Denatured collagen inhibits neuroblastoma tumor-sphere migration and growth via the LOX/LOXL2 - FAK signaling pathway.

A complex interplay exists within the tumor microenvironment and extracellular matrix, which could contribute to solid tumor progression. Collagen, a major component of the extracellular matrix, may correlate with cancer prognosis. While thermal ablation has shown promise as a minimally invasive treatment of solid tumors, its impact on collagen is still unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that thermal ablation, but not cryo-ablation, induces irreversible collagen denaturation in a neuroblastoma sphere model. Prolonged collagen denaturation resulted in a significant reduction in sphere stiffness, migration, and proliferation, and an increase in apoptosis. Mechanistic analysis revealed that collagen denaturation inhibited collagen cross-linking, reduced extracellular LOX/LOXL2 expression, and resulted in decreased phosphorylation of FAK. Downstream of FAK, we observed reduced epithelial to mesenchymal transition, attenuated CDC42 expression, and decreased migration. Collectively, these results suggest that denatured collagen presents a novel target for modulating the tumor microenvironment and treating solid cancers via the LOX1/LOXL2-FAK signaling pathway.

Case Report: Epidural Abscess Following Obstetric Epidural Anesthesia in Vietnam.

Epidural abscess after obstetric epidural anesthesia occurs infrequently and may result in severe morbidity. We report a clinical case of an epidural abscess in Vietnam. A 31-year-old woman who was in labor was admitted to our hospital and given epidural anesthesia indicated to relieve labor pain. After three hours of anesthesia, cesarean section was indicated for the patient due to signs of fetal failure, the epidural catheter was then used to relieve pain for the first 48 hours postoperatively. On post-partum day 5 she presented with high fever of 39-40°C, fatigue, stimulation, dyspnea, and lumbar pain. The patient then suffered from sepsis and lower limb paralysis. She was diagnosed with epidural abscess based on the MRI of the lumbar spine. The abscess was treated by surgery for draining and appropriate antibiotics with a satisfactory outcome as she completely recovered her motor function and stable health status.