Galectin-7 Induction by EHMT2 Inhibition Enhances Immunity in Microsatellite Stability Colorectal Cancer

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Although immunotherapy shows substantial advancement in colorectal cancer (CRC) with microsatellite instability high, it has limited efficacy for CRC with microsatellite stability (MSS). Identifying combinations that reverse immune suppression and prime MSS tumors for current immunotherapy approaches remains an urgent need.

METHODS

An in vitro CRISPR screen was performed using coculture models of primary tumor cells and autologous immune cells from MSS CRC patients to identify epigenetic targets that could enhance immunotherapy efficacy in MSS tumors.

RESULTS

We revealed EHMT2, a histone methyltransferase, as a potential target for MSS CRC. EHMT2 inhibition transformed the immunosuppressive microenvironment of MSS tumors into an immunomodulatory one by altering cytokine expression, leading to T-cell-mediated cytotoxicity activation and improved responsiveness to anti-PD1 treatment. We observed galectin-7 up-regulation upon EHMT2 inhibition, which converted a "cold" MSS tumor environment into a T-cell-inflamed one. Mechanistically, CHD4 repressed galectin-7 expression by recruiting EHMT2 to form a cotranscriptional silencing complex. Galectin-7 administration enhanced anti-PD1 efficacy in MSS CRC, serving as a potent adjunct cytokine therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that targeting the EHMT2/galectin-7 axis could provide a novel combination strategy for immunotherapy in MSS CRC.

Intrahepatic Glisson Intrathecal Dissection via a Hepatic Parenchymal Transection-First Approach for Laparoscopic Anatomical Hemihepatectomy in Patients with Left/Right Glisson Pedicle Involvement

Background: Because of lack of an appropriate surgical approach, laparoscopic surgery in patients with left/right Glisson pedicle involvement is still rarely conducted. This study aimed to discusses the methods of intrahepatic Glisson intrathecal dissection via a hepatic parenchymal transection-first approach for laparoscopic hemihepatectomy in patients with left/right Glisson pedicle involvement. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 21 patients who underwent laparoscopic hepatectomy in the Second Affiliated Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University) from March 2021 to May 2022. Results: The mean age of the patients was 53.1 ± 11.6 years; mean operation time, 191.9 ± 22.3 minutes; median intraoperative blood loss, 205 mL (160-300 mL); and median length of hospital stay, 8 days (7-9 days). None of the patients underwent conversion to open procedure. Thirteen patients had pathologically confirmed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal tumor thrombi (PVTT), and 8 was confirmed hepatolithiasis. Intraoperative frozen pathology and final pathology showed tumor free surgical margins in HCC with PVTT patients. After conservative treatment, all the complications such as postoperative liver section effusion, pleural effusion, pneumonia, intra-abdomen bleeding, and bile leak were cured. During outpatient follow-up examination, no other abnormality was detected. All HCC with PVTT patients were treated with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor after the operation and survived tumor-free. Conclusions: Proposed here is a more safe and feasible method of laparoscopic hemihepatectomy in patients with left/right Glisson pedicle involvement, but many problems still needs further exploration.

A safe and simple exposure and Pringle maneuver in laparoscopic anatomical liver resection of segment 7

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic access to liver segment 7 (S7) is difficult for deep surgical situations and bleeding control. Herein, our proposed laparoscopic technique for S7 lesions using a self-designed tube method is introduced.

METHODS

Clinical data of patients who underwent laparoscopic anatomical liver resection of S7 (LALR-S7) with the help of our self-designed tube to improve the exposure of S7 and bleeding control in the Second Affiliated Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University) from April 2019 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed to evaluate feasibility and safety.

RESULTS

Nineteen patients were retrospectively reviewed. The mean age was 51.3 ± 10.3 years; mean operation time, 194.5 ± 22.7 min; median blood loss, 160.0 ml (150.0-205.0 ml); and median length of hospital stay, 8.0 days (7.0-9.0 days). There was no case conversion to open surgery. Postoperative pathology revealed all cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Free surgical margins were achieved in all patients. No major postoperative complications were observed. Patients with postoperative complications recovered after conservative treatment. During outpatient follow-up examination, no other abnormality was presented. All patients survived without tumor recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

The preliminary clinical effect of our method was safe, reproducible and effective for LALR-S7. Further research is needed due to some limitations of this study.

Amino-carboxyl cellulose for adsorption of Cd2+ and Pb2

An amino-carboxyl cellulose was synthesized using the grafting of glycine on the aldehyde cellulose through a Schiff base reaction for the adsorption of heavy metals with Cd2+ and Pb2+ as the representative. Higher affinity of the amino-carboxyl cellulose was found at pH 4.5-5.0 for Cd2+ and 4.0-5.5 for Pb2+. The equilibrium was achieved within 30 min. The adsorption capacities of amino-carboxyl cellulose (Cd2+: 85.7 mg g-1, Pb2+: 115.1 mg g-1, Cu2+: 68.2 mg g-1, Co2+: 60.1 mg g-1, Ni2+ 48.5 mg g-1 and Zn2+: 52.8 mg g-1) at 30 °C were observed. A mild increase in the adsorption capacities of Cd2+ and Pb2+ from 15 to 45 °C was observed. Adsorption data correlated well with the Langmuir and pseudo-second order equations, illustrating chemisorption of Cd2+ and Pb2+ by the amino-carboxyl cellulose. The adsorption of the amino-carboxyl cellulose for Cd2+ and Pb2+ was a spontaneous and endothermic. The amino-carboxyl cellulose owned a high reusability after 4 cycles.

Clinical and genetic characteristics in pancreatic cancer from Chinese patients revealed by whole exome sequencing

Background

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most fatal malignancies worldwide, mostly as a result of the absence of early detection and specific treatment solutions. Consequently, identifying mutational profiles and molecular biomarkers is essential for increasing the viability of precision therapy for pancreatic cancer.

Methods

We collected blood and tumor tissue samples from 47 Chinese pancreatic cancer patients and used whole-exome sequencing (WES) to evaluate the genetic landscape.

Results

Our results showed the most frequently somatic alteration genes were KRAS (74.5%), TP53(51.1%), SMAD4 (17%), ARID1A (12.8%), CDKN2A (12.8%), TENM4 (10.6%), TTN (8.5%), RNF43(8.5%), FLG (8.5%) and GAS6 (6.4%) in Chinese PDAC patients. We also found that three deleterious germline mutations (ATM c.4852C>T/p. R1618*, WRN c.1105C>T/p. R369*, PALB2 c.2760dupA/p. Q921Tfs*7) and two novel fusions (BRCA1-RPRML, MIR943 (intergenic)-FGFR3). When compared to the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, there is a greater mutation frequency of TENM4 (10.6% vs. 1.6%, p = 0.01), GAS6(6.4% vs. 0.5%, p = 0.035), MMP17(6.4% vs. 0.5%, p = 0.035), ITM2B (6.4% vs. 0.5%, p = 0.035) and USP7 (6.4% vs. 0.5%, p= 0.035) as well as a reduced mutation frequency of SMAD4 (17.0% vs. 31.5%, p = 0.075) and CDKN2A (12.8% vs. 47.3%, p < 0.001) were observed in the Chinese cohort. Among the 41 individuals examined for programmed cell death ligand 1(PD-L1) expression, 15 (36.6%) had positive PD-L1 expression. The median tumor mutational burden (TMB) was found to be 12muts (range, 0124). The TMB index was higher in patients with mutant-type KRAS MUT/TP53 MUT (p < 0.001), CDKN2A (p = 0.547), or SMAD4 (p = 0.064) compared to patients with wild-type KRAS/TP53, CDKN2A, or SMAD4.

Conclusions

We exhibited real-world genetic traits and new alterations in Chinese individuals with cancer of the pancreas, which might have interesting implications for future individualized therapy and medication development.

Nanocomposites of nitrogen-doped carbon dots/hydrotalcite with enhanced solid-state fluorescence for the recognition of latent fingerprints

In this work, a green emissive nanocomposite was synthesized by embedding nitrogen-doped carbon dots into hydrotalcite (N-CD/hydrotalcite) via a hydrothermal process for the recognition of latent fingerprints (LFPs). Good dispersion of the nano-sized N-CD on the surface of hydrotalcite overcomes the fluorescence quenching of N-CD in the solid state and can enhance solid-state fluorescence. N-CD/hydrotalcite emits stable strong green fluorescence even at different excitation wavelengths and exhibits good selectivity and sensitivity for the visualization of LFPs on various substrates such as glass slides, tiles, leather, aluminum foil, printing paper, colored surfaces of plastic packing, copper foil, planks, leaves, currencies, and bar codes. The high-level details of the ridge patterns of both fresh and aged LFPs can be clearly identified with good clarity and high contrast without background interferences under the excitation of a 450 nm light source. There is no significant difference in the LFP image visualized by N-CD/hydrotalcite and commercial fluorescent powders, indicating that the effectiveness of N-CD/hydrotalcite for the visualization of LFPs is equivalent to that of commercial fluorescent powders. These observations illustrate that N-CD/hydrotalcite has great potential in the recognition of LFPs.

Laparoscopic surgical management of hepatocellular carcinoma patients with diaphragmatic involvement

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignancy of the digestive system with high morbidity and high mortality worldwide. Currently, surgical resection is considered the most effective treatment for HCC. Laparoscopic surgery is a major trend in contemporary minimally invasive surgery. However, is laparoscopic resection suitable for HCC patients with diaphragmatic involvement? If so, then what is the preferred resection method, and how safe and effective is this treatment? Are there any factors that require special attention?

METHODS

Clinical data of 17 patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery in the Second Affiliated Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University) from January 2018 to February 2021 were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS

The mean age was 48.9 ± 14.0 years; mean operation time, 186.00 ± 18.3 min; median blood loss, 170.0 ml (140.8-207.5 ml); and median length of hospital stay, 8.0 days (7.0-9.5 days). There was no case of open conversion. Pathologic findings revealed all cases of HCC. Intraoperative frozen pathology and postoperative pathology showed free surgical margins. Six patients had pathologically confirmed diaphragmatic invasion (DI), and eleven was confirmed as having diaphragmatic fibrous adhesion (DFA) only. Post-operative complications included liver section effusion, pleural effusion, pneumonia and bile leak. All the complications responded well to conservative treatment. No other abnormality was noted during outpatient follow-up examination. Sixteen patients survived tumor-free; one patient with HCC developed intrahepatic metastasis 1 year after surgery, and this patient survived with tumor after treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Our experience initially provides valuable support for the laparoscopic surgical treatment of HCC patients with diaphragmatic involvement.

Nanocomposites of immobilized nano-zirconia on low-cost activated carbon derived from hazelnut shell for enhanced removal of 3-Nitro-4-Hydroxy-Phenylarsonic acid from water

3-Nitro-4-hydroxy-phenylarsonic acid (NHPA) as a veterinary drug can degraded into highly toxic inorganic arsenic and will be harmful to environment and food safety. Nanocomposites for the uptake of NHPA were obtained by efficiently immobilizing the nano-sized zirconium oxide onto hazelnut shell-based activated carbon using pyrolysis method. We found that the pyrolysis temperature played a crucial role in the adsorptive performances of the nanocomposites. The prepared nanocomposite at pyrolysis temperature of 600 °C with a mass ratio of ZrOCl₂/activated carbon of 1:3 exhibited a fast adsorption equilibrium for NHPA within 5 min, excellent adsorption capacity of 825.7 mg g^-1 and the higher adsorption capacity with the increase in temperature from 20 to 45 °C across a pH range of 4-6. 90% of the NHPA uptake was sustained in the NaNO₃ solution of 0.7 mol L^-1. The adsorption data were well simulated by the Langmuir and pseudo-second order equations. Thermodynamic parameters suggested that the uptake of the NHPA occurred spontaneously (ΔG⁰<0) with an endothermic characteristic (ΔH⁰>0). A synergetic effect of electrostatic attraction, As-O-Zr surface coordination and π-π interaction is the main adsorption mechanism of the nanocomposites for the removal of the NHPA.

Laparoscopic liver resection of segment 8 via a hepatic parenchymal transection-first approach guided by the middle hepatic vein

Background

Pure laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) of segment 8 (S8) is still rarely performed due to the lack of an appropriate surgical approach. This article discusses the technical tips and operation methods for LLR of S8 via a hepatic parenchymal transection-first approach.

Methods

Clinical data of 22 patients who underwent LLR of S8 via a hepatic parenchymal transection-first approach guided by the middle hepatic vein (MHV) in the Second Affiliated Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University) from May 2017 to February 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.

Results

The mean age was 51.1 ± 11.6 years; mean operation time, 186.6 ± 18.4 min; median blood loss, 170.0 ml (143.8–205.0 ml); and median length of hospital stay, 8.0 days (7.0–9.0 days). There was no case of open conversion. Pathologic findings revealed all cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Pathology showed free surgical margins. Post-operative complications included liver section effusion, pleural effusion, pneumonia, intra-abdomen bleeding and bile leak. All the complications responded well to conservative treatment. No other abnormality was noted during outpatient follow-up examination. All patients survived tumor-free.

Conclusions

LLR of S8 is still quite challenging at present, and it is our goal to design a reasonable procedure with accurate efficacy and high safety. We use hepatic parenchymal transection-first approach guided by the MHV for LLR of S8. This technique overcomes the problem of high technical risk, greatly reduces the surgical difficulty and achieves technological breakthroughs, but there are still many problems worth further exploration.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12876-022-02289-8.

Bronchiectasis in Low-Dose CT Screening for Lung Cancer

Background Bronchiectasis is associated with loss of lung function, substantial use of health care resources, and increased morbidity and mortality in people with cardiopulmonary diseases. Purpose To assess the frequency and severity of bronchiectasis and related clinical findings of participants in a low-dose CT (LDCT) screening program. Materials and Methods The Early Lung and Cardiac Action Program (ELCAP) bronchiectasis score (range, 0-42; higher values indicate more severe bronchiectasis) was developed to facilitate bronchiectasis assessment. This quantitative scoring system screened participants based on accumulated knowledge and improved CT imaging capabilities. Secondary review of LDCT studies from smokers aged 40-90 years was performed when they were initially enrolled in the prospective Mount Sinai ELCAP screening study between 2010 and 2019. Medical records were reviewed to identify associated respiratory symptoms and acute respiratory events during the 2 years after LDCT. Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine factors associated with bronchiectasis. Results LDCT studies of 2191 screening participants (mean age, 65 years ± 9; 1140 [52%] women) were obtained, and bronchiectasis was identified in 504 (23%) participants. Median ELCAP bronchiectasis score was 12 (interquartile range, 9-16). Bronchiectasis was most common in the lower lobes for all participants, and lower lobe prevalence was greater with higher ELCAP score (eg, 91% prevalence with an ELCAP score of 16-42). In the fourth quartile, however, midlung involvement was higher compared with lower lung involvement (128 of 131 participants [98%] vs 122 of 131 participants [93%]). Bronchiectasis was more frequent with greater age (odds ratio [OR] = 2.0 per decade; 95% CI: 1.7, 2.4); being a former smoker (OR = 1.33; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.73); and having self-reported chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR = 1.38; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.88), an elevated hemidiaphragm (OR = 4; 95% CI: 2, 11), or consolidation (OR = 5; 95% CI: 3, 11). It was less frequent in overweight (OR = 0.7; 95% CI: 0.5, 0.9) or obese (OR = 0.6; 95% CI: 0.4, 0.8) participants. Two years after baseline LDCT, respiratory symptoms, acute respiratory events, and respiratory events that required hospitalization were more frequent with increasing severity of the ELCAP bronchiectasis score (P < .005 for all trends). Conclusion Prevalence of bronchiectasis in smokers undergoing low-dose CT screening was high, and respiratory symptoms and acute events were more frequent with increasing severity of the Early Lung and Cardiac Action Program Bronchiectasis score. © RSNA, 2022 See also the editorial by Verschakelen in this issue.

Optimal time point of response assessment for predicting survival is associated with tumor burden in hepatocellular carcinoma receiving repeated transarterial chemoembolization

OBJECTIVES

Objective response rate (ORR) under mRECIST criteria after transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is a well-perceived surrogate endpoint of overall survival (OS). However, its optimal time point remains controversial and may be influenced by tumor burden. We aim to investigate the surrogacy of initial/best ORR in relation to tumor burden.

METHODS

A total of 1549 eligible treatment-naïve patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), Child-Pugh score ≤ 7, and performance status score ≤ 1 undergoing TACE between January 2010 and May 2016 from 17 academic hospitals were retrospectively analyzed. Based on "six-and-twelve" criteria, tumor burden was graded as low, intermediate, and high if the sum of the maximum tumor diameter and tumor number was ≤ 6, > 6 but ≤ 12, and > 12, respectively.

RESULTS

Both initial and best ORRs interacted with tumor burden. Initial and best ORRs could equivalently predict and correlate with OS in low (adjusted HR, 2.55 and 2.95, respectively, both p < 0.001; R = 0.84, p = 0.035, and R = 0.97, p = 0.002, respectively) and intermediate strata (adjusted HR, 1.81 and 2.22, respectively, both p < 0.001; R = 0.74, p = 0.023, and R = 0.9, p = 0.002, respectively). For high strata, only best ORR exhibited qualified surrogacy (adjusted HR, 2.61, p < 0.001; R = 0.70, p = 0.035), whereas initial ORR was not significant (adjusted HR, 1.08, p = 0.357; R = 0.22, p = 0.54).

CONCLUSIONS

ORR as surrogacy of OS is associated with tumor burden. For patients with low/intermediate tumor burden, initial ORR should be preferred in its early availability upon similar sensitivity, whereas for patients with high tumor burden, best ORR has optimal sensitivity. Timing of OR assessment should be tailored according to tumor burden.

KEY POINTS

• This is the first study utilizing individual patient data to comprehensively analyze the surrogacy of ORR with a long follow-up period. • Optimal timing of ORR assessment for predicting survival should be tailored according to tumor burden. • For patients with low and intermediate tumor burden, initial ORR is optimal for its timeliness upon similar sensitivity with best ORR. For patients with high tumor burden, best ORR has optimal sensitivity.

Early-Stage Lung Cancer Patients’ Perceptions of Presurgical Discussions

Background

Patients with early-stage non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have high survival rates, but patients often say they did not anticipate the effect of the surgery on their postsurgical quality of life (QoL). This study adds to the literature regarding patient and surgeon interactions and highlights the areas where the current approach is not providing good communication.

Design

Since its start in 2016, the Initiative for Early Lung Cancer Research on Treatment (IELCART), a prospective cohort study, has enrolled 543 patients who underwent surgery for stage I NSCLC within the Mount Sinai Health System. Presurgical patient and surgeon surveys were available for 314 patients, postsurgical surveys for 420, and both pre- and postsurgical surveys for 285.

Results

Of patients with presurgical surveys, 31.2% said that their surgeon recommended multiple types of treatment. Of patients with postsurgical surveys, 85.0% felt very well prepared and 11.4% moderately well prepared for their postsurgical recovery. The median Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Lung Cancer score and social support score of the patients who felt very well prepared was significantly higher than those moderately or not well prepared (24.0 v. 22.0, P < 0.001) and (5.0 [interquartile range: 4.7–5.0] v. 5.0 [IQR: 4.2–5.0], p = 0.015).

Conclusions

This study provides insight into the areas where surgeons are communicating well with their patients as well as the areas where patients still feel uninformed. Most surgeons feel that they prepare their patients well or very well for surgical recovery, whereas some patients still feel that their surgeons did not prepare them well for postsurgical recovery. Surgeons may want to spend additional time emphasizing postsurgical recovery and QoL with their patients or provide their patients with additional avenues to get their questions and concerns addressed.

Highlights

A Nomogram Model for Predicting the Response to Transcatheter Arterial Embolization in Patients With Symptomatic Hepatic Hemangioma

Background: Transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) is regarded as an effective treatment for patients with symptomatic hepatic hemangioma. However, few studies have evaluated the efficacy of TAE alone for treating hepatic hemangioma. The aim of this study was to identify the factors that influence the response to TAE and formulate a quantitative nomogram to optimize the individualized management of hepatic hemangioma.

Methods: We retrospectively studied 276 patients treated with TAE for hepatic hemangioma at our center from January 2011 to December 2019. The full cohort was randomly divided into training and validation cohorts. After assessing the potential predictive factors for the efficacy of TAE in the training cohort, a nomogram model was established and evaluated by discrimination and calibration.

Results: During follow-up, the symptom relief rate was 100%. The tumor blood supply (p < 0.001), tumor number (p = 0.004), and tumor size (p = 0.006) were identified as significant predictors of the failure of tumor shrinkage in response to TAE. The nomogram model showed favorable discrimination and calibration, with a C-index of 0.775 (95% CI, 0.705–0.845) in the training cohort, which was further confirmed in the validation cohort (C-index 0.768; 95% CI, 0.680–0.856). The side effects of TAE were relatively minor and included mainly abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, and the presence of elevated hepatic transaminases.

Conclusion: TAE is a safe and effective treatment for symptomatic hepatic hemangioma. The established nomogram performed well for the estimation of the effect of TAE in patients with hepatic hemangioma and can facilitate the selection of patients who would benefit most from the treatment.

Effects of recombinant human adenovirus type 5 combined with transarterial chemoembolization on postoperative metastasis and recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma patients

BACKGROUND

Postoperative recurrence is currently the main factor affecting the long-term survival of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. The folinic acid, fluorouracil, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) regimen with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is a commonly used postoperative chemotherapy strategy, but its effect is still limited. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of recombinant human adenovirus type 5 (rhAd5) combined with TACE on postoperative metastasis and recurrence of HCC.

METHODS

Patients with HCC undergoing surgical treatment were collected and divided into the rhAd5 group and control group according to whether rhAd5 was performed. The rhAd5 group was combined with rhAd5 treatment based on TACE. The recurrence and metastasis rates of the two participant groups were compared. The changes of liver function, kidney function, blood routine, and adverse reactions during treatment were analyzed.

RESULTS

The basic data of the two groups were not significantly different (P>0.05). The recurrence and metastasis rates of rhAd5 group participants were significantly lower than those of the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the rhAd5 group and control group (P>0.05). There were no significant differences in the incidences of adverse reactions between the rhAd5 group and control group (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of FOLFOX and rhAd5 after surgery can significantly inhibit the occurrence of metastasis and recurrence of HCC patients, improve progression free survival, and has certain safety.

Nanocomposites of zero-valent iron@biochar derived from agricultural wastes for adsorptive removal of tetracyclines

Tetracycline antibiotics as the emerging pollutants had been drawn abroad increasing concerns. An agricultural waste, the lignocellulosic hazelnut shell, was used as the carbon source to prepare the nanocomposites of zero-valent iron@biochar by pyrolytic reduction method at 1123 K for 2 h in N₂ atmosphere. The adsorptive removal of tetracycline, oxytetracycline and chlortetracycline by the zero-valent iron@biochar from aqueous solution was investigated by batch method. The optimal experimental conditions were found to be at pH 6-7 with a contact time of 40 min. The adsorbed amounts of oxytetracycline, chlortetracycline and tetracycline at 298 K were 52.7, 42.5 and 39.1 mg g^-1, respectively. Adsorption process of three antibiotics by the nanocomposite pursued Langmuir and pseudo-second-order equations. Thermodynamic parameters illustrated that the adsorption was spontaneous and endothermic intrinsically. The high removal efficiencies up to 95% of the zero-valent iron@biochar for oxytetracycline and chlortetracycline from the culture wastewaters had opened the potential applications for the removal of the antibiotics.

Camrelizumab Plus Sorafenib Versus Sorafenib Monotherapy for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Retrospective Analysis

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis. Immunotherapy has gained great interest for various solid tumors due to its promising clinical efficacy. Targeted therapy also plays a crucial role in anticancer treatment. However, studies on the combination of immunotherapy and targeted therapy for advanced HCC are limited. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of camrelizumab combined with sorafenib in the treatment of advanced HCC.

Methods

From January 2019 to January 2021, 100 consecutive patients with advanced HCC in our hospital were enrolled for this study. Patients were assigned into two groups: a combined-therapy group (camrelizumab + sorafenib) and a sorafenib-only group. Progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), treatment response, and relevant adverse effects (AEs) were evaluated and recorded.

Results

Of a total of 100 patients, 35 received a combination of camrelizumab and sorafenib, and 65 were treated with sorafenib alone. After 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM), each group had 34 patients. The overall response rate (ORR) of the combined-therapy group was statistically significantly higher than that of the sorafenib-only group (before PSM, p = 0.037; after PSM, p = 0.010). However, there was no significant difference in disease control rate (DCR) between the two groups (before PSM, p = 0.695; after PSM, p = 1.000). Patients who received the combination therapy had significantly longer PFS than those who received the sorafenib monotherapy (before PSM, p = 0.041; after PSM, p = 0.043). However, the two groups exhibited comparable median OS (before PSM, p = 0.135; after PSM, p = 0.105). Although the combined-therapy group showed a higher incidence of AEs such as thrombocytopenia than the sorafenib-only group after PSM, most of these AEs were easily controlled after treatment.

Conclusion

Camrelizumab plus sorafenib showed favorable efficacy and manageable toxicity for patients with advanced HCC. However, more prospective randomized trials are necessary to further verify the potential clinical benefits of this combination therapy.

Pre-surgical assessment of mediastinal lymph node metastases in patients having ≥ 30 mm non-small-cell lung cancers

INTRODUCTION

Computed tomography (CT) and fluorodeoxyglucose-positron-emission-tomography (FDG-PET) measurements of mediastinal lymph nodes (MLNs) of patients with non-small-cell-lung-cancers (NSCLCs) ≤ 30 mm in maximum diameter are recommended for pre-surgical prediction of MLN metastases.

METHODS

We reviewed all patients at Mount Sinai Health System enrolled in the Initiative for Early Lung Cancer Research on Treatment (IELCART), prospective cohort between 2016 and 2020, who had pre-surgical FDG-PET and underwent surgery with MLN resection and/or pre-operative endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) for a first primary NSCLC ≤ 30 mm in maximum diameter on pre-surgical CT.

RESULTS

Among 470 patients, none with part-solid (n = 63) or nonsolid (n = 23) NSCLCs had MLN metastases. Solid NSCLCs were identified in 384 patients, none in typical carcinoid (n = 48) or NSCLC ≤ 10 mm in maximum diameter (n = 47, including 8 typical carcinoids) had MLN metastases. Among the remaining 297 patients with solid NSCLCs 10.1-30.0 mm, 7 (2.4%) had MLN metastases. Area-under-the-curve (AUC) for predicting MLN metastases in solid NSCLCs 10.1-30.0 mm, using the CT maximum short-axis MLN diameter was 0.62 (95% CI:0.44-0.81, p = 0.18) and using the highest SUVmax of any MLN, AUC was 0.58 (95% CI:0.39-0.78,p = 0.41). Neither AUCs were significantly different from chance alone. Optimal cutoff for prediction of MLN metastases was ≥ 18.9 mm for CT maximum short-axis diameter [sensitivity 14.3% (95%CI:0.0%-57.9%); specificity 100.0% (95%CI:98.9%-100.0%)] and for highest SUVmax was ≥ 11.7 [sensitivity 14.3% (95%CI:0.0%-57.9%) and specificity 99.7% (95%CI:98.3%-100.0%)].

CONCLUSIONS

CT and SUVmax had low sensitivity but high specificity for predicting MLN metastases in solid NSCLCs 10.1-30.0 mm. Clinical Stage IA NSCLCs ≤ 30 mm should be based on CT maximum tumor diameter and MLN maximum short-axis diameter ≤ 20 mm.

Characterization of Newly Detected Costal Pleura-attached Noncalcified Nodules at Annual Low-Dose CT Screenings

Background Solid costal pleura-attached noncalcified nodules (CP-NCNs) less than 10.0 mm with lentiform, oval, or semicircular (LOS) or triangular shapes and smooth margins on baseline low-dose CT scans from the Mount Sinai Early Lung and Cardiac Action Program (MS-ELCAP) were reviewed, and it was determined that they can be followed up at the first annual screening rather than having a shorter-term work-up. Purpose To determine whether the same criteria could be used for solid CP-NCNs newly identified at annual screening examinations. Materials and Methods With use of the same MS-ELCAP database, all new solid CP-NCNs measuring 30.0 mm or less were identified at 4425 annual screening examinations between 2010 and 2019. In addition, to ensure that no malignant CP-NCNs met the criteria, all solid malignant CP-NCNs of 30.0 mm or less in the International Early Lung Cancer Action Program, or I-ELCAP, database of 111 102 annual screening examinations from the 76 participating institutions between 1992 and 2019 were identified; Mount Sinai is one of these institutions. All identified solid CP-NCNs were reviewed-with the radiologists blinded to diagnosis-for shape (triangular, LOS, polygonal, round, or irregular), margin (smooth or nonsmooth), pleural attachment (broad or narrow), and the presence of emphysema and/or fibrosis within 10.0 mm of each CP-NCN. Intra- and interreader readings were performed, and agreements were determined by using the B-statistic. Results Of the 76 new solid CP-NCNs, 21 were lung cancers. Benign CP-NCNs were smaller than malignant ones (median diameter, 4.2 mm vs 11 mm; P < .001), had a different shape distributions, more frequently had smooth margins (67% vs 14%; P < .001), and less frequently had emphysema (38% vs 81%; P = .003) or fibrosis (3.6% vs 19%; P = .045) within a 10.0 mm radius. All 22 solid CP-NCNs less than 10.0 mm in average diameter with triangular or LOS shapes and smooth margins were benign, and none of the 21 solid malignant CP-NCNs had these characteristics. Intra- and interobserver agreement for triangular or LOS-shaped CP-NCNs with smooth margins was almost perfect (0.77 and 0.69, respectively). Conclusion The same follow-up recommendation developed for baseline costal pleura-attached noncalcified nodules (CP-NCNs) can be used for CP-NCNs newly identified at annual screening rounds. © RSNA, 2021.

Upregulation of Tubulointerstitial nephritis antigen like 1 promotes gastric cancer growth and metastasis by regulating multiple matrix metallopeptidase expression

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Tubulointerstitial nephritis antigen-like 1 (TINAGL1), as a novel matricellular protein, has been demonstrated to participate in cancer progression, whereas the potential function of TINAGL1 in gastric cancer (GC) remains unknown.

METHODS

The expression pattern of TINAGL1 in GC was examined by immunohistochemistry, ELISA, real-time polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot. Correlation between TINAGL1 and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) was analyzed by the GEPIA website and Kaplan-Meier plots database. The lentivirus-based TINAGL1 knockdown, CCK-8, and transwell assays were used to test the function of TINAGL1 in vitro. The role of TINAGL1 was confirmed by subcutaneous xenograft, abdominal dissemination, and lung metastasis model. Microarray experiments, ELISA, real-time polymerase chain reaction, and Western blot were used to identify molecular mechanism.

RESULTS

TINAGL1 was increased in GC tumor tissues and associated with poor patient survival. Moreover, TINAGL1 significantly promoted GC cell proliferation and migration in vitro as well as facilitated GC tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. TINAGL1 expression in GC cells was accompanied with increasing MMPs including MMP2, MMP9, MMP11, MMP14, and MMP16. GEPIA database revealed that these MMPs were correlated with TINAGL1 in GC tumors and that the most highly expressed MMP was MMP2. Mechanically, TINAGL1 regulated MMP2 through the JNK signaling pathway activation.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data highlight that TINAGL1 promotes GC growth and metastasis and regulates MMP2 expression, indicating that TINAGL1 may serve as a therapeutic target for GC.

In situ sampling of tetracycline antibiotics in culture wastewater using diffusive gradients in thin films equipped with graphene nanoplatelets

A device of graphene nanoplatelet-based diffusion gradients in thin-films (G-DGT) was developed for in situ sampling of tetracycline (TC), oxytetracycline (OTC) and chlortetracycline (CTC) in aquatic environment. The accumulation of antibiotics in a synthetic solution by the proposed G-DGT was consistent with the theoretical curves predicted by the DGT equation. The values of the detection and quantification limits of G-DGT using high-performance liquid chromatography over the deployment time of 7 days were at the level of μg L^-1 for the three antibiotics. The performance of the proposed G-DGT was unaffected by pH (3-9) and ionic strength (0.001-0.7 mol L^-1 NaNO3). Fulvic acid did not significantly interfere with the performance of the proposed G-DGT device when the mass ratios between the three antibiotics and fulvic acid were within the range of 1:10-1:100. Humic acid had a significant effect on the performance of the proposed G-DGT for the sampling of the three antibiotics due to strong complexation and coprecipitation between the antibiotics and humic acid. The proposed G-DGT was used for the in situ sampling in spiked freshwaters and livestock culture wastewater and exhibited good precision and accuracy without notable interference from the matrices.

Efficacy and safety of apatinib combined with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in treating patients with recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

Apatinib, a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) inhibitor, has shown promising therapeutic effect for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This prospective clinical study was implemented to evaluate the efficacy and safety of apatinib combined with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) versus TACE alone in treating patients with recurrent HCC after hepatectomy.

Methods

Eligible patients with postoperative recurrent HCC from January 2018 to January 2020 were enrolled at the Xinqiao Hospital of Army Medical University. Patients were randomized 1:1 into TACE plus apatinib group or TACE-alone group. The clinical information of patients was collected, and the patients were followed up until untreatable progression or the end of the study. Adverse events (AEs), overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) between the two groups were evaluated. In addition, the objective response rate (ORR) and the disease control rate (DCR) were determined according to the modified Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (mRECIST). Among those indexes, PFS was the primary endpoint.

Results

This study enrolled 80 patients with recurrent HCC, and the demographics and primary tumor characteristics were balanced between the two groups. However, TACE plus apatinib treatment could significantly improve the median PFS of patients when compared with the TACE-alone group (17.2 vs. 12.5 months, P=0.041). The 1- and 2-year overall survival (OS) rates showed a tendency of improving in the TACE plus apatinib group, but not significantly (95.0% vs. 85.0%, and 90.0% vs. 75.0%; both P>0.05). Furthermore, the TACE plus apatinib treatment did significantly increase the short-term ORR and DCR when compared with the TACE-alone group (all P<0.05). And no unexpected toxicity or procedure-related mortality was occurred during this study.

Conclusions

The combination treatment of apatinib and TACE might be safe and of potential benefit on patients with intrahepatic recurrent HCC.

Liver Parenchyma Transection-First Approach for Laparoscopic Left Hemihepatectomy: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic major liver resection, such as laparoscopic left hemihepatectomy (LLH), is still perceived as a complicated procedure due to technical difficulties and slow learning curve. The study introduced an optimized procedure using the liver parenchyma transection-first approach and investigated its advantages on surgical outcomes by comparison with the conventional hilar dissection approach for LLH.

METHODS

Between January 2015 and May 2019, 96 patients who underwent laparoscopic left hemihepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were enrolled in the study. Among these, 41 patients underwent the liver parenchyma transection-first approach (LP-first group) and the other 55 underwent the conventional hilar dissection approach (conventional group). A 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to compare the perioperative and long-term oncological outcomes of the two groups.

RESULTS

After 1:1 PSM, 37 patients in each group were selected for further analysis. The LP-first group was associated with shorter median operative time (210 vs 235 min, P = 0.035) and less blood loss (200 vs 300 mL, P = 0.410). In addition, no statistical differences were found in overall complications between the two groups (8.1% vs 24.3%, P = 0.058). There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of 1-year and 3-year disease-free survival (DFS, P = 0.608) and overall survival (OS, P = 0.414).

CONCLUSION

The prior liver parenchyma approach for LLH is safe and reproducible in selected patients, which showed improved perioperative outcomes and comparable long-term oncological outcomes compared with the conventional approach.

Management of Nodules Attached to the Costal Pleura at Low-Dose CT Screening for Lung Cancer

Background Pulmonary nodule features have been used to differentiate benign from malignant nodules. Purpose To determine the frequency of solid noncalcified nodules attached to the costal pleura (CP-NCNs) at baseline low-dose CT and to identify key features of benignity. Materials and Methods A retrospective review was performed of baseline low-dose CT scans obtained in 8730 participants in the Mount Sinai Early Lung and Cardiac Action Program screening cohort between 1992 and 2019. Participants with one or more solid CP-NCNs between 3.0 mm and 30.0 mm in average diameter were included. For each CP-NCN, the size, location, shape (lentiform, oval, or semicircular [LOS]; triangular; polygonal; round; or irregular), margin (smooth or nonsmooth), and attachment to the costal pleura (broad or narrow) were documented. The manifestation of emphysema and fibrosis within a 10-mm radius of the CP-NCN was determined. Multivariable logistic regression analysis, with synthetic minority oversampling techniques, was used. Results The 569 eligible participants (average age, 62 years ± 9 [standard deviation]; 343 women) had 943 solid CP-NCNs, of which 934 (99.0%) were benign and nine (1.0%) were malignant. Multivariable analysis showed that five shapes could be consolidated into three (LOS and/or triangular, round and/or polygonal, and irregular shape); pleural attachment was not a significant independent predictor (odds ratio, 1.24; P = .70); and interaction terms of size with shape (odds ratio, 0.73; P = .005) and margin were significant (odds ratio, 0.80; P = .001). All 603 CP-NCNs less than 10.0 mm with LOS or triangular shapes and smooth margins were benign. Conclusion All baseline noncalcified solid nodules attached to the costal pleura less than 10.0 mm in average diameter with lentiform, oval, semicircular, or triangular shapes and smooth margins were benign; thus, for these nodules, an annual repeat scan in 1 year, rather than a more immediate work-up, is recommended. © RSNA, 2020 Online supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Godoy in this issue.

In-situ monitoring of phenol in surface waters by diffusive gradients in thin films technique based on the nanocomposites of zero-valent iron@biochar

The nano-sized zero valent iron assisted biochar from hazelnut shell (nZVI@biochar) was prepared and assessed for the feasibility as the binding agent in diffusive gradients in thin-films (DGT) technique. The 1.5% agarose solution containing the optimal nZVI@biochar dose of 15 g L^-1 was used to prepare the nZVI@biochar binding gel which owned a high capacity (1010 ± 50 μg disc^-1) and a rapid uptake within 30 min. The elution efficiency of phenol from the loaded binding gel was up to 99.3% using the mixture of 1% hydroxylamine hydrochloride and 0.05 mol L^-1 HCl. The phenol uptake of nZVI@biochar-DGT increased linearly with the increase of deployment time (R² = 0.9938) and was in accord with the theoretical values from DGT equation, while there was no notable interference of the sample matrixes on the phenol uptake of nZVI@biochar-DGT in the spiked freshwaters. The good performance of nZVI@biochar-DGT was found under a range of pH (4.1-10.2), ionic strength (as pNaNO₃) (0.155-4), and dissolved organic matter up to 20 mg L^-1. In field, the monitoring of nZVI@biochar-DGT was more representative than the results from the grab-sampling with better precision and lower sampling frequency, which can provide reliable information, reduce the cost of human resources, and improve efficiency. These illustrate that the nZVI@biochar is more suitable as the binding agent of DGT for uptake of phenol and nZVI@biochar-DGT is an effective tool to monitor in-situ phenol in waters.

Nanocomposites of zero-valent Iron@Activated carbon derived from corn stalk for adsorptive removal of tetracycline antibiotics

The hybrid nanocomposites of zero-valent iron loaded the activated carbon derived from the corn stalk (ZVI@ACCS) was prepared and used to remove the antibiotics of tetracycline (TC), oxytetracycline (OTC) and chlortetracycline (CTC) from aqueous solution. The adsorption amounts of three antibiotics (103.1 mg g^-1 for CTC, 72.9 mg g^-1 for OTC and 81.5 mg g^-1 for TC) were sensitive to the temperature and independent of pH in the range of 4.2-7.1 at 298 K through the synergistic interactions of the electrostatic attraction, the bridging complexation and the surface complexation. The equilibrium was performed within 20 min at 298 K. The spontaneous (ΔG^o<0) and endothermic (ΔH^o>0) adsorption of three antibiotics onto the ZVI@ACCS nanocomposites gave a better matching (r² > 0.99) with Langmuir and pseudo-second-order models.

Arrestin domain containing 3 promotes Helicobacter pylori-associated gastritis by regulating protease-activated receptor 1

Arrestin domain containing 3 (ARRDC3) represents a newly discovered α-arrestin involved in obesity, inflammation, and cancer. Here, we demonstrate a proinflammation role of ARRDC3 in Helicobacter pylori–associated gastritis. Increased ARRDC3 was detected in gastric mucosa of patients and mice infected with H. pylori. ARRDC3 in gastric epithelial cells (GECs) was induced by H. pylori, regulated by ERK and PI3K-AKT pathways in a cagA-dependent manner. Human gastric ARRDC3 correlated with the severity of gastritis, and mouse ARRDC3 from non-BM–derived cells promoted gastric inflammation. This inflammation was characterized by the CXCR2-dependent influx of CD45⁺CD11b⁺Ly6C^–Ly6G⁺ neutrophils, whose migration was induced via the ARRDC3-dependent production of CXCL2 by GECs. Importantly, gastric inflammation was attenuated in Arrdc3^–/– mice but increased in protease-activated receptor 1^–/– (Par1^–/–) mice. Mechanistically, ARRDC3 in GECs directly interacted with PAR1 and negatively regulated PAR1 via ARRDC3-mediated lysosomal degradation, which abrogated the suppression of CXCL2 production and following neutrophil chemotaxis by PAR1, thereby contributing to the development of H. pylori–associated gastritis. This study identifies a regulatory network involving H. pylori, GECs, ARRDC3, PAR1, and neutrophils, which collectively exert a proinflammatory effect within the gastric microenvironment. Efforts to inhibit this ARRDC3-dependent pathway may provide valuable strategies in treating of H. pylori–associated gastritis.

A regulatory network including H. pylori, GECs, ARRDC3, PAR1, and neutrophils collectively exerts a pro-inflammatory effect within the gastric microenvironment.

Soluble Klotho Improves Hepatic Glucose and Lipid Homeostasis in Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is one of the most escalating global metabolic diseases, which is highly associated with insulin resistance (IR) and risk of combination with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Previous studies suggest that soluble klotho (sKL) could serve as a circulating hormone to mediate energy metabolism, but the detailed mechanism is poorly understood. In this study, we generated T2D models of wild-type (WT), sKL heterozygous (KL ^+/-), and sKL transgenic (TgKL) mice continuously fed a high-fat diet (HFD) and constructed L02 cell lines that stably overexpress sKL to investigate the effect of sKL on hepatic glucose and lipid metabolism. Surprisingly, we discovered that sKL deficiency resulted in exacerbated diabetic phenotypes and hepatic glucolipid metabolism disorders in HFD-fed KL ^+/- diabetic mice (KL ^+/- DM), whereas TgKL diabetic mice (TgKL DM) exhibited ameliorated diabetic phenotypes and decreased IR. Mechanistic studies in vitro and in vivo demonstrated that sKL could inhibit the PI3K/AKT/mTORC1 signaling to upregulate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) expression by directly interacting with type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF1R) in HFD-fed T2D mice. Thus, sKL could improve hepatic glucolipid homeostasis to ameliorate diabetic phenotypes and lipid accumulation and may function as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of T2D and reduce the risk of NAFLD.

Expression of ETS1 in gastric epithelial cells positively regulate inflammatory response in Helicobacter pylori-associated gastritis

Gastric epithelial cells (GECs) provide the first point of contact of the host by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), and the interaction between H. pylori and GECs plays a critical role in H. pylori-associated diseases. Aberrant expression of transcription factors (TFs) contributes to the pathogenesis of inflammatory disorders, including H. pylori-associated gastritis. ETS (E26 transformation specific) transcription factor family is one of the largest families of evolutionarily conserved TFs, regulating critical functions during cell homeostasis. We screened ETS family gene expression in H. pylori-infected mouse and human GECs and found that ETS1 (ETS proto-oncogene 1, transcription factor) expression was highly affected by H. pylori infection. Then, we reported that ETS1 was induced in GECs by H. pylori via cagA activated NF-κB pathway. Notably, we demonstrated that proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and TNFα have synergistic effects on ETS1 expression during H. pylori infection in an NF-κB-pathway-dependent manner. RNA-seq assay and Gene-ontology functional analysis revealed that ETS1 positively regulate inflammatory response during H. pylori infection. Increased ETS1 is also detected in the gastric mucosa of mice and patients with H. pylori infection. Collectively, these data showed that ETS1 may play an important role in the pathogenesis of H. pylori-associated gastritis.

In-situ sampling of chlorophenols in industrial wastewater using diffusive gradients in thin films technique based on mesoporous carbon

In-situ sampling of 2-chlorophenol (CP), 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP), and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP) in industrial wastewater was carried out by the diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) device based on mesoporous carbon (MC). The diffusion coefficients of CP ((1.33 ± 0.05) × 10^-6 cm² s^-1), DCP((1.35 ± 0.04) × 10^-6 cm² s^-1) and TCP((1.09 ± 0.07) × 10^-6 cm² s^-1)) in nylon membrane at 25 °C were independent of pH 3-9 and ionic strength as pNaCl from 0.155 to 3, and were less than their values in water, demonstrating that the nylon membrane with good tolerance and constant diffusion coefficients was suitable as the DGT diffusion layer for controlling the diffusion of CPs. MC-DGT accurately measured the concentrations of CP, DCP and TCP in synthetic solution (C_DGT/C_SOLN = 0.956-1.04) over the deployment of 120 h. The experimental data also agreed well with the theoretical data calculated on the DGT equation. The performance of MC-DGT for sampling CPs was independent of pH (3-8) and ionic strength as pNaCl (1.3-3) due to the change of the interaction between MC and CPs under relatively high pH and ionic strength. Deployments in laboratory and field trials demonstrated that the MC-DGT was a reliable simple, robust and accurate tool for the in-situ sampling of CP, DCP and TCP in the industrial wastewater.

Abstract P2-08-56: Effects of young age on prognosis in patients with node-negative tumors 2 cm or smaller breast cancer

Background It is still controversial to consider age as a prognostic factor into the treatment strategy of patients with T1N0M0 breast cancer.

Aim The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of age on recurrence risk in patients diagnosed with T1N0M0 breast cancer as well as compare the prognosis of young aged patients(YA,≤40 years old) to non-young aged patients(non-YA,&gt;40 years old) by using a propensity score matching(PSM) analysis.

Methods 365 patients with T1N0M0 breast cancer diagnosed between 2003 and 2016 who received surgery in Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital Breast Cancer Center were included.The recurrence free survival (RFS) and risk factors for recurrence were identified by using Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards models. PSM was then used to reduce the confounding effect of known risk factors on prognosis and then to compare 5-year RFS rates in patients between two age groups.

Results After a median follow up of 79 months, 54 patients developed recurrences and 5-year RFS was 87.6%. YA patients had lower RFS estimates (80.6%), compared to patients diagnosed in a later age (89.1% if older than 40-years old; P = 0.049). YA patients tended to have Her-2 positive, TNBC tumors, higher rate of Ki-67 expression and nuclear grade tumor. At multivariate analysis, Her-2 positive (HR 2.115; 95% CI 1.103-4.055, p=0.024) and TNBC (HR 2.963; 95% CI 1.485-5.914, p=0.002) resulted independent prognostic factors of patient with T1N0M0 breast cancer. In the subgroup analysis, we found significant poor RFS for YA patients with Her-2 positive breast cancer compared to the older counterparts(p=0.006) and YA patients were associated with significantly higher rates of the locoregional recurrence rather than metastasis(p=0.004), especially in first 5 years after diagnosis. After PSM, the baseline level and treatment status including tumor size, grade, HR status, Her-2 status, Ki67 expression breast surgery type and systemic adjuvant treatment(AST) of patients in the two age groups tended to be equal. As result, we found significant difference in the 5-year RFS between two age groups(p=0.008).

Conclusion Based on equal treatment condition, young age at presentation conferred a worse prognosis in patients with T1N0M0 breast cancer is independent on other pathological features.

Citation Format: Zhong W, Tan L, You N, Wang Y, Liang G, Liu Z, Ling Y, Tian Z, Gong C. Effects of young age on prognosis in patients with node-negative tumors 2 cm or smaller breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-08-56.

Development and evaluation of diffusive gradients in thin films based on nano-sized zinc oxide particles for the in situ sampling of tetracyclines in pig breeding wastewater

The pollution of antibiotics, including tetracyclines (TCs), in aquatic environments has become an issue of concern in recent years. Herein, an in situ sampling of TCs in pig breeding wastewater that utilizes the technique of diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT), based on commercial nanosized ZnO (nanoZnO) particles as the potential effective binding agent and a polyethersulfone (PES) membrane as the diffusion layer, was developed. The diffusion coefficients of tetracycline (TC), oxytetracycline (OTC) and chlortetracycline (CTC) in a PES membrane at 25 °C were (1.37 ± 0.06) × 10^-6 cm² s^-1, (1.29 ± 0.05) × 10^-6 cm² s^-1 and (1.94 ± 0.07) × 10^-6 cm² s^-1, respectively. The results showed that the adsorption capacities of a gel disc containing 2.5 g L^-1 of nanoZnO particles were as high as 3.93 ± 0.20 mg disc^-1 for TC, 3.21 ± 0.20 mg disc^-1 for OTC and 4.62 ± 0.22 mg disc^-1 for CTC. Both a solution pH in the range of 5-9 and an ionic strength (as pNaCl) in the range of 1-3 had an insignificant influence on the TCs uptake by nanoZnO-DGT samplers. There was no significant influence of fulvic acid or tannic acid on the TC uptake by nanoZnO-DGT samplers at the tested mass ratios. For all spiked freshwater samples, there was no notable interference of matrices on the performance of the nanoZnO-DGT samplers, suggesting that the nanoZnO-DGT samplers yielded satisfactory results for the uptake of TCs at concentrations existing in the spiked freshwater samples. Field deployment of the nanoZnO-DGT samplers in pig breeding wastewater also exhibited excellent precision and accuracy, indicating that the nanoZnO-DGT samplers could be used as a promising method for the in situ sampling of TC antibiotics in aquatic environments.

Abstract P2-07-12: A prognostic prediction nomogram (PDIDC) for breast Paget's disease with infiltrating ductal carcinoma patients: A SEER cohort analysis

Purpose

The aim of the study was to develop a specific nomogram for prediction of prognosis for breast Paget's disease with infiltrating ductal carcinoma (PD-IDC) patients.

Patients and Methods

Patients data were obtained by the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program (N=2502). Study outcome was Breast Cancer Specific Survival (BCSS). Cox proportional hazards model was applied to identify risk factors and develop predictive model. For internal validation, discrimination was calculated with the concordance index (C-index) using the bootstrap method and calibration assessed.

Results

NPI classification, skin symptom, tumor site and age showed significant association with BCSS(table.1)and were used to build the PDIDC nomogram and to calculate risk score. PDIDC nomogram's C-index (0.791, 95%CI 0.783-0.818) showed better discrimination power than NPI classification (0.691, 95%CI, 0.650-0.735, P= 0.000) and AJCC staging (0.718, 95%CI, 0.695-0.741, P=0.000). Patients were divided into high-risk (1882/2502, 75.21%) and low-risk (620/2502, 24.78%) subgroups with the optimal cut-off of risk scores (4.28). The total BCSS of low-risk subgroup was 77.8% (95%CI 74.4%-81.4%) vs. 31.1% (95%CI 19.4-49.8) of high-risk group (P=0.000). Bootstrap internal validation demonstrated an average C-index of 0.739 (95% CI, 0.692-0.746). The nomogram calibration was validated to be accurate in predicting 5-year and 10-year survival.

Variable finally selected for risk predicted model.PredictorHazard RatioP Value95% CINPI classification Good1 Moderate2.170.0001.51-3.14Poor7.260.0004.96-10.63Skin symptom Without1 With1.760.0001.34-2.32Tumor site Centrally located1 Non-centrally located1.250.0421.07-1.56Age*1.010.0001.01-1.03* Continuous variable.

Conclusion

Utilizing NPI classification, skin symptom, tumor site and age, we developed the PDIDC nomogram to predict the 5-year and 10-year BCSS of breast PD-IDC patients.

Citation Format: Tan L, Chen K, Jiang WG, You N, Wang Y, Sanders A, Liang G, Liu Z, Ling Y, Zhong W, Tian Z, Gong C. A prognostic prediction nomogram (PDIDC) for breast Paget's disease with infiltrating ductal carcinoma patients: A SEER cohort analysis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-07-12.

COMMD7 Regulates NF-κB Signaling Pathway in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Stem-like Cells

Previous studies showed that the COpper Metabolism gene MURR1 Domain (COMMD) family of proteins was abnormally expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to explore the roles of COMMD1 and COMMD7 in regulating nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling in HCC stem cells (HCSCs). In vivo, the expression of COMMD7 and COMMD1 was determined in 35 pairs of HCC cancer tissues and adjacent tissues, and the effect of COMMD7 silencing on xenograft tumor growth was evaluated. In vitro, the effects of COMMD7 silencing and COMMD1 overexpression on HCSC function were assessed. Results found that the expression levels of COMMD7 were higher, whereas COMMD1 levels were lower in HCC tissues and HCSCs. COMMD7 silencing or COMMD1 overexpression inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion through suppression of NF-κB p65. Furthermore, COMMD7 positively regulated NF-κB by upregulating protein inhibitor for activated stat 4 (PIAS4). This study demonstrates that COMMD7 has a dual regulatory role in the NF-κB signaling pathway in Nanog⁺ HCSCs.

In-situ sampling of nitrophenols in industrial wastewaters using diffusive gradients in thin films based on lignocellulose-derived activated carbons

•

A specific DGT sampler for measurement of nitrophenols in acidic aqueous solutions.

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Hazelnut shell-derived activated carbons as DGT binding agents.

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No interference of water matrices on the measurement of nitrophenols by DGT sampler.

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Reliable results of field deployments in acidic wastewater with relative good precision.

Nitrophenols (such as o-nitrophenol (ONP), p-nitrophenol (PNP), and 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP)) are priority environmental pollutants. Their toxicity is pH dependent, and these molecular species of nitrophenols exhibit higher toxicity than their anionic counterparts. Herein, for the first time, a method for the in situ measurement of nitrophenols in acidic industrial wastewater was developed using diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) with lignocellulose hazelnut shell-derived activated carbons (HSACs) as the binding agents. Nylon membranes (0.1 μm rated) with diffusion coefficients of (2.02 ± 0.13) × 10⁻⁶ cm² s⁻¹ for ONP, (1.39 ± 0.09) × 10⁻⁶ cm² s⁻¹ for PNP and (1.20 ± 0.08) × 10⁻⁶ cm² s⁻¹ for DNP at 25 °C were used as the DGT diffusion layers. The accumulation of ONP, PNP, and DNP in DGT samplers based on the HSAC and nylon membranes (HSAC-DGT) agreed well with the theoretical curves predicted by the DGT equation in synthetic solutions with 200 μg L⁻¹ nitrophenol. The uptake of the HSAC-DGT samplers for ONP, PNP, and DNP was found to be independent of the ionic strength of pNaNO₃ (−log [NaNO₃] (mol L⁻¹)) in the range of 0.7–3 and the pH range of 3–7 for ONP and PNP and 3–6 for DNP, which is beneficial for their accumulation. The matrices of the tested water samples exhibited no notable interference during nitrophenol analysis by the HSAC-DGT samplers. The results of field deployments in acidic industrial wastewater containing 268.3 ± 79.2 μg L⁻¹ DNP were satisfactorily accurate, thus demonstrating that the HSAC-DGT samplers are good candidates for use in the in situ measurement of nitrophenols in acidic aqueous solutions.

Use of Iodized Oil and Gelatin Sponge Embolization in Splenic Artery Coiling Reduces Bleeding from Laparoscopic Splenectomy for Cirrhotic Portal Hypertension Patients with Complicating Hypersplenic Splenomegaly: A Comparative Study

OBJECTIVE

Laparoscopic splenectomy (LS) is relatively contraindicated in cirrhotic portal hypertension (CPH) patients with complicating hypersplenic splenomegaly (HS). This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of incorporation of iodized oil and gelatin sponge embolization to conventional splenic artery embolization (cSAE) with coiling in CPH/HS patients undergoing LS.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Between April 2012 and March 2014, eligible CPH/HS patients (n = 56) were assigned to preoperative modified SAE (mSAE) with LS (mSAE+LS group, n = 16), cSAE with LS (cSAE+LS group, n = 20) or LS alone (LS group, n = 20). Main outcome measures included frequency of conversion to laparotomy, operative time, intraoperative bleeding, and transfusion.

RESULTS

The three groups had similar baseline characteristics (all P > .05). mSAE and cSAE similarly decreased LS conversion frequency (mSAE+LS versus cSAE+LS versus LS, 0.0% versus 10.0% versus 30.0%, P = .030) and operative time (155 ± 23 minutes versus 170 ± 26 minutes versus 221 ± 42 minutes, P < .001) compared with LS alone. mSAE significantly reduced bleeding (178 ± 22 mL versus 250 ± 27 mL versus 328 ± 67 mL, P < .001) compared with cSAE and LS alone. The three groups had similar postoperative recovery times and surgical morbidities (all P > .05).

CONCLUSIONS

In CPH/HS patients, preoperative SAE reduced LS conversion frequency and reduced operative time compared with LS alone, while mSAE further decreased volume of blood loss.

Treatment of hemangioma of the spleen by preoperative partial splenic embolization plus laparoscopic partial splenectomy: A case report

RATIONALE

Complete loss of splenic function increases infection and cardiovascular disease risks, so there is growing emphasis on spleen-preserving treatments, such as laproscopic partial splenectomy (LPS). However, LPS carries higher risk for hemorrhage. Sequential splenic embolization can obliterate the perilesional vascular bed while preserving flow through healthy tissue, substantially reducing risk of uncontrolled hemorrhage during LPS. Preoperative partial splenic embolization (PSE) may soften the spleen and reduce its size, which enhances space exposure for laparoscopic operation. Furthermore, immediate LPS guaranties these effects of PSE and prevents abscess, non-traumatic splenic rupture, post-embolization syndrome, and other complications. In light of these advantages, we conducted combined PSE and LPS for a case of hemangioma.

PATIENT CONCERNS

The patient presented with left abdominal discomfort of >1 year.

DIAGNOSES

Ultrasound examination at the outpatient clinic identified a space-occupying lesion in the spleen. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan of the upper abdomen revealed a hypodense lesion, approximately 33 × 21 mm in size, located in the upper pole of the spleen, suggesting possible hemangioma.

INTERVENTIONS

The patient was treated by preoperative PSE followed by LPS.

OUTCOMES

Treatment resulted in only mild intraoperative hemorrhage, fast postoperative recovery, and no recurrence during follow-up. And the postoperative histopathology confirmed splenic cavernous hemangioma.

LESSIONS

Preoperative PSE combined with LPS is an effective therapy for elective patients that minimizes intraoperative hemorrhage during laparoscopic surgery, reduces surgical risk, and enhances surgical safety.

Reverse mode of sodium/calcium exchanger subtype 1 contributes to detrusor overactivity in rats with partial bladder outflow obstruction

To investigate whether the reverse mode of sodium/calcium exchanger subtype 1 (NCX1) plays an important role in the excitability of detrusor cells in rats with partial bladder outflow obstruction (PBOO), PBOO was maintained for 6 weeks in forty female Wistar rats. Thirty of the animals exhibited non-voiding bladder contraction and comprised the DO group. An additional thirty sham-operated female Wistar rats were used as the control group. The expression levels of NCX1 were compared between the two groups by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), western blotting (WB), and double-label immunofluorescence. The contractions of detrusor strips in NCX reverse mode were measured in both groups using isometric tension. The role of NCX in the regulation of the intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]_i) of smooth muscle cells was observed in reverse mode using confocal microscopy, and the current was evaluated in the presence of the antagonist KB-R7943 (5 μM and 10 μM) using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. The expression of NCX1 was significantly higher in the DO group than in the control group, as assessed by qRT-PCR, WB analysis and immunofluorescence. The volume and rate of Ca²⁺ ion flux through the NCX, as well as the NCX currents, were higher in the DO group than in the control group in both modes. Increased NCX1 levels may contribute to the establishment of DO after PBOO by elevating [Ca²⁺]_i in reverse mode under depolarization, potentially inducing cell excitability.

COMMD7 activates CXCL10 production by regulating NF-κB and the production of reactive oxygen species

While >80% of the incidence occurs in sub‑Saharan Africa and East Asia, cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have been rapidly increasing in Western countries. Despite its global importance, HCC is relatively under‑researched compared with other lethal cancer types, which is possibly due to the high complexity and heterogeneity of HCC. It has been reported previously that COMM domain‑containing protein 7 (COMMD7) is upregulated in HCC and promotes HCC cell proliferation by triggering C‑X‑C motif chemokine 10 (CXCL10) production. However, the value of targeting CXCL10 signal transduction in treating COMMD7‑positive tumors, or the molecular mechanisms underlying COMMD7‑mediated CXCL10 expression, has not been completely addressed. In the present study, it was demonstrated that disruption of the CXCL10/C‑X‑C chemokine receptor type 3 axis reduces COMMD7‑mediated HCC cell proliferation. Furthermore, COMMD7 modulates CXCL10 production by activating nuclear factor (NF)‑κB. Additionally, it was demonstrated that intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) are required for NF‑κB activation and CXCL10 production. In conclusion, COMMD7 activates CXCL10 production by regulating NF‑κB and the production of ROS. The present study highlighted the role of COMMD7 in the development of HCC, and provides novel options for anticancer drug design.

SIRT1 facilitates hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis by promoting PGC-1α-mediated mitochondrial biogenesis

SIRT1 is a multifaceted NAD+-dependent protein deacetylase known to act as a tumor promoter or suppressor in different cancers. Here, we describe a novel mechanism of SIRT1-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasis. SIRT1 overexpression was frequently detected in human HCC specimens and was associated with microvascular invasion (P = 0.0039), advanced tumor node metastasis (TNM) stages (P = 0.0016), HCC recurrence (P = 0.021) and poor outcomes (P = 0.039). Lentivirus-mediated knockdown of SIRT1 in MHCC97H cells reduced invasion and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. SIRT1 depletion attenuated mitochondrial biogenesis and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production but did not affect epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Elevated SIRT1 expression strongly correlated with the upregulation of PGC-1α in HCC specimens, and ectopic expression of SIRT1 increased PGC-1α levels. In cell assays and an orthotopic transplantation model, PGC-1α overexpression reversed the inhibitory effects of SIRT1 depletion on invasion and metastasis by enhancing mitochondrial biogenesis. These findings reveal the involvement of SIRT1 in HCC metastasis and provide a rationale for exploring therapeutic targets against the SIRT1/PGC-1α axis.

An efficient mercapto-functionalized organic–inorganic hybrid sorbent for selective separation and preconcentration of antimony(iii) in water samples

This work reported on the application of mercapto-functionalized silica-supported organic–inorganic hybrid sorbent as a solid phase extraction (SPE) extractant for effective separation and preconcentration of Sb(iii) species in real water samples. The influences of pH, sorbent amounts, flow rates and the concentration of eluent on the adsorption and desorption of Sb(iii) species had been evaluated. The recovery of Sb(iii) species at pH 5 with 100 mg mercapto-functionalized hybrid sorbent at the flow rate of 5.0 mL min⁻¹ was greater than 95% without interference from all of metal ions tested. The trapped Sb(iii) species by extractant was then eluted with 5% HCl solution at the flow rate of 5.0 mL min⁻¹. The proposed procedure permitted large enrichment factors of about 200 and higher for 10 μg L⁻¹ of Sb(iii) species. The merits of analytical figures for the determination of Sb(iii) species were as follows: detection limit (3σ, n = 11), 2 ng L⁻¹; precision, 1.6% (n = 11) for 10 μg L⁻¹ of Sb(iii) species; the linear calibration curve presented in the concentration range of 1.0–200.0 μg L⁻¹. The validity of the proposed procedure was checked by the analysis of standard reference materials. Excellent agreement between the analytical results and the certified values (t-test at 95% confidence level) was found. The mercapto-functionalized hybrid sorbent as a SPE extractant was applied to the determination of Sb(iii) species in various water samples with satisfactory results.

This work reported on the application of mercapto-functionalized silica-supported organic–inorganic hybrid sorbent as a solid phase extraction (SPE) extractant for effective separation and preconcentration of Sb(iii) species in real water samples.

Carbon nanodot aqueous binding phase-based diffusive gradients in thin films device for measurement of dissolved copper and lead species in the aquatic environment

A reliable method for the determination of dissolved Cu²⁺and Pb²⁺species in waterviaa diffusive gradient in thin films (DGT) device using water-soluble carbon nanodots (CD) as the binding agent was developed (CD-DGT).

COMMD7 is correlated with a novel NF-κB positive feedback loop in hepatocellular carcinoma

The correlation between nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and COMMD7 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development remained unclear. Here, our clinicopathological data showed that COMMD7 is overexpressed in HCC with a correlation to NF-κB. Using HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cells that aberrantly overexpressed COMMD7, we found that NF-κB directly binds with COMMD7 promoter and serves as an activator for COMMD7 transcription by luciferase reporter assay, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). In both HepG2 cells and SMMC-7721 cells, the silencing of COMMD7 significantly inhibited the cell proliferation, whereas NF-κB silencing inhibited the expression of COMMD7 and further inhibited cell proliferation. In addition, cell apoptosis was promoted by COMMD7 silencing, and further promoted by NF-κB silencing. Cell migration and invasion were also inhibited by COMMD7 silencing, and further inhibited by NF-κB silencing. Thus, COMMD7 is correlated with a novel NF-κB positive feedback loop in hepatocellular carcinoma. Developing strategies for the treatment of HCC should consider the correlation between NF-κB and COMMD7, so as to improve the specificity and sensitivity of therapy and to reduce toxicity.

Resveratrol transcriptionally regulates miRNA-18a-5p expression ameliorating diabetic nephropathy via increasing autophagy

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of resveratrol on autophagy in the chronically diabetic nephropathy and to study the effects of the different expression of microRNAs after resveratrol (RSV) treated in db/db mice (diabetic mice).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Db/m (non- diabetic) and db/db mice were randomly divided into intra gastric RSV treatment group or control group. Renal tissues were prepared for HE/PAS staining. In vitro, mouse podocytes cell lines were grown in different mediums with different dose of resveratrol treatment. microRNA (miRNA) gene chips assay was performed for differentially expressed miRNAs screening. Western blot was used to detect protein levels.

RESULTS

In vivo, RSV significantly decreased urinary albumin, serum creatinine, mesangial area and glomerular size in db/db mice. After RSV treatment, LC3-II/LC3-I and synaptopodin were increased while cleaved-caspase 3 was decreased in kidney tissues. In vitro, podocytes treated with RSV exhibited significantly increased LC3-II/LC3-I and decreased cleaved caspase 3. Moreover, this effect of RSV can be enhanced by rapamycin (RAPA, an activator of autophagy) but partially reversed by 3-MA (an autophagy inhibitor). Further, we found that miR-18a-5p was significantly upregulated after RSV treatment in db/db mice. Overexpression of miR-18a-5p in podocytes resulted in significant inhibition of cleaved-caspase 3 protein, and increased the ratio of LC3-II/LC3-I. Dual luciferase report assay validated that Atactic telangiectasis mutation (ATM) was a target of miR-18a-5p. In podocytes, downregulation of cleaved caspase 3 and the enhanced ratio of protein LC3-II/LC3-I were detected in cells transfected with ATM siRNA.

CONCLUSIONS

Role of miRNA-18a-5p in the regulation of autophagy via targeting ATM may represent a promising therapeutic target for preventing and attenuating diabetic nephropathy.

Fecal microbiota transplantation prevents hepatic encephalopathy in rats with carbon tetrachloride-induced acute hepatic dysfunction

AIM

To investigate whether fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) prevents hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in rats with carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄)-induced acute hepatic dysfunction.

METHODS

A rat model of HE was established with CCl₄. Rat behaviors and spatial learning capability were observed, and hepatic necrosis, intestinal mucosal barrier, serum ammonia levels and intestinal permeability were determined in HE rats receiving FMT treatment. Furthermore, the expression of tight junction proteins (Claudin-1, Claudin-6 and Occludin), Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4/TLR9, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α was examined.

RESULTS

FMT improved rat behaviors, HE grade and spatial learning capability. Moreover, FMT prevented hepatic necrosis and intestinal mucosal barrier damage, leading to hepatic clearance of serum ammonia levels and reduced intestinal permeability. The expression of TLR4 and TLR9, two potent mediators of inflammatory response, was significantly downregulated in the liver of rats treated with FMT. Consistently, circulating pro-inflammatory factors such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α were remarkably decreased, indicating that FMT is able to limit systemic inflammation by decreasing the expression of TLR4 and TLR9. Importantly, HE-induced loss of tight junction proteins (Claudin-1, Claudin-6 and Occludin) was restored in intestinal tissues of rats receiving FMT treatment.

CONCLUSION

FMT enables protective effects in HE rats, and it improves the cognitive function and reduces the liver function indexes. FMT may cure HE by altering the intestinal permeability and improving the TLR response of the liver.

Tg737 acts as a key driver of invasion and migration in liver cancer stem cells and correlates with poor prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

We previously demonstrated that the Tg737 gene plays a critical role in the carcinogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, few systematic investigations have focused on the biological function of Tg737 in the invasion and migration of liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs) and on its clinical significance. In this study, Tg737 overexpression was achieved via gene transfection in MHCC97-H side population (SP) cells, which are considered a model for LCSCs in scientific studies. Tg737 overexpression significantly inhibited the invasion and migration of SP cells in an extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2)/matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2)-dependent manner. Furthermore, Tg737 expression was frequently decreased in HCC tissues relative to that in adjacent noncancerous liver tissues. This decreased expression was significantly associated with tumor differentiation, the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage, metastasis, tumor size, vascular invasion, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels, and tumor number. Moreover, multivariate Cox regression analyses demonstrated that Tg737 expression was an independent factor for predicting the overall survival of HCC patients. Notably, Kaplan-Meier analysis further showed that overall survival was significantly worse among patients with low Tg737 expression. Collectively, our findings demonstrated that Tg737 is a poor prognostic marker in patients with HCC, which may be due to its ability to promote LCSCs invasion and migration. These results provide a basis for investigating of Tg737 as a novel prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target.

COMMD7 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma through regulating CXCL10

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still a heavy threat to public health. However, novel therapeutic and diagnostic method for HCC is still urgently needed thus far. Based on sequence analysis and homology comparison, we previously reported a novel gene termed COMMD7, which is mapped to 20q11.22 and promotes cell proliferation in HCC cells. But the molecular mechanisms underlying the pro-tumor property of COMMD7 are not fully addressed yet. In this study, we demonstrate that the conditional medium derived from COMMD7-overexpressed HCC cell promotes proliferation of naïve HCC cells. The over-expression of COMMD7 significantly induced the migratory and invasive in HCC cells. Mechanistic study found that over-expression of COMMD7 induces C-X-C motif chemokine 10 (CXCL10) expression. Blocking CXCL10 signal transduction by neutralizing antibody abolished COMMD7-mediated cell proliferation and migration. In conclusion, COMMD7 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma through regulating CXCL10. The present data suggests a potential role of CXCL10 in the oncogenic function of COMMD7, and will lead to a better understanding of the development of HCC.