Candida albicans overgrowth disrupts the gut microbiota in mice bearing oral cancer.

Candida albicans is one of the most common opportunistic fungi in cancer patients. This study explored the influence of C. albicans on gut microbiota in oral tumour-bearing mice by means of 16S rRNA sequencing and ITS sequencing. It was found that C. albicans infection induced the decrease of alpha diversity of bacteria and fungi in the gut microbiome. For the bacteria, C. albicans caused the reduction of Ralstonia, Alistipes, Clostridia UCG-014, Ruminococcus, and Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group. For the fungi, C. albicans inhibited the growth of other fungi including Aspergillus, Cladosporium, and Bipolaris. The neutralisation of γδT cells partly alleviated the out-of-balance of Firmicutes/Bacteroidota (F/B) ratio in the gut caused by C. albicans infection. However, γδT cell neutralisation boosted the overgrowth of C. albicans. Additionally, IL-17A neutralisation aggravated the microbial dysbiosis of bacteria and fungi caused by C. albicans infection. Further analysis indicated that C. albicans overgrowth might influence the correlations between fungal and bacterial kingdoms. In conclusion, C. albicans infection disturbed the gut microbiota of both bacteria and fungi in oral tumour-bearing mice, which may be associated with the intestinal immune components including γδT cells and IL-17A.

Surveillance and Resistance of Community-Onset Extended-Spectrum ß-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Site Infections.

Background: The prevalence of community-onset infections of extended spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL)-producing strains has increased globally, yet surveillance and resistance in patients with oral and maxillofacial surgery site infections is less investigated. Patients and Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed to investigate risk factors and resistance of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-EC) and ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumonia (ESBL-KP) among community-onset patients with oral and maxillofacial surgery during January 2010 to December 2016. Demographic features, predisposing factors, clinical outcomes, and antibiotic agent costs were analyzed. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of nine antimicrobial agents against ESBL-KP and ESBL-EC were measured. Results: Among 2,183 cultures from infection sites in patients with oral and maxillofacial surgery site (45 cases [2.06%]) were confirmed with community-onset ESBL-KP (24; 1.10%) or ESBL-EC (21; 0.96%) infection. Multivariable analysis showed the independent risk factors for ESBL-producing bacterial infection were prior history of hospitalization (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 10.984; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.965-59.879; p = 0.025) and malignant condition (aOR, 3.373; 95% CI 2.947-7.634; p = 0.024). Based on antimicrobial susceptibility testing, 57.8% ESBL-KP and ESBL-EC were found receiving inappropriate antimicrobial therapy, and antibiotic agent costs were higher than non-ESBL-producing bacterial infections ($493.8 ± $367.3 vs. $304.1 ± $334.7; p = 0.031). Conclusions: Infections caused by ESBL-KP and ESBL-EC among patients in sites with oral and maxillofacial surgery are associated with prior history of hospitalization and malignant conditions. Prompt detection and appropriate antibiotic administration for community-onset infections of ESBLs are necessary for such populations.

Saliva and tongue microbiota in burning mouth syndrome: An exploratory study of potential roles.

OBJECTIVES: Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a chronic orofacial pain disorder with unclear etiology, in which the tongue is most commonly affected. This study aims to provide implication of the possible relationship between oral microbiota and the pathogenesis of BMS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Saliva and tongue swabs of 15 primary BMS patients and 10 healthy controls were collected and assessed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. The microbiota compositions were compared and bioinformatic analysis was conducted. RESULTS: Differences in microbiota compositions between BMS patients and healthy controls were revealed in both saliva and tongue samples. In saliva, Streptococcus, Rothia, and Neisseria were the predominant genus at the taxonomic level in BMS patients. In tongue samples, Prevotella, Streptococcus, and Neisseria were the dominant genus at the taxonomic level in BMS patients. LEfSe analysis and linear discriminant analysis score showed that Actinobacteria were the predominant phylum in saliva, and Selenomonas were enriched in the dorsum of the tongue of BMS patients. CONCLUSIONS: This study for the first-time reported saliva and tongue microbiota profiles were distinguished from that of healthy controls, indicating a necessity for further research on the possible relationship between oral microbes and the pathogenesis of BMS.

Candida albicans-myeloid cells-T lymphocytes axis in the tumor microenvironment of oral tumor-bearing mice.

Candida albicans (C. albicans) is associated with the development of oral cancer. Here, we report the altered tumor microenvironment in oral tumor-bearing mice caused by C. albicans infection. Single-cell RNA sequencing showed that C. albicans infection influenced the tumor microenvironment significantly. Specifically, C. albicans infection reduced the CD8+ T cells but increased the IL-17A+ CD4+ T cells and IL-17A+ γδ T cells in oral tumor. The neutralization of IL-17A or TCR γ/δ alleviated the tumor progression caused by C. albicans infection. Additionally, C. albicans infection promoted the infiltration of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) into tumor, especially polymorphonuclear (PMN)-MDSCs, which infiltration was reduced after the neutralization of CCL2. Thus, our findings reveal the myeloid cells-T lymphocytes axis in oral tumor microenvironment with C. albicans infection, which helps to understand the mechanisms for C. albicans promoting oral cancer from the perspective of immune microenvironment.

Clinical analysis of hairy cell leukemia: the rare indolent hematological malignancy.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical features, diagnosis and treatment and prognosis of the rare hairy cell leukemia (HCL), in order to provide new references for the clinical and basic research of HCL. METHODS: The clinical data of 17 patients with HCL admitted to Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Putian University and the First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University from January 1, 2016 to July 1, 2023 were collected and retrospectively studied, and the clinical features, diagnosis and treatment effects and prognosis of patients with HCL were analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis. Meanwhile, the latest literature from PubMed was retrieved to systematically discuss the research progress in the diagnosis and treatment of HCL. RESULTS: In this study, there were 11 males and 6 females, the median age at diagnosis was 59.5 (30-81) years old, and the median time from the onset of clinical symptoms or signs to diagnosis was 4.5 (0.5-28.5) months. There were 9 cases (52.94%) with lymphoma B symptoms (fever, night sweating, and weight loss), 15 cases (88.24%) were accompanied by splenomegaly (3 cases of mild splenomegaly, 4 cases of moderate splenomegaly, and 8 cases of megasplenomegaly), the positive rate of BRAFV600E mutation is 76.47% (13/17). All patients in this study were treated, of which 11 were treated with Cladribine, 3 with Interferon, 2 with FC regimen, and 1 with R-CVP regimen + Cladribine. The median follow-up time was 39 (range, 2-83) months, 3 patients died, all due to failure of chemotherapy due to disease progression. The prognosis of HCL-v patients was significantly worse than that of cHCL patients (P=0.01), and there was no significant difference in the impact of different treatment regiments on the OS of HCL patients (P=0.328). CONCLUSION: HCL is a rare clinically indolent hematological tumor, which is sensitive to Cladribine, with the emergence of precision treatments such as the novel molecular-targeted drugs and immunotherapy also plays an indispensable role in clinical practice of HCL.

JAK/STAT in leukemia: a clinical update.

Over the past three decades, considerable efforts have been expended on understanding the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling pathway in leukemia, following the identification of the JAK2V617F mutation in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). The aim of this review is to summarize the latest progress in our understanding of the involvement of the JAK/STAT signaling pathway in the development of leukemia. We also attempt to provide insights into the current use of JAK/STAT inhibitors in leukemia therapy and explore pertinent clinical trials in this field.

Development and validation of MRI-based scoring models for predicting placental invasiveness in high-risk women for placenta accreta spectrum.

OBJECTIVES: To develop and validate MRI-based scoring models for predicting placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) invasiveness. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study comprised a derivation cohort and a validation cohort. The derivation cohort came from a systematic review of published studies evaluating the diagnostic performance of MRI signs for PAS and/or placenta percreta in high-risk women. The significant signs were identified and used to develop prediction models for PAS and placenta percreta. Between 2016 and 2021, consecutive high-risk pregnant women for PAS who underwent placental MRI constituted the validation cohort. Two radiologists independently evaluated the MRI signs. The reference standard was intraoperative and pathologic findings. The predictive ability of MRI-based models was evaluated using the area under the curve (AUC). RESULTS: The derivation cohort included 26 studies involving 2568 women and the validation cohort consisted of 294 women with PAS diagnosed in 258 women (88%). Quantitative meta-analysis revealed that T2-dark bands, placental/uterine bulge, loss of T2 hypointense interface, bladder wall interruption, placental heterogeneity, and abnormal intraplacental vascularity were associated with both PAS and placenta percreta, and myometrial thinning and focal exophytic mass were exclusively associated with PAS. The PAS model was validated with an AUC of 0.90 (95% CI: 0.86, 0.93) for predicting PAS and 0.85 (95% CI: 0.79, 0.90) for adverse peripartum outcome; the placenta percreta model showed an AUC of 0.92 (95% CI: 0.86, 0.98) for predicting placenta percreta. CONCLUSION: MRI-based scoring models established based on quantitative meta-analysis can accurately predict PAS, placenta percreta, and adverse peripartum outcome. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: These proposed MRI-based scoring models could help accurately predict PAS invasiveness and provide evidence-based risk stratification in the management of high-risk pregnant women for PAS. KEY POINTS: • Accurately identifying placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) and assessing its invasiveness depending solely on individual MRI signs remained challenging. • MRI-based scoring models, established through quantitative meta-analysis of multiple MRI signs, offered the potential to predict PAS invasiveness in high-risk pregnant women. • These MRI-based models allowed for evidence-based risk stratification in the management of pregnancies suspected of having PAS.

Clinical analysis of malignant lymphoma secondary to transplantation: the notorious lymphoproliferative disease.

As one of the worst complications after solid organ transplantation (SOT) or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) usually progresses rapidly and accompanies with a high mortality rate, which is the most notorious adverse event threatening long-term survival of organ transplant recipients. PTLD is generally characterized by malignant clonal proliferation of lymphocytes, so the location of the disease is uncertain, the clinical symptoms and signs are very complex, lack of specificity, and it is easy to miss diagnosis and misdiagnosis in clinical practice, which will lead to low survival of patients after transplantation. To this end, the clinical data of two patients with PTLD were retrospectively studied, and characteristics of medical history, clinical manifestations, treatment process, curative effect and prognosis of the patients with PTLD were systematically analyzed and discussed, with a view to improving the novel understanding of PTLD in the field of hematology and oncology.

Relationship between burning mouth disorder and gastroesophageal reflux disease: A scoping review.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to provide a scoping review and attempts to uncover the possible association between burning mouth disorder and gastroesophageal reflux disease. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, Ovid, Scopus, and a search platform (EBSCOhost) were searched from their inception to August 22, 2023. RESULTS: After screening 2795 records, 18 articles were included in the final review, comprising cross-sectional studies (n = 9), case-control studies (n = 5), case reports (n = 2), case series (n = 1), and experimental study (n = 1). The prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease and its extraesophageal manifestations of laryngopharyngeal reflux in burning mouth patients was reported 3.39%-23.4% and 50%-93.8%, respectively, while oral burning was reported in 9%-45% of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease. In case-control studies, gastroesophageal reflux disease was more prevalent in patients with burning mouth disorder compared with controls. Burning mouth would be resolved after antireflux therapy in laryngopharyngeal reflux patients in case series. PH value and saliva alternation might be the possible mechanisms. CONCLUSION: The possibility of the correlation between burning mouth disorder and gastroesophageal reflux disease still needs to be clearly demonstrated through better-conducted studies. The link between them is worth to be explored in future research.

[Regulatory Mechanism of Mangiferin Combined with Bortezomib on Malignant Biological Behavior of Burkitt Lymphoma and Its Effect on Expression of CXC Chemokine Receptors].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effects of mangiferin combined with bortezomib on the proliferation, invasion, apoptosis and autophagy of human Burkitt lymphoma Raji cells, as well as the expression of CXC chemokine receptors (CXCRs) family, and explore the molecular mechanism between them to provide scientific basis for basic research and clinical work of Burkitt lymphoma. METHODS: Raji cells were intervened with different concentrations of mangiferin and bortezomib alone or in combination, then cell proliferation was detected by CCK-8 assay, cell invasion ability was detected by Transwell chamber method, cell apoptosis was detected by Annexin V/PI double-staining flow cytometry, apoptosis, autophagy and Akt/mTOR pathway protein expression were detected by Western blot, and the expression changes of CXCR family was detected by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). RESULTS: Different concentrations of mangiferin intervened Raji cells for different time could inhibit cell viability in a concentration- and time-dependent manner (r =-0.682, r =-0.836). When Raji cells were intervened by combination of mangiferin and bortezomib, compared with single drug group, the proliferation and invasion abilities were significantly decreased, while the apoptosis level was significantly increased (P <0.01). Mangiferin combined with bortezomib could significantly up-regulate the expression of pro-apoptotic protein Bax and down-regulate the expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 after intervention in Raji cells. Caspase-3 was also hydrolyzed and activated, and then induced the apoptosis of Raji cells. Mangiferin combined with bortezomib could up-regulate the expression of LC3Ⅱ protein in Raji cells, and the ratio of LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ in cells was significantly up-regulated compared with single drug or control group (P <0.01). Mangiferin combined with bortezomib could significantly inhibit the phosphorylation levels of Akt and mTOR, inhibit the proliferation and invasion of Raji cells by inhibiting Akt/mTOR pathway, and induce cell autophagy and apoptosis. Mangiferin and bortezomib could down-regulate the expressions of CXCR4 and CXCR7 mRNA after single-agent intervention in Raji cells, and the down-regulations of CXCR4 and CXCR7 mRNA expression were more significant when the two drugs were combined (P <0.01). Mangiferin alone or combined with bortezomib had no significant effect on CXCR5 mRNA expression in Raji cells (P >0.05), while the combination of the two drugs could down-regulate the expression of CXCR3 (P <0.05). CONCLUSION: Mangiferin combined with bortezomib can synergistically inhibit the proliferation and invasion of Raji cells, and induce autophagy and apoptosis. The mechanism may be related to the inhibition of Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, down-regulation of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and up-regulation of pro-apoptotic protein Bax, and the inhibition of the expression of CXCR family.

Clinical analysis of prolymphoblastic leukemia: the rare hematological malignancy in the elderly.

OBJECTIVE: To discuss and analyze the clinical and prognostic characteristics of rare prolymphocytic leukemia (PLL), in order to provide new references for the clinical diagnosis and treatment and basic research of PLL. METHODS: The clinical data of 8 patients with PLL admitted to the Department of Hematology in Fujian Medical University Union Hospital from January 1, 2011 to May 31, 2023 were collected and retrospectively studied, and the clinical treatment and prognosis were analyzed. Meanwhile, the latest literature from PubMed was retrieved to systematically discuss the research progress in the diagnosis and treatment of PLL. RESULTS: In this study, of the 8 patients with PLL, 6 were males and 2 were females; the ages ranged from 52 to 80 years, with a median age of 70.5 years. The immunophenotypes were divided into B-PLL (7 cases) and T-PLL (1 case). Morphological, flow cytometric, cytogenetic and molecular biological tests of bone marrow cells were performed in all patients. Among them, 1 case refused chemotherapy after diagnosis and died in a short time, the other 7 cases received standard chemotherapy. Among the 7 patients, one patient died of severe infection caused by myelosuppression after chemotherapy, one patient died within 3 months after chemotherapy; two patients died of progression at 4 and 7 months after chemotherapy. A total of 3 patients achieved complete remission (CR) after chemotherapy, and 1 patient underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation without disease progression or recurrence. CONCLUSION: PLL is a rare lymphoid malignancy with an extremely poor prognosis, which tends to occur in the elderly, and the clinical manifestations of PLL lack specificity. Chemotherapy combined with targeted drugs or epigenetic drugs may benefit PLL patients. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation should be performed after CR is obtained to improve the prognosis to the greatest extent.

Photocatalytic C-C Bond Cleavage and Fluorosulfonylation of Strained Cycloalkanols for Carbonyl-Containing Aliphatic Sulfonyl Fluorides.

In this report, we present a photocatalytic ring-opening fluorosulfonylation of strained cycloalkanols with sulfur dioxide and NFSI under mild conditions for the synthesis of carbonyl-containing aliphatic sulfonyl fluorides. The synthetic potential of the carbonyl-containing aliphatic sulfonyl fluoride products has been examined by diverse transformations, including SuFEx reactions and Baeyer-Villiger oxidation reactions. Mechanistic studies demonstrate that the reaction operates through a radical C-C bond cleavage/SO2 insertion/fluorination cascade process.

Ticlopidine induces embryonic development toxicity and hepatotoxicity in zebrafish by upregulating the oxidative stress signaling pathway.

Ticlopidine exerts its anti-platelet effects mainly by antagonizing platelet p2y12 receptors. Previously, a few studies have shown that ticlopidine can induce liver injury, but the exact mechanism of hepatotoxicity remains unclear. Oxidative stress, metabolic disorders, hepatocyte apoptosis, lipid peroxidation, and inflammatory responses can all lead to hepatic liver damage, which can cause hepatotoxicity. In this study, in order to deeply explore the potential molecular mechanisms of ticlopidine -induced hepatotoxicity, we used zebrafish as a model organism to comprehensively evaluate the hepatotoxicity of ticlopidine and its associated mechanism. Three days post-fertilization, zebrafish larvae were exposed to varying concentrations (1.5, 1.75 and 2 µg/mL) of ticlopidine for 72 h, in contrast, adult zebrafish were exposed exposure to 4 µg/mL of ticlopidine for 28 days. Ticlopidine-exposed zebrafish larvae showed changes in liver morphology, shortened body length, and delayed development of the swim bladder development. Liver tissues of ticlopidine-exposed zebrafish larvae and adults stained with Hematoxylin & Eosin revealed vacuolization and increased cellular interstitial spaces in liver tissues. Furthermore, using Oil Red O and periodic acid-Schiff staining methods and evaluating different metabolic enzymes of ticlopidine-exposed zebrafish larvae and adults suggested abnormal liver metabolism and liver injury in both ticlopidine-exposed zebrafish larvae and adults. Ticlopidine also significantly elevated inflammation and oxidative stress and reduced hepatocyte proliferation. During the rescue intervention using N-acetylcysteine, we observed significant improvement in ticlopidine-induced morphological changes in the liver, shortened body length, delayed swim bladder development, and proliferation of liver tissues showed significant improvement. In conclusion, ticlopidine might inhibit normal development and liver proliferation in zebrafish by upregulation of oxidative stress levels, thus leading to embryonic developmental toxicity and hepatotoxicity. In this study, we used zebrafish as a model organism to elucidate the developmental toxicity and hepatotoxicity induced by ticlopidine upregulation of oxidative stress signaling pathway in zebrafish, providing a theoretical basis for clinical application.

Extremely rare chronic neutrophilic leukemia characterized by unrelieved abdominal distention and swollen painful limbs: new clinical insight.

The pathogenesis of hematological tumors has not been fully elucidated. The academic community believes that genetic mutation abnormalities play a crucial role in the occurrence and development of hematological malignancies. Chronic neutrophilic leukemia (CNL) is a rare hematological tumor in the world. It is characterized by a Philadelphia chromosome BCR-ABL1-negative myeloproliferative tumor. It can be accompanied by mutations in various genes. Colony-stimulating factor 3 receptor (CSF3R) is a classic mutation in CNL and is included in the diagnostic criteria for CNL. This article described a 46-year-old male patient who came to the hospital with non-specific clinical manifestations such as unrelieved abdominal distension and edema of both lower extremities as the primary symptoms. The middle-aged male patient was provided with a peripheral a routine blood test. The biochemical tests revealed abnormalities. A bone marrow biopsy was performed to complete various tests such as bone marrow morphology, immunology, molecular biology, cytogenetics, and imaging. He was diagnosed with a rare chronic neutrophilic leukemia. After the diagnosis, the patient took ruxolitinib orally targeted therapy as prescribed by the doctor. Doctors regularly reviewed the peripheral blood examination and bone marrow status. The current condition is well controlled. CNL is extremely rare. The disease usually has non-specific clinical features and manifestations as the primary symptoms. These symptoms can easily be missed or lead to misdiagnosed ailments by clinicians. It is necessary to increase the awareness and vigilance of CNL.

Amanita muscaria extract potentiates production of proinflammatory cytokines by dsRNA-activated human microglia.

Recent interest in mushrooms and their components as potential therapies for mental health, along with recent government and health authority approvals, has necessitated a more comprehensive understanding of their effects on the cellular microenvironment of the brain. Amanita muscaria has been ingested as a treatment for a variety of ailments for centuries, most notably those affecting the central nervous system and conditions associated with neuroinflammation. However, the effects of these extracts on neuroinflammatory cells, such as microglia, are unknown. The effect of commercially-sourced A. muscaria extract (AME-1) on human microglial cell line (HMC3) expression of surface receptors such as CD86, CXCR4, CD45, CD125 and TLR4 was determined by flow cytometry. AME-1 upregulated expression of all of these receptors. The effect of AME-1 on HMC3 production of IL-8 and IL-6 was determined and compared to tumor necrosis factor (TNF), polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid [poly(I:C)], substance P and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), all known activators of HMC-3 and primary microglia. HMC3 produced both IL-8 and IL-6 when activated with LPS, TNF and poly(I:C) but not when they were activated with substance P. Although AME-1 at higher concentrations increased IL-8 production of HMC3 on its own, AME-1 notably potentiated HMC3 production of IL-8 in response to poly(I:C). AME-1 altered expression of toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) mRNA but not surface protein by HMC3. AME-1 also did not significantly alter expression of retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) or melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA5), both cytosolic sensors of dsRNA. Metabolomics analysis showed that AME-1 contained several metabolites, including the autophagy inducer, trehalose. Like AME-1, trehalose also potentiated HMC3 poly(I:C) mediated production of IL-8. This study suggests that A. muscaria extracts can modify HMC3 inflammatory responses, possibly due to their trehalose content.

Aminofluorosulfonylation of ß,γ-Unsaturated Hydrazones with Sulfur Dioxide and N-Fluorobenzenesulfonimide: Accessing Pyrazoline-Functionalized Aliphatic Sulfonyl Fluorides.

An efficient aminofluorosulfonylation strategy was developed for the synthesis of various pyrazoline-functionalized aliphatic sulfonyl fluorides using ß,γ-unsaturated hydrazones with sulfur dioxide and NFSI as the starting materials under mild conditions. The sulfonyl fluoride products could be successfully transformed into the corresponding sulfonate esters and amides via the sulfur(VI) fluoride exchange (SuFEx) click reactions. Preliminary mechanistic investigations demonstrate that the reaction operates through a radical cyclization/SO2 insertion/fluorination cascade process.

Is Candida albicans a contributor to cancer? A critical review based on the current evidence.

The association between Candida albicans (C. albicans) and cancer has been noticed for decades. Whether C. albicans infection is a complication of cancer status or as a contributor to cancer development remains to be discussed. This review systematically summarized the up-to-date knowledge about associations between C. albicans and various types of cancer, and discussed the role of C. albicans in cancer development. Most of the current clinical and animal evidence support the relationship between C. albicans and oral cancer development. However, there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate the role of C. albicans in other types of cancer. Moreover, this review explored the underlying mechanisms for C. albicans promoting cancer. It was hypothesized that C. albicans may promote cancer progression by producing carcinogenic metabolites, inducing chronic inflammation, remodeling immune microenvironment, activating pro-cancer signals, and synergizing with bacteria.

Candida albicans Promotes Oral Cancer via IL-17A/IL-17RA-Macrophage Axis.

The association between Candida albicans (C. albicans) and oral cancer (OC) has been noticed for a long time, but the mechanisms for C. albicans promoting OC are rarely explored. In this study, we determined that C. albicans infection promoted OC incidence in a 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4NQO)-induced mouse tongue carcinogenesis model as well as promoted OC progression in a tongue tumor-bearing mouse model (C3H/HeN-SCC VII). We then demonstrated that tumor-associated macrophage (TAMs) infiltration was elevated during C. albicans infection. Meanwhile, the attracted TAMs polarized into M2-like macrophages with high expression of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and galectin-9 (GAL-9). Further analysis suggested that the interleukin (IL)-17A/IL-17RA pathway activated in OC cells was a contributor to the excessive TAMs infiltration in C. albicans-infected mice. Thus, we constructed IL-17A neutralization and macrophage depletion experiments in C3H/HeN-SCC VII mice to explore the role of IL-17A/IL-17RA and TAMs in OC development caused by C. albicans infection. The results showed that both IL-17A neutralization and macrophage depletion tended to reduce the TAMs number and tumor size in mice with C. albicans infection. Collectively, our finding revealed that C. albicans promoted OC development via the IL-17A/IL-17RA-macrophage axis, opening perspectives for revealing C. albicans-tumor immune microenvironment links. IMPORTANCE The relationship between fungi and cancer is gradually receiving attention. Among them, some clinical evidence has shown that Candida may be a contributor to gastrointestinal cancers, especially oral cancer. However, the underlying mechanisms for Candida promoting oral cancer need to be explored. For this reason, this study demonstrated the role of C. albicans in oral cancer development. Moreover, this study revealed the underlying mechanisms for C. albicans promoting oral cancer from the perspective of the tumor immune microenvironment.

A case of complete Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome: Possibly associated with Mycolicibacterium fortuitum from odontogenic origin.

Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome (MRS) is a neuromucocutaneous disease of unknown pathogenesis. With this communication, we describe a case of a 26-year-old woman with complete MRS in whom Mycolicibacterium fortuitum was detected in the swelling lip biopsy by next- generation sequencing. The patient's symptoms were slightly improved after intralesional corticosteroid injection combined with broad-spectrum antibiotics, while they were significantly improved after further treatment of dental caries and removal of the residual root. This case provides insight into the possible microbial infection pathogenesis of MRS, and M. fortuitum was speculated to be related to granulomatous and neuronal disorders, most probably from odontogenic origin.