Immune characteristics analysis and construction of a four-gene prognostic signature for lung adenocarcinoma based on estrogen reactivity.

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is a common type of malignant tumor with poor prognosis and high mortality. In our previous studies, we found that estrogen is an important risk factor for LUAD, and different estrogen statuses can predict different prognoses. Therefore, in this study, we constructed a prognostic signature related to estrogen reactivity to determine the relationship between different estrogen reactivities and prognosis. We downloaded the LUAD dataset from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, calculated the estrogen reactivity of each sample, and divided them into a high-estrogen reactivity group and a low-estrogen reactivity group. The difference in overall survival between the groups was significant. We also analyzed the status of immune cell infiltration and immune checkpoint expression between the groups. We analyzed the differential gene expression between the groups and screened four key prognostic factors by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and univariable and multivariable Cox regression. Based on the four genes, a risk signature was established. To a certain extent, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve showed the predictive ability of the risk signature, which was further verified using the GSE31210 dataset. We also determined the role of estrogen in LUAD using an orthotopic mouse model. Additionally, we developed a predictive nomogram combining the risk signature with other clinical characteristics. In conclusion, our four-gene prognostic signature based on estrogen reactivity had prognostic value and can provide new insights into the development of treatment strategies for LUAD.

Immunoglobulin G inhibits glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis through occupation of FcγRI.

Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) is a severe and common complication of long-term usage of glucocorticoids (GCs) and lacks of efficient therapy. Here, we investigated the mechanism of anti-inflammation effect and osteoclastogenesis side effect of GCs and immunoglobulin G (IgG) treatment against GIOP. GCs inhibited SLE IgG-induced inflammation, while IgG inhibited GCs-induced osteoclastogenesis. FcγRI and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) were found directly interacted with each other. GCs and IgG could reduce the expression of FcγRI on macrophages. The deficiency of FcγRI affected osteoclastogenesis by GCs and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) IgG-induced inflammation. Also, IgG efficiently reduced GIOP in mice. These data showed that GCs could induce osteoporosis and inhibit IgG-induced inflammation through FcγRI while IgG efficiently suppressed osteoporosis induced by GCs through FcγRI. Hence, our findings may help in developing a feasible therapeutic strategy against osteoporosis, such as GIOP.

ERß promoted invadopodia formation-mediated non-small cell lung cancer metastasis via the ICAM1/p-Src/p-Cortactin signaling pathway.

In a previous study, our research group observed that estrogen promotes the metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) through the estrogen receptor ß (ERß). Invadopodia are key structures involved in tumor metastasis. However, it is unclear whether ERß is involved in the promotion of NSCLC metastasis through invadopodia. In our study, we used scanning electron microscopy to observe the formation of invadopodia following the overexpression of ERß and treatment with E2. In vitro experiments using multiple NSCLC cell lines demonstrated that ERß can increase the formation of invadopodia and cell invasion. Mechanistic studies revealed that ERß can upregulate the expression of ICAM1 by directly binding to estrogen-responsive elements (EREs) located on the ICAM1 promoter, which in turn can enhance the phosphorylation of Src/cortactin. We also confirmed these findings in vivo using an orthotopic lung transplantation mouse model, which validated the results obtained from the in vitro experiments. Finally, we examined the expressions of ERß and ICAM1 using immunohistochemistry in both NSCLC tissue and paired metastatic lymph nodes. The results confirmed that ERß promotes the formation of invadopodia in NSCLC cells through the ICAM1/p-Src/p-Cortactin signaling pathway.

Regulatory effects of autoantibody IgG on osteoclastogenesis.

Inflammatory arthritis is common in both systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and eventually leads to bone homeostasis disorders. However, RA patients generally have severe bone destruction, which is rare in SLE patients. Recent studies have demonstrated that anti-citrullinated protein antibodies are important factors leading to bone destruction in RA. On the other hand, SLE patients present deposition of autoantibodies in the joints, which plays an important role in bone protection. These different phenomena occur because of the effects of the autoantibodies on the monocytes/macrophages during osteoclastogenesis, and the mechanisms underlying these effects differ between SLE and RA patients.

The role of organ-deposited IgG in the pathogenesis of multi-organ and tissue damage in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), often known simply as lupus, is a severe chronic autoimmune disease that is characterized by multi-organ and tissue damage and high levels of autoantibodies in serum. We have recently investigated, using animal models, the role of organ-deposited IgG autoantibodies in the pathogenesis of organ and tissue damage in SLE. We found that intra-organ injection of serum from mice with lupus (i.e., lupus mice) into healthy mice triggered inflammation in tissue and organs but that serum from other healthy mice did not, and that the severity of inflammation was related to the dose of serum injected. Immunohistochemistry showed that a large number of IgG molecules are deposited at the site of organ and tissue damage in lupus mice, and that IgG is a major contributor to the development of tissue inflammation triggered by serum from lupus mice or patients. The development of tissue inflammation induced by IgG in serum from lupus mice requires the presence of monocytes/macrophages, but not of lymphocytes or neutrophils; tumor necrosis factor (TNF)/tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1) and interleukin 1 (IL-1) also play essential roles in the development of tissue inflammation triggered by IgG. In addition, it has been found that TNFR1 inhibitors can suppress skin injury in lupus mice and that spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) inhibitors, which can block the signaling transduction of IgG/Fc gamma receptors (FcγRs), can prevent and treat skin injury and kidney damage in lupus mice. We have also observed that lupus IgG might protect against bone erosion. Based on these results, we conclude that IgG plays a crucial role in the development of organ and tissue damage in SLE and in protecting bone erosion and arthritis, and we suggest that the IgG/FcγR signaling pathway is an important therapeutic target in SLE.

Amelioration of Lupus Serum-Induced Skin Inflammation in CD64-Deficient Mice.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a heterogeneous autoimmune disorder characterized by high autoantibodies levels and multiorgan tissue damage. The current study investigated the role of CD64 in SLE patients and animal models. According to a flow cytometry study, SLE patients showed an increase in CD64 expression in circulating monocytes. There was a correlation between CD64 and SLEDAI, blood urea nitrogen levels, and anti-Sm antibodies. In skin lesions of lupus MRL/lpr mice, there was high IgG deposition and CD64 expression. In vitro, cytokines IL-10 and IFN-γ upregulated CD64 expression in monocytes/macrophages that was inhibited by glucocorticoids. In CD64-deficient mice, skin inflammation induced by lupus serum was reduced. Furthermore, activation of spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk), Akt, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) was inhibited in CD64-deficient monocytes. The results suggest that CD64 could be a biomarker for observing SLE progression, as well as a mechanistic checkpoint in lupus pathogenesis.

Minimally invasive esophagectomy with intrathoracic anastomosis in a situs inversus totalis patient.

Situs inversus totalis (SIT) is a rare congenital condition, which is characterized by abnormal placement of the thoracic and abdominal organs. The incidence of this condition is estimated to be from 1/8000 to 1/25,000. There have been minimal reports on SIT patients with esophageal cancer. In this report, we discuss a patient with SIT complicated by middle and lower esophageal cancer who underwent laparoscopic and thoracoscopic esophagectomy with intrathoracic anastomosis, and provide useful information with regards to treatment of this rare condition.

Estrogen promotes the metastasis of non­small cell lung cancer via estrogen receptor ß by upregulation of Toll­like receptor 4 and activation of the myd88/NF­κB/MMP2 pathway.

Estrogen promotes non­small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) metastasis via estrogen receptor ß (ERß)­mediated invasiveness­associated matrix metalloprotease 2 (MMP2) upregulation. However, how ERß increases the aggressiveness of NSCLC cells remains unclear. Recently, MMP2 was found to be upregulated by Toll­like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling activation and to promote NSCLC metastasis. Our present study aimed to examine the role of ERß in the activation of TLR4 signaling and in tumor progression and metastasis, and to explore the synergistic metastatic effect of a combination of ERß and TLR4 activation on human NSCLC cells in vitro and in vivo. Here, we found that ERß is associated with TLR4 in metastatic lymph nodes. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence revealed that ERß overexpression upregulated TLR4 protein expression and activated downstream targets, myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (myd88)/nuclear factor (NF)­κB/MMP2, enhancing NSCLC cell migration and invasion in vitro. A novel ERß­TLR4 interaction in cell plasma was identified by co­immunoprecipitation and confocal immunofluorescence. The combination of estradiol and specific TLR4 agonist lipopolysaccharide (LPS) synergistically promoted metastatic behaviors in NSCLC cells. In cell culture and murine lung metastasis models, exposure to estradiol and LPS induced increased matrix degradation and accelerated invadopodia and metastasis formation in NSCLC cells compared with that in cells treated with estradiol or LPS alone. Together, we showed that estrogen promoted NSCLC metastasis via ERß by upregulating TLR4 and activating its downstream signaling axis myd88/NF­κB/MMP2. The combined targeting of ERß and TLR4 may be a novel therapeutic strategy against advanced metastatic lung cancer.