Immunological signatures and predictive biomarkers for first-generation somatostatin receptor ligand resistance in Acromegaly

PURPOSE

Predicting resistance to first-generation Somatostatin Receptor Ligands (fg-SRL) in Acromegaly patients remains an ongong challenge. Tumor-associated immune components participate in various pathological processes, including drug-resistance. We aimed to identify the immune components involved in resistance of fg-SRL, and to investigate biomarkers that can be targeted to treat those drug-resistant Acromegaly.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study involving 35 Acromegaly patients with somatotropinomas treated postoperatively with fg-SRL. Gathering clinicopathological data, SSTR2 expression, and immunological profiles, we utilized univariate, binary logistic regression, and ROC analyses to assess their predictive roles in fg-SRL resistance. Spearman correlation analysis further examined interactions among interested characteristics.

RESULTS

19 patients (54.29%) exhibited resistance to postoperative fg-SRL. GH level at diagnosis, preoperative tumor volume, T2WI-MRI intensity, granularity, PD-L1, SSTR2, and CD8 + T cell infiltration showed association with clinical outcomes of fg-SRL. Notably, T2WI-MRI hyperintensity, PD-L1-IRS > 7, CD8 + T cell infiltration < 14.8/HPF, and SSTR2-IRS < 5.4 emerged as reliable predictors for fg-SRL resistance. Correlation analysis highlighted a negative relationship between PD-L1 expression and CD8 + T cell infiltration, while showcasing a positive correlation with preoperative tumor volume of somatotropinomas. Additionally, 5 patients with fg-SRL resistance underwent re-operation were involved. Following fg-SRL treatment, significant increases in PD-L1 and SSTR5 expression were observed, while SSTR2 expression decreased in somatotropinoma.

CONCLUSION

PD-L1 expression and CD8 + T cell infiltration, either independently or combined with SSTR2 expression and T2WI-MRI intensity, could form a predictive model guiding clinical decisions on fg-SRL employment. Furthermore, targeting PD-L1 through immunotherapy and embracing second-generations of SRL with higher affinity to SSTR5 represent promising strategies to tackle fg-SRL resistance in somatotropinomas.

In Rheumatoid Arthritis, A Review of ncRNAs Related to NF-κB Signaling Pathways

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease with no known cure that results in joint deformities and dysfunction, significantly impacting the quality of life of patients. The abnormal NF-ＫB signaling pathway in RA has emerged as a crucial research area for the development of RA therapies, with non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) serving as a potentially meaningful avenue to regulate it. Thus, understanding the role of ncRNAs in RA and the identification of new therapeutic targets have become pressing issues in the field. In this review, we aim to summarize recent studies on ncRNAs that regulate the NF-ＫB signaling pathway in RA, including miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs, as well as the mechanisms by which drugs modulate NF-Ｋ B activity. By highlighting these recent advances, we hope to promote further research into targeted RA therapy and provide novel directions and ideas for researchers in the field.

Hsa_circ_0005397 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression through EIF4A3

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to explore the expression and potential mechanism of hsa_circ_0005397 in hepatocellular carcinoma progression.

METHODS

Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR) was used to measure the expression level of hsa_circ_0005397 and EIF4A3 from paired HCC tissues and cell lines. Western Blot (WB) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were used to verify the protein level of EIF4A3. The specificity of primers was confirmed by agarose gel electrophoresis. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) Curve was drawn to analyze diagnostic value. Actinomycin D and nuclear and cytoplasmic extraction assays were utilized to evaluate the characteristics of hsa_circ_0005397. Cell Counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and colony formation assays were performed to detect cell proliferation. Flow cytometry analysis was used to detect the cell cycle. Transwell assay was performed to determine migration and invasion ability. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) of hsa_circ_0005397 in HCC were explored using bioinformatics websites. The relationship between hsa_circ_0005397 and Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factor 4A3 (EIF4A3) was verified by RNA Binding Protein Immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays, correlation and rescue experiments.

RESULTS

In this study, hsa_circ_0005397 was found to be significantly upregulated in HCC, and the good diagnostic sensitivity and specificity shown a potential diagnostic capability. Upregulated expression of hsa_circ_0005397 was significantly related to tumor size and stage. Hsa_circ_0005397 was circular structure which more stable than liner mRNA, and mostly distributed in the cytoplasm. Upregulation of hsa_circ_0005397 generally resulted in stronger proliferative ability, clonality, and metastatic potency of HCC cells; its downregulation yielded the opposite results. EIF4A3 is an RNA-binding protein of hsa_circ_0005397, which overexpressed in paired HCC tissues and cell lines. In addition, expression of hsa_circ_0005397 decreased equally when EIF4A3 was depleted. RIP assays and correlation assay estimated that EIF4A3 could interacted with hsa_circ_0005397. Knockdown of EIF4A3 could reverse hsa_circ_0005397 function in HCC progression.

CONCLUSIONS

Hsa_circ_0005397 promotes progression of hepatocellular carcinoma through EIF4A3. These research findings may provide novel clinical value for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Effects of Straw Returning and New Fertilizer Substitution on Rice Growth, Yield, and Soil Properties in the Chaohu Lake Region of China

Recently, replacing chemical fertilizers with straw returning and new fertilizers has received considerable attention in the agricultural sector, as it is believed to increase rice yield and improve soil properties. However, less is known about rice growth and soil properties in paddy fields with the addition of different fertilizers. Thus, in this paper, we investigated the effects of different fertilizer treatments, including no fertilization (CK), optimized fertilization based on the medium yield recommended fertilizer amount (OF), 4.50 Mg ha-1 straw returning with chemical fertilizers (SF), 0.59 Mg ha-1 slow-release fertilizer with chemical fertilizers (SRF), and 0.60 Mg ha-1 water-soluble fertilizer with chemical fertilizers (WSF), on rice growth, yield, and soil properties through a field experiment. The results show that compared with the OF treatment, the new SF, SRF, and WSF treatments increased plant height, main root length, tiller number, leaf area index, chlorophyll content, and aboveground dry weight. The SF, SRF, and WSF treatments improved rice grain yield by 30.65-32.51% and 0.24-1.66% compared to the CK and OF treatments, respectively. The SRF treatment increased nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) uptake by 18.78% and 28.68%, the harvest indexes of N and P by 1.75% and 0.59%, and the partial productivity of N and P by 2.64% and 2.63%, respectively, compared with the OF treatment. However, fertilization did not significantly affect the average yield, harvest indexes of N and P, and partial productivity of N and P. The contents of TN, AN, SOM, TP, AP, and AK across all the treatments decreased significantly with increasing soil depth, while soil pH increased with soil depth. The SF treatment could more effectively increase soil pH and NH4+-N content compared to the SRF and WSF treatments, while the SRF treatment could greatly enhance other soil nutrients and enzyme activities compared to the SF and WSF treatments. A correlation analysis showed that rice yield was significantly positively associated with tiller number, leaf area index, chlorophyll, soil NO3--N, NH4+-N, SOM, TP, AK, and soil enzyme activity. The experimental results indicate that SRF was the best fertilization method to improve rice growth and yield and enhance soil properties, followed by the SF, WSF, and OF treatments. Hence, the results provide useful information for better fertilization management in the Chaohu Lake region of China.

PancanQTLv2.0: a comprehensive resource for expression quantitative trait loci across human cancers

Expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) analysis is a powerful tool used to investigate genetic variations in complex diseases, including cancer. We previously developed a comprehensive database, PancanQTL, to characterize cancer eQTLs using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset, and linked eQTLs with patient survival and GWAS risk variants. Here, we present an updated version, PancanQTLv2.0 (https://hanlaboratory.com/PancanQTLv2/), with advancements in fine-mapping causal variants for eQTLs, updating eQTLs overlapping with GWAS linkage disequilibrium regions and identifying eQTLs associated with drug response and immune infiltration. Through fine-mapping analysis, we identified 58 747 fine-mapped eQTLs credible sets, providing mechanic insights of gene regulation in cancer. We further integrated the latest GWAS Catalog and identified a total of 84 592 135 linkage associations between eQTLs and the existing GWAS loci, which represents a remarkable ∼50-fold increase compared to the previous version. Additionally, PancanQTLv2.0 uncovered 659516 associations between eQTLs and drug response and identified 146948 associations between eQTLs and immune cell abundance, providing potentially clinical utility of eQTLs in cancer therapy. PancanQTLv2.0 expanded the resources available for investigating gene expression regulation in human cancers, leading to advancements in cancer research and precision oncology.

Database Resources of the National Genomics Data Center, China National Center for Bioinformation in 2024

The National Genomics Data Center (NGDC), which is a part of the China National Center for Bioinformation (CNCB), provides a family of database resources to support the global academic and industrial communities. With the rapid accumulation of multi-omics data at an unprecedented pace, CNCB-NGDC continuously expands and updates core database resources through big data archiving, integrative analysis and value-added curation. Importantly, NGDC collaborates closely with major international databases and initiatives to ensure seamless data exchange and interoperability. Over the past year, significant efforts have been dedicated to integrating diverse omics data, synthesizing expanding knowledge, developing new resources, and upgrading major existing resources. Particularly, several database resources are newly developed for the biodiversity of protists (P10K), bacteria (NTM-DB, MPA) as well as plant (PPGR, SoyOmics, PlantPan) and disease/trait association (CROST, HervD Atlas, HALL, MACdb, BioKA, BioKA, RePoS, PGG.SV, NAFLDkb). All the resources and services are publicly accessible at https://ngdc.cncb.ac.cn.

[Correlation of carbon dioxide derived parameters during cardiopulmonary bypass with acute kidney injury after pediatric cardiac surgery]

Objective: To explore the correlation of the ratio of venous-arterial carbon dioxide (CO2) tension difference to arterial-venous O2 content difference (Pv-aCO2/Ca-vO2) and venous-arterial CO2 gradient (Pv-aCO2) during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) with acute kidney injury (AKI) after pediatric cardiac surgery. Methods: The clinical data of children (1 month ≤ age ≤ 3 years old) who underwent open heart surgery under CPB in West China Hospital of Sichuan University from March 2021 to August 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. All paired blood gases of the children during CPB (the sampling time interval of arterial and venous blood was within 10 minutes) were collected. According to the Failure, Loss, End-Stage Renal Disease (pRIFLE) diagnostic criteria, the children were divided into AKI group and non-AKI group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the risk factors of postoperative AKI in pediatric cardiac surgery. Results: A total of 213 children were enrolled (101 males and 112 females), aged 12(6, 24) months, and 84 of them (39.4%) developed AKI. Three children died in AKI group, with a mortality of 3.6%. There were no deaths in non-AKI group. The incidence of postoperative low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS) was higher in AKI group [29.8% (25/84) vs 7.0% (9/129), P<0.001]. In addition, compared with the non-AKI group, children in AKI group had longer recovery time [15 (6, 78) h vs 6 (3, 19) h, P<0.001], mechanical ventilation time [17 (7, 97) h vs 6 (4, 20) h, P<0.001], intensive care unit (ICU) stay [6 (4, 11) d vs 3 (2, 5) d, P<0.001], and hospital stay [12 (9, 18) d vs 9 (8, 11) d, P<0.001]. A total of 317 arterial and venous blood gas pairs from 30 (n=207), 60 (n=75) and 90 min (n=35) after aortic clamping were included in the analysis. Univariate analysis showed that Pv-aCO2/Ca-vO2 (P=0.015) at 30 min after aortic clamping, Pv-aCO2 (P=0.041) and Pv-aCO2/Ca-vO2 (P=0.014) at 60 min after aortic clamping, peak Pv-aCO2 (P=0.009), peak Pv-aCO2/Ca-vO2 (P<0.001) and the average value of Pv-aCO2/Ca-vO2 (P=0.001) were higher in AKI group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that longer duration of CPB (OR=1.013, 95%CI: 1.003-1.023, P=0.012), higher peak Pv-aCO2/Ca-vO2 (OR=1.337, 95%CI: 1.037-1.723, P=0.025) were risk factors for AKI. Conclusion: The occurrence of AKI after pediatric cardiac surgery is related to the short-term adverse clinical prognosis, and longer duration of CPB and higher peak Pv-aCO2/Ca-vO2 are independent risk factors for AKI.

Assessing the role of robotic surgery versus laparoscopic surgery in patients with a diagnosis of endometriosis: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Surgical management of endometriosis can be carried out with the traditional standard laparoscopic technique or the robotic surgery technique; however, it is not clear if there is a significant difference between techniques. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate and compare the impact of robotic and standard laparoscopic techniques in endometriosis regarding the clinical outcome.

METHODS

Studies comparing robotic surgery to laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis were among the studies from various languages that met the inclusion criteria. Using dichotomous and continuous random-effect models, the results of these investigations (surgery time, hospitalization time, blood loss, complications, and conversion rate) were examined, and the mean difference with 95% confidence intervals was computed.

RESULTS

Eight studies from 2013 to 2022 were selected for the current analysis including 1741 patients with endometriosis. The studied data revealed a statistically significant (P = .01) lower operation time related to laparoscopic surgery compared with the robotic technique. In addition, the hospitalization time of laparoscopic surgery is significantly (P = .03) lower than that of robotic surgery. On the other hand, blood loss, rehospitalization, postoperative and intraoperative complications, and conversion rates were not significantly different between both techniques. Heterogeneity values were variable according to the analysis factor, from 0% to 91%.

CONCLUSION

Both robotic and standard laparoscopic techniques have similar outcomes regarding blood loss, rehospitalization, conversion rate, and rate of complication. However, the substantial difference between techniques was in favor of standard laparoscopic surgery regarding operation and hospitalization time.

Magnetic chitin beads (MCB) coated with Vibrio cholerae reveals transcriptome dynamics in adult mice with a complex gut microbiota

Vibrio cholerae adapts to the host environment by altering gene expression. Because of the complexity of the gut microbiome, current in vivo V. cholerae transcriptome studies have focused on microbiota-undeveloped conditions, neglecting the interaction between the host's commensal gut microbiota and V. cholerae. In this study, we analyzed the transcriptome of fully colonized adult mice in vivo using V. cholerae coated-magnetic chitin beads (vcMCB). This provides a simple yet powerful method for obtaining high-quality RNA from V. cholerae during colonization in mice. The transcriptome of V. cholerae recovered from adult mice infected with vcMCB shows differential expression of several genes when compared to V. cholerae recovered from the infant mouse and infant rabbit model. Some of these genes were also observed to be differentially expressed in previous studies of V. cholera recovered from human infection when compared to V. cholerae grown in vitro. In particular, we confirmed that V. cholerae resists the inhibitory effects of low pH and formic acid from gut microbiota, such as Anaerostipes caccae and Dorea formicigenerans, by downregulating vc1080. We propose that the vc1080 product may protect V. cholerae from formic acid stress through a novel acid tolerance response mechanism. Transcriptomic data obtained using the vcMCB system provide new perspectives on the interaction between V. cholerae and the gut microbiota, and this approach can also be applied to studies of other pathogenic bacteria.

The Genetic, Pharmacogenomic, and Immune Landscapes Associated with Protein Expression across Human Cancers

Proteomics is a powerful approach that can rapidly enhance our understanding of cancer development. Detailed characterization of the genetic, pharmacogenomic, and immune landscape in relation to protein expression in patients with cancer could provide new insights into the functional roles of proteins in cancer. By taking advantage of the genotype data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and protein expression data from The Cancer Proteome Atlas, we characterized the effects of genetic variants on protein expression across 31 cancer types and identified approximately 100,000 protein quantitative trait loci (pQTL). Among these, over 8000 pQTLs were associated with patient overall survival. Furthermore, characterization of the impact of protein expression on more than 350 imputed anticancer drug responses in patients revealed nearly 230,000 significant associations. In addition, approximately 21,000 significant associations were identified between protein expression and immune cell abundance. Finally, a user-friendly data portal, GPIP (https://hanlaboratory.com/GPIP), was developed featuring multiple modules that enable researchers to explore, visualize, and browse multidimensional data. This detailed analysis reveals the associations between the proteomic landscape and genetic variation, patient outcome, the immune microenvironment, and drug response across cancer types, providing a resource that may offer valuable clinical insights and encourage further functional investigations of proteins in cancer.

SIGNIFICANCE

Comprehensive characterization of the relationship between protein expression and the genetic, pharmacogenomic, and immune landscape of tumors across cancer types provides a foundation for investigating the role of protein expression in cancer development and treatment.

Trichoderma koningiopsis Tk905: an efficient biocontrol, induced resistance agent against banana Fusarium wilt disease and a potential plant-growth-promoting fungus

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 (FocTR4) is a devastating phytopathogen responsible for significant losses in banana production worldwide. Trichoderma and other biocontrol agents (BCAs) have been used as suitable disease control methods for banana Fusarium wilt. In this study, the endophytic T. koningiopsis Tk905 strain was isolated from the roots of dendrobe plants and identified utilizing morphological and molecular analyses. Antifungal activity tests revealed that Tk905 effectively inhibited mycelial growth with inhibition rates ranging from 26.52 to 75.34%. Additionally, Tk905 covered the pathogen mycelia, and spores were observed on or around the pathogen hyphae. The average root and shoot fresh weights and plant height, of Tk905-inoculated plants were significantly higher than those of the untreated plants. Furthermore, Tk905 treatment significantly increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes, such as catalase (CAT), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and peroxidase (POD), suggesting that Tk905 may enhance plant defence systems by activating their antioxidant mechanisms. Most importantly, Tk905-treated plants inoculated by three methods exhibited significantly lower disease incidence and severity than untreated plants. The protective effects of Tk905 against FocTR4 infection were not only observed in the early stages of infection but persisted throughout the experiment, suggesting that T. koningiopsis Tk905 can provide long-lasting protection against Fusarium wilt.

Occlusal Force Maintains Alveolar Bone Homeostasis via Type H Angiogenesis

Physiologically, teeth and periodontal tissues are exposed to occlusal forces throughout their lifetime. Following occlusal unloading, unbalanced bone remodeling manifests as a net alveolar bone (AB) loss. This phenomenon is termed alveolar bone disuse osteoporosis (ABDO), the underlying mechanism of which remains unclear. Type H vessels, a novel capillary subtype tightly coupled with osteogenesis, reportedly have a role in skeletal remodeling; however, their role in ABDO is not well studied. In the present study, we aimed to explore the pathogenesis of and therapies for ABDO. The study revealed that type H endothelium highly positive for CD31 and endomucin was identified in the periodontal ligament (PDL) but rarely in the AB of the mice. In hypofunctional PDL, the density of type H vasculature and coupled osterix+ (OSX+) osteoprogenitors declined significantly. In addition, the angiogenic factor Slit guidance ligand 3 (SLIT3) was downregulated in the disused PDL, and periodontal injection of the recombinant SLIT3 protein partially ameliorated type H vessel dysfunction and AB loss in ABDO mice. With regard to the molecular mechanism, a mechanosensory signaling circuit, PIEZO1/Ca2+/HIF-1α/SLIT3, was validated by applying cyclic compression to 3-dimensional-cultured PDL cells using the Flexcell FX-5000 compression system. In summary, PDL plays a pivotal role in mechanotransduction by translating physical forces into the intracellular signaling axis PIEZO1/Ca2+/HIF-1α/SLIT3, which promotes type H angiogenesis and OSX+ cell-related osteogenensis, thereby contributing to AB homeostasis. Our findings advance the understanding of PDL in AB disorders. Further therapies targeting SLIT3 may provide new insights into preventing bone loss in ABDO.

Thiol-Based Modification of MarR Protein VnrR Regulates Resistance Toward Nitrofuran in Vibrio cholerae By Promoting the Expression of a Novel Nitroreductase VnrA and of NO-Detoxifying Enzyme HmpA

Aims: Epidemiological investigations have indicated low resistance toward nitrofuran in clinical isolates, suggesting its potential application in the treatment of multidrug-resistant bacteria. Therefore, it is valuable to explore the mechanism of bacterial resistance to nitrofuran. Results: Through phenotypic screening of ten multiple antibiotic resistance regulator (MarR) proteins in Vibrio cholerae, we discovered that the regulator VnrR (VCA1058) plays a crucial role in defending against nitrofuran, specifically furazolidone (FZ). Our findings demonstrate that VnrR responds to FZ metabolites, such as hydroxylamine, methylglyoxal, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), β-hydroxyethylhydrazine. Notably, VnrR exhibits reversible responses to the addition of H2O2 through three cysteine residues (Cys180, Cys223, Cys247), leading to the derepression of its upstream gene, vnrA (vca1057). Gene vnrA encodes a novel nitroreductase, which directly contributes to the degradation of FZ. Our study reveals that V. cholerae metabolizes FZ via the vnrR-vnrA system and achieves resistance to FZ with the assistance of the classical reactive oxygen/nitrogen species scavenging pathway. Innovation and Conclusion: This study represents a significant advancement in understanding the antibiotic resistance mechanisms of V. cholerae and other pathogens. Our findings demonstrate that the MarR family regulator, VnrR, responds to the FZ metabolite H2O2, facilitating the degradation and detoxification of this antibiotic in a thiol-dependent manner. These insights not only enrich our knowledge of antibiotic resistance but also provide new perspectives for the control and prevention of multidrug-resistant bacteria.

Rifaximin Ameliorates Loperamide-Induced Constipation in Rats through the Regulation of Gut Microbiota and Serum Metabolites

Structural changes in the gut microbiota are closely related to the development of functional constipation, and regulating the gut microbiota can improve constipation. Rifaximin is a poorly absorbed antibiotic beneficial for regulating gut microbiota, but few studies have reported its effects on constipation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of rifaximin on loperamide-induced constipation in SD rats. The results showed that rifaximin improved constipation by increasing serum 5-HT, SP, and the mRNA expression of AQP3, AQP8, and reducing the mRNA expression of TLR2 and TLR4. In addition, rifaximin could regulate the gut microbiota of constipated rats, such as increasing the potentially beneficial bacteria Akkermansia muciniphila and Lactobacillus murinus, reducing the Bifidobacterium pseudolongum. According to metabolomics analysis, many serum metabolites, including bile acids and steroids, were changed in constipated rats and were recovered via rifaximin intervention. In conclusion, rifaximin might improve loperamide-induced constipation in rats by increasing serum excitatory neurotransmitters and neuropeptides, modulating water metabolism, and facilitating intestinal inflammation. Muti-Omics analysis results showed that rifaximin has beneficial regulatory effects on the gut microbiota and serum metabolites in constipated rats, which might play critical roles in alleviating constipation. This study suggests that rifaximin might be a potential strategy for treating constipation.

[Progress in clinical research on potential therapeutic drugs for acute-on-chronic liver failure]

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), has a high mortality rate and a poor prognosis. Currently, the only effective treatment for ACLF is liver transplantation. However, the number of patients who can successfully undergo liver transplantation is limited due to the rapid progression of ACLF, the occurrence of serious complications, and a dearth of liver donors. The available drug treatment indication expansion and pathogenesis exploration are expected to delay the progression of ACLF, reduce complications, and provide patients with opportunities for liver transplantation by improving portal vein pressure, inhibiting excessive inflammatory response, correcting energy metabolism disorders, reducing oxidative stress, resisting hepatic cell apoptosis, and promoting liver regeneration.

Expanding PROTACtable genome universe of E3 ligases

Proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) and other targeted protein degradation (TPD) molecules that induce degradation by the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) offer new opportunities to engage targets that remain challenging to be inhibited by conventional small molecules. One fundamental element in the degradation process is the E3 ligase. However, less than 2% amongst hundreds of E3 ligases in the human genome have been engaged in current studies in the TPD field, calling for the recruiting of additional ones to further enhance the therapeutic potential of TPD. To accelerate the development of PROTACs utilizing under-explored E3 ligases, we systematically characterize E3 ligases from seven different aspects, including chemical ligandability, expression patterns, protein-protein interactions (PPI), structure availability, functional essentiality, cellular location, and PPI interface by analyzing 30 large-scale data sets. Our analysis uncovers several E3 ligases as promising extant PROTACs. In total, combining confidence score, ligandability, expression pattern, and PPI, we identified 76 E3 ligases as PROTAC-interacting candidates. We develop a user-friendly and flexible web portal ( https://hanlaboratory.com/E3Atlas/ ) aimed at assisting researchers to rapidly identify E3 ligases with promising TPD activities against specifically desired targets, facilitating the development of these therapies in cancer and beyond.

Efficacy and Safety of High-Dose Vitamin C Combined with Total Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer (HCCSC R02 Study)

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Forpatients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC), the standard treatment is fluoropyrimidine (FU) -based neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT) combined with curative surgery. The CAO/ARO/AIO-04 trial and FORWARC trial reported that the addition of oxaliplatin to FU -based NCRT contributed to improve pathologic complete response (pCR), nevertheless, increased the acute therapeutic toxicity. Some studies showed that vitamin C (VitC) had potential benefits on anti-tumor therapy and anti-inflammatory response. Therefore, we conducted this HCCSC R02 study to explore the efficacy and safety of adding a high-dose intravenous VitC to mFOLFOX6/XELOX -based NCRT in LARC.

MATERIALS/METHODS

HCCSCR02 study was designed as a prospective, single-center phase II trial, which including pts aged 18-75 years with stage II/III rectal adenocarcinoma, distance from anus ≤12cm. The enrollment criteria included: staged with MRI as cT3/cT4 or cN1/2, or mesorectal fascia involvement (MRF+), or difficult to preserve the anus. Patients with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase enzyme(G6PD) deficiency were excluded. Pelvic intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) was given in 45-50.4Gy/25-28 fractions. Concurrently, two cycles of chemotherapy (mFOLFOX6 or XELOX) were administered during IMRT, as well as intravenous VitC (24g) delivered daily after the end of each radiation therapy. Additional 2-3 cycles of mFOLFOX6 / XELOX were adopted between the completion of radiotherapy and surgery. The primary endpoint was pCR rate. The secondary endpoints included radiation-related toxicities, overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). This study is still recruiting.

RESULTS

From May 15, 2021 to Feb 8, 2023, 19 pts were recruited and finished all the scheduled NCRT, of which the proportion of cT4, cT3, cN2, cN1 were 31.6%, 63.2%, 52.6%, 36.8%, respectively. In addition, 10 pts (52.6%) were diagnosed as MRF+ initially, and 8 pts (42.1%) had a lower primary tumor(≤5cm) who were considered difficult for anal preservation before NCRT. All subjects enrolled were confirmed to be proficient mismatch repair (pMMR). As a result, 18 pts underwent a total mesorectal excision (TME) all with R0-resection, and 8 pts were evaluated as pCR (44.4%, 8/18, confidence interval: 0.246-0.663), 11 as major pathological response rate (MPR) (61.6%, 11/18), respectively. The anus preservation rate in patients with lower diseases was 87.5% (7/8). One case accepted a watch-and-wait strategy because of clinical complete response (cCR). Overall, grade 3 toxicities were observed in 4 pts, including 3 leucopenia (15.8%, 3/19), 2 neutropenia (10.5%, 2/19) and 1 diarrhea (5.3%, 1/19). No grade 4 adverse event was observed.

CONCLUSION

The addition of high-dose VitC to the mFOLFOX6/XELOX-based NCRT in LARC showed a promising pCR, well tolerance, particularly low rate of diarrhea, thus warrants further investigation.

CLINICAL TRIAL INFORMATION

NCT04801511.

Investigating the prognostic value of constructing disulfidptosis-related gene models for lung adenocarcinoma patients

OBJECTIVE

Disulfidptosis is a novel mode of cell death, a programmed mode of intracellular disulfide accumulation due to solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11)-mediated abnormalities in the cell membrane cystine transport system. Numerous studies have confirmed the prominent role played by SLC7A11 in tumors, but the involvement of SLC7A11 as an important mediator of disulfidptosis in the death process of lung adenocarcinoma cells remains unclear.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We obtained 4,107 SLC7A11-related genes and analyzed them using a total of 1,040 lung adenocarcinoma transcriptome sequencing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort and GEO (Gene Expression Omnibus) cohort and 991 relevant clinical data. First, we screened for differential genes and identified molecular subtypes for assessing characteristic differences between lung adenocarcinoma subtypes under the influence of SLC7A11-associated genes. Then, risk score models were constructed to assess the prognosis, immune infiltration, tumor microenvironment, and drug treatment effects in lung adenocarcinoma patients. Finally, we also analyzed the distribution of cell types and expression of characteristic genes within the tumor using a single-cell database. In addition, relevant drug sensitivities were predicted.

RESULTS

We screened 956 genes with significant differences and identified 2 molecular subtypes and found significant differences in their prognosis and that subtype B had a significantly better survival prognosis than subtype A. In addition, we found that pathways associated with cell proliferation division and DNA repair were enriched in the high-risk type A samples. Finally, we constructed a robust risk-scoring system, and our risk analysis revealed a general reduction of various immune cell components and tumor stromal components in the immune microenvironment of high-risk lung adenocarcinoma and a distinct immune infiltration pattern of immune cells, which was associated with a lower survival rate.

CONCLUSIONS

Our comprehensive analysis of SLC7A11-related genes suggests that disulfidptosis has a potential value in the tumor microenvironment, immunity, clinical outcome, and prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma. These findings may increase our understanding of disulfidptosis as a novel cell death paradigm and provide ideas for assessing the prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma and developing new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Parallel neurodegenerative phenotypes in sporadic Parkinson's disease fibroblasts and midbrain dopamine neurons

Understanding the mechanisms causing Parkinson's disease (PD) is vital to the development of much needed early diagnostics and therapeutics for this debilitating condition. Here, we report cellular and molecular alterations in skin fibroblasts of late-onset sporadic PD subjects, that were recapitulated in matched induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons, reprogrammed from the same fibroblasts. Specific changes in growth, morphology, reactive oxygen species levels, mitochondrial function, and autophagy, were seen in both the PD fibroblasts and DA neurons, as compared to their respective controls. Additionally, significant alterations in alpha synuclein expression and electrical activity were also noted in the PD DA neurons. Interestingly, although the fibroblast and neuronal phenotypes were similar to each other, they differed in their nature and scale. Furthermore, statistical analysis revealed potential novel associations between various clinical measures of the PD subjects and the different fibroblast and neuronal data. In essence, these findings encapsulate spontaneous, in-tandem, disease-related phenotypes in both sporadic PD fibroblasts and iPSC-based DA neurons, from the same patient, and generates an innovative model to investigate PD mechanisms with a view towards rational disease stratification and precision treatments.

Prediction of outpatients with conjunctivitis in Xinjiang based on LSTM and GRU models

BACKGROUND

Reasonable and accurate forecasting of outpatient visits helps hospital managers optimize the allocation of medical resources, facilitates fine hospital management, and is of great significance in improving hospital efficiency and treatment capacity.

METHODS

Based on conjunctivitis outpatient data from the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University Ophthalmology from 2017/1/1 to 2019/12/31, this paper built and evaluated Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) models for outpatient visits prediction.

RESULTS

In predicting the number of conjunctivitis visits over the next 31 days, the LSTM model had a root mean square error (RMSE) of 2.86 and a mean absolute error (MAE) of 2.39, the GRU model has an RMSE of 2.60 and an MAE of 1.99.

CONCLUSIONS

The GRU method can better predict trends in hospital outpatient flow over time, thus providing decision support for medical staff and outpatient management.

Outcome-Specific Efficacy of Different Probiotic Strains and Mixtures in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disease. The efficacy of different probiotics in treating IBS remains controversial. This network meta-analysis aimed to compare and rank the outcome-specific efficacy of different probiotic strains or combinations in adults with IBS. We searched the literature up to June 2023. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated the efficacy of probiotics in IBS were included. A frequentist framework was used to perform this study. In total, 9253 participants from 81 RCTs were included in the study. Four probiotic strains and five mixtures were significantly superior to placebo in improving IBS Symptom Severity Scale, among which Lactobacillus acidophilus DDS-1 ranked first (surface under the cumulative ranking, SUCRA, 92.9%). A mixture containing five probiotics (SUCRA, 100%) ranked first in improving the IBS-Quality of life. Bacillus coagulans MTCC 5856 (SUCRA, 96.9%) and Bacillus coagulans Unique IS2 (SUCRA, 92.6%) were among the most effective probiotics for improving abdominal pain. Three probiotic strains and two mixtures were effective in alleviating abdominal bloating. Four probiotic strains and a mixture were significantly superior to placebo in reducing the bowel movement frequency in diarrhea-predominant IBS (IBS-D). Bacillus coagulans MTCC 5856 (SUCRA, 99.6%) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-3856 (SUCRA, 89.7%) were among the most effective probiotics for improving the Bristol stool form scale of IBS-D. Only some probiotics are effective for particular outcomes in IBS patients. This study provided the first ranking of outcome-specific efficacy of different probiotic strains and combinations in IBS. Further studies are needed to confirm these results.

Characterization of a retroreflector array for 320-GHz interferometer system in Heliotron J

A retroreflector array, composed of a cluster of small retroreflectors, is experimentally studied for application to a Michelson-type interferometer system in the fusion plasma experiment. Such a new-type reflector has the potential to be a vital and effective tool at a spatially limited location, such as on the vacuum chamber wall of plasma experimental devices. To investigate the effect of retroreflector array on the reflected beam properties, a tabletop experiment is performed with the retroreflector array composed of 4 mm corner-cube retroreflectors and with a 320-GHz (λ ∼ 0.937 mm) submillimeter wave source. An imaging camera is utilized to measure the submillimeter wave beam profile and is scanned perpendicularly to the beam propagation direction if necessary. The experimental result exhibits a diffraction effect on the reflected beam, resulting in the emergence of discrete peaks on the reflected beam profile, as predicted in the past numerical study; however, the most reflected beam power converges on the one reflected into the incident direction, resulting from a property as a retroreflector. Furthermore, the dependence of the reflected beam on the incident beam angle is characterized while fixing the detector position, and the retroreflection beam intensity is found to vary due to the diffraction effect. Such an undesired variation of beam intensity induced by the diffraction can be suppressed with a focusing lens placed in front of the detector in the practical application to an interferometer.

Autophagy induction sensitizes cancer cells to anti-cancer drugs

Resistance to anti-cancer therapy is a major challenge for cancer treatment. Many studies revealed that macroautophagy/autophagy inhibition can overcome autophagy-mediated therapy resistance, but these efforts have not yet led to the success of clinical applications. In a recent paper, we established a 37-gene autophagy signature to estimate the autophagy status of approximately 10,000 tumor samples across 33 cancer types from The Cancer Genome Atlas, and muti-omics characterization reveals that autophagy induction may also sensitize cancer cells to anti-cancer drugs. These findings provide a comprehensive resource of molecular alterations associated with autophagy and highlight the potential to utilize drug sensitivity induced by autophagy to overcome the resistance of cancer therapy.

A comprehensive landscape of transcription profiles and data resources for human leukemia

As a heterogeneous group of hematologic malignancies, leukemia has been widely studied at the transcriptome level. However, a comprehensive transcriptomic landscape and resources for different leukemia subtypes are lacking. Thus, in this study, we integrated the RNA sequencing data sets of >3000 samples from 14 leukemia subtypes and 53 related cell lines via a unified analysis pipeline. We depicted the corresponding transcriptomic landscape and developed a user-friendly data portal LeukemiaDB. LeukemiaDB was designed with 5 main modules: protein-coding gene, long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), circular RNA, alternative splicing, and fusion gene modules. In LeukemiaDB, users can search and browse the expression level, regulatory modules, and molecular information across leukemia subtypes or cell lines. In addition, a comprehensive analysis of data in LeukemiaDB demonstrates that (1) different leukemia subtypes or cell lines have similar expression distribution of the protein-coding gene and lncRNA; (2) some alternative splicing events are shared among nearly all leukemia subtypes, for example, MYL6 in A3SS, MYB in A5SS, HMBS in retained intron, GTPBP10 in mutually exclusive exons, and POLL in skipped exon; (3) some leukemia-specific protein-coding genes, for example, ABCA6, ARHGAP44, WNT3, and BLACE, and fusion genes, for example, BCR-ABL1 and KMT2A-AFF1 are involved in leukemogenesis; (4) some highly correlated regulatory modules were also identified in different leukemia subtypes, for example, the HOXA9 module in acute myeloid leukemia and the NOTCH1 module in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In summary, the developed LeukemiaDB provides valuable insights into oncogenesis and progression of leukemia and, to the best of our knowledge, is the most comprehensive transcriptome resource of human leukemia available to the research community.

Efficacy and safety of Bifidobacterium quadruple viable tablets combined with mosapride citrate in the treatment of constipation in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM

To analyze the efficacy and safety of Bifidobacterium quadruple viable tablets combined with mosapride citrate for the treatment of constipation.

METHODS

A systematic review was performed on studies published until July 2022 in PubMed, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang. The efficacy rate, adverse reaction rate, recurrence rate, and clinical symptoms were included in the measured outcomes.

RESULTS

The efficacy of Bifidobacterium quadruple viable tablets combined with mosapride citrate in the treatment of constipation was higher than that of mosapride citrate alone (OR = 4.75, 95% CI (3.27, 6.90), Z = 8.19, P < 0.001; I² = 0.0%, P = 0.645). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups (OR = 0.97, 95% CI (0.61,1.57), Z = 0.11, P = 0.911; I² = 0.0%, P = 0.958). The recurrence rate of constipation in patients receiving the combination treatment was lower than that of patients treated with mosapride citrate alone (OR = 0.48, 95%CI (0.31, 0.73), Z = 3.38, P = 0.001; I² = 29.8%, P = 0.200).

CONCLUSIONS

Bifidobacterium quadruple viable tablets combined with mosapride citrate demonstrated efficacy and safety in treating constipation. Probiotics have the potential to positively influence gut health and microbial profiles in patients with functional constipation.

Tumor immune microenvironment in pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs): increased M2 macrophage infiltration and PD-L1 expression in PIT1-lineage subset

PURPOSE

Tumor immune microenvironment in pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) and application of current immunotherapy for refractory PitNETs remains debated. We aim to evaluate the immune landscape in different lineages of PitNETs and determine the potential role of pituitary transcription factors in reshaping the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), thus promoting the application of current immunotherapy for aggressive and metastatic PitNETs.

METHODS

Immunocyte infiltration and expression patterns of immune checkpoint molecules in different lineages of PitNETs were estimated via in silico analysis and validated using an IHC validation cohort. The correlation between varying immune components with clinicopathological features was assessed in PIT1-lineage PitNETs.

RESULTS

Transcriptome profiles from 210 PitNETs/ 8 normal pituitaries (NPs) and immunohistochemical validations of 77 PitNETs/6 NPs revealed a significant increase in M2-macrophage infiltration in PIT1-lineage PitNETs, compared with the TPIT-lineage, SF1-lineage subsets and NPs. While CD68 + macrophage, CD4 + T cells, and CD8 + T cells were not different among them. Increased M2-macrophage infiltration was associated with tumor volume (p < 0.0001, r = 0.57) in PIT1-lineage PitNETs. Meanwhile, differentially expressed immune checkpoint molecules (PD-L1, PD1, and CTLA-4) were screened and validated in IHC cohorts. The results showed that PD-L1 was highly expressed in PIT1-lineage subsets, and PD-L1 overexpression showed a positive correlation with tumor volume (p = 0.04, r = 0.29) and cavernous sinus invasion (p < 0.0001) in PIT1-lineage PitNETs.

CONCLUSION

PIT1-lineage PitNETs exhibit a distinct immune profile with enrichment of M2 macrophage infiltration and PD-L1 expression, which may contribute to its clinical aggressiveness. Application of current immune checkpoint inhibitors and M2-targeted immunotherapy might be more beneficial to treat aggressive and metastatic PIT-lineage PitNETs.

First Report of Small Skeletal Fossils from the Upper Guojiaba Formation (Series 2, Cambrian), Southern Shaanxi, South China

A small skeletal fossil assemblage is described for the first time from the bioclastic limestone interbeds of the siltstone-dominated Guojiaba Formation, southern Shaanxi, China. The carbonate-hosted fossils include brachiopods (Eohadrotreta zhujiahensis, Eohadrotreta zhenbaensis, Spinobolus sp., Kuangshanotreta malungensis, Kyrshabaktella sp., Lingulellotreta yuanshanensis, Eoobolus incipiens, and Eoobolus sp.), sphenothallids (Sphenothallus sp.), archaeocyaths (Robustocyathus sp. and Yukonocyathus sp.), bradoriids (Kunmingella douvillei), chancelloriids sclerites (Onychia sp., Allonnia sp., Diminia sp., Archiasterella pentactina, and Chancelloria cf. eros), echinoderm plates, fragments of trilobites (Eoredlichia sp.), and hyolithelminths. The discovery of archaeocyaths in the Guojiaba Formation significantly extends their stratigraphic range in South China from the early Tsanglangpuian at least to the late Chiungchussuan. Thus, the Guojiaba Formation now represents the lowest known stratigraphic horizon where archaeocyath fossils have been found in the southern Shaanxi area. The overall assemblage is most comparable, in terms of composition, to Small skeletal fossil (SSF) assemblages from the early Cambrian Chengjiang fauna recovered from the Yu'anshan Formation in eastern Yunnan Province. The existing position that the Guojiaba Formation is correlated with Stage 3 in Cambrian Series 2 is strongly upheld based on the fossil assemblage recovered in this study.

Analysis of coexisting pathogens in nasopharyngeal swabs from COVID-19

Background

The impact of COVID-19 on the world is still ongoing, and it is currently under regular management. Although most infected people have flu-like symptoms and can cure themselves, coexisting pathogens in COVID-19 patients should not be taken lightly. The present study sought to investigate the coexisting pathogens in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients and identify the variety and abundance of dangerous microbes to guide treatment strategies with a better understanding of the untested factors.

Methods

We extracted total DNA and RNA in COVID-19 patient specimens from nasopharyngeal swabs to construct a metagenomic library and utilize Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) to discover chief bacteria, fungi, and viruses in the body of patients. High-throughput sequencing data from Illumina Hiseq 4000 were analyzed using Krona taxonomic methodology for species diversity.

Results

We studied 56 samples to detect SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens and analyzed the species diversity and community composition of these samples after sequencing. Our results showed some threatening pathogens such as Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and some previously reported pathogens. SARS-CoV-2 combined with bacterial infection is more common. The results of heat map analysis showed that the abundance of bacteria was mostly more than 1000 and that of viruses was generally less than 500. The pathogens most likely to cause SARS-CoV-2 coinfection or superinfection include Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Human gammaherpesvirus 4.

Conclusions

The current coinfection and superinfection status is not optimistic. Bacteria are the major threat group that increases the risk of complications and death in COVID-19 patients and attention should be paid to the use and control of antibiotics. Our study investigated the main types of respiratory pathogens prone to coexisting or superinfection in COVID-19 patients, which is valuable for identifying and treating SARS-CoV-2.

Cross-Platform Transcriptomic Data Integration, Profiling, and Mining in Vibrio cholerae

A large number of transcriptome studies generate important data and information for the study of pathogenic mechanisms of pathogens, including Vibrio cholerae. V. cholerae transcriptome data include RNA-seq and microarray: microarray data mainly include clinical human and environmental samples, and RNA-seq data mainly focus on laboratory processing conditions, including different stresses and experimental animals in vivo. In this study, we integrated the data sets of both platforms using Rank-in and the Limma R package normalized Between Arrays function, achieving the first cross-platform transcriptome data integration of V. cholerae. By integrating the entire transcriptome data, we obtained the profiles of the most active or silent genes. By transferring the integrated expression profiles into the weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) pipeline, we identified the important functional modules of V. cholerae in vitro stress treatment, gene manipulation, and in vitro culture as DNA transposon, chemotaxis and signaling, signal transduction, and secondary metabolic pathways, respectively. The analysis of functional module hub genes revealed the uniqueness of clinical human samples; however, under specific expression patterning, the Δhns, ΔoxyR1 strains, and tobramycin treatment group showed high expression profile similarity with human samples. By constructing a protein-protein interaction (PPI) interaction network, we discovered several unreported novel protein interactions within transposon functional modules. IMPORTANCE We used two techniques to integrate RNA-seq data for laboratory studies with clinical microarray data for the first time. The interactions between V. cholerae genes were obtained from a global perspective, as well as comparing the similarity between clinical human samples and the current experimental conditions, and uncovering the functional modules that play a major role under different conditions. We believe that this data integration can provide us with some insight and basis for elucidating the pathogenesis and clinical control of V. cholerae.

[Analysis of the impact of health management measures for entry personnel on imported Dengue fever in Guangdong Province, 2020-2022]

Objective: To explore the impact of health management measures for entry personnel (entry management measures) against COVID-19 on the epidemiological characteristics of imported Dengue fever in Guangdong Province from 2020 to 2022. Methods: Data of imported Dengue fever from January 1, 2016 to August 31, 2022, mosquito density surveillance from 2016 to 2021, and international airline passengers and Dengue fever annual reported cases from 2011 to 2021 in Guangdong were collected. Comparative analysis was conducted to explore changes in the epidemic characteristics of imported Dengue fever before the implementation of entry management measures (from January 1, 2016 to March 20, 2020) and after the implementation (from March 21, 2020 to August 31, 2022). Results: From March 21, 2020, to August 31, 2022, a total of 52 cases of imported Dengue fever cases were reported, with an imported risk intensity of 0.12, which were lower than those before implementation of entry management measures (1 828, 5.29). No significant differences were found in the characteristics of imported cases before and after implementation of entry management measures, including seasonality, sex, age, career, and imported countries (all P>0.05). 59.62% (31/52) of cases were found at the centralized isolation sites and 38.46% (20/52) at the entry ports. However, before implementation of entry management measures, 95.08% (1 738/1 828) of cases were found in hospitals. Among 51 cases who had provided entry dates, 82.35% (42/51) and 98.04% (50/51) of cases were found within seven days and fourteen days after entry, slightly higher than before implementation [(72.69%(362/498) and 97.59% (486/498)]. There was significant difference between the monthly mean values of Aedes mosquito larval density (Bretto index) from 2020 to 2021 and those from 2016 to 2019 (Z=2.83, P=0.005). There is a strong positive correlation between the annual international airline passengers volume in Guangdong from 2011 to 2021 and the annual imported Dengue fever cases (r=0.94, P<0.001), and a positive correlation also existed between the international passenger volume and the annual indigenous Dengue fever cases (r=0.72, P=0.013). Conclusions: In Guangdong, the entry management measures of centralized isolation for fourteen days after entry from abroad had been implemented, and most imported Dengue fever cases were found within fourteen days after entry. The risk of local transmission caused by imported cases has reduced significantly.

The velvet family proteins mediate low resistance to isoprothiolane in Magnaporthe oryzae

Isoprothiolane (IPT) resistance has emerged in Magnaporthe oryzae, due to the long-term usage of IPT to control rice blast in China, yet the mechanisms of the resistance remain largely unknown. Through IPT adaptation on PDA medium, we obtained a variety of IPT-resistant mutants. Based on their EC50 values to IPT, the resistant mutants were mainly divided into three distinct categories, i.e., low resistance (LR, 6.5 ≤ EC50 < 13.0 μg/mL), moderate resistance 1 (MR-1, 13.0 ≤ EC50 < 25.0 μg/mL), and moderate resistance 2 (MR-2, 25.0 ≤ EC50 < 35.0 μg/mL). Molecular analysis of MoIRR (Magnaporthe oryzae isoprothiolane resistance related) gene demonstrated that it was associated only with the moderate resistance in MR-2 mutants, indicating that other mechanisms were associated with resistance in LR and MR-1 mutants. In this study, we mainly focused on the characterization of low resistance to IPT in M. oryzae. Mycelial growth and conidial germination were significantly reduced, indicating fitness penalties in LR mutants. Based on the differences of whole genome sequences between parental isolate and LR mutants, we identified a conserved MoVelB gene, encoding the velvet family transcription factor, and genetic transformation of wild type isolate verified that MoVelB gene was associated with the low resistance. Based on molecular analysis, we further demonstrated that the velvet family proteins VelB and VeA were indispensable for IPT toxicity and the deformation of the VelB-VeA-LaeA complex played a vital role for the low IPT-resistance in M. oryzae, most likely through the down-regulation of the secondary metabolism-related genes or CYP450 genes to reduce the toxicity of IPT.

Non-volatile metabolites mediate plant interactions with insect herbivores

Non-volatile metabolites constitute the bulk of plant biomass. From the perspective of plant-insect interactions, these structurally diverse compounds include nutritious core metabolites and defensive specialized metabolites. In this review, we synthesize the current literature on multiple scales of plant-insect interactions mediated by non-volatile metabolites. At the molecular level, functional genetics studies have revealed a large collection of receptors targeting plant non-volatile metabolites in model insect species and agricultural pests. By contrast, examples of plant receptors of insect-derived molecules remain sparse. For insect herbivores, plant non-volatile metabolites function beyond the dichotomy of core metabolites, classed as nutrients, and specialized metabolites, classed as defensive compounds. Insect feeding tends to elicit evolutionarily conserved changes in plant specialized metabolism, whereas its effect on plant core metabolism varies widely based the interacting species. Finally, several recent studies have demonstrated that non-volatile metabolites can mediate tripartite communication on the community scale, facilitated by physical connections established through direct root-to-root communication, parasitic plants, arbuscular mycorrhizae and the rhizosphere microbiome. Recent advances in both plant and insect molecular biology will facilitate further research on the role of non-volatile metabolites in mediating plant-insect interactions.

Vitamin D protects intestines from liver cirrhosis-induced inflammation and oxidative stress by inhibiting the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway

Liver cirrhosis affects the structures and physiological functions of the intestine. Our previous study revealed that liver injury inhibited 25-hydroxylation of vitamin D (25(OH)-VD). The aim of this study was to investigate the roles and mechanisms of vitamin D in liver cirrhosis-induced intestinal injury. The rat liver cirrhosis model was established through the administration of carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) for 8 weeks. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was performed to unveil the intestinal injury induced by liver cirrhosis. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent and reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) analysis were used to determine the levels of 25(OH)-VD, vitamin D receptor, Cytochrome P450 24A1 (CYP24A1), and α-defensin 5 (DEFA5) in rat and human serum of liver cirrhosis. Furthermore, liver cirrhosis rats were treated with low-dose (500 IU/kg) and high-dose (2,000 IU/kg) vitamin D intraperitoneally. The expression levels of TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway were evaluated by RT-PCR and Western blot. In conclusion, we determined the deficiency of vitamin D and down-regulation of DEFA5 and intestinal damage induced by liver cirrhosis. Moreover, vitamin D effectively inhibited liver cirrhosis-induced intestinal inflammation and oxidative stress through the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway. Vitamin D might be a promising therapeutic strategy for future treatment of liver-induced intestinal injury.

[Clinicopathological features and prognostic factors of patients with lung metastasis of stage Ⅰa~Ⅲb cervical cancer]

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathological features and prognostic factors of lung metastasis in patients with cervical cancer after treatment. Methods: The clinicopathological data of 191 patients with lung metastasis of stage Ⅰa-Ⅲb cervical cancer (FIGO 2009 stage) treated in Sichuan Cancer Hospital from January 2007 to December 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. Kaplan Meier method and Log rank test were used for survival analysis, and Cox regression model was used for prognostic factors analysis. Results: Among 191 patients with lung metastasis of cervical cancer, pulmonary metastasis was found in 134 patients (70.2%) during follow-up examination, and 57 patients (29.8%) had clinical symptoms (cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, hemoptysis, and fever). The time from the initial treatment of cervical cancer to the discovery of lung metastasis was 1-144 months in the whole group, with a median time of 19 months. Univariate analysis of the prognosis of lung metastasis after treatment of cervical cancer showed that the diameter of cervical tumor, lymph node metastasis, positive surgical margin, disease-free interval after treatment of cervical cancer, whether it is accompanied by other metastasis, the number, location and maximum diameter of lung metastasis, and the treatment method after lung metastasis are related to the prognosis of patients with lung metastasis of cervical cancer. Multivariate analysis showed that the number of lung metastases and other site metastases in addition to lung metastases were independent factors affecting the prognosis of patients with lung metastases of cervical cancer (P<0.05). Conclusions: For patients with cervical cancer, attention should be paid to chest CT examination during follow-up to guard against the possibility of lung metastasis after treatment. Besides lung metastasis, other site metastasis and the number of lung metastasis are independent factors affecting the prognosis of patients with lung metastasis of cervical cancer. For patients with lung metastasis after treatment of cervical cancer, surgical treatment is an effective treatment. It is necessary to strictly grasp the surgical indications, and some patients can achieve long-term survival. For patients with lung metastasis of cervical cancer who are not suitable for resection of lung metastasis, the remedial treatment of chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy is still a recommended choice.

α-Pheromone Precursor Protein Foc4-PP1 Is Essential for the Full Virulence of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical Race 4

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc), which causes Fusarium wilt of bananas, is considered one of the most destructive fungal pathogens of banana crops worldwide. During infection, Foc secretes many different proteins which promote its colonization of plant tissues. Although F. oxysporum has no sexual cycle, it has been reported to secrete an α-pheromone, which acts as a growth regulator, chemoattractant, and quorum-sensing signaling molecule; and to encode a putative protein with the hallmarks of fungal α-pheromone precursors. In this study, we identified an ortholog of the α-pheromone precursor gene, Foc4-PP1, in Foc tropical race 4 (TR4), and showed that it was necessary for the growth and virulence of Foc TR4. Foc4-PP1 deletion from the Foc TR4 genome resulted in decreased fungal growth, increased sensitivity to oxidative stress and cell-wall-damaging agents, and attenuation of pathogen virulence towards banana plantlets. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that Foc4-PP1 was concentrated in the nuclei and cytoplasm of Nicotiana benthamiana cells, where it could suppress BAX-induced programmed cell death. In conclusion, these findings suggest that Foc4-PP1 contributes to Foc TR4 virulence by promoting hyphal growth and abiotic stress resistance and inhibiting the immune defense responses of host plants.

Characteristics, sources and health risk assessment of atmospheric carbonyls during multiple ozone pollution episodes in urban Beijing: Insights into control strategies

Carbonyls have attracted continuous attention due to their critical roles in atmospheric chemistry and their potential hazards to the ecological environment and human health. In this study, atmospheric carbonyls were measured during several ground-level-ozone (O₃) pollution episodes at three urban sites (CRAES, IEP and BJUT) in Beijing in 2019 and 2020. Comparative analysis revealed that the carbonyl concentrations were 20.25 ± 6.91 ppb and 13.43 ± 5.13 ppb in 2019 and 2020 in Beijing, respectively, with a significant spatial trend from north to south, and carbonyl levels in urban Beijing were in an upper-intermediate range in China, and higher than those in other countries reported in the literature. A particularly noteworthy phenomenon is the consistency of carbonyl concentrations with variations in O₃ concentrations. On O₃ polluted days, the carbonyl concentrations were 1.3-1.5 times higher than those on non-O₃ polluted days. Secondary formation contributed more to formaldehyde (FA) and acetaldehyde (AA) on O₃ polluted days, while the anthropogenic emissions were more significant for acetone (AC) on non-O₃ polluted days. Vehicle exhaust and solvent utilization were the main primary contributors to carbonyls. Due to reduced anthropogenic emissions caused by the COVID-19 lockdown and the "Program for Controlling Volatile Organic Compounds in 2020" in China, the contributions of primary emissions to carbonyls decreased in 2020 in Beijing. Human cancer risks to exposed populations from FA and AA increased with elevated O₃ levels, and the risks still remained on non-O₃ polluted days. The residents around the BJUT site might experience relatively higher human cancer risks than those around the other two sites. The findings in this study confirmed that atmospheric carbonyl pollution and its potential human health hazards cannot be ignored in urban Beijing; therefore, more strict control strategies for atmospheric carbonyls are urgently needed to better protect human health in Beijing in the future.

Intestinal crosstalk between bile acids and microbiota in irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a relatively common functional gastrointestinal disease with a disturbance of intestinal bacteria. Bile acids, gut microbiota, and the host have close and complex interactions, which play a central role in modulating host immune and metabolic homeostasis. Recent studies suggested that the bile acid-gut microbiota axis played a key role in the development of IBS patients. In order to investigate the role of bile acids in the pathogenesis of IBS and present potentially relevant clinical implications, we conducted a literature search on intestinal interactions between bile acid and gut microbiota. The intestinal crosstalk between bile acids and gut microbiota shapes the compositional and functional alterations in IBS, manifesting as gut microbial dysbiosis, disturbed bile acid pathway, and alteration of the microbial metabolites. Collaboratively, bile acid conducts the pathogenesis of IBS through the alterations of the farnesoid-X receptor and G protein-coupled receptor. Diagnostic markers and treatments targeting the bile acids and its receptor showed promising potential in the management of IBS. Bile acids and gut microbiota play a key role in the development of IBS and make attractive biomarkers for treatments. Individualized therapy aiming at bile acids and its receptor may provide significant diagnostic and requires further investigation.

Evidence of Antineutrinos from Distant Reactors Using Pure Water at SNO

The SNO+ Collaboration reports the first evidence of reactor antineutrinos in a Cherenkov detector. The nearest nuclear reactors are located 240 km away in Ontario, Canada. This analysis uses events with energies lower than in any previous analysis with a large water Cherenkov detector. Two analytical methods are used to distinguish reactor antineutrinos from background events in 190 days of data and yield consistent evidence for antineutrinos with a combined significance of 3.5σ.

Endophytic Colletotrichum (Sordariomycetes, Glomerellaceae) species associated with Citrus grandis cv. “Tomentosa” in China

Colletotrichum species are well-known plant pathogens, saprobes, endophytes, human pathogens and entomopathogens. However, little is known about Colletotrichum as endophytes of plants and cultivars including Citrus grandis cv. “Tomentosa”. In the present study, 12 endophytic Colletotrichum isolates were obtained from this host in Huazhou, Guangdong Province (China) in 2019. Based on morphology and combined multigene phylogeny [nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gapdh), chitin synthase 1 (chs-1), histone H3 (his3) actin (act), beta-tubulin (β-tubulin) and glutamine synthetase (gs)], six Colletotrichum species were identified, including two new species, namely Colletotrichum guangdongense and C. tomentosae. Colletotrichum asianum, C. plurivorum, C. siamense and C. tainanense are identified as being the first reports on C. grandis cv. “Tomentosa” worldwide. This study is the first comprehensive study on endophytic Colletotrichum species on C. grandis cv. “Tomentosa” in China.

Parallel Neurodegenerative Phenotypes in Sporadic Parkinson's Disease Fibroblasts and Midbrain Dopamine Neurons

Understanding the mechanisms causing Parkinson's disease (PD) is vital to the development of much needed early diagnostics and therapeutics for this debilitating condition. Here, we report cellular and molecular alterations in skin fibroblasts of late-onset sporadic PD subjects, that were recapitulated in matched induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived midbrain dopamine (DA) neurons, reprogrammed from the same fibroblasts. Specific changes in growth, morphology, reactive oxygen species levels, mitochondrial function, and autophagy, were seen in both the PD fibroblasts and DA neurons, as compared to their respective controls. Additionally, significant alterations in alpha synuclein expression and electrical activity were also noted in the PD DA neurons. Interestingly, although the fibroblast and neuronal phenotypes were similar to each other, they also differed in their nature and scale. Furthermore, statistical analysis revealed novel associations between various clinical measures of the PD subjects and the different fibroblast and neuronal data. In essence, these findings encapsulate spontaneous, in-tandem, disease-related phenotypes in both sporadic PD fibroblasts and iPSC-based DA neurons, from the same patient, and generates an innovative model to investigate PD mechanisms with a view towards rational disease stratification and precision treatments.

Palladium (II), platinum (II) and silver (I) complexes with oxazolines: Their synthesis, characterization, DFT calculation, molecular docking and antitumour effects

Six new Pd(II), Pt(II) and Ag(I) complexes, (1);{Pd (L₁)]2C₆H₄}₂Cl₄} (2); Pt(L₂)(DMSO)Cl; 3; {PtL₅]₂C₆H₄}₂·PhCOO^-⋅11NO₃^-; 4; {[Pt(L₄)]₂C₆H₄}; the binuclear cyclometalated complex the polymer chain (5); {[PtL₅]C₆H₄}·NO₃^-}; and the polymeric silver species (6); Zn(L₆)₂·AgNO₃·CHCl₃ were synthesized and thoroughly characterized using X-ray diffraction and spectroscopic techniques (L₁=(S,S)-1,4-i-PrOx]₂C₆H₄}₂Cl₄, L₂=Di(2,2-bis(4R-isopropyl-4,5-dihydro-oxazol-2-yl)acetonitrile) zinc (II) (B_R1);L₃= 1,4-bis(4R-benzyl-4,5-dihydro-oxazol-2-yl)benzene (A_R2); L₄= 1,4-bis(4R-benzyl-4,5-dihydro-oxazol-2-yl)benzene，L₅=1,4-bis(4R-benzyl-4,5-dihydro-oxazol-2-yl)-benzene，L₆=Di(2,2-bis(4S-isopropyl-4,5-dihydrooxazol-2-yl)acetonitrile) zinc (II). Complexes 1-6 showed cytotoxic effects against human tumour cell lines, including a multidrug-resistant subline. Oxazoline and Pd complex 1 induced apoptosis in A549 cells. DFT calculations were also performed to exhibit the excellent bioactivity of complex 1 against A549, MDA-MB-231, and KB cells. Complex 1, with the best docking score and a stable interaction network within the binding site of the G-quadruplex, could stably interact with the G-quadruplex. Additionally, complex 1 was further used in the animal experiment of human lung adenocarcinoma cells in nude mice. By comparing with the model control group, the tumour volume, relative tumour volume and relative tumour proliferation rate T/C decreased significantly in the cisplatin group and compound 1 (complex 1) group.

Dickkopf-related protein 1/cytoskeleton-associated protein 4 signaling activation by Helicobacter pylori-induced activator protein-1 promotes gastric tumorigenesis via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway

BACKGROUND

Gastric cancer (GC) is a common malignant tumor with high incidence and mortality rates globally, especially in East Asian countries. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a significant and independent risk factor for GC. However, its underlying mechanism of action is not fully understood. Dickkopf-related protein (DKK) 1 is a Wnt signaling antagonist, and cytoskeleton-associated protein (CKAP) 4 is a newly identified DKK1 receptor. Recent studies found that the binding of DKK1 to CAKP4 mediated the procancer signaling of DKK1 inde-pendent of Wnt signaling. We hypothesize that H. pylori-induced activation of DKK1/CKAP4 signaling contributes to the initiation and progression of GC.

AIM

To investigate the interaction of H. pylori infection, DKK1 and CAKP4 in GC, as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms.

METHODS

RNA sequencing was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between H. pylori-infected and uninfected primary GC cells. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments were performed to verify the H. pylori-induced upregulation of activator protein-1 (AP-1) in GC cells. A dual-luciferase reporter assay and co-immunoprecipitation were used to determine the binding of AP-1 to the DKK1 promoter and DKK1 to CKAP4. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry detected the expression of DKK1, CKAP4, and phos-phatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway-related proteins in GC cells and tissues. Functional experiments and tumorigenicity in nude mice detected malignant behavior of GC cells in vitro and in vivo.

RESULTS

We identified 32 DEGs between primary GC cells with and without H. pylori infection, including JUN, fos-like antigen-1 (FOSL1), and DKK1, and confirmed that the three proteins and CKAP4 were highly expressed in H. pylori-infected GC cells, H. pylori-infected gerbil gastric tissues, and human GC tissues. JUN and FOSL1 form AP-1 to transcriptionally activate DKK1 expression by binding to the DKK1 promoter. Activated DKK1 bound to CKAP4, but not the most common Wnt coreceptor low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5/6, to promote GC cell growth, colony formation, migration, invasion, and xenograft tumor growth in nude mice. All these effects were driven by activation of the PI3K/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. Targeting the PI3K signaling pathway by LY294002 inhibited DKK1-mediated CKAP4/PI3K signaling activity and the malignant behavior of GC cells.

CONCLUSION

H. pylori induces JUN and FOSL1 expression to form AP-1, which transcriptionally activates DKK1. Binding of DKK1 to KAKP4 contributes to gastric tumorigenesis via the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.

Genetic diversity of Venturia carpophila populations from different hosts and geographic regions in China

Venturia carpophila, the causal agent of scab disease of peach, mume, and apricot, is widely distributed around the world. Scab of stone fruits is an important disease in China. However, little is known about the population biology and genetic diversity of the V. carpophila. To better understand the genetic diversity and population structure of V. carpophila, 186 single-spore isolates from different hosts and geographic regions were obtained and analyzed by using 31 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. This included 156 isolates from peach spanning 14 provinces, 15 isolates from mume and 15 isolates from apricot in Huazhong Agricultural University (HZAU). Diversity analysis with SSR markers showed a low incidence of polymorphisms within mume isolates (32.59% of markers), but a higher incidence of polymorphisms within peach isolates (42.96%) and apricot isolates (57.04%). Within peach isolates, Nei's average gene diversity ranged from 0.07 for Hebei population to 0.18 for Hubei population. AMOVA analysis revealed that 13% of the observed genetic diversity was partitioned among the geographic populations, while 40% of the observed genetic diversity was partitioned among the host populations. Other analyses (PCoA, STRUCTURE, DAPC, MSN, and UPGMA) indicated that the Chinese V. carpophila populations could be clustered into three distinct genetic groups, which correspond to the host boundaries of peach, mume and apricot. The genetic identity of V. carpophila isolates throughout the range is dependent on hosts, but not geographic regions.

Golden bifid might improve diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome via microbiota modulation

Objective

Gut microbiota might play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and probiotics supplement may be an effective treatment option. This study aims to explore the therapeutic effects of Golden bifid on the diarrhea-predominant IBS (IBS-D).

Methods

Twenty-one consecutive IBS-D patients were recruited based on Rome IV criteria. All patients took 2000 mg Golden bifid triple daily for 4 weeks. Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, psychological symptoms, small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and fecal microbiota characteristics were evaluated in IBS-D patients before and after treatment.

Results

After 4-week treatment of Golden bifid, the GI symptoms such as abdominal pain (2.90 ± 1.04 vs. 1.90 ± 1.26, P = 0.002), abdominal distension (2.00 ± 1.34 vs. 1.29 ± 1.31, P = 0.007), diarrhea (3.24 ± 1.37 vs. 1.81 ± 1.21, P = 0.001), defecatory urgency (3.48 ± 1.03 vs. 2.33 ± 1.35, P = 0.000) and incomplete evacuation (2.71 ± 1.15 vs. 1.76 ± 1.26, P = 0.003) were significantly alleviated in IBS-D patients. The Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) decreased significantly (46.19 ± 11.36 vs. 43.33 ± 9.65, P = 0.041), and SIBO could be eradicated in 25% (4/16) of IBS-D patients with SIBO. Meanwhile, the abundance of Unclassified Lachnospiraceae and Dorea in genus level and Unclassified Lachnospiraceae, Bacterium Dorea, Bacterium Butyricicoccus and Dorea formicigenerans ATCC 27755 in species level were increased in fecal microbiota (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Golden bifid could improve most of GI symptoms and depressive symptoms in IBS-D patients and eradicate a small proportion of SIBO in those IBS-D patients with SIBO. What's more, Golden bifid could also modulate the fecal microbiota in IBS-D patients, which implied that the Golden bifid might improve IBS-D via microbiota modulation.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s41043-022-00302-0.

Development and initial results of 320 GHz interferometer system in Heliotron J

A new 320 GHz solid-state source interferometer is installed in the Heliotron J helical device to explore the physics of high-density plasmas (ne > 2-3 × 10¹⁹ m^-3, typically) realized with advanced fueling techniques. This interferometry system is of the Michelson type and is based on the heterodyne principle, with two independent solid-state sources that can deliver an output power of up to 50 mW. A high time resolution measurement of <1 µs can be derived by tuning the frequency of one source in the frequency range of 312-324 GHz on the new system, which can realize the fluctuation measurement. We successfully measured the line-averaged electron density in high-density plasma experiments. The measured density agreed well with a microwave interferometer measurement using a different viewing chord, demonstrating that the new system can be used for routine diagnostics of electron density in Heliotron J.

Distribution of lipid levels and prevalence of hyperlipidemia: data from the NHANES 2007-2018

Background

Lipid-lowering therapy is important, and the distribution of lipid levels and the incidence of hyperlipidemia may vary in different subgroups of the population. We aimed to explore the distribution of lipid levels and the prevalence of hyperlipidemia in subpopulations with subgroup factors, including age, sex, race, and smoking status.

Methods

Our study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2007 to 2018, ultimately enrolling and analyzing 15,499 participants. A cross-sectional analysis was performed to assess the distribution of lipids and prevalence of hyperlipidemia in subpopulations, and multifactorial logistic regression analyses were performed for the prevalence of hyperlipidemia, adjusted for age, sex, race and smoking status.

Results

Blacks had significantly lower mean serum total cholesterol and triglycerides and higher serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) than whites (P < 0.001). In contrast, Mexican Americans had markedly higher mean serum triglycerides and lower serum HDL-C than whites (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia was lower in blacks than in whites (P = 0.003 and P < 0.001, respectively), while the prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia was significantly higher in Mexican Americans than in whites (P = 0.002). In addition, total cholesterol and triglyceride levels were significantly higher in women aged 65 years or older and markedly higher than in men in the same age group (P < 0.001). In addition, overall mean total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels were higher in smokers than in nonsmokers (P = 0.01, P < 0.001, and P = 0.005, respectively).

Conclusion

Based on NHANES data, the mean lipid levels and prevalence of hyperlipidemia differed by sex, age, race, and smoking status.

Multi-omics characterization of autophagy-related molecular features for therapeutic targeting of autophagy

Autophagy is a major contributor to anti-cancer therapy resistance. Many efforts have been made to understand and overcome autophagy-mediated therapy resistance, but these efforts have been unsuccessful in clinical applications. In this study, we establish an autophagy signature to estimate tumor autophagy status. We then classify approximately 10,000 tumor samples across 33 cancer types from The Cancer Genome Atlas into autophagy score-high and autophagy score-low groups. We characterize the associations between multi-dimensional molecular features and tumor autophagy, and further analyse the effects of autophagy status on drug response. In contrast to the conventional view that the induction of autophagy serves as a key resistance mechanism during cancer therapy, our analysis reveals that autophagy induction may also sensitize cancer cells to anti-cancer drugs. We further experimentally validate this phenomenon for several anti-cancer drugs in vitro and in vivo, and reveal that autophagy inducers potentially sensitizes tumor cells to etoposide through downregulating the expression level of DDIT4. Our study provides a comprehensive landscape of molecular alterations associated with tumor autophagy and highlights an opportunity to leverage multi-omics analysis to utilize multiple drug sensitivity induced by autophagy.