VHL suppresses autophagy and tumor growth through PHD1-dependent Beclin1 hydroxylation.

The Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) protein, which is frequently mutated in clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), is a master regulator of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) that is involved in oxidative stresses. However, whether VHL possesses HIF-independent tumor-suppressing activity remains largely unclear. Here, we demonstrate that VHL suppresses nutrient stress-induced autophagy, and its deficiency in sporadic ccRCC specimens is linked to substantially elevated levels of autophagy and correlates with poorer patient prognosis. Mechanistically, VHL directly binds to the autophagy regulator Beclin1, after its PHD1-mediated hydroxylation on Pro54. This binding inhibits the association of Beclin1-VPS34 complexes with ATG14L, thereby inhibiting autophagy initiation in response to nutrient deficiency. Expression of non-hydroxylatable Beclin1 P54A abrogates VHL-mediated autophagy inhibition and significantly reduces the tumor-suppressing effect of VHL. In addition, Beclin1 P54-OH levels are inversely correlated with autophagy levels in wild-type VHL-expressing human ccRCC specimens, and with poor patient prognosis. Furthermore, combined treatment of VHL-deficient mouse tumors with autophagy inhibitors and HIF2α inhibitors suppresses tumor growth. These findings reveal an unexpected mechanism by which VHL suppresses tumor growth, and suggest a potential treatment for ccRCC through combined inhibition of both autophagy and HIF2α.

ALDOB/KAT2A interactions epigenetically modulate TGF-ß expression and T cell functions in hepatocellular carcinogenesis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Cross talk between tumor cells and immune cells enables tumor cells to escape immune surveillance and dictate responses to immunotherapy. Previous studies have identified that downregulation of the glycolytic enzyme fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase B (ALDOB) in tumor cells orchestrated metabolic programming to favor HCC. However, it remains elusive whether and how ALDOB expression in tumor cells affects the tumor microenvironment in HCC. APPROACH AND RESULTS: We found that ALDOB downregulation was negatively correlated with CD8 + T cell infiltration in human HCC tumor tissues but in a state of exhaustion. Similar observations were made in mice with liver-specific ALDOB knockout or in subcutaneous tumor models with ALDOB knockdown. Moreover, ALDOB deficiency in tumor cells upregulates TGF-ß expression, thereby increasing the number of Treg cells and impairing the activity of CD8 + T cells. Consistently, a combination of low ALDOB and high TGF-ß expression exhibited the worst overall survival for patients with HCC. More importantly, the simultaneous blocking of TGF-ß and programmed cell death (PD) 1 with antibodies additively inhibited tumorigenesis induced by ALDOB deficiency in mice. Further mechanistic experiments demonstrated that ALDOB enters the nucleus and interacts with lysine acetyltransferase 2A, leading to inhibition of H3K9 acetylation and thereby suppressing TGFB1 transcription. Consistently, inhibition of lysine acetyltransferase 2A activity by small molecule inhibitors suppressed TGF-ß and HCC. CONCLUSIONS: Our study has revealed a novel mechanism by which a metabolic enzyme in tumor cells epigenetically modulates TGF-ß signaling, thereby enabling cancer cells to evade immune surveillance and affect their response to immunotherapy.

TFAP2A Upregulates SKA3 to Promote Glycolysis and Reduce the Sensitivity of Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells to Cisplatin.

INTRODUCTION: Studies have shown that glycolysis metabolism affects the resistance or sensitivity of tumors to chemotherapy drugs. Emerging from recent research, a paradigm-shifting revelation has unfolded, elucidating the oncogenic nature of SKA3 within the context of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). Consequently, this work was designed to delve into the effects of SKA3 on glycolysis and cisplatin (CDDP) resistance in LUAD cells and to find new possibilities for individualized treatment of LUAD. METHODS: LUAD mRNA expression data from the TCGA database were procured to scrutinize the differential expression patterns of SKA3 in both tumor and normal tissues. GSEA and Pearson correlation analyses were employed to elucidate the impact of SKA3 on signaling pathways within the context of LUAD. In order to discern the upstream regulatory mechanisms, the ChEA and JASPAR databases were utilized to predict the transcription factors and binding sites associated with SKA3. qRT-PCR and Western blot were implemented to assay the mRNA and protein expression levels of SKA3 and TFAP2A. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and dual-luciferase assays were performed to solidify the binding relationship between the two. Extracellular acidification rate, glucose consumption, lactate production, and glycolysis-related proteins (HK2, GLUT1, and LDHA) were used to evaluate the level of glycolysis. Cell viability under CDDP treatment was determined utilizing the CCK-8, allowing for the calculation of IC50. The expression levels of SKA3 and TFAP2A proteins were detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC). RESULTS: SKA3 exhibited upregulation in LUAD tissues and cell lines, establishing a direct linkage with glycolysis pathway. Overexpression of SKA3 fostered glycolysis in LUAD, resulting in reduced sensitivity toward CDDP treatment. The upstream transcription factor of SKA3, TFAP2A, was also upregulated in LUAD and could promote SKA3 transcription. Overexpression of TFAP2A also fostered the glycolysis of LUAD. Rescue assays showed that TFAP2A promoted glycolysis in LUAD cells by activating SKA3, reducing the sensitivity of LUAD cells to CDDP. The IHC analysis revealed a positive correlation between high expression of SKA3 and TFAP2A and CDDP resistance. CONCLUSION: In summary, TFAP2A can transcriptionally activate SKA3, promote glycolysis in LUAD, and protect LUAD cells from CDDP treatment, indicating that targeting the TFAP2A/SKA3 axis may become a plausible and pragmatic therapeutic strategy for the clinical governance of LUAD.

Metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses provide insights into variations in flavonoids contents between two Artemisia cultivars.

BACKGROUND: Plants in the genus Artemisia are rich in active ingredients and specialized metabolites. Many of these compounds, especially flavonoids, have potential medicinal and nutritional applications, and are of growing interest to scientists due to their wide range of pharmacological and biological activities. Artemisia cultivars are commonly used as raw materials for medicine, food, and moxibustion in China. However, most of the metabolites produced by Artemisia species have not been identified, and few studies have addressed differences in active compounds between species and cultivars. RESULTS: We here investigated two Artemisia cultivars, 'Nanyangshiyong' (NYSY) and 'Nanyangyaoyong' (NYYY), which are commonly used in foods and moxibustion, respectively. NYSY and NYYY were confirmed to be Artemisia argyi cultivars. Total flavonoids contents and antioxidant activities were higher in NYYY than in NYSY. A total of 882 metabolites were identified in the samples; most of the potentially medicinally active compounds, especially flavonoids (e.g., flavone, flavonol, isoflavone, and anthocyanin), were up-regulated in NYYY compared to NYSY. Furthermore, most of the genes related to flavonoids biosynthesis were up-regulated in NYYY. Correlation analysis was used to identify putative members of transcription factor families that may regulate genes encoding key flavonoids biosynthesis enzymes. CONCLUSIONS: We found that the antioxidant activities and flavonoids contents significantly varied between two Artemisia cultivars of the same species. We also uncovered metabolomic and transcriptomic evidence of the molecular phenomena underlying those differences in flavonoids contents between the two Artemisia cultivars. This study provides a wealth of data for future utilization and improvements of Artemisia cultivars, and highlights a need to study the specific metabolite profiles of plants that are used in foods and medicines.

Loss of hepatic aldolase B activates Akt and promotes hepatocellular carcinogenesis by destabilizing the Aldob/Akt/PP2A protein complex.

Loss of hepatic fructose-1, 6-bisphosphate aldolase B (Aldob) leads to a paradoxical up-regulation of glucose metabolism to favor hepatocellular carcinogenesis (HCC), but the upstream signaling events remain poorly defined. Akt is highly activated in HCC, and targeting Akt is being explored as a potential therapy for HCC. Herein, we demonstrate that Aldob suppresses Akt activity and tumor growth through a protein complex containing Aldob, Akt, and protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), leading to inhibition of cell viability, cell cycle progression, glucose uptake, and metabolism. Interestingly, Aldob directly interacts with phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt) and promotes the recruitment of PP2A to dephosphorylate p-Akt, and this scaffolding effect of Aldob is independent of its enzymatic activity. Loss of Aldob or disruption of Aldob/Akt interaction in Aldob R304A mutant restores Akt activity and tumor-promoting effects. Consistently, Aldob and p-Akt expression are inversely correlated in human HCC tissues, and Aldob down-regulation coupled with p-Akt up-regulation predicts a poor prognosis for HCC. We have further discovered that Akt inhibition or a specific small-molecule activator of PP2A (SMAP) efficiently attenuates HCC tumorigenesis in xenograft mouse models. Our work reveals a novel nonenzymatic role of Aldob in negative regulation of Akt activation, suggesting that directly inhibiting Akt activity or through reactivating PP2A may be a potential therapeutic approach for HCC treatment.

Interfacially Polymerized ß-Cyclodextrin Film for Rapid Removal of Organic Dyes.

Porous cyclodextrin-based polymers are widely used for the rapid removal of organic pollutants in water. Traditional cyclodextrin-based polymers are prepared in the organic phase, which is time consuming and costly. Herein, a novel cyanuricchloride (TCT) cross-linked porous ß-cyclodextrin-based thin-film composite membrane is designed in the aqueous phase by interfacial polymerization. A self-standing TCT-CDP film is formed instantly at the surface of water phase at room temperature. Several different water-soluble organic dyes such as Methylene Blue, Neutral Red, Auramine, Brilliant Green, and Crystal Violet are selected for rejection study with TCT-CDP membrane. The effective rejection of TCT-CDP membrane for typical dyes is up to 99%, indicating TCT-CDP membrane exhibit excellent selectivity for separation of organic dyes from water.

Quantitative fingerprint and antioxidative properties of Artemisia argyi leaves combined with chemometrics.

Quantitative fingerprint and differences of Artemisia argyi from different varieties, picking time, aging year, and origins were analyzed combing with chemometrics. The antioxidant activity was determined and antioxidant markers of Artemisia argyi were screened. Variety WA3 was significantly different from that of the other varieties. Fingerprint peak response and antioxidant activity of A. argyi picked in December were lower than samples collected in May and August. Fresh A. argyi leaves were significantly superior to withered leaves and stems. Artemisia argyi aging 1-5 years presented a classification trend. Antioxidant activity of A. argyi produced in Nanyang was generally superior to others origins. Peak 9, isochlorogenic acid A, and 6-methoxyluteolin contributed greatly for classification of A. argyi from different variety, picking time, aging year, and origin. Isochlorogenic acid A, isochlorogenic acid C, 6-methoxyluteolin, and chlorogenic acid were selected as antioxidant marker of A. argyi. The method based on quantitative fingerprint, antioxidant activity evaluation, and chemometrics was reliable to analyze the differences of A. argyi samples from different sources.

Fructose-1,6-Bisphosphate Aldolase B Depletion Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinogenesis Through Activating Insulin Receptor Signaling and Lipogenesis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Insulin receptor (IR) transduces cell surface signal through phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-AKT pathways or translocates to the nucleus and binds to the promoters to regulate genes associated with insulin actions, including de novo lipogenesis (DNL). Chronic activation of IR signaling drives malignant transformation, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly defined. Down-regulation of fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (ALDO) B in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is correlated with poor prognosis. We aim to study whether and how ALDOB is involved in IR signaling in HCC. APPROACH AND RESULTS: Global or liver-specific ALDOB knockout (L-ALDOB-/- ) mice were used in N-diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced HCC models, whereas restoration of ALDOB expression was achieved in L-ALDOB-/- mice by adeno-associated virus (AAV). 13 C6 -glucose was employed in metabolic flux analysis to track the de novo fatty acid synthesis from glucose, and nontargeted lipidomics and targeted fatty acid analysis using mass spectrometry were performed. We found that ALDOB physically interacts with IR and attenuates IR signaling through down-regulating PI3K-AKT pathways and suppressing IR nuclear translocation. ALDOB depletion or disruption of IR/ALDOB interaction in ALDOB mutants promotes DNL and tumorigenesis, which is significantly attenuated with ALDOB restoration in L-ALDOB-/- mice. Notably, attenuated IR/ALDOB interaction in ALDOB-R46A mutant exhibits more significant tumorigenesis than releasing ALDOB/AKT interaction in ALDOB-R43A, whereas knockdown IR sufficiently diminishes tumor-promoting effects in both mutants. Furthermore, inhibiting phosphorylated AKT or fatty acid synthase significantly attenuates HCC in L-ALDOB-/- mice. Consistently, ALDOB down-regulation is correlated with up-regulation of IR signaling and DNL in human HCC tumor tissues. CONCLUSIONS: Our study reports a mechanism by which loss of ALDOB activates IR signaling primarily through releasing IR/ALDOB interaction to promote DNL and HCC, highlighting a potential therapeutic strategy in HCC.

Myostain is involved in ginsenoside Rb1-mediated anti-obesity.

CONTEXT: Obesity, one of the major public health problems worldwide, has attracted increasing attention. Ginsenoside Rb1 is the most abundant active component of Panax ginseng C.A.Mey (Araliaceae) and is reported to have beneficial effects on obesity and diabetes. However, the mechanisms by which Rb1 regulates obesity remain to be explored. OBJECTIVE: This paper intends to further explore the mechanism of Rb1 in regulating obesity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The C57BL/6 obese mice were divided into two groups: the control (CTR) and Rb1. The CTR group [intraperitoneally (ip) administered with saline] and the Rb1 group (ip administered with Rb1, 40 mg/kg/d) were treated daily for four weeks. In vitro, Rb1 (0, 10, 20, 40 µM) was added to differentiated C2C12 cells and Rb1 (0, 20, 40 µM) was added to 3T3-L1 cells. After 24 h, total RNA and protein from C2C12 cells and 3T3-L1 cells were used to detect myostatin (MSTN) and fibronectin type III domain-containing 5 (FNDC5) expression. RESULTS: Rb1 reduced the body weight and adipocyte size. Improved glucose tolerance and increased basic metabolic activity were also found in Rb1 treated mice. MSTN was downregulated in differentiated C2C12 cells, 3T3-L1 cells and adipose tissues upon Rb1 treatment. FNDC5 was increased after Rb1 treatment. However, MSTN overexpression attenuated Rb1-mediated decrease accumulation of lipid droplets in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. DISCUSSION & CONCLUSIONS: Rb1 may ameliorate obesity in part through the MSTN/FNDC5 signalling pathway. Our results showed that Rb1 can be used as an effective drug in the treatment of human obesity.

Separation and structural elucidation of cefsulodin and its impurities in both positive and negative ion mode in cefsulodin sodium bulk material using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.

RATIONALE: The structural identification of impurities in cephalosporins has been reported. However, to the best of our knowledge, there was no report on the impurities of cefsulodin sodium, which is necessary for the quality control. Thus, the aim of this study was to separate and characterize the impurities in cefsulodin sodium raw material using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). METHODS: The analytes were separated on a Kromasil 100-5C18 column (4.6 mm × 250 mm, 5 µm) using a gradient elution with a mobile phase consisting of 1% ammonium sulphate aqueous solution and acetonitrile in the first dimension. The separation in the second dimension was carried on a Shimadzu Shim-pack GISS C18 column (50 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.9 µm) with a mobile phase consisting of 10 mM ammonium formate solution and methanol. RESULTS: The fragmentation behaviors of cefsulodin and its impurities were studied and the structures of the impurities were deduced based on the MSn data. The structures of ten unknown impurities were proposed based on the work carried out in this study. The degradation behaviors of cefsulodin sodium were also studied. This revealed that cefsulodin sodium should be stored in a dry, cool and dark closed container. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the characterization of impurities, this study not only revealed the mechanism by which impurities were produced, thus providing guidance to pharmaceutical companies for manufacturing process improvement and impurity control, but also provided a scientific basis for further improvement of official monographs in pharmacopoeias.

Cysteine-Rich Hydrophobin Gene Family: Genome Wide Analysis, Phylogeny and Transcript Profiling in Cordyceps militaris.

Hydrophobins are a family of small secreted proteins found exclusively in fungi, and they play various roles in the life cycle. In the present study, genome wide analysis and transcript profiling of the hydrophobin family in Cordyceps militaris, a well-known edible and medicinal mushroom, were studied. The distribution of hydrophobins in ascomycetes with different lifestyles showed that pathogenic fungi had significantly more hydrophobins than saprotrophic fungi, and class II members accounted for the majority. Phylogenetic analysis of hydrophobin proteins from the species of Cordyceps s.l. indicated that there was more variability among the class II members than class I. Only a few hydrophobin-encoding genes evolved by duplication in Cordyceps s.l., which was inconsistent with the important role of gene duplication in basidiomycetes. Different transcript patterns of four hydrophobin-encoding genes during the life cycle indicated the possible different functions for each. The transcripts of Cmhyd2, 3 and 4 can respond to light and were related with the photoreceptors. CmQHYD, with four hydrophobin II domains, was first found in C. militaris, and multi-domain hydrophobins were only distributed in the species of Cordycipitaceae and Clavicipitaceae. These results could be helpful for further function research of hydrophobins and could provide valuable information for the evolution of hydrophobins.

p75 neurotrophin receptor regulates NGF-induced myofibroblast differentiation and collagen synthesis through MRTF-A.

Myofibroblasts are characterized by de novo expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and play a key role in tissue repair and remodeling. In addition to TGF-ß1, recent studies have shown that nerve growth factor (NGF) has effects on myofibroblast differentiation and collagen synthesis. However, the regulatory mechanism remains poorly defined. NGF effects are mediated by the specific expression of the NGF neurotrophic tropomyosin-receptor kinase A (TrkA) and p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR). Using NIH/3T3 fibroblast cell lines, we examined the induction of myofibroblast differentiation stimulated by NGF. Our findings showed that p75NTR was in keeping with the expression of α-SMA. Herein, we investigated the role of p75NTR in NGF-induced myofibroblast differentiation and collagen synthesis in these cells using lentivirus transfection to overexpress and knock down. Our results showed that p75NTR was preferentially expressed and was sufficient to induce actin cytoskeleton remodeling, which was required for NGF-induced α-SMA expression. Furthermore, NGF induced nuclear translocation of MRTF-A, an effect that was regulated by p75NTR, and required for α-SMA and collagen-I expression in myofibroblasts. Using a novel MRTF-A pathway inhibitor, CCG-203971, we further demonstrated the requirement of MRTF-A nuclear localization and activity in NGF-induced α-SMA expression. In conclusion, we conclude that p75NTR regulates NGF-induced myofibroblast differentiation and collagen synthesis through MRTF-A. Regulation of NGF-p75NTR interactions represents a promising therapy for fibrotic disorders.

Pathway optimization of China's carbon emission reduction and its provincial allocation under temperature control threshold.

As the largest carbon emitter in the world, China faces great pressure to fulfill the temperature control targets, i.e., 2 °C and 1.5 °C, proposed in the Paris Agreement. Thus, selecting a development path that could both meet the temperature targets and economic growth is essential and worth investigating. We propose an optimization model to analyze China's carbon dioxide emission paths from 2010 to 2050 in three scenarios, namely baseline, and 1.5 °C and 2 °C target scenarios. The marginal cost of carbon abatement in China's 30 provinces (excluding Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and Tibet) were also calculated using the quadratic directional distance function model, and the quotas of carbon dioxide emission among provinces were allocated. Carbon dioxide emission peak will occur in 2040 under the 2 °C target scenario and in 2030 under the 1.5 °C target scenario. The marginal cost of carbon abatement to achieve the 1.5 °C goal is approximately 1.6 times more expensive than the 2 °C goal. We suggest to implement emission reduction policies in the Eastern coastal areas of China and to allocate greater carbon dioxide emission quotas in under-developed areas in the Central and Western regions. Provincial quota allocation may also help to balance regional development and achieve the mutually beneficial goal of economic growth and carbon emission reduction in China. Our findings provide practical guidance on achieving carbon dioxide emission reduction and critical enlightenments on policymaking.

Characterization of a new component and impurities in josamycin by trap-free two-dimensional liquid chromatography coupled to ion trap time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

RATIONALE: The toxicities of the impurities of a drug will affect the clinical effects and cause potential health risk; therefore, it is essential to study profiles of the impurities. In this study, a new structural type of component and two acid degradation impurities in josamycin were discovered and characterized for the further improvement of official monographs in pharmacopoeias. METHODS: The component and acid degradation impurities in josamycin were separated and preliminary characterized by trap-free two-dimensional liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution ion trap time-of-flight mass spectrometry (2D LC/IT-TOF MS) in both positive and negative electrospray ionization mode. The eluent of each peak from the first dimensional chromatographic system was trapped by a switching valve and subsequently transferred to the second dimensional chromatographic system, which was connected to the mass spectrometer. Full scan MS was firstly conducted to obtain the exact m/z values of the molecules. Then LC/MS/MS and LC/MS/MS/MS experiments were performed on the compounds of interest. RESULTS: A new structural type of component, which was named as josamycin A, and two acid degradation impuritiess, which were identified as impurity I and impurity II, were discovered in josamycin. Their structures and fragmentation pattern were deduced according to MSn data. Furthermore, josamycin A was synthesized and impurity I was separated by preparative HPLC. The structures of josamycin A and the impurities were confirmed by 1 H NMR and 13 C NMR data. CONCLUSIONS: Josamycin A was produced when the hydroxyl group on the macrolide of josamycin was oxidized into a carbonyl group. Impurity I and impurity II were produced by the loss of one molecule of acetyl mycaminose from josamycin and josamycin A, respectively. Compared with josamycin, the experimental results showed that josamycin A had a higher antibacterial activity with similar cytotoxicity, while impurity I had no antibacterial activity but a higher cytotoxicity. As a result, the control of impurity I is significant.

Identification of SERPINE1, PLAU and ACTA1 as biomarkers of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma based on integrated bioinformatics analysis.

BACKGROUND: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the six leading cancer by incidence worldwide. The 5-year survival rate of HNSCC patients remains less than 65% due to lack of symptoms in the early stage. Hence, biomarkers which can improve detection of HNSCC should improve clinical outcome. METHODS: Gene expression profiles (GSE6631, GSE58911) and the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) HNSCC data were used for integrated bioinformatics analysis; the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were then subjected to functional and pathway enrichment analysis, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network construction. Subsequently, module analysis of the PPI network was performed and overall survival (OS) analysis of hub genes in subnetwork was studied. Finally, immunohistochemistry was used to verify the selected markers. RESULTS: A total of 52 up-regulated and 80 down-regulated DEGs were identified, which were mainly associated with ECM-receptor interaction and focal adhesion signaling pathways. Importantly, a set of prognostic signatures including SERPINE1, PLAU and ACTA1 were screened from DEGs, which could predict OS in HNSCC patients from TCGA cohort. Experiment of clinical samples further successfully validated that these three signature genes were aberrantly expressed in the oral epithelial dysplasia and HNSCC, and correlated with aggressiveness of HNSCC patients. CONCLUSIONS: SERPINE1, PLAU and ACTA1 played important roles in regulating the initiation and progression of HNSCC, and could be identified as key biomarkers for precise diagnosis and prognosis of HNSCC, which will provide potential targets for clinical therapies.

Sequential therapy for extramedullary plasmacytoma of the palate: a rare case report with seven years of follow-up and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) is a rare solitary malignancy that accounts for 3% of plasma cell neoplasms, and EMP with a primary occurrence in the palate is extremely uncommon. Owing to the long course of EMP and the limited available data on treatment outcomes, there are no definitive guidelines for its management, especially for high-risk patients who are more susceptible to early progression to multiple myeloma. CASE PRESENTATION: In this study, we review nine relevant studies and describe a 54-year-old woman who presented with an asymptomatic nonulcerative mass localized in the palate. After initial radical surgical resection of the lesion, the patient was definitively diagnosed with EMP with minimal plasmacytosis in the bone marrow, and adjuvant intensity-modulated radiation therapy with a minimum dose of 39.6 Gy was administrated in the surgical area. There was no evidence of local recurrence, nodal metastasis or progression to multiple myeloma (MM) during the seven-year follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Given the atypical clinical features of palate EMP reported in the literature and the encouraging results of our patient, sequential therapy involving surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy for primary palatal lesions in high-risk EMP patients without nodal involvement could be an effective treatment modality.

Protective role of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptors in chronic intestinal inflammation: TNFR1 ablation boosts systemic inflammatory response.

Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) acts as a key factor for the development of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), whose function is known to be mediated by TNF receptor 1 (TNFR1) or TNFR2. However, the precise role of the two receptors in IBD remains poorly understood. Herein, chronic colitis was established by oral administration of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in TNFR1 or TNFR2-/- mice. Unexpectedly, TNFR1 or TNFR2 deficiency led to exacerbation of signs of colitis compared with wild-type (WT) counterparts. Of note, TNFR1 ablation rendered significantly increased mortality compared with TNFR2 and WT mice after DSS. Aggravated pathology of colitis in TNFR1-/- or TNFR2-/- mice correlated with elevated colonic expression of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Importantly, ablation of TNFR1 or TNFR2 increased apoptosis of colonic epithelial cells, which might be due to the heightened ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 and increased expression of caspase-8. Intriguingly, despite comparable intensity of intestinal inflammation in TNFR-deficient mice after DSS, systemic inflammatory response (including splenomegaly and myeloid expansion) was augmented dramatically in TNFR1-/- mice, instead of TNFR2-/- mice. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GMCSF) was identified as a key mediator in this process, as neutralization of GMCSF dampened peripheral inflammatory reaction and reduced mortality in TNFR1-/- mice. These data suggest that signaling via TNFR1 or TNFR2 has a protective role in chronic intestinal inflammation, and that lacking TNFR1 augments systemic inflammatory response in GMCSF-dependent manner.

IGF-1R and ErbB3/HER3 contribute to enhanced proliferation and carcinogenesis in trastuzumab-resistant ovarian cancer model.

Trastuzumab (Herceptin®) has demonstrated clinical potential in several types of HER2-overexpressing human cancers. However, primary and acquired resistance occurs in many HER2-positive patients with regimens. To investigate the possible mechanism of acquired therapeutic resistance to trastuzumab, we have developed a preclinical model of human ovarian cancer cells, SKOV3/T, with the distinctive feature of stronger carcinogenesis. The differences in gene expression between parental and the resistant cells were explored by microarray analysis, of which IGF-1R and HER3 were detected to be key molecules in action. Their correctness was validated by follow-up experiments of RT-PCR, shRNA-mediated knockdown, downstream signal activation, cell cycle distribution and survival. These results suggest that IGF-1R and HER3 differentially regulate trastuzumab resistance and could be promising targets for trastuzumab therapy in ovarian cancer.

Endoscopy-guided intraoral extraction of ectopic mandibular third molar in the subcondylar region planned with three-dimensional imaging: A case report and literature review.

Ectopic mandibular third molar (EMTM) in the subcondylar region is a rare clinical condition, especially for a subtype confined between the mandibular foramen and condylar neck. The etiology is currently uncertain and the optimal management of this specific subtype remains not well defined. We reported a case of this specific subtype of EMTM that was minimally invasively extracted by endoscopy-guided intraoral surgery, planned preoperatively using three-dimensional (3D) imaging of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), with no complications postoperatively caused by the routine surgery. We also reviewed nine relevant literature to expand the clinical features and therapeutic management of this specific subtype of EMTM. Etiologically, persistent cystic pressure may be a major cause of EMTM displaced into the subcondylar region. For extraction of this specific EMTM, the combination of 3D CBCT-based imaging and endoscopy-assisted intraoral minimally invasive surgery could be considered as the priority option for patients without facial fistula.