Regular use of paracetamol and risk of liver cancer: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Paracetamol induces hepatotoxicity and subsequent liver injury, which may increase the risk of liver cancer, but epidemiological evidence remains unclear. We conducted this study to evaluate the association between paracetamol use and the risk of liver cancer. METHODS: This prospective study included 464,244 participants free of cancer diagnosis from the UK Biobank. Incident liver cancer was identified through linkage to cancer and death registries and the National Health Service Central Register using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 codes (C22). An overlap-weighted Cox proportional hazards model was utilized to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the risk of liver cancer associated with paracetamol use. The number needed to harm (NNH) was calculated at 10 years of follow-up. RESULTS: During a median of 12.6 years of follow-up, 627 cases of liver cancer were identified. Paracetamol users had a 28% higher risk of liver cancer than nonusers (HR 1.28, 95% CI 1.06-1.54). This association was robust in several sensitivity analyses and subgroup analyses, and the quantitative bias analysis indicated that the result remains sturdy to unmeasured confounding factors (E-value 1.88, lower 95% CI 1.31). The NNH was 1106.4 at the 10 years of follow-up. CONCLUSION: The regular use of paracetamol was associated with a higher risk of liver cancer. Physicians should be cautious when prescribing paracetamol, and it is recommended to assess the potential risk of liver cancer to personalize the use of paracetamol.

Identification of a novel bile marker clusterin and a public online prediction platform based on deep learning for cholangiocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a highly aggressive malignant tumor, and its diagnosis is still a challenge. This study aimed to identify a novel bile marker for CCA diagnosis based on proteomics and establish a diagnostic model with deep learning. METHODS: A total of 644 subjects (236 CCA and 408 non-CCA) from two independent centers were divided into discovery, cross-validation, and external validation sets for the study. Candidate bile markers were identified by three proteomics data and validated on 635 clinical humoral specimens and 121 tissue specimens. A diagnostic multi-analyte model containing bile and serum biomarkers was established in cross-validation set by deep learning and validated in an independent external cohort. RESULTS: The results of proteomics analysis and clinical specimen verification showed that bile clusterin (CLU) was significantly higher in CCA body fluids. Based on 376 subjects in the cross-validation set, ROC analysis indicated that bile CLU had a satisfactory diagnostic power (AUC: 0.852, sensitivity: 73.6%, specificity: 90.1%). Building on bile CLU and 63 serum markers, deep learning established a diagnostic model incorporating seven factors (CLU, CA19-9, IBIL, GGT, LDL-C, TG, and TBA), which showed a high diagnostic utility (AUC: 0.947, sensitivity: 90.3%, specificity: 84.9%). External validation in an independent cohort (n = 259) resulted in a similar accuracy for the detection of CCA. Finally, for the convenience of operation, a user-friendly prediction platform was built online for CCA. CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest and most comprehensive study combining bile and serum biomarkers to differentiate CCA. This diagnostic model may potentially be used to detect CCA.

High serum uric acid may associate with the increased risk of colorectal cancer in females: A prospective cohort study.

Elevated serum uric acid (SUA) levels have been previously reported to play a role in multiple types of cancers. However, epidemiological studies evaluating SUA levels and colorectal cancer risk remain sparse. This cohort study included 444 462 participants between the ages of 40 and 69 years from the UK Biobank, followed up from 2006 to 2010. Multivariable adjusted Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs). During a mean follow-up of 6.6 years, 2033 and 855 cases of colon and rectal cancers, respectively, were diagnosed. The multivariable-adjusted HRs for risks of colon cancer in the lowest uric acid categories (≤3.5 mg/dL) compared with the reference groups were 1.31 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.75-2.29) in males and 1.26 (95% CI = 1.03-1.55) in females. The HRs in the highest uric acid groups (>8.4 mg/dL) were 1.16 (95% CI = 0.83-1.63) in males and 2.00 (95% CI = 1.02-3.92) in females. The corresponding HRs of rectal cancer in the lowest uric acid groups compared with the reference group were 2.21 (95% CI = 1.15-4.23) in males and 0.98 (95% CI = 0.66-1.45) in females. The HRs in the highest uric acid groups were 1.35 (95% CI = 0.82-2.23) in males and 3.81 (95% CI = 1.38-10.56) in females. In conclusion, SUA showed a U-shaped association with colon cancer risk in both male and female populations. The same pattern was observed in male patients with rectal cancer. However, SUA levels were positively associated with occurrence of rectal cancer in female subjects.

Bioinformatics combined with quantitative proteomics analyses and identification of potential biomarkers in cholangiocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is an invasive malignancy arising from biliary epithelial cells; it is the most common primary tumour of the bile tract and has a poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to screen prognostic biomarkers for CCA by integrated multiomics analysis. METHODS: The GSE32225 dataset was derived from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and comprehensively analysed by using R software and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database to obtain the differentially expressed RNAs (DERNAs) associated with CCA prognosis. Quantitative isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) proteomics was used to screen differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) between CCA and nontumour tissues. Through integrated analysis of DERNA and DEP data, we obtained candidate proteins APOF, ITGAV and CASK, and immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of these proteins in CCA. The relationship between CASK expression and CCA prognosis was further analysed. RESULTS: Through bioinformatics analysis, 875 DERNAs were identified, of which 10 were associated with the prognosis of the CCA patients. A total of 487 DEPs were obtained by using the iTRAQ technique. Comprehensive analysis of multiomics data showed that CASK, ITGAV and APOF expression at both the mRNA and protein levels were different in CCA compared with nontumour tissues. CASK was found to be expressed in the cytoplasm and nucleus of CCA cells in 38 (45%) of 84 patients with CCA. Our results suggested that patients with positive CASK expression had significantly better overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) than those with negative CASK expression. Univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated that negative expression of CASK was a significantly independent risk factor for OS and RFS in CCA patients. CONCLUSIONS: CASK may be a tumour suppressor; its low expression is an independent risk factor for a poor prognosis in CCA patients, and so it could be used as a clinically valuable prognostic marker.

Integrated analysis of scRNA-seq and bulk RNA-seq reveals that GPRC5A is an important prognostic gene in pancreatic cancer and is associated with B-cell Infiltration in pancreatic cancer.

Introduction: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a malignancy with poor prognosis. This investigation aimed to determine the relevant genes that affect the prognosis of PC and investigate their relationship with immune infiltration. Methods: : First, we acquired PC single-cell chip data from the GEO database to scrutinize dissimilarities in immune cell infiltration and differential genes between cancerous and adjacent tissues. Subsequently, we combined clinical data from TCGA to identify genes relevant to PC prognosis. Employing Cox and Lasso regression analyses, we constructed a multifactorial Cox prognostic model, which we subsequently confirmed. The prognostic gene expression in PC was authenticated using RT-PCR. Moreover, we employed the TIMER online database to examine the relationship between the expression of prognostic genes and T and B cell infiltration. Additionally, the expression of GPRC5A and its correlation with B cells infiltration and patient prognosis were ascertained in tissue chips using multiple immune fluorescence staining. Results: The single-cell analysis unveiled dissimilarities in B-cell infiltration between cancerous and neighboring tissues. We developed a prognostic model utilizing three genes, indicating that patients with high-risk scores experienced a more unfavorable prognosis. Immune infiltration analysis revealed a significant correlation among YWHAZ, GPRC5A, and B cell immune infiltration. In tissue samples, GPRC5A exhibited substantial overexpression and a robust association with an adverse prognosis, demonstrating a positive correlation with B cell infiltration. Conclusion: GPRC5A is an independent risk factor in PC and correlated with B cell immune infiltration in PC. These outcomes indicated that GPRC5A is a viable target for treating PC.

Establishment and characterization of a novel hilar cholangiocarcinoma cell line, CBC3T-1.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a group of malignant heterogeneous cancer arising from the biliary tree. The tumor is characterized by insidious onset, high degree of malignancy, poor prognosis, and high recurrence rate. Immortalized cancer cell lines are the best and easiest models for in vitro cancer research. Here, we established a naturally immortalized highly tumorigenic hilar cholangiocarcinoma (hCCA) cell line, CBC3T-1. The CBC3T-1 cell line was cultured for over 60 passages. Thorough analysis showed that CBC3T-1 cells share characteristics similar to original tumor cells from patients with cholangiocarcinoma and display a stable phenotype, including features of epithelial origin, stem cell-like properties, as well as a high invasive and migratory capability and tumorigenicity in mice. Furthermore, this cell line showed the best sensitivity to paclitaxel, followed by gemcitabine. RNA sequencing and whole­exome sequencing showed that cancer-associated pathways and somatic mutations played a dominant role in the development of CCA. We established and characterized a new hCCA cell line, CBC3T-1, which contributes to a better understanding of bile duct cancer, and can be used to study tumorigenesis and progression and the role of anticancer drugs.

A novel PTEN mutant caused by polymorphism in cis-regulatory elements is involved in chemosensitivity in breast cancer.

Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is one of the most important tumor suppressor genes. Although studies have shown the association between cancer and genetic polymorphisms of PTEN, the underlying molecular mechanisms of breast cancer (BC) chemosensitivity that results from PTEN polymorphism is still unclear. This study aims to investigate potential links between PTEN polymorphisms in cis-regulatory elements and BC chemosensitivity in the Chinese population. A total of 172 BC patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy were included in the study, including 104 chemosensitive cases and 68 chemoresistant cases. The results showed a significant association between the rs786204926 polymorphism and BC chemosensitivity. Logistic multivariate regression analysis showed that age, lymph node metastasis, and the rs786204926 genotype were risk factors for BC chemoresistance. The G allele of rs786204926 is more prone to increasing the risk of chemosensitivity in BC. Additionally, analysis using Alamut Visual showed a preference of the G allele of rs786204926 to produce a novel PTEN mutant with an insertion of 18 bases from intron 4. While the transcriptional level of PTEN remained similar in chemosensitivity and chemoresistant samples, its protein level changed significantly. Interestingly, there were significant differences in both transcription and protein levels of the novel PTEN mutant between the two groups. Furthermore, we found that the mutant was more susceptible to dephosphorylation compared with wildtype PTEN, leading to chemosensitivity through the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. These findings indicate that novel PTEN mutants caused by polymorphisms in cis-regulatory elements may be involved in BC chemosensitivity.

Saline irrigation for reducing the recurrence of common bile duct stones after lithotripsy: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Mechanical lithotripsy produces stone fragments that are not easily detected by cholangiography and is a potential cause of recurrence of common bile duct stones (CBDS). This study aims to clarify whether 100 ml saline irrigation after mechanical lithotripsy reduces the recurrent rate of CBDS. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial performed at the Surgical Endoscopy Center, the First Hospital of Lanzhou University between May 10, 2019, and Dec 31, 2020, patients undergoing endoscopic mechanical lithotripsy were randomly assigned to receive saline irrigation (study group) or no irrigation (control group). The saline irrigation was given 100 ml saline pulse irrigation after cholangiography showed no residual stones. Patients were followed up for at least 24 months after endoscopic stone removal to assess the recurrence of CBDS. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03937037). Findings: During the median follow-up period of 35.6 months (interquartile range, 26.0-40.7), 43 of the 180 patients had stone recurrence (24%). The frequency of recurrence of CBD stones was 12.22% in the saline irrigation group and 35.56% in the control group, with a difference of 23.33% between the two groups (95% confidence interval [CI], 11.35%-35.32%, p < 0.001). Multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses showed that constipation (hazard risk [HR] 2.42; 95% CI, 1.22-4.80, p = 0.012), periampullary diverticulum (PAD) (HR 3.06; 95% CI, 1.62-5.79, p < 0.001), and total to direct bilirubin ratio (HR 1.48; 95% CI, 1.21-1.81, p < 0.001) were independent risk factors for the recurrence of CBDS. Saline irrigation was the only preventive factor for the recurrence of CBDS (HR 0.22; 95% CI, 0.11-0.44, p < 0.001). Interpretation: For patients with CBDS requiring mechanical lithotripsy, 100 ml saline irrigation effectively reduces the recurrent rate of CBDS after endoscopic stone removal. Funding: This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (32160255); Natural Science Foundation of Gansu Province (22JR5RA898, 20JR10RA676); Science and Technology Planning Project of Chengguan District in Lanzhou (2020JSCX0043).

Proton pump inhibitors may enhance the risk of digestive diseases by regulating intestinal microbiota.

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are the most used acid-inhibitory drugs, with a wide range of applications in the treatment of various digestive diseases. However, recently, there has been a growing number of digestive complications linked to PPIs, and several studies have indicated that the intestinal flora play an important role in these complications. Therefore, developing a greater understanding of the role of the gut microbiota in PPI-related digestive diseases is essential. Here, we summarize the current research on the correlation between PPI-related digestive disorders and intestinal flora and establish the altered strains and possible pathogenic mechanisms of the different diseases. We aimed to provide a theoretical basis and reference for the future treatment and prevention of PPI-related digestive complications based on the regulation of the intestinal microbiota.

Lanatoside C decelerates proliferation and induces apoptosis through inhibition of STAT3 and ROS-mediated mitochondrial membrane potential transformation in cholangiocarcinoma.

Introduction: The incidence of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) has increased worldwide in recent years. Given the poor prognosis associated with the current management approach of CCA, new therapeutic agents are warranted to improve the prognosis of this patient population. Methods: In this study, we extracted five cardiac glycosides (CGs) from natural plants: digoxin, lanatoside A, lanatoside C, lanatoside B, and gitoxin. Follow-up experiments were performed to assess the effect of these five extracts on cholangiocarcinoma cells and compounds with the best efficacy were selected. Lanatoside C (Lan C) was selected as the most potent natural extract for subsequent experiments. We explored the potential mechanism underlying the anticancer activity of Lan C on cholangiocarcinoma cells by flow cytometry, western blot, immunofluorescence, transcriptomics sequencing, network pharmacology and in vivo experiments. Results: We found that Lan C time-dependently inhibited the growth and induced apoptosis of HuCCT-1 and TFK-1 cholangiocarcinoma cells. Besides Lan C increased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) content in cholangiocarcinoma cells, decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and resulted in apoptosis. Besides, Lan C downregulated the protein expression of STAT3, leading to decreased expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl, increased expression of Bax, activation of caspase-3, and initiation of apoptosis. N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) pretreatment reversed the effect of Lan C. In vivo, we found that Lan C inhibited the growth of cholangiocarcinoma xenografts without toxic effects on normal cells. Tumor immunohistochemistry showed that nude mice transplanted with human cholangiocarcinoma cells treated with Lan C exhibited decreased STAT3 expression and increased caspase-9 and caspase-3 expression in tumors, consistent with the in vitro results. Conclusion: In summary, our results substantiates that cardiac glycosides have strong anti-CCA effects. Interestingly the biological activity of Lan C provides a new anticancer candidate for the treatment of cholangiocarcinoma.

First report on establishment and characterization of the extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma sarcoma cell line CBC2T-2.

BACKGROUND: Extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma sarcoma is extremely rare in clinical practice. These cells consist of both epithelial and mesenchymal cells. Patient-derived cell lines that maintain tumor characteristics are valuable tools for studying the molecular mechanisms associated with carcinosarcoma. However, cholangiocarcinoma sarcoma cell lines are not available in cell banks. AIM: To establish and characterize a new extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma sarcoma cell line, namely CBC2T-2. METHODS: We conducted a short tandem repeat (STR) test to confirm the identity of the CBC2T-2 cell line. Furthermore, we assessed the migratory and invasive properties of the cells and performed clonogenicity assay to evaluate the ability of individual cells to form colonies. The tumorigenic potential of CBC2T-2 cells was tested in vivo using non-obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient (NOD/SCID) mice. The cells were injected subcutaneously and tumor formation was observed. In addition, immunohistochemical analysis was carried out to examine the expression of epithelial marker CK19 and mesenchymal marker vimentin in both CBC2T-2 cells and xenografts. The CBC2T-2 cell line was used to screen the potential therapeutic effects of various clinical agents in patients with cholangiocarcinoma sarcoma. Lastly, whole-exome sequencing was performed to identify genetic alterations and screen for somatic mutations in the CBC2T-2 cell line. RESULTS: The STR test showed that there was no cross-contamination and the results were identical to those of the original tissue. The cells showed round or oval-shaped epithelioid cells and mesenchymal cells with spindle-shaped or elongated morphology. The cells exhibited a high proliferation ratio with a doubling time of 47.11 h. This cell line has migratory, invasive, and clonogenic abilities. The chromosomes in the CBC2T-2 cells were polyploidy, with numbers ranging from 69 to 79. The subcutaneous tumorigenic assay confirmed the in vivo tumorigenic ability of CBC2T-2 cells in NOD/SCID mice. CBC2T-2 cells and xenografts were positive for both the epithelial marker, CK19, and the mesenchymal marker, vimentin. These results suggest that CBC2T-2 cells may have both epithelial and mesenchymal characteristics. The cells were also used to screen clinical agents in patients with cholangiocarcinoma sarcoma, and a combination of paclitaxel and gemcitabine was found to be the most effective treatment option. CONCLUSION: We established the first human cholangiocarcinoma sarcoma cell line, CBC2T-2, with stable biogenetic traits. This cell line, as a research model, has a high clinical value and would facilitate the understanding of the pathogenesis of cholangiocarcinoma sarcoma.

The N6-Methyladenosine Modification and Its Role in mRNA Metabolism and Gastrointestinal Tract Disease.

The N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is the most abundant internal modification of messenger RNA (mRNA) in higher eukaryotes. Under the actions of methyltransferase, demethylase and methyl-binding protein, m6A resulting from RNA methylation becomes dynamic and reversible, similar to that from DNA methylation, and this effect allows the generated mRNA to participate in metabolism processes, such as splicing, transport, translation, and degradation. The most common tumors are those found in the gastrointestinal tract, and research on these tumors has flourished since the discovery of m6A. Overall, further analysis of the mechanism of m6A and its role in tumors may contribute to new ideas for the treatment of tumors. m6A also plays an important role in non-tumor diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. This manuscript reviews the current knowledge of m6A-related proteins, mRNA metabolism and their application in gastrointestinal tract disease.

Efficacy and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of the sequela of olfactory disorders after infection with COVID-19: A protocol for systematic review and meta analysis.

BACKGROUND: From the end of 2019 to now, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has put enormous strain on the world's health systems. As a characteristic sign of COVID-19 patient, olfactory dysfunction (OD) poses considerable problems for patients. In China, acupuncture has been widely used to treat OD caused by COVID-19, but there is still a lack of evidence-based medical evaluation. This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for the treatment of COVID-19 OD. METHODS: According to the retrieval strategies, randomized controlled trials on the acupuncture for COVID-19 OD were obtained from Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, the Chinese Scientific Journal Database and the Wanfang Database, regardless of publication date, or language. Studies were screened based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, and the Cochrane risk bias assessment tool was used to evaluate the quality of the studies. The meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager (RevMan 5.3) and STATA 14.2 software. Ultimately, the evidentiary grade for the results will be evaluated. RESULTS: The results of this meta-analysis will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication. CONCLUSION: This study will provide up-to-date summary proof for evaluating the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for COVID-19 OD.

Phosphoproteomics reveals that cinobufotalin promotes intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma cell apoptosis by activating the ATM/CHK2/p53 signaling pathway.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a malignant tumor that originates from bile duct's epithelial cells and is usually characterized by insidious symptoms and poor prognosis. Cinobufotalin (CB), an active ingredient obtained from the Traditional Chinese Medicine ChanSu, is purported to exhibit a wide range of antitumorigenic activities. However, the mechanism by which it achieves such pharmacological effects remains elusive. Here, we disclosed the mechanism of action by which CB inhibits ICC cells. Initial experiments revealed that the proliferation of RBE and HCCC-9810 cells was significantly inhibited by CB with IC50 values of 0.342 µM and 0.421 µM respectively. CB induced the expression of caspase-3 subsequently leading to the apoptosis of ICC cells. Phosphoproteomics revealed that the phosphorylation of many proteins associated with DNA damage response increased. Kinase-substrate enrichment analysis revealed that ATM was activated after CB treatment, while CDK1 was inactivated. Activated ATM increased p-CHK2-T68 and p-p53-S15, which promoted the expression of FAS, DR4 and DR5 and triggered cell apoptosis. In summary, this work reveals the role of CB in inducing DNA damage and cell apoptosis involved in the activation of the ATM/CHK2/p53 signaling pathway, and indicates that CB may serve as a chemotherapeutic drug candidate for ICC treatment.

What Would Be the Appropriate Number of Clinical ERCP Cases for Trainees to Acquire Basic Competence? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is technically demanding and carries significant risks. It is performed by gastrointestinal and surgical endoscopists. There is no consensus on the minimum number of ERCPs required during training. This study was conducted to analyze the minimum number of clinical ERCPs that a trainee needs to perform to achieve competency. PubMed, Ovid-Embase, and the Cochrane library were searched systematically for prospective and retrospective studies reporting on trainees' ERCP performance. Mete-analysis was conducted to analyze the success rate of cannulation, other basic techniques, and adverse event rate, using the random-effect model with Review Manager 5.3. Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria, with 149 trainees performing a total of 18 794 ERCP procedures. The pooled cannulation success rate was 85.7% (95% CI: 78.1%-91.0%) at completion of training. The cannulation success rate was 76.5% (95% CI: 69.2%-82.5%) when the trainees had completed 180 ERCPs, which increased to 81.8% (95% CI: 69.8%-90.6%) after 200 ERCP procedures. Adverse events and post-ERCP pancreatitis rates were 4.7% (95% CI: 2.9%-9.1%) and 2.0% (0.9%-3.9%), respectively. Achieving a cannulation success rate of >90% was considered a quality indicator for ERCP training by most societal guidelines. However, our retrospective analysis indicated that trainees only attained a pooled cannulation success rate of only 81.8% after 200 procedures. Therefore, the minimum number of ERCPs required to achieve competency during training may need to be redefined to meet the basic requirement.

Identification of hub genes involved in the occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma via bioinformatics analysis.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a heterogeneous malignancy, which is a major cause of cancer morbidity and mortality worldwide. Thus, the aim of the present study was to identify the hub genes and underlying pathways of HCC via bioinformatics analyses. The present study screened three datasets, including GSE112790, GSE84402 and GSE74656 from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and downloaded the RNA-sequencing of HCC from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in both the GEO and TCGA datasets were filtered, and the screened DEGs were subsequently analyzed for functional enrichment pathways. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed, and hub genes were further screened to create the Kaplan-Meier curve using cBioPortal. The expression levels of hub genes were then validated in different datasets using the Oncomine database. In addition, associations between expression and tumor grade, hepatitis virus infection status, satellites and vascular invasion were assessed. A total of 126 DEGs were identified, containing 70 upregulated genes and 56 downregulated genes from the GEO and TCGA databases. By constructing the PPI network, the present study identified hub genes, including cyclin B1 (CCNB1), cell-division cycle protein 20 (CDC20), cyclin-dependent kinase 1, BUB1 mitotic checkpoint serine/threonine kinase ß (BUB1B), cyclin A2, nucleolar and spindle associated protein 1, ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2 C (UBE2C) and ZW10 interactor. Furthermore, upregulated CCNB1, CDC20, BUB1B and UBE2C expression levels indicated worse disease-free and overall survival. Moreover, a meta-analysis of tumor and healthy tissues in the Oncomine database demonstrated that BUB1B and UBE2C were highly expressed in HCC. The present study also analyzed the data of HCC in TCGA database using univariate and multivariate Cox analyses, and demonstrated that BUB1B and UBE2C may be used as independent prognostic factors. In conclusion, the present study identified several genes and the signaling pathways that were associated with tumorigenesis using bioinformatics analyses, which could be potential targets for the diagnosis and treatment of HCC.

Cytokines predict virological response in chronic hepatitis B patients receiving peginterferon alfa-2a therapy.

BACKGROUND: Chronic hepatitis B virus infection remains a major global public health problem. Peginterferon-alpha-2a (PEG-IFN) has direct antiviral and immunoregulatory effects, and it has become one of the first choice drugs for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Cytokines play an important role in immunity, and they directly inhibit viral replication and indirectly determine the predominant pattern of the host immune response. AIM: To determine the correlation between cytokine/chemokine expression levels and response to PEG-IFN treatment in patients with CHB. METHODS: Forty-six kinds of cytokines were analyzed before PEG-IFN therapy and at 24 wk during therapy in 26 CHB patients. RESULTS: The monokine induced by INF-γ (CXCL9) and serum interferon-inducible protein 10 ( IP-10) levels at baseline were higher in virological responders than in non-virological responders (NRs) and decreased during treatment, whereas the NRs did not exhibit significant changes. The macrophage inflammatory protein 1d (MIP-1d) levels at baseline and during treatment were significantly higher in the virological responders than in the NRs, while thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC) levels at baseline and during treatment were significantly lower in the virological responders than in the NRs. The CXCL9, IP-10, MIP-1d, and TARC baseline levels exhibited the expected effects for interferon treatment. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values of CXCL9, IP-10, MIP-1d, and TARC for predicting virological responses were 0.787, 0.799, 0.787, and 0.77 (P = 0.01, 0.013, 0.01, and 0.021), respectively. CONCLUSION: We found that cytokine levels before and during treatment may represent potential biomarkers to select CHB patients who can respond to PEG-IFN. Therefore, cytokines can be used as an indicator of antiviral drug selection before CHB treatment.

Associations between serum uric acid and hepatobiliary-pancreatic cancer: A cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Uric acid is the end product of purine metabolism. Previous studies have found that serum uric acid (SUA) levels are associated with the total cancer risk. However, due to the dual effect of uric acid on cancer, the relationship between the SUA levels and most specific-site cancer remains unclear. AIM: To investigate the associations between the SUA levels and incidence of hepatobiliary-pancreatic cancer. METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, 444462 participants free of cancer from the UK Biobank were included. The SUA levels were measured at baseline, and the incidence of hepatobiliary-pancreatic cancer was determined by contacting the cancer registry. The hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) between the SUA levels and hepatobiliary-pancreatic cancer were investigated using multiple adjusted Cox regression models adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS: In total, 920 participants developed liver, gallbladder, biliary tract or pancreatic cancer during a median of 6.6 yrs of follow-up. We found that the HR of pancreatic cancer in the highest SUA group was 1.77 (95%CI: 1.29-2.42) compared with that in the lowest group. After stratifying by gender, we further found that SUA was associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer only among the females (highest quartile vs lowest quartile HR 2.04, 95%CI: 1.35-3.08). Among the males, the SUA levels were positively associated with the gallbladder cancer risk (highest quartile vs lowest quartile HR 3.09, 95%CI: 1.28-7.46), but a U-shaped association with the liver cancer risk was observed (P-nonlinear = 0.03). CONCLUSION: SUA is likely to have gender-specific effects on hepatobiliary-pancreatic cancer. High SUA levels are a risk factor for pancreatic cancer in females and gallbladder cancer in males. A U-shaped association with the liver cancer risk was identified.