Shuanglongjiegu pill promoted bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell osteogenic differentiation by regulating the miR-217/RUNX2 axis to activate Wnt/ß-catenin pathway.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of Shuanglongjiegu pill (SLJGP) on the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and explore its mechanism based on miR-217/RUNX2 axis. Results found that drug-containing serum of SLJGP promoted BMSCs viability with a dose-dependent effect. Under osteogenic differentiation conditions, SLJGP promoted the expression of ALP, OPN, BMP2, RUNX2, and the osteogenic differentiation ability of BMSCs. In addition, SLJGP significantly reduced miR-217 expression, and miR-217 directly targeted RUNX2. After treatment with miR-217 mimic, the promoting effects of SLJGP on proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs were significantly inhibited. MiR-217 mimic co-treated with pcDNA-RUNX2 further confirmed that the miR-217/RUNX2 axis was involved in SLJGP to promote osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. In addition, analysis of Wnt/ß-catenin pathway protein expression showed that SLJGP activated the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway through miR-217/RUNX2. In conclusion, SLJGP promoted osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs by regulating miR-217/RUNX2 axis and activating Wnt/ß-catenin pathway.

Lactate supports Treg function and immune balance via MGAT1 effects on N-glycosylation in the mitochondria.

Current research reports that lactate affects Treg metabolism, although the precise mechanism has only been partially elucidated. In this study, we presented evidence demonstrating that elevated lactate levels enhanced cell proliferation, suppressive capabilities, and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in human Tregs. The expression levels of Monocarboxylate Transporters 1/2/4 (MCT1/2/4) regulate intracellular lactate concentration, thereby influencing the varying responses observed in naive Tregs and memory Tregs. Through mitochondrial isolation, sequencing, and analysis of human Tregs, we determined that Alpha-1,3-Mannosyl-Glycoprotein 2-Beta-N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferase (MGAT1) served as the pivotal driver initiating downstream N-glycosylation events involving progranulin (GRN) and hypoxia-upregulated 1 (HYOU1), consequently enhancing Treg OXPHOS. The mechanism by which MGAT1 was upregulated in mitochondria depended on elevated intracellular lactate that promoted the activation of XBP1s, which, in turn, supported MGAT1 transcription as well as the interaction of lactate with the translocase of the mitochondrial outer membrane 70 (TOM70) import receptor, facilitating MGAT1 translocation into mitochondria. Pre-treatment of Tregs with lactate reduced mortality in a xenogeneic graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) model. Together, these findings underscored the active regulatory role of lactate in human Treg metabolism through the upregulation of MGAT1 transcription and its facilitated translocation into the mitochondria.

An IGHG1 variant exhibits polarized prevalence and confers enhanced IgG1 antibody responses against life-threatening organisms.

Evolutionary pressures sculpt population genetics, whereas immune adaptation fortifies humans against life-threatening organisms. How the evolution of selective genetic variation in adaptive immune receptors orchestrates the adaptation of human populations to contextual perturbations remains elusive. Here, we show that the G396R coding variant within the human immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) heavy chain presents a concentrated prevalence in Southeast Asian populations. We uncovered a 190-kb genomic linkage disequilibrium block peaked in close proximity to this variant, suggestive of potential Darwinian selection. This variant confers heightened immune resilience against various pathogens and viper toxins in mice. Mechanistic studies involving severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection and vaccinated individuals reveal that this variant enhances pathogen-specific IgG1+ memory B cell activation and antibody production. This G396R variant may have arisen on a Neanderthal haplotype background. These findings underscore the importance of an IGHG1 variant in reinforcing IgG1 antibody responses against life-threatening organisms, unraveling the intricate interplay between human evolution and immune adaptation.

Discovery of a potential bladder cancer inhibitor CHNQD-01281 by regulating EGFR and promoting infiltration of cytotoxic T cells.

As one of the common malignancies that threaten human life, bladder cancer occurs frequently with a high mortality rate in the world, due to its invasion, recurrence and drug resistance. Natural products from marine microorganisms are becoming the hotspots in discovery of new candidate drug entities, especially in the area of cancer. Brefeldin A (BFA) is a natural Arf-GEFs inhibitor, but due to the low aqueous solubility, strong toxicity, and poor bioavailability, it is urgent to conduct structural optimization research. Herein, a new BFA pyridine acrylate derivative CHNQD-01281 with improved solubility was prepared and found to exert moderate to strong antiproliferative activity on a variety of human cancer cell lines. It was noteworthy that CHNQD-01281 was most sensitive to two bladder cancer cell lines T24 and J82 (IC50 = 0.079 and 0.081 µmol/L) with high selectivity index (SI = 14.68 and 14.32), suggesting a superior safety to BFA. In vivo studies revealed that CHNQD-01281 remarkably suppressed tumor growth in a T24 nude mice xenograft model (TGI = 52.63%) and prolonged the survival time (ILS = 68.16%) in an MB49 allogeneic mouse model via inducing infiltration of cytotoxic T cells. Further mechanism exploration indicated that CHNQD-01281 regulated both EGFR/PI3K/AKT and EGFR/ERK pathways and mediated the chemotactic effect of chemokines on immune effector cells. Overall, CHNQD-01281 may serve as a potential therapeutic agent for bladder cancer through multiple mechanisms. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-024-00246-w.

Genome-wide identification of R2R3-MYB transcription factor subfamily genes involved in salt stress in rice (Oryza sativa L.).

BACKGROUND: R2R3-MYB transcription factors belong to one of the largest gene subfamilies in plants, and they are involved in diverse biological processes. However, the role of R2R3-MYB transcription factor subfamily genes in the response of rice (Oryza sativa L.) to salt stress has been rarely reported. RESULTS: In this study, we performed a genome-wide characterization and expression identification of rice R2R3-MYB transcription factor subfamily genes. We identified a total of 117 R2R3-MYB genes in rice and characterized their gene structure, chromosomal location, and cis-regulatory elements. According to the phylogenetic relationships and amino acid sequence homologies, the R2R3-MYB genes were divided into four groups. qRT-PCR of the R2R3-MYB genes showed that the expression levels of 10 genes significantly increased after 3 days of 0.8% NaCl treatment. We selected a high expression gene OsMYB2-115 for further analysis. OsMYB2-115 was highly expressed in the roots, stem, leaf, and leaf sheath. OsMYB2-115 was found to be localized in the nucleus, and the yeast hybrid assay showed that OsMYB2-115 has transcriptional activation activity. CONCLUSION: This result provides important information for the functional analyses of rice R2R3-MYB transcription factor subfamily genes related to the salt stress response and reveals that OsMYB2-115 may be an important gene associated with salt tolerance in rice.

Autologous exosomes loaded with a rationally designed photosensitizer for enhanced photodynamic therapy.

We present generalizing statistical surrogate models to select an optimized photosensitizer, TPP, which is subsequently loaded into autologous exosomes by ultrasonic mixing to achieve tumor targeting with enhanced therapeutic efficacy by photodynamic therapy (PDT). This work contributes to the exploration of PDT enhancement strategies, and provides new prospects for using autologous exosomes as a delivery system.

Illness uncertainty and dysphagia in Chinese oral cancer patients: the mediation effect of catastrophic cognition.

PURPOSE: Dysphagia, a serious symptom of oral cancer, is also the most common. Further, patients who are more uncertain regarding their illness tend to catastrophize, which may affect their rehabilitation and long-term survival rate. Considering this relationship, this study aimed to investigate the occurrence of dysphagia in Chinese patients with oral cancer and explore the correlation between catastrophic cognition, illness uncertainty, and dysphagia. METHODS: Applying a cross-sectional design, convenience sampling was used to recruit 180 patients with oral cancer. Advanced statistical methods were employed to analyze the mediating effects of catastrophic cognition on illness uncertainty and dysphagia. RESULTS: Chinese patients with oral cancer had a mean dysphagia score of 52.88 ± 10.95. Catastrophic cognition and illness uncertainty in patients with oral cancer were significantly positively correlated (r = 0.447, P < 0.001). There was a significant negative correlation between dysphagia score and catastrophic cognition (r = -0.385, P < 0.001), and between dysphagia and illness uncertainty (r = -0.522, P < 0.001). Bootstrapping results indicated that the mediating effect of catastrophic cognition between illness uncertainty and dysphagia was -0.07 (95% CI: [-0.15, -0.03]) and significant, and the mediation effect accounted for 15.6% of the total effect. CONCLUSIONS: Chinese patients with oral cancer have poor swallowing function. Results suggest that catastrophic cognition partially mediated the relationship between illness uncertainty and dysphagia in patients with oral cancer. Medical staff can improve patients' swallowing function by reducing the level of catastrophic cognition via decreasing the level of illness uncertainty.

Photoresponsive Nanoarchitectonics Based on Copper-Porphyrins for Near-Infrared-Enhanced Bacterial Treatment.

Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest challenges that causes incurable diseases and endangers public health. Metal-porphyrin-modified nanoarchitectonics can enhance the bacterial affinity and destruction of cell walls. Herein, a new photoresponsive nanoarchitectonics (BPGa@COF-Cu) was synthesized by doping Ga(III) on the surface of black phosphorus (BP) and subsequently loaded into a Cu(II)-based covalent-organic framework (COF-Cu). The COF-Cu was induced by the coupling reaction of terephthalic chloride with amino-substituted porphyrin derivatives (THPP), followed by the coordination of the Cu(II) ion. The material BPGa@COF-Cu is a nanoball, and the mean radius is ca. 250 nm. The photochemical properties of BPGa@COF-Cu show that it efficiently catalyzes H2O2 into ·OH. BPGa@COF-Cu can also produce both singlet oxygen and heat upon 808 nm irradiation. Further, BPGa@COF-Cu was employed to inhibit bacteria, and the results showed that it can destroy the membrane of bacteria. The MIC (minimal inhibition concentration) of BPGa@COF-Cu against E. coli was 1 µg/mL. All the data suggest that BPGa@COF-Cu is a multiple nanoarchitectonics for bacterial treatment.

[Application and prospects of hyperspectral remote sensing in monitoring plant diversity in grassland]. / é«˜å ‰è°±é¥æ„Ÿåœ¨è‰åŽŸæ¤ç‰©å¤šæ ·æ€§ç›‘æµ‹ä¸­çš„åº”ç”¨ä¸Žå±•æœ›.

The biodiversity of grasslands is important for ecosystem function and health. The protection and mana-gement of grassland biodiversity requires the collection of the information on plant diversity. Hyperspectral remote sensing, with its unique advantages of extensive coverage and high spectral resolution, offers a new solution for long-term monitoring of plant diversity. We first reviewed the development history of hyperspectral remote sensing technology, emphasized its advantages in monitoring grassland plant diversity, and further analyzed its specific applications in this field. Finally, we discussed the challenges faced by hyperspectral remote sensing technology in its applications, such as the complexity of data processing, accuracy of algorithms, and integration with ground-based remote sensing data, and proposes prospects for future research directions. With the advancement of remote sensing technology and the integrated application of multi-source data, hyperspectral remote sensing would play an increasingly important role in grassland ecological monitoring and biodiversity conservation, which could provide scientific basis and technical support for global ecological protection and sustainable development.

Tumor-resident microbiota contributes to colorectal cancer liver metastasis by lactylation and immune modulation.

The role of tumor-resident microbiota in modulating tumor immunity remains unclear. Here, we discovered an abundance of intra-tumoral bacteria, such us E.coli, residing and resulting in Colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRLM). E.coli enhanced lactate production, which mediated M2 macrophage polarization by suppressing nuclear factor-κB -gene binding (NF-κB) signaling through retinoic acid-inducible gene 1 (RIG-I) lactylation. Lactylation of RIG-I suppressed recruitment of NF-κB to the Nlrp3 promoter in macrophages, thereby reducing its transcription. This loss of Nlrp3 affected the immunosuppressive activities of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and the antitumor activities of and CD8+ T cells. Small-molecule compound screening identified a RIG-I lactylation inhibitor that suppressed M2 polarization and sensitized CRLM to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Our findings suggest that tumor-resident microbiota may be a potential target for preventing and treating CRLM.

Effect of simethicone for the management of early abdominal distension after laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a multicenter retrospective propensity score matching study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether simethicone expediates the remission of abdominal distension after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). METHODS: This retrospective study involved LC patients who either received perioperative simethicone treatment or not. Propensity score matching (PSM) was employed to minimize bias. The primary endpoint was the remission rate of abdominal distension within 24 h after LC. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify independent risk factors affecting the early remission of abdominal distension after LC. Subsequently, a prediction model was established and validated. RESULTS: A total of 1,286 patients were divided into simethicone (n = 811) and non-simethicone groups (n = 475) as 2:1 PSM. The patients receiving simethicone had better remission rates of abdominal distension at both 24 h and 48 h after LC (49.2% vs. 34.7%, 83.9% vs. 74.8%, respectively), along with shorter time to the first flatus (14.6 ± 11.1 h vs. 17.2 ± 9.1 h, P < 0.001) compared to those without. Multiple logistic regression identified gallstone (OR = 0.33, P = 0.001), cholecystic polyp (OR = 0.53, P = 0.050), preoperative abdominal distention (OR = 0.63, P = 0.002) and simethicone use (OR = 1.89, P < 0.001) as independent factors contributing to the early remission of abdominal distension following LC. The prognosis model developed for predicting remission rates of abdominal distension within 24 h after LC yielded an area under the curve of 0.643 and internal validation a value of 0.644. CONCLUSIONS: Simethicone administration significantly enhanced the early remission of post-LC abdominal distension, particularly for patients who had gallstones, cholecystic polyp, prolonged anesthesia or preoperative abdominal distention. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR2200064964 (24/10/2022).

Differentiation and immunosuppressive function of CD19+CD24hiCD27+ regulatory B cells are regulated through the miR-29a-3p/NFAT5 pathway.

BACKGROUND: Regulatory B cells (Bregs) is an indispensable element in inducing immune tolerance after liver transplantation. As one of the microRNAs (miRNAs), miR-29a-3p also inhibits translation by degrading the target mRNA, and yet the relationship between Bregs and miR-29a-3p has not yet been fully explored. This study aimed to investigate the impact of miR-29a-3p on the regulation of differentiation and immunosuppressive functions of memory Bregs (mBregs) and ultimately provide potentially effective therapies in inducing immune tolerance after liver transplantation. METHODS: Flow cytometry was employed to determine the levels of Bregs in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. TaqMan low-density array miRNA assays were used to identify the expression of different miRNAs, electroporation transfection was used to induce miR-29a-3p overexpression and knockdown, and dual luciferase reporter assay was used to verify the target gene of miR-29a-3p. RESULTS: In patients experiencing acute rejection after liver transplantation, the proportions and immunosuppressive function of mBregs in the circulating blood were significantly impaired. miR-29a-3p was found to be a regulator of mBregs differentiation. Inhibition of miR-29a-3p, which targeted nuclear factor of activated T cells 5 (NFAT5), resulted in a conspicuous boost in the differentiation and immunosuppressive function of mBregs. The inhibition of miR-29a-3p in CD19+ B cells was capable of raising the expression levels of NFAT5, thereby promoting B cells to differentiate into mBregs. In addition, the observed enhancement of differentiation and immunosuppressive function of mBregs upon miR-29a-3p inhibition was abolished by the knockdown of NFAT5 in B cells. CONCLUSIONS: miR-29a-3p was found to be a crucial regulator for mBregs differentiation and immunosuppressive function. Silencing miR-29a-3p could be a potentially effective therapeutic strategy for inducing immune tolerance after liver transplantation.

Identifying the tumor immune microenvironment-associated prognostic genes for prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore novel tumor immune microenvironment (TIME)-associated biomarkers in prostate adenocarcinoma (PRAD). METHODS: PRAD RNA-sequencing data were obtained from UCSC Xena database as the training dataset. The ESTIMATE package was used to evaluate stromal, immune, and tumor purity scores. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to TIME were screened using the immune and stromal scores. Gene functions were analyzed using DAVID. The LASSO method was performed to screen prognostic TIME-related genes. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to evaluate the prognosis of samples. The correlation between the screened genes and immune cell infiltration was explored using Tumor IMmune Estimation Resource. The GSE70768 dataset from the Gene Expression Omnibus was used to validate the expression of the screened genes. RESULTS: The ESTIMATE results revealed that high immune, stromal, and ESTIMATE scores and low tumor purity had better prognoses. Function analysis indicated that DEGs are involved in the cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction signaling pathway. In TIME-related DEGs, METTL7B, HOXB8, and TREM1 were closely related to the prognosis. Samples with low expression levels of METTL7B, HOXB8, and TREM1 had better survival times. Similarly, both the validation dataset and qRT-PCR suggested that METTL7B, HOXB8, and TREM1 were significantly decreased. The three genes showed a positive correlation with immune infiltration. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified three TIME-related genes, namely, METTL7B, HOXB8, and TREM1, which correlated with the prognosis of patients with PRAD. Targeting the TIME-related genes might have important clinical implications when making decisions for immunotherapy in PRAD.

Prognosis prediction and risk stratification of breast cancer patients based on a mitochondria-related gene signature.

As the malignancy with the highest global incidence, breast cancer represents a significant threat to women's health. Recent advances have shed light on the importance of mitochondrial function in cancer, particularly in metabolic reprogramming within tumors. Recognizing this, we developed a novel risk signature based on mitochondrial-related genes to improve prognosis prediction and risk stratification in breast cancer patients. In this study, transcriptome data and clinical features of breast cancer samples were extracted from two sources: the TCGA, serving as the training set, and the METABRIC, used as the independent validation set. We developed the signature using LASSO-Cox regression and assessed its prognostic efficacy via ROC curves. Furthermore, the signature was integrated with clinical features to create a Nomogram model, whose accuracy was validated through clinical calibration curves and decision curve analysis. To further elucidate prognostic variations between high and low-risk groups, we conducted functional enrichment and immune infiltration analyses. Additionally, the study encompassed a comparison of mutation landscapes and drug sensitivity, providing a comprehensive understanding of the differing characteristics in these groups. Conclusively, we established a risk signature comprising 8 mitochondrial-related genes-ACSL1, ALDH2, MTHFD2, MRPL13, TP53AIP1, SLC1A1, ME3, and BCL2A1. This signature was identified as an independent risk predictor for breast cancer patient survival, exhibiting a significant high hazard ratio (HR = 3.028, 95%CI 2.038-4.499, P < 0.001). Patients in the low-risk group showed a more favorable prognosis, with enhanced immune infiltration, distinct mutation landscapes, and greater sensitivity to anti-tumor drugs. In contrast, the high-risk group exhibited an adverse trend in these aspects. This risk signature represents a novel and effective prognostic indicator, suggesting valuable insights for patient stratification in breast cancer.

NIR-II Conjugated Electrolytes as Biomimetics of Lipid Bilayers for In Vivo Liposome Tracking.

Liposomes serve as promising and versatile vehicles for drug delivery. Tracking these nanosized vesicles, particularly in vivo, is crucial for understanding their pharmacokinetics. This study introduces the design and synthesis of three new conjugated electrolyte (CE) molecules, which emit in the second near-infrared window (NIR-II), facilitating deeper tissue penetration. Additionally, these CEs, acting as biomimetics of lipid bilayers, demonstrate superior compatibility with lipid membranes compared to commonly used carbocyanine dyes like DiR. To counteract the aggregation-caused quenching effect, CEs employ a twisted backbone, as such their fluorescence intensities can effectively enhance after a fluorophore multimerization strategy. Notably, a "passive" method was employed to integrate CEs into liposomes during the liposome formation, and membrane incorporation efficiency was significantly promoted to nearly 100%. To validate the in vivo tracking capability, the CE-containing liposomes were functionalized with cyclic arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (cRGD) peptides, serving as tumor-targeting ligands. Clear fluorescent images visualizing tumor site in living mice were captured by collecting the NIR-II emission. Uniquely, these CEs exhibit additional emission peak in visible region, enabling in vitro subcellular analysis using routine confocal microscopy. These results underscore the potential of CEs as a new-generation of membrane-targeting probes to facilitate the liposome-based medicine research.

Periodontal disease in patients with WHIM syndrome.

AIM: WHIM (warts, hypogammaglobulinaemia, infections and myelokathexis) syndrome is a rare combined primary immunodeficiency disease caused by gain-of-function (GOF) mutations in the chemokine receptor CXCR4 and includes severe neutropenia as a common feature. Neutropenia is a known risk factor for periodontitis; however, a detailed periodontal evaluation of a WHIM syndrome cohort is lacking. This study aimed to establish the evidence base for the periodontal status of patients with WHIM syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-two adult WHIM syndrome patients and 22 age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers (HVs) were evaluated through a comprehensive medical and periodontal examination. A mouse model of WHIM syndrome was assessed for susceptibility to naturally progressing or inducible periodontitis. RESULTS: Fourteen patients with WHIM syndrome (63.6%) and one HV (4.5%) were diagnosed with Stage III/IV periodontitis. No WHIM patient presented with the early onset, dramatic clinical phenotypes typically associated with genetic forms of neutropenia. Age, but not the specific CXCR4 mutation or absolute neutrophil count, was associated with periodontitis severity in the WHIM cohort. Mice with a Cxcr4 GOF mutation did not exhibit increased alveolar bone loss in spontaneous or ligature-induced periodontitis. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, WHIM syndrome patients presented with an increased severity of periodontitis despite past and ongoing neutrophil mobilization treatments. GOF mutations in CXCR4 may be a risk factor for periodontitis in humans.

Kerr nonlinearity assisted magnetically induced transparency in cavity magnon polaritons.

We investigate optical transmission in cavity magnon polaritons and discover a complex multi-window magnetically induced transparency and a bistability with magnetic and optical characteristics. With the regulation of Kerr nonlinear effects and driven fields, a complex multi-window resonant transmission with fast and slow light effects appears, which includes transparency and absorption windows. The magnetically induced transparency and absorption can be explained by the destructive and constructive interference between different excitation pathways. Moreover, we demonstrate the bistability of magnons and photons with a hysteresis loop, where magnetic and optical bistabilities can induce and control each other. Our results pave a new way, to the best of our knowledge, for implementing a room-temperature multiband quantum memory.

Inhibition of Sema4D attenuates pressure overload-induced pathological myocardial hypertrophy via the MAPK/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathways.

Sema4D (CD100) is closely related to pathological and physiological processes, including tumor growth, angiogenesis and cardiac development. Nevertheless, the role and mechanism of Sema4D in cardiac hypertrophy are still unclear to date. To assess the impact of Sema4D on pathological cardiac hypertrophy, TAC surgery was performed on C57BL/6 mice which were transfected with AAV9-mSema4D-shRNA or AAV9-mSema4D adeno-associated virus by tail vein injection. Our results indicated that Sema4D knockdown mitigated cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis and dysfunction when exposed to pressure overload, and Sema4D downregulation markedly inhibited cardiomyocyte hypertrophy induced by angiotensin II. Meanwhile, Sema4D overexpression had the opposite effect in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, analysis of signaling pathways showed that Sema4D activated the MAPK pathway during cardiac hypertrophy induced by pressure overload, and the pharmacological mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1/2 inhibitor U0126 almost completely reversed Sema4D overexpression-induced deteriorated phenotype, resulting in improved cardiac function. Further research indicated that myocardial hypertrophy induced by Sema4D was closely related to the expression of the pyroptosis-related proteins PP65, NLRP3, caspase-1, ASC, GSDMD, IL-18 and IL-1ß. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that Sema4D regulated the process of pathological myocardial hypertrophy through modulating MAPK/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway, and Sema4D may be the promising interventional target of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure.

Downregulation of JAM3 occurs in cholangiocarcinoma by hypermethylation: A potential molecular marker for diagnosis and prognosis.

Junctional adhesion molecular 3 (JAM3) is downregulated by hypermethylation in cancers but is unclear in cholangiocarcinoma. The JAM3 expression level was checked in cholangiocarcinoma cell lines and tissues. Methylated JAM3 was detected in cell lines, tissues and plasma cell-free DNAs (cfDNA). The roles of JAM3 in cholangiocarcinoma were studied by transfection of siRNA and pCMV3-JAM3. The survival analysis was based on the Gene Set Cancer Analysis (GSCA) database. JAM3 was downregulated in HCCC-9810 and HuCCT1 cell lines and tissues by hypermethylation. Methylated JAM3 was detected in cfDNAs with 53.3% sensitivity and 96.6% specificity. Transfection of pCMV3-JAM3 into HCCC-9810 and HuCCT1 induced apoptosis and suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion. The depletion of JAM3 in RBE cells using siRNA decreased apoptosis and increased cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Hypermethylation of JAM3 was associated with tumour differentiation, metastasis and TNM stage. Downregulation and hypermethylation of JAM3 were related to poor progression-free survival. Junctional adhesion molecular 3 may function as a tumour suppressor in cholangiocarcinoma. Methylated JAM3 DNA may represent a non-invasive molecular marker for the early detection of cholangiocarcinoma and prognosis.

Diagnostic value of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in ovarian malignant mesothelioma.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the diagnostic value of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in ovarian malignant mesothelioma (OMM). METHODS: The clinical and imaging data of 10 pathologically-confirmed OMM patients were analyzed retrospectively. RESULT: (1) The patients were 27 years to 70 years old, with an average age of 57.2 ± 15.4 years. Seven patients reported abdominal distension and pain, 1 reported lower abdominal discomfort and decreased appetite, and 2 patients had no symptoms. (2) Two cases of localized OMM with incomplete semi-annular "capsule" observed around the localized OMM tumors were reported while 8 cases had diffuse OMM in which the tumor parenchyma showed isointense or slightly hypointense on T1WI, inhomogeneous hyperintense on T2WI, and obviously hyperintense on DWI, with obvious inhomogeneous enhancement after enhancement. Diffuse OMM was not mainly composed of ovarian masses and was mainly characterized by mild ovarian enlargement, nodular and irregular thickening of the peritoneum, cloudy omentum, unclear fat gap, and reticular or irregular thickening, which can fuse into a "cake-shape". (3) All 10 patients underwent surgery, while 9 patients underwent systemic chemotherapy or immunotherapy after surgery. All patients with localized OMM survived. Out of the 8 diffuse-type patients, 5 died, 1 was lost to follow-up, and 2 survived. CONCLUSION: OMM has certain clinical and imaging characteristics. There is no liquefaction, calcification, or partition in the tumor. The ovarian enlargement in the diffuse lesion is not significant. The diffuse thickening of the peritoneum and omentum with early appearance of mural nodules and ascites in the upper abdomen, help the diagnosis of OMM.