Remodeling the tumor-immune microenvironment by anti-CTLA4 blockade enhanced subsequent anti-PD-1 efficacy in advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Sequential immunotherapy has shown certain advantages in malignancy. Here, we aim to evaluate the efficacy of sequential anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 treatment for recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients (R/M NPC). We retrospectively analysis 2 phase I trial of ipilimumab and camrelizumab in Chinese R/M NPC patients. These patients were initially treated with ipilimumab, a CTLA4 blockade, followed by anti-PD-1 treatment. We observed a durable tumor remission in these patients (mPFS: 12.3 months; mDoR: 20.9 months). Multimodal investigations of biopsy samples disclosed remodeling of tumor-immune microenvironment triggered by ipilimumab. In responders, we found increased tumoral PD-L1/PD-L2 expression and T-cell infiltration after ipilimumab treatment, accompanied by reduced stroma and malignant cell components. In contrast, non-responders exhibited increased B-cell infiltration and increased peripheral CD19 + B cells, suggesting a defective transition from memory B cells to plasma cells. This study proposes that sequential therapy can potentially enhance treatment efficacy in chemotherapy-resistant NPC patients and provides insights into how preexisting anti-CTLA4 blockade can influence subsequent anti-PD-1 efficacy by remodeling the TME. Additionally, our results highlight the need for therapeutic strategies targeting naïve/memory B cells.

Preclinical characterization and phase 1 results of ADG106 in patients with advanced solid tumors and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

ADG106, a ligand-blocking agonistic antibody targeting CD137 (4-1BB), exhibits promising results in preclinical studies, demonstrating tumor suppression in various animal models and showing a balanced profile between safety and efficacy. This phase 1 study enrolls 62 patients with advanced malignancies, revealing favorable tolerability up to the 5.0 mg/kg dose level. Dose-limiting toxicity occurs in only one patient (6.3%) at 10.0 mg/kg, resulting in grade 4 neutropenia. The most frequent treatment-related adverse events include leukopenia (22.6%), neutropenia (22.6%), elevated alanine aminotransferase (22.6%), rash (21.0%), itching (17.7%), and elevated aspartate aminotransferase (17.7%). The overall disease control rates are 47.1% for advanced solid tumors and 54.5% for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Circulating biomarkers suggest target engagement by ADG106 and immune modulation of circulating T, B, and natural killer cells and cytokines interferon γ and interleukin-6, which may affect the probability of clinical efficacy. ADG106 has a manageable safety profile and preliminary anti-tumor efficacy in patients with advanced cancers (this study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03802955).

Pharmacokinetics, safety, tolerability, and feasibility of apatinib in combination with gefitinib in stage IIIB-IV EGFR-mutated non-squamous NSCLC: a drug-drug interaction study.

PURPOSE: Apatinib combined with gefitinib was proven to benefit advanced EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients in first-line treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the drug-drug interaction of gefitinib and apatinib when coadministered in EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients. METHODS: In this phase 1b, multi-center, open-label, fixed-sequence study, the drug-drug interaction of gefitinib and apatinib was evaluated when coadministered in EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients. Patients received single-agent apatinib 500 mg QD on days 1-4. Gefitinib 250 mg QD was given on days 5-15 and combined with apatinib 500 mg QD on days 12-15. Serial blood samples were drawn on days 4 and 15. The plasma concentrations and other pharmacokinetics parameters were measured for apatinib with and without gefitinib. RESULTS: The study enrolled 22 patients and 20 were analyzed for pharmacokinetics. There were no distinct differences in apatinib Cmax and AUC0-τ with versus without gefitinib (geometric LSM ratio, 0.96 [90% CI 0.84-1.10] for Cmax and 1.12 [90% CI 0.96-1.30] for AUC0-τ). Similar PFS and grade of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were found between different Cmax and AUC0-τ of apatinib and gefitinib at 500 mg apatinib and 250 mg gefitinib dose levels. CONCLUSIONS: Apatinib pharmacokinetics parameters were not significantly changed when coadministered with gefitinib. All TEAEs were manageable, and there was no need to change the dose level when combining apatinib and gefitinib (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04390984, May 18, 2020).

Phase I trial of KN046, a novel bispecific antibody targeting PD-L1 and CTLA-4 in patients with advanced solid tumors.

BACKGROUND: KN046 is a novel bispecific antibody targeting programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4). This multicenter phase I trial investigated the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and efficacy of KN046 in patients with advanced solid tumors. METHODS: Patients who failed standard treatment were included. KN046 was administered at doses of 1, 3, and 5 mg/kg every 2 weeks (Q2W), 5 mg/kg every 3 weeks (Q3W), and 300 mg Q3W based on the modified toxicity probability interval method in the dose-escalation phase; the recommended dose was used in the expansion phase. Primary objectives were maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and recommended phase II dose (RP2D) in escalation and preliminary efficacy in expansion. Secondary objectives included PK, pharmacodynamics, safety, and tolerability of KN046. We also explored biomarkers based on PD-L1 expression, multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) staining, and RNAseq-derived nCounter platform. RESULTS: Totally, 100 eligible patients were enrolled, including 59 with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), 36 with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and those with other advanced solid tumors. The most common treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were rash (33.0%), pruritus (31.0%), and fatigue (20.0%). Grade ≥3 TRAEs were observed in 14.0% of participants. No dose-limiting toxicity occurred in the dose-escalation phase, and the MTD was not reached. The RP2D was determined as 5 mg/kg Q2W according to the pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model, the preliminary exposure-response analysis, and the overall safety profile. Among 88 efficacy-evaluable participants, the objective response rate (ORR) was 12.5%, and the median duration of response was 16.6 months. In the NPC subgroup, the ORR was 15.4%, and the median overall survival (OS) was 24.7 (95% CI 16.3 to not estimable) months. In the EGFR-mutant NSCLC subgroup, the ORR was 6.3%. mIF analysis results showed patients with high CD8 expression showed longer median OS (27.1 vs 9.2 months, p=0.02); better prognosis was observed in patients with high CD8 and PD-L1 expression. CONCLUSIONS: KN046 was well tolerated and showed promising antitumor efficacy in advanced solid tumors, especially in patients with NPC. The combination of both CD8 and PD-L1 expression improved the prediction of KN046 response. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBERS: NCT03733951 .

Preparation of a novel iron oxychloride (FeOCl) auxiliary electrode in promoting electrokinetic remediation of Cr(VI) contaminated soil: An experimental and DFT calculation analysis.

The utilization of auxiliary electrode can improve substantially the electrokinetic remediation efficiency of heavy metal contaminated soil. The increase in the auxiliary electrode performance is the key to further promote the electrokinetic remediation efficiency. In this study, two kinds of auxiliary electrodes, pure FeOCl and doped FeOCl with W and S, were prepared and used in the electrokinetic remediation of Cr(VI) contaminated soil. The system equipped with the auxiliary electrode doped FeOCl brought more stable system current (202 mA) and more uniform electric field than blank group (130 mA). The reduction rate of Cr(VI) was increased by 50% due to the presence of Fe2+ and S2-. The accelerating migration of ions by auxiliary electrode was responsible for the improvement in electrokinetic remediation efficiency. Density functional theory (DFT) calculation showed that Cl vacancy formation energies of pure FeOCl, S-doped FeOCl (S/FeOCl) and W-doped FeOCl (W/FeOCl) were 1.29, 1.15 and 1.49 eV respectively, and the ion diffusion barriers were 0.093, 0.099 and 0.148 eV respectively. Calculation results indicated that the doping of S was conducive to the diffusion of Cl ions, and the bonding of W-Cl was stronger than Fe-Cl. The charging and discharging process of auxiliary electrode became easier due to the formation of lower vacancy in S-doped FeOCl, which could bring a higher current for the electrokinetic remediation system. The electrochemical performance of FeOCl doped with W and S was improved obviously. This study provided a further explanation for the positive role of auxiliary electrode in electrokinetic remediation system.

Passivation mechanism of Cu and Zn with the introduction of composite passivators during anaerobic digestion of pig manure.

Heavy metals in livestock manure pose a threat to the environment after biogas fertilizer being utilized, while its bioavailability is reduced substantially by passivator during the anaerobic digestion. In this study, an optimal composite passivator of humic acid, fly ash and biochar with proportion of 7.5%:7.5%:7.5% and 5.0%:7.5%:7.5% is obtained and the passivation mechanism on Cu and Zn during anaerobic digestion of pig manure is explored. The content of humic acid (HA) in biogas residue increased by 15.66-27.82%, which promoted the transformation from FA-Cu/Zn to HA-Cu/Zn and was beneficial to the passivation of Cu and Zn. The bioavailability of Cu and Zn was reduced by the adsorption and complexation at the early and middle stages of anaerobic digestion. Humic substances play a major role in the passivation of heavy metals at the late stage. The composite passivator can improve the humification degree of biogas residue and reduce heavy metal biotoxicity.

Paclitaxel exposure-toxicity analysis reveals a pharmacokinetic determinant for dose-limiting neutropenia in East-Asian solid tumor patients: results from two prospective, phase II studies.

PURPOSE: The time of a paclitaxel (PTX) concentration remains above 0.05 µM (Tc > 0.05) has been associated with PTX-induced adverse effects in Caucasians, while limited studies were reported in Asians. This study was aimed to explore the characteristics of Tc > 0.05 and the relationship between PTX exposure and toxicity in East-Asian patients. METHODS: This study was based on two prospective phase II clinical trials and patients with advanced nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who were naïve to PTX were included independently. Eligible patients receive PTX (175 mg/m2) and carboplatin (AUC = 5) treatment every 3 weeks. PTX pharmacokinetic analysis was accessed. The relationship between PTX exposure and toxicities after first cycle as well as clinical efficacy was evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 93 NPC and 40 NSCLC patients were enrolled. PTX exposure was consistent in two trials with average Tc > 0.05 duration of 38.8 h and 38.4 h, respectively. Average Tc > 0.05 in patients with grade 3/4 neutropenia was significantly higher than those without severe neutropenia in NPC patients (P = 0.003) and NSCLC patients (P = 0.007). Cut-off value of Tc > 0.05 were identified from the NPC cohort and then verified in the NSCLC cohort, dividing patients into high exposure Tc > 0.05 group (> 39 h) and low exposure group (≤ 39 h). Incidence of grade 3/4 neutropenia were significantly higher in the high exposure group in NPC cohort (43.3% vs 10.0%, P < 0.001) and NSCLC cohort (42.1% vs 9.5%, P = 0.028). No significant relationship between Tc > 0.05 and efficacy were observed. CONCLUSION: Patients with PTX Tc > 0.05 duration above 39 h experience more severe neutropenia than those under 39 h. Prospective studies are needed to verify this threshold.

First-in-human phase I study of TQ-B3139 (CT-711) in advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients with ALK and ROS1 rearrangements.

BACKGROUND: TQ-B3139 is a novel ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) against a broad range of ALK mutations. The aim of this first-in-human phase I trial was to investigate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and clinical efficacy of TQ-B3139 in ALK or ROS1 positive advanced NSCLC patients. METHODS: Following a 3 + 3 design, patients received escalating daily dose of TQ-B3139 (50-800 mg) continuously in 28-day cycles. Expansion stage started at dose of 200 mg twice daily (BID). The primary objectives were the safety, dose-limited toxicities (DLT) and recommended phase II dose (RP2D); secondary objectives included pharmacokinetics and antitumor activity. Non-obligatory tumor samples at baseline were collected and sequenced. RESULTS: The study enrolled 63 patients. Fifty-nine (93.4%) patients experienced treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs), mostly grade 1-2 vomiting (79.3%), diarrhea (76.1%) or nausea (68.2%). 1 (1/6) DLT occurred at 600 mg BID and 1 (1/3) at 800 mg BID. Based on safety and pharmacokinetics data, the RP2D was selected as 600 mg BID. At a dose level ≥200 mg BID, the overall response rate (ORR) was 76.7% (33/43), and the median progression free survival (mPFS) was 25.2 months (95%CI 11.9-NR) for TKI-naive patients. For TKI-treated patients, the ORR was 37.5% (6/16), and the mPFS was 5.4 months (95%CI 3.6-9.1). The ORR was 66.7% (2/3) in patients with ROS1 fusion at dose level ≥200 mg BID. In patients with measurable brain metastases, the intracranial ORR was 70% (7/10), with median intracranial PFS of 15.9 months. In TKI-treated patients, variant 3 and TP53 alteration were associated with poor PFS. CONCLUSIONS: TQ-B3139 was well-tolerated and exhibited promising anti-tumor activities in patients with ALK and ROS1 positive advanced NSCLC. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: NCT03099330.

Fecal Signatures of Streptococcus anginosus and Streptococcus constellatus for Noninvasive Screening and Early Warning of Gastric Cancer.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Most patients with gastric cancer (GCa) are diagnosed at an advanced stage. We aimed to investigate novel fecal signatures for clinical application in early diagnosis of GCa. METHODS: This was an observational study that included 1043 patients from 10 hospitals in China. In the discovery cohort, 16S ribosomal RNA gene analysis was performed in paired samples (tissues and feces) from patients with GCa and chronic gastritis (ChG) to determine differential abundant microbes. Their relative abundances were detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction to test them as bacterial candidates in the training cohort. Their diagnostic efficacy was validated in the validation cohort. RESULTS: Significant enrichments of Streptococcus anginosus (Sa) and Streptococcus constellatus (Sc) in GCa tumor tissues (P < .05) and feces (P < .0001) were observed in patients with intraepithelial neoplasia, early and advanced GCa. Either the signature parallel test Sa∪Sc or single signature Sa/Sc demonstrated superior sensitivity (Sa: 75.6% vs 72.1%, P < .05; Sc: 84.4% vs 64.0%, P < .001; and Sa∪Sc: 91.1% vs 81.4%, P < .01) in detecting early GCa compared with advanced GCa (specificity: Sa: 84.0% vs 83.9%, Sc: 70.4% vs 82.3%, and Sa∪Sc: 64.0% vs 73.4%). Fecal signature Sa∪Sc outperformed Sa∪CEA/Sc∪CEA in the discrimination of advanced GCa (sensitivity: 81.4% vs 74.2% and 81.4% vs 72.3%, P < .01; specificity: 73.4% vs 81.0 % and 73.4% vs 81.0%). The performance of Sa∪Sc in the diagnosis of both early and advanced GCa was verified in the validation cohort. CONCLUSION: Fecal Sa and Sc are noninvasive, accurate, and sensitive signatures for early warning in GCa. (ClinicalTrials.gov, Number: NCT04638959).

The Pan-Immune-Inflammation Value predicts the survival of patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive non-small cell lung cancer treated with first-line ALK inhibitor.

BACKGROUND: Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have significantly improved the clinical outcomes of patients with ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, reliable biomarkers to predict the prognostic role of this treatment are lacking. The Pan-Immune-Inflammation Value (PIV) has recently been demonstrated as a novel comprehensive biomarker to predict survival of patients with solid tumors. Our study aimed to evaluate the prognostic power of PIV in this group of patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 94 patients with advanced ALK-positive NSCLC who received first-line ALK inhibitors were enrolled in this study. PIV was calculated as the product of peripheral blood neutrophil, monocyte, and platelet counts divided by lymphocyte count. Kaplan-Meier method and Cox hazard regression models were used for survival analyses. RESULTS: The 1-year progression-free survival (PFS) was 63.5%, and the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 55.1%. Patients with higher PIV, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and systemic immune inflammation index (SII) had worse PFS in univariate analysis, but only the PIV (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.90, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.79-4.70, p < 0.001) was an independent prognostic factor in multivariate analysis. Similarly, patients with higher PIV, NLR, PLR, and SII had a worse OS in the univariate analysis, but only the PIV (HR = 4.70, 95% CI: 2.00-11.02, p < 0.001) was significantly associated with worse OS in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: PIV is a comprehensive and convenient predictor of both PFS and OS in patients with ALK-positive advanced NSCLC who received first-line ALK TKIs. Prospective clinical trials are required to validate the value of this new parameter.

Emerging immunological strategies: recent advances and future directions.

Immunotherapy plays a compelling role in cancer treatment and has already made remarkable progress. However, many patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors fail to achieve clinical benefits, and the response rates vary among tumor types. New approaches that promote anti-tumor immunity have recently been developed, such as small molecules, bispecific antibodies, chimeric antigen receptor T cell products, and cancer vaccines. Small molecule drugs include agonists and inhibitors that can reach the intracellular or extracellular targets of immune cells participating in innate or adaptive immune pathways. Bispecific antibodies, which bind two different antigens or one antigen with two different epitopes, are of great interest. Chimeric antigen receptor T cell products and cancer vaccines have also been investigated. This review explores the recent progress and challenges of different forms of immunotherapy agents and provides an insight into future immunotherapeutic strategies.

Fecal Fusobacterium nucleatum as a predictor for metachronous colorectal adenoma after endoscopic polypectomy.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Fusobacterium nucleatum is increasingly being recognized as an important risk factor in colorectal cancer and colorectal adenoma. Endoscopic polypectomy is associated with a decreased incidence of colorectal cancer; however, patients still suffer from a risk of metachronous adenoma. Currently, there are few effective non-invasive factors that may predict metachronous colorectal adenoma. Here, we evaluated the performance of F. nucleatum in predicting metachronous adenoma. METHODS: Fecal samples and clinical information of patients before endoscopic polypectomy were collected from 367 patients in a retrospective cohort, and 238 patients in a prospective cohort. The abundance of fecal F. nucleatum was measured via quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Surveillance colonoscopies were conducted between 1 and 3 years after polypectomy (average follow-up 27.07 months for the retrospective cohort & 22.57 months for the prospective cohort) to identify metachronous adenoma. Candidate predictive factors and cut-off value of F. nucleatum abundance were identified from the retrospective cohort and then validated in the prospective cohort. RESULTS: A high abundance of fecal F. nucleatum was found to be an independent risk factor for metachronous adenomas (odds ratio, 6.38; P < 0.001) in the retrospective cohort and was validated in the prospective cohort with a specificity of 65.00%, and a sensitivity of 73.04%, and an overall performance with the area under the curve of 0.73. CONCLUSION: Fecal abundance of F. nucleatum may be a reliable predictor for metachronous adenoma after endoscopic polypectomy.

Long non­coding RNA FOXD2­AS1 regulates the tumorigenesis and progression of breast cancer via the S100 calcium binding protein A1/Hippo signaling pathway.

Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent cancer types and is accompanied by a high incidence and mortality rate, severely threatening women's health globally. Long non­coding RNA forkhead box D2 adjacent apposite strand RNA 1 (lncRNA FOXD2­AS1) has been identified to function as an oncogene in human cancers; however, it has rarely been investigated in breast cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of FOXD2­AS1 in breast cancer, and to clarify the underlying mechanisms. The expression of FOXD2­AS1 in breast cancer cell lines was first quantified by reverse transcription­quantitative PCR, and the biological function of FOXD2­AS1 was then determined. Cellular proliferative ability was determined by Cell Counting kit­8 assay, and wound healing and Transwell assays were conducted to assess the cell migratory and invasive ability. Corresponding protein expression levels were determined by western blot analysis. In addition, experimental animal models were established by the subcutaneous injection of MDA­MB­468 cells into the right axillary lymph nodes of BALB/c nude mice, and the effects of FOXD2­AS1 on tumor growth were observed. The results indicated that FOXD2­AS1 expression was upregulated in breast cancer cell lines, and that FOXD2­AS1 downregulation significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasiveness of MCF­7 and MDA­MB­468 cells. S100 calcium binding protein A1 (S100A1) was also upregulated in breast cancer cell lines and was positively regulated by FOXD2­AS1. Furthermore, the inhibition of S100A1 and the overexpression of the serine/threonine­protein kinase, large tumor suppressor homolog 1 (LATS1), inhibited the FOXD2­AS1­induced cellular proliferation, migration and invasiveness in breast cancer. Experimental mouse models revealed that FOXD2­AS1 downregulation significantly inhibited tumor growth, and that the levels of phosphorylated (p­)YAP and p­LATS1 were upregulated by FOXD2­AS1 knockdown, indicating that the inhibition of FOXD2­AS1 activated Hippo/yes­associated protein signaling. On the whole, the findings of the present study suggest that the FOXD2­AS1/S100A1/Hippo axis is involved in the tumorigenesis and progression of breast cancer. In the future, these may contribution to the identification of more effective breast cancer treatments.

Expression of miR-129-5p and miR-433 in the serum of breast cancer patients and their relationship with clinicopathological features.

Expression of miR-129-5p and miR-433 was detected in breast cancer to explore the relationship with clinicopathological features of breast cancer. Seventy-eight patients with breast cancer diagnosed in Zhengzhou Central Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University (Zhengzhou, China) from February 2016 to September 2017 were collected and enrolled into the research group. Additionally, 72 healthy people who underwent physical examination during the same period were selected as the control group. The expression levels of miR-129-5p and miR-433 in peripheral blood of the two groups were detected by fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-PCR). The relationship between the expression of miR-129-5p, miR-433 and clinicopathological features, clinical stages of breast cancer, and the degree of differentiation were analyzed. Expression of miR-129-5p and miR-433 in the research group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). Expression of miR-129-5p in the blood of breast cancer patients was correlated with tumor size, differentiation degree, lymph node metastasis, depth of invasion and clinical stages (P<0.05). Expression level of miR-433 was correlated with the degree of differentiation, lymph node metastasis, depth of invasion and clinical stages (P<0.05). miR-129-5p and miR-433 were positively correlated with differentiation degree (r=0.8507, r=0.7522; P<0.05), and negatively correlated with clinical stages (r=-0.6595, -0.8947; P<0.05). The sensitivity and area under curve (AUC) were higher in joint detection (87.5 and 0.95% respectively), compared with those in single detection. Patients were separated into high and low expression groups according to the median values of miR-129-5p and miR-433. The one-year survival rate of breast cancer patients was analyzed. Patients in the low expression groups had lower survival rates than patients in the high expression groups (P<0.05). In conclusion, the expression of miR-129-5p and miR-433 in peripheral blood of breast cancer patients is lower than that of healthy people, and the expression level is closely related to clinical stages and differentiation degree, which is expected to provide reference value for judging the state of breast cancer patients. The combined detection of miR-129-5p and miR-433 is of great significance in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.

LncRNA linc00460 sponges miR-1224-5p to promote esophageal cancer metastatic potential and epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

BACKGROUND: Increasing studies highlight the crucial role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in carcinogenesis of various human cancer types, including esophageal cancer (ESCA). Long intergenic non-coding RNA 00460 (Linc00460), a novel oncogenic lncRNA, has been reported to accelerate ESCA cell growth. This study aimed to investigate the role and possible regulatory mechanism of linc00460 in ESCA metastasis. METHODS: Bioinformatics analysis and quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) were used to detect linc00460 expression in ESCA. Wound healing assay, Transwell assay and Western blot were utilized to examine migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of ESCA cells. The direct binding effect between linc00460 and microRNA-1224-5p (miR-1224-5p) was evaluated by the dual luciferase reporter assay. RESULTS: In this study, we discovered that lncRNA linc00460 was obviously over-expressed in ESCA, both in tissues and cell lines. Down-regulation of linc00460 significantly suppressed the metastatic potential (including cell migration and invasion) and EMT of ESCA cells. In addition, miR-1224-5p, a potential tumor suppressor, was negatively correlated with linc00460 in ESCA. Linc00460 and miR-1224-5p could bind directly in ESCA cells. Inhibition of miR-1224-5p partially abrogated the effects of linc00460 decrease on metastatic potential and EMT of ESCA cells. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, linc00460 may function as a molecular sponge to adsorb miR-1224-5p, thereby promoting ESCA metastasis and EMT. Our findings suggest that linc00460/miR-1224-5p is a possible clinical target for ESCA.

Comprehensive analysis of the HOXA gene family identifies HOXA13 as a novel oncogenic gene in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: Kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) is one of the most common lethal cancers in the human urogenital system. As members of the Homeobox (HOX) family, Homeobox-A (HOXA) cluster genes have been reported to be involved in the development of many cancer types. However, the expression and clinical significance of HOXA genes in KIRC remain largely unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, we comprehensively analyzed the mRNA expression and prognostic values of HOXA genes in KIRC using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) analysis databases online. Colony formation assay, flow cytometry and Western blot were used to detect cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, and protein level of the indicated gene. RESULTS: We found that the HOXA genes were differentially expressed in KIRC tissues when compared with normal tissues. The expression of HOXA4 and HOXA13 were significantly up-regulated, while HOXA7 and HOXA11 were down-regulated in KIRC. High mRNA levels of HOXA2, HOXA3 and HOXA13, and low level of HOXA7 predicted poor overall survival (OS) of KIRC patients. High mRNA level of HOXA13 further indicated a poor disease-free survival (DFS) of KIRC patients. Functionally, knockdown of HOXA13 significantly suppressed cell proliferation of KIRC in vitro, increased the protein level of p53 and decreased the protein level of cyclin D1 in KIRC cells. Over-expression of HOXA13 had the opposite effects on KIRC cells. CONCLUSION: Collectively, our findings suggest that HOXA13 functions as a novel oncogene in KIRC and may be a potential biomarker for this malignancy.

Pleural Effusion Due to Use of Pioglitazone: A Case Report.

Background: Pioglitazone is an effective treatment option in clinical practice for managing type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is challenged by a lot of adverse effects, primarily body weight gain, peripheral edema, as well as congestive heart failure. Case Report: This is a case of a 76-year-old woman with no evidence of cardiac disease, who developed edema as well as bilateral pleural effusion after using pioglitazone. She got a weight decrease and complete resolution of the pleural effusion after stopping use of pioglitazone and rational use of diuretics. Conclusion: Common side effects of pioglitazone have been widely reported. However, little attention was drawn on pleural effusion in diabetic patients with no pre-existing heart dysfunction. In this case, we show the use of pioglitazone results in pleural effusion, with emphasis on the clinical recognition and management.

Cutibacterium acnes Type II strains are associated with acne in Chinese patients.

Acne is a common inflammatory skin disease, especially in adolescents. Certain Cutibacterium acnes subtypes are associated with acne, although more than one subtype of C. acnes strains may simultaneously reside on the surface of the skin of an individual. To better understand the relationship between the genomic characteristics of C. acnes subtypes and acnes, we collected 50 C. acnes strains from the facial skin of 10 people (5 healthy individuals, 5 patients with acne) in Liaoning, China and performed whole genome sequencing of all strains. We demonstrated that the six potential pathogenic C. acnes strains were all Type II subtype, and discovered 90 unique genes of the six strains related to acne using pan-genome analysis. The distribution of 2 of the 90 genes was identified by PCR in bacterial cultures collected from the facial skin of 171 individuals (55 healthy individuals, 52 patients with mild acne and 64 patients with moderate to severe acne). Both the genes were significantly associated with acne (Chi square test, P < 0.01). We conclude that Type II strains are associated with acne in Chinese patients.

Rapid and Error-Free Site-Directed Mutagenesis by a PCR-Free In Vitro CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Mutagenic System.

The quality and efficiency of any PCR-based mutagenesis technique may not be optimal due to, among other things, amino acid bias, which means that the development of efficient PCR-free methods is desirable. Here, we present a highly efficient in vitro CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenic (ICM) system that allows rapid construction of designed mutants in a PCR-free manner. First, it involves plasmid digestion by utilizing a complex of Cas9 with specific single guide RNA (sgRNA) followed by degradation with T5 exonuclease to generate a 15 nt homologous region. Second, primers containing the desired mutations are annealed to form the double-stranded DNA fragments, which are then ligated into the linearized plasmid. In theory, neither the size of the target plasmid nor the unavailable restriction enzyme site poses any problems that may arise in traditional techniques. In this study, single and multiple site-directed mutagenesis were successfully performed even for a large size plasmid (up to 9.0 kb). Moreover, a PCR-free site-saturation mutagenesis library on single site and two adjacent sites of a green fluorescent protein was also generated with promising results. This demonstrates the great potential of the ICM system for creating high-quality mutant libraries in directed evolution as an alternative to PCR-based saturation mutagenesis, thus facilitating research on synthetic biology.

5-(4-Hy-droxy-phen-yl)imidazolidine-2,4-dione.

The title compound, C9H8N2O3, was prepared by reaction of phenol, glyoxylic acid and urea in water. The imidazolidine ring adopts an almost planar conformation (r.m.s. deviation = 0.012 Å) and is twisted by 89.3 (1)° relative to the benzene ring. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked by N-H⋯O and O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds into a three-dimensional framework.