The IL-17 pathway intertwines with neurotrophin and TLR/IL-1R pathways since its domain shuffling origin.

The IL-17 pathway displays remarkably diverse functional modes between different subphyla, classes, and even orders, yet its driving factors remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate that the IL-17 pathway originated through domain shuffling between a Toll-like receptor (TLR)/IL-1R pathway and a neurotrophin-RTK (receptor-tyrosine-kinase) pathway (a Trunk-Torso pathway). Unlike other new pathways that evolve independently, the IL-17 pathway remains intertwined with its donor pathways throughout later evolution. This intertwining not only influenced the gains and losses of domains and components in the pathway but also drove the diversification of the pathway's functional modes among animal lineages. For instance, we reveal that the crustacean female sex hormone, a neurotrophin inducing sex differentiation, could interact with IL-17Rs and thus be classified as true IL-17s. Additionally, the insect prothoracicotropic hormone, a neurotrophin initiating ecdysis in Drosophila by binding to Torso, could bind to IL-17Rs in other insects. Furthermore, IL-17R and TLR/IL-1R pathways maintain crosstalk in amphioxus and zebrafish. Moreover, the loss of the Death domain in the pathway adaptor connection to IκB kinase and stress-activated protein kinase (CIKSs) dramatically reduced their abilities to activate nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) and activator protein 1 (AP-1) in amphioxus and zebrafish. Reinstating this Death domain not only enhanced NF-κB/AP-1 activation but also strengthened anti-bacterial immunity in zebrafish larvae. This could explain why the mammalian IL-17 pathway, whose CIKS also lacks Death, is considered a weak signaling activator, relying on synergies with other pathways. Our findings provide insights into the functional diversity of the IL-17 pathway and unveil evolutionary principles that could govern the pathway and be used to redesign and manipulate it.

Induction-concurrent chemoradiotherapy with or without sintilimab in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma in China (CONTINUUM): a multicentre, open-label, parallel-group, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: Anti-PD-1 therapy and chemotherapy is a recommended first-line treatment for recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma, but the role of PD-1 blockade remains unknown in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. We assessed the addition of sintilimab, a PD-1 inhibitor, to standard chemoradiotherapy in this patient population. METHODS: This multicentre, open-label, parallel-group, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial was conducted at nine hospitals in China. Adults aged 18-65 years with newly diagnosed high-risk non-metastatic stage III-IVa locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (excluding T3-4N0 and T3N1) were eligible. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) using blocks of four to receive gemcitabine and cisplatin induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent cisplatin radiotherapy (standard therapy group) or standard therapy with 200 mg sintilimab intravenously once every 3 weeks for 12 cycles (comprising three induction, three concurrent, and six adjuvant cycles to radiotherapy; sintilimab group). The primary endpoint was event-free survival from randomisation to disease recurrence (locoregional or distant) or death from any cause in the intention-to-treat population. Secondary endpoints included adverse events. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03700476) and is now completed; follow-up is ongoing. FINDINGS: Between Dec 21, 2018, and March 31, 2020, 425 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to the sintilimab (n=210) or standard therapy groups (n=215). At median follow-up of 41·9 months (IQR 38·0-44·8; 389 alive at primary data cutoff [Feb 28, 2023] and 366 [94%] had at least 36 months of follow-up), event-free survival was higher in the sintilimab group compared with the standard therapy group (36-month rates 86% [95% CI 81-90] vs 76% [70-81]; stratified hazard ratio 0·59 [0·38-0·92]; p=0·019). Grade 3-4 adverse events occurred in 155 (74%) in the sintilimab group versus 140 (65%) in the standard therapy group, with the most common being stomatitis (68 [33%] vs 64 [30%]), leukopenia (54 [26%] vs 48 [22%]), and neutropenia (50 [24%] vs 46 [21%]). Two (1%) patients died in the sintilimab group (both considered to be immune-related) and one (<1%) in the standard therapy group. Grade 3-4 immune-related adverse events occurred in 20 (10%) patients in the sintilimab group. INTERPRETATION: Addition of sintilimab to chemoradiotherapy improved event-free survival, albeit with higher but manageable adverse events. Longer follow-up is necessary to determine whether this regimen can be considered as the standard of care for patients with high-risk locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. FUNDING: National Natural Science Foundation of China, Key-Area Research and Development Program of Guangdong Province, Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, Overseas Expertise Introduction Project for Discipline Innovation, Guangzhou Municipal Health Commission, and Cancer Innovative Research Program of Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center. TRANSLATION: For the Chinese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Subgenome phasing for complex allopolyploidy: case-based benchmarking and recommendations.

Accurate subgenome phasing is crucial for understanding the origin, evolution and adaptive potential of polyploid genomes. SubPhaser and WGDI software are two common methodologies for subgenome phasing in allopolyploids, particularly in scenarios lacking known diploid progenitors. Triggered by a recent debate over the subgenomic origins of the cultivated octoploid strawberry, we examined four well-documented complex allopolyploidy cases as benchmarks, to evaluate and compare the accuracy of the two software. Our analysis demonstrates that the subgenomic structure phased by both software is in line with prior research, effectively tracing complex allopolyploid evolutionary trajectories despite the limitations of each software. Furthermore, using these validated methodologies, we revisited the controversial issue regarding the progenitors of the octoploid strawberry. The results of both methodologies reaffirm Fragaria vesca and Fragaria iinumae as progenitors of the octoploid strawberry. Finally, we propose recommendations for enhancing the accuracy of subgenome phasing in future studies, recognizing the potential of integrated tools for advanced complex allopolyploidy research and offering a new roadmap for robust subgenome-based phylogenetic analysis.

Essential role of an ERV-derived Env38 protein in adaptive humoral immunity against an exogenous SVCV infection in a zebrafish model.

Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are the relics of ancient retroviruses occupying a substantial fraction of vertebrate genomes. However, knowledge about the functional association of ERVs with cellular activities remains limited. Recently, we have identified approximately 3,315 ERVs from zebrafish at genome-wide level, among which 421 ERVs were actively expressed in response to the infection of Spring viraemia of carp virus (SVCV). These findings demonstrated the previously unrecognized activity of ERVs in zebrafish immunity, thereby making zebrafish an attractive model organism for deciphering the interplay among ERVs, exogenous invading viruses, and host immunity. In the present study, we investigated the functional role of an envelope protein (Env38) derived from an ERV-E5.1.38-DanRer element in zebrafish adaptive immunity against SVCV in view of its strong responsiveness to SVCV infection. This Env38 is a glycosylated membrane protein mainly distributed on MHC-II+ antigen-presenting cells (APCs). By performing blockade and knockdown/knockout assays, we found that the deficiency of Env38 markedly impaired the activation of SVCV-induced CD4+ T cells and thereby led to the inhibition of IgM+/IgZ+ B cell proliferation, IgM/IgZ Ab production, and zebrafish defense against SVCV challenge. Mechanistically, Env38 activates CD4+ T cells by promoting the formation of pMHC-TCR-CD4 complex via cross-linking MHC-II and CD4 molecules between APCs and CD4+ T cells, wherein the surface subunit (SU) of Env38 associates with the second immunoglobin domain of CD4 (CD4-D2) and the first α1 domain of MHC-IIα (MHC-IIα1). Notably, the expression and functionality of Env38 was strongly induced by zebrafish IFNφ1, indicating that env38 acts as an IFN-stimulating gene (ISG) regulated by IFN signaling. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to identify the involvement of an Env protein in host immune defense against an exogenous invading virus by promoting the initial activation of adaptive humoral immunity. It improved the current understanding of the cooperation between ERVs and host adaptive immunity.

PD-L1/BTLA Checkpoint Axis Exploited for Bacterial Immune Escape by Restraining CD8+ T Cell-Initiated Adaptive Immunity in Zebrafish.

Programmed death-ligand 1/programmed cell death 1 (PD-L1/PD-1) is one of the most important immune checkpoints in humans and other mammalian species. However, the occurrence of the PD-L1/PD-1 checkpoint in evolutionarily ancient vertebrates remains elusive because of the absence of a PD-1 homolog before its appearance in tetrapods. In this article, we identified, to our knowledge, a novel PD-L1/B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) checkpoint in zebrafish by using an Edwardsiella tarda-induced bacterial infection model. Results showed that zebrafish (Danio rerio) PD-L1 (DrPD-L1) and BTLA (DrBTLA) were differentially upregulated on MHC class II+ macrophages (Mϕs) and CD8+ T cells in response to E. tarda infection. DrPD-L1 has a strong ability to interact with DrBTLA, as shown by the high affinity (KD = 5.68 nM) between DrPD-L1/DrBTLA proteins. Functionally, the breakdown of DrPD-L1/DrBTLA interaction significantly increased the cytotoxicity of CD8+BTLA+ T cells to E. tarda-infected PD-L1+ Mϕ cells and reduced the immune escape of E. tarda from the target Mϕ cells, thereby enhancing the antibacterial immunity of zebrafish against E. tarda infection. Similarly, the engagement of DrPD-L1 by soluble DrBTLA protein diminished the tolerization of CD8+ T cells to E. tarda infection. By contrast, DrBTLA engagement by a soluble DrPD-L1 protein drives aberrant CD8+ T cell responses. These results were finally corroborated in a DrPD-L1-deficient (PD-L1-/-) zebrafish model. This study highlighted a primordial PD-L1/BTLA coinhibitory axis that regulates CD8+ T cell activation in teleost fish and may act as an alternative to the PD-L1/PD-1 axis in mammals. It also revealed a previously unrecognized strategy for E. tarda immune evasion by inducing CD8+ T cell tolerance to target Mϕ cells through eliciting the PD-L1/BTLA checkpoint pathway.

Enzyme-catalysed [6+4] cycloadditions in the biosynthesis of natural products.

Pericyclic reactions are powerful transformations for the construction of carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bonds in organic synthesis. Their role in biosynthesis is increasingly apparent, and mechanisms by which pericyclases can catalyse reactions are of major interest1. [4+2] cycloadditions (Diels-Alder reactions) have been widely used in organic synthesis2 for the formation of six-membered rings and are now well-established in biosynthesis3-6. [6+4] and other 'higher-order' cycloadditions were predicted7 in 1965, and are now increasingly common in the laboratory despite challenges arising from the generation of a highly strained ten-membered ring system8,9. However, although enzyme-catalysed [6+4] cycloadditions have been proposed10-12, they have not been proven to occur. Here we demonstrate a group of enzymes that catalyse a pericyclic [6+4] cycloaddition, which is a crucial step in the biosynthesis of streptoseomycin-type natural products. This type of pericyclase catalyses [6+4] and [4+2] cycloadditions through a single ambimodal transition state, which is consistent with previous proposals11,12. The [6+4] product is transformed to a less stable [4+2] adduct via a facile Cope rearrangement, and the [4+2] adduct is converted into the natural product enzymatically. Crystal structures of three pericyclases, computational simulations of potential energies and molecular dynamics, and site-directed mutagenesis establish the mechanism of this transformation. This work shows how enzymes are able to catalyse concerted pericyclic reactions involving ambimodal transition states.

Genome-wide interaction analysis identified low-frequency variants with sex disparity in lung cancer risk.

Differences by sex in lung cancer incidence and mortality have been reported which cannot be fully explained by sex differences in smoking behavior, implying existence of genetic and molecular basis for sex disparity in lung cancer development. However, the information about sex dimorphism in lung cancer risk is quite limited despite the great success in lung cancer association studies. By adopting a stringent two-stage analysis strategy, we performed a genome-wide gene-sex interaction analysis using genotypes from a lung cancer cohort including ~ 47 000 individuals with European ancestry. Three low-frequency variants (minor allele frequency < 0.05), rs17662871 [odds ratio (OR) = 0.71, P = 4.29×10-8); rs79942605 (OR = 2.17, P = 2.81×10-8) and rs208908 (OR = 0.70, P = 4.54×10-8) were identified with different risk effect of lung cancer between men and women. Further expression quantitative trait loci and functional annotation analysis suggested rs208908 affects lung cancer risk through differential regulation of Coxsackie virus and adenovirus receptor gene expression in lung tissues between men and women. Our study is one of the first studies to provide novel insights about the genetic and molecular basis for sex disparity in lung cancer development.

The association of blood eosinophil counts and FEV1 decline: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Accelerated lung function decline is characteristic of COPD. However, the association between blood eosinophil counts and lung function decline, accounting for current smoking status, in young individuals without prevalent lung disease is not fully understood. METHODS: This is a cohort study of 629 784 Korean adults without COPD or a history of asthma at baseline who participated in health screening examinations including spirometry and differential white blood cell counts. We used a linear mixed-effects model to estimate the annual change in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) (mL) by baseline blood eosinophil count, adjusting for covariates including smoking status. In addition, we performed a stratified analysis by baseline and time-varying smoking status. RESULTS: During a mean follow-up of 6.5 years (maximum 17.8 years), the annual change in FEV1 (95% CI) in participants with eosinophil counts <100, 100-199, 200-299, 300-499 and ≥500 cells·µL-1 in the fully adjusted model were -23.3 (-23.9--22.7) mL, -24.3 (-24.9--23.7) mL, -24.8 (-25.5--24.2) mL, -25.5 (-26.2--24.8) mL and -26.8 (-27.7--25.9) mL, respectively. When stratified by smoking status, participants with higher eosinophil count had a faster decline in FEV1 than those with lower eosinophil count in both never- and ever-smokers, which persisted when time-varying smoking status was used. CONCLUSIONS: Higher blood eosinophil counts were associated with a faster lung function decline among healthy individuals without lung disease, independent of smoking status. The findings suggest that higher blood eosinophil counts contribute to the risk of faster lung function decline, particularly among younger adults without a history of lung disease.

Identification and Functional Assessment of Eight CYP3A4 Allelic Variants *39-*46 Detected in the Chinese Han Population.

Cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4), a key enzyme, is pivotal in metabolizing approximately half of the drugs used clinically. The genetic polymorphism of the CYP3A4 gene significantly influences individual variations in drug metabolism, potentially leading to severe adverse drug reactions (ADRs). In this study, we conducted a genetic analysis on CYP3A4 gene in 1163 Chinese Han individuals to identify the genetic variations that might affect their drug metabolism capabilities. For this purpose, a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplicon sequencing technique was developed, enabling us to perform the genotyping of CYP3A4 gene efficiently and economically on a large scale. As a result, a total of 14 CYP3A4 allelic variants were identified, comprising six previously reported alleles and eight new nonsynonymous variants that were nominated as new allelic variants *39-*46 by the PharmVar Association. Further, functional assessments of these novel CYP3A4 variants were undertaken by coexpressing them with cytochromes P450 oxidoreductase (CYPOR) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae microsomes. Immunoblot analysis indicated that with the exception of CYP3A4.40 and CYP3A4.45, the protein expression levels of most new variants were similar to that of the wild-type CYP3A4.1 in yeast cells. To evaluate their catalytic activities, midazolam was used as a probe drug. The results showed that variant CYP3A4.45 had almost no catalytic activity, whereas the other variants exhibited significantly reduced drug metabolism abilities. This suggests that the majority of the CYP3A4 variants identified in the Chinese population possess markedly altered capacities for drug metabolism. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: In this study, we established a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplicon sequencing method and detected the maximum number of new CYP3A4 variants in a single ethnic population. Additionally, we performed the functional characterizations of these eight novel CYP3A4 allele variants in vitro. This study not only contributes to the understanding of CYP3A4 genetic polymorphism in the Chinese Han population but also holds substantial reference value for their potential clinical applications in personalized medicine.

Single-cell transcriptome profiling reveals diverse immune cell populations and their responses to viral infection in the spleen of zebrafish.

Teleost fish are indispensable model organisms for comparative immunology research that should lead to an improved understanding of the general principles of vertebrate immune system design. Although numerous studies on fish immunology have been conducted, knowledge about the cell types that orchestrate piscine immune systems remains limited. Here, we generated a comprehensive atlas of immune cell types in zebrafish spleen on the basis of single-cell transcriptome profiling. We identified 11 major categories from splenic leukocyte preparations, including neutrophils, natural killer cells, macrophages/myeloid cells, T cells, B cells, hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, mast cells, remnants of endothelial cells, erythroid cells, erythroid progenitors, and a new type of serpin-secreting cells. Notably, we derived 54 potential subsets from these 11 categories. These subsets showed differential responses to spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV) infection, implying that they have diverse roles in antiviral immunity. Additionally, we landscaped the populations with the induced expression of interferons and other virus-responsive genes. We found that trained immunity can be effectively induced in the neutrophil and M1-macrophage subsets by vaccinating zebrafish with inactivated SVCV. Our findings illustrated the complexity and heterogeneity of the fish immune system, which will help establish a new paradigm for the improved understanding of fish immunology.

Enantiomer Recognition Based on Chirality Transfer from Chiral Amines to Ternary Dynamic Covalent Systems.

Enantiomer recognition is usually required in organic synthesis and materials and life sciences. This paper describes an enantiomer recognition method based on ternary dynamic covalent systems constructed via the complexation of chiral amines with a chiral boronate derived from 1,4-phenylenediboric acid and an L-DOPA-modified naphthalenediimide. The ternary systems aggregate into chiral assemblies driven by π-π interactions, and the chirality is transferred from the chiral amines to assemblies with high stereospecificity. Consequently, the enantiomer composition of chiral amines and the absolute configuration of the major enantiomer can be determined according to the sign of the Cotton effect of the ternary system by using circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. This method offers the advantage of using the long wavelength CD signals of the boronate at around 520 nm, thereby avoiding interference with those of the carbon skeleton. This ternary system provides a novel approach to the design of enantiomer recognition systems.

The plasma-soluble CSF1R level is a promising prognostic indicator for pediatric Langerhans cell histiocytosis.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare hematologic neoplasm characterized by the clonal proliferation of Langerhans-like cells. Colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) is a membrane-bound receptor that is highly expressed in LCH cells and tumor-associated macrophages. In this study, a soluble form of CSF1R protein (sCSF1R) was identified by plasma proteome profiling, and its role in evaluating LCH prognosis was explored. We prospectively measured plasma sCSF1R levels in 104 LCH patients and 10 healthy children using ELISA. Plasma sCSF1R levels were greater in LCH patients than in healthy controls (p < .001) and significantly differed among the three disease extents, with the highest level in MS RO+ LCH patients (p < .001). Accordingly, immunofluorescence showed the highest level of membrane-bound CSF1R in MS RO+ patients. Furthermore, the plasma sCSF1R concentration at diagnosis could efficiently predict the prognosis of LCH patients treated with standard first-line treatment (AUC = 0.782, p < .001). Notably, dynamic monitoring of sCSF1R levels could predict relapse early in patients receiving BRAF inhibitor treatment. In vitro drug sensitivity data showed that sCSF1R increased resistance to Ara-C in THP-1 cells expressing ectopic BRAF-V600E. Overall, the plasma sCSF1R level at diagnosis and during follow-up is of great clinical importance in pediatric LCH patients.

Feasibility and usefulness of cognitive monitoring using a new home-based cognitive test in mild cognitive impairment: a prospective single arm study.

BACKGROUND: The risk of dementia is increased in subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Despite the plethora of in-person cognitive tests, those that can be administered over the phone are lacking. We hypothesized that a home-based cognitive test (HCT) using phone calls would be feasible and useful in non-demented elderly. We aimed to assess feasibility and validity of a new HCT as an optional cognitive monitoring tool without visiting hospitals. METHODS: Our study was conducted in a prospective design during 24 weeks. We developed a new HCT consisting of 20 questions (score range 0-30). Participants with MCI (n = 38) were consecutively enrolled and underwent regular HCTs during 24 weeks. Associations between HCT scores and in-person cognitive scores and Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers were evaluated. In addition, HCT scores in MCI participants were cross-sectionally compared with age-matched cognitively normal (n = 30) and mild AD dementia (n = 17) participants for discriminative ability of the HCT. RESULTS: HCT had good intra-class reliability (test-retest Cronbach's alpha 0.839). HCT scores were correlated with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), verbal memory delayed recall, and Stroop test scores but not associated with AD biomarkers. HCT scores significantly differed among cognitively normal, MCI, and mild dementia participants, indicating its discriminative ability. Finally, 32 MCI participants completed follow-up evaluations, and 8 progressed to dementia. Baseline HCT scores in dementia progressors were lower than those in non-progressors (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The feasibility and usefulness of the HCT were demonstrated in elderly subjects with MCI. HCT could be an alternative option to monitor cognitive decline in early stages without dementia.

Infantile allergic diseases: a cohort study prenatal fish intake and mercury exposure context.

BACKGROUND: Allergic diseases (ADs) have been increasingly reported in infants and children over the last decade. Diet, especially the inclusion of fish intake, may help to lower the risk of ADs. However, fish also, can bioaccumulate environmental contaminants such as mercury. Hence, our study aims to determine what effects the type and frequency of fish intake have on ADs in six-month-old infants, independently and jointly with mercury exposure. METHODS: This study is part of the prospective birth cohort: Mothers and Children's Environmental Health (MOCEH) study in South Korea. Data was collected on prenatal fish intake, prenatal mercury concentration and ADs for infants aged six months for 590 eligible mother-infant pairs. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the risk of prenatal fish intake and mercury concentration on ADs in infants. Finally, interaction between fish intake and mercury concentration affecting ADs in infants was evaluated. Hazard ratios of prenatal fish intake on ADs in 6 month old infants were calculated by prenatal mercury exposure. RESULTS: Logistic regression analysis showed that white fish (OR: 0.53; 95% CI 0.30-0.94; P < 0.05) intake frequency, once a week significantly decreased the risk of ADs in infants. Stratification analysis showed that consuming white fish once a week significantly reduced the hazard of ADs (HR: 0.44; 95% CI 0.21-0.92; P < 0.05) in infants in the high-mercury (≥ 50th percentile) exposure group. CONCLUSION: The result indicates that prenatal white fish intake at least once a week reduces the risk of ADs in infants, especially in the group with high prenatal mercury exposure.

[Pathogenic mechanisms of impaired neuronal autophagy flux after ischemic stroke].

Autophagy is a metabolic process in which damaged organelles, obsolete proteins, excess cytoplasmic components, and even pathogens are presented to lysosomes for degradation via autophagosomes. It includes 4 processes: the initiation of autophagy, the formation of autophagosomes, the fusion of autophagosomes with lysosomes, and the degradation and removal of autophagic substrates within autophagic lysosomes. When these processes are continuous, it is called autophagy flux. Blockage of one or certain steps in the autophagy/lysosome signaling pathway can lead to impaired autophagy flux. Numerous studies have shown that impaired autophagy flux is an important cause of neuronal damage in the ischemic penumbra after stroke. This paper summarized research progress in the pathological mechanisms that cause impaired neuronal autophagy flux after ischemic stroke and discusses methods to improve neuronal autophagy flux, in order to provide a reference for an in-depth investigation of the pathological injury mechanisms after stroke.

The development and training effect of innovative undergraduate dental talents training project: A 6-year retrospective study.

INTRODUCTION: To summarize the development of Innovative Undergraduate Dental Talents Training Project (IUDTTP) and investigate the training effect of this extracurricular dental basic research education activity from 2015 to 2020 to obtain educational implications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Guanghua School of Stomatology established the IUDTTP in 2015. The authors recorded the development process and analysed the participation situation, training effect, academic performance and overall satisfaction during 2015-2020 through documental analysis, questionnaire and quiz. The t-test, chi-square test and ANOVA were used to test the difference. RESULTS: The educational goal, education module and assessment system of IUDTTP evolved and developed every year. A total of 336 students and 79 mentors attended the IUDTTP from 2015 to 2020, with the participation rate increasing from 45.1% to 73.5%. The participants exhibited favourable basic research abilities, manifesting as the increase of funded projects and published papers and satisfying quiz scores. Almost all students (94.94%) admitted their satisfaction with the IUDTTP. Moreover, the attended students surpassed the non-participants in terms of GPA, the number of acquired scholarships and outstanding graduates (p < .05). Likewise, the enrolment rate of postgraduate participants was significantly higher than non-participants. CONCLUSIONS: To date, the training effect indicated that the IUDTTP has fulfilled the education aim. It brought positive effects on promoting research interest, cultivating research capacities and enhancing academic performance. The potential deficiencies of extracurricular educational activities, including inflexibility in schedule and insufficiency in systematisms, may be remedied by more systematic educational settings in the future.

Diversifying Amino Acids and Peptides via Deaminative Reductive Cross-Couplings Leveraging High-Throughput Experimentation.

A deaminative reductive coupling of amino acid pyridinium salts with aryl bromides has been developed to enable efficient synthesis of noncanonical amino acids and diversification of peptides. This method transforms natural, commercially available lysine, ornithine, diaminobutanoic acid, and diaminopropanoic acid to aryl alanines and homologated derivatives with varying chain lengths. Attractive features include ability to transverse scales, tolerance of pharma-relevant (hetero)aryls and biorthogonal functional groups, and the applicability beyond monomeric amino acids to short and macrocyclic peptide substrates. The success of this work relied on high-throughput experimentation to identify complementary reaction conditions that proved critical for achieving the coupling of a broad scope of aryl bromides with a range of amino acid and peptide substrates including macrocyclic peptides.

Advances in CAR T Cell Therapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Since its first approval by the FDA in 2017, tremendous progress has been made in chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, the adoptive transfer of engineered, CAR-expressing T lymphocyte. CAR T cells are all composed of three main elements: an extracellular antigen-binding domain, an intracellular signaling domain responsible for T cell activation, and a hinge that joins these two domains. Continuous improvement has been made in CARs, now in their fifth generation, particularly in the intracellular signaling domain responsible for T cell activation. CAR T cell therapy has revolutionized the treatment of hematologic malignancies. Nonetheless, the use of CAR T cell therapy for solid tumors has not attained comparable levels of success. Here we review the challenges in achieving effective CAR T cell therapy in solid tumors, and emerging CAR T cells that have shown great promise for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A growing number of clinical trials have been conducted to study the effect of CAR T cell therapy on NSCLC, targeting different types of surface antigens. They include epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), mesothelin (MSLN), prostate stem cell antigen (PSCA), and mucin 1 (MUC1). Potential new targets such as erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular carcinoma A2 (EphA2), tissue factor (TF), and protein tyrosine kinase 7 (PTK7) are currently under investigation in clinical trials. The challenges in developing CAR T for NSCLC therapy and other approaches for enhancing CAR T efficacy are discussed. Finally, we provide our perspective on imaging CAR T cell action by reviewing the two main radionuclide-based CAR T cell imaging techniques, the direct labeling of CAR T cells or indirect labeling via a reporter gene.

A new perspective on hippocampal synaptic plasticity and post-stroke depression.

Post-stroke depression, a common complication after stroke, severely affects the recovery and quality of life of patients with stroke. Owing to its complex mechanisms, post-stroke depression treatment remains highly challenging. Hippocampal synaptic plasticity is one of the key factors leading to post-stroke depression; however, the precise molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Numerous studies have found that neurotrophic factors, protein kinases and neurotransmitters influence depressive behaviour by modulating hippocampal synaptic plasticity. This review further elaborates on the role of hippocampal synaptic plasticity in post-stroke depression by summarizing recent research and analysing possible molecular mechanisms. Evidence for the correlation between hippocampal mechanisms and post-stroke depression helps to better understand the pathological process of post-stroke depression and improve its treatment.

Validation of the IASLC Residual Tumor Classification in Patients With Stage III-N2 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Undergoing Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy Followed By Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to validate the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) residual tumor classification in patients with stage III-N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) undergoing neoadjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy (nCCRT) followed by surgery. BACKGROUND: As adequate nodal assessment is crucial for determining prognosis in patients with clinical N2 NSCLC undergoing nCCRT followed by surgery, the new classification may have better prognostic implications. METHODS: Using a registry for thoracic cancer surgery at a tertiary hospital in Seoul, Korea, between 2003 and 2019, we analyzed 910 patients with stage III-N2 NSCLC who underwent nCCRT followed by surgery. We classified resections using IASLC criteria: complete (R0), uncertain (R[un]), and incomplete resection (R1/R2). Recurrence and mortality were compared using adjusted subdistribution hazard model and Cox-proportional hazards model, respectively. RESULTS: Of the 96.3% (n = 876) patients who were R0 by Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) criteria, 34.5% (n = 3O2) remained R0 by IASLC criteria and 37.6% (n = 329) and 28% (n = 245) migrated to R(un) and R1, respectively. Most of the migration from UICC-R0 to lASLC-R(un) and IASLC-R1/R2 occurred due to inadequate nodal assessment (85.5%) and extracapsular nodal extension (77.6%), respectively. Compared to R0, the adjusted hazard ratios in R(un) and R1/R2 were 1.20 (95% confidence interval, 0.94-1.52), 1.50 (1.17-1.52) ( P fortrend = .001) for recurrence and 1.18 (0.93-1.51) and 1.51 (1.17-1.96) for death ( P for trend = .002). CONCLUSIONS: The IASLC R classification has prognostic relevance in patients with stage III-N2 NSCLC undergoing nCCRT followed by surgery. The IASLC classification will improve the thoroughness of intraoperative nodal assessment and the completeness of resection.