Improving the diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ with microinvasion without immunohistochemistry: An innovative method with H&E-stained and multiphoton microscopy images.

Ductal carcinoma in situ with microinvasion (DCISM) is a challenging subtype of breast cancer with controversial invasiveness and prognosis. Accurate diagnosis of DCISM from ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is crucial for optimal treatment and improved clinical outcomes. However, there are often some suspicious small cancer nests in DCIS, and it is difficult to diagnose the presence of intact myoepithelium by conventional hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained images. Although a variety of biomarkers are available for immunohistochemical (IHC) staining of myoepithelial cells, no single biomarker is consistently sensitive to all tumor lesions. Here, we introduced a new diagnostic method that provides rapid and accurate diagnosis of DCISM using multiphoton microscopy (MPM). Suspicious foci in H&E-stained images were labeled as regions of interest (ROIs), and the nuclei within these ROIs were segmented using a deep learning model. MPM was used to capture images of the ROIs in H&E-stained sections. The intensity of two-photon excitation fluorescence (TPEF) in the myoepithelium was significantly different from that in tumor parenchyma and tumor stroma. Through the use of MPM, the myoepithelium and basement membrane can be easily observed via TPEF and second-harmonic generation (SHG), respectively. By fusing the nuclei in H&E-stained images with MPM images, DCISM can be differentiated from suspicious small cancer clusters in DCIS. The proposed method demonstrated good consistency with the cytokeratin 5/6 (CK5/6) myoepithelial staining method (kappa coefficient = 0.818).

CyTOF analysis revealed platelet heterogeneity in breast cancer patients received T-DM1 treatment.

T-DM1 (Trastuzumab Emtansine) belongs to class of Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADC), where cytotoxic drugs are conjugated with the antibody Trastuzumab to specifically target HER2-positive cancer cells. Platelets, as vital components of the blood system, intricately influence the immune response to tumors through complex mechanisms. In our study, we examined platelet surface proteins in the plasma of patients before and after T-DM1 treatment, categorizing them based on treatment response. We identified a subgroup of platelets with elevated expression of CD63 and CD9 exclusively in patients with favorable treatment responses, while this subgroup was absent in patients with poor responses. Another noteworthy discovery was the elevated expression of CD36 in the platelet subgroups of patients exhibiting inadequate responses to treatment. These findings suggest that the expression of these platelet surface proteins may be correlated with the prognosis of T-DM1 treatment. These indicators offer valuable insights for predicting the therapeutic response to T-DM1 and may become important references in future clinical practice, contributing to a better understanding of the impact of ADC therapies and optimizing personalized cancer treatment strategies.

Ginsenoside Rg3 overcomes tamoxifen resistance through inhibiting glycolysis in breast cancer cells.

Tamoxifen (TAM) resistance poses a significant clinical challenge in human breast cancer and exhibits high heterogeneity among different patients. Rg3, an original ginsenoside known to inhibit tumor growth, has shown potential for enhancing TAM sensitivity in breast cancer cells. However, the specific role and underlying mechanisms of Rg3 in this context remain unclear. Aerobic glycolysis, a metabolic process, has been implicated in chemotherapeutic resistance. In this study, we demonstrate that elevated glycolysis plays a central role in TAM resistance and can be effectively targeted and overcome by Rg3. Mechanistically, we observed upregulation of 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3), a key mediator of glycolysis, in TAM-resistant MCF-7/TamR and T-47D/TamR cells. Crucially, PFKFB3 is indispensable for the synergistic effect of TAM and Rg3 combination therapy, which suppresses cell proliferation and glycolysis in MCF-7/TamR and T-47D/TamR cells, both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, overexpression of PFKFB3 in MCF-7 cells mimicked the TAM resistance phenotype. Importantly, combination treatment significantly reduced TAM-resistant MCF-7 cell proliferation in an in vivo model. In conclusion, this study highlights the contribution of Rg3 in enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of TAM in breast cancer, and suggests that targeting TAM-resistant PFKFB3 overexpression may represent a promising strategy to improve the response to combination therapy in breast cancer.

Construction of a risk stratification model integrating ctDNA to predict response and survival in neoadjuvant-treated breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: The pathological complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) of breast cancer is closely related to a better prognosis. However, there are no reliable indicators to accurately identify which patients will achieve pCR before surgery, and a model for predicting pCR to NAC is required. METHODS: A total of 269 breast cancer patients in Shandong Cancer Hospital and Liaocheng People's Hospital receiving anthracycline and taxane-based NAC were prospectively enrolled. Expression profiling using a 457 cancer-related gene sequencing panel (DNA sequencing) covering genes recurrently mutated in breast cancer was carried out on 243 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor biopsies samples before NAC from 243 patients. The unique personalized panel of nine individual somatic mutation genes from the constructed model was used to detect and analyze ctDNA on 216 blood samples. Blood samples were collected at indicated time points including before chemotherapy initiation, after the 1st NAC and before the 2nd NAC cycle, during intermediate evaluation, and prior to surgery. In this study, we characterized the value of gene profile mutation and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in combination with clinical characteristics in the prediction of pCR before surgery and investigated the prognostic prediction. The median follow-up time for survival analysis was 898 days. RESULTS: Firstly, we constructed a predictive NAC response model including five single nucleotide variant (SNV) mutations (TP53, SETBP1, PIK3CA, NOTCH4 and MSH2) and four copy number variation (CNV) mutations (FOXP1-gain, EGFR-gain, IL7R-gain, and NFKB1A-gain) in the breast tumor, combined with three clinical factors (luminal A, Her2 and Ki67 status). The tumor prediction model showed good discrimination of chemotherapy sensitivity for pCR and non-pCR with an AUC of 0.871 (95% CI, 0.797-0.927) in the training set, 0.771 (95% CI, 0.649-0.883) in the test set, and 0.726 (95% CI, 0.556-0.865) in an extra test set. This tumor prediction model can also effectively predict the prognosis of disease-free survival (DFS) with an AUC of 0.749 at 1 year and 0.830 at 3 years. We further screened the genes from the tumor prediction model to establish a unique personalized panel consisting of 9 individual somatic mutation genes to detect and analyze ctDNA. It was found that ctDNA positivity decreased with the passage of time during NAC, and ctDNA status can predict NAC response and metastasis recurrence. Finally, we constructed the chemotherapy prediction model combined with the tumor prediction model and pretreatment ctDNA levels, which has a better prediction effect of pCR with the AUC value of 0.961. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we established a chemotherapy predictive model with a non-invasive tool that is built based on genomic features, ctDNA status, as well as clinical characteristics for predicting pCR to recognize the responders and non-responders to NAC, and also predicting prognosis for DFS in breast cancer. Adding pretreatment ctDNA levels to a model containing gene profile mutation and clinical characteristics significantly improves stratification over the clinical variables alone.

NIPSNAP1 directs dual mechanisms to restrain senescence in cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Although the executive pathways of senescence are known, the underlying control mechanisms are diverse and not fully understood, particularly how cancer cells avoid triggering senescence despite experiencing exacerbated stress conditions within the tumor microenvironment. METHODS: Mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomic screening was used to identify differentially regulated genes in serum-starved hepatocellular carcinoma cells and RNAi employed to determine knockdown phenotypes of prioritized genes. Thereafter, gene function was investigated using cell proliferation assays (colony-formation, CCK-8, Edu incorporation and cell cycle) together with cellular senescence assays (SA-ß-gal, SAHF and SASP). Gene overexpression and knockdown techniques were applied to examine mRNA and protein regulation in combination with luciferase reporter and proteasome degradation assays, respectively. Flow cytometry was applied to detect changes in cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and in vivo gene function examined using a xenograft model. RESULTS: Among the genes induced by serum deprivation, NIPSNAP1 was selected for investigation. Subsequent experiments revealed that NIPSNAP1 promotes cancer cell proliferation and inhibits P27-dependent induction of senescence via dual mechanisms. Firstly, NIPSNAP1 maintains the levels of c-Myc by sequestering the E3 ubiquitin ligase FBXL14 to prevent the proteasome-mediated turnover of c-Myc. Intriguingly, NIPSNAP1 levels are restrained by transcriptional repression mediated by c-Myc-Miz1, with repression lifted in response to serum withdrawal, thus identifying feedback regulation between NIPSNAP1 and c-Myc. Secondly, NIPSNAP1 was shown to modulate ROS levels by promoting interactions between the deacetylase SIRT3 and superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2). Consequent activation of SOD2 serves to maintain cellular ROS levels below the critical levels required to induce cell cycle arrest and senescence. Importantly, the actions of NIPSNAP1 in promoting cancer cell proliferation and preventing senescence were recapitulated in vivo using xenograft models. CONCLUSIONS: Together, these findings reveal NIPSNAP1 as an important mediator of c-Myc function and a negative regulator of cellular senescence. These findings also provide a theoretical basis for cancer therapy where targeting NIPSNAP1 invokes cellular senescence.

Prognostic value of tumor necrosis based on the evaluation of frequency in invasive breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Tumor necrosis (TN) was associated with poor prognosis. However, the traditional classification of TN ignored spatial intratumor heterogeneity, which may be associated with important prognosis. The purpose of this study was to propose a new method to reveal the hidden prognostic value of spatial heterogeneity of TN in invasive breast cancer (IBC). METHODS: Multiphoton microscopy (MPM) was used to obtain multiphoton images from 471 patients. According to the relative spatial positions of TN, tumor cells, collagen fibers and myoepithelium, four spatial heterogeneities of TN (TN1-4) were defined. Based on the frequency of individual TN, TN-score was obtained to investigate the prognostic value of TN. RESULTS: Patients with high-risk TN had worse 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) than patients with no necrosis (32.5% vs. 64.7%; P < 0.0001 in training set; 45.8% vs. 70.8%; P = 0.017 in validation set), while patients with low-risk TN had a 5-year DFS comparable to patients with no necrosis (60.0% vs. 64.7%; P = 0.497 in training set; 59.8% vs. 70.8%; P = 0.121 in validation set). Furthermore, high-risk TN "up-staged" the patients with IBC. Patients with high-risk TN and stage I tumors had a 5-year DFS comparable to patients with stage II tumors (55.6% vs. 62.0%; P = 0.565 in training set; 62.5% vs. 66.3%; P = 0.856 in validation set), as well as patients with high-risk TN and stage II tumors had a 5-year DFS comparable to patients with stage III tumors (33.3% vs. 24.6%; P = 0.271 in training set; 44.4% vs. 39.3%; P = 0.519 in validation set). CONCLUSIONS: TN-score was an independent prognostic factor for 5-year DFS. Only high-risk TN was associated with poor prognosis. High-risk TN "up-staged" the patients with IBC. Incorporating TN-score into staging category could improve its performance to stratify patients.

Spherical pneumonia caused by Ralstonia mannitolilytica: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Spherical pneumonia is an extremely rare condition that is difficult to diagnose. It is a specific type of lung infection that often manifests as a round or round-like mass on chest imaging. Spherical pneumonia is easily misdiagnosed as a pulmonary tumor; therefore, awareness of this disease must be strengthened. CASE PRESENTATION: The patient was a 29-year-old female who had persistent cough and sputum for approximately 1 month and fever for 5 days. Chest computed tomography (CT) at our hospital revealed a mass in the lower lobe of the right lung near the hilar region, with obstructive pulmonary atelectasis and obstructive pneumonia. Although lung cancer was suspected, Ralstonia mannitolilytica was detected by metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and no cancer cells or Mycobacterium tuberculosis were detected. Finally, the patient was diagnosed with spherical pneumonia caused by R. mannitolilytica. Anti-infective treatment, symptomatic treatment, and administration of a traditional Chinese medicine decoction were performed based on the syndrome differentiation. After 10 days of treatment, chest CT revealed few lesions in the lower lobe of the right lung, which were significantly reduced compared with those in the past. CONCLUSIONS: Spherical pneumonia caused by R. mannitolilytica has not yet been reported and differential diagnosis is key in clinical diagnosis. When spherical pneumonia is difficult to diagnose, mNGS may be a better alternative.

Identification of spliceosome components pivotal to breast cancer survival.

Cancer cells employ alternative splicing (AS) to acquire splicing isoforms favouring their survival. However, the causes of aberrant AS in breast cancer are poorly understood. In this study, the METABRIC (Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium) data were analysed with univariate feature selection. Of 122 analysed spliceosome components, U2SURP, PUF60, DDX41, HNRNPAB, EIF4A3, and PPIL3 were significantly associated with breast cancer survival. The top 4 four genes, U2SURP, PUF60, DDX41, and HNRNPAB, were chosen for further analyses. Their expression was significantly associated with cancer molecular subtype, tumour stage, tumour grade, overall survival (OS), and cancer-specific survival in the METABRIC data. These results were verifiable using other cohorts. The Cancer Genome Atlas data unveiled the elevated expression of PUF60, DDX41, and HNRNPAB in tumours compared with the normal tissue and confirmed the differential expression of the four genes among cancer molecular subtypes, as well as the associations of U2SURP, PUF60, and DDX41 expression with tumour stage. A meta-analysis data verified the associations of U2SURP, PUF60, and HNRNPAB expression with tumour grade, the associations of PUF60, DDX41, and HNRNPAB expression with OS and distant metastasis-free survival, and the associations of U2SURP and HNRNPAB expression with relapse-free survival. Experimentally, we demonstrated that inhibiting the expression of the four genes separately suppressed cell colony formation and slowed down cell growth considerably in breast cancer cells, but not in immortal breast epithelial cells. In conclusion, we have identified U2SURP, PUF60, DDX41, and HNRNPAB are spliceosome-related genes pivotal for breast cancer survival.

Establishment of an anti-inflammation-based bioassay for the quality control of the 13-component TCM formula (Lianhua Qingwen).

CONTEXT: Owing to the complexity of chemical ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), it is difficult to maintain quality and efficacy by relying only on chemical markers. OBJECTIVE: Lianhua Qingwen capsule (LHQW) was selected as an example to discuss the feasibility of a bioassay for quality control. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Network pharmacology was used to screen potential targets in LHQW with respect to its anti-inflammatory effects. An in vitro cell model was used to validate the prediction. An anti-inflammatory bioassay was established for the quality evaluation of LHQW in 40 batches of marketed products and three batches of destructed samples. RESULTS: The tumor necrosis factor/interleukin-6 (TNF/IL-6) pathway via macrophage was selected as the potential target of LHQW. The IC50 value of LHQW on RAW 264.7 was 799.8 µg/mL. LHQW had significant inhibitory effects on the expression of IL-6 in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.05). The anti-inflammatory biopotency of LHQW was calculated based on the inhibitory bioactivity on IL-6. The biopotency of 40 marketed samples ranged from 404 U/µg to 2171 U/µg, with a coefficient of variation (CV) of 37.91%. By contrast, the contents of forsythin indicated lower CV (28.05%) than the value of biopotency. Moreover, the biopotencies of destructed samples declined approximate 50%, while the contents of forsythin did not change. This newly established bioassay revealed a better ability to discriminate the quality variations of LHQW as compared to the routine chemical determination. CONCLUSIONS: A well-established bioassay may have promising ability to reveal the variance in quality of TCM.

Molecular Subtyping of Triple-Negative Breast Cancers by Immunohistochemistry: Molecular Basis and Clinical Relevance.

BACKGROUND: Molecular subtyping of triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) via gene expression profiling is essential for understanding the molecular essence of this heterogeneous disease and for guiding individualized treatment. We aim to devise a clinically practical method based on immunohistochemistry (IHC) for the molecular subtyping of TNBCs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: By analyzing the RNA sequencing data on TNBCs from Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center (FUSCC) (n = 360) and The Cancer Genome Atlas data set (n = 158), we determined markers that can identify specific molecular subtypes. We performed immunohistochemical staining on tumor sections of 210 TNBCs from FUSCC, established an IHC-based classifier, and applied it to another two cohorts (n = 183 and 214). RESULTS: We selected androgen receptor (AR), CD8, FOXC1, and DCLK1 as immunohistochemical markers and classified TNBCs into five subtypes based on the staining results: (a) IHC-based luminal androgen receptor (IHC-LAR; AR-positive [+]), (b) IHC-based immunomodulatory (IHC-IM; AR-negative [-], CD8+), (c) IHC-based basal-like immune-suppressed (IHC-BLIS; AR-, CD8-, FOXC1+), (d) IHC-based mesenchymal (IHC-MES; AR-, CD8-, FOXC1-, DCLK1+), and (e) IHC-based unclassifiable (AR-, CD8-, FOXC1-, DCLK1-). The κ statistic indicated substantial agreement between the IHC-based classification and mRNA-based classification. Multivariate survival analysis suggested that our IHC-based classification was an independent prognostic factor for relapse-free survival. Transcriptomic data and pathological observations implied potential treatment strategies for different subtypes. The IHC-LAR subtype showed relative activation of HER2 pathway. The IHC-IM subtype tended to exhibit an immune-inflamed phenotype characterized by the infiltration of CD8+ T cells into tumor parenchyma. The IHC-BLIS subtype showed high expression of a VEGF signature. The IHC-MES subtype displayed activation of JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: We developed an IHC-based approach to classify TNBCs into molecular subtypes. This IHC-based classification can provide additional information for prognostic evaluation. It allows for subgrouping of TNBC patients in clinical trials and evaluating the efficacy of targeted therapies within certain subtypes. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: An immunohistochemistry (IHC)-based classification approach was developed for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), which exhibited substantial agreement with the mRNA expression-based classification. This IHC-based classification (a) allows for subgrouping of TNBC patients in large clinical trials and evaluating the efficacy of targeted therapies within certain subtypes, (b) will contribute to the practical application of subtype-specific treatment for patients with TNBC, and (c) can provide additional information beyond traditional prognostic factors in relapse prediction.

CCL22 signaling contributes to sorafenib resistance in hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma.

The HBV-initiated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) frequently develops from or accompanies long-term chronic hepatitis, inflammation, and cirrhosis, and has a poor prognosis. Sorafenib, an orally active multi-kinase inhibitor, currently the most common approved drug for first-line systemic treatment of advanced HCC, only improves overall survival of three months, suggesting the need for new therapeutic strategies. In this study, we identified that sorafenib selectively resisted in immune competent C57BL/6 mice but not nude mice. The chemokines CCL22 and CCL17 were upregulated by sorafenib, which elevated dramatically higher in HBV-associated HCC. Mechanically, sorafenib accelerates CCL22 expression via TNF-α-RIP1-NF-κB signaling pathway. Blocking CCL22 signaling with antagonist C-021 and sorafenib treated in combination can inhibit tumor growth and enhance the antitumor response, whereas no significant differences in tumor burden were observed in nude mice upon addition of C-021. These findings strongly suggest that CCL22 signaling pathway strongly contributes to sorafenib resistance in HBV-associated HCC, indicating a potential therapeutic strategy for immunological chemotherapy complementing first-line agents against HBV-associated HCC.

Chemical speciation and distribution of potentially toxic elements in soilless cultivation of cucumber with sewage sludge biochar addition.

Potentially toxic elements in municipal sewage sludge can be effectively immobilized during biochar production via pyrolysis. However, the bioavailability of these elements when biochar is applied in soilless cultivation to improve substrate quality has yet to be sufficiently established. In this study, we investigated the chemical speciation and cucumber plant uptake of potentially toxic elements in soilless cultivation when the growth substrate was amended with sewage sludge biochar (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 wt%). It was found that the addition of 10 wt% biochar was optimal with respect to obtaining a high cucumber biomass and achieving low environmental risk considering the occurrence of hormesis. When the substrate was amended with 10 wt% biochar, cucumber fruit contained lower concentrations of As, Cr, and Zn and smaller bioavailable fractions of As, Cd, Cr, Ni, Cu, and Zn compared with the fruit of control plants, thereby meeting national safety requirements (standard GB 2762-2012, China). Most of the As and Cd taken up by cucumbers accumulated in the leaves and fruit, whereas Cr was found primarily in the roots, and most Ni, Cu, and Zn was detected in the fruit. Importantly, only small proportions of the potentially toxic elements in biochar were taken up by cucumber plants (As: 0.0075%; Cd: 0.038%; Ni: 0.0064%; Cu: 0.0016%; and Zn: 0.0015%). Given that the As, Cd, Ni, and Zn speciation in sewage sludge biochar was effectively immobilized after cultivation, the findings of this study indicate that sewage sludge biochar is a suitable substrate amendment in terms of the risk posed by potentially toxic elements.

A hesperetin derivative plays a role in immunoregulatory effect on human macrophages.

The immune system is an important physiological defense system. Its balance and stability are closely related to the body's health. Once the immune system loses its dynamic balance, the immune response will be blocked, which will lead to the occurrence of various diseases. Hesperetin is a kind of natural flavonoids extracted from citrus fruits of Rutaceae and it has many pharmacological activities. However, its water solubility and liposolubility are poor, and it is easy to be quickly metabolized in vivo, so it is difficult to maintain high blood drug concentration. Therefore, its derivative (HES) was found by structural modification. In this study, THP-1 cells were used as experimental model to investigate the immunomodulatory effect of HES in vitro. The results showed that HES participates in immune response by enhancing phagocytosis of macrophages to promote the release of NO, IL-6 and IL-1ß, and enhancing immunity by up-regulating the expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL proteins. This study provides a theoretical and practical basis for the development of HES as an immunomodulator in the future.

Expression of matrix Metalloproteinases-2 and aquaporin-1 in corneoscleral junction after angle-closure in rabbits.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the expression of Matrix Metalloproteinases 2 and aquaporin-1 in corneoscleral junction and explore the mechanism of trabecular damageafter angle-closure. METHODS: Thirty New Zealand white rabbits were randomly assigned into 2 groups, theexperimental group (Group 1) including twenty five rabbits and the control group (Group 2) including 5 rabbits. The rabbits in the experimental group were used to establish angle-closure models, and the rabbits in the control group were not subjected to any operation. All the rabbits were followed by slit lamp microscopy, Tonopen tonometer, and anterior segment optical coherent tomography (AS-OCT). The expressions of metalloproteinase MMP-2, aquaporin-1, and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-2 in corneoscleral junctionwere evaluatedin both groups byimmunofluorescence, quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Slit-lamp examination showed that angle-closure model was successfully established in twenty rabbits. The extent of angle-closure was about 2 to 4 clock hours in all the rabbit models, but the intraocular pressure (IOP) of the rabbits distributed from 8.57 to 15.25 mmHg and no significant high IOP was found in the follow-up period. The AQP-1-positive cells mainly located in Schlemm's canal, the inner surface of trabecular meshwork (TM), and the surface of iris, which began to decline on 1 month after angle-closure. MMP2 staining was diffuse in trabecular meshwork and iris. Immunofluorescence signal of MMP2 was strong within 1 month after angle-closure, and subsequently became weak. qRT-PCR and ELISA showed that the expression of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 increased within 1 month after angle-closure and then declined gradually. The AQP-1 levels showed slightly declined on 1 month after angle-closure. CONCLUSIONS: Altered levels of MMPs, TIMPs, and AQP-1 were found in the area of angle-closure, which may be involved in the damage of TM and Schlemm's canal after angle-closure.

LincRNA-RoR/miR-145 promote invasion and metastasis in triple-negative breast cancer via targeting MUC1.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) was associated with high rates of cancer recurrence and metastasis and currently no available molecularly target. Accumulating evidences have established the importance of lincRNA-ROR as a marker of cancers. In order to better understand the mechanism of lincRNA-ROR in TNBC, we provided a novel molecular target into the regulatory invasion and metastasis in present research. We found that lincRNA-ROR was upregulated in TNBC cell lines and tissue samples. The aberrant expression of lincRNA-ROR was shown to increase invasion and metastasis in MDA-MB-231 and loss of function by siRNA reverse these process. Furthermore, lincRNA-ROR functions as a competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNA) which sponges miR-145 and therefore upregulate the expression of Mucin1 (MUC1). The expression of MUC1 impacted E-cadherin membrane localization. Together, MUC1 was a potential molecular target may help explain the role of lincRNA-ROR/miR-145 for invasion and metastasis in TNBC cell lines.

The Cytochrome P450 Enzyme Responsible for the Production of (Z)-Norendoxifen in vitro.

Norendoxifen, an active metabolite of tamoxifen, is a potent aromatase inhibitor. Little information is available regarding production of norendoxifen in vitro. Here, we conducted a series of kinetic and inhibition studies in human liver microsomes (HLMs) and expressed P450s to study the metabolic disposition of norendoxifen. To validate that norendoxifen was the metabolite of endoxifen, metabolites in HLMs incubates of endoxifen were measured using a HPLC/MS/MS method. To further probe the specific isoforms involved in the metabolic route, endoxifen was incubated with recombinant P450s (CYP 1A2, 2A6, 2B6, 2C8, 2C9, 2C19, 2D6, 3A4, 3A5 and CYP4A11). Formation rates of norendoxifen were evaluated in the absence and presence of P450 isoform specific inhibitors using HLMs. The peak of norendoxifen was found in the incubations consisting of endoxifen, HLMs, and cofactors. The retention times of norendoxifen, endoxifen, and the internal standard (diphenhydramine) were 7.81, 7.97, and 5.86 min, respectively. The Km (app) and Vmax (app) values of norendoxifen formation from endoxifen in HLM was 47.8 µm and 35.39 pmol min-1 mg-1 . The apparent hepatic intrinsic clearances of norendoxifen formation were 0.74 µl mg-1 min. CYP3A5 and CYP2D6 were the major enzymes capable of norendoxifen formation from endoxifen with the rates of 0.26 and 0.86 pmol pmol-1 P450 × min. CYP1A2, 3A2, 2C9, and 2C19 also contributed to norendoxifen formation, but the contributions were at least 6-fold lower. One micromolar ketoconazole (CYP3A inhibitor) showed an inhibitory effect on the rates of norendoxifen formation by 45%, but 1 µm quinidine (CYP2D6 inhibitor) does not show any inhibitory effect. Norendoxifen, metabolism from endoxifen by multiple P450s that including CYP3A5.

Study of ciprofloxacin removal by biochar obtained from used tea leaves.

In this study, used tea leaves (UTLs) were pyrolyzed to obtain used tea-leaf biochar (UTC), and then the UTC was used as an adsorbent to remove ciprofloxacin (CIP) from aqueous solutions. Batch experiments were conducted to investigate the CIP adsorption performance and mechanism. The results showed that the CIP-adsorbing ability first increased and then declined as the UTC pyrolysis temperature increased. The UTC obtained at 450°C presented excellent CIP-absorbing ability at pH6 and 40°C. The maximum monolayer adsorption capacity was 238.10mg/g based on the Langmuir isotherm model. The pseudo-second-order kinetic equation agreed well with the CIP adsorption process, which was controlled by both external boundary layer diffusion and intra-particle diffusion. The characterization analysis revealed that the OH groups, CC bonds of aromatic rings, CH groups in aromatic rings and phenolic CO bonds play vital roles in the CIP adsorption process, and that the NC, NO, OCO and COH groups of UTC were consumed in large quantities. π-π interactions, hydrogen bonding and electrostatic attraction are inferred as the main adsorption mechanisms. The present work provides not only a feasible and promising approach for UTLs utilization but also a potential adsorbent material for removing high concentrations of CIP from aqueous solutions.

Systemic immune-inflammatory biomarkers (SII, NLR, PLR and LMR) linked to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease risk.

Background: Systemic immune-inflammatory biomarkers including systemic immune inflammation index (SII), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) have been demonstrated to be associated with the risk and severity of various liver diseases. However, studies on their role and clinical significance in metabolic diseases, especially in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), are limited and results are inconsistent. Methods: 10821 adults aged 20 years or older were enrolled in this cross-sectional study, sourced from six cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Survey-weighted logistic regression was employed to investigate the correlation between systemic immune-inflammatory biomarkers (SII, NLR, PLR, and LMR) and NAFLD risk. Restricted cubic spline regression models and segmented regression models were used to describe nonlinear relationships and threshold effects. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were also conducted. Results: After adjusting for all confounding variables, there was a significant positive association observed between ln-transformed SII (OR= 1.46, 95% CI: 1.27-1.69, P <0.001), NLR (OR= 1.25, 95% CI: 1.05-1.49, P =0.015), LMR (OR= 1.39, 95% CI: 1.14-1.69, P = 0.002) with NAFLD. A nonlinear dose-response relationship with an inverted "U"-shaped threshold of 4.64 was observed between ln(PLR) and NAFLD risk. When ln(PLR) was below 4.64, each unit increase in ln(PLR) was associated with a 0.55-fold increase in the risk of NAFLD (OR= 1.55, 95% CI: 1.05-2.31, P <0.05). Conversely, when ln(PLR) exceeded 4.64, each unit increase in ln(PLR) was associated with a 0.40-fold decrease in the risk of NAFLD (OR= 0.60, 95% CI. 0.44-0.81, P <0.05). Conclusion: ln-transformed SII, NLR, and LMR were linearly associated with NAFLD risk. ln(PLR) showed an inverted "U"-shaped nonlinear dose-response relationship with the risk of NAFLD.

Auricular Acupressure as an Adjuvant Treatment for Wheezing in Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major public health problem. Due to the restriction of expiratory airflow, it is characterized by emphysematous destruction of the lungs. Shortness of breath is one of the main clinical symptoms. Auricular acupressure is a clinical therapy characteristic of Chinese medicine that treats the disease by compressing ear points. Usually, the seeds of Vaccaria segetalis are used to stimulate ear points, which has the effect of regulating qi and alleviating wheezing. In this paper, we propose this characteristic therapy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the clinical symptoms of wheezing of lung and kidney qi deficiency type in stable COPD patients. Ear points are selected as the treatment protocol for Lung (CO14), Spleen (CO13), Kidney (CO10), Shen Men (TF4), and Ping Chuan (AT1.2.4i) points. The protocol describes a case study using auricular acupressure for a patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to relieve wheezing symptoms.

Prognostic significance of collagen signatures at breast tumor boundary obtained by combining multiphoton imaging and imaging analysis.

PURPOSE: Collagen features in breast tumor microenvironment is closely associated with the prognosis of patients. We aim to explore the prognostic significance of collagen features at breast tumor border by combining multiphoton imaging and imaging analysis. METHODS: We used multiphoton microscopy (MPM) to label-freely image human breast tumor samples and then constructed an automatic classification model based on deep learning to identify collagen signatures from multiphoton images. We recognized three kinds of collagen signatures at tumor boundary (CSTB I-III) in a small-scale, and furthermore obtained a CSTB score for each patient based on the combined CSTB I-III by using the ridge regression analysis. The prognostic performance of CSTB score is assessed by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), Cox proportional hazard regression analysis, as well as Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. RESULTS: As an independent prognostic factor, statistical results reveal that the prognostic performance of CSTB score is better than that of the clinical model combining three independent prognostic indicators, molecular subtype, tumor size, and lymph nodal metastasis (AUC, Training dataset: 0.773 vs. 0.749; External validation: 0.753 vs. 0.724; HR, Training dataset: 4.18 vs. 3.92; External validation: 4.98 vs. 4.16), and as an auxiliary indicator, it can greatly improve the accuracy of prognostic prediction. And furthermore, a nomogram combining the CSTB score with the clinical model is established for prognosis prediction and clinical decision making. CONCLUSION: This standardized and automated imaging prognosticator may convince pathologists to adopt it as a prognostic factor, thereby customizing more effective treatment plans for patients.