Identification of novel disulfidptosis-related lncRNA signatures to predict the prognosis and immune microenvironment of skin cutaneous melanoma patients.

BACKGROUND: Skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) is an aggressive form of malignant melanoma with poor prognosis and high mortality rates. Disulfidptosis is a newly discovered cell death regulatory mechanism caused by the abnormal accumulation of disulfides. This unique pathway is guiding significant new research to understand cancer progression for targeted treatment. However, the correlation between disulfidptosis with long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in SKCM remains unknown at present. METHODS: The Cancer Genome Atlas database furnished lncRNA expression data and clinical information for SKCM patients. Pearson correlation and Cox regression analyses identified disulfidptosis-related lncRNAs associated with SKCM prognosis. ROC curves and a nomogram validated the model. TME, immune infiltration, GSEA analysis, immune checkpoint gene expression profiling, and drug sensitivity were assessed in high and low-risk groups. Consistent clustering categorized SKCM patients for personalized clinical treatment guidance. RESULTS: A total of twelve disulfidptosis-related lncRNAs were identified for the development of prognosis prediction models. The area under the curve (AUC) values of the ROC curve and the nomogram provided reliable discrimination to evaluate the prognostic potential for SKCM patients. The TME played a crucial role in tumorigenesis, progression and prognosis, and the risk scores were closely related to immune cell infiltration. Meanwhile, the combination of chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy was recommended for low-risk patients based on drug sensitivity and immune efficacy analyses. CONCLUSION: We identified a risk model of twelve disulfidptosis-related lncRNAs that could be used to predict the prognosis of SKCM patients and help guide immunotherapy and chemotherapy for personalized treatment plans.

Identification of disulfidptosis-related subtypes, characterization of tumor microenvironment infiltration, and development of a prognosis model in breast cancer.

Introduction: Breast cancer (BC) is now the most common type of cancer in women. Disulfidptosis is a new regulation of cell death (RCD). RCD dysregulation is causally linked to cancer. However, the comprehensive relationship between disulfidptosis and BC remains unknown. This study aimed to explore the predictive value of disulfidptosis-related genes (DRGs) in BC and their relationship with the TME. Methods: This study obtained 11 disulfidptosis genes (DGs) from previous research by Gan et al. RNA sequencing data of BC were downloaded from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus database (GEO) databases. First, we examined the effect of DG gene mutations and copy number changes on the overall survival of breast cancer samples. We then used the expression profile data of 11 DGs and survival data for consensus clustering, and BC patients were divided into two clusters. Survival analysis, gene set variation analysis (GSVA) and ss GSEA were used to compare the differences between them. Subsequently, DRGs were identified between the clusters used to perform Cox regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression (LASSO) analyses to construct a prognosis model. Finally, the immune cell infiltration pattern, immunotherapy response, and drug sensitivity of the two subtypes were analyzed. CCK-8 and a colony assay obtained by knocking down genes and gene sequencing were used to validate the model. Result: Two DG clusters were identified based on the expression of 11DGs. Then, 225 DRGs were identified between them. RS, composed of six genes, showed a significant relationship with survival, immune cell infiltration, clinical characteristics, immune checkpoints, immunotherapy response, and drug sensitivity. Low-RS shows a better prognosis and higher immunotherapy response than high-RS. A nomogram with perfect stability constructed using signature and clinical characteristics can predict the survival of each patient. CCK-8 and colony assay obtained by knocking down genes have demonstrated that the knockdown of high-risk genes in the RS model significantly inhibited cell proliferation. Discussion: This study elucidates the potential relationship between disulfidptosis-related genes and breast cancer and provides new guidance for treating breast cancer.

The efficacy of virtual reality exposure therapy for PTSD symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) for PTSD is an emerging treatment of remarkable promise, but its efficacy and safety are still unclear. Our aim was to investigate the efficacy of VRET for individuals with PTSD, and to identify the potential moderating variables associated with interventions. METHODS: Literature search was conducted via PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, PsycInfo, Science Direct, and EBSCO. We identified 18 studies on PTSD including 13 randomized controlled trials (RCTs; 654 participants) and 5 single-group trials (60 participants). RESULTS: The main effects analysis showed a moderate effect size (g = 0.327, 95% CI: 0.105-0.550, p<0.01) for VRET compared to control conditions on PTSD symptoms. Subgroup analysis revealed that the effects of VRET were larger when compared to inactive groups (g = 0.567) than active control groups (g = 0.017). This finding was in agreement with depressive symptoms. A dose-response relationship existed with more VRET sessions showing larger effects. There was a long-range effect of VRET on PTSD symptoms indicating a sustained decrease in PTSD symptoms at 3-month follow-up (g = 0.697) and 6-month follow-up (g = 0.848). The single-group trials analysis revealed that the VRET intervention had a significant effect on PTSD. LIMITATIONS: Many of the combat-related PTSD subjects resulted in uncertainty regarding meta-analytical estimates and subsequent conclusions. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrated that VRET could produce significant PTSD symptoms reduction and supported its application in treating PTSD.