FOXP2 confers oncogenic effects in prostate cancer

Identification oncogenes is fundamental to revealing the molecular basis of cancer. Here, we found that FOXP2 is overexpressed in human prostate cancer cells and prostate tumors, but its expression is absent in normal prostate epithelial cells and low in benign prostatic hyperplasia. FOXP2 is a FOX transcription factor family member and tightly associated with vocal development. To date, little is known regarding the link of FOXP2 to prostate cancer. We observed that high FOXP2 expression and frequent amplification are significantly associated with high Gleason score. Ectopic expression of FOXP2 induces malignant transformation of mouse NIH3T3 fibroblasts and human prostate epithelial cell RWPE-1. Conversely, FOXP2 knockdown suppresses the proliferation of prostate cancer cells. Transgenic overexpression of FOXP2 in the mouse prostate causes prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia. Overexpression of FOXP2 aberrantly activates oncogenic MET signaling and inhibition of MET signaling effectively reverts the FOXP2-induced oncogenic phenotype. CUT&Tag assay identified FOXP2-binding sites located in MET and its associated gene HGF. Additionally, the novel recurrent FOXP2-CPED1 fusion identified in prostate tumors results in high expression of truncated FOXP2, which exhibit a similar capacity for malignant transformation. Together, our data indicate that FOXP2 is involved in tumorigenicity of prostate.

Case report: A case of duodenal adenocarcinoma achieving significantly long survival treating with immune checkpoint inhibitors and chemotherapy without positive biomarkers

Small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA), particularly duodenal adenocarcinoma (DA), is a rare gastrointestinal cancer with a dismal prognosis. Data on SBA treatments are limited, and the therapeutic strategy remains uncertain. Currently, chemotherapy is the most used treatment; however, it has a poor median progression-free survival (mPFS) of no more than five months in the second-line setting. We report a case with DA that responded well to the immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) tislelizumab plus irinotecan in the second-line treatment. To our knowledge, this is the first report of administering ICIs plus chemotherapy to SBA. Despite the absence of microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) and high tumor mutational burden (TMB), the patient with TP53/KRAS mutation achieved a significantly long PFS of 17 months, and the benefit is still ongoing. The mechanism of this remarkable efficacy might be associated with an increase in tumor immunogenicity after chemotherapy. The current study presents a promising effect of ICIs plus chemotherapy on SBA, affirming the need to investigate the clinical value of this combination in SBA and the underlying mechanism behind it.

[Effect of topical glucocorticoid in treating phimosis on urinary tract infection of vesicoureteral reflux in infants]

Objective: To evaluate the effect of topical glucocorticoid in treating phimosis on urinarytract infection(UTI) of vesicoureteral reflux(VUR) in infants. Methods: Clinical data of infants with UTI diagnosed as primary VUR admitted to our hospital from January 2016 to January 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The children were divided into three groups:the effective group (topical glucocorticoid was effective in the treatment of phimosis), the ineffective group(topical glucocorticoid was ineffective in the treatment of phimosis), and the untreated group(phimosis was not treated). Age of onset, degree of reflux, side and other indicators were compared to understand the effectiveness of topical glucocorticoid in treating phimosis, and the clinical characteristics of repeated UTI with VUR in treated phimosis and untreated phimosis. Results: A total of 544 children were included. Among them, 59 cases were treated with topical glucocorticoid for phimosis, 48 cases in the effective group, and their age was (12.5±8.4) months;11 cases in the ineffective group,and their age was (11.2±8.9) months. There were 485 cases in the untreated group, and their age was (13.1±9.3) months.The effective rate of topical glucocorticoid in the treatment of phimosis was 81.36%. There were 12 cases(12/48) of recurrent UTI in the effective group and 213 cases (213/485)of recurrent UTI in the untreated group, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P=0.008). Conclusion: Treatment of phimosis with topical glucocorticoid is an effective, easy to perform, and cost-effective method, and can effectively reduce the risk of recurrent UTI in infants with primary VUR.

Case Report: Two Cases of Soft-Tissue Sarcomas: High TMB as a Potential Predictive Biomarker for Anlotinib Combined With Toripalimab Therapy

Soft-tissue sarcomas (STS), with over 100 different histologic subtypes, are rare tumors that account for 1% of all adult malignancies. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) display certain benefits in some subtypes, especially in undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS), alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS), and leiomyosarcoma (LMS). However, efficacy is difficult to predict. High tumor mutational burden (TMB-H) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression are the strongest features associated with the efficacy of immunotherapy, although they are rarely found in STS patients. Until now, whether or not PD-L1 expression and TMB are related to the efficacy of immunotherapy has not been determined. In this study, we report data obtained from two STS patients, one ASPS and one UPS with a high TMB, that benefited from anlotinib combined with toripalimab following resistance to anlotinib monotherapy. A 26 year-old female patient was diagnosed with ASPS. PD-L1 was negative. Next generation sequencing (NSG) revealed ASPSCR1-TFE3 fusion and TMB-H. Following eight months of anlotinib monotherapy, the patient’s disease progressed but continued to benefit from subsequent use of anlotinib combined with toripalimab for 19 months. Another 63 year-old male patient was diagnosed with UPS. PD-L1 was positive and NGS revealed TMB-H. Following 19 months of anlotinib monotherapy, the patient’s disease progressed but continued to benefit from subsequent use of anlotinib combined with toripalimab. DFS is 23 months to follow-up time. The results presented are the first to report the relationship between TMB and the efficacy of immunotherapy in STS. Based on our results, we hypothesis that anlotinib combined with toripalimab is effective for the treatment of some advanced ASPS or UPS. TMB may be a potential predictive biomarker for ICI treatment and deserves additional study.

Anlotinib combined with mXELIRI as second-line treatment in advanced colorectal cancer pretreated with bevacizumab plus standard chemotherapy: A single-arm, phase IB/II study

TPS220

Background: For advanced colorectal cancer (CRC), fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy (5-FU or capecitabine combined with oxaliplatin) with VEGF inhibitors (bevacizumab) is standard first-line treatment. However, once this treatment had been used, the second line treatment is limited. Although continuation of bevacizumab after first progression can improve PFS and OS, the benefit of bevacizumab may be reduced compared with who never pre-treated with bevacizumab (the ML18147 study). Anlotinib is an oral small molecule tyrosine kinases inhibitor, targeting VEGF receptors 1/2/3, FGF receptors 1-4, PDGF receptors α/β and c-kit. mXELIRI is a chemotherapy regimen consisting of irinotecan and capecitabine. The trial is to investigate the efficacy and safety of anlotinib combined with mXELIRI as second-line treatment in advanced colorectal cancer pre-treated with bevacizumab plus standard chemotherapy. Methods: This is a multi-center, prospective, single-arm, 2-part, phase Ib/II study. Eligible pts are aged 18-75 years with histologically and radiographically confirmed mCRC who had progressed or intolerant with bevacizumab plus FOLFOX or CAPEOX regimen chemotherapy treatment. ECOG performance status 0 - 1, and adequate organ function. Treatment: anlotinib (8mg, 10mg or 12mg), po, qd, on days 1-14 every 3 weeks; irinotecan 180-200 mg/m2, iv, on day 1 every 3 weeks; capecitabine, 800 mg/m2, po, bid, on days 1-14 every 3 weeks. For the phase 1b segment, a standard 3+3 dose-escalation design is used to determine the maximum tolerated dose or recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) of anlotinib. 3 patients are enrolled and treated per dose level (8mg,10mg,12mg). If no DLT, dose is escalated for the next cohort of 3 patients; If 1 DLT, 3 additional patients are treated at this level with dose escalation only if no additional DLTs；If ≥ 2 DLTs, prior dose level is defined as MTD. MTD decided when 6 patients are treated at a dose level with < 2 DLTs. Primary endpoint is objective response rate (ORR) according to RECIST v1.1. Secondary endpoints are progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), disease control rate (DCR), duration of response (DOR) and quality of life (QoL). Based on a one-sided one sample log-rank test with 2.5% Type I error, 80% power to detect an improvement in ORR from 5.4% to 15%, there will be 94 patients consider 20% of patients fall off. Research Sponsor: Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine Clinical trial information: NCT05035914.

Partial Response to Pyrotinib Plus Capecitabine in an Advanced Breast Cancer Patient with HER2 Amplification and R157W Mutation After Anti-HER2 Treatment: A Case Report and Literature Review

Human epidermal growth factor receptor2 (HER2) overexpression/amplification is associated with high malignancy, rapid disease progression and poor overall survival in breast cancer. The application of anti-HER2 drugs has greatly improved the survival of patients with HER2-positive breast cancer, but drug resistance issues affect the long-term efficacy. The HER2 mutation is considered to be one of the reasons for resistance to anti-HER2 therapy, and there is currently no standard treatment. We report for the first time the detection of HER2 amplification with R157W mutation by second-generation sequencing (NGS) in a 57-year-old hormone receptor-negative, HER2-positive woman with advanced breast cancer who was resistant to multi-line anti-HER2 therapies. She subsequently received pyrotinib combined with capecitabine treatment and achieved partial response. The small-molecule pan-HER family irreversible inhibitor pyrotinib combined with capecitabine has shown a promising effect in the treatment of HER2 mutation-induced resistance, but the molecular mechanism and efficacy need to be further verified.

A phaseⅠ/Ⅱa clinical study of cetuximab combined with fruquintinib in the third-line treatment of RAS/BRAF wild-type colorectal cancer

TPS151

Background: The standard third-line treatment of mCRC is regofenib, fruquintinib or TAS-102. However, the efficacy was not satisfied. Because VEGF and EGFR share the downstream signal pathway, targeting these two pathways may have synergistic efficacy. Preclinical studies have confirmed the effect of the combination of regorafenib and cetuximab. The subsequent phase Ⅰb study in advanced cancer showed the combination is effective. Fruquintinib is the same anti-VEGF drugs and was approved in China. Our department has treated one patient of advanced colorectal cancer, no standard regimen after third-line treatment. The efficacy is SD and PFS time exceeded 6 months. Therefore this study explores the safety and efficacy of fruquintinib combined with cetuximab. Methods: This is a single-center, non-random, prospective, open exploratory study. Eligible pts were diagnosed as advanced RAS/BRAF wild-type colorectal cancer and had received at least two prior regimens of standard therapies. The purpose of phase Ⅰ is to confirm the safety and the appropriate dose of fruquintinib combined with cetuximab. The phase Ⅱa investigate the safety and the efficacy of fruquintinib combined with cetuximab. Phase I: The dose of cetuximab is 500mg/m2 every two weeks which is clinically tolerable, so the dose need not be adjusted. fruquintinib is taken once daily for the first 21 days of each 28-day cycle and the dose adjustment is required due to the side effects. The standard dose of fruquintinib is 5mg/d, but the side effects are serious. The dose of 3mg/d is the minimum effective dose, therefore the initial dose of fruquintinib starts from 4mg, and three patients are enrolled. If DLT appeared in less than three patients, the dose elevated to 5mg/d. Three patients were enrolled in the 5mg/d dose group. If DLT appeared in less than three patients, the right dose of fruquintinib was 5mg/d. If DLT appeared in all three patients of the 5mg/d, fruquintinib was declined to 4mg/d combined with cetuximab to carry out a phase Ⅱa study. Fruquintinib initial dose is 4mg/d. If DLT was present in all three patients, the dose was reduced to 3mg/d. The standard dose of fruquintinib (3mg/d) was determined to be MDT, and the subsequent phase Ⅱa study was conducted by giving fruquintinib 3mg/d. The phase Ⅱa study is cetuximab 500mg/m2 biweekly combined with fruquintinib according to the confirmed dose in phase Ⅰ, taking it once daily for the first 21 days of each 28-day cycle. The number of cases is 20.Response assessment via CT/MRI is to be done q8 wks (RECIST 1.1). Continue until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary objective is to estimate safety, grade 3/4 adverse, and DLT. Secondary objectives include ORR, PFS, and OS. Final analysis to be done 6 mo after enrollment of the final pt. Clinical trial information: ChiCTR2000038227 . Research Sponsor: None

Partial Response to Ceritinib in a Patient With Abdominal Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor Carrying a TFG-ROS1 Fusion

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT), a rare sarcoma, is primarily treated via resection of the mass. However, there is no standard treatment for recurrence or unresectable tumors. Almost 50% of IMTs carry ALK gene rearrangement that can be treated using ALK inhibitors, but therapeutic options for ALK-negative tumors are limited. This report describes a woman aged 22 years with unresectable ALK-negative IMT. Next-generation sequencing revealed a TFG-ROS1 fusion, and she had a partial response to the ROS1 inhibitor ceritinib. This report provides the first published demonstration of a patient with IMT with ROS1 fusion successfully treated using ceritinib. Our study suggests that targeting ROS1 fusions using the small molecule inhibitor shows promise as an effective therapy in patients with IMT carrying this genetic alteration, but this requires further investigation in large clinical trials.

Emerging roles of CCM genes during tumorigenesis with potential application as novel biomarkers across major types of cancers

Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) are microvascular anomalies in the brain that result in increased susceptibility to stroke. Three genes have been identified as causes of CCMs: cerebral cavernous malformations 1 [(CCM1) also termed Krev interaction trapped 1 (KRIT1)], cerebral cavernous malformation 2 [(CCM2) also termed MGC4607] and cerebral cavernous malformation 3 [(CCM3) also termed programmed cell death 10 (PDCD10)]. It has been demonstrated that both CCM1 and CCM3 bind to CCM2 to form a CCM signaling complex (CSC) with which to modulate multiple signaling cascades. CCM proteins have been reported to play major roles in microvascular angiogenesis in human and animal models. However, CCM proteins are ubiquitously expressed in all major tissues, suggesting an unseen broader role of the CSC in biogenesis. Recent evidence suggests the possible involvement of the CSC complex during tumorigenesis; however, studies concerning this aspect are limited. This is the first report to systematically investigate the expression patterns of CCM proteins in major human tumors using real‑time quantitative PCR, RNA‑fluorescence in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry and multicolor immunofluorescence imaging. Our data demonstrated that differential expression patterns of the CSC complex are correlated with certain types and grades of major human cancers, indicating the potential application of CCM genes as molecular biomarkers for clinical oncology. Our data strongly suggest that more efforts are needed to elucidate the role of the CSC complex in tumorigenesis, which may have enormous clinical potential for cancer diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic applications.

Alternatively spliced isoforms reveal a novel type of PTB domain in CCM2 protein

Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) is a microvascular disorder in the central nervous system. Despite tremendous efforts, the causal genetic mutation in some CCM patients has not be identified, raising the possibility of an unknown CCM locus. The CCM2/MGC4607 gene has been identified as one of three known genes causing CCMs. In this report, we defined a total of 29 novel exons and 4 novel promoters in CCM2 genomic structure and subsequently identified a total of 50 new alternative spliced isoforms of CCM2 which eventually generated 22 novel protein isoforms. Genetic analysis of CCM2 isoforms revealed that the CCM2 isoforms can be classified into two groups based on their alternative promoters and alternative start codon exons. Our data demonstrated that CCM2 isoforms not only are specific in their subcellular compartmentation but also have distinct cellular expression patterns among various tissues and cells, indicating the pleiotropic cellular roles of CCM2 through their multiple isoforms. In fact, the complexity of the CCM2 genomic structure was reflected by the multiple layers of regulation of CCM2 expression patterns. At the transcriptional level, it is accomplished by alternative promoters, alternative splicing, and multiple transcriptional start sites and termination sites; while at the translational level, it is carried out with various cellular functions with a distinguishable CCM2 protein group pattern, specified abundance and composition of selective isoforms in a cell and tissue specific fashion. Through experimentation, we discovered a unique phosphotyrosine binding (PTB) domain, namely atypical phosphotyrosine binding (aPTB) domain. Some long CCM2 isoform proteins contain both classes of PTB domains, making them a dual PTB domain-containing protein. Both CCM1 and CCM3 can bind competitively to this aPTB domain, indicating CCM2 as the cornerstone for CCM signaling complex (CSC).

Acupuncture for cancer pain: protocol for a pilot pragmatic randomised controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

Although acupuncture has been recommended for alleviating cancer pain by clinical guidelines, the level of the supporting evidence needs to be improved. A pragmatic randomised controlled trial (pRCT) in a hospital setting would provide real-world assessments of the overall clinical effects of acupuncture. This pilot trial aims to explore the feasibility and provide data for sample size calculations for a pRCT evaluating the effectiveness of acupuncture as an adjunctive therapy to routine medical care for cancer pain.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Thirty patients with cancer admitted to the oncology department with moderate or severe pain will be recruited. Participants will be randomised at a ratio of 1:1 to the adjunctive acupuncture group or a control group which receives routine pain management without acupuncture. The standardised section of the acupuncture protocol will be developed based on the results of reviews of the literature, recommendations in clinical guidelines and interviews with clinical experts. The acupuncturist will be allowed to tailor the protocol according to the individual situation of each participant. Primary outcomes relevant to the feasibility of conducting a fully powered trial include: numbers and proportions of participants recruited, screened, consented and randomised; numbers and reasons for withdrawals and dropouts; numbers and types of adverse events; feasibility of implementing the trial procedures; evaluation of the comprehensiveness and ease-of-use of the case report form. Secondary outcomes are clinical measurements of the effectiveness of the treatment that are intended for use in the full-scale trial. Analysis of feasibility will be descriptive and pain intensity measures will be analysed using mixed-effects regression.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethics approval was obtained from the Institutional Ethics Committee of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine (approval no: Z2017-184-01) and RMIT University Human Research Ethics Committee (reference no: 21361). Results will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal, and trial participants will be informed via email and/or phone calls.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ChiCTR1800017023.

[Diagnostic imaging of primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumors and treatment with transarterial chemoembolization: analysis of 6 cases]

Objective: To investigate the imaging diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumors. Methods: The clinical features, imaging manifestations, histopathological and immunohistochemical findings and interventional therapy of 6 patients identified with pathologically confirmed primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumors were retrospectively analyzed, and the related literatures were reviewed. Results: All 6 patients presented with symptoms of abdominal pain. 4 patients had solitary hepatic mass and 2 patients had multiple hepatic masses. Magnetic resonance imaging showed low signal intensity on T1 weighted imaging, high signal intensity on T2 weighted imaging and clear boundary; the arterial phase of enhancement scan was uneven and enhanced, and portal venous phase or delayed phase showed continuous enhancement, surrounded by ring enhanced capsule. A pathological diagnosis was primary neuroendocrine tumor of the liver. After interventional treatment, 6 patients had some therapeutic effects. Among them, 4 patients underwent multiple interventional therapies, followed by 4 years of follow-up has shown satisfactory results. Conclusion: Primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumors are very rare and their imaging manifestations are specific. Eventually, relies on pathological and immunohistochemical diagnosis. Transarterial chemoembolization therapy can bring satisfactory results in the treatment of primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumor.

Pim-3 is a Critical Risk Factor in Development and Prognosis of Prostate Cancer

BACKGROUND Pim-3 kinase is a highly homologous serine/threonine kinase that is overexpressed in hematological malignancies and solid tumors. Few studies have been conducted to define the role of Pim-3 in solid tumors, especially in prostate cancer. The aim of this study was to define the role of Pim-3 in development and prognosis of prostate cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS We collected specimens from 160 patients with prostate cancer, as well as 100 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Realtime polymerase chain reaction was used for the assessment of Pim-3 expression at the RNA level and Western blot was used to quantify the Pim-3 protein synthesis in 3 different cell lines. RESULTS We found that Pim-3 mRNA expression in prostate cancer tissue was significantly higher than that in benign prostatic hyperplasia tissue (p<0.05). Accordingly, the protein level expression of Pim-3 in prostate cancer cell lines was also significantly higher than that in control cells. In addition, the expression status of Pim-3 mRNA was significantly associated with pathological parameters such as pre-surgery prostate specific antigen, Gleason score, pathological stage, and lymphoid metastasis. High expression of Pim-3 also significantly decreased the survival rate of patients after surgery. CONCLUSIONS Pim-3 expression is an important risk factor for prostate cancer; we are the first team to report Pim-3 as a valuable biomarker in Chinese.

[Screening of variation in the promoter of PPARGC1A gene and study of its association with the risk of type 2 diabetes in ethnic Hans from Beijing]

OBJECTIVE

To study the baseline distribution of polymorphisms in the promoter of peroxisome proliferators activated receptor co-activator 1 (PPARGC1A) gene in ethnic Hans from Beijing, and to assess their association with type 2 diabetes (T2DM).

METHODS

A 2-stage study was designed. Firstly, the promoter region of PPAGC1A gene was screened with PCRRFLP in a small population (n=216, T2DM/control: 104/112), which was followed by a replication study of a larger group (n=1546, T2DM/control: 732/814). Fasting plasma glucose, insulin, blood lipid, height, weight, waist circumference, and blood pressure were measured in all subjects. Potential association was assessed by logistic regression. Linkage disequilibrium and haplotype analysis were conducted with Haploview software.

RESULTS

Five polymorphisms were identified with Sanger sequencing, among which T-2120C (rs3755857), -1999C/G (rs2946386) and -1437T/C (rs2970870) were included for genotypic analysis based on their moderate levels of heterozygosity. No significant difference was found between the two groups. When adjusted for age and gender confounding, we have combined the OR values from population 1 and population 2 based on Mantel-Haenszel fixed model, and recognized a mild contribution of C allele of -1999C/G (rs2946386) to the 1.18-fold risk of T2DM (P=0.03, OR=118). No haplotype was associated with T2DM after permutation correction.

CONCLUSION

The C allele of -1999C/G ( rs2946386) in the promoter region of the PPARGC1A gene is mildly associated with T2DM. Variations in the promoter region of the PPARGC1A gene seem not to confer the risk of T2DM in our population.

[The application of next generation sequencing on epigenetic study]

The application of next generation sequencing (NGS) technique has a great impact on epigenetic studies. Coupled with NGS, a number of sequencing-based methodologies have been developed and applied in epigenetic studies, such as Whole Genome Bisulfite Sequencing (WGBS), Reduced Representation Bisulfite Sequencing (RRBS), Methylated DNA Immunoprecipitation Sequencing (MeDIP-seq), Chromatin Immunoprecipitation-Sequencing (ChIP-seq), TAB-seq (Tet-assisted Bisulfite Sequencing), Chromosome Conformation Capture Sequencing (3C-seq) and various of 3C-seq de-rivatives, DNase1-seq/MNase-seq/FAIRE-seqand RNA Sequencing (RNA-seq). These new techniques were used to iden-tify DNA methylation patterns and a broad range of protein/nucleic acid interactions, and to analyze chromatin conforma-tion.With these new technologies, researchers have gained a broader view and better tools to investigate the distributions and dynamic changes of epigenetic markers affected by both internal and external factors. The principles and characteristics of major applications of NGS technologies on epigenetics were summarized; and the recent advances and the future direc-tions in NGS-based epigenetic studies were further discussed.

Analysis of the relationship between three coding polymorphisms in LEPR gene and obesity in northern Chinese

SUMMARY

To determine the effect of variants in LEPR gene on obesity in northern Chinese, three coding polymorphisms Arg109Lys (A/G), Asn656Lys (C/G) and Pro1019Pro (C/T) were investigated for association with overweight and obesity. By a case control design, 248 overweight or obese subjects and 351 lean normal controls were recruited in Harbin region in north China. All three polymorphisms were genotyped by Sequenom single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) detection system in both cases and controls. Genotypes for all three polymorphisms were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in control subjects. Both groups had similar distribution of alleles and genotypes created by the three coding polymorphisms of LEPR gene. No differences in frequencies of genotypes or alleles between cases and controls for any polymorphism individually were found by χ(2) analysis (p = 0.444, p = 0.507 and p = 0.662, respectively). Further, when the haplotypes of three polymorphisms were assessed, no association for any haplotype of three polymorphisms was revealed. In the present study, the three coding polymorphisms in LEPR gene were firstly investigated in a population of northern Chinese. It was suggested that the three coding polymorphisms in LEPR gene were unlikely to have major effects on susceptibility to obesity in northern Chinese.:

Highly efficient and compact cavity oscillator for high-power, optically pumped gas terahertz laser

We demonstrate a highly efficient and compact terahertz cavity oscillator that is based on z-cut crystal quartz used as the dichroic beam splitter, for the first time to the best of our knowledge. With D(2)O gas as the active medium, pumped with a multitransverse mode TEACO(2) laser, experimental verification was also presented to demonstrate the advantages of this cavity oscillator. With the cavity length of 120 cm, 7.4 mJ pulse energy at pulse repetition frequency of 6 Hz, pulse width of 90 ns, and peak power of 82.2 kW were achieved at a wavelength of 385 μm. Photon conversion efficiency (PCE) of 44% was obtained at the maximum output level from this terahertz cavity oscillator. Furthermore, to our knowledge, this PCE is the highest efficiency ever reported in D(2)O gas, 385 μm terahertz cavity laser systems. The beam quality or M(2) factor was found to be about 1.77.

Efficacy of postoperative adjuvant transfusion of cytokine-induced killer cells combined with chemotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer

PURPOSE

To assess the activity and safety of postoperative adjuvant immunotherapy with transfusion of cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells combined with chemotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer.

METHODS

We retrospectively studied 96 consecutive patients with colorectal cancer who were treated with resection between January 2010 and December 2012 as well as adjuvant chemotherapy. Twenty-one of these patients accepted at least 1 cycle of CIK cell transfusion for immunotherapy (CIK group). Disease free survival (DFS), immune cells and treatment related side effects were assessed. The patients were followed up until May 2013.

RESULTS

By the end of follow-up, 10 patients (10.42 %) had died. Eighteen patients (18.75 %) had withdrawn. All the patients in the CIK group are still alive, and only 1 patient had withdrawn. Patients in the CIK group had significantly longer DFS than those in the control group [HR = 0.28, 95 % CI (0.09, 0.91), p = 0.034]. The 2-year DFS rates of patients in the CIK group and the control group were 59.65 ± 24.80 % and 29.35 ± 6.39 %, respectively. The CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratios were significantly lower during the period of chemotherapy than those before chemotherapy (p = 0.0038), while the ratios were significantly higher during the period of CIK cell transfusion than those before CIK therapy (p = 0.0484). There were no immediate adverse reactions to the CIK cell transfusions.

CONCLUSION

Adjuvant transfusion of CIK cells prolongs DFS in patients with colorectal cancer.

Changes in the expression of bone morphogenetic protein 7 and tamm- horsfall protein in the early stages of diabetic nephropathy

BACKGROUND

Bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7) has been suggested to play a protective role against kidney injury in chronic kidney disease.

OBJECTIVES

To identify the critical molecular regulators in the early stage of diabetic nephropathy, we studied the expression of BMP7 and 2 important kidney-specific markers, podocin and Tamm-Horsfall protein (THP).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A diabetic nephropathy model was established by intraperitoneally injecting streptozotocin (STZ) in male Kunming mice. Kidney weight index was used as an indicator of early renal injury. Kidney tissue from the diabetic model mice was obtained at 4, 8, and 12 weeks, and total protein was extracted to assess the expression of BMP7, podocin, and THP by western blot analysis.

RESULTS

Diabetic model mice were successfully established, and the kidney weight index of the model animals increased significantly. The expression of BMP7 was significantly downregulated, while the expression of THP was increased in the early stage of diabetic nephropathy. However, the expression of podocin did not change.

CONCLUSIONS

Our observations suggested that down-regulation of BMP7 expression and up-regulation of THP expression were early events that occur prior to podocyte injury with the structure protein, podocin spoiled, which further confirmed that BMP7 is a key molecular regulator in the early stage of diabetic nephropathy.

Haptoglobin 2-2 genotype is associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in northern Chinese

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between haptoglobin (Hp) gene polymorphism and occurrence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a northern Chinese population. We studied the association of the Hp gene polymorphism with T2DM in 584 unrelated T2DM patients and 690 control subjects with normal glucose tolerance among northern Chinese. The patients were diagnosed in accordance with the guidelines of the American Diabetes Association. The clinical characteristics of the study population were recorded, and the Hp genotype was determined. The frequencies of the genotypes in the group of T2DM patients and the controls were as follows: Hp2-2, 51.7% and 44.1%; Hp2-1, 39.7% and 45.1%; and Hp1-1, 8.6% and 10.9%, respectively. There was significant difference for the genotypic and allelic distribution between the two groups (p=0.021 and p=0.007, respectively). Even after readjusting for the confounding effects of age, gender, and body mass index, a significant effect of genotypes on T2DM was still found in the recessive model for the Hp2 allele tested (p=0.002). Those who had the Hp2-2 genotype had a significantly higher risk for T2DM than those with other genotypes (odds ratio=1.441, 95% confidence interval=1.143-1.817). The results showed that the Hp2-2 genotype is associated with increased risk of T2DM in the northern Chinese Han population.

The haplotype identified in LEPR gene is associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Northern Chinese

Leptin receptor (LEPR) plays an important physiological role in energy metabolism. The study addressed the relationship between leptin receptor gene variations and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of LEPR gene, Arg109Lys (A/G), Asn656Lys (C/G) and Pro1019Pro (C/T) were detected in a northern population in China. Totally, 317 patients with T2DM and 282 healthy controls were recruited randomly from urban communities in Harbin area in the Northeast of China. All polymorphisms were genotyped by Sequenom SNP detection system in both case and control groups. Linkage disequilibria analysis showed moderate linkage disequilibria between the pair-wise SNPs for all three SNPs. Then, we identified the haplotype covering the three SNPs (AGC) with higher risk of T2DM (OR=1.69 (1.09-2.61)), and showed that there existed significant difference between cases and controls (9.8% vs. 6.0%, P=0.02). We also observed significant difference in frequencies of the heterozygous haplotype combination (GGT/AGC), that is 17.0% vs. 8.2% in cases and controls, respectively (P=0.001). It further supported the evidence that the haplotype (AGC) was associated with T2DM. So, AGC haplotype in LEPR gene could be a risk factor associated with T2DM in Northern Chinese.

The Gly482Ser variant of the PPARGC1 gene is associated with Type 2 diabetes mellitus in northern Chinese, especially men

AIMS

To investigate the prevalence of the Gly482Ser polymorphism of the PPARGC1 gene in a northern Chinese population and to clarify the susceptibility of individuals with the Gly482Ser polymorphism to insulin resistance and related diseases.

METHODS

We studied the association of the Gly482Ser polymorphism identified in the PPARGC1 gene with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in 390 unrelated patients with T2DM and 525 control subjects with normal glucose tolerance. Clinical parameters and measures of insulin resistance were recorded. Genotypes were determined by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method, which was further confirmed by direct sequencing in 20 randomly selected cases.

RESULTS

The Gly482Ser polymorphism was common in the northern Chinese population. Univariate analysis indicated no statistically significant differences in allele frequencies or genotype frequencies of the Gly482Ser polymorphism in diabetic and control subjects (minor 482Ser allele frequency 44.4 vs. 41.4%, P = 0.169). However, logistic regression analysis demonstrated a positive 1.645-fold higher risk of the Ser/Ser genotype for T2DM (P = 0.039, 95% CI = 1.026-2.632). After stratification by gender, the risk of Type 2 diabetes in men was increased 1.852-fold (95% CI = 1.125-3.049) in those with the Ser/X genotype compared with those with the Gly/Gly genotype (P = 0.015). No associations were observed between the Gly482Ser polymorphism and parameters of insulin resistance, obesity and hypertension.

CONCLUSION

The Gly482Ser variant of the PPARGC1 gene might contribute to susceptibility to T2DM in northern Chinese subjects. The Ser/X genotype of the Gly482Ser polymorphism in the PPARGC1 gene appears to be a risk factor for T2DM in northern Chinese men.

[The microsatellite polymorphism research on porcine chromosome 1 and the construction of its genetic map]

As a molecular marker,microsatellite has many advantages such as high polymorphism and good conservativeness in animal genetic research. The study chose 8 microsatellite markers that evenly distributed on chromosome 1 with a distance about 20 cM to build the genetic map of porcine chromosome 1. The results of our experiment are as follows:the number of alleles for 8 markers is 2 to 5,their gene frequency is from 0.015 to 0.75,the heterozygosity is from 0.39705 to 0.67675 and the polymorphic information content is from 0.32925 to 0.59316. The map we built is basically in consistent with the result of USDA and can be used in searching quantitative traits loci in pigs.