[Research progress on the effects of exposure to major persistent organic pollutants during pregnancy on the functional development of nervous system in children].

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) have the characteristics of resistance to environmental degradation, bioaccumulation and long-distance migration potential. Maternal exposure to POPs during pregnancy can enter the fetal blood circulation through the placental barrier, and have a potential impact on the functional development of the nervous system of the offspring. This in turn leads to the occurrence and development of neurological defects and diseases in adulthood. The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the effects of exposure to three major POPs (organochlorine compounds, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers) during pregnancy on the functional development of the nervous system (social emotions, cognition, language, exercise, and adaptability) in children, and to provide reference for subsequent studies.

[Efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with PD-1 antibody for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in the real world].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with programmed death-1 (PD-1) antibody in operable, borderline or potentially resectable locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC) in the real world. Methods: The study retrospectively analyzed 28 patients with operable or potentially resectable locally advanced ESCC patients treated with preoperative chemotherapy combined with PD-1 inhibitor in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School from April 2020 to March 2021. According to the clinical TNM staging system of the 8th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer, there were 1, 15, 10, 1 and 1 case of stage Ⅱ, Ⅲ, ⅣA, ⅣB and unknown stage respectively. The treatment was two cycle of dual drug chemotherapy regimen including taxane plus platinum or fluorouracil combined with PD-1 antibody followed by tumor response assessment and surgery if the patient was eligible for resection. Results: Of the 28 patients, 1, 2, 3 and 4 cycles of chemotherapy combined with PD-1 antibody treatment completed in 1, 21, 5, and 1 patient, respectively. Objective response rate (ORR) was 71.4% (20/28), and disease control rate (DCR) was 100% (28/28). The incidence of adverse events exceeding grade 3 levels was 21.4% (6/28), including 3 neutropenia, 1 leukopenia, 1 thrombocytopenia and 1 immune hepatitis. There was no treatment-related death. Of the 23 patients underwent surgery, R0 resection rate was 87.0% (20/23), 13 patients had down staged to the T1-2N0M0 I stage, the pCR rate was 17.3% (4/23), and the pCR rate of primary tumor was 21.7% (5/23). Four patients received definitive chemoradiotherapy. One patient rejected surgery and other treatment after achieved PR response. Conclusion: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined PD-1 inhibitor is safe and has high efficacy in operable, borderline or potentially resectable locally advanced ESCC, and it is a promising regimen.

[Helical tomotherapy using simultaneously integrated boost and simultaneous integrated protection technique for unresectable biliary tract cancer].

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of helical tomotherapy using simultaneously integrated boost and simultaneous integrated protection technique in the treatment of unresectable biliary tract cancers. Methods: The data of 23 patients with unresectable biliary tract cancer who received tomotherapy-based hypofractionated radiotherapy at Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Drum Tower Hospital,the Affiliated Drum Tower Clinical College of Nanjing Medical University between February 2015 and October 2017 were analyzed. There were 10 males and 13 females, aged from 40 to 85 years(median:58 years). Pathological type included intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas(n=11), gallbladder cancers(n=6),extrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas(n=6). The irradiated sites covered primary tumors and areas of local invasion,including metastatic lymph nodes which were confined to the abdominal or retroperitoneal space. Dose escalation was achieved using simultaneously integrated boost(SIB) technique, and simultaneous integrated protection(SIP)technique was used to protect gastrointestinal tracts and other adjacent organs. Cox regression modal and Kaplan-Meier analysis were used to analyze the associations between patients' characteristics and overall survival(OS). Results: The median total radiation dose was 54 Gy(range: 28-72 Gy)and median biologically effective dose(BED)was 74.4 Gy(range: 37.8-115.2 Gy).The median planning target volume(PTV)was 445.79 cm(3)(range:126.02-950.12 cm(3)). Based on the various PTV,patients received 2.4-6.0 Gy/fraction with 8-28 fractions. The local control rate was 65.2% and the median OS was 11.3 months(range:2.1-31.9 months).The most common cause of death was out-field failure and only 3 patients died of in-field failures. The longest survival was 31.9 months. BED≥70 Gy significantly improved OS,compared to BED<70 Gy(16.8 months vs.5.1 months)(HR=0.146, 95%CI:0.028-0.762, P=0.022). No patients developed grade ≥4 toxicities. Conclusions: Helical tomotherapy-based hypofractionated radiotherapy is effective and well tolerated for patients with unresectable biliary tract cancer. The dose escalation with higher BED could improve the survival for such patients.

[Molecular origins of cancer and future cancer therapy].

The accumulation of genomic and epigenetic changes gives rise to the tumorigenesis and progression. Currently, clonal evolution model and cancer stem cell model, two leading theories of caner origin, are becoming complementary to one another to explain the nature of tumor heterogeneity. Precision medicine that is based on the next generation sequencing and big data describes the phenomena of tumor heterogeneity more precisely. The future cancer therapy may need more comprehensive and dynamical understandings of the distinct subclones of tumor and follow the trends of cancer evolution.

Effect of increased UV-B radiation on carotenoid accumulation and total antioxidant capacity in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) leaves.

Carotenoids are important components of plant antioxidant systems, which protect photosystems from photooxidative destruction during ultraviolet-B (UV-B) exposure. The influence of carotenoids on total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of plants has rarely been studied. In this study, tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L., 'K326') seedlings exposed to UV-B radiation were used in order to evaluate the effects of ambient levels of UV-B radiation on carotenoid accumulation. The aim was to investigate whether carotenoids could enhance TAC as a means of UV protection. Our results showed that leaf carotenoid content in the low UV-B exposure (+9.75 µW/cm2) plants was approximately 8% higher than that observed in control plants at 2-8 days of exposure. At high UV-B exposure (+20.76 µW/cm2), the carotenoid content increased rapidly after 1 day's exposure (10.41% higher than the control), followed by a return to the content as in control plants. Furthermore, carotenoid content positively correlated with TAC (P = 0.024). These results suggest that carotenoids have antioxidant properties and play an important role in the antioxidant system. UV-B exposure increased the carotenoid synthesis capability of plants. The plants could deplete the carotenoids to scavenge excess ROS at high UV-B radiation levels, which protects the tobacco plant from oxidative damage caused by UV-B stress.

[Research advances of K-ras mutation in the prognosis and targeted therapy of gastric cancer].

K-ras mutations have been described in 30% of human cancers with significantly different mutation frequencies. High K-ras mutation frequency is found in many cancers such as pancreas and lung cancers, whereas, gastric cancer has a relatively low K-ras mutation frequency. In recent years, numerous researches have focused on the K-ras mutation in gastric cancer. This review summarizes the K-ras mutation frequency in gastric cancer, the relationship of K-ras mutation with clinicopathologic features and prognosis of gastric cancer patients, targeted therapy for K-ras mutated gastric cancer, some small-molecular inhibitors of K-ras, and development of targeted therapy drugs for K-ras signaling pathway in gastric cancer.

[Chinese multicenter randomized trial of customized chemotherapy based on BRCA1 (breast cancer susceptibility gene 1)-RAP80 (receptor-associated protein 80) mRNA expression in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients].

Objective: BRCA1 (breast cancer susceptibility gene 1) and RAP80 (receptor-associated protein 80) play key roles in predicting chemosensitivity of platinum and taxanes. A randomized trial was carried out to compare non-selected cisplatin-based chemotherapy with therapy customized according to BRCA1 and RAP80 expression. Methods: Advanced stage NSCLC patients whose tumor specimen was sufficient for molecular analysis were randomized (1∶3) to the control or experimental arm. Patients in the control arm received docetaxel/cisplatin; in the experimental arm, patients with low RAP80 expression received gemcitabine/cisplatin (Arm 1), those with intermediate/high RAP80 expression and low/intermediate BRCA1expression received docetaxel/cisplatin (Arm 2), and those with intermediate/high RAP80 expression and high BRCA1 expression received docetaxel alone (Arm 3). The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS). Results: 226 patients were screened and 124 were randomized in this trial. ORR in the four subgroups was 22.6%, 48.4%, 30.3% and 19.2%, respectively (P=0.08); PFS was 4.74, 5.59, 3.78 and 2.73 months, respectively (P=0.55); and OS was 10.82, 14.44, 10.86 and 10.86 months, respectively (P=0.84). The common adverse effects included neutropenia, nausea, anemia and fatigue. Conclusions: No statistically significant difference of ORR, PFS or OS is observed in the experimental arms compared with the control arm. Patients with low RAP80 mRNA levels have a trend of better survival and higher response rate to gemcitabine/cisplatin chemotherapy.

[Progress in research of etiology of childhood obesity based on interaction between genes and environment].

Childhood obesity is a global public health problem, which can not only endangers children's health, but also might be an important cause of chronic diseases in adulthood. In recent years, with the in-depth development of precision medicine research, more and more research evidences have shown that there are interactions between environmental factors, such as early intrauterine environment, children's diet, physical activity and children's gene factor on the incidence of childhood obesity, which can result in or inhibit the incidence and development of childhood obesity. This paper summarizes the progress in research in this field to reveal the effects and potential mechanisms of genetic factors and environmental factors on the incidence of childhood obesity in order to provide reference for the precise prevention and control of childhood obesity under different genetic backgrounds.

Silencing STAT3 may inhibit cell growth through regulating signaling pathway, telomerase, cell cycle, apoptosis and angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma: potential uses for gene therapy.

UNLABELLED: The genesis and development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is related to the abnormity of signaling pathway, telomerase, cell cycle, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and others, in which STAT3 signaling pathway plays a key role. The HCC cell line HepG2 was transfected with small interfering RNA (siRNA) directed against STAT3. After 72 h, cell growth and cycle were analysed by MTT and Flow cytometry. Then, the protein was extracted and the protein expression of STAT3, Smad3, p44/42, TERT, caspase-3, XIAP, Grp-78, HSP-27, MMP-2, MMP-9, VEGF-A, cyclin A, and cyclin E was detected by Western blot. After the transfection, HCC cell growth was inhibited during the 24-72 h time period and the cell cycle was arrested in G0/G1. STAT3 protein expression was inhibited at 72 h after the transfection. Interestingly, Smad3, p-caspase-3, p-p44/42, Grp78, cyclin A, and cyclin E protein expression was increased at 72 h, while TERT, caspase-3, XIAP, MMP-2, MMP-9, and VEGF-A protein expression decreased at 72 h. However, P44/42, and HSP27 protein expression showed no change following transfection. The results demonstrated that STAT3 signaling pathway may participate in HCC genesis and development through regulating the protein expression of other signaling pathway, telomerase, apoptosis, cell cycle and angiogenesis; thereby, blockade of the Stat3 pathway represents a potential strategy for future treatment. KEYWORDS: STAT3, signaling pathway, telomerase, cell cycle, apoptosis, angiogenesis.

Wnt/ß-catenin signaling regulates MAPK and Akt1 expression and growth of hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), Wnt/ß-catenin, Ras/MAPK and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways form a complex network and play important roles during HCC genesis and development. To study their relationship and the influence on cell growth, the siRNA directed against ß-catenin was transfected into HCC HepG2 cells. ß-catenin mRNA and protein levels were measured respectively at various times by RT-PCR and Western blot. Furthermore, HCC cell growth was measured by MTT assay. Finally, MAPK family and Akt1 protein levels were also measured by Western blot. After the transfection, ß-catenin mRNA levels were markedly inhibited at 24 h and increased gradually at 48, 72 and 96 h; ß-catenin protein levels decreased gradually at 24, 48 and 72 h and slightly increased at 96 h. HCC cell growth was inhibited from 24-72 h, but this inhibition decreased at 96 h. ERK1/2 (p42/p44 MAPK), JNK/SAPK, p38 MAPK, and Akt1 protein levels showed no change following transfection, while their phosphorylated protein levels showed changes. Thus, siRNA directed against ß-catenin markedly decreased ß-catenin gene expression and inhibited cell growth. Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway might regulate Ras/MAPK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways through regulation of the phosphorylation state of ERK1/2, JNK/SAPK and Akt1 protein in HCC HepG2 cells. These pathways might compensate for the inhibitory effect of ß-catenin, thereby affecting tumor cell growth and others downstream factors.

Clinical significance of epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related molecules in lung adenocarcinoma.

Background: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (emt) refers to the biologic process in which epithelial cells are transformed into interstitial phenotypes by specific pathways. This transition plays an important biologic role in the process by which epithelium-derived malignant tumour cells acquire the ability to migrate and invade. We explored the relationship between emt-associated molecules and patient-related clinical factors to determine whether any clinical characteristics could be used as biomarkers for emt-related protein alterations in lung cancer-especially lung adenocarcinoma. Methods: Tumour specimens were collected from 80 patients with lung adenocarcinoma who underwent surgery or lung biopsy, with 4 patients being evaluated a 2nd time after re-biopsy. Expression of emt-related proteins, including E-cadherin and vimentin, was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. We analyzed the relationship between clinicopathologic characteristics and expression level of the emt markers. Results: Positive expression of E-cadherin was observed in 63 patients (79%), and vimentin, in 46 patients (57.5%). No significant relationships between E-cadherin or vimentin expression and smoking history, sex, age, driving gene mutations, or cell differentiation were identified. A significant correlation was observed between vimentin expression and pathologic stage. Of the 4 patients who were evaluated a 2nd time after re-biopsy, 3 showed the same emt-related protein expression status as in the first analysis. In the remaining patient, E-cadherin had changed completely. Conclusions: Clinicopathologic factors in cancer patients did not help to diagnose emt status in lung adenocarcinoma; however, TNM stage might be associated with vimentin expression.

RNA-electroporated CD40-activated B cells induce functional T-cell responses against HepG2 cells.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the incurable tumours in the world. Cell-based immunotherapy, in which antigen-loaded antigen-presenting cells (APCs) are able to elicit T cell responses, has become an alternative treatment for liver cancer. Here, we used HepG2 cells' total RNA-electroporated CD40 ligand-activated B (CD40-B) cells as alternative APC for induction of specific CD8+ T-cell responses. The antigen-presenting ability of CD40-B cells was determined by phenotypic analysis, showing a polyclonal, strongly activated B-cell population with high expression of co-stimulatory molecules. To demonstrate the ability of total RNA extracted from HepG2 cells electroporated CD40-B cells to induce CD8+ T-cell responses, these RNA-loaded cells were co-cultured with autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells for 7 days followed by analysis of T-cell antigen specificity. These experiments showed that CD40-B cells electroporated with HepG2 cells' total RNA are capable of activating antigen-specific interferon-gamma-producing CD8+ T cells, and these T cells activated by CD40-B cells show a killing effect on HepG2 cells. These findings demonstrated that the carcinoma cell derived total RNA-electroporated CD40-B cells could be used as alternative APC for the induction of antigen-specific CD8+ T-cell responses, which might be used in HCC immunotherapy.

ß-Hydroxybutyric acid inhibits growth hormone-releasing hormone synthesis and secretion through the GPR109A/extracellular signal-regulated 1/2 signalling pathway in the hypothalamus.

ß-Hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA) has recently been shown to regulate hormone synthesis and secretion in the hypothalamus. However, little is known about the effects of BHBA-mediated hormone regulation or the detailed mechanisms by which BHBA regulates growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) synthesis and secretion. In the present study, we examined the expression of the BHBA receptor GPR109A in primary hypothalamic cell cultures. We hypothesised that BHBA regulates GHRH via GPR109A and its downstream signals. Initial in vivo studies conducted in rats demonstrated that GHRH mRNA expression in the hypothalamus was strongly inversely correlated with BHBA levels in the cerebrospinal fluid during postnatal development (r = -0.89, P < 0.01). Furthermore, i.c.v. administration of BHBA acutely decreased GHRH mRNA expression in rats. Further in vitro studies revealed a decrease in GHRH synthesis and secretion in primary hypothalamic cells after treatment with BHBA; this effect was inhibited when hypothalamic cells were pretreated with pertussis toxin (PTX). BHBA had no effect on GHRH synthesis and secretion in GT1-7 cells, which do not exhibit cell surface expression of GPR109A. Furthermore, BHBA acutely decreased the transcription of the homeobox gene for Gsh-1 in the hypothalamus in both in vivo and in vitro, and this effect was also inhibited by PTX in vitro. In primary hypothalamic cells, BHBA activated the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2, p38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinases, as shown by western blot analysis. Moreover, inhibition of ERK1/2 with U0126 attenuated the BHBA-mediated reduction in Gsh-1 expression and GHRH synthesis and secretion. These results strongly suggest that BHBA directly regulates GHRH synthesis and secretion via the GPR109A/ERK1/2 MAPK pathway, and also that Gsh-1 is essential for this function.

LincHOTAIR epigenetically silences miR34a by binding to PRC2 to promote the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in human gastric cancer.

lncRNAs play important roles in the epigenetic regulation of carcinogenesis and progression. Previous studies suggest that HOTAIR contributes to gastric cancer (GC) development, and the overexpression of HOTAIR predicts a poor prognosis. In this study, we found that HOTAIR was more highly expressed in diffuse-type GC than in intestinal type (P=0.048). In the diffuse type, there is significant relationship between HOTAIR expression and DFS (P<0.001). CDH1 was downregulated in diffuse-type GC tissues (P=0.0007) and showed a negative relationship with HOTAIR (r(2)=0.154, P=0.0354). In addition, HOTAIR knockdown significantly repressed migration, invasion and metastasis both in vitro and vivo and reversed the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in GC cells. We also showed that HOTAIR recruiting and binding to PRC2 epigenetically represses miR34a, which controls the targets C-Met (HGF/C-Met/Snail pathway) and Snail, thus contributing to GC cell-EMT process and accelerating tumor metastasis. Moreover, it is demonstrated that HOTAIR crosstalk with microRNAs during epigenetic regulation. Our results suggest that HOTAIR acts as an EMT regulator and may be a candidate prognostic biomarker and a target for new therapies in GC patients.

[An comparative analysis of the radiographic appearances and the pathologic findings in anthracosilicosis and anthracosilicosis associated with tuberculosis].

Pulmonary tuberculosis is a serious complication of anthracosilicosis and a promoting factor for death. It is very difficult to distinguish the advanced stage of atypical anthracosilicosis from anthracosilicosis associated with tuberculosis by the chest radiograph when the tubercule bacili is negative in sputum, but it is necessary for physician to treat and administrate. In order to probe into the differential diagnosis of these two diseases author made a comparison analysis between the radiographic appearances and the pathological findings of 21 autopsies cases which were clinically diagnosed as anthracosilicosis associated with tuberculosis. There were 8/21 cases (38.1%) of misdiagnosis before the misdiagnosis there were the lack of series observation on the similarities and differences in radiographic appearances between these two diseases and neglect of sputum examination. The main points of clinical differentiation between them were summed up.

Melatonin suppresses apoptosis and stimulates progesterone production by bovine granulosa cells via its receptors (MT1 and MT2).

Melatonin and its receptors have been detected in the ovary of many species, and mediate ovarian functions. The present study was designed to investigate the expression and subcellar location of melatonin receptors in bovine granulosa cells (GCs), using reverse transcription (RT) polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and immunofluorescence analyses. Furthermore, expression level of melatonin receptors mRNA (real-time polymerase chain reaction) after treatment with various concentrations of melatonin, as well as its effects on cell apoptosis, proliferation, and steroidogenesis (by flow cytometry and RIA), were determined. In bovine GCs, melatonin receptors MT1 and MT2 were differentially located at the cell membrane, the cytoplasm, and nuclear membranes. The expression of MT1 and MT2 mRNA was regulated differently by melatonin in time- and dose-dependent manners. Exogenous melatonin suppressed cell apoptosis (P < 0.05) but not proliferation (P > 0.05). After 72 h, the apoptotic rate was significantly inhibited in all treatment groups. Meanwhile, melatonin supplementation stimulated progesterone production, but inhibited estradiol biosynthesis, in a time-dependent manner. Progesterone production was highest (P < 0.05) at 72 h. Estradiol concentrations were almost unaffected (P > 0.05) at 24 h, but were decreased (P < 0.05) at 48 h. In conclusion, exogenous melatonin acts via receptors and has important roles in regulation of development and function of bovine GCs.

Disruption of transforming growth factor beta-regulated laminin receptor function by expression of antisense laminin, a chain RNA in human colon cancer cells.

Transforming growth factor beta1 (TGFbeta) simultaneously induces the expression of fibronectin, fibronectin receptor, laminin, and laminin receptor (alpha6beta1 integrin) in the human colon cancer cell line Moser (Int J Cancer, 57:742, 1994). Induction of fibronectin and induction of fibronectin receptor by TGFB are tightly coupled, and disrupting fibronectin induction disrupts the induction of fibronectin receptor and cellular adhesion to fibronectin (J Cellular Physiol, 170:138, 1997). We recently demonstrated the efficacy of using antisense chain-specific laminin RNA expression vectors to disrupt the induction by TGFP of the multichain laminin molecule (J Cellular Physiol, 178:296, 1999). We now show in this report that Moser cells used alpha6 and beta1 integrins to adhere to laminin, and, as is the fibronectin and fibronectin receptor system, disrupting the induction by TGFbeta of the ligand laminin by the expression of antisense laminin A chain RNA disrupted the induction of 125I-laminin binding and cellular adhesion to laminin. Disrupting laminin induction also blocked the induction of alpha6 and beta1 integrin laminin receptor by TGFbeta. We conclude that disrupting the induction of the ligand laminin by TGFbeta disrupts TGFbeta-regulated laminin receptor function by suppressing the induction of alpha6 and beta1 integrins. Therefore, targeted disruption of the ligand laminin may be an effective means in disrupting the function of both the ligand and its receptor in cells that utilize the laminin and laminin receptor system in malignant cell behavior.

Multidrug resistance in leukemic cell line K562/A02 induced by doxorubicin.

AIM: To study the mechanism of the development of multidrug resistance in leukemic cells. METHODS: A human leukemic cell line K562/A02 was established by stepwise increase of concentrations of doxorubicin (Dox) in medium. P-glycoprotein was detected by immunohistochemistry assay. The mdr1 gene expression was measured by RT-PCR. The amplification of mdr1 gene in its genome, and DNA topisomerase II (Top II) gene expression were determined by dot-blot hybridization. RESULTS: K562/A02 was highly cross-resistant to vincristine (VCR), homoharringtonin (HHT), amsacrine (m-AMSA), daunorubicin (Dau) and etoposide (VP-16), slightly to cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C), but not cisplatin (Cis), methotrexate (MTX) and fluorouracil (5-FU), showing a typical phenotype of MDR. Intracellular accumulation of Dau in K562/A02 was 33% as high as that in K562. P-glycoprotein P-170 was positive. In K562/A02, the mdr1 gene did not amplify, the mdr1 mRNA level was markedly higher, the Top II mRNA level was lower, and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity was higher than in K562. CONCLUSION: mdr1 mRNA was overexpression and thus the encoded P-170 was responsible for MDR in K562/A02 while Top II or GST may play a role in MDR.