Research progress of LINE-1 in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of gynecologic tumors.

The retrotransposon known as long interspersed nuclear element-1 (LINE-1), which is currently the sole autonomously mobile transposon in the human genome, can result in insertional mutations, chromosomal rearrangements, and genomic instability. In recent years, numerous studies have shown that LINE-1 is involved in the development of various diseases and also plays an important role in the immune regulation of the organism. The expression of LINE-1 in gynecologic tumors suggests that it is expected to be an independent indicator for early diagnosis and prognosis, and also, as a therapeutic target, LINE-1 is closely associated with gynecologic tumor prognosis. This article discusses the function of LINE-1 in the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of ovarian, cervical, and endometrial malignancies, as well as other gynecologic malignancies. It offers fresh perspectives on the early detection of tumors and the creation of novel anti-tumor medications.

Hemostatic effects of FmocF-ADP hydrogel consisted of Fmoc-Phenylalanine and ADP.

During trauma and surgery, bleeding is a major concern. One of the crucial strategies for hemostasis is the use of biological hemostatic material. Herein, we reported an amino acid-based hydrogel FmocF-ADP hydrogel, which consisted of N-[(9H-fluoren-9-ylmethoxy) carbonyl]-3-phenyl-L-alanine (FmocF) and adenosine diphosphate (ADP) sodium solution. The hydrogel was created by FmocF self-assembling to nanofiber in ADP sodium solution and then cross-linking to hydrogel. FmocF-ADP hydrogel showed good in vitro coagulation activity as measured by whole blood clotting assays, platelet clotting assays, platelet activation assays, and platelet adhesion assays. Further, it was noted to reveal an exceptional in vivo hemostatic effect in a mouse liver bleeding model. Together with the previous report of the good biocompatibility and antimicrobial activity of FmocF hydrogel, our study would extend the biomedical application of FmocF hydrogel. In conclusion, the present study would provide a constructive strategy for the development of new antimicrobial and hemostatic materials or develop a potential hemostatic material.

Advances in Exosomal microRNAs and Proteins in Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Treatment.

Late diagnosis, postoperative recurrence, and chemotherapy resistance are the main causes of the high mortality rate in ovarian cancer (OC). Understanding the molecular mechanisms in the pathogenesis and progression of OC may contribute to discovering new tumor biomarkers and therapeutic targets for OC. Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles derived from different types of cells that carry cargos, including nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids, and are pivotal mediators of intercellular communication in the tumor microenvironment. There is emerging evidence that exosomal proteins and nucleic acids play pivotal roles in facilitating the progression and drug resistance of OC. Identification of these factors may aid in the future diagnosis of OC. Furthermore, they also have promising value as OC therapeutic targets that can improve the prognosis. In the current review, we summarize the progress of exosomal research in OC, especially highlighting the most updated roles of exosomal microRNAs and proteins in the diagnosis, prognosis, therapy, and drug resistance of OC in order to facilitate future studies in this area.

Reclassification of endometrial cancer and identification of key genes based on neural-related genes.

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynecologic malignancy, and its incidence has been increasing every year. Nerve signaling is part of the tumor microenvironment and plays an active role in tumor progression and invasion. However, the relationship between the expression of neural-related genes (NRGs) and prognosis in endometrial cancer remains unknown. In this study, we obtained RNA sequencing data of EC from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Endometrial cancer was classified into two subtypes based on the expression of neural-associated genes (NRGs), with statistical differences in clinical stage, pathological grading, and prognosis. A prognostic prediction model was established by LASSO-Cox analysis, and the results showed that high expression of NRGs was associated with poor survival prognosis. Further, CHRM2, GRIN1, L1CAM, and SEMA4F were found to be significantly associated with clinical stage, immune infiltration, immune response, and important signaling pathways in endometrial cancer. The reclassification of endometrial cancer based on NRG expression would be beneficial for future clinical practice. The genes CHRM2, GRIN1, L1CAM, and SEMA4F might serve as potential biomarkers of EC prognosis.

Adeno-associated virus vector-mediated gene therapy for the treatment of ovarian cancer: a literature review.

Background and Objective: The adeno-associated virus (AAV) is a member of the Parvoviridae family and has emerged as one of the most popular and promising approaches for gene therapy due to its low toxicity, low immunogenicity, and excellent safety after optimization. Advances in gene therapy methods have allowed novel treatments such as using AAV to knock out or repair target genes. AAV-mediated gene therapy has been used in numerous tumor studies, including lymphatic metastasis of prostate cancer, liver cancer, and renal cell carcinoma in mice. Ovarian cancer is an extremely aggressive malignancy which is prone to recurrence, and AAV vector-based gene therapy may be a potential treatment strategy. Methods: Herein, we reviewed the current research to provide an update on the role of AAV-mediated gene therapy in tumor research, especially in ovarian cancer. To find recent developments in pertinent research, we examined the PubMed database. Key Content and Findings: AAV vectors may produce steady and effective gene expression without becoming harmful, making it a viable gene delivery technique. AAV-based gene therapy products have been widely used in preclinical research and some have achieved marketing approval. Conclusions: Due to its affinity for various organs, reliable integration, and long-lasting expression, certain AAV serotypes have been widely used in gene therapy. However, there are also some challenges. Extensive research on the role of AAV in disease and gene therapy has shown great potential. Herein, we examined the literature to better understand the function of the AAV in tumor research, particularly in ovarian cancer research.

Nectin-3 is a new biomarker that mediates the upregulation of MMP2 and MMP9 in ovarian cancer cells.

Nectin-3 is a cell adhesion molecule that functions in tight junctions. Recent reports have implicated nectin-3 in pancreatic adenocarcinoma and lung adenocarcinoma. However, there has been little exploration of the expression, cellular invasion and migration of nectin-3 in ovarian cancer (OC). We evaluated the distribution of cells that were positive for nectin-3 using immunohistochemistry in specimens of human OC and correlated these results with overall survival (OS). The nectin-3 expression was significantly increased accompanied by a degree of malignancy in ovarian tumors; moreover, the expression of matrix metallopeptidases (MMP) 2 and 9 was upregulated. In addition, an increased level of nectin-3 was related to a poorer OS. In summary, we have demonstrated that cellular migration and invasion via nectin-3 mediate the upregulation of MMP2 and MMP9 in OC cells. Nectin-3 may be a new biomarker for OC diagnosis.

Laparoscopic nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy for bulky cervical cancer (≥6 cm) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy: A multicenter prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of laparoscopic nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy (LNRH) for bulky-stage cervical cancer (lesion ≥ 6 cm) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). METHODS: This study prospective recruited patients with pathology-confirmed cervical cancer presenting as a bulky mass (lesion ≥ 6 cm). Subjects included patients who underwent laparoscopic radical surgery. They were assigned to one of two groups by surgical method: patients who underwent LNRH after NAC and patients who underwent classical laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (LRH) after NAC. We compared the patients' general clinical characteristics, surgical profiles, pathological findings and adjuvant therapies between the two groups. Recovery of bladder and intestinal function was evaluated by questionnaire. Patients were followed for up to 1 year to determine the maintenance of effect. RESULTS: Compared with patients treated with LRH, patients who underwent LNRH presented no significant differences in age, surgery characteristics, pathological findings, adjuvant therapies or main adverse effects. The mean duration of residual urine <50 mL in the LNRH group was 11 days, much shorter than that in the LRH group (18 days; P < 0.001). The period of passage of gas by anus was shorter (38.9 ± 4.1 h) in LNRH patients than that in LRH patients (56.5 ± 4.0 h; P < 0.001). The urinary and intestinal symptoms were evaluated 1 year after surgery. The recovery of urinary and intestinal function of patients was better in the LNRH group than in the LRH group. CONCLUSION: LNRH is a safe and feasible surgical management for bulky-stage cervical cancer patients (lesion ≥ 6 cm), and after NAC, the urinary and intestinal function of patients in LNRH group showed better recovery compared with functions in the LRH group. The technique is relatively new, and its oncologic efficiency has not yet been fully established. Prospective randomised controlled studies with an increased number of patients and long-term postoperative follow-up should be carried out to investigate the effect of this therapeutic strategy for bulky-stage cervical cancer.

Efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus radical surgery in patients with bulky stage II cervical squamous cell carcinoma: A retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: In order to evaluate the usefulness of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) with cisplatin and taxol (PT) follow radical surgery for stage II cervical squamous cell carcinoma with a bulky mass. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively compared patients receiving NAC with PT followed by radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection (RS) (NAC group) with patients only underwent RS without NAC (ORS group). Enrolled 35 patients with FIGO stage II markedly bulky in the NAC group and 30 such patients in the ORS group from January 2011 to December 2013. All patients histopathology were squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The surgical profiles and complications, disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between the groups. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in age, BMI, tumor size, and FIGO stage. The response rate of NAC with PT was 82.8%. The two groups also had similar in operative time, blood transfusion. However, the estimated blood loss in ORS group was significantly higher compared to that in NAC group (P = 0.04). hospital stay of NAC group was shorter compared to ORS group (P = 0.03). The 3-year DFS rates were 84.9% and 65.6%, respectively, in the NAC and ORS groups. NAC significantly prolonged DFS (log-rank test, P = 0.03). Moreover, the OS tended to be longer in the NAC group, though the difference did not reach statistical significance (log-rank test, P = 0.287). CONCLUSIONS: NAC with PT follow radical surgery was confirmed to prolong disease-free survival, as compared with radical hysterectomy alone. The results of this study suggest that NAC with PT might be a useful adjunct to surgery in the treatment of stage II SCC presenting as a bulky mass.