Antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 in healthy individuals returning to Shenzhen.

To verify reliability of antibody detection and investigate population immunity to severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the local Chinese population. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Shenzhen to detect anti-coronavirus antibodies including, immunoglobulin G (IgG), immunoglobulin M (IgM), and immunoglobulin A (IgA). In the COVID-19 group, nine patients were enrolled after diagnosis. In the control group, 1589 individuals without clinical symptoms (cough, fever, and fatigue) and returning from outside Shenzhen were enrolled. The first study enrollment occurred at the end of February 2020; the final study visit was 18 March 2020. In the COVID-19 group, the seven of nine patients were positive for IgM, IgG, and IgA. Meanwhile, six of the 1589 healthy individuals were found to be weakly positive for IgG. According to SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid tests, the six individuals were all negative. Strong supplemental support for clinical information can be provided by antibody detection, especially for IgA. According to comparison with overseas reports, the infection rate of the Chinese population outside Shenzhen, China, is significantly low, so most of the population in China is still susceptible. Hence, social distancing measures are still inevitable until a vaccine is developed successfully.

Multiplexed analysis of circulating IgA antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 and common respiratory pathogens in COVID-19 patients.

Previous studies have revealed a diagnostic role of pathogen-specific IgA in respiratory infections. However, co-detection of serum specific IgA for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and common respiratory pathogens remains largely unexplored. This study utilizes a protein microarray technology for simultaneous and quantitative measurements of specific IgAs for eight different respiratory pathogens including adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, influenza virus type A, influenza virus type B, parainfluenza virus, mycoplasma pneumoniae, chlamydia pneumoniae, and SARS-CoV-2 in serum sample of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A total of 42 patients with COVID-19 were included and categorized into severe cases (20 cases) and nonsevere cases (22 cases). The results showed that co-detection rate of specific-IgA for SARS-CoV-2 with at least one pathogen were significantly higher in severe cases than that of nonsevere cases (72.2% vs. 46.2%, p = .014). Our study indicates that co-detection of IgA antibodies for respiratory pathogens might provide diagnostic value for the clinics and also be informative for risk stratification and disease management in patients with COVID-19.

Long noncoding RNA MCF2L-AS1 promotes the cancer stem cell-like traits in non-small cell lung cancer cells through regulating miR-873-5p level.

The roles of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) MCF2L-AS1 have been identified in colorectal cancer, however, its roles in lung cancer progression have never been revealed. Here, we found that lncRNA MCF2L-AS1 was highly expressed in lung cancer tissues and cells, especially in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Functional experiments showed that MCF2L-AS1 knockdown suppressed the cancer stem cell (CSC)-like traits of NSCLC cells through qRT-PCR, western blot, tumor-sphere formation, and ALDH activity detection. Additionally, bioinformatic assay combined with RNA pull down and luciferase reporter analysis confirmed that MCF2L-AS1 downregulated miR-873-5p level. Furthermore, miR-873-5p expression exhibited a lower level in lung cancer tissues and cells, and a negative correlation with MCF2L-AS1 expression in lung cancer tissues. Moreover, miR-873-5p inhibition partially reversed the suppression of MCF2L-AS1 on the CSC-like traits on NSCLC cells. Thus, this work identifies a novel MCF2L-AS1/miR-873-5p regulatory axis responsible for the CSC-like traits of NSCLC cells.

Prediction of Potential Biomarkers in Early-Stage Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Based on Platelet RNA Sequencing.

Early diagnosis is essential for the treatment and prevention of nasopharyngeal cancer. However, there is a lack of effective biological indicators for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Therefore, we explored the potential biomarkers in tumour-educated blood platelet (TEP) RNA in early NPC. Platelets were isolated from blood plasma and their RNA was extracted. High-throughput sequenced data from a total of 33 plasma samples were analysed using DESeq2 to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Subsequently, the DEGs were subjected to principal component analysis (PCA), gene ontology (GO) analysis, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis; and Cytoscape, TargetScan, and miRanda software were used for inferring the competing endogenous RNA network. We identified 19 long non-coding (lnc) RNAs (DElncRNAs) and 248 mRNAs (DEmRNAs) that were differentially expressed in the TEP RNA. In addition, SELP gene mRNA and lncRNAs AC092135.3, AC012358.2, AL021807.1, AP001972.5, and GPX1 were found to be down-regulated DEmRNA and DElncRNAs in the early stage of NPC. Bioinformatic analysis showed that these DEmRNAs and DElncRNAs may be involved in regulating the pathogenesis of NPC. Our research may provide new insights for exploring the biological mechanisms of NPC and early diagnosis using potential biomarkers.

Value of needle confocal laser microendoscopy combined with endobronchial ultrasound bronchoscopy in the diagnosis of hilar and mediastinal lymph node lesions.

Endobronchial ultrasound bronchoscopy (EBUS) and needle confocal laser endomicroscopy (nCLE) are techniques for screening benign and malignant lesions of the hilar and mediastinal lymph node (HMLN). This study investigated the diagnostic potential of EBUS, nCLE, and combined EBUS and nCLE in HMLN lesions. We recruited 107 patients with HMLN lesions who were examined by EBUS and nCLE. A pathological examination was performed, and the diagnostic potential of EBUS, nCLE, and combined EBUS-nCLE approach was analyzed according to the results. Among the 107 cases of HMLN lesions, 43 cases were benign and 64 cases were malignant on pathological examination, 41 cases were benign and 66 cases were malignant on EBUS examination; 42 cases were benign and 65 cases were malignant on nCLE examination; 43 cases were benign and 64 cases were malignant on combined EBUS-nCLE examination. The combination approach had 93.8% sensitivity, 90.7% specificity, and 0.922 area under the curve, which was higher than those of EBUS (84.4%, 72.1%, and 0.782, respectively) and nCLE diagnosis (90.6%, 83.7%, and 0.872, respectively). The combination approach had a higher positive predictive value (0.908), negative predictive value (0.881), and positive likelihood ratio (10.09) than that of EBUS (0.813, 0.721, and 3.03, respectively) and nCLE (0.892, 0.857, and 5.56, respectively), whereas, the negative likelihood ratio was lower than that for EBUS (0.22) and nCLE (0.11). No serious complications occurred in patients with HMLN lesions. To summarize, the diagnostic efficacy of nCLE was better than EBUS. The EBUS-nCLE combination is a suitable approach for diagnosing HMLN lesions.

Modified silicone stent for difficult-to-treat massive hemoptysis: a pilot study of 14 cases.

BACKGROUND: Massive hemoptysis is a life-threatening event with limited therapeutic options. Bronchoscopic placement of stents may offer an alternative option for massive hemoptysis. However, traditional silicone stents have not been customized, making it difficult to tailor to individual patient's needs for achieving optimal hemostasis. To investigate the efficacy and safety of the modified silicone stent in patients with difficult-to-treat massive hemoptysis. METHOD: Between May 2016 and November 2018, we enrolled 14 patients who underwent bronchoscopic placement of the modified silicone stent, which was fabricated manually based on the Y-shaped silicone stent by tailoring and suturing on site. We recorded the technical success, clinical success, and complications. Patients were followed up for recording the recurrence of massive hemoptysis and complications. RESULTS: Placement of the modified silicone stent was successful in all 14 patients with a mean duration of 69.6 minutes (technical success rate: 100%). After stenting, no further massive hemorrhage episodes recurred in 12 patients (clinical success rate: 85.7%). Two cases suffered from recurrent hemoptysis in 4 and 6 days after stenting, respectively. The main complications were sputum plugging, granuloma proliferation and pulmonary infection such as pneumonia. There were no adverse events of stent migration and suture dehiscence. After a median follow-up of 5.8 (range, 0.3-21.3) months, three patients withdrew and seven patients succumbed. Only one patient died of uncontrolled pneumonia which was possibly related to stent placement. CONCLUSIONS: The modified silicone stent is an effective and safe gate-keeping therapeutic option for difficult-to-treat massive hemoptysis.