Association between tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 and progression and poor prognosis of tumor stage 2­3 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and stratified analysis.

Although tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2) may serve a protumor role in several types of tumors, the clinical significance of TNFR2, including the diagnostic and prognostic value in tumor (T) stage 2-3 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), remains unclear. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the clinical significance of TNFR2 in stage T2-3 ESCC. The present study collected the mRNA expression data of TNFR2 from two databases and confirmed the high expression of TNFR2 in ESCC tissue. TNFR2 expression in stage T2-3 ESCC tissue (n=404) was detected using immunohistochemistry and a stratified analysis was performed. For all patients with stage T2-3 ESCC, TNFR2 expression was associated with clinical stage, invasion depth and metastatic lymph nodes. Stage T3 and low differentiation was associated with an increase in the risk of lymph node metastasis, but older age was associated with a decrease. TNFR2 expression was associated with poor overall survival (OS) of all patients with stage T2-3 ESCC and stratified patients with stage T3 ESCC. Moreover, TNFR2 expression and metastatic lymph nodes were independent prognostic factors for these patients. For stratified patients aged ≤60 years, TNFR2 expression was associated with clinical stage and metastatic lymph nodes. In addition, TNFR2 expression was associated with poor OS in stratified patients with stage T2 ESCC. The presence of metastatic lymph nodes was also an independent prognostic factor for these patients. For stratified patients aged >60 years, TNFR2 expression was associated with invasion depth. TNFR2 expression was also associated with poor OS in all patients with stage T2-3 ESCC and stratified patients with stage T3 ESCC. TNFR2 expression and metastatic lymph nodes were identified as independent prognostic factors for these patients. In conclusion, TNFR2 expression is associated with progression and poor prognosis in patients with stage T2-3 ESCC as an independent prognostic factor, except in the subgroup of patients with stage T2-3 ESCC aged ≤60 years.

Energy spectrum computed tomography multi-parameter imaging in preoperative assessment of vascular and neuroinvasive status in gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Vascular and nerve infiltration are important indicators for the progression and prognosis of gastric cancer (GC), but traditional imaging methods have some limitations in preoperative evaluation. In recent years, energy spectrum computed tomography (CT) multiparameter imaging technology has been gradually applied in clinical practice because of its advantages in tissue contrast and lesion detail display. AIM: To explore and analyze the value of multiparameter energy spectrum CT imaging in the preoperative assessment of vascular invasion (LVI) and nerve invasion (PNI) in GC patients. METHODS: Data from 62 patients with GC confirmed by pathology and accompanied by energy spectrum CT scanning at our hospital between September 2022 and September 2023, including 46 males and 16 females aged 36-71 (57.5 ± 9.1) years, were retrospectively collected. The patients were divided into a positive group (42 patients) and a negative group (20 patients) according to the presence of LVI/PNI. The CT values (CT40 keV, CT70 keV), iodine concentration (IC), and normalized IC (NIC) of lesions in the upper energy spectrum CT images of the arterial phase, venous phase, and delayed phase 40 and 70 keV were measured, and the slopes of the energy spectrum curves [K (40-70)] from 40 to 70 keV were calculated. Arterial phase combined parameter, venous phase combined parameters (VP-ALLs), and delayed phase association parameters were calculated for patients with late-stage disease. The differences in the energy spectrum parameters between the positive and negative groups were compared, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted, and the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and optimal threshold were calculated to measure the diagnostic efficiency of each parameter. RESULTS: In the delayed phase, the CT40 keV, CT70 keV, K (40-70), IC, NIC, and CT70 keV and the NIC in the upper arterial and venous phases of energy spectrum CT were greater in the LVI/PNI-positive group than in the LVI-negative group. The representative parameters for the arterial phase NIC were 0.14 ± 0.04 in the positive group and 0.12 ± 0.04 in the negative group. The venous phase NIC was 0.5 (0.5, 0.6) in the positive group and 0.4 (0.4, 0.5) in the negative group. Last, for the delayed phase NIC, it was 0.6 ± 0.1 in the positive group and 0.5 ± 0.1 in the negative group (all P values are less than 0.05). ROC curve analysis demonstrated that the diagnostic efficacy of each parameter during the venous stage was superior to that during the arterial and delayed stages. Furthermore, the diagnostic efficacy of the combined parameter throughout all three stages was superior to that of any single parameter. The AUC, sensitivity, and specificity of the optimal parameter, VP-ALL, were 0.931 (95% confidence interval: 0.872-0.990), 80.95%, and 95.00%, respectively. CONCLUSION: When assessing the condition of LVI and PNI (perineural invasion) in patients with GC prior to surgery, the ability to diagnose these conditions using venous stage parameters was superior to that using arterial stage and delayed stage parameters. Furthermore, the diagnostic accuracy of using a combination of parameters was better than that of using individual parameters alone.

Construction of a predictive model for gastric cancer neuroaggression and clinical validation analysis: A single-center retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the construction and clinical validation of a predictive model for neuroaggression in patients with gastric cancer. Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in the world, and neuroinvasion is the key factor affecting the prognosis of patients. However, there is a lack of systematic analysis on the construction and clinical application of its prediction model. This study adopted a single-center retrospective study method, collected a large amount of clinical data, and applied statistics and machine learning technology to build and verify an effective prediction model for neuroaggression, with a view to providing scientific basis for clinical treatment decisions and improving the treatment effect and survival rate of patients with gastric cancer. AIM: To investigate the value of a model based on clinical data, spectral computed tomography (CT) parameters and image omics characteristics for the preoperative prediction of nerve invasion in patients with gastric cancer. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 80 gastric cancer patients who underwent preoperative energy spectrum CT at our hospital between January 2022 and August 2023, these patients were divided into a positive group and a negative group according to their pathological results. Clinicopathological data were collected, the energy spectrum parameters of primary gastric cancer lesions were measured, and single factor analysis was performed. A total of 214 image omics features were extracted from two-phase mixed energy images, and the features were screened by single factor analysis and a support vector machine. The variables with statistically significant differences were included in logistic regression analysis to construct a prediction model, and the performance of the model was evaluated using the subject working characteristic curve. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences in sex, carbohydrate antigen 199 expression, tumor thickness, Lauren classification and Borrmann classification between the two groups (all P < 0.05). Among the energy spectrum parameters, there were statistically significant differences in the single energy values (CT60-CT110 keV) at the arterial stage between the two groups (all P < 0.05) and statistically significant differences in CT values, iodide group values, standardized iodide group values and single energy values except CT80 keV at the portal vein stage between the two groups (all P < 0.05). The support vector machine model with the largest area under the curve was selected by image omics analysis, and its area under the curve, sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, P value and parameters were 0.843, 0.923, 0.714, 0.925, < 0.001, and c:g 2.64:10.56, respectively. Finally, based on the logistic regression algorithm, a clinical model, an energy spectrum CT model, an imaging model, a clinical + energy spectrum model, a clinical + imaging model, an energy spectrum + imaging model, and a clinical + energy spectrum + imaging model were established, among which the clinical + energy spectrum + imaging model had the best efficacy in diagnosing gastric cancer nerve invasion. The area under the curve, optimal threshold, Youden index, sensitivity and specificity were 0.927 (95%CI: 0.850-1.000), 0.879, 0.778, 0.778, and 1.000, respectively. CONCLUSION: The combined model based on clinical features, spectral CT parameters and imaging data has good value for the preoperative prediction of gastric cancer neuroinvasion.

Preoperative prediction of hepatocellular carcinoma microvascular invasion based on magnetic resonance imaging feature extraction artificial neural network.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence is highly correlated with increased mortality. Microvascular invasion (MVI) is indicative of aggressive tumor biology in HCC. AIM: To construct an artificial neural network (ANN) capable of accurately predicting MVI presence in HCC using magnetic resonance imaging. METHODS: This study included 255 patients with HCC with tumors < 3 cm. Radiologists annotated the tumors on the T1-weighted plain MR images. Subsequently, a three-layer ANN was constructed using image features as inputs to predict MVI status in patients with HCC. Postoperative pathological examination is considered the gold standard for determining MVI. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the algorithm. RESULTS: Using the bagging strategy to vote for 50 classifier classification results, a prediction model yielded an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.79. Moreover, correlation analysis revealed that alpha-fetoprotein values and tumor volume were not significantly correlated with the occurrence of MVI, whereas tumor sphericity was significantly correlated with MVI (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Analysis of variable correlations regarding MVI in tumors with diameters < 3 cm should prioritize tumor sphericity. The ANN model demonstrated strong predictive MVI for patients with HCC (AUC = 0.79).

CCL2/CCR2 axis promotes perineural invasion of salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma via ITGß5-mediated nerve-tumor interaction.

Perineural invasion (PNI) is a notorious feature of salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (SACC) and other neurotropic tumors. The pathogenesis of PNI that involves the molecular communication between the tumor and the suffered nerve is elusive. The in vitro co-culture assays of SACC cells with dorsal root ganglia (DRG) or neural cells showed that nerve-derived CCL2 activated CCR2 expression in SACC cells, promoting the proliferation, adhesion, migration, and invasion of SACC cells via the ERK1/2/ITGß5 pathway. Meanwhile, SACC-derived exosomes delivered ITGß5 to promote the neurite outgrowth of neural cells or DRG. Blocking of CCL2/CCR2 axis or ITGß5 inhibited the PNI of SACC cells in models in vitro by 3D co-culture of DRG with SACC cells and in vivo by xenografting SACC cells onto the murine sciatic nerve. High levels of ITGß5 in tissues or plasma exosomes were significantly correlated with CCL2 and CCR2 expression in the tissues and associated with PNI and poor prognosis of SACC cases. Our findings revealed a novel reciprocal loop between neural and tumor cells driven by the CCL2/CCR2 axis and exosomal ITGß5 during PNI of SACC. The present study may provide a prospective diagnostic and anti-PNI treatment strategy for SACC patients via targeting the nerve-tumor interactions.

PET radiomics-based lymphovascular invasion prediction in lung cancer using multiple segmentation and multi-machine learning algorithms.

The current study aimed to predict lymphovascular invasion (LVI) using multiple machine learning algorithms and multi-segmentation positron emission tomography (PET) radiomics in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, offering new avenues for personalized treatment strategies and improving patient outcomes. One hundred and twenty-six patients with NSCLC were enrolled in this study. Various automated and semi-automated PET image segmentation methods were applied, including Local Active Contour (LAC), Fuzzy-C-mean (FCM), K-means (KM), Watershed, Region Growing (RG), and Iterative thresholding (IT) with different percentages of the threshold. One hundred five radiomic features were extracted from each region of interest (ROI). Multiple feature selection methods, including Minimum Redundancy Maximum Relevance (MRMR), Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE), and Boruta, and multiple classifiers, including Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), Logistic Regression (LR), XGBoost (XGB), Naive Bayes (NB), and Random Forest (RF), were employed. Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique (SMOTE) was also used to determine if it boosts the area under the ROC curve (AUC), accuracy (ACC), sensitivity (SEN), and specificity (SPE). Our results indicated that the combination of SMOTE, IT (with 45% threshold), RFE feature selection and LR classifier showed the best performance (AUC = 0.93, ACC = 0.84, SEN = 0.85, SPE = 0.84) followed by SMOTE, FCM segmentation, MRMR feature selection, and LR classifier (AUC = 0.92, ACC = 0.87, SEN = 1, SPE = 0.84). The highest ACC belonged to the IT segmentation (with 45 and 50% thresholds) alongside Boruta feature selection and the NB classifier without SMOTE (ACC = 0.9, AUC = 0.78 and 0.76, SEN = 0.7, and SPE = 0.94, respectively). Our results indicate that selection of appropriate segmentation method and machine learning algorithm may be helpful in successful prediction of LVI in patients with NSCLC with high accuracy using PET radiomics analysis.

NR3C2 affects the proliferation and invasiveness of colon cancer cells through the Wnt/ß-Catenin signaling pathway.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to explore the potential correlation between the nuclear receptor subfamily 3 group C member 2 (NR3C2) and outcomes of colon cancer, along with the mechanisms underlying this association. METHOD: mRNA (messenger RNA) data and clinical records pertaining to colon cancer were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The analysis of NR3C2 expression discrepancies between normal colon and tumor tissues was conducted using R software. In addition, we also studied the relationship between NR3C2 expression and prognosis, pathological parameters. The relative role of NR3C2 were further predicted through bioinformatics methods and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of NR3C2 in colon cancer. Single-cell data from colon cancer samples in the GEO (Gene Expression Omnibus) database further investigated the mechanism of the lower survival associated with NR3C2 dysregulation. NR3C2 expression in three fresh colon cancer samples and their respective paracancer samples was determined. Furthermore, colon cancer cell models overexpressing NR3C2 and with knockdown NR3C2 were constructed by lentiviral vector transfection. Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, transplantation of tumors in nude mice and transwell assays were used to examine the proliferation, migration and invasion of colon cancer cells. The effect on the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway, activities of cellular autophagy and cell apoptosis were examined by assessing the expression levels of several key proteins, including Bcl-2, Bax, and LC3. RESULTS: We found that NR3C2 was found a significantly lower level in colon cancer tissues than in adjacent tissues, which was associated with distant and lymphatic metastases, clinical stage, and poor clinical outcome, and it was an independent prognostic factor and potential marker of colon cancer. Single-cell transcriptome data identified the subset of circulating T and B cells with high expression of NR3C2, which is involved in TNF signaling pathway. Functional experiments show that downregulation of NR3C2 resultsed in the activation of the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway, and promotesd the proliferation and invasion of colon cancer cells while suppressing cell autophagy and apoptosis. CONCLUSION: NR3C2 may regulate Wnt/ß-catenin to affect the proliferation, invasion apoptosis and autophagy of colon cancer, and this axis is a potential target for the treatment of colon cancer.

The antimicrobial peptide Temporin-L induces vesicle formation and reduces the virulence in S. aureus.

The evolution of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has required the development of new antimicrobial agents and new approaches to prevent and overcome drug resistance. AntiMicrobial Peptides (AMPs) represent promising alternatives due to their rapid bactericidal activity and their broad-spectrum of action against a wide range of microorganisms. The amphibian Temporins constitute a well-known family of AMPs with high antibacterial properties against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. In this paper, we evaluated the in vivo effect of Temp-L on S. aureus performing morphological studies using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) that revealed the occurrence of protrusions from the cell surface. The formation of vesicle-like structure was confirmed by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS). The global effect of Temp-L on Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) was deeply investigated by differential proteomics leading to the identification of up-regulated proteins involved in the synthesis of the cell membrane and fatty acids, and down-regulated virulence factors. GC-MS analysis suggested a possible protective response mechanism implemented by the bacterium after treatment with Temp-L, as the synthesis of fatty acids was increased. Adhesion and invasion assays on eukaryotic cells confirmed a reduced virulence of S. aureus following treatment with Temp-L. These results suggested the targeting of virulence factors as novel strategy to replace traditional antimicrobial agents that can be used to treat infections, especially infections caused by the resistant pathogen S. aureus.

Putative Dual Roles of Bone Morphogenetic Protein 8B (BMP8B) in Disease Progression of Gastric Cancer.

Background/Aim: Increased expression of bone morphogenetic protein 8B (BMP8B) in bone marrow and primary tumors of patients with gastric cancer (GC) is associated with disease progression and poor prognosis. However, a reduced expression has also been seen in GCs due to histone acetylation. This study aimed to evaluate BMP8B transcript levels in a large GC cohort and its impact on cellular functions. Materials and Methods: BMP8B transcripts were determined in 319 gastric tumors and compared with 182 adjacent normal tissues using real time PCR, with a further analysis conducted in the TCGA database. Kaplan-Meier plotter analysis was performed to evaluate the correlation between BMP8B and prognosis of the disease. BMP8B knockdown model was employed to determine the effect of BMP8B on the function of GC cells (HGC27). Results: BMP8B mRNA levels were significantly up-regulated in the GC tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues in both TCGA database and our own database from Beijing Cancer Hospital, and high BMP8B expression was associated with poor prognosis. BMP8B is most likely to be involved in the differentiation of GC. Poorly differentiated GC samples presented a significantly reduced BMP8B expression in relation to well-differentiated and moderately differentiated GC. BMP8B knockdown inhibited proliferation of GC cells, while promoted invasion and migration of cancer cells. Conclusion: BMP8B was reduced in GCs, whereas higher BMP8B expression was associated with poor prognosis. BMP8B knockdown inhibited proliferation of GC cells, and promoted invasion and migration. Our results suggest that BMP8B plays dual roles in GC.

[Retracted] MicroRNA-124-3p inhibits the growth and metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells by targeting STAT3.

Following the publication of this paper, it was drawn to the Editor's attention by a concerned reader that certain of the cell apoptotic data in Fig. 4 on p. 1389 and the migration and invasion assay data shown in Figs. 6 and 7 on p. 1391 were strikingly similar to data that were submitted for publication at around the same time in different articles written by different authors at different research institutes (several of which have subsequently been retracted). In addition, there appeared to be instances of duplication of the same data within Figs. 7 and 8, where data that were intending to have shown the results from differently performed experiments had apparently been derived from the same original sources. Owing to the fact that the contentious data in the above article had already been submitted for publication elsewhere prior to its submission to Oncology Reports, the Editor has decided that this paper should be retracted from the Journal. The authors were asked for an explanation to account for these concerns, but the Editorial Office did not receive a reply. The Editor apologizes to the readership for any inconvenience caused. [Oncology Reports 35: 1385-1394, 2016; DOI: 10.3892/or.2015.4524].

Human tetraspanin CD81 facilitates invasion of Salmonella enterica into human epithelial cells.

Human CD81 and CD9 are members of the tetraspanin family of proteins characterized by a canonical structure of four transmembrane domains and two extracellular loop domains. Tetraspanins are known as molecular facilitators, which assemble and organize cell surface receptors and partner molecules forming clusters known as tetraspanin-enriched microdomains. They have been implicated to play various biological roles including an involvement in infections with microbial pathogens. Here, we demonstrate an important role of CD81 for the invasion of epithelial cells by Salmonella enterica. We show that overexpression of CD81 in HepG2 cells enhances invasion of various typhoidal and non-typhoidal Salmonella serovars. Deletion of CD81 by CRISPR/Cas9 in intestinal epithelial cells (C2BBe1 and HT29-MTX-E12) reduces S. Typhimurium invasion. In addition, the effect of human CD81 is species-specific as only human but not rat CD81 facilitates Salmonella invasion. Finally, immunofluorescence microscopy and proximity ligation assay revealed that both human tetraspanins CD81 and CD9 are recruited to the entry site of S. Typhimurium during invasion but not during adhesion to the host cell surface. Overall, we demonstrate that the human tetraspanin CD81 facilitates Salmonella invasion into epithelial host cells.

Cross-Species Insights into Trophoblast Invasion During Placentation Governed by Immune-Featured Trophoblast Cells.

Proper development of the placenta, the transient support organ forms after embryo implantation, is essential for a successful pregnancy. However, the regulation of trophoblast invasion, which is most important during placentation, remains largely unknown. Here, rats, mice, and pigs are used as biomedical models, used scRNA-seq to comparatively elucidate the regulatory mechanism of placental trophoblast invasion, and verified it using a human preeclampsia disease model combined with scStereo-seq. A dual-featured type of immune-featured trophoblast (iTrophoblast) is unexpectedly discovered. Interestingly, iTrophoblast only exists in invasive placentas and regulates trophoblast invasion during placentation. In a normally developing placenta, iTrophoblast gradually transforms from an immature state into a functional mature state as it develops. Whereas in the developmentally abnormal preeclamptic placenta, disordered iTrophoblast transformation leads to the accumulation of immature iTrophoblasts, thereby disrupting trophoblast invasion and ultimately leading to the progression of preeclampsia.

Genomic Diversity Illuminates the Environmental Adaptation of Drosophila suzukii.

Biological invasions carry substantial practical and scientific importance, and represent natural evolutionary experiments on contemporary timescales. Here, we investigated genomic diversity and environmental adaptation of the crop pest Drosophila suzukii using whole-genome sequencing data and environmental metadata for 29 population samples from its native and invasive range. Through a multifaceted analysis of this population genomic data, we increase our understanding of the D. suzukii genome, its diversity and its evolution, and we identify an appropriate genotype-environment association pipeline for our data set. Using this approach, we detect genetic signals of local adaptation associated with nine distinct environmental factors related to altitude, wind speed, precipitation, temperature, and human land use. We uncover unique functional signatures for each environmental variable, such as the prevalence of cuticular genes associated with annual precipitation. We also infer biological commonalities in the adaptation to diverse selective pressures, particularly in terms of the apparent contribution of nervous system evolution to enriched processes (ranging from neuron development to circadian behavior) and to top genes associated with all nine environmental variables. Our findings therefore depict a finer-scale adaptive landscape underlying the rapid invasion success of this agronomically important species.

Competency in invasion science: addressing stagnation challenges by promoting innovation and creative thinking.

In today's ever-evolving scientific landscape, invasion science faces a plethora of challenges, such as terminological inconsistency and the rapidly growing literature corpus with few or incomplete syntheses of knowledge, which may be perceived as a stagnation in scientific progress. We explore the concept of 'competency', which is extensively debated across disciplines such as psychology, philosophy, and linguistics. Traditionally, it is associated with attributes that enable superior performance and continuous ingenuity. We propose that the concept of competency can be applied to invasion science as the ability to creatively and critically engage with global challenges. For example, competency may help develop innovative strategies for understanding and managing the multifaceted, unprecedented challenges posed by the spread and impacts of non-native species, as well as identifying novel avenues of inquiry for management. Despite notable advancements and the exponential increase in scholarly publications, invasion science still encounters obstacles such as insufficient interdisciplinary collaboration paralleled by a lack of groundbreaking or actionable scientific advancements. To enhance competency in invasion science, a paradigm shift is needed. This shift entails fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, nurturing creative and critical thinking, and establishing a stable and supportive environment for early career researchers, thereby promoting the emergence of competency and innovation. Embracing perspectives from practitioners and decision makers, alongside diverse disciplines beyond traditional ecological frameworks, can further add novel insights and innovative methodologies into invasion science. Invasion science must also address the ethical implications of its practices and engage the public in awareness and education programs. Such initiatives can encourage a more holistic understanding of invasions, attracting and cultivating competent minds capable of thinking beyond conventional paradigms and contributing to the advancement of the field in a rapidly changing world.

Distribution characteristics of immune infiltration and lymphovascular invasion in patients with breast cancer skin recurrence.

BACKGROUND: To assess the distribution characteristics of immune infiltration and lymphovascular invasion in breast cancer skin recurrence patients. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological data of patients who underwent radical surgery for primary breast cancer and experienced skin recurrence between January 2001 and April 2019. Immune and lymphovascular biomarkers were quantified in primary breast cancers, skin lesions and visceral metastatic lesions. Differences in biomarkers distribution between matched tissues were statistically analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Kruskal-Wallis one-way ANOVA. RESULTS: A total of 71 female breast cancer patients were reviewed in this study. Our study found that the expression levels of various lymphocyte immune markers in primary tumor specimens were higher than those in skin recurrences. The expression of CD8, CD57 and CD31 in primary breast cancer was higher than those in the skin. Compared to visceral metastatic lesions, D2-40 was highly expressed in the skin, while CD8 tended to decrease. In the skin specimens, the expression of CD8 (P < 0.001), FOXP3 (P = 0.006) and CD68 (P < 0.001) in the intratumoral area was higher, while the expression of CD57 (P < 0.001) was higher in the peritumoral area. Analyzing specimens from the same patient at different time points of skin progression, it was found that the expression of peritumoral CD4 decreased (P = 0.044) as the disease progressed. The low expression of D2-40 and CD163 in the skin lesions suggested a decrease in DFS. CONCLUSION: The immune microenvironment of breast cancer skin recurrence may be in a state of suppression, and this suppression may intensify with disease progression. The pattern of skin recurrence may be more inclined toward lymphatic invasion. Our study provides new insights into the biological behaviors of this disease and its response to immunotherapy.

Epithelioid angiomyolipoma with vascular invasion: An aggressive presentation of an unusual AML variant.

Renal angiomyolipoma (AML) is a typically benign renal tumor that is divided into 2 classes, the classical variant and the more aggressive epithelioid variant. It is extremely rare for an AML to exhibit aggressive features such as vascular invasion. We present the case of a 36-year-old female who presented with right lower quadrant pain for 9 months and was found to have an AML with tumor extension into the renal vein and the IVC. Diagnosis was confirmed with histopathology and the patient was treated with a total nephrectomy. The epithelioid subtype of AML is a rare variant that should be considered in the differential of a renal mass with vascular invasion.

Comment on "Route patterns of the collateral venous pathway in patients with tumors invading the superior sagittal sinus: an angiographic study and clinical applications".

This commentary critiques the study "Route patterns of the collateral venous pathway in patients with tumors invading the superior sagittal sinus" by Pawit Jirawisan et al., highlighting its limitations in discussing parafalcine venous collaterals, reliance on invasive imaging modalities, and lack of structured assessments. It suggests improvements by incorporating alternative imaging techniques, acknowledging crucial venous structures, and providing grading systems for surgical decision-making.

Rutin suppresses the malignant biological behavior of gastric cancer cells through the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway.

Rutin is a natural flavonoid compound that is widely found in a variety of plants and has a variety of biological effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-tumor effects. Rutin has been shown to have anti-tumor effects in a variety of cancers, but its effects on gastric cancer need to be further explored. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of Rutin on gastric cancer cells and the potential molecular regulatory mechanisms. Gastric cancer cells (AGS and MGC803) were treated with different concentrations of Rutin. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were determined by MTT, flow cytometry, scratch assay, and Transwell analysis, respectively. Cell epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers and Wnt/ß-catenin pathway were analyzed by RT-qPCR and western blot assay. The results showed that Rutin significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion ability of gastric cancer cells, induced apoptosis, and suppressed the EMT process. Further experiments revealed that Rutin achieved the effect of inhibiting the biological behavior of gastric cancer cells by suppressing the activation of the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway. Therefore, Rutin may become a potential therapeutic candidate for gastric cancer.

The compartment-specific manipulation of the NAD+/NADH ratio affects the metabolome and the function of glioblastoma.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive type of cancer in the brain and has an inferior prognosis because of the lack of suitable medicine, largely due to its tremendous invasion. GBM has selfish metabolic pathways to promote migration, invasion, and proliferation compared to normal cells. Among various metabolic pathways, NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is essential in generating ATP and is used as a resource for cancer cells. LbNOX (Lactobacillus brevis NADH oxidase) is an enzyme that can directly manipulate the NAD+/NADH ratio. In this study, we found that an increased NAD+/NADH ratio by LbNOX or mitoLbNOX reduced intracellular glutamate and calcium responses and reduced invasion capacity in GBM. However, the invasion was not affected in GBM by rotenone, an ETC (Electron Transport Chain) complex I inhibitor, or nicotinamide riboside, a NAD+ precursor, suggesting that the crucial factor is the NAD+/NADH ratio rather than the absolute quantity of ATP or NAD+ for the invasion of GBM. To develop a more accurate and effective GBM treatment, our findings highlight the importance of developing a new medicine that targets the regulation of the NAD+/NADH ratio, given the current lack of effective treatment options for this brain cancer.

Prediction of Lymph Node Metastasis in Endometrial Cancer Based on Color Doppler Ultrasound Radiomics.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: To construct a model using radiomics features based on ultrasound images and evaluate the feasibility of noninvasive assessment of lymph node status in endometrial cancer (EC) patients. METHODS: In this multicenter retrospective study, a total of 186 EC patients who underwent hysterectomy and lymph node dissection were included, Pathology confirmed the presence or absence of lymph node metastasis (LNM). The study encompassed patients from seven centers, spanning from September 2018 to November 2023, with 93 patients in each group (with or without LNM). Extracted ultrasound radiomics features from transvaginal ultrasound images, used five machine learning (ML) algorithms to establish US radiomics models, screened clinical features through univariate and multivariate logistic regression to establish a clinical model, and combined clinical and radiomics features to establish a nomogram model. The diagnostic ability of the three models for LNM with EC was compared, and the diagnostic performance and accuracy of the three models were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. RESULTS: Among the five ML models, the XGBoost model performed the best, with AUC values of 0.900 (95% CI, 0.847-0.950) and 0.865 (95% CI, 0.763-0.950) for the training and testing sets, respectively. In the final model, the nomogram based on clinical features and the ultrasound radiomics showed good resolution, with AUC values of 0.919 (95% CI, 0.874-0.964) and 0.884 (0.801-0.967) in the training and testing sets, respectively. The decision curve analysis verified the clinical practicality of the nomogram. CONCLUSION: The ML model based on ultrasound radiomics has potential value in the noninvasive differential diagnosis of LNM in patients with EC. The nomogram constructed by combining ultrasound radiomics and clinical features can provide clinical doctors with more comprehensive and personalized image information, which is highly important for selecting treatment strategies.