Comparison of the effect of levonorgestrel-intrauterine system with or without oral megestrol acetate on fertility-preserving treatment in patients with atypical endometrial hyperplasia: A prospective, open-label, randomized controlled phase II study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of levonorgestrel-intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) with or without oral megestrol acetate (MA) versus MA alone on fertility-preserving treatment in patients with atypical endometrial hyperplasia (AEH). METHODS: This was a single-center phase II study with an open-label, randomized, controlled trial conducted between July 2017 and June 2020 at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China. A total of 180 patients (18-45 years) with primary AEH were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to the MA (N = 60), LNG-IUS (N = 60), or MA + LNG-IUS (N = 60) groups, in which the patients received MA (160 mg orally daily), LNG-IUS, or MA + LNG-IUS (MA 160 mg orally daily plus LNG-IUS), respectively. The primary endpoint was complete response (CR) rate at 16 weeks of treatment. The secondary endpoints were CR rate at 32 weeks of treatment, adverse events, and recurrence and pregnancy rates. All analyses were conducted in a modified intention to treat (ITT) population who underwent randomization and in whom treatment was initiated. RESULTS: The Kaplan-Meier estimate of 16-week CR rates (with 95% confidence interval) were 19.2% (9.0-29.4%) in the MA group, 35.0% (22.8-47.2%) in the LNG-IUS group, and 29.4% (17.2-41.6%) in the MA + LNG-IUS groups. Side effects such as weight gain, increased nocturnal urine, night sweat, insomnia and edema face seemed to occur less frequently in LNG-IUS group compared with MA group. No difference was found among groups regarding second endpoints. CONCLUSIONS: LNG-IUS or LNG-IUS plus MA did not show significant therapeutic benefit compared with MA alone. Further studies including sufficient sample-size are needed to validate these findings due to the underpowered design of this trial. FUNDING: This study was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No 2019YFC1005200 and 2019YFC1005204), Shanghai Medical Centre of Key Programs for Female Reproductive Diseases (Grant No. 2017ZZ010616), Shanghai sailing program (Grant No. 19YF1404200), and Shen Kang clinical project (SHDC22021219). Trial registrationClinicalTrials.govNCT03241888. https://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov/ct2/show/NCT03241888?term=NCT03241888&draw=2&rank=1.

Modulation of TSC-mTOR signaling on immune cells in immunity and autoimmunity.

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is an evolutionarily conserved serine/threonine kinase which has a central role in the regulation of cell growth and metabolism. In the study of the mTOR signaling pathway, tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) 1/2 complex is identified as a critical regulator of mTOR activity. TSC1/2 plays important roles for immune cell homeostasis and differentiation by negative control of mTOR signaling pathway. TSC1/2-mTOR pathway is proving to be a central point in regulating immune function of diverse immune cells. In this review, we discuss the function of TSC1/2-mTOR to direct the innate and adaptive immune cell development and function. Furthermore, we focus on the role of TSC1/2-mTOR signaling pathway in immune cell mediated diseases, especially autoimmunity.

Comparison of the effect of oral megestrol acetate with or without levonorgestrel-intrauterine system on fertility-preserving treatment in patients with early-stage endometrial cancer: a prospective, open-label, randomized controlled phase II trial (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03241914).

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) plus oral megestrol acetate (MA) as fertility-preserving treatment in patients with early-stage endometrial cancer (EEC). METHODS: In this single-center, phase II study with open-label, randomized and controlled design, young patients (18-45 years) diagnosed with primary EEC were screened, who strongly required fertility-preserving treatment. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) into MA group (160 mg oral daily) or MA (160 mg oral daily) plus LNG-IUS group. Pathologic evaluation on endometrium retrieved by hysteroscopy was performed every 3 months. The primary endpoint was complete response (CR) rate within 16 weeks of treatment. The secondary endpoints were CR rate within 32 weeks of treatment, adverse events, recurrent and pregnancy rate. RESULTS: Between July 2017 and June 2020, 63 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned. Totally 56 patients (26 in MA group; 28 in MA + LNG-IUS group) were included into primary-endpoint analyses. The median follow-up was 31.6 months (range, 3.1-94.0). No significant difference in 16-week CR rate were found between MA and MA + LNG-IUS groups (19.2% vs. 25.0%, p=0.610; odds ratio=1.40; 95% confidence interval=0.38-5.12), while the 32-week CR rates were also similar (57.1% and 61.5%, p=0.743), accordingly. More women in MA + LNG-IUS group experienced vaginal hemorrhage (46.4% vs. 16.1%; p=0.012) compared with MA group. No intergroup difference was found regarding recurrence or pregnancy rate. CONCLUSION: Compared with MA alone, the addition of LNG-IUS may not improve the early CR rate for EEC, and may produce more adverse events instead. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03241914.

Menopausal Status Combined with Serum CA125 Level Significantly Predicted Concurrent Endometrial Cancer in Women Diagnosed with Atypical Endometrial Hyperplasia before Surgery †.

About 10-66% of patients with atypical endometrial hyperplasia diagnosed before surgery (preoperative-AEH) are found to have concurrent endometrial cancer (EC) at definitive hysterectomy, leading to incomplete primary surgery and delayed adjuvant treatment. This study aims to investigate the potential risk factors of concurrent EC in preoperative-AEH patients in a clinical setting with a gynecological pathology review. All patients diagnosed with AEH by endometrial biopsy or curettage that then underwent definitive hysterectomy from January 2016 to December 2019 in a tertiary hospital were retrospectively analyzed. All diagnoses were reviewed by gynecological pathologists. A total of 624 preoperative-AEH patients were included, 30.4% of whom had concurrent EC. In multivariate analysis, postmenopausal status and CA125 ≥ 35 U/mL significantly correlated with concurrent EC (OR = 3.57; 95% CI = 1.80-7.06; OR = 2.15; 95% CI = 1.15-4.03). This risk was remarkably increased in patients with both postmenopausal status and CA125 ≥ 35 U/mL (OR = 16.20; 95% CI = 1.73-151.44). Notably, concurrent EC seemed to occur more frequently in women with postmenopausal time ≥ 5 years (OR = 4.04, 95% CI = 1.80-5.85). In addition, CA125 ≥ 35 U/mL seemed to be an independent risk factor (OR = 5.74; 95% CI = 1.80-18.27) for concurrent intermediate-high-risk EC. Intermediate-high-risk EC was also more commonly seen in preoperative-AEH women with postmenopausal time ≥ 5 years (OR = 5.52, 95% CI = 1.21-25.19, p = 0.027). In conclusion, preoperative-AEH patients with postmenopausal status or elevated level of CA125 might have a high risk of concurrent EC. Adequate pre-surgical evaluation might be suggested for such patients.

Clinical features related to lymphatic metastasis in grade 3 endometroid endometrial cancer: a retrospective cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Endometrial cancer (EC) has been one of the most general cancers with respect to gynecological malignancies; however, there are debates on clinical strategies concerning treatments especially for patients with grade 3 (G3) endometroid endometrial cancer (EEC). Present study aimed to evaluate the lymphatic metastasis (LM) related factors and figure out the necessity of lymphadenectomy for G3 EEC patients. METHODS: From January 2009 to April 2019, 3751 EC patients were admitted to Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University. Clinical characteristics include age, grade, stage, and clinical pathological features. A total of 1235 EEC patients were involved in the multivariable analysis. Three hundred and eighty-one patients were involved in the survival analysis and the data attributed to sufficient follow-up information. Kaplan-Meier curve and log-rank test were utilized to analyze the survival rate. RESULTS: Among the 1235 EEC patients, 181 (14.7%) were categorized as G3 and 1054 (85.3%) were grade 1 to grade 2 (G1-2). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that lymphovascular space invasion, adnexal involvement, and cervical stroma involvement were independent risk factors of LM in G3 cohort with odds ratio 3.4, 5.8, and 8.9; 95% confidence interval 1.1-10.6, 1.5-22.4, and 2.8-28.0, respectively. LM rates increased from 3.3% (3/92) to 75% (9/12) for G3 EEC cohort as related factor numbers increased from one to three. There were no differences between G3 and G1-2 EEC in overall survival and progression free survival. Additionally, no survival advantage was observed for G3 EEC patients at early stage with different plans of adjuvant treatment. CONCLUSIONS: For G3 EEC patients without other pathological positive factor, the LM rate is lower than those with other pathological positive factor. Survival analysis showed no difference between G3 cohort and G1-2 cohort. Also, different adjuvant treatments had no impact on the overall survival for G3 EEC patients.

Verteporfin induced SUMOylation of YAP1 in endometrial cancer.

Yes-associated protein (YAP or YAP1) has been proposed to function as an oncogene in most cancers, with nuclear localization of YAP1 correlating with poor prognosis. Photosensitizer Verteporfin has been proven as an inhibitor of YAP1 through preventing the combination of YAP1 with TEA domain transcription factor (TEAD). We showed previously that the total and phospho-levels of YAP1 were related to the clinical characteristics and outcomes in endometrial cancer (EC) patients, and that YAP1 promoted the proliferation and metastasis of EC cells in vitro cell line studies and in animal models. We also reported that Verteporfin inhibited cell growth and induced cell death through inhibiting YAP1 in EC in our previous study. However, the mechanism of how Verteporfin inhibits the function of YAP1 remains unclear. In this study, we analyzed the global effects of Verteporfin on cell function by using Reverse Phase Protein Arrays (RPPA) and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA). Furthermore, we demonstrated that Verteporfin induced the SUMOylation of YAP1 for the first time. Interestingly, we found that the SUMOylation of YAP1 was regulated by YAP1 phosphorylation. Together, our study revealed a novel mechanism by which Verteporfin inhibits the function of YAP1 through regulating YAP1 SUMOylation. Our study may provide a rationale for the clinical use of Verteporfin in endometrial cancer by targeting YAP1.

The calcineurin-NFAT axis controls allograft immunity in myeloid-derived suppressor cells through reprogramming T cell differentiation.

While cyclosporine (CsA) inhibits calcineurin and is highly effective in prolonging rejection for transplantation patients, the immunological mechanisms remain unknown. Herein, the role of calcineurin signaling was investigated in a mouse allogeneic skin transplantation model. The calcineurin inhibitor CsA significantly ameliorated allograft rejection. In CsA-treated allograft recipient mice, CD11b(+) Gr1(+) myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) were functional suppressive immune modulators that resulted in fewer gamma interferon (IFN-γ)-producing CD8(+) T cells and CD4(+) T cells (T(H)1 T helper cells) and more interleukin 4 (IL-4)-producing CD4(+) T cells (T(H2)) and prolonged allogeneic skin graft survival. Importantly, the expression of NFATc1 is significantly diminished in the CsA-induced MDSCs. Blocking NFAT (nuclear factor of activated T cells) with VIVIT phenocopied the CsA effects in MDSCs and increased the suppressive activities and recruitment of CD11b(+) Gr1(+) MDSCs in allograft recipient mice. Mechanistically, CsA treatment enhanced the expression of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) and the suppressive activities of MDSCs in allograft recipients. Inhibition of IDO nearly completely recovered the increased MDSC suppressive activities and the effects on T cell differentiation. The results of this study indicate that MDSCs are an essential component in controlling allograft survival following CsA or VIVIT treatment, validating the calcineurin-NFAT-IDO signaling axis as a potential therapeutic target in transplantation.

SIRT1 limits the function and fate of myeloid-derived suppressor cells in tumors by orchestrating HIF-1α-dependent glycolysis.

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) display an immature phenotype that may assume a classically activated (M1) or alternatively activated phenotype (M2) in tumors. In this study, we investigated metabolic mechanisms underlying the differentiation of MDSCs into M1 or M2 myeloid lineage and their effect on cancer pathophysiology. We found that SIRT1 deficiency in MDSCs directs a specific switch to M1 lineage when cells enter the periphery from bone marrow, decreasing the suppressive function in favor of a proinflammatory M1 phenotype associated with tumor cell attack. Glycolytic activation through the mTOR-hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) pathway was required for differentiation to the M1 phenotype, which conferred protection against tumors. Our results define the essential nature of a SIRT1-mTOR/HIF-1α glycolytic pathway in determining MDSC differentiation, with implications for metabolic reprogramming as a cancer therapeutic approach.

mTOR limits the recruitment of CD11b+Gr1+Ly6Chigh myeloid-derived suppressor cells in protecting against murine immunological hepatic injury.

The mTOR pathway integrates diverse environmental inputs, including immune signals and metabolic cues, to direct the innate and adaptive immune responses. MDSCs are a heterogeneous cell population that plays a crucial regulatory effect in immune-related diseases. However, whether mTOR signaling affects the functions of MDSCs remains largely unknown. Here, we show that mTOR signaling is a pivotal negative determinant of MDSC recruitment in IMH disease. In the context of IMH, inhibition of mTOR with rapamycin in CD11b⁺Gr1⁺ MDSCs mediates protection against IMH and serves as a functional, suppressive immune modulator that results in increased CD11b⁺Gr1⁺Ly6C(high) MDSC recruitment to inflammatory sites. In agreement with this, mTOR down-regulation promotes CD11b⁺Gr1⁺Ly6C(high) MDSC migration in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, mTOR activity down-regulation in MDSCs induced iNOS expression and NO production. Pharmacologic inhibition of iNOS completely eliminated MDSC recruitment. This study identifies MDSCs as an essential component for protection against IMH following rapamycin treatment. Rapamycin treatment or mTOR inhibition promotes CD11b⁺Gr1⁺Ly6C(high) MDSC recruitment and is critically required for protection against hepatic injury. This study further validates the targeting of mTOR signaling as a potential therapeutic approach to IMH-related diseases.

Dexamethasone potentiates myeloid-derived suppressor cell function in prolonging allograft survival through nitric oxide.

Whereas GCs have been demonstrated to be beneficial for transplantation patients, the pharmacological mechanisms remain unknown. Herein, the role of GR signaling was investigated via a pharmacological approach in a murine allogeneic skin transplantation model. The GC Dex, a representative GC, significantly relieved allograft rejection. In Dex-treated allograft recipient mice, CD11b(+)Gr1(+) MDSCs prolonged graft survival and acted as functional suppressive immune modulators that resulted in fewer IFN-γ-producing Th1 cells and a greater number of IL-4-producing Th2 cells. In agreement, Dex-treated MDSCs promoted reciprocal differentiation between Th1 and Th2 in vivo. Importantly, the GR is required in the Dex-induced MDSC effects. The blocking of GR with RU486 significantly diminished the expression of CXCR2 and the recruitment of CD11b(+)Gr1(+) MDSCs, thereby recovering the increased MDSC-suppressive activity induced by Dex. Mechanistically, Dex treatment induced MDSC iNOS expression and NO production. Pharmacologic inhibition of iNOS completely eliminated the MDSC-suppressive function and the effects on T cell differentiation. This study shows MDSCs to be an essential component in the prolongation of allograft survival following Dex or RU486 treatment, validating the GC-GR-NO signaling axis as a potential therapeutic target in transplantation.