Protection of neutrophils by bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells is enhanced by tumor-associated inflammatory cytokines.

Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs), which are distributed in many tissues including bone marrow, have been reported to play a critical role in tumor development. While bone marrow, the primary site for hematopoiesis, is important for establishing the immune system, whether MSCs in the bone marrow can promote tumor growth via influencing hematopoiesis remains unclear. We observed that the numbers of MSCs and neutrophils were increased in bone marrow in tumor-bearing mice. Moreover, co-culture assay showed that MSCs strongly protected neutrophils from apoptosis and induced their maturation. G-CSF and GM-CSF have been well-documented to be associated with neutrophil formation. We found a remarkably increased level of G-CSF, but not GM-CSF, in the supernatant of MSCs and the serum of tumor-bearing mice. The G-CSF expression can be enhanced with inflammatory cytokines (IFNγ and TNFα) stimulation. Furthermore, we found that IFNγ and TNFα-treated MSCs enhanced their capability of promoting neutrophil survival and maturation. Our results indicate that MSCs display robustly protective effects on neutrophils to contribute to tumor growth in bone niches.

Neutrophils in the tumor microenvironment and their functional modulation by mesenchymal stromal cells.

Neutrophils are the most predominant cell population in the innate immune system. The role of neutrophils in the initiation, development and metastasis of tumor has been actively studied in recent years. In cancer, neutrophils exert both pro- and anti-cancer effects, and their phenotype and function are affected by the tumor microenvironment (TME). This review aims to summarize the role of neutrophils in tumorigenesis with emphasis on their interaction with mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs).

Comparison of the biometric parameters in patients with high myopia and anisometropia.

BACKGROUND: To compare biometric parameters, especially lens parameters, in patients with high myopia and anisometropia. METHODS: Patients with spherical equivalent greater than -6D and at least one eye with an axial length greater than 26 mm and a difference in binocular axial length greater than 2 mm were included in this study. In each patient, the eye with a relatively shorter axial length was assigned to Group S, and the other eye was assigned to Group L. In patients whose binocular axial length difference was greater than 4 mm, the eye with the shorter axial length was assigned to Group S1 and the other eye was assigned to Group L1. In patients whose shorter eye axial was less than 26 mm, the eye with the shorter axial was assigned to Group S2 and the other eye was assigned to Group L2. Central corneal thickness, corneal curvature radius, axial length, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, white-to-white corneal diameter and the radius of the anterior and posterior lens capsules were compared between Group S and Group L, Groups S1 and L1, and Groups S2 and L2. RESULTS: Sixty-four people were enrolled in the study. There were 26 people with an axial length difference more than 4 mm (Group S1 and Group L1) and 34 patients with an axial length less than 26 mm (Group S2 and Group L2). No significant differences were found in any parameters except axial length between Group S and Group L, Groups S1 and L1, or Groups S2 and L2 (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The anterior parameters of patients with high myopia did not change with the axial length.

The best thickness of cornea graft from SMILE surgery as patch graft in glaucoma drainage implant surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the best thickness of corneal slices acquired from femtosecond laser surgery-small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE surgery) as patch graft in glaucoma drainage implantation surgery. METHODS: This study is a prospective randomized study. Patients who received glaucoma drainage implantation from September 2016 to November 2018 were observed. The patients were randomly divided into 3 groups. Group A included 102 cases (104 eyes), receiving 1 layer (120-150 µm) of allogeneic lamellar corneal tissue as the graft. Group B included 117 cases (120 eyes), receiving 2 layers of lamellar corneal tissue from one donor. Group C included 109 cases (111 eyes), using 3 layers of lamellar corneal tissue from 2 donors. The intraocular pressure, corneal graft, conjunctiva stromalysis, drainage tube exposure, and drainage plate were observed. RESULTS: Patients were followed up for 6 to 33 months. The intraocular pressure was significantly reduced after surgery in all three groups. Conjunctiva stromalysis and drainage tubes were exposed in 3 eyes (3%) in group A and 1 eye (0.8%, a special case which has nystagmus and the plate was placed infratemporally) in group B, whereas no conjunctiva stromalysis or tube exposure was reported in group C. CONCLUSIONS: The corneal graft acquired from SMILE surgery can effectively prevent drainage tube exposure and give patients a better cosmetic appearance. Two layers of lamellar corneal tissue (240-300 µm) may be the best suitable thickness because it can effectively reduce tube exposure and rejection. In some special cases, 3 layers of lamellar corneal tissue are needed.

Tumour-Infiltrating Immune Cell-Based Subtyping and Signature Gene Analysis in Breast Cancer Based on Gene Expression Profiles.

Tumour-infiltrating immune cells have been indicated to play an important role in prognosis prediction and therapy sensitivity for breast cancer. In recent years, estimating the abundance of immune cells based on tumour transcriptome data has provided a novel way to analyse the clinical significance of various immune cell subsets. This study integrated breast cancer tissue transcriptome datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), the Cancer Genome Atlas-Breast Cancer (TCGA-BRCA) and the Molecular Taxonomy of Breast Cancer International Consortium (METABRIC) cohorts. A novel breast cancer immunotyping and a new prognostic model based on tumour-infiltrating immune cell subsets have been established, aiming to provide new clues regarding prognostic prediction and precision therapy for breast cancer. The key differentially expressed gene between different breast cancer immunotypes has also been identified. We performed unsupervised clustering analysis and construct a novel immunotyping which could classify breast cancer cases into immunotype A (B_cellhigh NKhigh CD8+_Thigh CD4+_memory_T_activatedhigh γδTlow Mast_cell_activatedlow Neutrophillow) and immunotype B (B_celllow NKlow CD8+_Tlow CD4+_memory_T_activatedlow γδThigh Mast_cell_activatedhigh Neutrophilhigh) in luminal B, HER2-enriched and basal-like subtypes. The 5-year (85.7% vs. 73.4%) and 10-year OS (75.60% vs. 61.73%) of immunotype A population were significantly higher than those of immunotype B. A novel tumour-infiltrating immune cell-based prognostic model had also been established and the result immunorisk score (IRS) could serve as a new prognostic factor for luminal B, HER2-enriched and basal-like breast cancer. The higher IRS was, the worse prognosis was. We further screened the differentially expressed genes between immunotype A and B and identified a novel breast cancer immune-related gene, prostaglandin D2 synthase (PTGDS) and higher PTGDS mRNA expression level was positively correlated with earlier TNM stage. Immune-related signaling pathways analysis and immune cell subsets correlation analysis revealed that PTGDS expression was related with abundance of B cells, CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells, which was finally validated by immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence staining. We established a novel immunotyping and a tumour-infiltrating immune cell-based prognostic prediction model in luminal B, HER2-enriched and basal-like breast cancer by analyzing the prognostic significance of multiple immune cell subsets. A novel breast cancer immune signature gene PTDGS was discovered, which might serve as a protective prognostic factor and play an important role in breast cancer development and lymphocyte-related immune response.

Partial thickness cornea tissue from small incision lenticule extraction: A novel patch graft in glaucoma drainage implant surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to observe the feasibility and effect of cornea slice acquired from femtosecond laser surgery, small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) as patch graft for the prevention of drainage tube exposure and to compare with the sclera. METHODS: The research is a prospective comparative randomized study. Patients who received Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation surgery from August 2015 to January 2017 at the Xiamen Eye Center were randomly divided into 2 groups. Group A (corneal group) included 131 cases (135 eyes), receiving the 3 layers of allogeneic cornea slices as graft. Group B (scleral group) included 124 cases (127 eyes), using the sclera as allograft. The appearance, graft, conjunctiva melting, and tube exposure were the primary observation points. RESULTS: After followed up for 6 to 20 months, a thinner appearance was seen in 3 eyes (2.2%) in the corneal graft group and 7 eyes (5.5%) in the scleral group. Conjunctiva melted and drainage tube exposed in 0 eyes (0%) in the corneal graft group and 2 eyes (1.6%) in the scleral group. One eye needed repair surgery. There was no statistical difference between the 2 groups (P > .05). After surgery, the intraocular pressure was reduced significantly in both groups (P < .05). The white sclera slice could be seen under the conjunctiva, thereby affecting the cosmetic appearance. CONCLUSION: The cornea slice acquired from SMILE surgery can effectively prevent drainage tube exposure. Moreover, it is easy to acquire, safe, and cheaper, giving the patient a better cosmetic appearance.