Vasomotion in human arteries and their regulations based on ion channel regulations: 10 years study.

Vasomotion is the oscillation of vascular tone which gives rise to flow motion of blood into an organ. As is well known, spontaneous contractile organs such as heart, GI, and genitourinary tract produce rhythmic contraction. It imposes or removes pressure on their vessels alternatively for exchange of many substances. It was first described over 150 years ago, however the physiological mechanism and pathophysiological implications are not well understood. This study aimed to elucidate underlying mechanisms and physiological function of vasomotion in human arteries. Conventional contractile force measurement, immunohistochemistry, and Western blot analysis were employed to study human left gastric artery (HLGA) and uterine arteries (HUA). RESULTS: Circular muscle of HLGA and/or HUA produced sustained tonic contraction by high K+ (50 mM) which was blocked by 2 µM nifedipine. Stepwise stretch and high K+ produced nerve-independent spontaneous contraction (vasomotion) (around 45% of tested tissues). Vasomotion was also produced by application of BayK 8644, 5-HT, prostagrandins, oxytocin. It was blocked by nifedipine (2 µM) and blockers of intracellular Ca2+ stores. Inhibitors of Ca2+ -activated Cl- channels (DIDS and/or niflumic acid) and ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP ) channels inhibited vasomotion reversibly. Metabolic inhibition by sodium cyanide (NaCN) and several neuropeptides also regulated vasomotion in KATP channel-sensitive and -insensitive manner. Finally, we identified TMEM16A Ca2+ -activated Cl- channels and subunits of KATP channels (Kir 6.1/6.2 and sulfonylurea receptor 2B [SUR2B]), and c-Kit positivity by Western blot analysis. We conclude that vasomotion is sensitive to TMEM16A Ca2+ -activated Cl- channels and metabolic changes in human gastric and uterine arteries. Vasomotion might play an important role in the regulation of microcirculation dynamics even in pacemaker-related autonomic contractile organs in humans.

Effect of Sevoflurane on the Proliferation of A549 Lung Cancer Cells.

Background and Objectives: Sevoflurane has opposing effects on cancer progression, depending on its concentration and the cancer type. This study investigated the effects of sevoflurane on the proliferation of A549 lung cancer cells. Materials and Methods: In vitro, the number of A549 cells exposed to different concentrations of sevoflurane was counted. The size and weight of tumors from a xenograft mouse model exposed to air or sevoflurane were measured in vivo experiments. Additionally, hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemical detection of Ki-67 in the harvested tumor tissues were performed. Results: A total of 72 culture dishes were used and 24 dishes were assigned to each group: Air group; 2% Sevo group (air + 2% sevoflurane); and 4% Sevo group (air + 4% sevoflurane). The number of A549 cells in the 2% Sevo group was less than that in the Air and 4% Sevo groups (Air: 7.9 ± 0.5; 0.5, 2% Sevo: 6.8 ± 0.4, 4% Sevo: 8.1 ± 0.3; p = 0.000). The tumor size was not significantly different between the two groups (Air: 1.5 ± 0.7, 2% Sevo: 2.4 ± 1.9; p = 0.380). Conclusions: The in vitro data showed that sevoflurane inhibited the proliferation of A549 lung cancer cells in a concentration-specific manner. However, the in vivo data showed no correlation between sevoflurane exposure and A549 cell proliferation. Thus, further research is required to understand fully the effects of sevoflurane on cancer progression and to reconcile differences between the in vitro and in vivo experimental results.

Differential expression and sorting of exosomal microRNAs upon activation of the human monocyte-like cell line U937.

Extracellular vesicles such as exosomes in eukaryotes have drawn scrutiny due to their various roles in intercellular communication. Small RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs), are more abundant among the cargo of exosomes than other RNA types. MiRNAs loaded in secreted exosomes (or extracellular microRNAs) can be transported to recipient cells and may play a regulatory role although the miRNA loading (or sorting) mechanism in exosomes has not been clearly elucidated. Therefore, this study analyzed exosomal miRNA sequencing data from human myeloid U937 cells treated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and compared it with data from PMA-untreated U937 cells. MiR-24 was highly expressed in the cytoplasm and exosomes of PMA-treated U937 cells. Also, miRNA pull-down and mass spectrophotometry analysis of PMA-treated U937 cells revealed that miR-24 was specifically associated with α-tubulin and hnRNP-E1 proteins. Furthermore, exosomal miR-24 was dramatically reduced when those proteins were inactivated with siRNAs, whereas cellular miR-24 showed no significant effect. We conclude that miR-24 is transported into exosomes from activated macrophages with the support of α-tubulin and hnRNP-E1.

Extracellular RNAs in periodontopathogenic outer membrane vesicles promote TNF-α production in human macrophages and cross the blood-brain barrier in mice.

Among the main bacteria implicated in the pathology of periodontal disease, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (Aa) is well known for causing loss of periodontal attachment and systemic disease. Recent studies have suggested that secreted extracellular RNAs (exRNAs) from several bacteria may be important in periodontitis, although their role is unclear. Emerging evidence indicates that exRNAs circulate in nanosized bilayered and membranous extracellular vesicles (EVs) known as outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) in gram-negative bacteria. In this study, we analyzed the small RNA expression profiles in activated human macrophage-like cells (U937) infected with OMVs from Aa and investigated whether these cells can harbor exRNAs of bacterial origin that have been loaded into the host RNA-induced silencing complex, thus regulating host target transcripts. Our results provide evidence for the cytoplasmic delivery and activity of microbial EV-derived small exRNAs in host gene regulation. The production of TNF-α was promoted by exRNAs via the TLR-8 and NF-κB signaling pathways. Numerous studies have linked periodontal disease to neuroinflammatory diseases but without elucidating specific mechanisms for the connection. We show here that intracardiac injection of Aa OMVs in mice showed successful delivery to the brain after crossing the blood-brain barrier, the exRNA cargos increasing expression of TNF-α in the mouse brain. The current study indicates that host gene regulation by microRNAs originating from OMVs of the periodontal pathogen Aa is a novel mechanism for host gene regulation and that the transfer of OMV exRNAs to the brain may cause neuroinflammatory diseases like Alzheimer's.-Han, E.-C., Choi, S.-Y., Lee, Y., Park, J.-W., Hong, S.-H., Lee, H.-J. Extracellular RNAs in periodontopathogenic outer membrane vesicles promote TNF-α production in human macrophages and cross the blood-brain barrier in mice.

Clinical characteristics of patients with vasculitis positive for anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody targeting both proteinase 3 and myeloperoxidase: a retrospective study.

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) may target proteinase 3 (PR3) or myeloperoxidase (MPO). Although a few patients with vasculitis have both MPO- and PR3-ANCA, the details of their clinical characteristics are not known. The objective of this study was to analyze the characteristics of patients with dual MPO- and PR3-ANCA-positive vasculitis. The medical records of patients with ANCA and vasculitis confirmed by biopsy were reviewed. The age at diagnosis, sex, and data on organ involvement of the kidney, lung, upper airways, skin, nervous system, and gastrointestinal tract were collected. Clinical variables were analyzed according to ANCA specificity. Of 85 patients with ANCA and vasculitis included in this study, 67 (78.8%) had MPO-ANCA, 10 (11.8%) had PR3-ANCA, and 8 (9.4%) had both MPO- and PR3-ANCA. Patients with MPO- PR3 + ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) were younger at diagnosis (median, 54.4 years; p < 0.05) than patients with MPO + PR3- AAV (67.0 years) or dual-ANCA AAV (MPO + PR3 + , 68.5 years). The initial glomerular filtration rate in patients with MPO + PR3- AAV (22.0 ml/min) was significantly lower than that in patients with MPO- PR3 + AAV (108.6 ml/min, p < 0.05), but was not different from that in dual-ANCA AAV patients (16.5 ml/min). Upper airway involvement also differed with ANCA type (MPO+ PR3- , 35.8% vs. MPO- PR3 + , 70.0% vs. MPO + PR3+ , 75.0%, p < 0.05). The involvement of other organs did not differ according to ANCA type. Age at diagnosis, kidney involvement, and upper airway involvement were associated with ANCA type. Patients with dual-ANCA-positive vasculitis had considerably more kidney dysfunction than patients with MPO- PR3+ AAV. They also had more upper airway involvement than patients with MPO+ PR3- AAV.

Predictive Modeling for the Growth of Aeromonas hydrophila on Lettuce as a Function of Combined Storage Temperature and Relative Humidity.

This study developed predictive growth models of Aeromonas hydrophila on lettuce as a function of combined storage temperature (15-35°C) and relative humidity (RH, 60-80%) using a polynomial equation. The primary model of specific growth rate, lag time, and maximum population density showed a good fit (R2 ≥ 0.95) with a Gompertz equation. A secondary model was obtained using a quadratic polynomial equation. The appropriateness of the secondary model was verified by mean square error (0.0001-0.8848), bias factor (Bf = 0.962-1.009), and accuracy factor (Af = 1.002-1.104). The newly developed secondary models for A. hydrophila could be incorporated into the tertiary modeling program to predict the growth of A. hydrophila as a function of combined temperature and RH. The developed model may be useful to predict potential A. hydrophila growth on lettuce, which is important for food safety purpose during the overall food chain of lettuce from farm to table. It could offer reliable and useful information of growth kinetics for the quantification of microbial risk assessment of A. hydrophila on lettuce.

Auraptene Mitigates Parkinson's Disease-Like Behavior by Protecting Inhibition of Mitochondrial Respiration and Scavenging Reactive Oxygen Species.

Current therapeutics for Parkinson's disease (PD) are only effective in providing relief of symptoms such as rigidity, tremors and bradykinesia, and do not exert disease-modifying effects by directly modulating mitochondrial function. Here, we investigated auraptene (AUR) as a potent therapeutic reagent that specifically protects neurotoxin-induced reduction of mitochondrial respiration and inhibits reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Further, we explored the mechanism and potency of AUR in protecting dopaminergic neurons. Treatment with AUR significantly increased the viability of substantia nigra (SN)-derived SN4741 embryonic dopaminergic neuronal cells and reduced rotenone-induced mitochondrial ROS production. By inducing antioxidant enzymes AUR treatment also increased oxygen consumption rate. These results indicate that AUR exerts a protective effect against rotenone-induced mitochondrial oxidative damage. We further assessed AUR effects in vivo, investigating tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression in the striatum and substantia nigra of MPTP-induced PD model mice and behavioral changes after injection of AUR. AUR treatment improved movement, consistent with the observed increase in the number of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. These results demonstrate that AUR targets dual pathogenic mechanisms, enhancing mitochondrial respiration and attenuating ROS production, suggesting that the preventative potential of this natural compound could lead to improvement in PD-related neurobiological changes.

Enhanced Strain Measurement Range of an FBG Sensor Embedded in Seven-Wire Steel Strands.

FBG sensors offer many advantages, such as a lack of sensitivity to electromagnetic waves, small size, high durability, and high sensitivity. However, their maximum strain measurement range is lower than the yield strain range (about 1.0%) of steel strands when embedded in steel strands. This study proposes a new FBG sensing technique in which an FBG sensor is recoated with polyimide and protected by a polyimide tube in an effort to enhance the maximum strain measurement range of FBG sensors embedded in strands. The validation test results showed that the proposed FBG sensing technique has a maximum strain measurement range of 1.73% on average, which is 1.73 times higher than the yield strain of the strands. It was confirmed that recoating the FBG sensor with polyimide and protecting the FBG sensor using a polyimide tube could effectively enhance the maximum strain measurement range of FBG sensors embedded in strands.

H2 Receptor-Mediated Relaxation of Circular Smooth Muscle in Human Gastric Corpus: the Role of Nitric Oxide (NO).

This study was designed to examine the effects of histamine on gastric motility and its specific receptor in the circular smooth muscle of the human gastric corpus. Histamine mainly produced tonic relaxation in a concentration-dependent and reversible manner, although histamine enhanced contractility in a minor portion of tissues tested. Histamine-induced tonic relaxation was nerve-insensitive because pretreatment with nerve blockers cocktail (NBC) did not inhibit relaxation. Additionally, K(+) channel blockers, such as tetraethylammonium (TEA), apamin (APA), and glibenclamide (Glib), had no effect. However, N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and 1H-(1,2,4)oxadiazolo (4,3-A) quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ), an inhibitor of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), did inhibit histamine-induced tonic relaxation. In particular, histamine-induced tonic relaxation was converted to tonic contraction by pretreatment with L-NAME. Ranitidine, the H2 receptor blocker, inhibited histamine-induced tonic relaxation. These findings suggest that histamine produced relaxation in circular smooth muscle of human gastric smooth muscle through H2 receptor and NO/sGC pathways.

Ultra violet-C pretreatment enhances the antimicrobial efficacy of unpeeled carrots against subsequent contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.

To our knowledge, this study is the first to elucidate the bactericidal efficacy of unpeeled carrots (hereafter referred to as carrots) pretreated with Ultra Violet-C (UV-C) against subsequent contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. Carrots pretreated with UV-C (240 mJ/cm2) exhibited a significant antilisterial effect within 2 h. In fact, the population of UV-C-pretreated carrots decreased from 7.94 log CFU/cm2 to levels below the limit of detection (LOD; <1.65 log CFU/cm2) within 24 h. For carrots that were not pretreated with UV-C, 3-4 log reductions were found after 24 h. Carrots pretreated with UV-C exhibited antimicrobial activity against another gram-positive pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus, but not against the gram-negative pathogens, E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica. Pretreatment with UV-C created a lasting antimicrobial effect as introducing L. monocytogenes on carrots, 72 h post-UV-C treatment, still maintained the antilisterial effect. Notably, all UV-C doses in the range of 48-240 mJ/cm2 induced a lasting antilisterial effect. The bactericidal effects against L. monocytogenes were confirmed in three varieties of washed and unwashed carrots (Danvers, Nantes, and Chantenay). Fluorescence microscopy confirmed the bactericidal effect of UV-C-pretreated carrots on the survival of L. monocytogenes. Conclusively, pretreating carrots with UV-C can reduce the population of L. monocytogenes to levels below the LOD and may further prevent pathogen growth during cold storage. Additional studies are necessary to discern the mechanism underlying the bactericidal efficacy of UV-C-pretreated carrots.

Comparative analysis of immunotherapy responses in small cell lung cancer patients with dermatomyositis.

Cancer-associated dermatomyositis (CAD), a paraneoplastic syndrome characterized by dermatomyositis (DM), frequently presents in association with small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Although the advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has revolutionized cancer treatment, their efficacy and safety in patients with concurrent autoimmune diseases (AD) and malignancies remains uncertain. Several studies have suggested the safe administration of ICIs in patients with AD, indicating that successful cancer therapy can alleviate CAD symptoms. Conversely, other studies have raised concerns about the potential for ICIs to exacerbate AD flares or immune-related adverse events (irAEs). A comparative analysis of two cases from our institution emphasizes the variability in ICI responses among SCLC patients with CAD. One patient, previously reported as a case study, exhibited significant clinical improvement in DM symptoms after ICI administration, whereas the other developed severe exfoliative skin changes and experienced an unfavorable prognosis. This variability emphasizes the need for careful patient selection and close monitoring during ICI treatment. We hypothesized that overweight or obese individuals and those with severe initial skin lesions and elevated lactate dehydrogenase levels are more susceptible to developing irAEs following ICI therapy. Therefore, caution is advised when considering immunotherapy in these patients.

Value of glucose transport protein 1 expression in detecting lymph node metastasis in patients with colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: There are limited data on the use of glucose transport protein 1 (GLUT-1) expression as a biomarker for predicting lymph node metastasis in patients with colorectal cancer. GLUT-1 and GLUT-3, hexokinase (HK)-II, and hypoxia-induced factor (HIF)-1 expressions may be useful biomarkers for detecting primary tumors and lymph node metastasis when combined with fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake on positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). AIM: To evaluate GLUT-1, GLUT-3, HK-II, and HIF-1 expressions as biomarkers for detecting primary tumors and lymph node metastasis with 18F-FDG-PET/CT. METHODS: This retrospective study included 169 patients with colorectal cancer who underwent colectomy and preoperative 18F-FDG-PET/CT at Chungbuk National University Hospital between January 2009 and May 2012. Two tissue cores from the central and peripheral areas of the tumors were obtained and were examined by a dedicated pathologist, and the expressions of GLUT-1, GLUT-3, HK-II, and HIF-1 were determined using immunohistochemical staining. We analyzed the correlations among their expressions, various clinicopathological factors, and the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of PET/CT. RESULTS: GLUT-1 was found at the center or periphery of the tumors in 109 (64.5%) of the 169 patients. GLUT-1 positivity was significantly correlated with the SUVmax of the primary tumor and lymph nodes, regardless of the biopsy site (tumor center, P < 0.001 and P = 0.012; tumor periphery, P = 0.030 and P = 0.010, respectively). GLUT-1 positivity and negativity were associated with higher and lower sensitivities of PET/CT, respectively, for the detection of lymph node metastasis, regardless of the biopsy site. GLUT3, HK-II, and HIF-1 expressions were not significantly correlated with the SUVmax of the primary tumor and lymph nodes. CONCLUSION: GLUT-1 expression was significantly correlated with the SUVmax of 18F-FDG-PET/CT for primary tumors and lymph nodes. Clinicians should consider GLUT-1 expression in preoperative endoscopic biopsy in interpreting PET/CT findings.

Bacterial Extracellular Vesicles as Potential Promoting Factors for Oral Lichen Planus Pathogenesis.

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by an intensive infiltration of cytotoxic T cells, which causes keratinocyte death. Abnormal changes within keratinocytes might be critical for OLP onset and progression, but the pathogenic mechanism of OLP is still uncertain. The human oral microbiota, consisting of approximately 50-100 billion bacterial entities, encompasses around 200 dominant bacterial species. These bacteria continuously produce and release extracellular vesicles (EVs), which play a significant role in host-microbe interactions. However, the impact of these bacterial EVs on the progression of OLP has not been fully elucidated. In this study, through comprehensive database analysis and experimental validation, we observed that OLP lesions exhibit elevated inflammatory signatures and significantly increased phosphorylation of STAT3 compared to non-OLP tissues. Notably, EVs derived from key periodontal pathogens, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, were shown to induce an inflammatory response and activate STAT3 signaling pathways, closely mirroring the pathophysiological features observed in OLP. These results underscore the potential role of bacterial EVs in the pathogenesis of OLP and highlight STAT3 as a critical mediator in this process.

Downregulation of cell-free miR-198 as a diagnostic biomarker for lung adenocarcinoma-associated malignant pleural effusion.

Circulating cell-free microRNAs (miRNAs) are potential cancer biomarkers. The aim of this study was to identify miRNAs that are differentially expressed between benign pleural effusion (BPE) and lung adenocarcinoma-associated malignant pleural effusion (LA-MPE). The expression level of cell-free miRNA was investigated in 107 patients with pleural effusion. Microarrays were used to screen 160 miRNAs in a discovery set comprising 20 effusion samples (ten BPEs and ten LA-MPEs). Real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to validate the profiling results obtained for the discovery set and those obtained for a validation set comprising 42 BPEs and 45 LA-MPEs. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the identified miRNAs and other common tumor markers, such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cytokeratin fragment (CYFRA) 21-1. Microarray profiling showed that miR-198 was significantly downregulated in LA-MPE compared with BPE (p = 0.002). The miRNA microarray analysis results were confirmed by qRT-PCR (p < 0.001) using the validation set. The AUCs for miR-198, CEA and CYFRA 21-1 in the validation set were 0.887, 0.898 and 0.836, respectively. The diagnostic performance of miR-198 was comparable with that of CEA, but better than that of CYFRA 21-1. The AUC for all three markers combined was 0.926 (95% confidence interval, 0.843-0.973) with a sensitivity of 89.2% and a specificity of 85.0%. The present study suggests that cell-free miR-198 from patients with pleural effusion might have diagnostic potential for differentiating LA-MPE from BPE.

Podoplanin, α-smooth muscle actin or S100A4 expressing cancer-associated fibroblasts are associated with different prognosis in colorectal cancers.

The interactions between the tumor microenvironment and tumor cells determine the behavior of the primary tumors. Whether cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) have a tumor progressive or a protective role likely depends on the type of tumor cells and the CAF subpopulation. In the present study, we analyzed the prognostic significance of CAF subpopulations in colorectal cancer (CRC). CAF phenotypes were analyzed in 302 CRC patients by using antibodies against podoplanin (PDPN), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and S100A4. The relationship between the CAF phenotypes and 11 clinicopathological parameters were evaluated and their prognostic significance was analyzed from the disease-free and overall survival times. We observed that at the tumor invasive front, PDPN CAFs were present in 40% of the cases, and S100A4 or α-SMA CAFs were detected in all the cases. PDPN/S100A4 and α-SMA/S100A4 dual-stained CAFs were observed in 10% and 40% of the cases, respectively. The PDPN(+) CAFs were associated with 6 favorable clinicopathological parameters and prolonged disease-free survival time. The PDPN(-)/α-SMA(high) CAFs were associated with 6 aggressive clinicopathological parameters and tended to exhibit shorter disease-free survival time. On the other hand, the PDPN(-)/S100A4(high) CAFs were associated with 2 tumor progression parameters, but not with disease prognosis. The PDPN(+) CAF phenotype is distinct from the α-SMA or S100A4 CAFs in that it is associated with less aggressive tumors and a favorable prognosis, whereas the PDPN(-)/α-SMA(high) or PDPN(-)/S100A4(high) CAFs are associated with tumor progression in CRC. These findings suggest that CAFs can be a useful prognostic biomarker or potential targets of anti-cancer therapy in CRC.

Locally recurrent penile apocrine carcinoma initially diagnosed as metastatic adenocarcinoma of colon.

Apocrine carcinoma is a rare malignant adnexal neoplasm. The differential diagnosis between apocrine carcinoma and cutaneous metastasis is often difficult. Here, we report a case of locally recurrent penile apocrine carcinoma initially diagnosed as metastatic adenocarcinoma of the colon. A 75-year-old man with a history of surgical resection due to sigmoid colon cancer and penile metastasis two years prior to this study presented with a nodule at the left penile base. He underwent a wide local resection of the penile mass under a suggested preoperative diagnosis of extra-mammary Paget's disease (EMPD) associated with previous sigmoid colon cancer. However, the previously and currently resected penile masses were identified as primary apocrine carcinoma upon hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and immunohistochemical staining. Although the incidence is extremely rare, both clinicians and pathologists should be alert to the possibility of synchronous double primary apocrine carcinoma in cancer patients with malignant cutaneous lesions.

Effects of sterilization methods on the survival of pathogenic bacteria in potting soil stored at various temperatures.

Fresh food products can be contaminated with pathogenic bacteria in various agricultural environments. Potting soil is sterilized by heat sterilization and then reused. This study evaluated the effects of three sterilization methods (non-sterilized, pasteurized, and sterilized) on the survival of pathogenic bacteria in potting soil during storage for 60 days at 5, 15, 25, and 35 °C. The reduction in Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Staphylococcus aureus in potting soil was higher at higher temperatures (25 and 35 °C) than at lower temperatures (5 and 15 °C). The population of pathogenic bacteria in pasteurized and sterilized potting soil was reduced below the detectable levels within 30 days at 35 °C. In contrast, the population of Bacillus cereus did not change in potting soil during storage for 60 days at all temperatures. These results indicate that sterilization and storage temperature of potting soil are critical factors influencing the survival of pathogenic bacteria.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in a patient with small cell lung cancer and anti-transcriptional intermediary factor 1-γ antibody-positive dermatomyositis: A case report.

Autoimmune diseases (ADs) are closely related to cancers; 30% of dermatomyositis (DM) cases are associated with malignancy. In lung cancer patients accompanied by DM, the most frequent cancer type is small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Anti-transcriptional intermediary factor 1 γ (anti-TIF1γ) antibody is a promising marker for the assessment of cancer risk in DM patients. The recent use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for extensive-stage SCLC has improved patient outcomes. However, clinical trials of ICI excluded most patients with ADs because of the increased risk of toxicity. Nevertheless, recent evidences suggest that ICI may be appropriate for AD patients. A 76-year-old man diagnosed with extensive-stage SCLC and anti-TIF1γ Ab-positive DM developed limb weakness and typical skin manifestations of DM. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography showed diffuse uptake in all muscles. The results of a nerve conduction study and electromyography were consistent with acute myopathy. Electron microscopy showed tubuloreticular inclusions in endothelial cells. He was treated with corticosteroids for DM and chemotherapy with atezolizumab for SCLC. Despite concerns regarding the use of ICI because of DM, atezolizumab was administered under close observation. After treatment, tumor size decreased and his symptoms improved significantly. We believe that the response of SCLC to chemotherapy including ICI, had a positive effect on the improvement of DM. Clinicians should consider ICIs for SCLC patients with DM and carefully monitor the patient's symptoms during treatment.

Chronic demyelinating polyneuropathy preceding T-cell lymphoma: differentiation between primary neurolymphomatosis and paraneoplastic neuropathy.

A 49-year-old man presented with progressive asymmetric weakness and pain. Electrodiagnostic tests and nerve biopsy suggested chronic demyelinating polyneuropathy refractory to immune-modulating therapy. The patient's symptoms were aggravated, and he was finally diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma based on the findings of the second 18F-2 fluoro-2-deoxy-glucose positron emission tomography/CT performed 16 months after symptom onset. The patient received intravenous chemotherapy, but died 2 months later because of lymphoma progression. A clinical suspicion of neurolymphomatosis and early diagnosis are important for proper management.

Use of Bacterial Extracellular Vesicles for Gene Delivery to Host Cells.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are nanosized membranous particles secreted from both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, can deliver various biological molecules, such as nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids, into recipient cells. However, contrary to what is known about eukaryotic EVs, whether bacterial EVs (bEVs) can be used as transporters for bioactive molecules is becoming a hot area of research. In this study, we electroporated enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) genes and precursor microRNA of Cel-miR-39 (pre-Cel-miR-39) from isolated bEVs of Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus reuteri. The EGFP plasmid, synthetic EGFP RNA, and pre-Cel-miR-39 were successfully delivered into the murine microglial BV2 cells via bEVs. PCR and confocal microscopy analysis confirmed the transfer of the EGFP plasmid and RNA. The bEV-delivered exogenous pre-Cel-miR-39 was further processed into the mature form of Cel-miR-39; its incorporation into Ago2-a major component of the RNA-induced silencing complex-was assessed using RNA-immunoprecipitation-PCR. Taken together, bEVs can be used as vehicles to deliver genetic materials and for novel biotechnological applications, such as gene transfer and mRNA vaccines.