Unveiling the PDK4-centered rituximab-resistant mechanism in DLBCL: the potential of the "Smart" exosome nanoparticle therapy.

BACKGROUND: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) represents a prevalent malignant tumor, with approximately 40% of patients encountering treatment challenges or relapse attributed to rituximab resistance, primarily due to diminished or absent CD20 expression. Our prior research identified PDK4 as a key driver of rituximab resistance through its negative regulation of CD20 expression. Further investigation into PDK4's resistance mechanism and the development of advanced exosome nanoparticle complexes may unveil novel resistance targets and pave the way for innovative, effective treatment modalities for DLBCL. METHODS: We utilized a DLBCL-resistant cell line with high PDK4 expression (SU-DHL-2/R). We infected it with short hairpin RNA (shRNA) lentivirus for RNA sequencing, aiming to identify significantly downregulated mRNA in resistant cells. Techniques including immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, and Western blotting were employed to determine PDK4's localization and expression in resistant cells and its regulatory role in phosphorylation of Histone deacetylase 8 (HDAC8). Furthermore, we engineered advanced exosome nanoparticle complexes, aCD20@ExoCTX/siPDK4, through cellular, genetic, and chemical engineering methods. These nanoparticles underwent characterization via Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and their cellular uptake was assessed through flow cytometry. We evaluated the nanoparticles' effects on apoptosis in DLBCL-resistant cells and immune cells using CCK-8 assays and flow cytometry. Additionally, their capacity to counteract resistance and exert anti-tumor effects was tested in a resistant DLBCL mouse model. RESULTS: We found that PDK4 initiates HDAC8 activation by phosphorylating the Ser-39 site, suppressing CD20 protein expression through deacetylation. The aCD20@ExoCTX/siPDK4 nanoparticles served as effective intracellular delivery mechanisms for gene therapy and monoclonal antibodies, simultaneously inducing apoptosis in resistant DLBCL cells and triggering immunogenic cell death in tumor cells. This dual action effectively reversed the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, showcasing a synergistic therapeutic effect in a subcutaneous mouse tumor resistance model. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that PDK4 contributes to rituximab resistance in DLBCL by modulating CD20 expression via HDAC8 phosphorylation. The designed exosome nanoparticles effectively overcome this resistance by targeting the PDK4/HDAC8/CD20 pathway, representing a promising approach for drug delivery and treating patients with Rituximab-resistant DLBCL.

Proangiogenic effect and underlying mechanism of holmium oxide nanoparticles: a new biomaterial for tissue engineering.

BACKGROUND: Early angiogenesis provides nutrient supply for bone tissue repair, and insufficient angiogenesis will lead tissue engineering failure. Lanthanide metal nanoparticles (LM NPs) are the preferred materials for tissue engineering and can effectively promote angiogenesis. Holmium oxide nanoparticles (HNPs) are LM NPs with the function of bone tissue "tracking" labelling. Preliminary studies have shown that HNPs has potential of promote angiogenesis, but the specific role and mechanism remain unclear. This limits the biological application of HNPs. RESULTS: In this study, we confirmed that HNPs promoted early vessel formation, especially that of H-type vessels in vivo, thereby accelerating bone tissue repair. Moreover, HNPs promoted angiogenesis by increasing cell migration, which was mediated by filopodia extension in vitro. At the molecular level, HNPs interact with the membrane protein EphrinB2 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), and phosphorylated EphrinB2 can bind and activate VAV2, which is an activator of the filopodia regulatory protein CDC42. When these three molecules were inhibited separately, angiogenesis was reduced. CONCLUSION: Overall, our study confirmed that HNPs increased cell migration to promote angiogenesis for the first time, which is beneficial for bone repair. The EphrinB2/VAV2/CDC42 signalling pathway regulates cell migration, which is an important target of angiogenesis. Thus, HNPs are a new candidate biomaterial for tissue engineering, providing new insights into their biological application.

MRI T2WI-based radiomics combined with KRAS gene mutation constructed models for predicting liver metastasis in rectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: The study aimed to identify the optimal model for predicting rectal cancer liver metastasis (RCLM). This involved constructing various prediction models to aid clinicians in early diagnosis and precise decision-making. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 193 patients diagnosed with rectal adenocarcinoma were randomly divided into training set (n = 136) and validation set (n = 57) at a ratio of 7:3. The predictive performance of three models was internally validated by 10-fold cross-validation in the training set. Delineation of the tumor region of interest (ROI) was performed, followed by the extraction of radiomics features from the ROI. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression algorithm and multivariate Cox analysis were employed to reduce the dimensionality of radiomics features and identify significant features. Logistic regression was employed to construct three prediction models: clinical, radiomics, and combined models (radiomics + clinical). The predictive performance of each model was assessed and compared. RESULTS: KRAS mutation emerged as an independent predictor of liver metastasis, yielding an odds ratio (OR) of 8.296 (95%CI: 3.471-19.830; p < 0.001). 5 radiomics features will be used to construct radiomics model. The combined model was built by integrating radiomics model with clinical model. In both the training set (AUC:0.842, 95%CI: 0.778-0.907) and the validation set (AUC: 0.805; 95%CI: 0.692-0.918), the AUCs for the combined model surpassed those of the radiomics and clinical models. CONCLUSIONS: Our study reveals that KRAS mutation stands as an independent predictor of RCLM. The radiomics features based on MR play a crucial role in the evaluation of RCLM. The combined model exhibits superior performance in the prediction of liver metastasis. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.

Multi-omics provides new insights into the domestication and improvement of dark jute (Corchorus olitorius).

Jute (Corchorus sp.) is the most important bast fiber crop worldwide; however, the mechanisms underlying domestication and improvement remain largely unknown. We performed multi-omics analysis by integrating de novo sequencing, resequencing, and transcriptomic and epigenetic sequencing to clarify the domestication and improvement of dark jute Corchorus olitorius. We demonstrated that dark jute underwent early domestication and a relatively moderate genetic bottleneck during improvement breeding. A genome-wide association study of 11 important agronomic traits identified abundant candidate loci. We characterized the selective sweeps in the two breeding stages of jute, prominently, soil salinity differences played an important role in environmental adaptation during domestication, and the strongly selected genes for improvement had an increased frequency of favorable haplotypes. Furthermore, we speculated that an encoding auxin/indole-3-acetic acid protein COS07g_00652 could enhance the flexibility and strength of the stem to improve fiber yield. Our study not only provides valuable genetic resources for future fiber breeding in jute, but also is of great significance for reviewing the genetic basis of early crop breeding.

ND630 controls ACACA and lipid reprogramming in prostate cancer by regulating the expression of circKIF18B_003.

BACKGROUND: ND630 is believed to be a new therapy pharmacologic molecule in targeting the expression of ACACA and regulating the lipid metabolism. However, the function of ND630 in prostate cancer remains unknown. KIF18B, as an oncogene, plays a vital role in prostate cancer progression. circKIF18B_003 was derived from oncogene KIF18B and was markedly overexpressed in prostate cancer tissues. We speculated that oncoprotein KIF18B-derived circRNA circKIF18B_003 might have roles in prostate cancer promotion. The aim of this study was to validate whether ND630 could control ACACA and lipid reprogramming in prostate cancer by regulating the expression of circKIF18B_003. METHODS: RT-qPCR was used to analyze the expression of circKIF18B_003 in prostate cancer cell lines and prostate cancer samples. circKIF18B_003 expression was modulated in prostate cancer cells using circKIF18B_003 interference or overexpression plasmid. We examined the function and effects of circKIF18B_003 in prostate cancer cells using CCK-8, colony formation, wound healing, and Transwell invasion assays and xenograft models. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was performed to evaluate the localization of circKIF18B_003. RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), RNA pull down, and luciferase reporter assay were performed to explore the potential mechanism of circKIF18B_003. RESULTS: The function of ND630 was determined in this study. circKIF18B_003 was overexpressed in prostate cancer tissues, and overexpression of circKIF18B_003 was associated with poor survival outcome of prostate cancer patients. The proliferation, migration, and invasion of prostate cancer cells were enhanced after up-regulation of circKIF18B_003. circKIF18B_003 is mainly located in the cytoplasm of prostate cancer cells, and the RIP and RNA pull down assays confirmed that circKIF18B_003 could act as a sponge for miR-370-3p. Further study demonstrated that up-regulation of circKIF18B_003 increased the expression of ACACA by sponging miR-370-3p. The malignant ability of prostate cancer cells enhanced by overexpression of circKIF18B_003 was reversed by the down-regulation of ACACA. We found that overexpression of circKIF18B_003 was associated with lipid metabolism, and a combination of ND-630 and docetaxel markedly attenuated tumor growth. CONCLUSION: ND630 could control ACACA and lipid reprogramming in prostate cancer by regulating the expression of circKIF18B_003. ND630 and circKIF18B_003 may represent a novel target for prostate cancer.

Risk factors for lymphorrhea and lymphocele after radical prostatectomy: a retrospective case-control study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the risk factors for postoperative lymphorrhea or/and lymphocele (PLL) in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical data of 606 patients were retrospectively collected. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was utilized to identify the optimal cutoff value. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to screen the independent predictors of PLL. RESULTS: Univariate analysis showed that nine factors differed between the PLL and non-PLL group. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that low preoperative fibrinogen level, extraperitoneal surgery, robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALRP), and hypoalbuminemia were risk factors and the use of fibrin glue was a protective factor. Correlation analysis showed that the scope of LN dissection (LND) and number of lymph nodes (LNs) dissected were positively correlated with PLL in the extraperitoneal approach, but were not significantly correlated with PLL in the transperitoneal approach. The use of fibrin glue was negatively associated with PLL in the overall procedure and the extraperitoneal approach, but not significantly so in the transperitoneal approach. Comparison of LNs clearance between the two surgical approaches revealed that the extent of LND and number of LNs dissected in the extraperitoneal approach were less than in the transperitoneal approach. CONCLUSION: During RALRP, more attention should be paid to fully clotting the broken end of lymphatic vessels. The use of fibrin glue could reduce the probability of PLL. The extent of LND or number of LNs dissected were positively correlated with PLL in the extraperitoneal approach.

Soil pH management for mitigating N2O emissions through nosZ (Clade I and II) gene abundance in rice paddy system.

Soil nitrous oxide (N2O) is produced by abiotic and biotic processes, but it is solely consumed by denitrifying microbes-encoded by nosZ genes. The nosZ gene includes two groups i.e. Clade I and Clade II, which are highly sensitive to pH. Managing pH of acidic soils can substantially influence soil N2O production or consumption through nosZ gene abundance. Nevertheless, the response of nosZ (Clade I and Clade II) to pH management needs elucidation in acidic soils. To clarify this research question, a pot experiment growing rice crop was conducted with three treatments: control (only soil), low dose of dolomite (LDD), and high dose of dolomite (HDD). The soil pH increased from 5.41 to 6.23 in the control, 6.5 in LDD and 6.8 in HDD treatment under flooded condition. The NH4+ and NO3- contents increased and reached the maximum at 30.4 and 21.5 mg kg-1, respectively, in HDD treatment under flooding condition. The contents of dissolved organic carbon and microbial biomass carbon showed a swift rise at midseason aeration and reached maximum at 30.7 and 101 mg kg-1 in the HDD treatment. Clade I, Clade II and 16S rRNA genes abundance increased with the onset of flooding, and occurred maximum in the HDD treatment. A peak in N2O emissions (5.96 µg kg-1 h-1) occurred at midseason events in the control when no dolomite was added. Dolomite application significantly (p ≤ 0.001) suppressed N2O emissions, and HDD treatment was more effective in reducing emissions. Pearson correlation, linear regressions and principal component analysis displayed that increased soil pH and Clade I and Clade II were the main controlling factors for N2O emission mitigation in acidic soil. This research demonstrates that ameliorating soil acidity with dolomite application is a potential option for the mitigation of N2O emissions.

Ascription of nosZ gene, pH and copper for mitigating N2O emissions in acidic soils.

Soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions are alarming for global warming and climate change. N2O reduction is carried out only by nosZ gene encoded N2O-reductase, which is highly sensitive to acidic pH and copper (Cu) contents. Therefore, a microcosm study was conducted to examine the attribution of soil pH management, Cu supply and nosZ gene abundance for N2O emission mitigation. Cu was applied at the dose of 0, 10, 25 and 50 mg kg-1 to three acidic soils (Soil 1, 2 and 3) without and with dolomite (0 and 5 g kg-1). Cu application and soil pH increment substantially enlarged the abundance of nosZ gene, and consequently mitigated soil N2O emissions; highest reduction with 25 Cu mg kg-1. Decline in NH4+ and subsequently accumulation of NO3-, and large contents of MBC and DOC in dolomite treated soils led to a substantial N2O reduction. The cumulative N2O emissions were lowest in the treatment of 25 Cu mg kg-1 with dolomite application for each soil. Results suggest that soil pH increment, an adequate Cu supply, and nosZ gene abundance can potentially lower soil N2O emissions in acidic soils.

The effects of continuous straw returning strategies on SOC balance upon fresh straw incorporation.

Continuous straw returning is widely encouraged for augmenting soil organic carbon (SOC) in arable lands. However, the magnitude of changes in net SOC related to native SOC mineralization and new SOC development upon fresh straw incorporation remains elusive, particularly in soils after continuous straw returning with different strategies. To address this, soil that had undergone nine years of straw returning with different strategies (NS, non-straw returning; DS, direct straw returning; IS, indirect straw returning) was incubated with fresh 13C-labeled straw for 45 days. Fresh straw incorporation stimulated native SOC-derived CO2 emission in DS soil, which in turn promoted straw-derived CO2 emission in IS soil. Overall, the amounts of newly developed SOC from straw (2.41-2.59 g C/kg soil) overcompensated for the native SOC losses (0.91-1.37 g C/kg soil) by mineralization, and led to net C sequestration in all treatments. No obvious difference was found in the amounts of SOC sequestrated from straw between the DS and NS soils, while the amount of native SOC mineralization increased by 40-50% in the DS soil relative to other treatments, thus resulting in lower net C sequestration in the DS soil (1.21 g C/kg soil) than IS and NS soil (1.43 and 1.65 g C/kg for IS and NS soil, respectively). Spearman's correlation analyses indicated a significant (p < 0.01) and positive correlation between SOC contents and native soil C mineralization, while the soil microbial index played a greater role in influencing fresh straw sequestration (p < 0.01). In conclusion, the DS soil showed a weaker effect on SOC sequestration than IS after 9 years of practices, upon fresh straw incorporation. This difference may be attributed to the magnitude of native SOC mineralization in the soil. Besides the straw-C input rate, results emphasize that native soil C protection should be also considered in long-term SOC sequestration practices.

Enzyme activities and organic matter mineralization in response to application of gypsum, manure and rice straw in saline and sodic soils.

Saline and alkaline soils are a challenge for sustainable crop production. The use of organic and inorganic amendments is a common practice to increase the fertility of salt-affected soils that can trigger faster carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling. We examined the effects of gypsum (Gyps), farm manure (Manure) and rice straw (Straw) on enzyme activities, organic matter mineralization and CO2 emissions in two salt-affected soils [Solonchak (saline); pH: 8, electrical conductivity (EC): 6.5, sodium adsorption ratio (SAR): 2.5, and Solonetz (alkaline sodic); pH: 8.9, EC: 1.6, SAR: 17]. Gypsum addition decreased soil pH up to 0.62 and 0.30 units, SAR 1.2 and 5.2 units, and EC 2.9 and 1.4 units in Solonchak and Solonetz, respectively. Dissolved organic C, microbial biomass C, dissolved organic N, mineral N (NO3- and NH4+), enzyme activities (urease, invertase, catalase, phosphatase, phenol-oxidase), alkali extractable phenols, and available phosphorous increased with the application of all amendments in both soils. Solonetz released more CO2 than Solonchak, whereas maximum CO2 emissions were common after manure application (3140 mg kg-1 in Solonchak, and 3890 mg kg-1 in Solonetz). We conclude that high SAR and low EC increase CO2 emissions through accelerated C and N cycling and manure decomposition in Solonetz soils.

Characterization of four mitochondrial genomes of Crambidae (Lepidoptera, Pyraloidea) and phylogenetic implications.

Loxostege turbidalis, Loxostege aeruginalis, Pyrausta despicata, and Crambus perlellus belong to Crambidae, Pyraloidea. Their mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) were successfully sequenced. The mitogenomes of L. turbidalis, L. aeruginalis, P. despicata, and C. perlellus are 15 240 bp, 15 339 bp, 15 389 bp, and 15 440 bp. The four mitogenomes all have a typical insect mitochondrial gene order, including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, two ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, and one A + T rich region (control region). The PCGs are initiated by the typical ATN codons, except CGA for the cox1 gene. Most PCGs terminate with common codon TAA or TAG, the incomplete codon T is found as the stop codon for cox2, nad4, and nad5. Most tRNA genes exhibit typical cloverleaf structure, except trnS1 (AGN) lacking the dihydrouridine (DHU) arm. The secondary structure of rRNA of four mitogenomes were predicted. Poly-T structure and micro-satellite regions are conserved in control regions. The phylogenetic analyses based on 13 PCGs showed the relationships of subfamilies in Pyraloidea. Pyralidae, and Crambidae are monophyletic, respectively. Pyralidae comprises four subfamilies, which form the following topology with high support values: (Galleriinae + ((Pyralinae + Epipaschiinae)+ Phycitinae)). Crambidae includes seven subfamilies and is divided into two lineages. Pyraustinae and Spilomelinae are sister groups of each other, and form the "PS clade." Other five subfamilies (Crambinae, Acentropinae, Scopariinae, Schoenobiinae, and Glaphyriinae) form the "non-PS clade" in the Bayesian inference tree. However, Schoenobiinae is not grouped with the other four subfamilies and located at the base of Crambidae in two maximum likelihood trees.

Earthworms promote the transfer of 15N-urea to lettuce while limit appreciably increase 15N losing to environment.

Earthworm activities not only increase nitrogen (N) uptake by crops, but also lead to N losing to environment. Thus, the present study examined the transformation of 15N-labeled urea with and without earthworms (Metaphire guillelmi) in a soil-lettuce system. We evaluated lettuce 15N uptake, 15N losses including N2O emission, NH3 volatilization and leaching, as well as 15N remaining in soil. Results showed that 15N-urea uptakes by lettuce significantly increased from 33.07% to 42.72% with earthworm presence. However, little difference was found on the total amounts of leaching and gaseous losses (N2O emission and NH3 volatilization) from 15N-urea between the treatment with and without earthworms (4.04 and 5.38%, respectively). Most of the 15N-urea remained in the soil, accounting for 48.44% and 60.65% of the 15N-urea in soil with and without earthworm presence. We conclude that earthworms enhanced the transfer of 15N-urea to lettuce without appreciably increasing the 15N-urea loss from soil to the environment.

Identification of novel genes in testicular cancer microenvironment based on ESTIMATE algorithm-derived immune scores.

Testicular cancer is the most common solid malignancy among young men. We downloaded data of testicular cancer patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas database to find novel genes in the testicular cancer microenviroment based on ESTIMATE algorithm-derived immune scores. A total of 156 cases of testicular cancer were included in this study and 165 cases of normal testicular tissues were used. We divided the testicular cancer patients into high- and low-score groups based on their immune scores. We identified 1,226 differentially expressed genes (fold change > 2, false discovery rate < 0.05), including 688 downregulated genes and 538 upregulated genes, between these two groups. The top Gene Ontology terms were involved in the immune response-regulating cell surface receptor signaling pathway, immune response-activating cell surface receptor signaling pathway, external side of the plasma membrane, and receptor ligand activity. By performing the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis, we demonstrated that cAMP signaling pathway was highly enriched among these differentially expressed genes. High expression of LINC01564, LINC02208, ODAM, RNA5SP111, and RNU6-196P were found to be associated with poor overall survival. The expression of genes was further validated by the Human Protein Atlas and only ALB and IFNG were demonstrated to be differentially expressed between testis tissue and testicular cancer tissue.

Tumor volume: a new prognostic factor of oncological outcome of localized clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is one of the most frequent malignancies; however, the present prognostic factors was deficient. This study aims to explore whether there is a relationship between tumor volume (TV) and oncological outcomes for localized ccRCC. METHODS: Seven hundred forty-nine localized ccRCC patients underwent surgery in our hospital. TV was outlined and calculated using a three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy planning system. We used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to identified optimal cut-off value. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression models were performed to explore the association between TV and oncological outcomes. Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to estimate survival probabilities and determine the significance, respectively. Time-dependent ROC curve was utilized to assess the prognostic effect. RESULTS: Log rank test showed that higher Fuhrman grade, advanced pT classification and higher TV were associated with shortened OS, cancer-specific survival (CSS), freedom from metastasis (FFM) and freedom from local recurrence (FFLR). multivariable analysis showed higher Fuhrman grade and higher TV were predictors of adverse OS and CSS. The AUC of TV for FFLR was 0.822. The AUC of TV (0.864) for FFM was higher than that of pT classification (0.818) and Fuhrman grade (0.803). For OS and CSS, the AUC of TV was higher than that of Fuhrman grade (0.832 vs. 0.799; 0.829 vs 0.790). CONCLUSIONS: High TV was an independent predictor of poor CSS, OS, FFLR and FFM of localized ccRCC. Compared with pT classification and Fuhrman grade, TV could be a new and better prognostic factor of oncological outcome of localized ccRCC, which might contribute to tailored follow-up or management strategies.

Comparative analysis of laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy plus semi-embedded valve anastomosis with laparoscopic total gastrectomy for adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction: a single-center retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: We invented a new antireflux anastomosis method for use in proximal gastrectomy for adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG) and named it semi-embedded valve anastomosis (SEV). This study was conducted to compare and analyze the short-term efficacy and long-term prognosis of this anastomosis reconstruction method versus laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the general data and surgical outcomes of patients with AEG who underwent three united laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy plus semi-embedded valve anastomosis (TULPG-SEV, N = 20) and LTG (N = 20) at our hospital from January 2015 to September 2017 and investigated the incidence of postoperative reflux esophagitis and postoperative nutritional status between the two groups. Survival analysis was also performed. RESULTS: The operative time (178.25 ± 15.41 vs 196.5 ± 21.16 min) and the gastrointestinal reconstruction time (19.3 ± 2.53 vs 34.65 ± 4.88 min) of the TULPG-SEV group were significantly less than that of the LTG group. There was no difference in intraoperative blood loss, length of hospital stay, and postoperative complications. There was no difference in the scores on the postoperative reflux disease questionnaires (RDQs) conducted 1 month (P = 0.501), 3 months (P = 0.238), and 6 months (P = 0.655) after surgery between the TULPG-SEV group and LTG group. Gastroscopy revealed 2 cases of reflux esophagitis (grade B or higher) in each group. The postoperative hemoglobin level was better in the TULPG-SEV group than in the LTG group, and the difference was most noticeable at 1 month after surgery (P = 0.024) and 3 months after surgery (P = 0.029). The levels of albumin and total protein were not significantly different between the groups. There were more patients with weight loss over 5 kg after surgery in the LTG group than in the TULPG-SEV group (P = 0.043). There was no significant difference in the 3-year overall survival rate between the two groups (P = 0.356). CONCLUSION: SEV has a certain antireflux effect and can reduce the anastomosis time. Proximal gastrectomy may be better than total gastrectomy for maintaining postoperative hemoglobin levels and reducing weight loss.

Sonographic and pathological features of metaplastic squamous cell carcinoma of the breast: a case series.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the sonographic features and to compare the sonographic findings with the pathologic features. METHODS: The sonographic and pathological features of all patients were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: All these 9 patients presented with a palpable breast mass first found by the patient before presentation. The median diameters were 3.67 cm. On two-dimensional imaging, 8 masses showed mixed echogenicity with both solid and cystic components, and only 1 mass showed hypoechoic. All the masses had irregular shapes. 1 mass had indistinct margin and 8 masses had microlobulated margins. Calcifications was seen in 1 mass. On color Doppler flow imaging, 8 masses had high vascularity with high resistance index; 5 masses had grade III blood flow signal; 3 masses had grade II blood flow signal. On histopathological examination, 5 masses were adenocarcinoma with squamous metaplasia, and 4 masses were pure SCC. On immunohistochemical staining, estrogen receptors (ER), progesterone receptors (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER2) were negative in 5 masses. There were 2 patients with lymph node metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the sonographic features of MSCC were mixed echogenicity with central cystic components, posterior echo enhancement, abundant vascularity with high resistance.

Up-regulation of LIMK1 expression in prostate cancer is correlated with poor pathological features, lymph node metastases and biochemical recurrence.

This study aimed to explore the association between LIM domain kinase 1 (LIMK1) expression in prostate cancer (PCa) tissues with advanced pathological features, lymph node metastases and biochemical recurrence. A total of 279 PCa specimens from patients who underwent radical prostatectomy and 50 benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) specimens were collected to construct tissue microarray, which were subjected to immunohistochemical staining for LIMK1 expression subsequently. Logistic and Cox regression analysis were used to evaluate the relationship between LIMK1 expression and clinicopathological features of patients with PCa. Immunohistochemical staining assay demonstrated that LIMK1 expression was significantly higher in PCa than BPH specimens (77.1% vs 26.0%; P < .001). LIMK1 expression was significantly higher in positive lymph node specimens than corresponding PCa specimens (P = .002; P < .001). Up-regulation of LIMK1 was associated with prostate volume, prostate-specific antigen, prostate-specific antigen density, Gleason score, T stage, lymph node metastases, extracapsular extension and seminal vesicle invasion, and positive surgical margin. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that LIMK1 was an independent risk factor for PCa lymph node metastasis (P < .05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that the up-regulation of LIMK1 was an independent risk factor for biochemical recurrence. Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that up-regulation LIMK1 was associated with shortened biochemical-free survival (BFS) after radical prostatectomy (P < .001). In conclusion, LIMK1 was significantly up-regulated in PCa and positive lymph node specimens and correlated with lymph node metastasis and shortened BFS of PCa. The underlying molecular mechanism of LIMK1 in PCa should be further evaluated.

ARPC4 promotes bladder cancer cell invasion and is associated with lymph node metastasis.

The significance of actin-related protein 2/3 complex subunit 4 (ARPC4) expression in bladder cancer, and its potential role in the invasion and migration of bladder cancer cells, has yet to be determined. This study was to identify the correlation between ARPC4 and lymph node metastasis, and to determine the role of ARPC4 in the invasive migration of T24 bladder cancer cells. One hundred and ninety-eight bladder cancer tissues and 40 normal bladder and lymph node tissues were examined. Tissue microarrays were constructed and subjected to immunohistochemical stating for ARPC4. Multiple logistic analysis was used to determine risk factors associated with bladder cancer metastasis. ARPC4 expression in T24 bladder cancer cells was suppressed using small interfering RNA and changes in protein levels were determined by Western blot analysis. The proliferation of bladder cancer cells after knocking down of ARPC4 was determined by cell counting kit-8. The effects of ARPC4 knockdown on T24 cell invasion and migration was determined using transwell and wound healing assays. Immunofluorescence analysis was performed to examine changes in pseudopodia formation and actin cytoskeleton structure. The expression of ARPC4 was elevated in bladder cancer tissues than normal tissues (84.3% vs 27.5%, P < 0.001). The multivariate logistic analysis demonstrated that the level of ARPC4, as a risk factor, was correlated with lymphatic metastasis (P < 0.05). ARPC4 knockdown attenuated proliferation, migration, invasion, and pseudopodia formation in T24 cells. ARPC4 expression, as a risk factor, is associated with lymphatic metastasis and is upregulated in bladder cancer tissues in comparison with normal tissues. Inhibition of ARPC4 expression significantly attenuates the proliferation, migration, and invasion of bladder cancer cell, possibly due to defects in pseudopodia formation.

Development and validation of a molecular prognostic index of bladder cancer based on immunogenomic landscape analysis.

BACKGROUND: Bladder cancer (BCa) is one of the important tumors that have been proven to be treatable with immunotherapy. This study aims to identify and validate a molecular prognostic index of BCa based on immunogenomic landscape analysis. METHODS: The cancer genome atlas (TCGA) database and immunology database and analysis portal (ImmPort) database were used to identified differentially expressed immune-related genes (IRGs). Prognostic IRGs were screened and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed. Multivariate Cox analysis was performed to develop a molecular prognostic index of BCa. Internal and external validation were then performed in TCGA cohort and GEO cohort, respectively. Besides, we also explore the relationship between this index and clinical characteristics, immune cell infiltration and tumor microenvironment. RESULTS: A total of 61 prognostic IRGs were identified and a molecular prognostic index was developed. The top four hub genes included MMP9, IGF1, CXCL12 and PGF. The difference in overall survival between high-risk group and low-risk group was statistically significant. The area under curve of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.757, suggesting the potential for this index. Besides, Internal validation using TCGA cohort and external validation using GEO cohort indicated that this index was of great performance in predicting outcome. T cells CD8, T cells CD4 memory activated, T cells follicular helper, macrophages M0, macrophages M2 and neutrophils were significantly associated with prognosis of BCa patients. Female, high grade, stage III&IV, N1-3 and T3-4 were associated significantly with higher risk score compared with male, low grade, stage I&II, N0 and T1-2, respectively. High risk score had a positive association with higher stromal score and ESTIMATE score while high risk score had a negative association with tumor purity. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified several prognostic immune-related genes of clinical value. Besides, we developed and validated a molecular index based on immunogenomic landscape analysis, which performed well in predicting prognosis of BCa. Further researches are needed to verify the effectiveness of this index and these vital genes.

Controlled fabrication of gold nanotip arrays by nanomolding-necking technology.

The fabrication of nanotips has been driven by the increasing industrial demands in developing high-performance multifunctional nanodevices. In this work, we proposed a controlled, rapid as well as low cost nanomolding-necking technology to fabricate gold nanotips arrays. The geometries of gold nanotips having cone angle range of ∼28-77° and curvature radii of <5 nm can be prepared by tailoring the diameters of raw nanorods in nanomolding process or modulating the necking temperature. Molecular dynamics simulation reveals that the formation of the nanotip geometry is determined by the interplay between dislocation-based and diffusion-based deformation mechanisms, intrinsically arising from the nonlinear dependence of atom diffusion on temperature and sample size. The good controllability, mass production and low cost of the developed nanomolding-necking technology make it highly promising in developing nanodevices for a wide range of applications, such as probing, sensing, antireflection coating and nanoindentation.