LC-MS/MS-based screening of new protein biomarkers for cervical precancerous lesions and cervical cancer / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To screen potential plasma protein biomarkers for the progression of cervical precancerous lesions into cervical carcinoma and analyze their functions.@*METHODS@#Plasma samples obtained from healthy control subjects, patients with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL), high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL), cervical cancer (CC), and patients with CC after treatment were enriched for low-abundance proteins for liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. The MS data of the samples were analyzed using Discoverer 2.2 software, and the differential proteins (peptide coverage ≥20%, unique peptides≥2) were screened by comparison of LSIL, HSIL and CC groups against the control group followed by verification using target proteomics technology. Protein function enrichment and coexpression analyses were carried out to explore the role of the differentially expressed proteins as potential biomarkers and their pathological mechanisms.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the control group, both LSIL group and HSIL group showed 9 differential proteins; 5 differentially expressed proteins were identified in CC group. The proteins ORM2 and HPR showed obvious differential expressions in LSIL and HSIL groups compared with the control group, and could serve as potential biomarkers for the progression of cervical carcinoma. The expression of F9 increased consistently with the lesion progression from LSIL to HSIL and CC, suggesting its value as a potential biomarker for the progression of cervical cancer. CFI and AFM protein levels were obviously decreased in treated patients with CC compared with the patients before treatment, indicating their predictive value for the therapeutic efficacy. Protein function enrichment analysis showed that all these differentially expressed proteins were associated with the complement system and the coagulation cascades pathway.@*CONCLUSIONS@#We identified 5 new protein biomarkers (F9, CFI, AFM, HPR, and ORM2) for cervical precancerous lesions and for prognostic evaluation of CC, and combined detection of these biomarkers may help in the evaluation of the development and progression of CC and also in improving the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of cervical lesions.

Construction of a three-dimensional digital model of the liver of Wuzhishan mini-pig / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To construct a three-dimensional (3D) liver model of Wuzhishan mini-pig for virtual liver surgeries.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The biliary tree and hepatic arteries of Wuzhishan mini-pig were perfused with perchloroethylene and ethyl acetate along mixed with lead oxide, and the hepatic vein and portal vein were perfused with a mixture of dental base acrylic resin and lead oxide. The sectional images were acquired using a 64-slice spiral CT, and the 3D models of the portal vein, hepatic vein, biliary tree, hepatic arteries, and liver parenchyma were reconstructed using Mimics software; the resection image of the liver was also designed. The intrahepatic vascular cast was prepared by corroding the soft tissue with hydrochloric acid.</p><p><b>RESULTS AND CONCLUSION</b>The intrahepatic vascular cast obtained fully retained the vascular architecture and displayed the fifth- and sixth-level branches of the hepatic vein and portal vein and the third- and fourth-level branches of the artery and bile duct. The 3D model of liver allowed stereoscopic and accurate display of the third- and fourth-level branches of the hepatic vein and portal vein and the second- and third-level branches of the artery and bile duct. The 3D model showed fewer branches but represented the structural distribution identical to the cast. The 3D model could clearly display the spatial relationship between the vasculature and the soft tissue in virtual resection of the liver tissues, and thus provides a useful model for training of laparoscopic liver resection.</p>