SNHG3 regulates NEIL3 via transcription factor E2F1 to mediate malignant proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma.

The involvement of small nucleolar RNA host gene 3 (SNHG3) in cancer regulation has been reported. This study attempted to deeply investigate the molecular regulatory mechanism of SNHG3 on malignant progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). According to TCGA analysis, high SNHG3 expression was a risk factor for poor prognosis of HCC patients. Therefore, we further detected the mRNA level of SNHG3 in HCC tissue and cells. It was found that SNHG3 was upregulated in HCC tissue and cells. Afterwards, CCK-8 and flow cytometry assays further proved that silencing SNHG3 inhibited HCC cell proliferation while inducing cell apoptosis and G0/G1 phase arrest. It was also attested in vivo experiments that silencing SNHG3 could reduce the volume and weight of tumors and downregulate the Ki-67 expression to suppress HCC tumor growth. Next, it was discovered that SNHG3 increased the binding of E2F1 and NEIL3 promoter region, thereby activating the transcription feature of NEIL3. Lastly, rescue assays indicated that NEIL3 participated in SNHG3-mediated HCC cell cycle, apoptosis and proliferation. All in all, this study revealed the specific regulatory mechanism of SNHG3 in HCC to enable SNHG3 a hopeful marker for HCC diagnosis and treatment.

Antiviral therapy inhibited HBV-reactivation and improved long-term outcomes in patients who underwent radiofrequency ablation for HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation impact negatively the prognosis of patients with HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to observe the effect of antiviral therapy (AVT) on viral reactivation and long-term outcomes after percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (PRFA) for HBV-related HCC. METHODS: Data on 538 patients between 2009 and 2013 were reviewed. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was used to adjust for differences in baseline features between patients who received AVT (AVT group) and did not receive it (non-AVT group). Logistic regression was used to identify the independent factors for viral reactivation. The tumor recurrence and overall survival (OS) rates were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Recurrence patterns were also investigated. RESULTS: HBV reactivation developed in 10.8% (58/538) of patients after PRFA. AVT was associated independently with decreased viral reactivation (odd ratio: 0.061, 95% confidence interval: 0.018-0.200). In 215 pairs of patients obtained after PSM, the AVT group had lower 1-, 3-, and 5-year recurrence rates (24%, 55%, and 67% vs 33%, 75%, and 85%, respectively) and higher 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates (100%, 67%, and 59% vs 100%, 52%, and 42%, respectively) than non-AVT group (P < 0.001 for both). Additionally, the relapses in distant hepatic segments and the late recurrence after 2 years of PRFA were significantly reduced in the AVT group (78/215 vs 111/215 vs., P = 0.001; 39/109 vs. 61/91, P = 0.012, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: AVT reduced late and distal intrahepatic recurrence and improved OS in patients undergoing PRFA for HBV-related HCC by inhibiting viral reactivation.

Enhanced recovery after surgery care to reduce surgical site wound infection and postoperative complications for patients undergoing liver surgery.

This study comprehensively assessed the effect of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) on wound infection and postoperative complications in patients undergoing liver surgery. The PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP, and Wanfang electronic databases were searched to collect published studies on the use of ERAS in liver surgery until December 2022. Literature selection was performed independently by two investigators according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and quality evaluation and data extraction were performed. RevMan 5.4 software was used in this study. Compared with the control group, the ERAS group showed a significantly lower incidence of postoperative wound infection (odds ratio [OR]: 0.59, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.41-0.84, P = .004) and overall postoperative complication rate (OR: 0.43, 95% CI: 0.33-0.57, P < .001) and significantly shorter postoperative hospital stay (mean difference: -2.30, 95% CI: -2.92 to -1.68, P < .001). Therefore, ERAS was safe and feasible when applied to liver resection, reducing the incidence of wound infection and total postoperative complications, and shortening the length of hospital stay. However, further studies are required to investigate the impact of ERAS protocols on clinical outcomes.

MiR-125b promotes migration and invasion by targeting the vitamin D receptor in renal cell carcinoma.

Purpose: To investigate the expression of miR-125b and vitamin D receptor (VDR) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and assess the biological function of miR-125b in RCC. Methods: We used quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to detect the expression of nucleic acids and western blotting to analyze the protein abundance in RCC cell lines. MiR-125b mimic and inhibitor were employed to investigate the function and behavior of miR-125b in RCC cell lines. The relationship between miR-125 and VDR was verified using luciferase assays. Results: Overexpression of miR-125b promoted migration and invasion and prevent cell apoptosis in ACHN cells. In contrast, miR-125b deficiency suppressed migration and invasion and induced cell apoptosis in 786-O cells. Luciferase assays indicated the interaction between miR-125b and VDR. In collected samples, miR-125b was significantly higher in RCC tissues and negatively correlated to VDR (r=-0.444, p=0.04). Conclusion: MiR-125b displays an oncogene profile in RCC, patients with high expression of miR-125b should be a more frequent follow-up. MiR-125B may be a potential therapeutic target for RCC.

A clinical study of choledochoscopic holmium laser lithotripsy for multiple intrahepatic calculi within ERAS programs.

OBJECTIVES: Multiple intrahepatic calculi, especially calculi in both sides of the liver, cannot be completely resolved by traditional surgery. In addition, morbidity after liver resection remains high. ERAS programs have been suggested that could relieve surgical stress and accelerate postoperative recovery. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of choledocholithotomy combined with holmium laser lithotripsy in the treatment of multiple intrahepatic calculi within ERAS programs. METHODS: In all, 109 patients with multiple intrahepatic calculi were enrolled between January 2012 and September 2016, 42 of whom received choledocholithotomy combined with holmium laser lithotripsy. The remaining 67 patients underwent choledocholithotomy combined with choledochoscopic mechanical lithotripsy. Perioperative outcomes were compared and analyzed. RESULTS: Patient characteristics and preoperative details were similar between the groups (P > 0.05). The implementation of holmium laser lithotripsy could reduce the calculi residual rate (7.1% vs. 22.4%, P = 0.037), and even the liver resection rate (16.7% vs. 35.8%, P = 0.031). Additionally, holmium laser lithotripsy did not result in a higher morbidity (11.9% vs. 16.4%, P = 0.517), readmission rate (0% vs. 6%, P = 0.158), hospital stay (P = 0.189), hospital cost (P = 0.998), transfusion rate (P = 0.576), or operative time (P = 0.638). CONCLUSIONS: Holmium laser lithotripsy is feasible and efficient for treating multiple intrahepatic calculi within ERAS programs, which could reduce the liver resection rate and render refractory hepatic calculi easy to eliminate. In addition, holmium laser lithotripsy could be well coupled to the ERAS program to relieve surgical stress and accelerate postoperative recovery. Lasers Surg. Med. 51:161-166, 2019. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Neural Stem Cells Expressing bFGF Reduce Brain Damage and Restore Sensorimotor Function after Neonatal Hypoxia-Ischemia.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Neonatal hypoxia-ischemia (HI) causes severe brain damage and significantly increases neonatal morbidity and mortality. Increasing evidences have verified that stem cell-based therapy has the potential to rescue the ischemic tissue and restore function via secreting growth factors after HI. Here, we had investigated whether intranasal neural stem cells (NSCs) treatment improves the recovery of neonatal HI, and NSCs overexpressing basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) has a better therapeutic effect for recovery than NSCs treatment only. METHODS: We performed permanent occlusion of the right common carotid artery in 9-day old ICR mice as animal model of neonatal hypoxia-ischemia. At 3 days post-HI, NSC, NSC-GFP, NSC-bFGF and vehicle were delivered intranasally. To determine the effect of intranasal NSC, NSC-GFP and NSC-bFGF treatment on recovery after HI, we analyzed brain damage, sensor-motor function and cell differentiation. RESULTS: It was observed that intranasal NSC, NSC-GFP and NSC-bFGF treatment decreased gray and white matter loss area in comparison with vehicle-treated mouse. NSC, NSC-GFP and NSC-bFGF treatment also significantly improved sensor motor function in cylinder rearing test and adhesive removal test, however, NSC-bFGF-treatment was more effective than NSC-treatment in the improvement of somatosensory function. Furthermore, compared with NSC and NSC-GFP, NSC-bFGF treatment group appeared to differentiate into more neurons. CONCLUSION: Taken together, intranasal administration of NSCs is a promising therapy for treatment of neonatal HI, but NSCs overexpressing bFGF promotes the survival and differentiation of NSCs, and consequently achieves a better therapeutic effect in improving recovery after neonatal HI.

P21-activated kinase 5 plays essential roles in the proliferation and tumorigenicity of human hepatocellular carcinoma.

AIM: To investigate the roles of P21-activated kinase 5 (PAK5) in proliferation and tumorigenicity of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: HCC and matched paraneoplastictis tissue samples were obtained from 30 patients. Human HCC cell lines SMMC7721, HepG2, Hep3B, SK-HEP-1, Huh-7, and liver cell line HL-7702 were examined. The expression of PAK5 gene was studied using real-time qPCR and Western blotting. Cell proliferation was quantified with the MTT assay. Cell cycle was analyzed with flow cytometry. The tumorigenicity of Lv-shRNA-transfected HepG2 cells was evaluated in BALB/cA nude mice. RESULTS: The mRNA level of PAK5 was significantly higher in 25 out of 30 HCC samples compared to the matched paraneoplastic tissues. The HCC cell lines showed varying expression of PAK5 protein, and the highest level was found in the HepG2 cells. PAK5 gene silencing in HepG2 cells markedly reduced the cell proliferation and colony formation, and induced cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase. Furthermore, PAK5 gene silencing suppressed the tumor formation in nude mice, and significantly decreased the expression of HCC-related genes Cyclin D1 and beta-catenin. CONCLUSION: PAK5 may play essential roles in the initiation and progression of human HCC. Thus, it may be an effective therapeutic target or perhaps serve as a clinical diagnostic or prognostic marker in human HCC.

Transcription Factor MAZ Potentiates the Upregulated NEIL3-mediated Aerobic Glycolysis, thereby Promoting Angiogenesis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is characterized by high vascularity and notable abnormality of blood vessels, where angiogenesis is a key process in tumorigenesis and metastasis. The main functions of Nei Like DNA Glycosylase 3 (NEIL3) include DNA alcoholization repair, immune response regulation, nervous system development and function, and DNA damage signal transduction. However, the underlying mechanism of high expression NEIL3 in the development and progression of HCC and whether the absence or silencing of NEIL3 inhibits the development of cancer remain unclear. Therefore, a deeper understanding of the mechanisms by which increased NEIL3 expression promotes cancer development is needed. METHODS: Expression of NEIL3 and its upstream transcription factor MAZ in HCC tumor tissues was analyzed in bioinformatics efforts, while validation was done by qRT-PCR and western blot in HCC cell lines. The migration and tube formation capacity of HUVEC cells were analyzed by Transwell and tube formation assays. Glycolytic capacity was analyzed by extracellular acidification rate, glucose uptake, and lactate production levels. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and dual-luciferase reporter gene assays were utilized to investigate specific interactions between MAZ and NEIL3. RESULTS: NEIL3 and MAZ were substantially upregulated in HCC tissues and cells. NEIL3 was involved in modulating the glycolysis pathway, suppression of which reversed the stimulative impact of NEIL3 overexpression on migration and angiogenesis in HUVEC cells. MAZ bound to the promoter of NEIL3 to facilitate NEIL3 transcription. Silencing MAZ reduced NEIL3 expression and suppressed the glycolysis pathway, HUVEC cell migration, and angiogenesis. CONCLUSION: MAZ potentiated the upregulated NEIL3-mediated glycolysis pathway and HCC angiogenesis. This study provided a rationale for the MAZ/NEIL3/glycolysis pathway as a possible option for anti-angiogenesis therapy in HCC.

HNRNPL Increases WSB1 mRNA Stability to Promote Proliferation and Lipid Droplets in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma.

This study aims to explore the possible effect and mechanism of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein L (HNRNPL) on the lipid droplet and proliferation ability of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). The mRNA and protein expressions of HNRNPL and WSB1 on ccRCC tissues and cells were detected using qRT-PCR and western blot. The lipid droplet of cells was assessed after Oil Red O staining and BODIPY 493/503 staining. Cell proliferation was detected by CCK-8 assay. The interaction between HNRNPL and WSB1 was verified using RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) and RNA-pull down assay. WSB1 mRNA stability was measured by Actinomycin D. Elevated expressions of HNRNPL and WSB1 were found in both ccRCC tissues and cells. HNRNPL knockdown can lead to suppressed lipid droplet and cell proliferation ability of ccRCC cells, while expression pattern was found in cells with HNRNPL overexpression. RIP and RNA-pull down assay clarified the binding of HNRNPL with WSB1. HNRNPL can facilitate the stability and expression of WSB1 mRNA. Rescue assay identified the promotive effect of HNRNPL on lipid droplets and cell proliferation of ccRCC cells can be abolished in response to WSB1 knockdown. Collected evidence summarized that HNRNPL can increase the stability of WSB1 mRNA to promote lipid droplet and proliferation ability in ccRCC cells.

Prognostic significance of pyrimidine metabolism-related genes as risk biomarkers in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), as a malignancy derived from liver tissue, is typically associated with poor prognosis. Increasing evidence suggests a connection between pyrimidine metabolism and HCC progression. The purpose of this study was to establish a model applied to the prediction of HCC patients' overall survival. Transcriptomic data of HCC patients were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) website. Pyrimidine metabolism-related genes (PMRGs) were collected from the Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) website. Differential gene expression analysis was carried out on the HCC data, followed by an intersection of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and PMRGs. Subsequently, a prognostic model incorporating nine genes was established using univariate/multivariate Cox regression and Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression. Survival analysis demonstrated that the high-risk group defined by this model had considerably shorter overall survival than the low-risk group in both TCGA and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated the good predictive capability of the model. CIBERSORT and single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) algorithms revealed significantly higher levels of Macrophages M0 and lower levels of natural killer (NK)_cells in the high-risk group compared to the low-risk group. The immunophenoscore (IPS) and the tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) score demonstrated that the model could significantly differentiate patients who would be more suitable for immunotherapy. Moreover, the CellMiner database was utilized to predict anti-tumor drugs significantly associated with the model genes. Collectively, the potential prognostic significance of pyrimidine metabolism in HCC was revealed in this study. The prognostic model aids in evaluating the survival time and immune status of HCC patients.

A nomogram model for early recurrence of HBV-related hepatocellular carcinomas after radical hepatectomy.

Background: To identify the risk factors and construct a predictive model for early recurrence of hepatitis B virus(HBV-)- related hepatocellular carcinomas(HCCs) after radical resection. Data and methods: A total of 465 HBV-related HCC patients underwent radical resections between January 1, 2012 and August 31, 2018.Their data were collected through the inpatient information management system of the First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China. Survival and subgroup analyses of early recurrence among male and female patients were performed using Kaplan-Meier curves. The independent risk factors associated with early postoperative tumor recurrence were analyzed using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model. Based on these independent risk factors, a risk function model for early recurrence was fitted, and a column chart for the prediction model was drawn for internal and external validation. Results: A total of 181 patients developed early recurrences, including 156 males and 25 females. There was no difference in the early recurrence rates between males and females. Tumor diameters>5cm, microvascular invasion and albumin level<35 g/L were independent risk factors for early recurrence. A nomogram for the early recurrence prediction model was drawn; the areas under the curve for the model and for external verification were 0.638 and 0.655, respectively. Conclusion: Tumor diameter>5 cm, microvascular invasion, and albumin level<35 g/L were independent risk factors for early recurrence. The prediction model based on three clinical indicators could predict early recurrence, with good discrimination, calibration, and extrapolation.

The m6A methyltransferase METTL5 promotes neutrophil extracellular trap network release to regulate hepatocellular carcinoma progression.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, it has a poor prognosis due to its highly invasive and metastatic nature. Consequently, identifying effective prognostic markers and potential therapeutic targets has been extensively investigated. METTL5, an 18S rRNA methyltransferase, is abnormally high in HCC. But its biological function and prognostic significance in HCC remain largely unelucidated. This study aimed to investigate the role of METTL5 in HCC progression, and elucidate its possible molecular mechanisms in HCC via transcriptome sequencing, providing new insights for identifying new HCC prognostic markers and therapeutic targets. METHODS: The METTL5 expression in HCC and paracancerous tissues was analyzed using HCC immunohistochemical microarrays and bioinformatic retrieval methods to correlate METTL5 with clinicopathological features and survival prognosis. We constructed a METTL5 knockdown hepatocellular carcinoma cell line model and an animal model to determine the effect of METTL5 on hepatocellular carcinoma progression. Subsequently, RNA sequencing was performed to analyze the molecular mechanism of METTL5 in HCC based on the sequencing results, and relevant experiments were performed to verify it. RESULTS: We found that METTL5 expression was elevated in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and correlated with poor patient prognosis, and in the analysis of clinicopathological features showed a correlation with TNM staging. In hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines with knockdown of METTL5, the malignant biological behavior was significantly reduced both in vitro and in vivo. Based on the sequencing results as well as the results of GO functional enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis, we found that METTL5 could promote the generation and release of neutrophil extracellular capture network (NETs) and might further accelerate the progression of HCC. CONCLUSION: The m6A methyltransferase METTL5 is overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and correlates with poor prognosis. METTL5 accelerates malignant progression of HCC by promoting generation and release of the neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) network, providing new insights for clinical biomarkers and immunotherapeutic targets in HCC prognosis.

Aspartate ß-hydroxylase (ASPH) Accelerates Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma Metastasis via Upregulating SHH Signaling Pathway.

Background: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a highly aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis. Aspartate ß-hydroxylase (ASPH) is an α-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase involved in the post-translational hydroxylation of target proteins. ASPH has been demonstrated to be upregulated in ICC, yet its role remains to be elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the potential function of ASPH in ICC metastasis. Methods: Survival curves for the overall survival of pan-cancer data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was depicted using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. The expression of ASPH, glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3ß, phosphorylation GSK-3ß (p-GSK-3ß), epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) biomarkers, and sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling elements in ICC cell lines was analyzed by western blot. Wound healing and transwell assays were conducted to examine the effects of ASPH knockdown and overexpression on cell migration and invasion. An immunofluorescence assay was conducted to evaluate the expression of glioma-associated oncogene 2 (GLI2), GSK-3ß and ASPH. The effect of ASPH on tumor in vivo was analyzed using a nude mouse xenograft model. Results: Pan-cancer data showed that expressed ASPH was significantly correlated with a poor prognosis in patients. ASPH knockdown inhibited the migration and invasion of human ICC cells lines QBC939 and RBE. ASPH overexpression contributed to an increase in the N-cadherin and Vimentin, resulting in the promotion of the EMT process. The p-GSK-3ß levels decreased in the presence of ASPH overexpression. The overexpression of ASPH led to an upregulation of the expression of SHH signaling elements GLI2 and SUFU. The results of in vivo experiments with a lung metastasis model in nude mice with ICC cell line RBE are consistent with these results. Conclusion: ASPH accelerated metastasis of ICC cells by facilitating EMT via a GSK-3ß/SHH/GLI2 axis-dependent manner, in which phosphorylation of GSK-3ß was downregulated and the SHH signaling pathway was activated.

Hepatocyte-derived extracellular vesicles miR-122-5p promotes hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury by regulating Kupffer cell polarization.

Ischemia reperfusion injury remains a major barrier to liver transplantation, especially using grafts from donation after circulatory death, and it is also a pressing issue to be solved in clinical practice. Kupffer cell polarization toward a proinflammatory M1 phenotype is an early trigger of liver ischemia-reperfusion injury. However, the molecular mechanism regulating Kupffer cell polarization has not yet been fully elucidated. We induced liver ischemia reperfusion injury in mice and obtained samples from patients undergoing liver transplantation, serum and hepatocytes-derived extracellular vesicles were isolated by differential ultracentrifugation. Kupffer cell polarization was examined by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence histochemistry. RNA-seq was conducted to detect the differentially expressed miRNAs in extracellular vesicles. The role and mechanism of exosomal miR-122-5p in liver ischemia-reperfusion injury were determined both in vitro and in vivo. We identified ischemia reperfusion induced extracellular vesicles as a major cause of hepatic inflammation and tissue damage using adoptive transfer and release inhibition. The study also demonstrated that hepatocyte-derived exosomal miR-122-5p mediates liver ischemia reperfusion injury by polarizing Kupffer cell via PPARδ down-regulation and NF-κB pathway activation using profiling and functional analysis. Moreover, inhibiting miR-122-5p with antagomir suppressed Kupffer cell M1 polarization and attenuated liver ischemia reperfusion injury. Overall, our study demonstrated that hepatocyte-derived exosomal miR-122-5p played a critical role in promoting hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury through modulating PPARδ signaling and NF-κB pathway to introduce M1 polarization of Kupffer cell. Inhibition of miR-122-5p exhibited a protective effect against liver ischemia reperfusion injury, suggesting a potential therapeutic target for liver transplantation.

ASAP1 activates the IQGAP1/CDC42 pathway to promote tumor progression and chemotherapy resistance in gastric cancer.

Abnormal expression and remodeling of cytoskeletal regulatory proteins are important mechanisms for tumor development and chemotherapy resistance. This study systematically analyzed the relationship between differential expression of cytoskeleton genes and prognosis in gastric cancer (GC). We found the Arf GTP-activating protein ASAP1 plays a key role in cytoskeletal remodeling and prognosis in GC patients. Here we analyzed the expression level of ASAP1 in tissue microarrays carrying 564 GC tissues by immunohistochemistry. The results showed that ASAP1 expression was upregulated in GC cells and can be served as a predictor of poor prognosis. Moreover, ASAP1 promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of GC cells both in vitro and in vivo. We also demonstrated that ASAP1 inhibited the ubiquitin-mediated degradation of IQGAP1 and thus enhanced the activity of CDC42. The activated CDC42 upregulated the EGFR-MAPK pathway, thereby promoting the resistance to chemotherapy in GC. Taken together, our results revealed a novel mechanism by which ASAP1 acts in the progression and chemotherapy resistance in GC. This may provide an additional treatment option for patients with GC.

Molecular characteristics, oncogenic roles, and relevant immune and pharmacogenomic features of NEK2 in gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer (GC) is the most common form of gastrointestinal cancer, with a high mortality rate and limited treatment options. High levels of NEK2 are associated with malignant progression and a poor prognosis in several tumors; however, the role of NEK2 in GC remains unclear. We aimed to explore the potential role of NEK2 in the oncogenesis of GC and in the shaping of the tumor microenvironment (TME). The expression levels of NEK2 were analyzed using immunohistochemistry and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. We found that NEK2 expression was upregulated in GC and was a predictor of a poor prognosis. Based on Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment and gene set enrichment analyses, multiple tumor pathways were hyperactivated in patients with high NEK2 mRNA expression. Immunological characteristics indicated that NEK2 upregulation might lead to decreased immune cell infiltration and weakened immune activity in the cancer immunity cycle. Additionally, higher frequencies of amplifications and deletions were observed in the high NEK2 expression subpopulation. Based on the TME classification, patients with high expression of NEK2 were more susceptible to targeted therapy with drugs targeting the cell cycle and DNA replication. Following verification, a NEK2-derived genomic model reliably predicted the patient prognosis; A nomogram (radiation therapy, tumor/node/metastasis staging, and the NEK2-derived risk score) was used to better estimate an individual's survival probability. In summary, our findings indicate that NEK2 plays a vital role in the tumorigenesis of GC.

Long-Term Survival and Risk Factors in Patients with Hepatitis B-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Real-World Study.

A retrospective cohort study was conducted to collect 465 patients with hepatitis B-related hepatocellular carcinoma who had undergone radical hepatectomy from January 1, 2012, to August 31, 2018, at the First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China. The clinical, pathological, and follow-up information was collected to compare the basic characteristics of death and nondeath after radical resection. Kaplan-Meier curves were used for survival analysis and male and female subgroup analysis. The multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression model was used to analyze independent risk factors related to postoperative death. Of the 465 patients with radical resection of hepatitis B-related hepatocellular carcinoma, 132 died, and 1-, 3-, and 5-year cumulative survival rates after operation were 92.1%, 78%, and 64%, respectively. In the male and female subgroup, 115 and 17 patients died, respectively. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year cumulative survival rates were 92.6%, 77.0%, and 62.6%, respectively, in men, and 89.6%, 78.8%, and 70.2%, respectively, in women. Multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis showed that microvascular invasion (MVI), Edmondson III/IV, BCLC stage B, and total bilirubin (TB) > 20.5 µmol/L were independent risk factors in patients with hepatitis B-related hepatocellular carcinoma after radical hepatectomy.

Lesion human leukocyte antigen-E is associated with favourable prognosis for patients with oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical significance of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-E levels in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). METHODS: The levels of HLA-E immunostaining in ESCC lesions and 47 corresponding adjacent normal tissues were measured using immunohistochemistry. The correlation between the levels of immunostaining and clinical parameters was analysed. RESULTS: This study analysed 110 paraffin-embedded primary tumour lesions and 47 case-controlled paracancerous tissues that were surgically resected from 110 patients with ESCC. Positive immunostaining for HLA-E was observed in 88.2% (97 of 110) of ESCC lesions and 29.8% (14 of 47) of normal oesophageal tissues. There was no correlation between HLA-E immunostaining in ESCC lesions and clinicopathological characteristics such as lymph node metastasis, tumour-node-metastasis stage and differentiation grade. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed a significantly better prognosis in patients with higher levels of HLA-E immunostaining than in those with lower levels of HLA-E immunostaining; overall survival was 28.6 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 23.2, 34.0) versus 15.3 months (95% CI, 11.5, 19.1), respectively. Furthermore, multivariate analysis showed that the HLA-E level was an independent prognostic factor in patients with ESCC. CONCLUSION: A higher level of HLA-E immunostaining was associated with favourable survival in patients with ESCC.