faster CBCT imaging acquisition. Our work demonstrated for the first time the feasibility of using this novel CBCT images for direct intensity modulated proton planning.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Three patients and three CIRS phantoms were scanned using novel imaging technique (CBCTp) for this work. CT curves were acquired by scanning a CIRS electron density phantom. Stopping power ratio was computed using the stoichiometric method. Proton plans were made on treatment simulation CT and further evaluated on CBCTp to compare the differences.

RESULTS

The table below shows three patients and three phantoms plan comparisons. Multiple sites and dose levels were studied. The planning target volume (PTV) coverage (D95%) and mean dose difference between simulation CT and CBCTp are 0.8% and 0.3%, correspondingly. Dosimetrically, phantom and patient plans are almost identical between two imaging techniques. Lung patient plan show the largest variation due to patient tumor change and the quality of breathing.

CONCLUSION

The novel and high quality of CBCT is feasible for direct proton planning with accurate CT calibration. It provides a reliable alternative solution for proton online adaptive therapy.

Ultrasound Molecular Imaging of Bladder Cancer via Extradomain B Fibronectin-Targeted Biosynthetic GVs

Purpose

Ultrasound molecular imaging (UMI) has proven promising to diagnose the onset and progression of diseases such as angiogenesis, inflammation, and thrombosis. However, microbubble-based acoustic probes are confined to intravascular targets due to their relatively large particle size, greatly reducing the application value of UMI, especially for extravascular targets. Extradomain B fibronectin (ED-B FN) is an important glycoprotein associated with tumor genesis and development and highly expressed in many types of tumors. Here, we developed a gas vesicles (GVs)-based nanoscale acoustic probe (ZD2-GVs) through conjugating ZD2 peptides which can specially target to ED-B FN to the biosynthetic GVs.

Materials and Methods

ED-B FN expression was evaluated in normal liver and tumor tissues with immunofluorescence and Western blot. ZD2-GVs were prepared by conjugating ZD2 to the surface of GVs by amide reaction. The inverted microscope was used to analyze the targeted binding capacity of ZD2-GVs to MB49 cells (bladder cancer cell line). The contrast-enhanced imaging features of GVs, non-targeted control GVs (CTR-GVs), and targeted GVs (ZD2-GVs) were compared in three MB49 tumor mice. The penetration ability of ZD2-GVs in tumor tissues was assessed by fluorescence immunohistochemistry. The biosafety of GVs was evaluated by CCK8, blood biochemistry, and HE staining.

Results

Strong ED-B FN expression was observed in tumor tissues while little expression in normal liver tissues. The resulting ZD2-GVs had only 267.73 ± 2.86 nm particle size and exhibited excellent binding capability to the MB49 tumor cells. The in vivo UMI experiments showed that ZD2-GVs produced stronger and longer retention in the BC tumors than that of the non-targeted CTR-GVs and GVs. Fluorescence immunohistochemistry confirmed that ZD2-GVs could penetrate the tumor vascular into the interstitial space of the tumors. Biosafety analysis revealed there was no significant cytotoxicity to these tested mice.

Conclusion

Thus, ZD2-GVs can function as a potential UMI probe for the early diagnosis of bladder cancer.

[Association between different obesity measurement indexes and serum C-reactive protein in adult women]

Objective: To explore the association of different obesity measurement indexes on serum C-reactive protein (CRP) in Chinese adult women. Methods: The data were obtained from baseline and follow-up surveys of the urban Breast Cancer Screening Program in Shuangliu District, Chengdu. A total of 441 adult women were included in the study. A questionnaire survey, physical examination, and laboratory testing were conducted on the subjects. Multivariate logistic regression model, two-level mixed effects logistic regression model, and restricted cubic spline method were used to investigate the linear and nonlinear correlation between different obesity measurement indexes and serum CRP in adult women. Results: For every 1 unit increase in BMI, waist circumference (WC), and adiposity, the risk of elevated serum CRP or exacerbation of chronic low-grade inflammation in adult women increased by 16.5%, 5.0%, and 11.1% (P<0.05), respectively. Both BMI and adiposity were nonlinear correlated with serum CRP. Using BMI=24.0 kg/m2 as the reference point, serum CRP level increased with the increase of BMI when BMI >24.0 kg/m2. Using adiposity=30% as the reference point, serum CRP level increased with the increase of adiposity when adiposity >30%. Conclusions: Overall, obesity reflected by BMI had the strongest association with serum CRP in adult women, followed by body fat content reflected by adiposity, and central obesity reflected by WC had the weakest association with CRP. Adult women with BMI >24.0 kg/m2 or adiposity >30% are at high risk for obesity-related inflammatory manifestations.

[Identification and 3D architecture analysis of the LIPC gene mutation in a pedigree with familial hypercholesterolemia-like phenotype]

Objective: To identify and analyze 3D architecture of the mutational sites of susceptible genes in a pedigree with familial hypercholesterolemia-like phenotype (FHLP). Methods: This is a case series study. A pedigree with suspected familial hypercholesterolemia was surveyed. The proband admitted in Beijing Anzhen Hospital in April 2019. Whole-exome sequencing was performed to determine the mutational sites of susceptible genes in the proband. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) sequencing was used to verify the pathogenic variant on proband's relatives. The structural and functional changes of the proteins were analyzed and predicted by Discovery Studio 4.0 and PyMol 2.0. Results: The patients in the pedigree showed abnormal lipid profiles, especially elevated levels of total cholesterol(TC). The genetic screening detected the c.1330C>T SNP in the exon 8 of lipase C (LIPC) gene, this mutation leads to an amino acid substitution from arginine to cysteine at position 444 (Arg444Cys), in the proband and proband's father and brother. In this family, members with this mutation exhibited elevated TC, whereas lipid profile was normal from the proband's mother without this mutation. This finding indicated that LIPC: c.1330C>T mutation might be the mutational sites of susceptible genes. The analysis showed that Arg444Cys predominantly affected the ligand-binding property of the protein, but had a limited impact on catalytic function. Conclusion: LIPC: c.1330C>T is a new mutational site of susceptible genes in this FHLP pedigree.

[Comparison of diagnostic performance of Clear Cell Likelihood Score v1.0 and v2.0 for clear renal cell carcinoma]

OBJECTIVE

To compare the performance of Clear Cell Likelihood Score (ccLS) v1.0 and v2.0 in diagnosing clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) from small renal masses (SRM).

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data and MR images of patients with pathologically confirmed solid SRM from the First Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2021, and from Beijing Friendship Hospital of Capital Medical University and Peking University First Hospital between January 1, 2019 and May 17, 2021. Six abdominal radiologists were trained for use of the ccLS algorithm and scored independently using ccLS v1.0 and ccLS v2.0. Random- effects logistic regression modeling was used to generate plot receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) to evaluate the diagnostic performance of ccLS v1.0 and ccLS v2.0 for ccRCC, and the area under curve (AUC) of these two scoring systems were compared using the DeLong's test. Weighted Kappa test was used to evaluate the interobserver agreement of the ccLS score, and differences in the weighted Kappa coefficients was compared using the Gwet consistency coefficient.

RESULTS

In total, 691 patients (491 males, 200 females; mean age, 54 ± 12 years) with 700 renal masses were included in this study. The pooled accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of ccLS v1.0 for diagnosing ccRCC were 77.1%, 76.8%, 77.7%, 90.2%, and 55.7%, as compared with 80.9%, 79.3%, 85.1%, 93.4%, 60.6% with ccLS v2.0, respectively. The AUC of ccLS v2.0 was significantly higher than that of ccLS v1.0 for diagnosis of ccRCC (0.897 vs 0.859; P < 0.01). The interobserver agreement did not differ significantly between ccLS v1.0 and ccLS v2.0 (0.56 vs 0.60; P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

ccLS v2.0 has better performance for diagnosing ccRCC than ccLS v1.0 and can be considered for use to assist radiologists with their routine diagnostic tasks.

Toward discovering a novel family of peptides targeting neuroinflammatory states of brain microglia and astrocytes

Microglia are immune-derived cells critical to the development and healthy function of the brain and spinal cord, yet are implicated in the active pathology of many neuropsychiatric disorders. A range of functional phenotypes associated with the healthy brain or disease states has been suggested from in vivo work and were modeled in vitro as surveying, reactive, and primed sub-types of primary rat microglia and mixed microglia/astrocytes. It was hypothesized that the biomolecular profile of these cells undergoes a phenotypical change as well, and these functional phenotypes were explored for potential novel peptide binders using a custom 7 amino acid-presenting M13 phage library (SX7) to identify unique peptides that bind differentially to these respective cell types. Surveying glia were untreated, reactive were induced with a lipopolysaccharide treatment, recovery was modeled with a potent anti-inflammatory treatment dexamethasone, and priming was determined by subsequently challenging the cells with interferon gamma. Microglial function was profiled by determining the secretion of cytokines and nitric oxide, and expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase. After incubation with the SX7 phage library, populations of SX7-positive microglia and/or astrocytes were collected using fluorescence-activated cell sorting, SX7 phage was amplified in Escherichia coli culture, and phage DNA was sequenced via next-generation sequencing. Binding validation was done with synthesized peptides via in-cell westerns. Fifty-eight unique peptides were discovered, and their potential functions were assessed using a basic local alignment search tool. Peptides potentially originated from proteins ranging in function from a variety of supportive glial roles, including synapse support and pruning, to inflammatory incitement including cytokine and interleukin activation, and potential regulation in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders.

Ultrasound Molecular Imaging of Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition for Evaluating Tumor Metastatic Potential via Targeted Biosynthetic Gas Vesicles

Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) of tumor cells is recognized as the main driver to promote metastasis. Extensive researches suggest that gradually decreased E-cadherin (E-cad) and increased N-cadherin (N-cad) exist in the tumor cells during the EMT process. However, there still lacks suitable imaging methods to monitor the status of EMT for evaluating tumor metastatic potentials. Herein, the E-cad-targeted and N-cad-targeted gas vesicles (GVs) are developed as the acoustic probes to monitor the EMT status in tumor. The resulting probes have ≈200 nm particle size and good tumor cell targeting performance. Upon systemic administration, E-cad-GVs and N-cad-GVs can traverse through blood vessels and bind to the tumor cells, producing strong contrast imaging signals in comparison with the nontargeted GVs. The contrast imaging signals correlate well with the expression levels of E-cad and N-cad and tumor metastatic ability. This study provides a new strategy to noninvasively monitor the EMT status and help to evaluate tumor metastatic potential in vivo.

A Novel Sugar-Assisted Solvothermal Method for FeF2 Nanomaterial and Its Application in LIBs

Due to its quite high theoretical specific-energy density, FeF₂ nanomaterial is a good candidate for the cathode material of high-energy lithium-ion batteries. The preparation of FeF₂ nanomaterial is very important for its application. At present, the preparation process mostly involves high temperature and an inert atmosphere, which need special or expensive devices. It is very important to seek a low-temperature and mild method, without the need for high temperature and inert atmosphere, for the preparation and following application of FeF₂ nanomaterial. This article reports a novel sugar-assisted solvothermal method in which the FeF₃∙3H₂O precursor is reduced into FeF₂ nanomaterial by carbon derived from the dehydration and condensation of sugar. The obtained FeF₂ nanomaterials are irregular granules of about 30 nm, with inner pores inside each granule. Electrochemical tests show the FeF₂ nanomaterial's potential as a lithium-ion battery cathode material.

Ultrasound molecular imaging of p32 protein translocation for evaluation of tumor metastasis

Protein translocation is an essential process for living cells to respond to different physiological, pathological or environmental stimuli. However, its abnormal occurrence usually results in undesirable outcomes such as tumors. To date, there is still a lack of appropriate methods to detect this event in live animals in a real-time manner. Here, we identified the gradually increased cell-surface translocation of p32 protein from mitochondria during tumor progression. LyP-1-modified gas vesicles (LyP-1-GVs) were developed through conjugating LyP-1 (p32-targeting peptide) to the biosynthetic GVs to monitor the cell-surface level of p32 translocation. The resulting LyP-1-GVs have about 200 nm particle size and good tumor cell targeting performance. Upon systemic administration, LyP-1-GVs can traverse through blood vessels and bind to the tumor cells, producing strong contrast imaging signals in comparison with the non-targeted GVs. The contrast imaging signals correlate well with the cell-surface translocation level of p32 protein and tumor metastatic ability. To our knowledge, this is the first report about the in vivo detection of protein translocation to cell membrane from mitochondria by ultrasound molecular imaging. Our study provides a new strategy to explore the molecular events of protein membrane translocations for evaluation of tumor metastasis at the live animal level.

[Preliminary study on the effect of fecal microbiota transplantation on neurobehavior and gut microbiota of offspring rats exposed to arsenic]

Objective: To explore the effects of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on neurobehavior and gut microbiota of arsenic-exposed offspring rats. Methods: In April 2021, Thirty-six SPF SD rats aged 8 weeks were seleted, rats were ranked by weight and divided into four groups according to randomized block design, namely control group, arsenic exposure group (As group) , arsenic+normal saline group (As+NaCl group) and As+FMT group, 6 females and 3 males in each group. Fecal microbiota fluid were provided by feces of rats in control group. Rats drank tap water containing 75 mg/L sodium arsenite for one week and then were caged together. The arsenic exposure was terminated until the pups were born. Female rats with vaginal plug were treated with fecal microbiota fluid via gavage during neurodevelopmental teratogenic window period. The volume of gavage was 1 ml/100 g with once every two days, for a total of three times. Weight alterations of offspring rats were recorded every week after weaning, and when offspring rats grew up for 6 weeks, Morris test and open field experiment was used to observe learning and memory abilities, as well as neurobehavioral performance of autonomous exploration and tension, respectively. 16S rDNA sequencing technology was used to detect microbiota diversities in fecal samples of rats in As group and As+FMT group. Results: Compared with the control group, the ratio of swimming distance and staying time in the target quadrant and the times of crossing the platform of rats in As group decreased significantly, and the motor distance, times entering central zone and the number of grid crossing of rats decreased significantly (P<0.05) . Compared with As group, the ratio of swimming distance in target quadrant, the motor distance in central zone and times entering central zone of rats in As+FMT group were evidently increased (P<0.05) . The analysis of fecal microbiota diversities showed that, at the phyla level, the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes in feces of rats in As+FMT group was higher than that in As group (68.34% vs 60.55%) , while the relative abundance of Firmicutes was lower than that in As group (28.02% vs 33.48%) . At the genus level, the relative abundance of Prevotella in As+FMT group was significantly higher than that in As group, becoming the dominant genus (42.08% vs 21.78%) . Additionally, compared with As group, a total of 22 genus were increased with 21 decreased genus in As+FMT group (P<0.05) . LEfSe analysis showed that dominant genuses in As+FMT group were Prevotella and UCG_005, and their relative abundance was significantly higher than that of As group (P<0.05) . Conclusion: FMT may alleviate the impaired learning and memory ability and anxiety like behavior of the offspring rats exposed to arsenic, and improve the disrupted gut microbiota.

Dynapenic Abdominal Obesity and Risk of Heart Disease among Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A Prospective Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES

The vicious cycle of dynapenia and abdominal obesity may have synergistic detrimental impacts on health. We aim to investigate the prospective association between dynapenic abdominal obesity and the risk of heart disease among middle-aged and older adults.

DESIGN

A prospective cohort study.

SETTING

English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, 2002-2019.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 4734 participants aged 50 years and older were included.

MEASUREMENTS

Individuals were divided into non-dynapenia/non-abdominal obesity (ND/NAO), non-dynapenia/abdominal obesity (ND/AO), dynapenia/non-abdominal obesity (D/NAO), and dynapenia/abdominal obesity (D/AO) according to grip strength and waist circumference at baseline. The Cox proportional hazards models were used to obtain the hazard ratios (HRs) of incident heart disease associated with dynapenia and abdominal obesity after adjusting for potential confounding factors.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 9.5 years, 1040 cases of heart disease were recorded. Compared with ND/NAO group, the multivariable HRs were 1.05 (0.92, 1.21) for ND/AO group, 1.31 (0.96, 1.81) for D/NAO group, and 1.39 (1.03, 1.88) for D/AO group. The significant association of D/AO with incident heart disease was detected in women but not in men [HR = 1.55 (1.07, 2.24) and 1.06 (0.60, 1.88), respectively]. Among middle-aged adults, significant associations of D/NAO and D/AO with incident heart disease were observed [HR = 2.46 (1.42, 4.29) and 1.74 (1.02, 2.97), respectively].

CONCLUSION

Both D/NAO and D/AO might increase the risk of developing heart disease, highlighting the importance of dynapenia and obesity early screening for heart disease prevention.

Extracellular vesicles derived from mesenchymal stem cells confer protection against intervertebral disc degeneration through a microRNA-217-dependent mechanism

OBJECTIVE

Extracellular vesicles released by mesenchymal stem cells (MSC-EVs) can be applied to alleviate intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) by curbing apoptosis of nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs). The current study aims to evaluate the effect of MSC-EVs on NPC apoptosis and IVDD and the related regulatory mechanisms involving microRNA (miR)-217.

METHOD

Expression of miR-217 was examined in tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-induced NPCs and MSC-EVs, followed by identification in the relationship between miR-217, enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) and forkhead box O-3 (FOXO3). After isolation of EVs from MSCs and subsequent co-culture with NPCs, we assessed effects of miR-217 on NPC viability, autophagy, senescence and apoptosis along with extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation. Further in vivo experiments were conducted in rat models of IVDD to substantiate the effect of miR-217 on IVDD.

RESULTS

Poor miR-217 expression was found in TNF-α-induced NPCs, while high miR-217 expression was identified in MSC-EVs (P < 0.05). MSC-EVs transferred miR-217 to NPCs and increased its expression, thus attenuating NPC apoptosis and ECM degradation (elevated collagen II and aggrecan but reduced MMP13 and ADAMTS5) (P < 0.05). miR-217 targeted EZH2, and EZH2 bound to the FOXO3 promoter and consequently downregulated its expression. FOXO3 restrained NPC apoptosis and ECM degradation by stimulating cell autophagy (P < 0.05). Furthermore, in vivo experimental results confirmed the suppressive role of miR-217 shuttled by MSC-EVs in IVDD.

CONCLUSION

Overall, the delivery of miR-217 may be a novel mechanism underlying the effect of MSC-EVs on NPC apoptosis and ECM degradation following IVDD.

Ultrasound-mediated blood-brain barrier opening: An effective drug delivery system for theranostics of brain diseases

Blood-brain barrier (BBB) remains a significant obstacle to drug therapy for brain diseases. Focused ultrasound (FUS) combined with microbubbles (MBs) can locally and transiently open the BBB, providing a potential strategy for drug delivery across the BBB into the brain. Nowadays, taking advantage of this technology, many therapeutic agents, such as antibodies, growth factors, and nanomedicine formulations, are intensively investigated across the BBB into specific brain regions for the treatment of various brain diseases. Several preliminary clinical trials also have demonstrated its safety and good tolerance in patients. This review gives an overview of the basic mechanisms, ultrasound contrast agents, evaluation or monitoring methods, and medical applications of FUS-mediated BBB opening in glioblastoma, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease.

Effect of riboflavin deficiency on intestinal morphology, jejunum mucosa proteomics, and cecal microbiota of Pekin ducks

This study was to determine the effects of riboflavin deficiency (RD) on intestinal development, jejunum mucosa proteome, cecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) profiling, and cecal microbial diversity and community of starter Pekin ducks. Male white Pekin ducks (1 d old, n = 240) were allocated into 2 groups, with 12 replicates and 10 birds per replicate in each group. For 21 d, all ducks had ad libitum access to either an RD or a riboflavin adequate (control, CON) diet, formulated by supplementing a basal diet with 0 or 10 mg riboflavin per kg of diet, respectively. Compared to the CON group, growth retardation, high mortality, and poor riboflavin status were observed in the RD group. Furthermore, RD reduced the villus height and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth of jejunum and ileum (P < 0.05), indicating morphological alterations of the small intestine. In addition, dietary RD enhanced relative cecum weight and decreased cecal SCFA concentrations (P < 0.05), including propionate, isobutyrate, butyrate, and isovalerate. The jejunum mucosa proteomics showed that 208 proteins were upregulated and 229 proteins were downregulated in the RD group compared to those in the CON group. Among these, RD mainly suppressed intestinal absorption and energy generation processes such as glycolysis and gluconeogenesis, fatty acid beta oxidation, tricarboxylic acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation, leading to impaired ATP generation. In addition, RD decreased the community richness and diversity of the bacterial community in the cecum of ducks. Specifically, RD reduced the abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria in the cecum (P < 0.05), such as Eubacterium coprostanoligenes, Prevotella and Faecalibacterium. Dietary RD resulted in growth depression and intestinal hypofunction of Pekin ducks, which could be associated with impaired intestinal absorption and energy generation processes in intestinal mucosa, as well as gut microbiota dysbiosis. These findings contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms of intestinal hypofunction due to RD.

POS0720 LOW-DOSE GLUCOCORTICOIDS WITHDRAWN IN SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS: A DESIRABLE AND ATTAINABLE GOAL

Background

Prolonged use of GC may cause irreversible organ damage, leading to impaired quality of life and even increased mortality. However, many physicians are worried about severe flares after GC withdrawal in daily practice.

Objectives

To assess the risk of flare in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients after low dose glucocorticoids (GC) discontinuation and evaluate the risk factors of flare.

Methods

SLE patients who ever discontinued GC were identified from PKUFHS cohort. The disease flare profile after GC discontinuation were analyzed. Flare rate was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier analysis. COX regression was used to determine the effect of variables on SLE flare. A prognostic nomogram using Cox proportional hazards regression modeling were developed.

Results

132 SLE patients were eligible for the final analysis. They were followed up for a median (IQR) period of 21.8 (9.01, 36.7) months. The cumulative probability of flare after GC discontinuation was 8.3 % at 6 months, 16.8% at year 1 and 27.5% at year 2 (Figure 1A). In multivariate COX analysis, hypocomplementemia and serologically active clinically quiescent (SACQ) were independent risk factors of flare [HR 2.53, 95% CI (1.32, 4.88); HR 3.17, 95% CI (1.44, 6.97), respectively]. Age ≥ 40y at GC withdrawal and hydroxychloroquine usage were independent protective factors of flare [HR 0.53, 95% CI (0.29, 0.99); HR 0.32, 95% CI (0.17, 0.62), respectively] (Table 1). The protective effect of hydroxychloroquine was dosage related. From the prospective of different tapering strategies embodied as duration from prednisone 5mg/d to complete discontinuation, slower tapering strategy (12-24 months) significantly reduced the risk of flare compared to faster tapering strategy (< 3 months) [HR 0.30, 95% CI (0.11, 0.82), p=0.019]. The prognostic nomogram including aforementioned factors effectively predicted 1- and 2-year probability of flare-free (Figure 1B).

Table 1.

Predictors of flare by univariate and multivariate COX analysis.

UnivariatepMultivariatepMultivariatepModel 1Model 2age≥40y at GC withdrawal0.59 (0.33,1.07)0.0840.53 (0.29, 0.99)0.0490.63 (0.33, 1.18)0.147Age at onset ≥18y2.03 (0.62, 6.66)0.2442.75 (0.77, 9.85)0.1212.88 (0.81, 10.2)0.103Remission duration≥60 months since the last flare0.66 (0.35, 1.27)0.2170.81 (0.41, 1.57)0.5260.73 (0.38, 1.41)0.346history of thrombocytopenia1.73 (0.94, 3.18)0.0771.36 (0.70, 2.65)0.3591.45 (0.74, 2.83)0.278history of lupus nephritis0.86 (0.47, 1.55)0.610////Hypocomplementemia1.97 (1.06, 3.66)0.0312.53 (1.32, 4.88)0.005//anti-dsDNA positive1.25 (0.70, 2.23)0.456////SACQ (both)2.91 (1.38, 6.15)0.005//3.17 (1.44, 6.97)0.004SACQ (or)1.29 (0.73, 2.30)0.380////Hydroxychloroquine or not0.29 (0.16, 0.53)<0.0010.29 (0.15, 0.56)<0.0010.32 (0.17, 0.62)0.001Immunosuppressant or not0.77 (0.40, 1.48)0.426////

There was strong collinearity between hypocomplementemia and SACQ, so the two parameters were separated into two models. SACQ (both): anti-dsDNA positive and hypocomplementemia; SACQ (or): anti-dsDNA positive or hypocomplementemia; GC: glucocorticoids. Data were shown as HR (95% CI).

Figure 1.

Conclusion

Low-dose GC is feasibly discontinued with infrequent flare in real-life setting. SACQ and younger age are potential risk factors of SLE flare, while hydroxychloroquine usage and slow GC tapering to withdrawal can reduce relapse. The visualized model we developed may help to predict risk of flare among SLE patients who discontinued GC.

Disclosure of Interests

None declared

The Prembion® pre-biotic improves the impact of anti-CTLA4 immune checkpoint inhibitor in a murine model of malignant pleural mesothelioma

Objective

Immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) therapy has revolutionized the outcome of certain cancers such as malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). However, patient responsiveness to this treatment remains unpredictable. Recently, a role for the gut microbiota composition has emerged for patients to generate a robust immune response against their tumors, following immunotherapy. Here, we studied the impact of Prembion®, a pre-biotic and modulator of the gut microbiota, on tumor control and lymphocyte infiltration in a murine MPM model treated by ICI.

Methods

Prembion® (diluted into drinking water) was administrated to BALBc mice for 14 days. These animals were then inoculated orthotopically with a syngeneic MPM cell line (AB12-luc cells injected in the pleura) and followed by bioluminescence imaging. We determined the tumor growth and mouse survival in different groups: untreated control, Prembion®, IgG control, anti-PDL-1, anti-CTLA4, Prembion®+anti-PDL-1 and Prembion®+anti-CTLA4. A correlation between tumor response/animal survival and MPM infiltration with CD8+ lymphocytes was also performed by immunohistochemistry.

Results

Prembion® was well tolerated and did not affect animal weight or activity. Interestingly, Prembion® was as effective as anti-PDL1 and anti-CTLA4 monotherapy on tumor control, prolonging survival by 4.0 ± 1.1 days compared to controls (p&lt;0.05). Moreover Prembion® potentiated anti-CTLA4 efficacy with a significant improvement in mouse survival of the Prembion®+anti-CTLA4 compared to controls (3.6 ± 1.1 days, p&lt;0.05). Additionally, this finding correlated with enhanced MPM infiltration by CD8+ lymphocytes compared to controls (p&lt;0.05).

Conclusion

Prembion® positively regulated the adaptive immune response against MPM and helped to improve the impact of anti-CTLA4 ICI on MPM. Further work focusing on the gut microbiome changes induced by Prembion® are ongoing to better understand the mechanisms involved.

OP0142 COMPARISON OF ATTAINMENT AND PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF THE LUPUS LOW DISEASE ACTIVITY STATE IN PATIENTS WITH NEWLY DIAGNOSED VERSUS ESTABLISHED SLE - A MULTICENTRE PROSPECTIVE STUDY

Background

Lupus low disease activity state (LLDAS) attainment has been reported to be associated with reduced damage accrual, flare, and mortality, as well as improved quality of life, in cohorts of SLE patients with established disease. Whether these associations are present in recent-onset disease is less well known.

Objectives

To evaluate the associations of LLDAS attainment with outcomes in patients with recent onset SLE.

Methods

Data from a 13-country longitudinal SLE cohort (ACR/SLICC criteria) were collected prospectively between 2013 and 2020 using standard templates. Organ damage and flare were captured using SLICC Damage Index and SELENA-SLEDAI Flare Index, respectively. LLDAS was defined as Golder et al., 2019 [1]. An inception cohort was defined based on duration since SLE diagnosis<1 year at enrolment. Patient characteristics between inception and non-inception cohorts were compared using Wilcoxon rank-sum (continuous variables) or Pearson’s Chi-squared tests (categorical variables). Survival analyses were performed to examine the association between LLDAS attainment and damage accrual and flare.

Results

The study cohort included 4,106 patients of whom 680 (16%) were recruited within 1 year of SLE diagnosis (inception cohort). Compared to the non-inception cohort, inception cohort patients were significantly younger, had higher disease activity (SLEDAI-2K and physician global assessment), used more glucocorticoids and immunosuppressants but had less organ damage at enrolment and only 88 (13.6%) patients accrued damage during a median 2.2 years follow-up (Table 1).

Table 1.Non-inception cohortInception cohortp-valuen=3426n=680Age at enrolment (years), median [IQR]40 [31, 51]33 [25, 44]<0.001Age at diagnosis (years), median [IQR]28 [21, 38]33 [25, 43]<0.001SLE duration at enrolment (years), median [IQR]10 [5, 16]1 [0, 1]<0.001Study duration (years), median [IQR]2.5 [1.0, 5.4]2.2 [0.9, 3.7]<0.001Females, n (%)3155 (92.1%)623 (91.6%)0.68Asian ethnicity, n (%)3037 (89.1%)595 (88.1%)0.49Prednisolone (PNL) use - ever, n (%)2865 (83.6%)620 (91.2%)<0.001Time adjusted mean (TAM)-PNL, median [IQR]5.0 [2.2, 8.6]6.2 [3.2, 10.3]<0.001Cumulative PNL (g), median [IQR]3.4 [0.5, 9.7]3.8 [1.1, 8.5]0.26Anti-Malarial use - ever, n (%)2669 (77.9%)569 (83.7%)<0.001Immunosupressant use -ever, n (%)2367 (69.1%)521 (76.6%)<0.001AMS (TAM-SLEDAI-2K), median [IQR]2.8 [1.2, 4.6]3.1 [1.6, 5.0]0.002TAM-PGA, median [IQR]0.4 [0.2, 0.7]0.4 [0.3, 0.8]<0.001Mild/moderate/severe flare ever, n (%)1789 (52.2%)391 (57.5%)0.012Organ damage accrual, n (%)629 (20.8%)88 (13.6%)<0.001LLDAS at baseline, n (%)1730 (50.5%)195 (28.7%)<0.001LLDAS-ever (at least once), n (%)2637 (78.2%)492 (73.9%)0.014≥50% time in LLDAS (LLDAS-5), n (%)1612 (50.6%)256 (41.1%)<0.001

Significantly fewer inception cohort patients were in LLDAS at enrolment than the non-inception cohort (29% vs. 51%, p<0.001). However, 74% of inception and 78% of non-inception cohort patients achieved LLDAS at least once during follow-up. Limiting analysis only to patients not in LLDAS at enrolment, time to first LLDAS attainment was assessed: inception cohort patients were 60% more likely to attain their first LLDAS (HR = 1.60 (95%CI: 1.40, 1.82), p<0.001) than non-inception cohort patients. LLDAS attainment was significantly protective against flare in the inception (HR, 95% CI) and non-inception (HR, 95% CI) cohorts. Trends towards protection against damage accrual in association with LLDAS in the inception cohort were not significant.

Conclusion

LLDAS attainment is protective from flare in recent onset SLE. Significant protection from damage accrual was not observed, due to low rates of damage accrual in the first years after SLE diagnosis.

References

[1]Golder, V., et al., Lupus low disease activity state as a treatment endpoint for systemic lupus erythematosus: a prospective validation study. The Lancet Rheumatology, 2019. 1(2): p. e95-e102.

Acknowledgements

We thank all patients participating in the Asia Pacific Lupus Collaboration (APLC) cohort, and all data collectors for their ongoing support for APLC research activities.

The APLC has received unrestricted project grants from AstraZeneca, BMS, Eli Lily, Janssen, Merck Serono, and UCB to support data collection contributing to this work.

Disclosure of Interests

Vera Golder: None declared, Rangi Kandane-Rathnayake: None declared, Worawit Louthrenoo: None declared, Yi-Hsing Chen Speakers bureau: Pfizer, Novartis, Abbvie, Johnson & Johnson, BMS, Roche, Lilly, GSK, Astra& Zeneca, Sanofi, MSD, Guigai, Astellas, Inova Diagnostics, UCB, Agnitio Science Technology, United Biopharma, Thermo Fisher, Consultant of: Pfizer, Novartis, Abbvie, Johnson & Johnson, BMS, Roche, Lilly, GSK, Astra and Zeneca, Sanofi, Guigai, Astellas, Inova Diagnostics, UCB, Agnitio Science Technology, United Biopharma, Thermo Fisher, Gilead, Grant/research support from: Yes. Clinical trials and/or research grants from Pfizer, Norvatis, BMS, Abbevie, Johnson & Johnson, Roche,Sanofi, Guigai, Roche, Boehringer Ingelheim, UCB, MSD, Astra-Zeneca,Astellas, Gilead, Jiacai Cho: None declared, Aisha Lateef: None declared, Laniyati Hamijoyo Speakers bureau: Pfizer, Novartis, Abbot, Shue Fen Luo: None declared, Yeong-Jian Jan Wu Speakers bureau: Pfizer, Lilly, Novartis, Abbvie, Sandra Navarra Speakers bureau: Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, Astellas, Grant/research support from: Astellas, Johnson & Johnson, Leonid Zamora: None declared, Zhanguo Li Speakers bureau: Eli, Lilly, Novartis, GSK, AbbVie, Paid instructor for: Pfizer, Roche, Johnson, Consultant of: Lilly, Pfizer, Grant/research support from: Pfizer, Yuan An: None declared, Sargunan Sockalingam Speakers bureau: Yes. Pfizer, Roche, Novartis, Grant/research support from: Roche and Novartis, Yasuhiro Katsumata Speakers bureau: Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Glaxo-Smithkline K.K., and Sanofi K.K., Masayoshi Harigai Speakers bureau: MH has received speaker’s fee from AbbVie Japan GK, Ayumi Pharmaceutical Co., Boehringer Ingelheim Japan, Inc.,Bristol Myers Squibb Co., Ltd., Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Eisai Co., Ltd., Eli Lilly Japan K.K., GlaxoSmithKline K.K., Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Pfizer Japan Inc., Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., and Teijin Pharma Ltd, Consultant of: MH is a consultant for AbbVie, Boehringer-ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb Co., Kissei Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd. and Teijin Pharma., Grant/research support from: MH has received research grants from AbbVie Japan GK, Asahi Kasei Corp., Astellas Pharma Inc., Ayumi Pharmaceutical Co., Bristol Myers Squibb Co., Ltd., Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Daiichi-Sankyo, Inc.,Eisai Co., Ltd., Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Co., Nippon Kayaku Co., Ltd., Sekiui Medical, Shionogi & Co., Ltd., Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., and Teijin Pharma Ltd., Yanjie Hao: None declared, Zhuoli Zhang Speakers bureau: Norvatis, GSK, Pfizer, BMDB Basnayake: None declared, Madelynn Chan Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Novartis, Consultant of: Advisory Board member for Pfizer, Eli-Lilly, Jun Kikuchi: None declared, Tsutomu Takeuchi Speakers bureau: AbbVie AYUMI Pharmaceutical Corp. Bristol-Myers Squibb Chugai Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd. Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd. Eisai Co., Ltd. Eli Lilly Japan, Gilead Sciences, Inc. Mitsubishi-Tanabe Pharma Corp. Pfizer Japan Inc. Sanofi K.K., Consultant of: Astellas Pharma, Inc. Chugai Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd. Eli Lilly Japan, Mitsubishi-Tanabe Pharma Corp., Grant/research support from: AbbVie Asahikasei Pharma Corp. Chugai Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd. Mitsubishi-Tanabe Pharma Corp. Sanofi K.K, Sang-Cheol Bae: None declared, Sean O’Neill Paid instructor for: Advisory board member for GSK, Fiona Goldblatt: None declared, Shereen Oon: None declared, Kathryn Gibson Speakers bureau: UCB, Consultant of: Novartis – co-chair for NSW and steering committee member for ARISE meeting Feb 2021

Janssen Pharmaceuticals – advisory board, Grant/research support from: Novartis, Employee of: Eli Lilly, Kristine Ng Speakers bureau: speaker fees and advisory board (Abbvie, Novartis, Janssen), Annie Law: None declared, Nicola Tugnet: None declared, Sunil Kumar: None declared, Cherica Tee: None declared, Michael Tee: None declared, Yoshiya Tanaka Speakers bureau: Daiichi-Sankyo, Eli Lilly, Novartis, YL Biologics, Bristol-Myers, Eisai, Chugai, Abbvie, Astellas, Pfizer, Sanofi, Asahi-kasei, GSK, Mitsubishi-Tanabe, Gilead, Janssen, Grant/research support from: Daiichi-Sankyo, Eli Lilly, Novartis, YL Biologics, Bristol-Myers, Eisai, Chugai, Abbvie, Astellas, Pfizer, Sanofi, Asahi-kasei, GSK, Mitsubishi-Tanabe, Gilead, Janssen, C.S. Lau Shareholder of: Pfizer, Sanofi and Janssen, Mandana Nikpour Speakers bureau: Actelion, GSK, Janssen, Pfizer, UCB, Paid instructor for: UCB, Consultant of: Actelion, Boehringer Ingelheim, Certa Therapeutics, Eli Lilly, GSK, Janssen, Pfizer, UCB, Grant/research support from: Actelion, Astra Zeneca, BMS, GSK, Janssen, UCB, Alberta Hoi Consultant of: AH is on the advisory board for Abbvie and GSK, Grant/research support from: AH has received research support from AstraZeneca, GSK, BMS, Janssen, and Merck Serono, Eric F. Morand Speakers bureau: AstraZeneca, Paid instructor for: Eli Lilly, Consultant of: AstraZeneca, Amgen, Biogen, BristolMyersSquibb, Eli Lilly, EMD Serono, Genentech, Janssen, Grant/research support from: AstraZeneca, BristolMyersSquibb, Eli Lilly, EMD Serono, Janssen

Photodynamique therapy relieves tumor vascular anergy and promotes immune cell trafficking in an orthotopic mouse model of malignant pleural mesothelioma

Objective

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a deadly disease with limited treatment options. Recently, dual immune checkpoint inhibition therapy (ICI) showed improved patient survival. However, only a fraction of patients were responsive to immunotherapy. One potential mechanism of MPM resistance to ICIs could be their endothelial anergy that hampers leukocyte trafficking to the tumor bulk. Here, we hypothesized that vascular-targeted low dose photodynamic therapy (L-PDT), treatment of MPM could relieve tumor endothelial anergy and improve immunotherapy efficacy.

Methods

Using an orthotopic syngeneic MPM murine model (AB12 cells injected in the pleura of BALB/c mice), we determined the impact of L-PDT on the endothelial expression of E-Selectin, a key molecule involved in leukocyte diapedesis by immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, to confirm the role of E-selectin, we determined the extravasation of effector T cells (CD8+/CD4+) by immunostaining in L-PDT treated tumors in the presence or absence of an E-selectin blocking antibody. Finally, we assessed tumor growth/survival of our MPM murine model treated with L-PDT alone or combined to ICIs.

Results

L-PDT pre-treatment enhanced MPM endothelial E-Selectin expression in vivo. The latter was associated with increased CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocyte infiltration of MPM following L-PDT which did not occur after E-Selectin blockade. Also, L-PDT pre-treatment of MPM influenced favorably tumor control, mouse survival and the impact of ICIs compared to controls.

Conclusion

L-PDT pre-treatment relieves endothelial anergy in MPM which improves antitumor immunity and response to ICI. This approach could constitute a promising pre-treatment option, in combination with ICIs, for the management of this deadly disease.

Ultrasound Molecular Imaging for Multiple Biomarkers by Serial Collapse of Targeting Microbubbles with Distinct Acoustic Pressures

Ultrasound molecular imaging (UMI) has shown promise for assessing the expression levels of biomarkers for the early detection of various diseases. However, it remains difficult to simultaneously image multiple biomarkers in a single systemic administration, which is important for the accurate diagnosis of diseases and for understanding the dynamic intermolecular mechanisms that drive their malignant progression. The authors develop an ultrasound molecular imaging method by serial collapse of targeting microbubbles with distinct acoustic pressures for the simultaneous detection of two biomarkers. To test this, α_v β₃ -targeting lipid microbubbles (L-MB_α ) and VEGFR2-targeting lipid-PLGA microbubbles (LP-MB_v ) are fabricated and simultaneously injected into tumor-bearing mice at 7 and 14 days, followed by the low-intensity acoustic collapse of L-MB_α and high-intensity acoustic collapse of LP-MB_v . The UMI signals of L-MB_α and LP-MB_v are obtained by subtracting the first post-burst signals from the first pre-burst signals, and subtracting the second post-burst signals from the first post-burst signals, respectively. Interestingly, the signal intensities from UMI agree with the immunohistochemical staining results for α_v β₃ and VEGFR2. Importantly, they find a better fit for the invasive behavior of MDA-MB-231 breast tumors by analyzing the ratio of α_v β₃ integrin to VEGFR2, but not the single α_v β₃ or VEGFR2 levels.

Increase Dietary Fiber Intake Ameliorates Cecal Morphology and Drives Cecal Species-Specific of Short-Chain Fatty Acids in White Pekin Ducks

The current study was to investigate the modulatory effects of total dietary fiber (TDF) levels on cecal morphology and the response of microbiota to maintain gut health for duck growth. A total of 192 14-day-old male white Pekin ducks were randomly allocated to three dietary groups and fed diets, containing 12.4, 14.7, and 16.2% TDF, respectively, until 35 days under the quantitative feed intake. Each dietary group consisted of eight replicate cages of eight birds. The results revealed that 14.7 and 16.2% TDF groups significantly promoted growth performance and improved villus height, the ratio of villus to crypt, muscle layer thickness, and goblet cells per villus of cecum in ducks. qPCR results showed that the transcriptional expression of Claudin-1, Muc2, IGF-1, and SLC16A1 was significantly upregulated in cecum in 14.7 and 16.2% TDF groups. Meanwhile, the concentration of IGF-1 in circulating was significantly increased in 14.7 and 16.2% TDF groups while that of DAO was significantly decreased in 16.2% TDF group. Furthermore, the concentrations of butyrate, isobutyrate, valerate, and isovalerate in cecum were conspicuously improved in 14.7 and 16.2% TDF groups while that of propionate was significantly decreased. In addition, the concentrations of butyrate, isobutyrate, valerate, and isovalerate in cecum presented negative correlations with the concentration of DAO in circulating. 16S rRNA gene sequencing results showed that the 14.7% TDF group importantly elevated the microbial richness. Simultaneously, butyrate-producing bacteria like the family Lachnospiraceae, Oscillospiraceae, and Erysipelatoclostridiaceae were enriched as biomarkers in the 16.2% TDF group. Correlation network analysis revealed that the associations between specific bacteria and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) induced by different TDF levels, and the correlations among bacteria were also witnessed. For example, the genus Monoglobus and CHKCI002 showed a positive correlation with butyrate, and there was a positively coexistent association between Monoglobus and CHKCI002. In summary, these data revealed that increasing the TDF level could enhance the cecal morphology and drive cecal species-specific of SCFAs in ducks.

Highly efficient CRISPR-Cas9-mediated editing identifies novel mechanosensitive microRNA-140 targets in primary human articular chondrocytes

OBJECTIVE

MicroRNA 140 (miR-140) is a chondrocyte-specific endogenous gene regulator implicated in osteoarthritis (OA). As mechanical injury is a primary aetiological factor in OA, we investigated miR-140-dependent mechanosensitive gene regulation using a novel CRISPR-Cas9 methodology in primary human chondrocytes.

METHOD

Primary (passage 1/2) human OA chondrocytes were isolated from arthroplasty samples (six donors) and transfected with ribonuclear protein complexes or plasmids using single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) targeting miR-140, in combination with Cas9 endonuclease. Combinations of sgRNAs and single/double transfections were tested. Gene editing was measured by T7 endonuclease 1 (T7E1) assay. miRNA levels were confirmed by qPCR in chondrocytes and in wild type murine femoral head cartilage after acute injury. Predicted close match off-targets were examined. Mechanosensitive miR-140 target validation was assessed in 42 injury-associated genes using TaqMan Microfluidic cards in targeted and donor-matched control chondrocytes. Identified targets were examined in RNAseq data from costal chondrocytes from miR-140^-/- mice.

RESULTS

High efficiency gene editing of miR-140 (90-98%) was obtained when two sgRNAs were combined with double RNP-mediated CRISPR-Cas9 transfection. miR-140 levels fell rapidly after femoral cartilage injury. Of the top eight miR-140 gene targets identified (P < 0.01), we validated three previously identified ones (septin 2, bone morphogenetic protein 2 and fibroblast growth factor 2). Novel targets included Agrin, a newly recognised pro-regenerative cartilage agent, and proteins associated with retinoic acid signalling and the primary cilium.

CONCLUSION

We describe a highly efficient CRISPR-Cas9-mediated strategy for gene editing in primary human chondrocytes and identify several novel mechanosensitive miR-140 targets of disease relevance.

[The molecular mechanism of oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathic pain]

Objective: To investigate the molecular mechanism of oxaliplatin-induced chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathic pain (CIPNP). Methods: A total of 16 male Sprague-Dawley rats of specific pathogen-free grade were randomly divided into two groups: oxaliplatin experimental group (2.4 mg/kg oxaliplatin dissolved in 5.0% glucose solution, n=8) and control group (equal volume 5% glucose solution, n=8). The rat model of CIPNP was established by continuous administration with oxaliplatin. In addition, mechanical allodynia, thermal hyperalgesia and cold hyperalgesia were measured and compared between the two groups. To explore the molecular mechanism of oxaliplatin-induced CIPNP, the gene expression of dorsal root ganglia (DRG) from the rat model of CIPNP was analyzed using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). Results: Mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity was exhibited on day 7 and a stronger hypersensitivity was observed on day 14. A total of 20 152 genes were quantified by RNA-Seq, and 379 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained with absolute fold change cut-offs ≥ 2 and P value<0.05. There were 7 genes (Npy, Car3, Cdkn1a, Nts, Prc1, Ms4a7 and Ecel1) that were involved in peripheral nerve injury-related neuropathic pain. Gene ontology (GO) functional enrichment analyses indicated that the DEGs induced by oxaliplatin were involved in oxygen transport, cell division, intermediate, centromere, oxygen transporter activity, oxygen binding. Moreover, the result of Kyoto Encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) analyses highlighted that the DEGs induced by oxaliplatin were involved in malaria, African trypanosomiasis, primary immunodeficiency, peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway. Conclusion: Oxaliplatin induces CIPNP via pain-related genes and signaling pathways.

[Application of the enhanced milieu teaching model in language intervention of children with language developmental delay in outpatient child healthcare clinic]

Objective: To explore the role of the enhanced milieu teaching (EMT) model in early intervention of children with language developmental delay (LDD) in outpatient child healthcare clinic. Methods: Case-control study design was adopted. Twenty-eight children aged 2.5 to 4.0 years who were diagnosed with LDD from June 2019 to June 2020 at the Division of Child Healthcare, Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology were recruited as the intervention group, and participated in one-on-one EMT model language rehabilitation sessions for 3 months (12 sessions). Another 27 children with LDD who attended the Division of Child Healthcare around the same period of time were recruited as control group, all of whom did not attend any types of language intervention in the subsequent three months. Both groups were followed up three months later. Gesell developmental scale (GDS) and diagnostic receptive and expressive assessment of Mandarin-comprehensive (DREAM-C) standardized language test were used to evaluate and compare children's development level at the first and follow-up visit, with the treatment effect of the EMT model being evaluated with independent sample t-test. Results: The language development quotient of GDS of the intervention group (22 boys and 6 girls) at the follow-up visit was significantly higher than that of at the first visit (64±21 vs. 52±17,t=4.960, P<0.01). The Dream-C test scores of total language (89±16 vs. 77±14, t=5.061, P<0.01), receptive language (90±16 vs. 77±15, t=5.301, P<0.01), semantics (93±20 vs. 79±19, t=5.06, P<0.01), and syntax after training (84±14 vs. 76±11, t=3.209, P<0.01) were significantly higher than those at the first visit. In the control group (19 boys and 8 girls), the only improvement was found in the Dream-C semantics score (82±26 vs. 71±18, t=2.330, P<0.05). There was no significant difference in any domains in GDS at the first and follow-up visit (all P>0.05). Conclusions: Early language rehabilitation training based on the EMT model has a significant effect on all domains of language development for children with LDD. Therefore, EMT model is a language intervention model compatible in the child healthcare outpatient clinic settings.