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The composition and cellular heterogeneity of the corpus cavernosum (CC) microenvironment have been characterized, but the spatial heterogeneity at the molecular level remains unexplored. In this study, we integrate single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and spatial transcriptome sequencing to comprehensively chart the spatial cellular landscape of the human and rat CC under normal and disease conditions. We observe differences in the proportions of cell subtypes and marker genes between humans and rats. Based on the analysis of the fibroblast (FB) niche, we also find that the enrichment scores of mechanical force signaling vary across different regions and correlate with the spatial distribution of FB subtypes. In vitro, the soft and hard extracellular matrix (ECM) induces the differentiation of FBs into apolipoprotein (APO)+ FBs and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP)+ FBs, respectively. In summary, our study provides a cross-species and physiopathological transcriptomic atlas of the CC, contributing to a further understanding of the molecular anatomy and regulation of penile erection.
RESUMO
There is evidence that the systemic inflammatory response may have an impact on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. However, the relationship between the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and PSA remains unclear. As a result, the relationship between PLR and PSA using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database was examined. After the screening, 6,638 participants out of 52,186 in the NHANES survey conducted between 2001 to 2010 were suitable for the present study. The PLR was the independent variable in the present study, and PSA was the dependent variable. The selected subjects in the present study had an average age of 58.563±11.848 years. After controlling for covariates, the results showed that with every increase in PLR, the PSA concentration increased by 0.004 ng/ml (0.001, 0.007). This difference was statistically significant. Furthermore, a smoothing curve based on a fully adjusted model was created to investigate the possibility of a linear relationship between PLR and PSA concentration in men from USA. In men from USA, an independent and positive correlation between PLR and PSA was identified, which could potentially result in overdiagnosis of asymptomatic prostate cancer in populations with higher PLR levels.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Predicting the prognosis of patients with adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is difficult, due to its unpredictable behavior. The aim of this study is to develop and validate a nomogram to predict survival outcomes in patients with ACC. METHODS: Nomograms were established using the data collected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Based on univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, we identified independent risk factors for overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). Concordance indexes (c-indexes), the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) and calibration curve were used to evaluate predictive performance of these models. The clinical use of nomogram was measured by decision curve analysis (DCA) and clinical impact curves. RESULTS: A total of 855 eligible patients, randomly divided into training (n = 600) and validation cohorts (n = 255), were included in this study. Based on the independent predictors, the nomograms were established and demonstrated good discriminative abilities, with C-indexes for OS and CSS were 0.762 and 0.765 in training cohorts and 0.738 and 0.758 in validation cohorts, respectively. The AUC and calibration plots also demonstrated a good performance for both nomograms. DCA indicated that the two nomograms provide clinical net benefits. CONCLUSION: We unveiled the prognostic factors of ACC and developed novel nomograms that predict OS and CSS more accurately and comprehensively, which can help clinicians improve individual treatment, making proper clinical decisions and adjusting follow-up management strategies.