Brief Report: Real-World Efficacy and Safety of Sotorasib in U.S. Veterans with KRAS G12C-Mutated NSCLC.

Introduction: The KRAS G12C inhibitor sotorasib was approved for treating advanced NSCLC in the second line or later on the basis of the CodeBreaK100 trial. Nevertheless, data on the real-world efficacy and safety of sotorasib, and to its optimal dose, remain limited. Methods: Patients treated with sotorasib for NSCLC through the Veterans Health Administration were retrospectively identified from the Corporate Data Warehouse. Survival, response, and toxicity data were obtained from chart review. Results: Among the 128 patients treated with sotorasib through the Veterans Health Administration, objective response rate was 34%, progression-free survival (PFS) six months, and overall survival 12 months. Similar PFS was observed among the 16 patients who received frontline sotorasib without any prior systemic therapy for NSCLC. Toxicity leading to sotorasib interruption or dose reduction occurred in 37% of patients, whereas sotorasib discontinuation for toxicity occurred in 25%. Notably, sotorasib dose reduction was associated with substantially improved PFS and OS. Conclusions: In this real-world study, the observed efficacy of sotorasib was similar to the results of CodeBreaK100. Patients who received frontline sotorasib had similar PFS to our overall cohort, suggesting that first-line sotorasib monotherapy may benefit patients who are not eligible for chemotherapy. Toxicities leading to sotorasib interruption, dose reduction, or discontinuation were common. Sotorasib dose reduction was associated with improved survival, suggesting that sotorasib dose reduction may not compromise efficacy.

Depression risk in chronic tonsillitis patients underwent tonsillectomy: a global federated health network analysis.

Background: Tonsillectomy is a common surgery in the US, with possible postoperative complications. While small studies indicate postoperative depressive symptoms may occur, large-scale evidence is lacking on the tonsillectomy-depression link. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the TriNetX US collaborative network, offering de-identified electronic health data from 59 collaborative healthcare organizations (HCOs) in the United States. In this study, people being diagnosed of chronic tonsillitis between January 2005 and December 2017 were enrolled. Patients deceased, with previous record of cancers or psychiatric events before index date were excluded. 14,874 chronic tonsillitis patients undergoing tonsillectomy were propensity score matched 1:1 to controls for age, sex, and race. New-onset depression risks were evaluated over 5 years post-tonsillectomy and stratified by age and sex. Confounders were adjusted for including demographics, medications, comorbidities and socioeconomic statuses. Results: After matching, the difference of key baseline characteristics including age, sex, comedications status and obesity status was insignificant between tonsillectomy and non-tonsillectomy groups. Tonsillectomy had a 1.29 times higher 5-year depression risk versus matched controls (95% CI, 1.19-1.40), with elevated risks seen at 1 year (HR=1.51; 95% CI, 1.28-1.79) and 3 years (HR=1.30; 95% CI, 1.18-1.43). By stratifications, risks were increased for both males (HR=1.30; 95% CI, 1.08-1.57) and females (HR=1.30; 95% CI, 1.18-1.42), and significantly higher in ages 18-64 years (HR=1.37; 1.26-1.49), but no significance observed for those 65 years and older. After performing sensitivity analyses and applying washout periods of 6, 12, and 36 months, the outcome remained consistent with unadjusted results. Conclusion: This real-world analysis found tonsillectomy was associated with a 30% higher 5-year depression risk versus matched non-tonsillectomy patients with chronic tonsillitis. Further mechanistic research is needed to clarify the pathophysiologic association between depression and tonsillectomy. Depression is not commonly mentioned in the current post-tonsillectomy care realm; however, the outcome of our study emphasized the possibility of these suffering condition after operation. Attention to psychological impacts following tonsillectomy is warranted to support patient well-being, leading to better management of post-tonsillectomy individuals.

Hidradenitis suppurativa as a potential risk factor of periodontitis: a multi-center, propensity-score-matched cohort study.

Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease associated with systemic symptoms. Periodontitis, a prevalent dental disease, shares immune-mediated inflammatory characteristics with HS. This cohort study aims to evaluate the association between HS and periodontitis. Methods: Using the TriNetX research network, a global-federated database of electronic health records, we conducted a retrospective cohort study. People being diagnosed of HS were identified and propensity score matching was performed to identify proper control group, via balancing critical covariates Within the follow-up time of 1 year, 3 year and 5 years, hazard ratios were calculated to assess the risk of periodontitis in HS patients compared to controls. Results: Within the 53,968 HS patients and the same number of matched controls, the HS patients exhibited a significantly increased risk of developing periodontitis compared to controls after 3 years of follow-up (HR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.11, 2.44) and 5 years of follow-up (HR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.21, 2.24) of follow-up. Sensitivity analyses supported these findings under various matching models and washout periods. While comparing with patients with psoriasis, the association between HS and periodontitis remained significant (HR: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.23, 2.44). Conclusion: The observed increased risk suggests the need for heightened awareness and potential interdisciplinary care for individuals with HS to address periodontal health.

The influence of spheroid maturity on fusion dynamics and micro-tissue assembly in 3D tumor models.

Three-dimensional (3D) cell culture has been used in many fields of biology because of its unique advantages. As a representative of the 3D systems, 3D spheroids are used as building blocks for tissue construction. Larger tumor aggregates can be assembled by manipulating or stacking the tumor spheroids. The motivation of this study is to investigate the behavior of the cells distributed at different locations of the spheroids in the fusion process and the mechanism behind it. To this aim, spheroids with varying grades of maturity or age were generated for fusion to assemble micro-tumor tissues. The dynamics of the fusion process, the motility of the cells distributed in different heterogeneous architecture sites, and their reactive oxygen species profiles were studied. We found that the larger the spheroid necrotic core, the slower the fusion rate of the spheroid. The cells that move were mainly distributed on the spheroid's surface during fusion. In addition to dense microfilament distribution and low microtubule content, the reactive oxygen content was high in the fusion site, while the non-fusion site was the opposite. Last, multi-spheroids with different maturities were fused to complex micro-tissues to mimic solid tumors and evaluate Doxorubicin's anti-tumor efficacy.

TANGO6 regulates cell proliferation via COPI vesicle-mediated RPB2 nuclear entry.

Coat protein complex I (COPI) vesicles mediate the retrograde transfer of cargo between Golgi cisternae and from the Golgi to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). However, their roles in the cell cycle and proliferation are unclear. This study shows that TANGO6 associates with COPI vesicles via two transmembrane domains. The TANGO6 N- and C-terminal cytoplasmic fragments capture RNA polymerase II subunit B (RPB) 2 in the cis-Golgi during the G1 phase. COPI-docked TANGO6 carries RPB2 to the ER and then to the nucleus. Functional disruption of TANGO6 hinders the nuclear entry of RPB2, which accumulates in the cytoplasm, causing cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase. The conditional depletion or overexpression of TANGO6 in mouse hematopoietic stem cells results in compromised or expanded hematopoiesis. Our study results demonstrate that COPI vesicle-associated TANGO6 plays a role in the regulation of cell cycle progression by directing the nuclear transfer of RPB2, making it a potential target for promoting or arresting cell expansion.

Adaptive and Dissipative Hierarchical Population Crowding of Synthetic Protocells through Click-PISA under Gradient Energy Inputs.

The ability of living objects to respond rapidly en masse to various stimuli or stress is an important function in response to externally applied changes in the local environment. This occurs across many length scales, for instance, bacteria swarming in response to different stimuli or stress and macromolecular crowding within cells. Currently there are few mechanisms to induce similar autonomous behaviors within populations of synthetic protocells. Herein, we report a system in which populations of individual objects behave in a coordinated manner in response to changes in the energetic environment by the emergent self-organization of large object swarms. These swarms contain protocell populations of approximately 60 000 individuals. We demonstrate the dissipative nature of the hierarchical constructs, which persist under appropriate UV stimulation. Finally, we identify the ability of the object populations to change behaviors in an adaptive population-wide response to the local energetic environment.

Characterization of selected phages for biocontrol of food-spoilage pseudomonads.

Pseudomonas spp., such as P. fluorescens group, P. fragi, and P. putida, are the major psychrophilic spoilage bacteria in the food industry. Bacteriophages (phages) are a promising tool for controlling food-spoilage and food-poisoning bacteria; however, there are few reports on phages effective on food-spoilage bacteria such as Pseudomonas spp. In this study, 12 Pseudomonas phages were isolated from chicken and soil samples. Based on the host range and lytic activity at 30 °C and 4 °C and various combinations of phages, phages vB_PflP-PCS4 and vB_PflP-PCW2 were selected to prepare phage cocktails to control Pseudomonas spp. The phage cocktail consisting of vB_PflP-PCS4 and vB_PflP-PCW2 showed the strongest lytic activity and retarded regrowth of P. fluorescens and P. putida at 30 °C, 8 °C, and 4 °C at a multiplicity of infection of 100. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the genomic DNA indicated that vB_PflP-PCS4 and vB_PflP-PCW2 phages were lytic phages of the Podoviridae family and lacked tRNA, toxin, or virulence genes. A novel endolysin gene was found in the genomic DNA of phage vB_PflP-PCS4. The results of this study suggest that the phage cocktail consisting of vB_PflP-PCS4 and vB_PflP-PCW2 is a promising tool for the biocontrol of psychrophilic food-spoilage pseudomonads during cold storage and distribution.

Association between hidradenitis suppurativa and atopic diseases: a multi-center, propensity-score-matched cohort study.

Background: Cross-sectional evidence has suggested a high prevalence of atopic diseases in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). However, there is a lack of evidence based on longitudinal studies. This study aimed to assess the risk of different atopic diseases, including asthma, atopic dermatitis, and allergic rhinitis, in patients with HS. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, data from the TriNetX research network were obtained. Patients with HS were enrolled, and a 1:1 propensity score matching was performed to select a non-HS control group. Matching covariates included age, sex, race, comorbidities, comedications, socioeconomic status, lab data, and medical utilization status. Hazard ratios (HR) for atopic diseases were assessed. Results: Over a 15-year follow-up period, patients with HS were found to be at a higher risk for atopic dermatitis (HR = 1.65; 95% CI, 1.44-1.90), asthma (HR = 1.41; 95% CI, 1.33-1.49), and allergic rhinitis (HR = 1.08; 95% CI, 1.03-1.13). A similar trend was observed in shorter follow-up periods. The association between HS, atopic dermatitis, and asthma was consistent across different age and sex subgroups. Conclusion: Atopic diseases including atopic dermatitis, asthma and allergic rhinitis are associated with HS. Further investigation is needed to assess the necessity of early screening for atopic diseases in patients with HS.

Screening of genes involved in phage-resistance of Escherichia coli and effects of substances interacting with primosomal protein A on the resistant bacteria.

AIMS: The study was to identify the genes involved in phage resistance and to develop an effective biocontrol method to improve the lytic activity of phages against foodborne pathogens. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 3,909 single gene-deletion mutants of Escherichia coli BW25113 from the Keio collection were individually screened for genes involved in phage resistance. Phage S127BCL3 isolated from chicken liver, infecting both E. coli BW25113 and O157: H7, was characterized and used for screening. The 10 gene-deletion mutants showed increased susceptibility to phage S127BCL3. Among them, priA gene-deletion mutant strain showed significant susceptibility to the phages S127BCL3 and T7. Furthermore, we investigated the substances that have been reported to inhibit the function of primosomal protein A (PriA) and were used to confirm increased phage susceptibility in E. coli BW25113 (Parent strain) and O157: H7. CONCLUSION: PriA inhibitors at a low concentration showed combined effects with phage against E. coli O157: H7 and delayed the regrowth rate of phage-resistant cells.

Potential application of phage vB_EfKS5 to control Enterococcus faecalis and its biofilm in food.

Contaminated food with antibiotic-resistant Enterococcus spp. could be the vehicle for transmitting Enterococcus to humans and accordingly cause a public health problem. The accumulation of biogenic amines produced by Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) in food may have cytological effects. Bacteriophages (phage in short) are natural antimicrobial agents and can be used alone or in combination with other food preservatives to reduce food microbial contaminants. The aim of this study was to isolate a novel phage against E. faecalis and determine its host range to evaluate its potential application. Bacteriophage, vB_EfKS5, with a broad host range, was isolated to control the growth of E. faecalis. The vB_EfKS5 genome is 59,246 bp in length and has a GC content of 39.7%. The computational analysis of phage vB_EfKS5 genome confirmed that it does not contain any lysogenic, toxic, or virulent genes. Phage vB_EfKS5 exhibited lytic activity against most E. faecalis isolates with different multiplicities of infections and it infected 75.5% (22/29) of E. faecalis isolates and 42.3% (3/7) of E. faecium isolates. It was also able to destroy the biofilm formed by E. faecalis with different MOIs. Phage vB_EfKS5 alone or in combination with nisin could control the growth of E. faecalis in broth and milk. Based on its high productivity, stability, short latent period, and large burst size, phage vB_EfKS5 has a high potential for applications both in food and medical applications.

Corrigendum: Molecular markers associated to two non-allelic genic male sterility genes in peppers (Capsicum annuum L.).

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01343.].

Colorectal cancer cell membrane biomimetic ferroferric oxide nanomaterials for homologous bio-imaging and chemotherapy application.

The research of nanomaterials for bio-imaging and theranostic are very active nowadays with unprecedented advantages in nanomedicine. Homologous targeting and bio-imaging greatly improve the ability of targeted drug delivery and enhance active targeting and treatment ability of nanomedicine for the tumor. In this work, lycorine hydrochloride (LH) and magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles coated with a colorectal cancer (CRC) cell membrane (LH-Fe3O4@M) were prepared, for homologous targeting, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and chemotherapy. Results showed that the LH-Fe3O4@M and Fe3O4@M intensity at HT29 tumor was significantly higher than that Fe3O4@PEG, proving the superior selectivity of cancer cell membrane-camouflaged nanomedicine for homologous tumors and the MRI effect of darkening contrast enhancement were remarkable at HT29 tumor. The LH-Fe3O4@M exhibited excellent chemotherapy effect in CRC models as well as LH alone and achieved a high tumor ablation rate but no damage to normal tissues and cells. Therefore, our biomimetic system achieved a homologous targeting, bio-imaging, and efficient therapeutic effect of CRC.

Genome-Wide Survey of the RWP-RK Gene Family in Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) and Functional Analysis.

The plant-specific RWP-RK transcription factor family plays a central role in the regulation of nitrogen response and gametophyte development. However, little information is available regarding the evolutionary relationships and characteristics of the RWP-RK family genes in cassava, an important tropical crop. Herein, 13 RWP-RK proteins identified in cassava were unevenly distributed across 9 of the 18 chromosomes (Chr), and these proteins were divided into two clusters based on their phylogenetic distance. The NLP subfamily contained seven cassava proteins including GAF, RWP-RK, and PB1 domains; the RKD subfamily contained six cassava proteins including the RWP-RK domain. Genes of the NLP subfamily had a longer sequence and more introns than the RKD subfamily. A large number of hormone- and stress-related cis-acting elements were found in the analysis of RWP-RK promoters. Real-time quantitative PCR revealed that all MeNLP1-7 and MeRKD1/3/5 genes responded to different abiotic stressors (water deficit, cold temperature, mannitol, polyethylene glycol, NaCl, and H2O2), hormonal treatments (abscisic acid and methyl jasmonate), and nitrogen starvation. MeNLP3/4/5/6/7 and MeRKD3/5, which can quickly and efficiently respond to different stresses, were found to be important candidate genes for further functional assays in cassava. The MeRKD5 and MeNLP6 proteins were localized to the cell nucleus in tobacco leaf. Five and one candidate proteins interacting with MeRKD5 and MeNLP6, respectively, were screened from the cassava nitrogen starvation library, including agamous-like mads-box protein AGL14, metallothionein 2, Zine finger FYVE domain containing protein, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, E3 Ubiquitin-protein ligase HUWE1, and PPR repeat family protein. These results provided a solid basis to understand abiotic stress responses and signal transduction mediated by RWP-RK genes in cassava.

A novel auxin-inducible degron system for rapid, cell cycle-specific targeted proteolysis.

The discrimination of protein biological functions in different phases of the cell cycle is limited by the lack of experimental approaches that do not require pre-treatment with compounds affecting the cell cycle progression. Therefore, potential cycle-specific biological functions of a protein of interest could be biased by the effects of cell treatments. The OsTIR1/auxin-inducible degron (AID) system allows "on demand" selective and reversible protein degradation upon exposure to the phytohormone auxin. In the current format, this technology does not allow to study the effect of acute protein depletion selectively in one phase of the cell cycle, as auxin similarly affects all the treated cells irrespectively of their proliferation status. Therefore, the AID system requires coupling with cell synchronization techniques, which can alter the basal biological status of the studied cell population, as with previously available approaches. Here, we introduce a new AID system to Regulate OsTIR1 Levels based on the Cell Cycle Status (ROLECCS system), which induces proteolysis of both exogenously transfected and endogenous gene-edited targets in specific phases of the cell cycle. We validated the ROLECCS technology by down regulating the protein levels of TP53, one of the most studied tumor suppressor genes, with a widely known role in cell cycle progression. By using our novel tool, we observed that TP53 degradation is associated with increased number of micronuclei, and this phenotype is specifically achieved when TP53 is lost in S/G2/M phases of the cell cycle, but not in G1. Therefore, we propose the use of the ROLECCS system as a new improved way of studying the differential roles that target proteins may have in specific phases of the cell cycle.

Acute exacerbation of ocular graft-versus-host disease and anterior uveitis after COVID-19 vaccination.

BACKGROUND: To report a case of simultaneous occurrence of acute exacerbation of ocular graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and anterior uveitis following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination. CASE PRESENTATION: A 60-year-old man with primary myelofibrosis and GVHD after receiving allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), developed acute exacerbation of ocular GVHD and anterior uveitis after receiving first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. The patient developed erythema of the eyelids, conjunctival hyperemia, superficial punctate keratopathy, and prominent anterior chamber inflammation in both eyes. The ocular GVHD and anterior uveitis were managed with mainly topical corticosteroids, antibiotics, lubricants, and systemic corticosteroids, but were difficult to control. Intravitreal injection of dexamethasone was administered, and the inflammation gradually subsided 6 months after the onset of initial symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should be aware of rare refractory anterior uveitis and acute exacerbation of ocular GVHD after COVID-19 vaccination in patients undergoing HSCT. Early diagnosis and aggressive treatment should be considered to reduce the likelihood of severe complications.

Dasatinib-associated follicular lymphoma in a patient with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

The tyrosine kinase inhibitor dasatinib is approved for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia and Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Patients on dasatinib can rarely develop a form of benign reversible reactive lymphadenopathy termed follicular lymphoid hyperplasia (FLH). Here, we describe a patient with Ph+ ALL who developed follicular lymphoma (FL) after prolonged treatment with dasatinib and who had complete remission of FL after discontinuation of dasatinib. This case suggests that dasatinib-associated FLH could be a premalignant condition that can transform into FL. Moreover, withdrawal of dasatinib may be sufficient for remission of dasatinib-associated FL.

Therapeutic ultrasound treatment for the prevention of chronic kidney disease-associated muscle wasting in mice.

Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) is a kind of therapeutic ultrasound. It can help improve bone fracture repair and soft tissue healing. Our previous study found that LIPUS treatment could halt the chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression in mice; unexpectedly, we observed the improvement of CKD-reduced muscle weights by LIPUS treatment. Here, we further tested the protective potential of LIPUS on CKD-associated muscle wasting/sarcopenia using the CKD mouse models. Mouse models of both unilateral renal ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) with nephrectomy and adenine administration were used to induce CKD. LIPUS with condition of 3 MHz, 100 mW/cm2, 20 min/day was applied to the kidney of CKD mice. LIPUS treatment significantly reversed the increased serum BUN/creatinine levels in CKD mice. LIPUS effectively prevented the decrease in grip strength, muscle weight (soleus, tibialis anterior, and gastrocnemius muscles), cross-section areas of muscle fibres, and muscular phosphorylated Akt protein expression by immunohistochemistry, and the increase in muscular atrogenes Atrogin1 and MuRF1 protein expression by immunohistochemistry in CKD mice. These results indicated that LIPUS could help improve weak muscle strength, muscle mass loss, muscle atrophy-related protein expression, and Akt inactivation. LIPUS application may be an alternative non-invasive therapeutic intervention on the management of CKD-associated muscle wasting.