Aging-associated and CD4 T-cell-dependent ectopic CXCL13 activation predisposes to anti-PD-1 therapy-induced adverse events.

Clinical success of immune-checkpoint blockade (ICB) cancer immunotherapy is compromised by increased risk of immune-related adverse events (irAEs). However, mechanistic action(s) of immune responses underlying development of irAE remain not fully explored. Here, we found that in tumor-bearing aged, but not young, mice, antiprogrammed death receptor (PD)-1 therapy elicited irAE-like multiorgan dysfunctions with ectopic accumulation of T and B cells in damaged organs. In this preclinical model, the organ toxicities were mediated by immunoglobulin G (IgG) deposition because administration of IG from ICB-treated aged mice induced the pathogenicity specifically in naïve aged hosts. Mechanistically, CD4 T-cell-derived interleukin (IL)-21 upregulated B-cell-homing chemokine, CXCL13, preferentially in irAE organs from aged mice treated with anti-PD-1 therapy. The ICB-induced pathogenicity was alleviated by B-cell depletion or by blockade of IL-21 or CXCL13 activity. These results suggest that age-associated immune regulatory milieu contributes to the formation of tertiary lymphoid structure-like lymphocytic aggregates in irAE organs and irAE-related toxicity employing IL-21-CXCL13-auto-antibody axis. Supporting this, a systemic increase in CXCL13 and Il21 expression in CD4 T cells correlated with irAE incidence in ICB-treated patients. These findings provide rationale for therapeutic usefulness of CXCL13 in irAE management.

Impacts of cytoplasmic p53 aggregates on the prognosis and the transcriptome in lung squamous cell carcinoma.

The tumor suppressor TP53 gene, the most frequently mutated gene in human cancers, produces the product tumor protein p53, which plays an essential role in DNA damage. p53 protein mutations may contribute to tumorigenesis by loss of tumor suppressive functions and malignancy of cancer cells via gain-of-oncogenic functions. We previously reported that mutant p53 proteins form aggregates and that cytoplasmic p53 aggregates were associated with poor prognosis in human ovarian cancer. However, the prognostic impact of p53 aggregation in other tumors including lung squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is poorly understood. Here, we demonstrated that lung SCC cases with cytoplasmic p53 aggregates had a significantly poor clinical prognosis. Analysis via patient-derived tumor organoids (PDOs) established from lung SCC patients and possessing cytoplasmic p53 aggregates showed that eliminating cytoplasmic p53 aggregates suppressed cell proliferation. RNA sequencing and transcriptome analysis of p53 aggregate-harboring PDOs indicated multiple candidate pathways involved in p53 aggregate oncogenic functions. With lung SCC-derived cell lines, we found that cytoplasmic p53 aggregates contributed to cisplatin resistance. This study thus shows that p53 aggregates are a predictor of poor prognosis in lung SCC and suggests that detecting p53 aggregates via p53 conventional immunohistochemical analysis may aid patient selection for platinum-based therapy.

An observational cohort study of interstitial lung abnormalities (ILAs) in a large Japanese health screening population (Kumamoto ILA study in Japan: KILA-J).

BACKGROUND: Interstitial lung abnormalities (ILAs) are subtle or mild parenchymal abnormalities observed in more than 5% of the lungs on computed tomography (CT) scans in patients in whom interstitial lung disease was not previously clinically suspected and is considered. ILA is considered to be partly undeveloped stages of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) or progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF). This study aims to clarify the frequency of subsequent IPF or PPF diagnosis, the natural course from the preclinical status of the diseases, and the course after commencing treatment. METHODS: This is an ongoing, prospective, multicentre observational cohort study of patients with ILA referred from general health screening facilities with more than 70,000 annual attendances. Up to 500 participants will be enrolled annually over 3 years, with 5-year assessments every six months. Treatment intervention including anti-fibrotic agents will be introduced in disease progression cases. The primary outcome is the frequency of subsequent IPF or PPF diagnoses. Additionally, secondary and further endpoints are associated with the efficacy of early therapeutic interventions in cases involving disease progression, including quantitative assessment by artificial intelligence. DISCUSSION: This is the first prospective, multicentre, observational study to clarify (i) the aetiological data of patients with ILA from the largest general health check-up population, (ii) the natural course of IPF or PPF from the asymptomatic stage, and (iii) the effects and outcomes of early therapeutic intervention including anti-fibrotic agents for progressive cases of ILA. The results of this study could significantly impact the clinical practice and treatment strategy for progressive fibrosing interstitial lung diseases. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: UMIN000045149.

Classification of PD-L1 expression in various cancers and macrophages based on immunohistocytological analysis.

Programmed death (PD)-1/PD-ligand 1 (PD-L1) antibodies have shown an intense clinical effect in some patients with PD-L1+ tumors, and their applications have rapidly expanded to various cancer types with or without the application of new companion diagnostics (CDx) with a lower cutoff value and inclusion of macrophage evaluation. However, the pathological background explaining the difference in the cutoff value remains unknown. To address this, we evaluated tissue array samples from 231 patients with lung adenocarcinoma, 186 with lung squamous cell carcinoma, and 38 with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who were not receiving PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies to investigate the relationship between PD-L1 expression on tumor cells and CD8+ T-cell infiltration in tumor tissues. PD-L1 expression in RCC was clearly lower than that in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissue, whereas CD8+ T-cell infiltration was low in all cancers. We next analyzed PD-L1 expression by interferon (α, ß, and γ) and LPS stimulation in both macrophages and 41 cancer cell lines derived from various organs and histological types. The PD-L1 expression patterns were classified into three types, which differed depending on each organ or tissue type. Interestingly, NSCLC cell lines showed highly diverse PD-L1 expression patterns compared with RCC cell lines. Conversely, PD-L1 expression was stronger and more prolonged in macrophages than in typical cell lines. Here, we revealed the diversity of the PD-L1 expression patterns in tumor cells and macrophages, demonstrating the pathological and cytological significance of the transition of cutoff values in PD-L1 CDx for PD-1/PD-L1 antibody administration.

Inhaled GM-CSF for Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis is a disease characterized by abnormal accumulation of surfactant in the alveoli. Most cases are autoimmune and are associated with an autoantibody against granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) that prevents clearing of pulmonary surfactant by alveolar macrophages. An open-label, phase 2 study showed some therapeutic efficacy of inhaled recombinant human GM-CSF in patients with severe pulmonary alveolar proteinosis; however, the efficacy in patients with mild-to-moderate disease remains unclear. METHODS: We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of daily inhaled recombinant human GM-CSF (sargramostim), at a dose of 125 µg twice daily for 7 days, every other week for 24 weeks, or placebo in 64 patients with autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis who had a partial pressure of arterial oxygen (Pao2) while breathing ambient air of less than 70 mm Hg (or <75 mm Hg in symptomatic patients). Patients with severe pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (Pao2 <50 mm Hg) were excluded to avoid possible exacerbation of the disease in patients who were assigned to receive placebo. The primary end point was the change in the alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient between baseline and week 25. RESULTS: The change in the mean (±SD) alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient was significantly better in the GM-CSF group (33 patients) than in the placebo group (30 patients) (mean change from baseline, -4.50±9.03 mm Hg vs. 0.17±10.50 mm Hg; P = 0.02). The change between baseline and week 25 in the density of the lung field on computed tomography was also better in the GM-CSF group (between-group difference, -36.08 Hounsfield units; 95% confidence interval, -61.58 to -6.99, calculated with the use of the Mann-Whitney U test and the Hodges-Lehmann estimate of confidence intervals for pseudo-medians). Serious adverse events developed in 6 patients in the GM-CSF group and in 3 patients in the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS: In this randomized, controlled trial, inhaled recombinant human GM-CSF was associated with a modest salutary effect on the laboratory outcome of arterial oxygen tension, and no clinical benefits were noted. (Funded by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development and the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare of Japan; PAGE ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02835742; Japan Medical Association Center for Clinical Trials number, JMA-IIA00205.).

The expression of PD-1 ligand 1 on macrophages and its clinical impacts and mechanisms in lung adenocarcinoma.

Programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and PD-1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) are target molecules for immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer. PD-L1 is expressed not only in cancer cells, but also on macrophages, and has been suggested to contribute to macrophage-mediated immune suppression. We examined the clinical significance of PD-L1 expression on macrophages in human lung adenocarcinoma. The mechanism of PD-L1 overexpression on macrophages was investigated by means of cell culture studies and animal studies. The results showed that high PD-L1 expression on macrophages was correlated with the presence of EGFR mutation, a lower cancer grade, and a shorter cancer-specific overall survival. In an in vitro study using lung cancer cell lines and human monocyte-derived macrophages, the conditioned medium from cancer cells was found to up-regulate PD-L1 expression on macrophages via STAT3 activation, and a cytokine array revealed that granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) was a candidate factor that induced PD-L1 expression. Culture studies using recombinant GM-CSF, neutralizing antibody, and inhibitors indicated that PD-L1 overexpression was induced via STAT3 activation by GM-CSF derived from cancer cells. In a murine Lewis lung carcinoma model, anti-GM-CSF therapy inhibited cancer development via the suppression of macrophage infiltration and the promotion of lymphocyte infiltration into cancer tissue; however, the PD-L1 expression on macrophages remained unchanged. PD-L1 overexpression on macrophages via the GM-CSF/STAT3 pathway was suggested to promote cancer progression in lung adenocarcinoma. Cancer cell-derived GM-CSF might be a promising target for anti-lung cancer therapy.

Cervical abscess caused by Mycobacterium tilburgii in a patient carrying anti-interferon gamma autoantibody: A case report and literature review.

Mycobacterium tilburgii, a nonculturable mycobacterium, is an important nontuberculous mycobacterium that occasionally causes serious infections in patients with cellular immune deficiencies. Due to its nonculturable nature, information about its drug susceptibility is not available, and data about its clinical response to antimycobacterial treatment remains insufficient. Here, we report a case of a patient who presented with neck swelling and was finally diagnosed with cervical abscess caused by M. tilburgii carrying anti-interferon gamma autoantibodies using a molecular method. The relevant literature was reviewed in the context of epidemiological and clinical data on M. tilburgii infections. In this report, 15 patients were reported to be infected with M. tilburgii. Almost all patients had a cellular immune deficiency and presented with disseminated infections. Multiple refractory or relapse cases that often required prolonged antimycobacterial treatment have been reported, although a few fatal cases have also been reported. In conclusion, M. tilburgii is an important pathogen in patients with cellular immune deficiency. Physicians should thoroughly investigate cellular immune deficiency, including adult-onset immune deficiency with anti-interferon gamma autoantibodies, in patients with M. tilburgii infection.

Clinical impact of cerebral infarction in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer patients have a high risk of cerebral infarction, but the clinical significance of cerebral infarction in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unclear. This study aimed to comprehensively investigate the incidence, prognostic impact, and risk factors of cerebral infarction in patients with NSCLC. METHODS: We retrospectively examined 710 consecutive patients with advanced or post-operative recurrent NSCLC treated between January 2010 and July 2020 at Kumamoto University Hospital. Cerebral infarction was diagnosed according to the detection of high-intensity lesions on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging regardless of the presence of neurological symptoms during the entire course from 3 months before NSCLC diagnosis. The prognostic impact and risk factors of cerebral infarction were evaluated based on propensity score matching (PSM) and multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Cerebral infarction occurred in 36 patients (5%). Of them, 21 (58%) and 15 (42%) patients developed asymptomatic and symptomatic cerebral infarction, respectively. PSM analysis for survival showed that cerebral infarction was an independent prognostic factor (hazards ratio: 2.45, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.24-4.85, P = 0.010). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, D-dimer (odds ratio [OR]: 1.09, 95% CI 1.05-1.14, P < 0.001) and C-reactive protein (OR: 1.10, 95% CI 1.01-1.19, P = 0.023) levels were independent risk factors. CONCLUSION: Cerebral infarction occurred in 5% of NSCLC patients, and asymptomatic cerebral infarction was more frequent. Cerebral infarction was a negative prognostic factor and was associated with hyper-coagulation and inflammation. The high frequency of asymptomatic cerebral infarction and its risk in NSCLC patients with these conditions should be recognized.

The new useful high-resolution computed tomography finding for diagnosing fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis: "hexagonal pattern": a single-center retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Centrilobular nodules, ground-glass opacity (GGO), mosaic attenuation, air trapping, and three-density pattern were reported as high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings characteristic of fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP). However, it is often difficult to differentiate fibrotic HP from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). In fibrotic HP, the HRCT sometimes shows tortoiseshell-like interlobular septal thickening that extends from the subpleural lesion to the inner layers. This finding is called "hexagonal pattern," and this study is focused on the possibility that such finding is useful for differentiating fibrotic HP from IPF. METHODS: This study included patients with multidisciplinary discussion (MDD) diagnosis of fibrotic HP or IPF undergoing surgical lung biopsy between January 2015 and December 2017 in Kanagawa Cardiovascular and Respiratory Center. Two radiologists have evaluated the HRCT findings without clinical and pathological information. RESULTS: A total of 23 patients were diagnosed with fibrotic HP by MDD and 48 with IPF. Extensive GGO, centrilobular nodules, and hexagonal pattern were more frequent findings in fibrotic HP than in IPF. No significant difference was observed between the two groups in the presence or absence of mosaic attenuation, air trapping, or three-density pattern. In the multivariate logistic regression, the presence of extensive GGO and hexagonal pattern was associated with increased odds ratio of fibrotic HP. The sensitivity and specificity of the diagnosis of fibrotic HP in the presence of the hexagonal pattern were 69.6% and 87.5%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Hexagonal pattern is a useful finding for differentiating fibrotic HP from IPF.

A novel technique for assessment of post-extubation airway obstruction can successfully replace the conventional cuff leak test: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Post-extubation airway obstruction is an important complication of tracheal intubation. The cuff leak test is traditionally used to estimate the risk of this complication. However, the cuff leak test parameters are not constant and may depend on the respiratory system and ventilator settings. Furthermore, deflating the cuff also be a risk factor for patient-ventilator asynchrony and ventilator-associated pneumonia. Instead of using the cuff leak test, we measured the pressure of the leak to the upper airway through the gap between the tube and glottis with a constant low flow from the lumen above the cuff without deflating the cuff and called it "pressure above the cuff." The purpose of this study was to investigate whether pressure above the cuff can be used as an alternative to the cuff leak volume. METHODS: This prospective observational study was conducted at Kumamoto University Hospital after obtaining approval from the institutional review board. The pressure above the cuff was measured using an endotracheal tube with an evacuation lumen above the cuff and an automated cuff pressure modulation device. We pumped 0.16 L per minute of air and measured the steady-state pressure using an automated cuff pressure modulation device. Then, the cuff leak test was performed, and the cuff leak volume was recorded. The cuff leak volume was defined as the difference between the expiratory tidal volume with the cuff inflated and deflated. The relationship between the pressure above the cuff and cuff leak volume was evaluated. The patient-ventilator asynchrony during each measurement was also examined. RESULTS: The pressure above the cuff was measured, and the cuff leak volume was assessed 27 times. The pressure above the cuff was significantly correlated with the cuff leak volume (r = -0.76, p < 0.001). Patient-ventilator asynchrony was detected in 37% of measurements during the cuff leak test, but not during the pressure above the cuff test. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that pressure above the cuff measurement may be a less complicated alternative to the conventional cuff leak test for evaluation of the risk of post-extubation airway obstruction. TRIAL REGISTRATION: University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN000039987; March 30, 2020). https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000044604.

Clinical Implications and Molecular Characterization of Drebrin-Positive, Tumor-Infiltrating Exhausted T Cells in Lung Cancer.

T cells express an actin-binding protein, drebrin, which is recruited to the contact site between the T cells and antigen-presenting cells during the formation of immunological synapses. However, little is known about the clinical implications of drebrin-expressing, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). To address this issue, we evaluated 34 surgical specimens of pathological stage I-IIIA squamous cell lung cancer. The immune context of primary tumors was investigated using fluorescent multiplex immunohistochemistry. The high-speed scanning of whole-slide images was performed, and the tissue localization of TILs in the tumor cell nest and surrounding stroma was automatically profiled and quantified. Drebrin-expressing T cells were characterized using drebrin+ T cells induced in vitro and publicly available single-cell RNA sequence (scRNA-seq) database. Survival analysis using the propensity scores revealed that a high infiltration of drebrin+ TILs within the tumor cell nest was independently associated with short relapse-free survival and overall survival. Drebrin+ T cells induced in vitro co-expressed multiple exhaustion-associated molecules. The scRNA-seq analyses confirmed that the exhausted tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells specifically expressed drebrin. Our study suggests that drebrin-expressing T cells present an exhausted phenotype and that tumor-infiltrating drebrin+ T cells affect clinical outcomes in patients with resectable squamous cell lung cancer.

Development of potent antipseudomonal ß-lactams by means of polycarboxylation of aminopenicillins.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative opportunistic pathogen that presents a serious risk to immunosuppressed individuals and other extremely vulnerable patients such as those in intensive care units. The emergence of multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas strains has increased the need for new antipseudomonal agents. In this study, a series of amino group-modified aminopenicillin derivatives was synthesized that have different numbers of carboxyl groups and structurally resemble carboxypenicillin-ureidopenicillin hybrids, and their antipseudomonal activities were evaluated. Among the derivatives synthesized, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)-modified amoxicillin (DTPA-Amox) showed potent antipseudomonal activity, not only against the laboratory strain PAO1 but also against clinically isolated Pseudomonas strains that were resistant to piperacillin and carbenicillin. DTPA-Amox had no obvious cytotoxic effects on cultured mammalian cells. In addition, in an in vivo model of leukopenia, DTPA-Amox treatment produced a moderate but statistically significant improvement in the survival of mice with P. aeruginosa strain PAO1 infection. These data suggest that polycarboxylation by DTPA conjugation is an effective approach to enhance antipseudomonal activity of aminopenicillins.

Airway Pseudomonas aeruginosa density in mechanically ventilated patients: clinical impact and relation to therapeutic efficacy of antibiotics.

BACKGROUND: The bacterial density of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is closely related to its pathogenicity. We evaluated the effect of airway P. aeruginosa density on the clinical course of mechanically ventilated patients and the therapeutic efficacy of antibiotics. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data of mechanically ventilated ICU patients with P. aeruginosa isolated from endotracheal aspirates. Patients were divided into three groups according to the peak P. aeruginosa density during ICU stay: low (≤ 104 cfu/mL), moderate (105‒106 cfu/mL), and high (≥ 107 cfu/mL) peak density groups. The relationship between peak P. aeruginosa density and weaning from mechanical ventilation, risk factors for isolation of high peak density of P. aeruginosa, and antibiotic efficacy were investigated using multivariate and propensity score-matched analyses. RESULTS: Four-hundred-and-sixty-one patients were enrolled. Patients with high peak density of P. aeruginosa had higher inflammation and developed more severe respiratory infections. High peak density of P. aeruginosa was independently associated with few ventilator-free days on day 28 (P < 0.01) and increased ICU mortality (P = 0.047). Risk factors for high peak density of P. aeruginosa were prolonged mechanical ventilation (odd ratio [OR] 3.07 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.35‒6.97), non-antipseudomonal cephalosporins (OR 2.17, 95% CI 1.35‒3.49), hyperglycemia (OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.26‒3.22) during ICU stay, and respiratory diseases (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.12‒3.23). Isolation of commensal colonizer was associated with lower risks of high peak density of P. aeruginosa (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.26‒0.73). Propensity score-matched analysis revealed that antibiotic therapy for patients with ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis improved weaning from mechanical ventilation only in the high peak P. aeruginosa group. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with high peak density of P. aeruginosa had worse ventilator outcome and ICU mortality. In patients with ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis, antibiotic therapy was associated with favorable ventilator weaning only in the high peak P. aeruginosa density group, and bacterial density could be a good therapeutic indicator for ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis due to P. aeruginosa.

CD163-positive cancer cells are a predictor of a worse clinical course in lung adenocarcinoma.

CD163 is one of the scavenger receptors expressed on macrophages. However, several immunohistochemical studies have demonstrated that CD163 is also detected on cancer cells, and is associated with a poor prognosis. In the present study, we detected CD163 staining on cancer cells in lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and investigated the relationship between CD163 on cancer cells and the clinical prognosis. CD163 staining was seen in 128 of 342 adenocarcinoma cases and 35 of 103 SCC cases. Among the lung adenocarcinoma cases, the progression-free survival and overall survival were significantly shorter in the CD163 high group than the CD163 low group. A similar trend was observed among the SCC cases, but the difference was not statistically significant. Additionally, a higher number of macrophages was detected in areas with CD163-positive cancer cells when compared to areas with CD163-negative cancer cells. In summary, we found that CD163-positive cancer cells are a predictor of a worse clinical course in lung adenocarcinoma and SCC.

Clinical outcomes and predictive value of programmed cell death-ligand 1 expression in response to anti-programmed cell death 1/ligand 1 antibodies in non-small cell lung cancer patients with performance status 2 or greater.

BACKGROUND: Anti-programmed cell death protein-1/ligand-1 (anti-PD-1/PD-L1) therapy is promising for patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, clinical trials have focused on patients with a performance status (PS) 0 or 1. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes and correlation between PD-L1 expression status and tumor response to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy among NSCLC patients with poor PS (i.e., PS ≥ 2). METHODS: In total, 130 patients with NSCLC and PS ≥ 2 treated with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 monotherapy at 12 institutions between January 2016 and August 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. PD-L1 expression status was divided into four groups: < 1%, 1-49%, ≥ 50%, and unknown. RESULTS: The objective response rate and PS improvement rate were 23 and 21% and were higher in the PD-L1 ≥ 50% group than in other groups (P < 0.01). Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 62 days and was longer in the PD-L1 ≥ 50% group than in other groups (P = 0.03). Multivariate analyses revealed that PD-L1 expression is significantly associated with prolonged PFS (PD-L1 < 1%; reference; 1-49%, hazard ratio [HR] 0.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.04-0.99, P = 0.05; ≥ 50%, HR 0.12, 95% CI 0.02-0.71, P = 0.02; unknown, HR 0.30, 95% CI 0.08-1.22, P = 0.09). CONCLUSIONS: NSCLC patients with poor PS and PD-L1 ≥ 50% are expected to benefit from anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy, despite a modest overall response among NSCLC patients with poor PS. Accordingly, PD-L1 expression provides useful information regarding decision-making for anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy even in these populations.

Validation of a breath-holding test as a screening test for exercise-induced hypoxemia in chronic respiratory diseases.

The detection of exercise-induced hypoxemia is important for evaluating disease status in patients with chronic respiratory diseases. The 6-min walk test (6MWT) is useful for detecting exercise-induced hypoxemia. This pilot study aimed to validate the breath-holding test (BHT) as a screening for exercise-induced hypoxemia and compare its utility with that of the 6MWT in patients with chronic respiratory diseases. Fifty-nine patients with chronic respiratory diseases underwent BHTs lasting 10, 15, and 20 s. Percutaneous oxygen saturation (SpO2), pulse rate, and severity of dyspnoea were measured. The participants also underwent a 6MWT, a pulmonary function test, and analysis of arterial blood gas at rest. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to identify significant predictors of desaturation in the 6MWT. The minimum SpO2 during the BHT (all durations) and 6MWT were significantly correlated. Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed the optimal cut-off for predicting SpO2 < 90% during the 6MWT as a minimum SpO2 ≤ 94% during the 15-s BHT. Perceived dyspnoea and maximum pulse rate were significantly lower during the 15-s BHT than during the 6MWT. In the multivariate linear regression analysis, the minimum SpO2 during the 15-s BHT (ß, 0.565, p < 0.001) and %DLco (ß, 0.255, p < 0.028) were independent predictors of desaturation in the 6MWT. The minimum SpO2 during the 15-s BHT may be a useful measure for screening for exercise-induced hypoxemia in patients with chronic respiratory diseases. The BHT is easier to perform, more readily available, and better tolerated than the 6MWT.

[Primary Pulmonary Amyloidosis with a Localized Consolidation:Report of Two Cases].

We experienced two cases of primary pulmonary amyloidosis with a localized consolidation. Case 1 is a 80-year-old man, who was found to have an abnormal chest nodular shadow with blurred margin at a medical examination. Chest computed tomography( CT) showed a localized consolidation on the periphery of the upper lobe of the right lung. A CT-guided biopsy was performed. Case 2 is a 66-year-old woman, who was found to have an abnormal chest opacity at a medical examination. Chest CT showed a localized gathering of small nodules in the right lower lobe. Gradual enlargement was noted by follow up CT and the accumulation of fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) was shown by PET/CT. In consideration of primary lung cancer or malignant lymphoma, right lower lobectomy was performed. Both cases were pathologically diagnosed as pulmonary amyloidosis. Since no findings of amyloid deposits in other organs or of existence of any blood disorders, a diagnosis of primary pulmonary amyloidosis was made.

Distinct transcriptional programs of SOX2 in different types of small cell lung cancers.

SOX2 is recognized as an oncogene in human small cell lung cancer (SCLC), which is an aggressive neuroendocrine (NE) tumor. However, the role of SOX2 in SCLC is not completely understood, and strategies to selectively target SOX2 in SCLC cells remain elusive. Here, we show, using next-generation sequencing, that SOX2 expressed in the ASCL1-high SCLC (SCLC-A) subtype cell line is dependent on ASCL1, which is a lineage-specific transcriptional factor, and is involved in NE differentiation and tumorigenesis. ASCL1 recruits SOX2, which promotes INSM1 and WNT11 expression. Immunohistochemical studies revealed that SCLC tissue samples expressed SOX2, ASCL1, and INSM1 in 18 out of the 30 cases (60%). Contrary to the ASCL1-SOX2 signaling axis controlling SCLC biology in the SCLC-A subtype, SOX2 targets distinct genes such as those related to the Hippo pathway in the ASCL1-negative, YAP1-high SCLC (SCLC-Y) subtype. Although SOX2 knockdown experiments suppressed NE differentiation and cell proliferation in the SCLC-A subtype, they did not sufficiently impair the growth of the SCLC-Y subtype cell lines in vitro and ex vivo. The present results support the importance of the ASCL1-SOX2 axis as a main subtype of SCLC, and suggest the therapeutic potential of targeting the ASCL1-SOX2 axis.

Serum Anti-interferon-γ Autoantibody Titer as a Potential Biomarker of Disseminated Non-tuberculous Mycobacterial Infection.

PURPOSE: In the past decade, the relationship between naturally occurring interferon-γ-neutralizing autoantibodies (IFNγ-Ab) and disseminated non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infection has been established. Furthermore, immune suppressive therapy aimed at the suppression of antibody production has shown efficacy as a supportive treatment. However, the nature of antibody behavior and antibody titer during the course of this disease, as well as the pathophysiological significance of IFNγ-Ab, has not yet been fully elucidated. METHODS: Thirteen Japanese subjects suffering from disseminated NTM (dNTM) infection with IFNγ-Ab were evaluated. The fluctuation of IFNγ-Ab titer and the neutralizing capacity against IFN-γ during the course of the disease were retrospectively analyzed. IFNγ-Ab titers in the sera were quantified using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; neutralizing capacity was evaluated via flow cytometry. RESULTS: Serum antibody titers were not constant during the treatment period and varied over the course of the disease. The antibody titer decreased when the disease was improved by anti-mycobacterial treatment (p < 0.01) and increased as the disease progressed (p < 0.05). Even after the antibody titer decreased, the neutralizing capacity against IFN-γ was maintained by individual sera. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the improvement in the pathological condition via treatment, the patients' sera maintained neutralizing capacity against IFN-γ. Antibody titer fluctuated over the course of the disease and exhibited potential as a biomarker for judgment of the disease state.

Association of upper and lower airway eosinophilic inflammation with response to omalizumab in patients with severe asthma.

Background: The anti-immunoglobulin E monoclonal antibody, omalizumab, is used to treat severe asthma and has the potential to ameliorate airway inflammation. However, the effect of omalizumab in ameliorating upper airway inflammation has not been fully elucidated. Objective: We investigated the association of upper and lower airway inflammation with the response to omalizumab treatment. Methods: We used the Global Evaluation of Treatment Effectiveness to assess the efficacy of omalizumab in treating 16 patients with severe asthma. We also investigated the symptom score, short-acting ß-agonist inhaler use, pulmonary function, biomarkers, computed tomography scans, and nasal mucosa pathology at omalizumab initiation and after four months of treatment. Results: When the fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and the percentage of sputum eosinophil were used as indicators of lower airway inflammation, positive correlations were found between CD20 B-cell, mast cell, and eosinophil counts in the nasal mucosa. Improved asthma symptoms were observed in 12 of the 16 severe asthma cases. The FeNO and eosinophil levels in the nasal tissue, prior to the administration of omalizumab were predictors of the response to asthma treatment. Conclusions: These findings suggest heterogeneity among people with severe asthma. In addition, the phenotype associated with response to omalizumab, leading to improvement in asthma symptoms, comprises upper airway eosinophilia and high FeNO levels.