Unraveling the Heterogeneity of CD8+ T-Cell Subsets in Liver Cirrhosis: Implications for Disease Progression.

Background/Aims: : Liver cirrhosis involves chronic inflammation and progressive fibrosis. Among various immune cells, CD8+ T cells are considered a major contributor to hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. However, the exact molecular pathways governing CD8+ T-cell-mediated effects in cirrhosis remain unclear. Methods: : This study analyzed transcriptomic and single-cell sequencing data to elucidate CD8+ T-cell heterogeneity and implications in cirrhosis. Results: : Weighted gene co-expression analysis of bulk RNA-seq data revealed an association between cirrhosis severity and activated T-cell markers like HLA and chemokine genes. Furthermore, single-cell profiling uncovered eight CD8+ T-cell subtypes, notably, effector memory (Tem) and exhausted (Tex) T cells. Tex cells, defined by PDCD1, LAG3, and CXCL13 expression, were increased in cirrhosis, while Tem cells were decreased. Lineage tracing and differential analysis highlighted CXCL13+ Tex cells as a terminal, exhausted subtype of cells with roles in PD-1 signaling, glycolysis, and T-cell regulation. CXCL13+ Tex cells displayed T-cell exhaustion markers like PDCD1, HAVCR2, TIGIT, and TNFRSF9. Functional analysis implicated potential roles of these cells in immunosuppression. Finally, a CXCL13+ Tex-cell gene signature was found that correlated with cirrhosis severity and poorer prognosis of liver cancer. Conclusions: : In summary, this comprehensive study defines specialized CD8+ T-cell subpopulations in cirrhosis, with CXCL13+ Tex cells displaying an exhausted phenotype associated with immune dysregulation and advanced disease. Key genes and pathways regulating these cells present potential therapeutic targets.

Methylated SEPT9 combined with AFP and PIVKA-II is effective for the detection of HCC in high-risk population.

BACKGROUND: The methylation SEPT9 (mSEPT9) appeared to be effective for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) detection. However, its performance in high-risk population has not been validated. We designed a pilot study and aimed to investigate the performance of mSEPT9, AFP, PIVKA-II and their combination in hepatic cirrhosis (HC) population. METHODS: A training cohort was established including 103 HCC and 114 HC patients. 10 ml blood was collected from each patient with K2EDTA tubes, and 3-4 ml plasma was extracted for subsequent tests. The performance of mSEPT9, AFP, PIVKA-II and their combination was optimized by the training cohort. Test performance was prospectively validated with a validation cohort, including 51 HCC and 121 HC patients. RESULTS: At the optimal thresholds in the training cohort, the sensitivity, specificity and area under curve (AUC) was 72.82%, 89.47%, 0.84, and 48.57%, 89.92%, 0.79, and 63.64%, 95.95%, 0.79 for mSEPT9, AFP and PIVKA-II, respectively. The combined test significantly increased the sensitivity to 84.47% (P < 0.05) at the specificity of 86.84% with an AUC of 0.91. Stage-dependent performance was observed with all single markers and their combination in plasma marker levels, positive detection rate (PDR) and AUC. Moderate correlation was found between mSEPT9 and AFP plasma levels (r = 0.527, P < 0.0001). Good complementarity was found between any two of the three markers, providing optimal sensitivity in HCC detection when used in combination. Subsequent validation achieved a sensitivity, specificity and AUC of 65.31%, 92.86%, 0.80, and 44.24%, 89.26%, 0.75, and 62.22%, 95.27%, 0.78 for mSEPT9, AFP and PIVKA-II, respectively. The combined test yielded a significantly increased sensitivity of 84.00% (P < 0.05) at 85.57% specificity, with an AUC at 0.89. CONCLUSIONS: The performance was optimal by the combination of mSEPT9, AFP, PIVKA-II compared with any single marker, and the combination may be effective for HCC opportunistic screening in HC population.

Metformin promotes ferroptosis and sensitivity to sorafenib in hepatocellular carcinoma cells via ATF4/STAT3.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common cancer worldwide, and sorafenib is a first-line drug for the treatment of advanced liver cancer. Resistance to sorafenib has become a major challenge in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma, however, studies have shown that metformin can promote ferroptosis and sorafenib sensitivity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the promotion of ferroptosis and sorafenib sensitivity by metformin via ATF4/STAT3 in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. METHODS: Hepatocellular carcinoma cells Huh7 and Hep3B and induced sorafenib resistance (SR) Huh7/SR and Hep3B/SR cells were used as in vitro cell models. Cells were injected subcutaneously to establish a drug-resistant mouse model. CCK-8 was used to detect cell viability and sorafenib IC50. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of relevant proteins. BODIPY staining was used to analyze the lipid peroxidation level in cells. A scratch assay was used to detect cell migration. Transwell assays were used to detect cell invasion. Immunofluorescence was used to localize the expression of ATF4 and STAT3. RESULTS: Metformin promoted ferroptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells through ATF4/STAT3, decreased sorafenib IC50, increased ROS and lipid peroxidation levels, decreased cell migration and invasion, inhibited the expression of the drug-resistant proteins ABCG2 and P-GP in hepatocellular carcinoma cells, and thus inhibited sorafenib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Downregulating ATF4 inhibited the phosphorylated nuclear translocation of STAT3, promoted ferroptosis, and increased the sensitivity of Huh7 cells to sorafenib. Metformin was also shown in animal models to promote ferroptosis and sorafenib sensitivity in vivo via ATF4/STAT3. CONCLUSION: Metformin promotes ferroptosis and sensitivity to sorafenib in hepatocellular carcinoma cells via ATF4/STAT3, and it inhibits HCC progression.

Exosome-derived miR-142-5p from liver stem cells improves the progression of liver fibrosis by regulating macrophage polarization through CTSB.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to explore the effect of liver stem cells (LSCs)-derived exosomes and the miR-142a-5p carried by them on the process of fibrosis by regulating macrophages polarization. METHODS: In this study, CCL4 was used to establish liver fibrosis model. The morphology and purity of exosomes (EVs) were verified by transmission electron microscopy, western blotting (WB) and nanoparticle tracing analysis (NTA). Real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR), WB and enzyme-linked immunoadsorption (ELISA) were used to detect liver fibrosis markers, macrophage polarization markers and liver injury markers. Histopathological assays were used to verify the liver injury morphology in different groups. The cell co-culture model and liver fibrosis model were constructed to verify the expression of miR-142a-5p and ctsb. RESULTS: Immunofluorescence of LSCs markers CK-18, epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCam), and AFP showed that these markers were up-regulated in LSCs. In addition, we evaluated the ability of LSCs to excrete EVs by labeling LSCs-EVs with PKH67. We found that CCL4 and EVs were simultaneously treated at 50 and 100 µg doses, and both doses of EVs could reduce the degree of liver fibrosis in mice. We tested markers of M1 or M2 macrophage polarization and found that EVs reduced M1 marker expression and promoted M2 marker expression. Further, ELISA was used to detect the secreted factors related to M1 and M2 in tissue lysates, which also verified the above views. Further analysis showed that the expression of miR-142a-5p increased significantly with the increase of EVs treatment concentration and time. Further, in vitro and in vivo LSCs-EVs regulate macrophage polarization through miR-142a-5p/ctsb pathway and affect the process of liver fibrosis. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that EVs-derived miR-142-5p from LSCs improves the progression of liver fibrosis by regulating macrophage polarization through ctsb.

MiR-21-5p promotes sorafenib resistance and hepatocellular carcinoma progression by regulating SIRT7 ubiquitination through USP24.

OBJECTIVE: To validate the mechanism by which miR-21-5p mediates autophagy in drug-resistant cells in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), aggravating sorafenib resistance and progression of HCC. METHODS: HCC cells were treated with sorafenib to establish sorafenib-resistant cells, and nude mice were subcutaneously injected with hepatoma cells to establish animal models. RT-qPCR was used to determine the level of miR-21-5p, and Western blotting was used to determine the level of related proteins. Cell apoptosis, cell migration, the level of LC3 were accessed. Immunohistochemical staining was used for detection of Ki-67 and LC3. A dual-luciferase reporter assay certified that miR-21-5p targets USP42, and a co-immunoprecipitation assay validated the mutual effect between USP24 and SIRT7. RESULTS: miR-21-5p and USP42 were highly expressed in HCC tissue and cells. Inhibition of miR-21-5p or knockdown of USP42 inhibited cell proliferation and cell migration, upregulated the level of E-cadherin, and downregulated the level of vimentin, fibronectin and N-cadherin. Overexpression of miR-21-5p reversed the knockdown of USP42. Inhibition of miR-21-5p downregulated the ubiquitination level of SIRT7, downregulated the levels of LC3II/I ratio and Beclin1, and upregulated the expression of p62. The tumor size in the miR-21-5p inhibitor group was smaller, and Ki-67 and LC3 in tumor tissue were reduced, while the overexpression of USP42 reversed the effect of the miR-21-5p inhibitor. CONCLUSION: miR-21-5p promotes deterioration and sorafenib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma by upregulating autophagy levels. Knockdown of miR-21-5p inhibits the development of sorafenib-resistant tumors by USP24-mediated SIRT7 ubiquitination.

miR-21-5p Inhibits Ferroptosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Regulating the AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathway through MELK.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent cancers, and its incidence rate is increasing worldwide. At present, there is no ideal treatment for HCC. In recent years, molecular-targeted therapy has shown significant therapeutic benefits for patients. Ferroptosis is a modality of regulated cell death, and previous studies have found that inducing ferroptosis in liver cancer cells can inhibit the progression of liver cancer. The aim of this study is to investigate the regulatory mechanism of miR-21-5p in regulating ferroptosis in HCC cells. Methods: CCK-8 was used to measure cell viability, EdU and colony formation were used to measure cell proliferation, and Transwell assays were used to measure cell migration and invasion. RT-qPCR was used to detect the level of miR-21-5p, Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression level, a dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was used to determine the targeting relationship between miR-21-5p and MELK, and coimmunoprecipitation was used to determine the interaction between MELK and AKT. Results: Overexpression of miR-21-5p and MELK facilitated the viability, proliferation, colony formation, invasion, and migration of HCC cells. Downregulation of miR-21-5p suppressed the level of MELK and the progression of HCC. MELK regulated the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, causing changes in the levels of GPX4, GSH, FTH1, xCT, heme oxygenase 1(HO-1), reactive oxygen species, and Fe2+ to regulate the ferroptosis of hepatoma cells. Erastin, an inducer of ferroptosis, attenuated the repressive influence of miR-21-5p on ferroptosis in HCC cells. Conclusion: In summary, this study demonstrates that miR-21-5p inhibits the ferroptosis of HCC cells by regulating the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway through MELK.

Exercise activates Sirt1-mediated Drp1 acetylation and inhibits hepatocyte apoptosis to improve nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

PURPOSE: Aerobic exercise has shown beneficial effects in the prevention and treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Nevertheless, the regulatory mechanism is not turely clear. Therefore, we aim to clarify the possible mechanism by investigating the effects of aerobic exercise on NAFLD and its mitochondrial dysfunction. METHODS: NAFLD rat model was established by feeding high fat diet. and used oleic acid (OA) to treat HepG2 cells. Changes in histopathology, lipid accumulation, apoptosis, body weight, and biochemical parameters were assessed. In addition, antioxidants, mitochondrial biogenesis and mitochondrial fusion and division were assessed. RESULTS: The obtained in vivo results showed that aerobic exercise significantly improved lipid accumulation and mitochondrial dysfunction induced by HFD, activated the level of Sirtuins1 (Srit1), and weakened the acetylation and activity of dynamic-related protein 1 (Drp1). In vitro results showed that activation of Srit1 inhibited OA-induced apoptosis in HepG2 cells and alleviated OA-induced mitochondrial dysfunction by inhibiting Drp1 acetylation and reducing Drp1 expression. CONCLUSION: Aerobic exercise alleviates NAFLD and its mitochondrial dysfunction by activating Srit1 to regulate Drp1 acetylation. Our study clarifies the mechanism of aerobic exercise in alleviating NAFLD and its mitochondrial dysfunction and provides a new method for adjuvant treatment of NAFLD.

Exosome-derived circCCAR1 promotes CD8 + T-cell dysfunction and anti-PD1 resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) can be encapsulated into exosomes to participate in intercellular communication, affecting the malignant progression of a variety of tumors. Dysfunction of CD8 + T cells is the main factor in immune escape from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nevertheless, the effect of exosome-derived circRNAs on CD8 + T-cell dysfunction needs further exploration. METHODS: The effect of circCCAR1 on the tumorigenesis and metastasis of HCC was assessed by in vitro and in vivo functional experiments. The function of circCCAR1 in CD8 + T-cell dysfunction was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), western blotting and flow cytometry. Chromatin immunoprecipitation, biotinylated RNA pull-down, RNA immunoprecipitation, and MS2 pull-down assays were used to the exploration of mechanism. A mouse model with reconstituted human immune system components (huNSG mice) was constructed to explore the role of exosomal circCCAR1 in the resistance to anti-PD1 therapy in HCC. RESULTS: Increased circCCAR1 levels existed in tumor tissues and exosomes in the plasma of HCC patients, in the culture supernatant and HCC cells. CircCCAR1 accelerated the growth and metastasis of HCC in vitro and in vivo. E1A binding protein p300 (EP300) and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4A3 (EIF4A3) promoted the biogenesis of circCCAR1, and Wilms tumor 1-associated protein (WTAP)-mediated m6A modification enhanced circCCAR1 stability by binding insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 3 (IGF2BP3). CircCCAR1 acted as a sponge for miR-127-5p to upregulate its target WTAP and a feedback loop comprising circCCAR1/miR-127-5p/WTAP axis was formed. CircCCAR1 is secreted by HCC cells in a heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2/B1 (hnRNPA2B1)-dependent manner. Exosomal circCCAR1 was taken in by CD8 + T cells and caused dysfunction of CD8 + T cells by stabilizing the PD-1 protein. CircCCAR1 promoted resistance to anti-PD1 immunotherapy. Furthermore, increased cell division cycle and apoptosis regulator 1 (CCAR1) induced by EP300 promoted the binding of CCAR1 and ß-catenin protein, which further enhanced the transcription of PD-L1. CONCLUSIONS: The circCCAR1/miR-127-5p/WTAP feedback loop enhances the growth and metastasis of HCC. Exosomal circCCAR1 released by HCC cells contributes to immunosuppression by facilitating CD8 + T-cell dysfunction in HCC. CircCCAR1 induces resistance to anti-PD1 immunotherapy, providing a potential therapeutic strategy for HCC patients.

Investigating the change in gene expression profile of blood mononuclear cells post-laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in Chinese obese patients.

Background: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is a sustainable technique that effectively treats morbid obesity. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the improvement of metabolic health following this process warrants more investigation. This study investigates LSG-related molecules and uses bulk RNA-sequencing high-throughput analysis to unravel their regulatory mechanisms. Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were collected from ten obese patients with BMI ≥ 32.5 kg/m2 in the Department of General Surgery of Kunming First People's Hospital. After LSG, patients were followed up for one month, and blood samples were retaken. Blood samples from ten patients before and after LSG and bulk RNA-Seq data were analyzed in this study. LSG-associated gene expression was detected by weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) and differential analysis. Subsequently, essential signature genes were identified using logistic least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and support vector machine-recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) algorithms. Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) were utilized to reveal the potential functions of the target genes. Furthermore, the Pearson correlation of signature genes with leptin and lipocalin was also explored. Finally, we constructed a robust endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network based on miRWalk and starBase databases. Results: We identified 18 overlapping genes from 91 hub genes, and 165 differentially expressed mRNAs (DE-mRNA), which were revealed to be significantly associated with immune cells, immune response, inflammatory response, lipid storage, and localization upon functional enrichment analysis. Three signature genes, IRF1, NFKBIA, and YRDC, were identified from the 18 overlapping genes by LASSO and SVM-REF algorithms. The logistic regression model based on the three signature genes highlighted how robustly they discriminated between samples. ssGSEA indicated these genes to be involved in lipid metabolism and degradation pathways. Moreover, leptin levels were significantly reduced in patients undergoing LSG, and NFKBIA significantly negatively correlated with leptin. Finally, we identified how the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) ATP2B1-AS1 regulated the expression of the signature genes by competitively binding to six microRNAs (miRNAs), which were hsa-miR-6509-5p, hsa-miR-330-5P, hsa-miR-154-5P, hsa-miR-145-5P, hsa-miR4726-5P and hsa-miR-134-5P. Conclusion: This study identified three critical regulatory genes significantly differentiated between patients before and after LSG treatment and highlighted their potentially crucial role after bariatric surgery. This provides novel insights to increase our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of weight loss and associated metabolic improvement after bariatric surgery.

Analysis of angiogenesis-related subtypes of hepatocellular carcinoma and tumor microenvironment infiltration feature in hepatocellular carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly vascularized tumor, and angiogenesis plays an important role in its progression. However, the role of angiogenesis in cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment (TME) remains unclear. METHODS: We evaluated the associations of 35 angiogenesis-related genes (ARGs) with the clinicopathological features of 816 HCC patients. In addition, we assessed the associations between the ARGs and TME cell infiltration. A nomogram was constructed to determine the prognostic value of ARGs for HCC. The ARG score was used to distinguish angiogenic subtypes of HCC, and its usefulness for predicting the prognosis and treatment response of HCC patients was evaluated. RESULTS: We distinguished three ARG clusters differing in terms of TME cell infiltration, immune cell activation status, clinicopathological features, and clinical outcomes. There were significant associations of ARG expression with tumor immunity, the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and transforming growth factor-ß expression. An ARG score model was constructed to generate a risk score for each patient based on differentially expressed genes between clusters. Furthermore, a high ARG score was associated with high expression of CTLA-4 and PD-L1/PD-1, and a low Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion score, indicating the usefulness of the ARG score for selecting patients for immunotherapy. Considering the relationship between ARGs and tumor immunity, immunotherapy combined with vascular-targeted therapy may be the best treatment for HCC. CONCLUSIONS: ARGs play an important role in TME diversity and complexity in HCC patients. The ARG score of HCC predicts TME invasion and can guide immunotherapy.

Integrated Bioinformatics Analysis for the Screening of Hub Genes and Therapeutic Drugs in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Liver cancer is a major medical problem because of its high morbidity and mortality. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer. Currently, the mechanism of HCC is unclear, and the prognosis is poor with limited treatment. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to identify hub genes and potential therapeutic drugs for HCC. METHODS: We used the GEO2R algorithm to analyze the differential expression of each gene in 4 gene expression profiles (GSE101685, GSE62232, GSE46408, and GSE45627) between HCC and normal hepatic tissues. Next, we screened out the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) by corresponding calculation data according to adjusted P-value < 0.05 and | log fold change (FC) | > 1.0. Subsequently, we used the DAVID software to analyze the DEGs by GO and KEGG enrichment analysis. Then, we carried out the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis of DEGs using the STRING tool, and the PPI network was constructed by Cytoscape software. MCODE plugin was used for module analysis, and the hub genes were screened out by the Cyto- Hubba plugin. Meanwhile, we used The Kaplan-Meier plotter, GEPIA2 and HPA databases to exert survival analysis and verify the expression alternation of hub genes. Furthermore, we used ENCORI, TargetScan, miRDB and miRWalk database to predict the upstream regulated miRNA of hub genes and construct a miRNA-hub genes network by Cytoscape software. Finally, we selected potential therapeutic drugs for HCC through DGIdb databases. RESULTS: A total of 415 DEGs were screened in HCC, including 196 up-regulated DEGs and 219 down-regulated DEGs. The results of KEGG pathway analysis suggested that the up-regulated DEGs can regulate the cell cycle, and DNA replication signal pathway, while the down-regulated DEGs were associated with metabolic pathways. In this study, we identified 11 hub genes (AURKA, BUB1B, TOP2A, MAD2L1, CCNA2, CCNB1, BUB1, KIF11, CDK1, CCNB2 and TPX2), which were independent risk factors of HCCand all up-regulated DEGs. We verified the expression difference of hub genes through the GEPIA2 and HPA database, which was consistent with the results of GEO data. We found that those hub genes were mutations in HCC according to the cBioPortal database. Finally, we used the DGIdb database to select 32 potential therapeutic targeting drugs for hub genes. CONCLUSION: In summary, our study provided a new perspective for researching the molecular mechanism of HCC. Hub genes, miRNAs, and candidate drugs provide a new direction for the early diagnosis and treatment of HCC.

Pemigatinib in previously treated Chinese patients with locally advanced or metastatic cholangiocarcinoma carrying FGFR2 fusions or rearrangements: A phase II study.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the antitumor activity and safety of pemigatinib in previously treated Chinese patients with advanced cholangiocarcinoma and fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) fusions or rearrangements. BACKGROUND: Pemigatinib provided clinical benefits for previously treated patients with cholangiocarcinoma carrying FGFR2 fusions or rearrangements and was approved for this indication in multiple countries. METHODS: In this ongoing, multicenter, single-arm, phase II study, adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic cholangiocarcinoma carrying centrally confirmed FGFR2 fusions or rearrangements who had progressed on ≥1 systemic therapy received 13.5 mg oral pemigatinib once daily (3-week cycle; 2 weeks on, 1 week off) until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or consent withdrawal. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) assessed by an independent radiology review committee. RESULTS: As of January 29, 2021, 31 patients were enrolled. The median follow-up was 5.1 months (range, 1.5-9.3). Among 30 patients with FGFR2 fusions or rearrangements evaluated for efficacy, 15 patients achieved partial response (ORR, 50.0%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 31.3-68.7); 15 achieved stable disease, contributing to a disease control rate of 100% (95% CI, 88.4-100). The median time to response was 1.4 months (95% CI, 1.3-1.4), the median duration of response was not reached, and the median progression-free survival was 6.3 months (95% CI, 4.9-not estimable [NE]). Eight (25.8%) of 31 patients had ≥grade 3 treatment-emergent adverse events. Hyperphosphatemia, hypophosphatasemia, nail toxicities, and ocular disorders were mostly

CD97 serves as a novel biomarker of immune cell infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: CD97 is the most widely expressed G protein-coupled receptor in the epidermal growth factor seven-span transmembrane family. It plays a vital role in cell adhesion, migration, and cell connection regulation. We explored the role of CD97 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: We evaluated CD97 mRNA expression in HCC using TNMplot and the Gene Expression Omnibus database. The clinical prognostic significance of CD97 in HCC patients was evaluated by gene expression profiling interactive analysis, the Kaplan-Meier plotter, and the UALCAN database. The Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) and CIBERSORT databases were used to analyze the relationships among CD97, genes positively related with CD97, and tumor-infiltrating immune cells. RESULTS: CD97 was highly expressed in HCC tissues and was associated with an adverse prognosis. CD97 and genes positively related with CD97 were positively correlated with the abundance of tumor-infiltrating immune cells and strongly correlated with tumor-infiltrating macrophages (all r ≥ 0.513, P < 0.001). CD97 was positively correlated with M2 macrophage and tumor-associated macrophage markers (both r ≥ 0.464, P < 0.001). CD97 was found to be an immune-related gene in HCC and positively correlated with the TOX, PD-L1, PD-L2, CTLA4, and PD-1 immune checkpoint genes. CD97 copy number alterations affect the level of immune cell infiltration and mRNA expression. CONCLUSIONS: CD97 can be used as a potential molecular marker of prognosis in HCC, which is associated with immune cell infiltration.

Characteristics of pre-sensitization-related acute antibody-mediated rejection in a rat model of orthotopic liver transplantation.

Background: To establish an animal model of pre-sensitization following liver transplantation either with or without immunosuppressors. To study whether accelerated liver rejection or acute antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) occurred and study the characteristics and potential mechanism in the animal model. Methods: Lewis (LEW) rats were subjected to liver [liver graft of Brown Norway (BN) rat] transplantation 2 weeks after lymphocyte injection (lymphocytes of BN rat; pre-sensitization). At 2 weeks after transplantation, serum samples of recipients were collected for antibody analysis to identify donor-specific alloantibody (DSA) level. The recipients were treated with or without a low dose of immunosuppressor (2 mg/kg). The liver grafts of each group were analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) stain, Masson stain, CK19, C4d, and CD20 immunohistochemical (IHC) stain, CD3, CD68, and CD86 immunofluorescence and transmission electron microscope (TEM) to study the characteristics of liver rejection. Moreover, cytotoxin-associated genes, M1 macrophages conversion-related proteins, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) signaling pathway proteins were detected by western blotting. Results: High level of DSA and accelerated liver rejection occurred in the pre-sensitized rat models following liver transplant. Accelerated liver graft rejection occurred in the pre-sensitized, post liver transplant rats regardless of whether a low dose immunosuppressor had been applied. Severe injury of the interlobular bile ducts and accelerated fibrosis could be observed. Moreover, evidence of endothelial injury, such as capillary inflammation, was found in the pre-sensitized, post-transplant rats. In addition, C4d deposition and M1 macrophages recruitment were also found in this sensitized followed transplant model, indicating that complement activation might occur in this model. The levels of IL-6, JAK1, STAT3, SHP2, and ERK1-2 were increased in the pre-sensitized, post-transplant rats. Conclusions: Pre-sensitized post liver transplant rats might be potential AMR models for further study.

Latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap repair is effective after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical outcome and physical condition of patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by mastectomy and latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap repair. METHODS: A retrospective review of 142 patients with locally advanced breast cancer was selected from 1156 breast cancer patients in the South and North areas of The Affiliated Calmette Hospital of Kunming Medical University between May 2008 and December 2018. RESULTS: All participants (n = 142) were women aged 40-55 years (average age 47.35 ± 0.43 years) who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by mastectomy and latissimus dorsi flap repair. The median follow-up period was 16 months (range 12-24 months). For stage of disease, there were 19 cases (13%) in stage IIB, 31 cases (22%) in stage IIIA, 39 cases (28%) in stage IIIB, and 53 cases (37%) in stage IIIC, which were statistically significant with the physical condition of patients (≤ 0.001). Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was administered to shrink the tumors, and an average tumor size decrease from 10.05 ± 1.59 cm × (8.07 ± 1.54) cm to 6.11 ± 1.72 cm × (3.91 ± 1.52) cm (P < 0.001) was considered statistically significant. A t test was used for the ECOG score statistics, and the results showed that the scores were statistically significant (≤ 0.001) before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is an accepted treatment option for patients with locally advanced breast cancer, and the use of a latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap for post-mastectomy reconstruction may improve the patients' physical condition. Our results indicated that this strategy was safe and feasible.

Analysis and identification of potential key genes in hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Background: Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI) is an unavoidable surgical complication after liver transplantation, but current HIRI treatments cannot achieve satisfactory clinical outcomes. Thus, safer and more effective prevention and treatment methods need to be explored. Methods: Transcriptome messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) sequencing data were obtained from male Sprague-Dawley rats, and these data were used to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially expressed lncRNAs (DE-lncRNAs) between the HIRI and control samples. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was also constructed for the DE-mRNAs to identify candidate genes, and the receiver operating characteristic curves of the 21 candidate genes were plotted to evaluate the diagnostic value of the candidate genes for HIRI. A random forest (RF) model, support vector machine model and generalized linear model were constructed based on the candidate genes. A gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) of the key genes was conducted to determine the enriched pathways in the high expression groups. The miRWalk and miRanda database were used to constructed the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network. Finally, the expressions of the key genes were verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results: A total of 256 DEGs and 67 DE-lncRNAs were identified in the HIRI and control samples. To explore the interactions between the DE-mRNAs, a PPI network of 130 DEGs was constructed. Further, 21 genes were selected as the candidate genes. Subsequently, 6 genes [i.e., Keratin-14 (Krt14), Uroplakin 3B (Upk3b), Keratin 7 (Krt7), Cadherin 3 (Cdh3), mesothelin (Msln), and Glypican 3 (Gpc3)] in the RF model were defined as the key genes. The GSEA results indicated that these key genes were enriched in the terms of extracellular structure organization, and extracellular matrix organization. Moreover, a lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network was constructed with 4 lncRNAs, 5 mRNAs, and 11 miRNAs. Finally, the results indicated that the expression of Krt14, Upk3b, Msln, and Gpc3 were more highly expressed in the control samples than the HIRI samples. Conclusions: A total of 6 key genes (i.e., Krt14, Upk3b, Krt7, Cdh3, Msln, and Gpc3) were identified. Our findings provide novel ideas for the diagnosis and treatment of HIRI.

Identification of Biomarkers for Predicting Allograft Rejection following Kidney Transplantation Based on the Weighted Gene Coexpression Network Analysis.

Kidney transplantation is the promising treatment of choice for chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease and can effectively improve the quality of life and survival rates of patients. However, the allograft rejection following kidney transplantation has a negative impact on transplant success. Therefore, the present study is aimed at screening novel biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of allograft rejection following kidney transplantation for improving long-term transplant outcome. In the study, a total of 8 modules and 3065 genes were identified by WGCNA based on the GSE46474 and GSE15296 dataset from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Moreover, the results of Gene Ontology (GO) annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis showed that these genes were mainly involved in the immune-related biological processes and pathways. Thus, 317 immune-related genes were selected for further analysis. Finally, 5 genes (including CD200R1, VAV2, FASLG, SH2D1B, and RAP2B) were identified as the candidate biomarkers based on the ROC and difference analysis. Furthermore, we also found that in the 5 biomarkers an interaction might exist among each other in the protein and transcription level. Taken together, our study identified CD200R1, VAV2, FASLG, SH2D1B, and RAP2B as the candidate diagnostic biomarkers, which might contribute to the prevention and treatment of allograft rejection following kidney transplantation.

Long noncoding RNA NEAT1 changes exosome secretion and microRNA expression carried by exosomes in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the roles and functions of nuclear-enriched abundant transcript 1 (NEAT1) in exosome secretion and exosomal microRNA (miRNA) changes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. METHODS: HepG2 and HuH-7 cells were divided into two groups: Lv-control (which were infected with lentivirus without NEAT1 expression) and Lv-NEAT1 (which were infected with lentivirus with NEAT1 overexpression). Each group was used to study cell function (proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis) and exosome secretion by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), electron microscopy, and nanoflow cytometry (nanoFCM). Different levels of messenger RNA (mRNA), miRNA, and exosomal miRNA were detected by RNA sequencing. Next, potential target RNAs were verified by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Changed exosomal miRNAs were found and miRNA mimics were used to study cell function in NEAT1-overexpression and NEAT1-knockdown HCC cells. RESULTS: The data showed that NEAT1-overexpression promoted exosome secretion. The overexpression of NEAT1 altered global genes, including exosome-related genes. Compared with the control group, we observed that several miRNAs changed in the exosomes secreted by NEAT1-overexpressing cells. Our study found that these changed exosomal miRNAs played a suppressor role in HCC. Transfection of miR-634, miR-638, and miR-3960 reversed the enhanced invasion and proliferation in HCC cells with a high level of NEAT1 expression. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that NEAT1 regulates exosome-related genes, which might be associated with increasing exosome secretion by NEAT1-overexpressing cells. Furthermore, NEAT1 promotes cell invasion and proliferation via downregulation of miR-634, miR-638, and miR-3960 in exosomes. This study may provide potential targets for exosome-mediated miRNA transfer in HCCs with a high level of NEAT1 expression therapy.

Gli3 is a novel downstream target of miR­200a with an anti­ï¬brotic role for progression of liver fibrosis in vivo and in vitro.

GLI family zinc finger 3 (Gli3), as the upstream transcriptional activator of hedgehog signaling, has previously been demonstrated to participate in the process of liver fibrosis. The present study aimed to investigate the potential functions of microRNA (miR)­200a and Gli3 in the progression of liver fibrosis. The expression levels of miR­200a and Gli3 in cells and tissues were determined by PCR and western blotting; the interaction of Gli3 and miR­200a was evaluated by bioinformatics analysis and dual­luciferase reporter assay. miR­200a was significantly reduced in serum samples from clinical patients, liver tissues of a carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)­induced rat model and activated LX2 cells. The expression of α­smooth muscle actin (α­SMA) and albumin at the mRNA and protein levels was increased and decreased in LX2 cells, respectively. However, the expression levels of α­SMA and albumin were reversed and Gli3 expression was markedly decreased in LX2 cells when transfected with miR­200a mimics. In addition, the dual­-luciferase reporter assay confirmed the target interaction between miR­200a and Gli3. Finally, following the administration of miR­200a mimics to CCl4­induced rats, it was revealed that the alterations of α­SMA, albumin and Gli3 presented a similar trend to that in LX2 cells with miR­200a mimics transfection. Taken together, these results indicated that downregulation of miR­200a might enhance the formation of liver fibrosis, probably by targeting Gli3, and elevated miR­200a may attenuate the progression of liver fibrosis by suppressing Gli3. These findings suggested that miR­200a may function as a novel anti­ï¬brotic agent in liver fibrosis via inhibition of the expression of Gli3.