PPP1r18 promotes tumor progression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by regulating the calcineurin-mediated ERK pathway.

Esophageal cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors, and the 5-year overall survival rate is only 20%. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the primary histological type of esophageal carcinoma in China. Protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 18 (PPP1r18) is one of the actin-regulatory proteins and is able to bind to protein phosphatase 1 catalytic subunit alpha (PPP1CA). Yet, little is known about the role of PPP1r18 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). This study aimed to elucidate the biological functions of PPP1r18 in the ESCC progression. Clinical samples first confirmed that PPP1r18 expression was upregulated in ESCC, and PPP1r18 was correlated with tumor invasion depth, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, and reduced overall survival. We then observed that PPP1r18 overexpression enhanced cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, PPP1r18 regulated tumor progression of ESCC through activating the calcineurin-mediated ERK pathway, rather than binding to PPP1CA. Collectively, our results suggest that PPP1r18 promotes ESCC progression by regulating the calcineurin-mediated ERK pathway. PPP1r18 might be a potential target for the diagnosis and treatment of ESCC.

Fibroblast growth factor 10 attenuates chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by protecting against glycocalyx impairment and endothelial apoptosis.

BACKGROUND: The defects and imbalance in lung repair and structural maintenance contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), yet the molecular mechanisms that regulate lung repair process are so far incompletely understood. We hypothesized that cigarette smoking causes glycocalyx impairment and endothelial apoptosis in COPD, which could be repaired by the stimulation of fibroblast growth factor 10 (FGF10)/FGF receptor 1 (FGFR1) signaling. METHODS: We used immunostaining (immunohistochemical [IHC] and immunofluorescence [IF]) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect the levels of glycocalyx components and endothelial apoptosis in animal models and in patients with COPD. We used the murine emphysema model and in vitro studies to determine the protective and reparative role of FGF10/FGFR1. RESULTS: Exposure to cigarette smoke caused endothelial glycocalyx impairment and emphysematous changes in murine models and human specimens. Pretreatment of FGF10 attenuated the development of emphysema and the shedding of glycocalyx components induced by CSE in vivo. However, FGF10 did not attenuate the emphysema induced by endothelial-specific killing peptide CGSPGWVRC-GG-D(KLAKLAK)2. Mechanistically, FGF10 alleviated smoke-induced endothelial apoptosis and glycocalyx repair through FGFR1/ERK/SOX9/HS6ST1 signaling in vitro. FGF10 was shown to repair pulmonary glycocalyx injury and endothelial apoptosis, and attenuate smoke-induced COPD through FGFR1 signaling. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that FGF10 may serve as a potential therapeutic strategy against COPD via endothelial repair and glycocalyx reconstitution.

Robot-assisted partial nephrectomy: Can retroperitoneal approach suit for renal tumors of all locations?-A large retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to explore the appropriate location of renal tumors for retroperitoneal approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 1040 patients with renal tumor who were treated at our institution from Janurary 2015 to June 2020 and had underwent retroperitoneal robotic assisted-laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (rRAPN). Clinical features and postoperative outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS: Patients with incomplete data were excluded, and we included 896 patients in total. The median tumor size was 3.0 (range: 0.8-10.0) cm. The median RENAL Nephrometry Score was 7 (range: 4-11), and the median PADUA Nephrometry Score was 8 (range: 6-14). The median surgical time was 120 min, and the median warm ischemia time was 18 min. The median estimated blood loss was 50 ml. The follow-up time was 20.2 (range: 12-69) months. The mean change of eGFR 1 year after operation was 14.6% ± 19.0% compared with preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). When compared the tumor at different locations, as superior or inferior pole, anterior of posterior face of kidney, there were no significant differences of intra- and post-operative outcomes such as surgical time, warm ischemia time, estimated blood loss, removal time of drainage tube and catheter, postoperative feeding time and hospital stay, and changes of eGFR one year after surgery. We also compared tumors at special locations as endophytic or exophytic, anterior of posterior hilus of kidney, there were no significant differences in surgical time, warm ischemia time, estimated blood loss and changes of eGFR. There was no significant difference in intraoperative features and postoperative outcomes when tumor larger than 4 cm was located at different positions of kidney. Though the surgical time was longer when BMI ≥ 28 (132.6 min vs. 122.5 min, p = 0.004), no significant differences were observed in warm ischemia time, estimated blood loss, changes in eGFR. Twenty-seven patients (3.0%) had tumor progression, including 8 (0.9%) recurrence, 19 (2.1%) metastasis, and 9 (1.0%) death. CONCLUSION: Retroperitoneal approach for RAPN has confirmed acceptable intra- and postoperative outcomes and suits for renal tumors of all different locations. Large tumor size and obesity are not contraindications for rRAPN.

A Special Network Comprised of Macrophages, Epithelial Cells, and Gut Microbiota for Gut Homeostasis.

A number of gut epithelial cells derived immunological factors such as cytokines and chemokines, which are stimulated by the gut microbiota, can regulate host immune responses to maintain a well-balance between gut microbes and host immune system. Multiple specialized immune cell populations, such as macrophages, dendritic cells (DCs), innate lymphoid cells, and T regulatory (Treg) cells, can communicate with intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) and/or the gut microbiota bi-directionally. The gut microbiota contributes to the differentiation and function of resident macrophages. Situated at the interface between the gut commensals and macrophages, the gut epithelium is crucial for gut homeostasis in microbial recognition, signaling transformation, and immune interactions, apart from being a physical barrier. Thus, three distinct but interactive components-macrophages, microbiota, and IEC-can form a network for the delicate and dynamic regulation of intestinal homeostasis. In this review, we will discuss the crucial features of gut microbiota, macrophages, and IEC. We will also summarize recent advances in understanding the cooperative and dynamic interactions among the gut microbiota, gut macrophages, and IEC, which constitute a special network for gut homeostasis.

Shell Theory: A Statistical Model of Reality.

The foundational assumption of machine learning is that the data under consideration is separable into classes; while intuitively reasonable, separability constraints have proven remarkably difficult to formulate mathematically. We believe this problem is rooted in the mismatch between existing statistical techniques and commonly encountered data; object representations are typically high dimensional but statistical techniques tend to treat high dimensions a degenerate case. To address this problem, we develop a dedicated statistical framework for machine learning in high dimensions. The framework derives from the observation that object relations form a natural hierarchy; this leads us to model objects as instances of a high dimensional, hierarchal generative processes. Using a distance based statistical technique, also developed in this paper, we show that in such generative processes, instances of each process in the hierarchy, are almost-always encapsulated by a distinctive-shell that excludes almost-all other instances. The result is shell theory, a statistical machine learning framework in which separability constraints (distinctive-shells) are formally derived from the assumed generative process.

The Indicative Value of Serum Tumor Markers for Metastasis and Stage of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the roles of serum tumor markers for metastasis and stage of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: This study recruited 3272 NSCLC patients admitted to the Tianjin Union Medical Center and the Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital. The predictive abilities of some serum tumor markers (carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag), cytokeratin-19 fragment (CYFRA 21-1), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), pro-gastrin-releasing peptide (ProGRP), total prostate-specific antigen (TPSA) and carbohydrate antigen 199 (CA199)) for NSCLC metastasis (intrapulmonary, lymphatic and distant metastasis) and clinical stage were analyzed. Results: Tumor markers exhibited different numerical and proportional distributions in NSCLC patients. Elevated CEA, CYFRA 21-1 and CA199 levels were indicative of tumor metastasis and stage. Increased CEA and CA199 provided an accurate prediction of intrapulmonary and distant metastasis with the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.69 both (p < 0.001); Increased CEA, CYFRA 21-1 and CA199 provided an accurate prediction of lymphatic metastasis with the AUC of 0.62 (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Combined detection of serum tumor markers can indicate tumor metastasis and stage in NSCLC patients.

Dynamic analysis of N-glycomic and transcriptomic changes in the development of ovarian cancer cell line A2780 to its three cisplatin-resistant variants.

BACKGROUND: Platinum resistance development is a dynamic process that occurs during continuous chemotherapy and contributes to high mortality in ovarian cancer. Abnormal glycosylation has been reported in platinum resistance. Many studies on platinum resistance have been performed, but few of them have investigated platinum resistance-associated glycans based on N-glycomics. Moreover, glycomic alterations during platinum resistance development in ovarian cancer are rarely reported. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine platinum resistance-related N-glycans in ovarian cancer cells during continuous exposure to cisplatin. These glycans might be involved in the mechanism of platinum resistance and serve as biomarkers to monitor its development. METHODS: This study mimicked the development of platinum resistance in ovarian cancer by continuously exposing A2780 cells to cisplatin. Cisplatin-resistant variants were confirmed by higher half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values and increased P-glycoprotein (ABCB1, P-gp) expression compared to A2780 cells. Analysis of dynamic N-glycomic changes during the development of platinum resistance in cisplatin-resistant variants was performed with MALDI-time-of-flight (TOF)-MS combined with ethyl esterification derivatization, which were used to discriminate between α2,3- and α2,6-linkage N-acetylneuraminic acid. N-glycan alterations were further validated on a glycotransferase level via transcriptome sequencing and real-time PCR (RT-PCR). RESULTS: Compared to the A2780 cells, MS analysis indicated that α2,3-linked sialic structures and N-glycan gal-ratios were significantly higher, while fucosylated glycans were lower in three cisplatin-resistant variants. Transcriptome sequencing and RT-PCR showed that gene expression of ST3GAL6 and MGAT4A increased, while gene expression of FUT11, FUT1, GMDS, and B4GALT5 decreased in three cisplatin-resistant variants. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of N-glycans and glycogene expression showed that α2,3-linked sialic structures might serve as biomarkers to monitor the development of platinum resistance and to guide individualized treatment of ovarian cancer patients.

Use of the serum glycan state to predict ovarian cancer patients' clinical response to chemotherapy treatment.

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic carcinoma; because the tumor often relapses shortly after treatment. Glycosylation plays important roles in cancer drug resistance and could be used as biomarkers to predict the drug response of patients. We used MALDI-QIT-TOF MS to analyze the serum glycomic from patients with different drug responses. Samples were collected before treatment; follow-up visit were performed after 6 months. Forty-eight drug-sensitive patients and 16 drug-resistant patients were enrolled. Compared with drug-sensitive patients, 5 glyco-subclasses and 5 single glycans were significantly altered in drug-resistant patients. Lewis type, α2,3 sialic acid and multibranch glycans were increased, α2,6 sialic acid glycans were decreased. The peak at m/z 2986.44 showed stronger prediction abilities than other single glycans, with an AUC of 0.83. A panel of three increased glycans (m/z 2401.36, H5N4F1S2, a Lewis type biantennary glycan; m/z 2986.44, H6N5S3, a triantennary trisialylated glycan; m/z 3086.39, H6N5F1S3, a Lewis type triantennary glycan) combined with CA125 achieved an AUC value of 0.88, showing a strong discrimination performance. This study provides new insights into N-glycosylation patterns in ovarian cancer patients with different drug response. These altered glycans might serve as biomarkers to reflect patients' drug sensitivity and to guide clinical treatment. SIGNIFICANCE: A large number of ovarian cancer patients experience tumor relapse shortly after initial treatment. Glycosylation plays important roles in cancer drug resistance and could be used as a biomarker to predict the drug response of patients. However, the glycosylation expressed in patients with different drug response have not been elucidated. In the present study, we used MALDI-QIT-TOF MS to analyze the serum glycomic levels of patients with different drug responses. Several glycans were changed significantly between these two groups. A panel of three increased glycans (m/z 2401.36, a Lewis type biantennary glycan, 2986.44, a triantennary trisialylated glycan, and 3086.39, a Lewis type triantennary glycan) combined with CA125 performed better descrimination of these two groups with AUC of 0.88. These altered glycans might serve as biomarkers to reflect patients' drug sensitivity and to guide clinical treatment.