WGCNA, LASSO and SVM Algorithm Revealed RAC1 Correlated M0 Macrophage and the Risk Score to Predict the Survival of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients.

Background: RAC1 is involved in the progression of HCC as a regulator, but its prognostic performance and the imbalance of immune cell infiltration mediated by it are still unclear. We aim to explore the prognostic and immune properties of RAC1 in HCC. Methods: We separately downloaded the data related to HCC from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and GEO database. CIBERSORT deconvolution algorithm, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and LASSO algorithm participate in identifying IRGs and the construction of prognostic signatures. Results: The study discovered that RAC1 expression was linked to the severity of HCC lesions, and that its high expression was linked to a poor prognosis. Cox analysis confirmed that RAC1 is a clinically independent prognostic marker. M0, M1 and M2 macrophages' abundance are significantly different in HCC. We found 828 IRGs related to macrophage infiltration, and established a novel 11-gene signature with excellent prognostic performance. RAC1-based risk score and M0 macrophage has a good ability to predict overall survival. Conclusion: The immune state of irregular macrophage infiltration may be one of the precursors to carcinogenesis. The RAC1 correlated with M0 macrophage and the risk score to show a good performance to predict the survival of HCC patients.

Long non-coding RNA ZEB2-AS1 expression is associated with disease progression and predicts outcome in gastric cancer patients.

PURPOSE: To explore the correlation of expression of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 2 antisense RNA 1 (ZEB2-AS1) in gastric cancer tissues, analyze the correlations of its expression level with the clinicopathological features of gastric cancer and the malignant phenotype of tumor cells, and investigate the molecular mechanism of action of ZEB2-AS1 in gastric cancer. METHODS: The expression level of ZEB2-AS1 in gastric cancer tissues and cancer-adjacent tissues in 56 patients was detected by fluorescence real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). AGS human gastric cancer cells were transiently transfected with small interfering lncRNA (si-lncRNA) ZEB2-AS1 using RNA interference technique, and its effect on proliferation of gastric cancer cells was assessed via MTT assay. Hoechst 33342 staining and flow cytometry were performed to examine the effect of ZEB2-AS1 on the apoptosis of AGS cells and scratch and Transwell assay were applied to detect the effect of si-ZEB2-AS1 on the invasion and metastasis of AGS cells. RESULTS: qRT-PCR results showed that the expression of ZEB2-AS1 in cancer tissues was increased compared with cancer-adjacent tissues. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) results indicated that knockdown of ZEB2-AS1 could significantly inhibit the proliferation of AGS cells. Hoechst 33342 staining and flow cytometry demonstrated that knockdown of ZEB2-AS1 obviously promoted the apoptosis of AGS cells. According to scratch and Transwell assay, knocking down ZEB2-AS1 could remarkably inhibit the invasion and metastasis of AGS cells. Western blotting results revealed that knocking down ZEB2-AS1 could inhibit cell invasion and metastasis by suppressing the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) as well as the expressions of matrix metallopeptidase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 in AGS cells. CONCLUSIONS: The expression of lncRNA ZEB2-AS1 in gastric cancer tissues is significantly higher than in cancer-adjacent tissues. Patients with highly expressed lncRNA ZEB2-AS1 have a poor prognosis, and knockdown of lncRNA ZEB2-AS1 in AGS cells inhibits cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis, and promotes apoptosis.

Early ultrasound-guided percutaneous catheter drainage in the treatment of severe acute pancreatitis with acute fluid accumulation.

The clinical effect of early percutaneous ultrasound guided percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD) in treating severe acute pancreatitis complicated with acute fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity was analyzed. A total of 178 patients with severe acute pancreatitis complicated with acute fluid accumulation in peritoneal cavity admitted from January, 2011 to January, 2015 to Chuiyangliu Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Based on the treatment, patients were divided into the following groups: PCD group and conservative treatment control group. Time-period of systemic inflammatory response (SIRS), time-period of abdominal pain, bowel sounds recovery time, dietary recovery time, hospitalization days, white blood cell count, serum amylase, C-reactive protein, serum calcium and complications in both groups were observed and compared. The measurement data between the two groups were presented as mean ± standard deviation (±SD), and analyzed by t-test. Classification data were analyzed by the Chi-square test, with P<0.05 indicating a statistically significant difference. Time-period of systemic inflammatory response (SIRS), time-period of abdominal pain, bowel sounds recovery time, dietary recovery time and hospitalization days were shorter in the PCD group than those in the control group (P=0.001). Improvements of white blood cell count, serum amylase, C-reactive protein and serum calcium were better than those of the control group (P<0.001), the rate of transferring to surgical department in the PCD group was lower than that of the control group (P=0.042), and complications of severe acute pancreatitis were not significantly different in the two groups (P>0.05). In this study, 6 adverse events occurred in the PCD group, accounting for 7.9% (6/76), including 1 case of puncture bleeding and 5 cases of obstruction. In conclusion, early ultrasound-guided PCD in treating severe acute pancreatitis is effective and safe.