C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 regulates prostaglandin synthesis and embryo attachment of the bovine endometrium during implantation.

C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) has been reported to be expressed in the bovine endometrium during pregnancy. However, the details of its functions involved in the implantation mechanism are still not clear. The purpose of this study is to analyze the functional properties of CCL2 in the bovine endometrium and embryos. The expression of CCR2 was not different between the luteal phase and implantation phase of their endometrial tissues, but was significantly high in IFNa treated bovine endometrial stromal (BES) cells in vitro. The expressions of PGES1, PGES2, AKR1C4, and AKR1C4 were high at the implantation stage compared with the luteal stage. On the other hand, PGES2 and AKR1B1 in BEE and PGES3 and AKR1A1 in BES were significantly increased by CCL2 treatment, respectively. The expressions of PCNA and IFNt were found significantly high in the bovine trophoblastic cells (BT) treated with CCL2 compared to the control. CCL2 significantly increased the attachment rate of BT vesicles to BEE in in vitro co-culture system. The expression of OPN and ICAM-1 increased in BEE, and ICAM-1 increased in BT by CCL2 treatment, respectively. The present results indicate that CCL2 has the potential to regulate the synthesis of PGs in the endometrium and the embryo growth. In addition, CCL2 has the possibility to regulate the process of bovine embryo attachment to the endometrium by modulation of binding molecules expression.

Dynamic changes of the EMT spectrum between circulating tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment in human papillomavirus-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: Human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) differs in terms of cellular and molecular biological characteristics from HPV-negative HNSCC. However, differences in circulating tumor cells (CTCs) between HPV-positive and -negative HNSCC remain unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We first analyzed eight epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related genes (VIM, CDH1, CDH2, SNAI1, SNAI2, TWIST1, ZEB1, and ZEB2) using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Next, we isolated CTCs from patients with HNSCC using CD45-negative selection and expression analysis of epithelial-related genes (EPCAM, EGFR, and MET) by RT-qPCR. CTC-positive samples were further analyzed for EMT-related genes. In addition, we investigated the proportion of circulating T cell subsets and CD38+ T cells using flow cytometry and their involvement in CTCs. RESULTS: Compared with HPV-negative HNSCC, expression of CDH1, SNAI1, SNAI2, TWIST1, and ZEB1 was downregulated in HPV-positive HNSCC, as determined by TCGA analysis. CTCs were detected in 19 (52.8 %) of 36 HPV-positive and 26 (68.4 %) of 38 HPV-negative patients with HNSCC. EPCAM-positive and MET-positive CTCs were significantly more frequent in patients with HPV-negative HNSCC. HPV-positive patients with HNSCC exhibited significantly high SNAI1 and ZEB2 expression in CTCs. Interestingly, differences in SNAI1 expression levels differed markedly between CTCs and TCGA based on HPV status. Moreover, HPV-positive patients with HNSCC exhibiting SNAI1-high CTCs showed a superior prognosis and a lower proportion of CD38+ T cells than those with SNAI1-low CTCs. CONCLUSION: Our results provide novel insights into the EMT-MET spectrum of CTCs and may contribute to the development of prognostic biomarkers for HPV-positive HNSCC.

Circulating T Cell Subsets and ILC2s are Altered in Patients With Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps After Dupilumab Treatment.

BACKGROUND: Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is mainly associated with type 2 inflammation and is often unmanageable, regardless of the treatment. Dupilumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting the interleukin (IL)-4 receptor alpha to inhibit IL-4 and IL-13 signaling, has recently been shown to significantly improve the condition of patients with CRSwNP. However, the mechanisms underlying this response to dupilumab are not yet fully understood. OBJECTIVE: We sought to examine whether circulating T cell subset proportions and their functions are altered by dupilumab treatment. METHODS: We first investigated the proportion of circulating T cell subsets and group 2 innate immune cells (ILC2s) in patients with CRSwNP treated with dupilumab using mass and flow cytometry. We then assessed cytokine gene expression and cytokine production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: The type 2 T helper (Th2) cell proportion significantly decreased after dupilumab treatment, whereas that of type 1 T helper (Th1) cells increased. Moreover, programmed death-1 (PD-1) expression in regulatory T (Treg) cells was significantly reduced. The proportion of ILC2s significantly increased after dupilumab treatment. Unfortunately, neither cytokine gene expression nor cytokine production in PBMCs showed significant changes. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that in CRSwNP patients treated with dupilumab, Th2, Treg, and ILC2 cells, which regulate type 2 inflammation, are modulated in the peripheral circulation. Further analysis of circulating immune cells could provide novel insights into understanding the pathophysiologic mechanisms of dupilumab and the development of tailored therapeutic strategies for patients with CRSwNP.

Tumor-derived exosomes elicit cancer-associated fibroblasts shaping inflammatory tumor microenvironment in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: Exosome-mediated reciprocal crosstalk between tumor and stromal cells plays a crucial role in tumor development and progression. This study investigated whether exosomes released from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) tumor cells can convert normal fibroblasts into cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF)-like cells and further analyzed the functional characterization of fibroblasts educated by tumor-derived exosomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Exosomes secreted from HNSCC cell lines were isolated and normal fibroblasts were established from normal oropharyngeal mucosa. The effects of the exosomes on fibroblasts were examined by proliferation and migration assays, and exosome-educated fibroblasts were analyzed for the expression of eight genes (IL1B, IL6, CXCL8, TGFB1, ACTA2, FAP, CD274, and PDCD1LG2) by RT-qPCR. Moreover, T cells or CD14-positive cells were co-cultured with culture supernatants from exosome-educated fibroblasts. T-cell proliferation and macrophage polarization were examined using flow cytometry. Then, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) of exosome-educated fibroblasts and the corresponding control fibroblasts was performed. RESULTS: Tumor-derived exosomes enhanced fibroblast proliferation and migration. Moreover, gene expression analysis revealed upregulation of the gene expression of proinflammatory cytokines and immunoregulatory genes, and activated fibroblast marker genes. The culture supernatants of tumor-derived exosome-educated fibroblasts suppressed T cell proliferation and the induction of protumoral macrophages compared with those of control fibroblasts. Next, comprehensive RNA-seq analysis data revealed the activation of 11 signaling pathways, including IL-6- and IL-17-related signaling. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that HNSCC tumor cells induce and/or differentiate into CAFs through exosome-based cell-to-cell communication to create an inflammatory tumor microenvironment.

A diagnostic score for eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis among eosinophilic disorders.

BACKGROUND: Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is a form of systemic vasculitis with eosinophilic inflammation. However, existing classification criteria are all designed to classify EGPA among vasculitis and there is no established method distinguishing EGPA from other eosinophilic disorders. The aim of the present study was to propose a scoring system to differentiate EGPA among eosinophilic disorders. METHODS: Non-supervised hierarchical clustering using Ward's method and principal component analysis (PCA) were performed for 19 clinical parameters of 58 patients with eosinophilia-related diseases at a tertiary university hospital. The newly proposed scoring system was externally validated in 40 patients at another tertiary institution. RESULTS: Two distinct clusters were identified, and clinical features including peripheral neuropathy, asthma, skin involvement, lung involvement, rheumatoid factor (RF) positivity, myeloperoxidase (MPO)-anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) positivity, IgE elevation, C-reactive protein (CRP) elevation, and vasculitis pathological findings were predominantly observed in one of these clusters (p < 0.05). Ten features defining the cluster with a high rate of vasculitis were weighted by PCA to create the E-CASE (EGPA classification among systemic eosinophilia) scoring system, on a 16-point scale. Based on the distribution of scores in the primary cohort, we defined an E-CASE score ≥12 as positive, ≤ 8 as negative, and 9-11 as undeterminable. The sensitivity and specificity of the E-CASE score in the validation cohort were 93.3% and 100%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We developed and verified a novel scoring system for differentiating EGPA from other types of eosinophilic disorders.

Influence of menstrual cycle on muscle glycogen utilization during high-intensity intermittent exercise until exhaustion in healthy women.

The present study investigated the effects of the menstrual cycle on muscle glycogen and circulating substrates during high-intensity intermittent exercise until exhaustion in healthy women who habitually exercised. In total, 11 women with regular menstrual cycles completed three tests, which comprised the early follicular phase (E-FP), late follicular phase (L-FP), and luteal phase (LP) of the menstrual cycle. High-intensity intermittent exercise until exhaustion was performed on each test day. Evaluation of muscle glycogen concentration by 13C-magnetic resonance spectroscopy and measurement of estradiol, progesterone, blood glucose, lactate, free fatty acids (FFA), and insulin concentrations were conducted before exercise (Pre) and immediately after exercise (Post). Muscle glycogen concentrations from thigh muscles at Pre and Post were not significantly different between menstrual cycle phases (P = 0.57). Muscle glycogen decreases by exercise were significantly greater in L-FP (59.0 ± 12.4 mM) than in E-FP (48.3 ± 14.4 mM, P < 0.05). Nonetheless, blood glucose, blood lactate, serum FFA, serum insulin concentrations, and exercise time until exhaustion in E-FP, L-FP, and LP were similar. The study results suggest that although exercise time does not change according to the menstrual cycle, the menstrual cycle influences muscle glycogen utilization during high-intensity intermittent exercise until exhaustion in women with habitual exercise activity. Novelty: This study compared changes in muscle glycogen concentration across the menstrual cycle during high-intensity intermittent exercise until exhaustion using 13C-magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Our results highlight the influence of the menstrual cycle on muscle glycogen during high-intensity intermittent exercise in healthy women.

Contribution of skeletal muscle and serum lipids to muscle contraction induced by neuromuscular electrical stimulation in older individuals.

Intramyocellular lipids (IMCL) stored in droplets in muscle cells and free fatty acids (FFA) from fat cells in the blood are the main substrates of adenosine triphosphate during continuous muscle contractions of relatively lower intensity. Although it is known that the lipid oxidative capacity decreases with aging, the effect of IMCL and FFA on muscle contraction in older individuals remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the contribution of skeletal muscle lipids and blood lipids as energy sources for muscle contraction in older individuals. Eighteen older individuals (mean age: 70.4 ± 3.5 years) underwent muscle contraction intervention induced by intermittent neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) to the vastus lateralis for 30 min. Fasting blood samples were obtained and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1 H-MRS) was performed before and after NMES, and the parameters (including IMCL and extramyocellular lipid [EMCL]) from 1 H-MRS, along with FFA and adiponectin levels, were analyzed using the blood samples of all participants. Levels of IMCL and EMCL did not change (p > 0.05); however, FFA and adiponectin levels decreased from 1.1 ± 0.5 mEq/L to 0.8 ± 0.2 mEq/L and 12.0 ± 5.3 µg/ml to 11.4 ± 5.0 µg/ml, after NMES (p < 0.05), respectively. These findings indicate that serum lipids, but not skeletal muscle lipids, are the energy substrate utilized during involuntary muscle contraction in older individuals.

Analytical technique for self-absorption structure of iron L-emission spectra obtained by soft X-ray emission spectrometer.

The method deriving the L self-absorption spectrum from Lα,ß emission spectra obtained at different accelerating voltages has been optimized for analyzing the chemical state of Fe in solid materials. Fe Lα,ß emission spectra obtained are fitted using Pseudo-Voigt functions and normalized by the integrated intensity of each Fe Ll line, which is not affected by L2,3 absorption edge. The self-absorption spectrum is calculated by dividing the normalized intensity profile collected at low accelerating voltage by that collected at a higher accelerating voltage. The obtained profile is referred to as soft X-ray self-absorption structure (SX-SAS). This method is applied to six Fe-based materials (Fe metal, FeO, Fe3O4, Fe2O3, FeS and FeS2) to observe different chemical states of Fe in those materials. By comparing the self-absorption spectra of iron oxides, one can observe the L3 absorption peak structure shows a shift to the higher energy side as ferric (3+) Fe increases with respect to ferrous (+2) Fe. The intensity profiles of self-absorption spectra of metallic Fe and FeS2 shows shoulder structures between the L3 and L2 absorption peaks, which were not observed in spectra of Fe oxides. These results indicate that the SX-SAS technique is useful to examine X-ray absorption structure as a means to understand the chemical states of transition metal elements.

Dynamic alterations of circulating T lymphocytes and the clinical response in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated with nivolumab.

Cancer immunotherapy using immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has been recognized as a novel therapeutic option for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, only approximately 20-30% of patients with recurrent/metastatic (R/M) HNSCC benefit. Moreover, the mechanisms underlying the response to ICIs remain unclear. We investigated the proportion, activation status, and expression level of immune checkpoint molecules in circulating T cell subsets in R/M HNSCC patients treated with nivolumab using flow cytometry and mass cytometry, and then determined whether treatment response was associated with these values. We also assessed the changes in the frequency of tumor-associated antigens, MAGE-A4 and p53, -specific T cells prior to and after nivolumab treatment using the IFN-γ ELISPOT assay. The proportion of activated CD4+ and CD8+ TEMRA cells significantly increased in the disease-controlled patients but not in disease-progressed patients. As expected, the expression of PD-1 in T cells markedly decreased regardless of the therapeutic response. Meanwhile, T cell immunoglobulin mucin-3 expression on CD8+ T cells was significantly higher in patients with disease progression than in disease-controlled patients after treatment. The frequency of the tumor-associated antigens, MAGE-A4- and p53-specific T cells, was not correlated with clinical responses; however, in the disease-controlled patients, the frequency of MAGE-A4-specific T cells was significantly augmented. We concluded that in R/M HNSCC patients treated with nivolumab, circulating T cells show dynamic alterations depending on treatment efficacy. An analysis of the immunokinetics of circulating T cells could thus provide new insights into rational therapeutic strategies in cancer immunotherapy for HNSCC.

Circulating naïve and effector memory T cells correlate with prognosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

T-cell memory is an important mechanism for long-term protection against diverse pathogens. Generation and persistence of memory T cells are vital components of anti-tumor immunity, given their ability to persist for prolonged durations, as well as activate and migrate rapidly. In the present study, we investigated the clinical and prognostic significance of T-cell subsets in the peripheral circulation of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Moreover, we calculated the enrichment scores of T-cell subsets in primary tumor tissues and compared their clinical characteristics using a public database. Multivariate survival analyses of circulating T-cell parameters revealed that clinical parameters, except M factor, were not independent prognostic factors, whereas proportions of CD8+ T cells, naïve T cells (TN s), effector memory T cells (TEM s), and CD38+ CD8+ T cells were independent prognostic factors, suggesting the importance of these peripheral T-cell parameters as independent prognostic biomarkers. Consistent with these results, the T-cell enrichment analysis indicated that enrichment of CD8+ TN s in the tumor microenvironment was an independent prognostic factor. Moreover, an ex vivo experiment demonstrated significantly less cytotoxic activity in CD38+ T cells than in CD38- T cells. These findings suggest that T-cell memory-related parameters in both systemic immunity and the tumor microenvironment could be used as prognostic biomarkers regardless of clinical characteristics. Further characterization of circulating T cells would lead to the development of novel biomarkers for patients with HNSCC.

Muscle Glycogen Assessment and Relationship with Body Hydration Status: A Narrative Review.

Muscle glycogen is a crucial energy source for exercise, and assessment of muscle glycogen storage contributes to the adequate manipulation of muscle glycogen levels in athletes before and after training and competition. Muscle biopsy is the traditional and gold standard method for measuring muscle glycogen; alternatively, 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) has been developed as a reliable and non-invasive method. Furthermore, outcomes of ultrasound and bioimpedance methods have been reported to change in association with muscle glycogen conditions. The physiological mechanisms underlying this activity are assumed to involve a change in water content bound to glycogen; however, the relationship between body water and stored muscle glycogen is inconclusive. In this review, we discuss currently available muscle glycogen assessment methods, focusing on 13C MRS. In addition, we consider the involvement of muscle glycogen in changes in body water content and discuss the feasibility of ultrasound and bioimpedance outcomes as indicators of muscle glycogen levels. In relation to changes in body water content associated with muscle glycogen, this review broadens the discussion on changes in body weight and body components other than body water, including fat, during carbohydrate loading. From these discussions, we highlight practical issues regarding muscle glycogen assessment and manipulation in the sports field.

Effects of Calyculin a on the Motility and Protein Phosphorylation in Frozen-Thawed Bull Spermatozoa.

In this study, we examined the effects of calyculin A, a phosphatase inhibitor, on motility, protein phosphorylation, and the distribution of phospho-(Ser/Thr) PKA substrates in frozen-thawed bull spermatozoa that are actually used by most farmers for breeding. The data showed that calyculin A, which has been reported to have a positive effect on the motility of ejaculated fresh spermatozoa, distinctly decreased the motility of frozen-thawed bull spermatozoa even if a cell activator, such as caffeine, was present in the incubation medium and that the suppressive effect of calyculin A was dose-dependent and continued for at least 200 min. Immunoblot analyses revealed that de novo protein phosphorylation was not detected in spermatozoa exposed to caffeine or dbcAMP (a cell-permeable cAMP analog), while the addition of calyculin A to the medium brought about the appearance of several phosphorylated proteins at 50 kDa and 75 kDa, suggesting that 50 kDa and 75 kDa proteins, which were phosphorylated by activation of cAMP-dependent PKA, were not dephosphorylated and were accumulated in spermatozoa due to the suppression of calyculin A-sensitive protein phosphatases. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that calyculin A caused, alone or in conjunction with caffeine or dbcAMP, the accumulation of phospho-PKA substrates at the annulus, although caffeine or dbcAMP alone did not. This study suggested that calyculin A decreases the motility of frozen-thawed bull spermatozoa concomitant with the accumulation of phospho-(Ser/Thr) PKA substrates at the annulus of flagella.

Upregulated glycolysis correlates with tumor progression and immune evasion in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Altered metabolism is an emerging hallmark of cancer. Cancer cells preferentially utilize glycolysis for energy production, termed "aerobic glycolysis." In this study, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the glycolytic activity in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) using data obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. We first divided 520 patients with HNSCC into four groups based on the mRNA expression of 16 glycolysis-related genes. The upregulated glycolytic activity positively correlated with human papillomavirus-negative tumor type, advanced T factor, and unfavorable prognosis. The gene set enrichment analysis revealed upregulation of several hallmark pathways, including interferon-alpha response, myc targets, unfolded protein response, transforming growth factor-ß signaling, cholesterol homeostasis, and interleukin 6-Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signaling, in the glycolysis-upregulated groups. Immune cell enrichment analysis revealed decreased infiltration of T cells, dendritic cells, and B cells in the glycolysis-upregulated groups, suggesting impaired tumor antigen presentation, T cell activation, and antibody production in the TME. Moreover, the expression profile of immune-related genes indicated increased immune evasion in the glycolysis-upregulated tumors. Collectively, these findings suggest that transcriptome analysis of glycolytic activity of tumors has the potential as a biomarker for tumor progression and immunological status in patients with HNSCC.

Tissue-resident memory T cells correlate with the inflammatory tumor microenvironment and improved prognosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: Tumor-infiltrating T cell (TIL) is a major cell type involved in tumor eradication in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Among TILs, tissue-resident memory T cells (TRMs) have been recognized as a subset capable of continuous immunosurveillance to afford long-term immunity. In the present study, we comprehensively profiled TRM in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) data obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Based on the gene expression of CD69 and CD4/CD8A, we identified TRM-enriched patients and evaluated their clinical and biological significance. In addition, we analyzed peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from 60 patients with HNSCC to evaluate the presence of TRM-like cells in the peripheral circulation. RESULTS: TCGA analysis revealed that TRM-enriched tumors correlated with early T factor, human papillomavirus-positive status, the proportion of oropharynx lesion, upregulated inflammatory pathways, upregulation of immunostimulatory and immune checkpoint molecule genes, and favorable overall survival. Moreover, we clarified the presence of CD69 + TRM-like cells that highly express PD-1 and TIM-3 in the peripheral circulation of patients with HNSCC. CONCLUSION: We highlighted the clinical and transcriptomic significance of TRM in patients with HNSCC. Further characterization of TRM could lead to the development of novel biomarkers, especially for immune checkpoint therapies.

Comprehensive analysis of immune cell enrichment in the tumor microenvironment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Head and neck squamous carcinoma (HNSCC) is highly infiltrated by immune cells, including tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and myeloid lineage cells. In the tumor microenvironment, tumor cells orchestrate a highly immunosuppressive microenvironment by secreting immunosuppressive mediators, expressing immune checkpoint ligands, and downregulating human leukocyte antigen expression. In the present study, we aimed to comprehensively profile the immune microenvironment of HNSCC using gene expression data obtained from public database. We calculated enrichment scores of 33 immune cell types based on gene expression data of HNSCC tissues and adjacent non-cancer tissues. Based on these scores, we performed non-supervised clustering and identified three immune signatures-cold, lymphocyte, and myeloid/dendritic cell (DC)-based on the clustering results. We then compared the clinical and biological features of the three signatures. Among HNSCC and non-cancer tissues, human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive HNSCCs exhibited the highest scores in various immune cell types, including CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, B cells, plasma cells, basophils, and their subpopulations. Among the three immune signatures, the proportions of HPV-positive tumors, oropharyngeal cancers, early T tumors, and N factor positive cases were significantly higher in the lymphocyte signature than in other signatures. Among the three signatures, the lymphocyte signature showed the longest overall survival (OS), especially in HPV-positive patients, whereas the myeloid/DC signature demonstrated the shortest OS in these patients. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed the upregulation of several pathways related to inflammatory and proinflammatory responses in the lymphocyte signature. The expression of PRF1, IFNG, GZMB, CXCL9, CXCL10, PDCD1, LAG3, CTLA4, HAVCR2, and TIGIT was the highest in the lymphocyte signature. Meanwhile, the expression of PD-1 ligand genes CD274 and PDCD1LG2 was highest in the myeloid/DC signature. Herein, our findings revealed the transcriptomic landscape of the immune microenvironment that closely reflects the clinical and biological significance of HNSCC, indicating that molecular profiling of the immune microenvironment can be employed to develop novel biomarkers and precision immunotherapies for HNSCC.

Systemic immune responses are associated with molecular characteristics of circulating tumor cells in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Systemic immunity mediated by circulating immune cells may affect clinical features, as well as the characteristics of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The present study aimed to analyze the influence of circulating immune cells, using their markers, on clinical features to investigate the association between systemic immunity and the molecular characteristics of CTCs. Circulating immune-cell markers were associated with disease progression and clinical outcomes in patients with HNSCC. Meanwhile, there was no significant association between the presence of CTCs and systemic immune-related markers. Moreover, phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit a expression in CTCs was significantly associated with higher lymphocyte counts (P=0.035) and an increased prognostic nutrition index (P=0.0157). Patients with CTCs expressing CD47 exhibited significantly higher neutrophil (P=0.0031) and monocyte (P=0.0016) counts. Patients with CTCs expressing programmed cell death 1 ligand 2 exhibited lower C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (P=0.0271) and a decreased CRP/albumin ratio (P=0.0207). The current results suggested that the interaction between CTCs and circulating immune cells may provide survival advantages via molecular alterations to CTCs.

AKT3 Is a Novel Regulator of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play vital roles in tumor progression by promoting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, angiogenesis, and immunosuppression. In the present study, we sought to identify the key regulators of the pro-tumoral functions of CAFs in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). mRNA expression data obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas revealed that CAF-specific mRNA expression correlated with genes that relate to an immunosuppressive microenvironment in a HNSCC cohort. RNA sequencing of CAFs and normal fibroblasts isolated from HNSCC specimens identified 1127 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and several upregulated pathways in CAFs. Among the 1127 DEGs, we identified 13 immune function-related genes and focused on AKT3 as a potential regulator of CAFs. The targeted depletion of AKT3 in CAFs revealed that AKT3 promotes their myofibroblastic phenotype. AKT3-transduced CAFs exhibited downregulated the expression of immunosuppressive cytokine genes, impairing T-cell suppression and pro-tumoral macrophage induction. The immunohistochemistry of 72 HNSCC patients showed that AKT3 expression in CAFs positively correlated with tumor infiltration by CAFs, tumor-associated macrophages, dendritic cells, and T cells. Moreover, AKT3 expression in CAFs was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival. In conclusion, AKT3 is a potential target for cancer therapy that inhibits the pro-tumoral function of CAFs and reverses CAF-mediated immunosuppression.

AKT3 is a key regulator of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway plays a vital role in cell proliferation, apoptosis, metabolism, and angiogenesis in various human cancers, including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). In the present study, we aimed to clarify the role of AKT, which is a major downstream effector of the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway, in HNSCC. We first investigated the mRNA expression of AKT isoforms using RNA-sequencing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. We observed a specific elevation of AKT3 expression in HNSCC tissues when compared with that in normal tissues. Furthermore, AKT3 expression correlated with genes related to the immunosuppressive microenvironment more than the other AKT isoforms and PIK3CA. Accordingly, we focused on AKT3 and performed a knockdown approach using an HNSCC cell line. AKT3 knockdown cells exhibited impaired proliferation, a shift in the cell cycle from G2/M to G1/G0 phase, an increase in apoptotic cells, and downregulation of gene expression related to immunosuppression, as well as the knockdown of its upstream regulator PIK3CA. We also performed immunohistochemistry for both AKT3 and PIK3CA using surgical specimens from 72 patients with HNSCC. AKT3 expression in tumor cells correlated with immune cell infiltration and unfavorable prognosis when compared with PIK3CA. These findings suggested that AKT3 expression is a potential biomarker for predicting the immunoreactivity and prognosis of HNSCC. Furthermore, the isoform-specific inhibition of AKT3 could be developed as a novel cancer therapy that efficiently suppresses the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway.

Carriage Rate and Characteristics of Neisseria meningitidis among Dormitory Students.

In Japan, several meningococcal disease outbreaks have recently been reported among adolescent dormitory residents of schools. However, little is known about meningococcal carriage dynamics in healthy individuals. The purpose of this study was to investigate the carriage rate over time and characteristics of Neisseria meningitidis strains among dormitory students. The survey was conducted twice between November 2018 and January 2019 for first- to third-year students (N = 376) in a medical school dormitory. The two surveys yielded carriage rates of 0.4% (one positive among 257 students) and 2.1% (two positives among 97 students, including 90 re-participants). No transmission or persistence of a specific strain was observed during the two months. A limited number of students had a history of potential risk behaviors for carriage, such as smoking (3.0% [6/202] aged ≥20 years and 5.2% [4/77] aged ≥20 years, respectively) and attending parties more than once a week (4.3% [11/257] and 2.1% [2/97], respectively). Two isolates were unencapsulated, consistent with asymptomatic participants.