Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Neonatal Hepatoblastoma: A Single Center Study.

OBJECTIVE: Hepatoblastoma (HB) diagnosed within one month following birth qualifies for a diagnosis of neonatal HB, whose prognosis is reportedly controversial, and its treatment is challenging. This study discussed the diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of neonatal HB at a single center so as to enhance its overall management in the future. METHODS: The clinical information of babies diagnosed with neonatal HB at our center from August 2009 to September 2023 were retrospectively analyzed for demographics, clinical features, therapy, and outcomes. The outcomes were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier analysis method. RESULTS: The study comprised 79 patients aged less than one year old, among which 14 had neonatal HB whereas 65 were non-neonatal HB patients. No differences were found between groups regarding gender, birth weight, delivery details, parental age, clinical signs, or treatment strategies. Neonatal HB patients were more likely to have PRETEXT I-II, smaller tumor size, congenital diseases, and lower risk tumor grade (p < 0.05). Additionally, the AFP levels of all neonatal HB patients were greater than 10,000 ng/ml (p = 0.009) and they had higher levels of ferritin (p = 0.003) and hemoglobin (p = 0.021), but lower levels of serum total proteins (p = 0.001). The three-year survival rate (100% vs 90.8%) and three-year event-free survival rate (100% vs 86.2%) in the neonatal HB group were higher than the non-neonatal HB group. CONCLUSION: Neonatal HB patients have unique clinical features and can achieve an excellent prognosis following combined treatment with surgery and chemotherapy. Tumor resection, when carefully performed, was safe even in babies younger than one months old. Further and long-term studies are needed from a larger neonatal HB population. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

A Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Unveils the Mechanisms of Response in Feather Degradation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa Gxun-7.

Microbial degradation of feathers offers potential for bioremediation, yet the microbial response mechanisms warrant additional investigation. In prior work, Pseudomonas aeruginosa Gxun-7, which demonstrated robust degradation of feathers at elevated concentrations, was isolated. However, the molecular mechanism of this degradation remains only partially understood. To investigate this, we used RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to examine the genes that were expressed differentially in P. aeruginosa Gxun-7 when exposed to 25 g/L of feather substrate. The RNA-seq analysis identified 5571 differentially expressed genes; of these, 795 were upregulated and 603 were downregulated. Upregulated genes primarily participated in proteolysis, amino acid, and pyruvate metabolism. Genes encoding proteases, as well as those involved in sulfur metabolism, phenazine synthesis, and type VI secretion systems, were notably elevated, highlighting their crucial function in feather decomposition. Integration of Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) taxonomies, combined with a review of the literature, led us to propose that metabolic feather degradation involves environmental activation, reducing agent secretion, protease release, peptide/amino acid uptake, and metabolic processes. Sulfite has emerged as a critical activator of keratinase catalysis, while cysteine serves as a regulatory mediator. qRT-PCR assay results for 11 selected gene subset corroborated the RNA-seq findings. This study enhances our understanding of the transcriptomic responses of P. aeruginosa Gxun-7 to feather degradation and offers insights into potential degradation mechanisms, thereby aiding in the formulation of effective feather waste management strategies in poultry farming.

PIVKA-II combined with alpha-fetoprotein for the diagnostic value of hepatic tumors in children: a multicenter, prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: To investigate whether protein induced by vitamin K antagonist-II (PIVKA-II) combined with alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) can improve the diagnostic and differential diagnostic accuracy of childhood hepatic tumors. METHODS: A multi-center prospective observational study was performed at nine regional institutions around China. Children with hepatic mass (Group T) were divided into hepatoblastoma group (Group THB) and hemangioendothelioma group (Group THE), children with extrahepatic abdominal mass (Group C). Peripheral blood was collected from each patient prior to surgery or chemotherapy. The area under the curve (AUROC) was used to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of PIVKA-II and the combined tumor markers with AFP. RESULTS: The mean levels of PIVKA-II and AFP were both significantly higher in Group T than Group C (p = 0.001, p < 0.001), in Group THB than Group THE (p = 0.018, p = 0.013) and in advanced HB than non-advanced HB (p = 0.001, p = 0.021). For the diagnosis of childhood hepatic tumors, AUROC of PIVKA-II (cut-off value 32.6 mAU/mL) and AFP (cut-off value 120 ng/mL) was 0.867 and 0.857. The differential diagnostic value of PIVKA-II and AFP in hepatoblastoma from hemangioendothelioma was further assessed, AUROC of PIVKA-II (cut-off value 47.1mAU/mL) and AFP (cut-off value 560 ng/mL) was 0.876 and 0.743. The combined markers showed higher AUROC (0.891, 0.895 respectively) than PIVKA-II or AFP alone. CONCLUSIONS: The serum level of PIVKA-II was significantly higher in children with hepatic tumors, especially those with malignant tumors. The combination of PIVKA-II with AFP further increased the diagnostic performance. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trials, NCT03645655. Registered 20 August 2018, https://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov/ct2/show/NCT03645655 .

Effects of Pulse Transit Time and Pulse Arrival Time on Cuff-less Blood Pressure Estimation: A Comparison Study with Multiple Experimental Interventions.

Pulse transit time (PTT) has shown a correlation with blood pressure (BP), and it is considered as a potential marker for cuff-less BP estimation. However, pulse arrival time (PAT) including pre-ejection period (PEP) has been utilized more widely because of its convenience to acquisition and calculation. In spite of this, whether PAT can surrogate PTT has been a controversial topic for many years. In this study, we designed an experiment on 55 subjects with multiple interventions, those may cause the changes in BP and PEP. We analyzed the linear and nonlinear correlations between BP and PTT/PAT, and also assessed the performances of PTT-based and PAT-based models on tracking the BP variation. Five typical BP estimation models were used for comparison. We found that PEP could change rapidly in response to the interventions related with physical stress. Although PTT had a better linear correlation with BP, most of the PAT-based models showed more accuracy than PTT-based models in all of the interventions, especially for the calibrated models. It is suggested that PAT has the potential to predict BP, and the inclusion of PEP in the measurement of PAT is necessary.

Isolation and identification of a feather degrading Bacillus tropicus strain Gxun-17 from marine environment and its enzyme characteristics.

BACKGROUND: Feathers are the most abundant agricultural waste produced by poultry farms. The accumulation of a large number of feathers not only seriously pollutes the environment but also causes the waste of protein resources. The degradation of feather waste by keratinase-producing strains is currently a promising method. Therefore, screening high-producing keratinase strains from marine environment and studying the fermentation conditions, enzymatic properties and feather degradation mechanism are crucial for efficient degradation of feathers. RESULTS: A novel efficient feather-degrading bacteria, Gxun-17, isolated from the soil sample of a marine duck farm of Beibu Gulf in Guangxi, China, was identified as Bacillus tropicus. The optimum fermentation conditions were obtained by single factor and orthogonal tests as follows: feather concentration of 15 g/L, maltose concentration of 10.0 g/L, MgSO4 concentration of 0.1 g/L, initial pH of 7.0 and temperature of 32.5 °C. The strain completely degraded the feathers within 48 h, and the highest keratinase activity was 112.57 U/mL, which was 3.18-fold that obtained with the basic medium (35.37 U/mL). Detecting the keratinase activity and the content of sulphur-containing compounds in the fermentation products showed that the degradation of feathers by the strain might be a synergistic effect of the enzyme and sulphite. The keratinase showed optimal enzyme activity at pH 7.0 and temperature of 60 °C. The keratinase had the best performance on the casein substrate. When casein was used as the substrate, the Km and Vmax values were 15.24 mg/mL and 0.01 mg/(mL·min), respectively. Mg2+, Ca2+, K+, Co2+, Al3+, phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride and isopropanol inhibited keratinase activity, which indicated that it was a serine keratinase. Conversely, the keratinase activity strongly increased with the addition of Mn2+ and ß-mercaptoethanol. CONCLUSIONS: A novel feather-degrading B. tropicus Gxun-17 was obtained from marine environment. The strain adapted the extreme conditions such as low temperature, high salt and high pressure. Thus, the keratinase had high activity, wide range of temperature and pH, salt tolerance and other characteristics, which had potential application value.

An analysis of the diagnosis, clinical characteristics, treatment, and survival outcomes of 36 extracranial malignant rhabdoid tumor patients.

BACKGROUND: Extracranial malignant Rhabdoid tumors (eMRTs) are rare but aggressive lesions in young children. This work aimed to review and analyze the diagnosis, clinical characteristics, treatment, and survival of eMRTs so as to summarize experience for future therapy. METHODS: A total of 36 eMRT cases were treated between January 2008 and August 2019 according to Shanghai Children's Medical Center (SCMC) multimodal protocol of mixed surgery, radiation and chemotherapy involving vincristine, carboplatin, doxorubicin, etoposide, cyclophosphamide and ifosfamide. We collected information including: age at diagnosis, tumor location, disease stage, therapy, outcomes, etc. Overall survival (OS) and event free survival (EFS) were calculated and risk factors for survival were analyzed. RESULTS: The patients had a median age of 1.80 years at diagnosis (range, 1.4 m-13.42 years), and were followed up for 9.17 months in median (range, 4 d-11.14 y). A total of 16 patients achieved complete remission (CR), and 7 survived without reoccurrence till December 2019. The 3-year EFS was 17.4% (95% CI: 11.0-23.8%) with a 3-year OS of 23.4% (95% CI: 15.8-31.0%). Recurrence was found only in children younger than the median age (1.80 y). Localized staging (Log Rank P=0.039 for OS and P=0.021) and older age (Log Rank P=0.016 for OS and P=0.002 for EFS) were associated with improved outcome. Younger age (Cox regression, OS, OR =2.610, 95% CI: 1.147-5.937, P=0.022; EFS, OR =3.401, 95% CI: 1.495-7.752, P=0.004) were independent risk factors for death and recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Those eMRTs treated according to SCMC protocol turned out to have poor outcomes. Higher staging at diagnosis and reoccurrence in younger patients remain major threats to the prognosis.

Sirolimus for the treatment of kaposiform hemangioendothelioma: In a trough level-dependent way.

With the accumulation of clinical practice, sirolimus is now widely viewed as an effective agent in kaposiform hemangioendothelioma (KHE) treatment using a dose based on experience. Therefore, this retrospective research aimed to provide evidence-based suggestions on the most appropriate dose and trough level of sirolimus. All unresectable KHE cases diagnosed at our center from January 2016 to December 2019 were included. Sirolimus monotherapy was initiated when there was no sign of Kasabach-Merritt phenomenon (KMP) at a dose of 0.8 mg/m2 twice a day in order to keep the trough level at 5-20 ng/mL. Patients' clinical information, tumor volume change, trough level fluctuation, and complication occurrence were all recorded. Efficacy represented by tumor shrinkage speed and safety manifested by complication grades were compared between different trough level groups (5-10 vs. 10-15 vs. >15 ng/mL). Twenty-one patients (10 girls and 11 boys) were enrolled. There were eight patients in the 5-10 ng/mL group, seven in the 10-15 ng/mL group, and six in the more than 15 ng/mL group. Trough level over 10 ng/mL manifested better efficacy in tumor shrinkage (t-test, p = 0.011) while a level over 15 ng/mL had no further benefit in efficacy (t-test, p = 0.65). In addition, tumors at a central location reacted better to sirolimus (t-test, p = 0.022). No significant differences were observed in complication occurrence among different concentrations, although boys seemed to be at higher risk of more severe complications (>grade II, χ2 -test, p = 0.009, odds ratio = 4.52, range = 1.20-17.24). It proved to be most efficacious in the management of KHE at a trough level between 10 and 15 ng/mL. Such concentration was safe and well tolerated.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor successfully treated with metformin: A case report and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a distinct tumor with a low incidence rate, which can be diagnosed at any age with a predilection for children and adolescents. Although IMT is visible in any tissues and organs, it is more commonly found in the lungs. The clinical and radiological manifestations of IMT lack specificity, hence resulting in frequent misdiagnosis. Surgical resection is currently the main therapeutic approach for IMT. Only scarce cases of IMT treated with metformin have been reported. Here we report the case of an IMT patient with partial penile resection treated with metformin. CASE SUMMARY: A 1-year-old boy was born with a shorter penis, and his foreskin could not be completely turned over. When he was 6 month old, a well-circumscribed mass on the glans was found, while it did not attract the attention of his parents. The mass gradually increased in size over time before he was admitted to the hospital, where physical examination was performed. It was revealed that the glans hidden behind the foreskin had a mass with a diameter of about 4 cm surrounding the penis. The mass appeared to be hard with a smooth surface and poor mobility. The two testicles examined at the bottom of the scrotum were revealed to have a normal size. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a tumor with rich blood supply encircling the cavernosum with a size of 3.5 cm × 2.1 cm × 2.0 cm. A thick urinary line was found without urine dripping, urgency, and urodynia. Surgical treatment was performed. During the operation, it was observed that the mass had surrounded and invaded the cavernosum without obvious boundaries, and that the tumor occupied about one-half of the penis cross-section as well as infiltrated more than one-half of the glans. In addition, the tumor had caused urethral invasion and anterior urethrostenosis. With the intention of keeping the glans and cavernosum, the tumor at the anterior urethra was partially removed, leaving about 30% of the tumor mass. Pathology analysis demonstrated that the tumor was rich in spindle cells with infiltration of inflammatory cells. Immuno-histochemistry analysis indicated that the cells were positive for CD4, CD99, Ki67, BCL2, and CD68, and negative for ALK, MyoG, S100, SOX10, PR, and EMA. Hence, the tumor was diagnosed as IMT. Metformin was prescribed for the patient after the operation, following which an oral dose of 7 mg/kg was given three times a day after meals. Three months later, it was observed that the remaining tumor had completely disappeared and that the urination process from the urethra opening had resumed normal. In addition, there were no side effects observed. There was also no tumor recurrence. The growth and development of the boy were unaffected as a result of the treatment. CONCLUSION: The tumor was observed to have completely disappeared after treatment with metformin. Our finding is of great significance to facilitate future clinical treatment with IMT.

Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy successfully treated with metformin: A case report.

RATIONALE: Melanotic neuroectodermal tumor of infancy (MNTI) is a rare tumor originated from neural crest cells with the potential for recurrence and metastasis. The peak age for the disease is during the first year after birth. The current therapy is primarily surgery. The patient reported here is the first case of MNTI treated with metformin. PATIENT CONCERNS: A case of a 4-month-old infant with a history of swelling in the mouth for 1 month. DIAGNOSIS: The tumor was diagnosed using radiology, pathology, and immunohistochemistry, and it was performed with complete surgical resection. Unfortunately, the tumor recurred 3 months after surgery. INTERVENTIONS: We prescribed metformin for the infant. OUTCOMES: Currently, after 9 months of treatment, the tumor is well controlled without apparent side effects. LESSONS: The case presented suggested that metformin may be an underlying therapy for MNTI.

Gorham-Stout disease successfully treated with sirolimus (rapamycin): a case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Gorham-Stout disease (GSD) is a rare disease characterized by bone lesions and osteolysis. Therapy usually involves surgical resection. Sirolimus (Rapamycin) is used in some patients with GSD but the efficacy and safety of Sirolimus remains unclear. We propose that Sirolimus may be a novel therapeutic for GSD and present a case and review of literature that supports this. CASE PRESENTATION: We presented a 1-year-old boy with GSD involving osteolysis of the right humerus with fracture of the left femur complicated by an effusion in the right pleural cavity. X-rays showed osteolysis in the right clavicle. A large pleural effusion was observed on the right-side, and the left lung was significantly compressed. X-rays also showed a fracture of the left femur. A femoral biopsy was performed that showed necrotic tissue in the cortical bone and a large number of irregularly shaped capillaries that proliferated within the necrotic tissue. Dilated lymphatic vessels were seen adjacent to the cortex, with fibrous tissue hyperplasia. We prescribed sirolimus, which is an oral mTOR inhibitor, for two consecutive years. The boy recovered well without other progressive bone lesions and participates in normal daily activities. His growth and development are the same as that of his peers. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Gorham-Stout disease is a rare and enigmatic disease characterized by the presentation of an intraosseous lymphatic anomaly (LM), which results in progressive bone resorption. Based on this case report and a literature review, we conclude that sirolimus may be an effective alternative medication for GSD.

Propranolol for infantile hepatic hemangioendothelioma: Clinical evaluation of drug efficacy and safety using a single-center patient cohort.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Infantile hepatic hemangioendothelioma (IHHE) is a benign liver tumor, associated with hypothyroidism and vascular malformations along the skin, brain, digestive tract and other organs. Here, we determined a single-center patient cohort by evaluating the effectiveness and safety of propranolol and sirolimus for the treatment of IHHE. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed a monocentric and observational study, based on clinical data obtained from 20 cases of IHHE treated with oral propranolol and sirolimus at the Shanghai Children's Medical Center (SCMC), between December 2017 and April 2019. All cases were confirmed by abdominal enhanced CT examination (18/20, 90%) and sustained decrease of alpha fetoprotein (AFP) (2/20, 10%). Propranolol treatment was standardized as once a day at 1.0mg/kg for patients younger than 2 months, and twice a day at 1.0mg/kg (per dose) for patients older than 2 months. Sirolimus was used to treat refractory IHHE patients after 6 months of propranolol treatment, and initial dosing was at 0.8mg/m2 body surface per dose, administered every 12h. Upon treatment, abdominal ultrasound scanning was regularly performed to evaluate any therapeutic effects. All children were followed up for 6-22 months (mean value of 12.75 months). The clinical manifestations and therapeutic effects, including complications during drug management, were reviewed after periodic follow-up. RESULTS: The effective rate of propranolol for the treatment of children with IHHE was 85% (17/20). In most cases, the AFP levels gradually decreased into the normal range. A complete response (CR) was achieved in 3 cases, partial response (PR) for 14 cases, progressive disease (PD) for 2 cases and stable disease (SD) was only detected once. Lesions decreased in two PD patients after administration of oral sirolimus. No serious adverse reactions were observed. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that both propranolol and sirolimus were effective drugs for the treatment of children with IHHE at SCMC.

Metabolomics study of the metabolic changes in hepatoblastoma cells in response to NTCP/SLC10A1 overexpression.

NTCP (SLC10A1) has been well recognized as a basolateral (sinusoidal) Na+-bile acid co-transporter that mediates the hepatic uptake of bile acids. However, little is known about the effects of NTCP (SLC10A1) on hepatoblastoma (HB) and its underlying metabolic mechanisms. In this study, we found that NTCP (SLC10A1) expression was downregulated in HB cells and tissues, and it was demonstrated that NTCP (SLC10A1) reduced cell viability, promoted cell cycle arrest and induced apoptosis of HB cells. The metabolic profiles of HB cells with NTCP (SLC10A1) overexpression were further examined to determine their biochemical alterations and deepen our understanding on the metabolic regulation of NTCP (SLC10A1) overexpression. The metabolomics study based on ultra performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed alterations in the metabolites of HB cells following NTCP (SLC10A1) overexpression. Next, we stably overexpressed NTCP (SLC10A1) in HepG2 cells, and found that NTCP (SLC10A1)-overexpressing cells could inhibit the production of adenosine and decreased both mRNA and protein levels of HIF1α. Further overexpression of HIF1α in the NTCP (SLC10A1)-overexpression group restored the production of adenosine. Collectively, these findings provide strong evidence that NTCP (SLC10A1) overexpression significantly disrupts the metabolism of adenosine in HB cells and highlight that NTCP (SLC10A1) mediates adenosine production mainly through HIF1α.

Effectiveness of sirolimus in the treatment of complex lymphatic malformations: Single center report of 56 cases.

BACKGROUND: Lymphatic malformations are common congenital vascular lesions. Neither surgical resection nor other surgical treatments have been found to be effective for invasive cases. Recent research has suggested that sirolimus is effective in treating complex lymphatic malformations (LMs). We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of oral sirolimus for children living with LMs in our hospital. METHODS: Fifty-six cases of complex LMs treated with sirolimus were collected from Shanghai Children's Medical Centre between June 2016 and March 2019. All cases were confirmed either by pathology (44) or enhanced MRI (12). Following informed consent, sirolimus 0.8 mg/m2 bid was administered orally to participants and maintained at a trough concentration of 10-15 ng/ml. Children's ages at diagnosis were neonate to 16 years (mean 44.3 months). All children were followed up for 5 to 30 months, with a mean of 16.8 months. RESULTS: During the follow-up period, blood, liver and kidney function as well as disseminated intravascular coagulation was regularly reviewed in all 56 children. Enhanced MRI was regularly performed to evaluate therapeutic effects. Total effective rate (complete response or partial response) of LMs was 89.3% (50/56). No serious adverse reactions were found. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that sirolimus is effective and tolerable for decreasing lesions in children with complex LMs, leading to fewer and more tolerable side effects. There is no need to pursue an excision rate to reduce unnecessary operative complications since adjuvant sirolimus therapy modifies the complex LMs clinical appearance and alleviates their symptoms. TYPE OF STUDY: Clinical research. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Exosomal hsa-miR199a-3p Promotes Proliferation and Migration in Neuroblastoma.

Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common pediatric extra-cranial solid tumor with heterogeneous characteristics, and the prognosis of patients with high-risk NB is usually poor. Discovery of novel biomarkers for early detection and investigation of the underlying mechanisms governing invasion and metastasis of NB are urgently needed. Recently, exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to play vital regulatory or communication roles in the process of various types of cancers. However, the roles and mechanisms of exosomal miRNAs in NB remain unknown. Thus, the present study aims to investigate the detailed functions of tumor-derived exosomal miRNAs in progression and migration of NB in vivo and in vitro. By examining different exosomal miRNA expression profiles in the plasma of NB patients, we identified that the expression of hsa-miR199a-3p from exosomes was significantly upregulated, which was correlated with the severity of NB patients. Furthermore, we confirmed that exosomal hsa-miR199a-3p could facilitate proliferation and migration of NB via regulating NEDD4 expression. In summary, our data, for the first time, revealed that exosomal hsa-miR199a-3p could promote tumor proliferation and migration via decreasing NEDD4 expression in NB, suggesting that exosomal hsa-miR199a-3p may be applicated as a fast, easy, and non-invasive detection biomarker and contribute to the development of novel therapeutic strategies for NB in the future.

The protective autophagy activated by GANT-61 in MYCN amplified neuroblastoma cells is mediated by PERK.

The proto-oncogene MYC can trigger the unfolded protein response (UPR). The double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK), one of three primary branches of the UPR, is a key regulator of autophagy, promoting tumorigenesis. Upon activation of PERK, there is an increase in phosphorylation of the eukaryotic initiation factor-2 alpha (eIF2α), which in turn, activates the transcription factor-4 (ATF4), responsible for an increased expression of LC3, a common autophagy marker. PERK is repressed upon GLI1 and GLI2 induction. GANT-61 is an inhibitor of GLI1 and GLI2, known to reduce autophagy in MYCN non-amplified, but not in MYCN amplified neuroblastoma (NB) cells. In our study, we tested the effect of the joint administration of a PERK inhibitor (GSK2606414) and the GLI inhibitor GANT-61 to MYCN amplified and MYCN non-amplified NB cells. Our results suggest that inhibition of PERK impairs GANT-61 induced autophagy in NB cells with MYCN amplification, but had no effect on the MYCN non-amplified NB cells. In summary, PERK seems to be a good therapeutic target for NB. Inhibition of PERK reduces autophagy in MYCN amplified NB cells, thus amplifying the efficacy of the GLI inhibitor GANT-61 in reducing proliferation of this type of cancer cells.

Down-regulation of dishevelled-2 inhibits cell proliferation and invasion in hepatoblastoma.

BACKGROUND: Hepatoblastoma (HB) is the most common liver cancer found in early childhood. These patients suffer poor outcomes and need novel therapies. An abnormal activation of Wnt signaling is the hallmark of HB tumorigenesis, and its pathway is a potential candidate for a pharmacological intervention. PROCEDURE: Tissue samples of patients with HB were collected for RNA-seq, quantitative real-time PCR, and immunohistochemistry to identify if disheveled-2 (Dvl-2) was a target gene. The correlation between Dvl-2 expression and different clinicopathological features was analyzed using statistical methods. Proliferation and invasion assays were applied after knocking down Dvl-2 by shRNA in HepG2 and Huh6 HB cell lines. The antitumor effect of niclosamide on HB was ascertained in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: Dvl-2 was overexpressed in 90% of patients with HB, and Dvl-2 expression was positively correlated with the age of patients with HB. Knockdown of Dvl-2 could inhibit proliferation and invasion of HB cell lines. Also, niclosamide, a Food and Drug Administration approved antihelminth compound, could effectively inhibit HB cell growth in vitro and in vivo via downregulation of Dvl-2 and ß-catenin expression. CONCLUSIONS: Our results implicate that Dvl-2 is a potential therapeutic target in HB, and niclosamide could have clinical potential to treat patients with HB.

Analysis of infantile fibrosarcoma reveals extensive T-cell responses within tumors: Implications for immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Infantile fibrosarcoma (IFS) is a rare pediatric malignancy with relatively good prognosis, but the risk of progression or recurrence after therapy exists. To understand the immune microenvironment of IFS and determine if immunotherapy is a potential treatment, we analyzed T-cell responses in IFS tumors. PROCEDURE: IFS tumors were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and multicolor flow cytometry to characterize immune cell infiltration and function. Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) were expanded in vitro and evaluated for recognition of autologous tumor cells. Real-time PCR was applied to evaluate tumor expression of chemokines/cytokines and tumor antigens. RESULTS: Significant infiltration of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells was found in seven of 10 IFS but rarely found in age- and sex-matched rhabdomyosarcoma tumors. The TILs from recurrent IFS tumors expressed high levels of costimulatory molecules such as CD28, 4-1BB, and OX40, but little or no coinhibitory molecules such as PD-1 and CTLA4, Tim3, Lag3, and CD39. Upon activation, large portions of TILs produced IFN-γ and TNF-α. Eighteen out of 40 T cell lines generated from surgically removed tumors could recognize autologous tumor cells. Moreover, we found that IFS tumors expressed high levels of T-cell chemokines such as CXCL10 and CXCL16, and also classic tumor antigens such as CTAG2, GAGE, and NY-ESO-1, whose expression could be further enhanced by treatment with epigenetic modulator decitabine. CONCLUSIONS: IFS tumors are highly immunogenic and expansion of TILs followed by adoptive cell transfer could be a potential immunotherapy for IFS patients undergoing tumor recurrence.