An esophagectomy surgical Apgar score-based nomogram-a risk-based postoperative triage system: a phase II randomised trial.

Background: The esophagectomy surgical Apgar score (eSAS) has been found to be a predictor of postoperative complications in esophagectomy. In our previous study, we built a graphic nomogram based on eSAS and demonstrated that it can effectively predict the risk of major morbidity after esophagectomy. In this study, we aimed to assess the benefits of using an eSAS-based nomogram model as a postoperative risk-based triage system for patients undergoing esophagectomy. Methods: We enrolled 119 patients diagnosed with esophageal carcinoma and randomly assigned them to a nomogram group (NG) or control group (CG) from January 2019 to December 2020. Patients in the NG were assigned to a low-risk group and high-risk group based on the nomogram. Patients in the high-risk group were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) after esophagectomy. Risk estimation in the CG patients was based on the surgeon's clinical experience. Thirty-day major complications, postoperative hospital stay, hospital costs, and quality of life (QOL) during the follow-up were compared between the two groups. Results: Baseline clinicopathological characteristics were comparable between the NG (n=58) and CG (n=61). All patients underwent esophagectomy. Postoperative complications were significantly higher in the CG (30, 49.2%) than in the NG (14, 24.1%) (P=0.008), with pneumonia being the most common (CG: 23, 37.7%; NG: 12, 20.7%; P=0.042). There was no significant difference in anastomotic leakage (NG: 1, 1.7%; CG: 6, 9.8%; P=0.12). Postoperative median hospital stay was shorter in the NG (14 days) than in the CG (16 days) (P=0.041). Hospital costs (NG: ¥60,045.1; CG: ¥63,961.5; P=0.21) and postoperative QOL did not differ significantly between groups. Conclusions: An eSAS-based nomogram as a triage system can reduce the overall occurrence of postoperative complications and shorten postoperative hospital stay without increasing hospital costs. Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR1900021636.

circ_0000592 facilitates the progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma via miR-155-5p/FZD5 axis.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the gastrointestinal malignancies with high prevalence and poor prognosis. Previous reports suggested that circular ribose nucleic acids might exert regulatory functions in ESCC. This study aims to explore the role of circ_0000592 in ESCC progression, providing novel insights into the diagnosis and therapeutic avenues for ESCC. The GSE131969 data set was utilized to assess circ_0000592 expression in ESCC. The validation was performed in the tumorous tissues of ESCC patients (n = 80) and human-immortalized ESCC cell lines. The correlation between circ_0000592 expression and prognosis was analyzed. The impact of circ_0000592 on ESCC cell activity was evaluated through downregulating circ_0000592, as well as encompassing cell viability, migration, and invasion abilities. The downstream pathway of circ_0000592 was explored by binding site prediction from the TargetScan database, followed by in vitro and in vivo experiments. An in vivo xenograft tumor model was established to highlight the role of circ_0000592 in ESCC. Patients with ESCC exhibited higher circ_0000592 expression levels compared to noncancerous patients, which were associated with reduced survival time, higher TNM stage, and increased lymph node metastasis. The circ_0000592 downregulation suppressed cell viability, migration, and invasion abilities in vitro. Mechanistically, circ_0000592 countered the inhibitory effects on the target gene Frizzled 5 (FZD5) through interactions with miR-155-5p. The overexpression of miR-155-5p curtailed the luciferase activity of circ_0000592 in ESCC cells, inhibiting downstream molecule FZD5 protein expression and subsequently mitigating the detrimental consequences of escalated circ_0000592 expression in ESCC cells. Consistently, circ_0000592 downregulation curbed proliferation and metastasis of ESCC tumors in vivo. In summary, circ_0000592 promoted the progress of ESCC by counteracting the inhibitory impact on FZD5 through its interaction with miR-155-5p. Together, our findings highlighted circ_0000592 as a prospective therapeutic target for ESCC.

Comprehensive analysis of lung adenocarcinoma: Unveiling differential gene expression, survival-linked genes, subtype stratification, and immune landscape implications.

This study offers a detailed exploration of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), addressing its heterogeneity and treatment challenges through a multi-faceted analysis that includes gene expression, genetic subtyping, pathway analysis, immune assessment, and drug sensitivity. It identifies 165 genes with significant expression differences and 46 genes associated with survival, revealing insights into oxidative stress and autophagy. LUAD samples were divided into three subtypes using consensus clustering on these 46 genes, with distinct survival outcomes. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) on HALLMARK gene sets indicated pathway variations with survival implications. The immune landscape, analyzed using the CIBERSORT algorithm, showed different immune cell distributions across subtypes, with the first subtype exhibiting a better immune environment and survival prospects. Advanced machine learning techniques developed a risk model from a set of four genes, effectively categorizing patients into high and low-risk groups, validated through external datasets and analyses. This model linked lower risk scores to better clinical stages, with a higher mutation rate and potential immunotherapy benefits observed in the high-risk group. Drug sensitivity assessments highlighted varied treatment responses between risk groups, suggesting avenues for personalized therapy. This comprehensive analysis enhances the understanding of LUAD's molecular and clinical nuances, offering valuable insights for tailored treatment approaches.

Continuous production of ultratough semiconducting polymer fibers with high electronic performance.

Conjugated polymers have demonstrated promising optoelectronic properties, but their brittleness and poor mechanical characteristics have hindered their fabrication into durable fibers and textiles. Here, we report a universal approach to continuously producing highly strong, ultratough conjugated polymer fibers using a flow-enhanced crystallization (FLEX) method. These fibers exhibit one order of magnitude higher tensile strength (>200 megapascals) and toughness (>80 megajoules per cubic meter) than traditional semiconducting polymer fibers and films, outperforming many synthetic fibers, ready for scalable production. These fibers also exhibit unique strain-enhanced electronic properties and exceptional performance when used as stretchable conductors, thermoelectrics, transistors, and sensors. This work not only highlights the influence of fluid mechanical effects on the crystallization and mechanical properties of conjugated polymers but also opens up exciting possibilities for integrating these functional fibers into wearable electronics.

The causal relationship between severe mental illness and risk of lung carcinoma.

Observational studies have suggested a link between severe mental illness (SMI) and risk of lung carcinoma (LC); however, causality has not been established. In this study, we conducted a two-sample, two-step Mendelian randomization (MR) investigation to uncover the etiological influence of SMI on LC risk and quantify the mediating effects of known modifiable risk factors. We obtained summary-level datasets for schizophrenia, major depressive disorder (MDD), and bipolar disorder (BD) from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC). Data on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with lung carcinoma (LC) were sourced from a recent large meta-analysis by McKay et al. We employed two-sample MR and two-step MR utilizing the inverse variance weighted method for causal estimation. Sensitivity tests were conducted to validate causal relationships. In two-sample MR, we identified schizophrenia as a risk factor for LC (OR = 1.06, 95% CI 1.02-1.11, P = 3.48E-03), while MDD (OR = 1.18, 95% CI 0.98-1.42, P = .07) and BD (OR = 1.07, 95% CI 0.99-1.15, P = .09) showed no significant association with LC. In the two-step MR, smoking accounted for 24.66% of the schizophrenia-LC risk association, and alcohol consumption explained 7.59% of the effect. Schizophrenia is a risk factor for lung carcinoma, and smoking and alcohol consumption are the mediating factors in this causal relationship. LC screening should be emphasized in individuals with schizophrenia, particularly in those who smoke and consume alcohol regularly.

IFN-γ decreases PD-1 in T lymphocytes from convalescent COVID-19 patients via the AKT/GSK3ß signaling pathway.

Post-COVID-19 syndrome may be associated with the abnormal immune status. Compared with the unexposed age-matched elder group, PD-1 in the CD8+ T cells from recovered COVID-19 patients was significantly lower. IFN-γ in the plasma of COVID-19 convalescent patients was increased, which inhibited PD-1 expression in CD8+ T cells from COVID-19 convalescent patients. scRNA-seq bioinformatics analysis revealed that AKT/GSK3ß may regulate the INF-γ/PD-1 axis in CD8+ T cells from COVID-19 convalescent patients. In parallel, an IFN-γ neutralizing antibody reduced AKT and increased GSK3ß in PBMCs. An AKT agonist (SC79) significantly decreased p-GSK3ß. Moreover, AKT decreased PD-1 on CD8+ T cells, and GSK3ß increased PD-1 on CD8+ T cells according to flow cytometry analysis. Collectively, we demonstrated that recovered COVID-19 patients may develop long COVID. Increased IFN-γ in the plasma of recovered Wuhan COVID-19 patients contributed to PD-1 downregulation on CD8+ T cells by regulating the AKT/GSK3ß signaling pathway.

[Construction of a Prognostic Prediction Model of Patients with Pathologic N0 
in Resected Invasive Mucinous Adenocarcinoma of the Lung].

BACKGROUND: Invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma (IMA) was a rare and specific type of lung adenocarcinoma, which was often characterized by fewer lymphatic metastases. Therefore, it was difficult to evaluate the prognosis of these tumors based on the existing tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging. So, this study aimed to develop Nomograms to predict outcomes of patients with pathologic N0 in resected IMA. METHODS: According to the inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria, IMA patients with pathologic N0 in The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital of Ningbo University (training cohort, n=78) and Ningbo No.2 Hospital (validation cohort, n=66) were reviewed between July 2012 and May 2017. The prognostic value of the clinicopathological features in the training cohort was analyzed and prognostic prediction models were established, and the performances of models were evaluated. Finally, the validation cohort data was put in for external validation. RESULTS: Univariate analysis showed that pneumonic type, larger tumor size, mixed mucinous/non-mucinous component, and higher overall stage were significant influence factors of 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Multivariate analysis further indicated that type of imaging, tumor size, mucinous component were the independent prognostic factors for poor 5-year PFS and OS. Moreover, the 5-year PFS and OS rates were 62.82% and 75.64%, respectively. In subgroups, the survival analysis also showed that the pneumonic type and mixed mucinous/non-mucinous patients had significantly poorer 5-year PFS and OS compared with solitary type and pure mucinous patients, respectively. The C-index of Nomograms with 5-year PFS and OS were 0.815 (95%CI: 0.741-0.889) and 0.767 (95%CI: 0.669-0.865). The calibration curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) of both models showed good predictive performances in both cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: The Nomograms based on clinicopathological characteristics in a certain extent, can be used as an effective prognostic tool for patients with pathologic N0 after IMA resection.

Amplifying "eat me signal" by immunogenic cell death for potentiating cancer immunotherapy.

Immunogenic cell death (ICD) is a unique mode of cell death, which can release immunogenic damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) and tumor-associated antigens to trigger long-term protective antitumor immune responses. Thus, amplifying "eat me signal" during tumor ICD cascade is critical for cancer immunotherapy. Some therapies (radiotherapy, photodynamic therapy (PDT), photothermal therapy (PTT), etc.) and inducers (chemotherapeutic agents, etc.) have enabled to initiate and/or facilitate ICD and activate antitumor immune responses. Recently, nanostructure-based drug delivery systems have been synthesized for inducing ICD through combining treatment of chemotherapeutic agents, photosensitizers for PDT, photothermal transformation agents for PTT, radiosensitizers for radiotherapy, etc., which can release loaded agents at an appropriate dosage in the designated place at the appropriate time, contributing to higher efficiency and lower toxicity. Also, immunotherapeutic agents in combination with nanostructure-based drug delivery systems can produce synergetic antitumor effects, thus potentiating immunotherapy. Overall, our review outlines the emerging ICD inducers, and nanostructure drug delivery systems loading diverse agents to evoke ICD through chemoradiotherapy, PDT, and PTT or combining immunotherapeutic agents. Moreover, we discuss the prospects and challenges of harnessing ICD induction-based immunotherapy, and highlight the significance of multidisciplinary and interprofessional collaboration to promote the optimal translation of this treatment strategy.

CD146 deficiency aggravates chronic obstructive pulmonary disease via the increased production of S100A9 and MMP-9 in macrophages.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of global death. As a molecule beyond adhesion, CD146 is involved in COPD pathogenesis. However, the mechanisms of CD146 in COPD remain largely elusive. We hypothesized that CD146 regulates the production of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in macrophages and thereby contributes to COPD. Here, we constructed a murine model of COPD using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE). In COPD-like mice, LPS and PPE decreased the pulmonary expression of CD146. MMP-9 expression and bioactivity were increased in CD146 knockout COPD-like mice. In vitro, LPS decreased CD146 expression in macrophages. With or without LPS challenge, CD146-defective macrophages produced more MMP-9. Transcriptome analysis based on next-generation sequencing (NGS) revealed that S100A9 regulated MMP-9 production in CD146-defective macrophages. Targeting S100A9 with paquinimod decreased lung inflammation and alleviated alveolar destruction in COPD-like mice. Collectively, our study suggests that CD146 negatively regulates MMP-9 production in macrophages via the S100A9 pathway in COPD.

Expression Profiles of circRNAs and Identification of hsa_circ_0007608 and hsa_circ_0064656 as Potential Biomarkers for COPD-PH Patients.

Introduction: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a common complication of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which can worsen the prognosis and increase the mortality of COPD patients. Circular RNA (circRNA) has been discovered to participate in the occurrence and progression of PH in COPD and may have significant prospects for advanced diagnostics and prognosis evaluation. However, the expression profile of circRNAs in human lung tissues with definite diagnosis of COPD-PH remains to be further explored and validated. Methods: Twelve human lung tissue samples (6 each from COPD-PH and control groups) were collected and subjected to high-throughput sequencing. QRT-PCR was performed to validate the differential expression levels of the top 10 dysregulated circRNAs in patients' plasma samples, HPAECs and HPASMCs. Functional and pathway enrichment analysis on target genes was performed to explore the potential functions and pathways of those circRNAs. Hub genes obtained after conducting bioinformatics analysis on the predicted target mRNAs were verified by qRT-PCR in HPAECs and HPASMCs, and then we selected VCAN as a potential key gene involved in the pathogenesis of COPD-PH for immunohistochemistry validation in lung tissue. Results: A total of 136 circRNAs (39 up-regulated and 97 down-regulated) were differentially expressed between the two groups. Following qRT-PCR validation, two circRNAs (hsa_circ_0007608 and hsa_circ_0064656) were believed to be involved in the pathogenesis. GO and KEGG pathway analysis suggested that these two DECs were mainly related to the celluar proliferation, migration and EndMT. PPI network revealed 11 pairs of key mRNAs. VCAM1, VCAN and THBS1, three hub mRNAs with the highest reliability among all, were validated and proven to be up-regulated in COPD-PH. We innovatively found that VCAN may be involved in COPD-PH. Conclusion: This study identified the functional circRNAs, providing insights into the molecular mechanisms and predictions of COPD-PH, and may provide potential diagnostic biomarkers or therapeutic targets for COPD-PH.

A novel preoperative image-guided localization for small pulmonary nodule resection using a claw-suture device.

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) provides better option concerning pathological diagnosis and curative intention of small pulmonary nodules (SPNs) that are sometimes challenging to localize. We assess the safety and feasibility of a new localization technique for SPNs, and report experience accumulated over time. A retrospective review of the new claw-suture localization cases between February 2018 and May 2023 was performed. Nodules were localized by a novel system that has an anchor claw and a tri-colored suture, guided by computed tomography (CT). Localization and operative procedure outcomes were then assessed. A total of 590 SPNs were localized from 568 patients before operation. The median nodule size was 0.70 cm (range, 0.3-2.0 cm). The claw-suture localization was successful without dislodgment or device fracture in 574 of 590 lesions (97.3%). Failures included not meeting target distance between claw and lesion (n = 13 [2.2%]), and device displacement (n = 3 [0.5%]). Complications requiring no further medical intervention included asymptomatic pneumothorax (n = 68 [11.5%]), parenchymal hemorrhage (n = 51 [8.6%]), and hemothorax (n = 1 [0.2%]) with the exception of pleural reaction observed in 2 cases (0.3%). Additionally, the depth of pulmonary nodules was significantly associated with the occurrence of pneumothorax (P = 0.036) and parenchymal hemorrhage (P = 0.000). The median duration of the localization was 12 min (range, 7-25 min). No patient complained of remarkable pain during the entire procedure. Retrieve of device after operation was 100%. The new localization technique is a safe, feasible, and well-tolerated method to localize SPNs for VATS resection.

Exosome-mediated metabolic reprogramming: Implications in esophageal carcinoma progression and tumor microenvironment remodeling.

Esophageal carcinoma is among the most fatal malignancies with increasing incidence globally. Tumor onset and progression can be driven by metabolic reprogramming, especially during esophageal carcinoma development. Exosomes, a subset of extracellular vesicles, display an average size of ∼100 nanometers, containing multifarious components (nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, etc.). An increasing number of studies have shown that exosomes are capable of transferring molecules with biological functions into recipient cells, which play crucial roles in esophageal carcinoma progression and tumor microenvironment that is a highly heterogeneous ecosystem through rewriting the metabolic processes in tumor cells and environmental stromal cells. The review introduces the reprogramming of glucose, lipid, amino acid, mitochondrial metabolism in esophageal carcinoma, and summarize current pharmaceutical agents targeting such aberrant metabolism rewiring. We also comprehensively overview the biogenesis and release of exosomes, and recent advances of exosomal cargoes and functions in esophageal carcinoma and their promising clinical application. Moreover, we discuss how exosomes trigger tumor growth, metastasis, drug resistance, and immunosuppression as well as tumor microenvironment remodeling through focusing on their capacity to transfer materials between cells or between cells and tissues and modulate metabolic reprogramming, thus providing a theoretical reference for the design potential pharmaceutical agents targeting these mechanisms. Altogether, our review attempts to fully understand the significance of exosome-based metabolic rewriting in esophageal carcinoma progression and remodeling of the tumor microenvironment, bringing novel insights into the prevention and treatment of esophageal carcinoma in the future.

Whole Blood-Derived circUSP10 Acts as a Diagnostic Biomarker in Patients With Early-Stage Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

Accumulating evidence has indicated that differentially expressed noncoding circular RNAs (circRNAs) play essential roles in the occurrence and development of various types of cancer. Here, we aimed to identify and explore the diagnostic value of hsa_circ_0003026 (named circUSP10) in patients with early non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The differentially expressed circRNAs were screened from the microarray-based assay of human NSCLC tissues and their corresponding noncancerous tissues, and the candidate circRNAs were further verified in patients with NSCLC using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Circulating circUSP10 was isolated from whole blood of healthy people and patients with NSCLC and was detected by RT-qPCR. In addition, the diagnostic value of circUSP10 in early NSCLC was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. We found that circUSP10 was upregulated in tumor tissues from patients with early NSCLC and associated with tumor size and tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage. Importantly, circUSP10 was obviously upregulated in the whole blood of patients with NSCLC. Additionally, whole blood-derived circUSP10 showed good diagnostic performance for screening early NSCLC and was relatively stable in blood under adverse conditions. These findings demonstrate that circUSP10 may act as a novel biomarker for the diagnosis of early-stage NSCLC, suggesting the potential of circUSP10 in RNA-based therapy for cancer.

Pretreatment lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio as a prognostic factor and influence on dose-effect in fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy for oligometastatic brain metastases in non-small cell lung cancer patients.

Background: Studies on the prognostic factors for patients with brain oligo-metastasis treated with fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) usually focus on the size of metastatic tumor and radiation dose. Some inflammatory indicators have predictive value in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with brain metastasis receiving stereotactic radiotherapy. However, the prognostic value of inflammatory indicators in NSCLC patients with brain oligo-metastasis treated with FSRT, and their effect on radiotherapy dose is unknown. Methods: A total of 95 advanced NSCLC patients with brain oligo-metastasis who had undergone FSRT treatment at Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital between January 2015 and April 2022 were enrolled into the study. Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR), tumor diameter and biologically effective dose (BED10) were analyzed using Chi-square test. Univariate and multivariate Cox regressions were used to identify predictors of survival. Results: Tumor diameter (< 2 cm), BED10 (≥ 48Gy) and LMR (≥ 4) were found to be independently associated with good intracranial local control survival (i-LCS) through multivariate analysis. The median i-LCS was longer in patients with 2 independent risk factors (tumor diameter ≥ 2 and LMR < 4) administered with BED10 > 53.6Gy compared with patients administered with BED10 ≤ 53.6Gy (20.7 months vs 12.0 months, P = 0.042). LMR ≥ 4 (P = 0.019) and positivity for driver gene mutations (P = 0.011) were independently associated with better overall survival (OS). Conclusions: LMR is an independent prognostic factor of i-LCS and OS in NSCLC patients with brain oligo-metastasis treated with FSRT. Patients with tumor diameter ≥ 2 and LMR < 4 should be treated with BED10 greater than 53.6Gy.

CAVIN2/SDPR Functioned as a Tumor Suppressor in Lung Adenocarcinoma from Systematic Analysis of Caveolae-Related Genes and Experimental Validation.

Background: Caveolae-Related Genes include caveolins and cavins, which are the main component of the fossa and, play important roles in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. Although increasing evidence indicated that caveolins (CAVs) and cavins (CAVINs) are involved in carcinogenesis and progression, their clinical significance and biological function in lung cancer are still limited. Methods: We investigated the expression of CAVs and CAVINs at transcriptional levels using Oncomine and Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis. The protein and mRNA expression levels of CAVs and CAVINs were determined by the human protein atlas website and our surgically resected samples, respectively. The clinical value of prognostic prediction based on the expression of CAVs and CAVINs was also assessed. cBioPortal, GeneMANIA and STRING were used to analyze the molecular characteristics of CAVs and CAVINs in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) comprehensively. Finally, we investigated the effect of CAVIN2/SDPR (serum deprivation protein response) on LUAD cells with biological experiments in vitro. Results: The expression of CAV1/2 and CAVIN1/2/3 were significantly downregulated in LUAD and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC). The patients with high expression of CAV1, CAV2, CAV3, CAVIN1 and CAVIN2/SDPR were tightly correlated with a better prognosis in LUAD, while no statistical significances in LUSC. Further, our results found that CAVIN2/SDPR can be identified as a prognostic biomarker independent of other CAVINs in patients with LUAD. Mechanically, the overexpression of CAVIN2/SDPR inhibited cell proliferation and migration owing to the cell apoptosis induction and cell cycle arrest at S phase in LUAD cells. Conclusions: CAVIN2/SDPR functioned as a tumor suppressor, and was able to serve as prognostic biomarkers in precision medicine of LUAD. Mechanically, overexpression of CAVIN2/SDPR inhibited cell proliferation by inducing cell apoptosis and S phase arrest in LUAD cells.

MicroRNA Let-7 Induces M2 Macrophage Polarization in COPD Emphysema Through the IL-6/STAT3 Pathway.

Background: M2 polarized macrophages are involved in the occurrence and development of emphysema in COPD patients. However, the molecular mechanism of M2 macrophage polarization is still unclear. This study investigated the molecular mechanism of let-7 differentially expressed in bronchial epithelial cells of COPD patients participating in COPD emphysema by regulating the expression of IL-6 and inducing M2 polarization of alveolar macrophages (AM). Materials and Methods: We measured let-7c expression in human lung tissue, serum and the lung tissue of cigarette smoke (CS)-exposed mice by qRT‒PCR. We observed the M1/M2 AM polarization in the lungs of COPD patients and COPD model mice by immunofluorescence analysis. Western blotting was used to determine the expression of MMP9/12 in the lung tissue of COPD patients and CS-exposed mice. An in vitro experiment was performed to determine the molecular mechanism of let-7c-induced macrophage polarization. Results: Let-7c expression was downregulated in COPD patients, CS-exposed mice, and CS extract (CSE)-treated human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells. AMs in COPD patients and CS-exposed mice were dominated by the M2 type, and the release of MMP9/12 was increased. In vitro, the transfection of mimics overexpressing let-7 or the use of tocilizumab to block signal transduction between HBE cells and macrophages inhibited the IL-6/STAT3 pathway. M2 macrophage polarization was inhibited, and MMP9/12 release was reduced. Conclusion: Our results indicate that CS decreased let-7c expression in HBE cells, and M2 AM polarization was dominant in COPD. In HBE cells, let-7c could inhibit M2 polarization of AMs through the IL-6/STAT3 pathway, providing potential diagnostic and therapeutic value for slowing COPD emphysema.

Construction of IL-1 signalling pathway correlation model in lung adenocarcinoma and association with immune microenvironment prognosis and immunotherapy: Multi-data validation.

Numerous studies have confirmed the inextricable link between inflammation and malignancy, which is also involved in developing lung adenocarcinoma, where IL-1 signalling is crucial. However, the predictive role of single gene biomarkers is insufficient, and more accurate prognostic models are needed. We downloaded data related to lung adenocarcinoma patients from the GDC, GEO, TISCH2 and TCGA databases for data analysis, model construction and differential gene expression analysis. The genes of IL-1 signalling-related factors were screened from published papers for subgroup typing and predictive correlation analysis. Five prognostic genes associated with IL-1 signalling were finally identified to construct prognostic prediction models. The K-M curves indicated that the prognostic models had significant predictive efficacy. Further immune infiltration scores showed that IL-1 signalling was mainly associated with enhanced immune cells, drug sensitivity of model genes was analysed using the GDSC database, and correlation of critical memories with cell subpopulation components was observed using single-cell analysis. In conclusion, we propose a predictive model based on IL-1 signalling-related factors, a non-invasive predictive approach for genomic characterisation, in predicting patients' survival outcomes. The therapeutic response has shown satisfactory and effective performance. More interdisciplinary areas combining medicine and electronics will be explored in the future.

Dissecting the molecular profiling and tumor immune microenvironment of three subtypes of esophageal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Great improvements have been made in the prognosis of esophageal cancer (ESCA) with the application of chemotherapy and immunotherapy. However, the majority of cases remain resistant to these regimens. Hence there is an urgent need to characterize the subtypes of ESCA with favorable survival outcome and drug responsiveness. METHODS: We characterized the malignant cells of ESCA and explored their communication with immune cells using the Cellchat algorithm. The ligand-receptor interaction pairs were then used as inputting information to identify the subtypes of ESCA by unsupervised clustering analysis. Further investigation aimed to dissect the different patterns of tumor immune microenvironment (TIME), tumor mutation burden, immunotherapy responsiveness and drug sensitivity among the various subtypes of ESCA. A nomogram was also constructed to predict the survival rate of ESCA patients by conducting Cox regression and decision curve analysis. RESULTS: Three subtypes were identified based on the ligand-receptor interaction pairs. Patients in cluster 2 showed a longer survival time and less likelihood of response to immunotherapy compared with cluster 1 or 3. Eight hub genes were screened to construct a prognostic signature, which can stratify patients well into high- and low-risk groups with distinct survival outcomes and drug sensitivities. The nomogram showed quite good performance in predicting patient survival rates of 1 and 3 years. CONCLUSION: This study characterized the molecular profiling and TIME patterns of three subtypes of ESCA. The relative findings will provide emergent insights for the treatment of ESCA.

Evaluating the predictive significance of systemic immune-inflammatory index and tumor markers in lung cancer patients with bone metastases.

Objective: This study aims to develop a predictive model for identifying lung cancer patients at elevated risk for bone metastases, utilizing the Unified Immunoinflammatory Index and various tumor markers. This model is expected to facilitate timely and effective therapeutic interventions, especially in the context of the growing significance of immunotherapy for lung cancer treatment. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 324 lung cancer patients treated between January 2019 and January 2021. After meeting the inclusion criteria, 241 patients were selected, with 56 exhibiting bone metastases. The cohort was divided into a training group (169 patients) and a validation group (72 patients) at a 7:3 ratio. Lasso regression was employed to identify critical variables, followed by logistic regression to construct a Nomogram model for predicting bone metastases. The model's validity was ascertained through internal and external evaluations using the Concordance Index (C-index) and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: The study identified several factors influencing bone metastasis in lung cancer, such as the Systemic Immune-Inflammatory Index (SII), Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA), Neuron Specific Enolase (NSE), Cyfra21-1, and Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR). These factors were incorporated into the Nomogram model, demonstrating high validation accuracy with C-index scores of 0.936 for internal and 0.924 for external validation. Conclusion: The research successfully developed an intuitive and accurate Nomogram prediction model utilizing clinical indicators to predict the risk of bone metastases in lung cancer patients. This tool can be instrumental in aiding clinicians in developing personalized treatment plans, thereby optimizing patient outcomes in lung cancer care.

Inflammation-based prognostic scoring system for predicting the prognosis of advanced small cell lung cancer patients receiving anlotinib monotherapy.

BACKGROUND: According to the randomized multicenter phase II trial (ALTER1202), anlotinib has been approved as a third-line therapy for advanced small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Some studies showed the predictive function of inflammatory markers, including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) in the different cancers treated with anti-vascular targeting drugs. However, none of the studies showed the roles of NLR, PLR, and LMR in SCLC patients receiving anlotinib. Thus, our objective was to establish a scoring system based on inflammation to individuate patient stratification and selection based on NLR, PLR, and LMR. METHODS: NLR, PLR, and LMR and their variations were calculated in 53 advanced SCLC patients receiving anlotinib as a third- or further-line treatment at Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital between January 2019 and December 2021. Kaplan-Meier curves were plotted. Both univariate and multivariate Cox regressions were used to identify predictors of survival. RESULTS: Disease control rate was related to pre-NLR, pre-PLR, pre-LMR, post-NLR elevation, post-PLR elevation, and post-LMR elevation. The multivariate analysis determined post-NLR elevation, pre-PLR > 240.56, and pre-LMR ≤1.61 to be independently associated with progression-free survival, not overall survival. The inflammation-based prognostic scoring system demonstrated favorable predictive ability from the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC: 0.791, 95% CI: 0.645-0.938). CONCLUSIONS: Post-NLR variation, pre-PLR, and pre-LMR were independent prognostic factors for PFS in advanced SCLC receiving anlotinib monotherapy. The inflammation-based prognostic scoring system can accurately predict effectiveness and survival.