Prevalence of HER2 Expression and Its Correlation with Clinicopathological Parameters in Gastric or Gastroesophageal Junction Adenocarcinoma in North-East Indian Population

Objective: Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (erbb2/HER2) overexpression, has now been implicatedin advanced gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancers. The study was conducted to determine the rate of HER2positivity in patients with locally advanced or metastatic gastric and gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma in North-EastIndia and to assess the impact of various demographic and clinical parameters on HER2 positivity. Methods: A total of68 patients of age >18 years of gastric and gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma diagnosed on histopathological examinationfrom September 2016 to February 2018 at Dr B Borooah Cancer Institute, Assam were enrolled for the observational(epidemiological) study. All patients were subjected to the HER2 immunohistochemistry test using a FDA-approved,standardized test kit. HER2 expression was correlated with various demographic and clinicopathological parameters.Results: The overall rate of HER2 positivity in the population studied was 56% (n=38). The rate was non-significantlyhigher in male, older age group (>60 years) and Hindu population. Similarly, HER2 positivity rate was higher in patientswith well differentiated histology and was more common in patients with stage II and III diseases, but neither of theassociations is statistically significant. HER2 positivity rate was significantly higher in proximal and in GEJ tumours(56% versus 44%, P=0.002). Conclusion: HER2 overexpression was evident in 56% of the North-East Indian patientswith locally advanced and metastatic gastric and gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma. The overexpression correlatedsignificantly with primary tumour site. Routine testing of gastric and gastroesophageal tumours for HER2 expressionis recommended to provide a therapeutic advantage in Indian patients.     

肿瘤坏死因子-α-308基因对导管相关性脓毒症患者病情的影响

目的探究肿瘤坏死因子-α(Tumornecrosis factor-α,TNF-α)-308基因对导管相关性脓毒症(Catheter related sepsis,CRS)患者病情的影响,旨在为临床治疗CRS提供科学依据。方法选取2017年7月-2018年10月于浙江大学医学院附属杭州市第一人民医院接受治疗的86例CRS患者为研究对象,按照是否并发多器官功能障碍综合征将患者分为试验组和对照组,对照组共48例,未并发多器官功能障碍综合征,试验组共38例,并发多器官功能障碍综合征,分析两组患者TNF-α-308基因多态性差异,使用多因素Logistic回归分析CRS患者并发多器官功能障碍综合征的危险因素。结果试验组GA基因型频率34.21%、AA基因型频率50.00%、高G等位基因频率18.42%均高于对照组,GG基因型频率52.63%、A等位基因频率28.95%均低于对照组,差异均具有统计学意义(P<0.05);多因素Logistic回归分析结果显示,低GG基因型频率、低G等位基因频率、高GA基因型频率、高AA基因型频率、高A等位基因频率是CRS患者并发多器官功能障碍综合征的危险因素(P<0.05)。结论TNF-α-308基因与CRS患者病情密切相关,GG基因型频率和G等位基因频率降低,GA基因型频率、AA基因型频率、A等位基因频率升高会加重患者的病情,增加多器官功能障碍综合征的发生风险,临床上应该加以重视。     

Intra-arterial administration of cell-based biological agents for ischemic stroke therapy

Introduction: Ischemic stroke is becoming a primary cause of disability and death worldwide. To date, therapeutic options remain limited focusing on mechanical thrombolysis or administration of thrombolytic agents. However, these therapies do not promote neuroprotection and neuro-restoration of the ischemic area of the brain.

Areas covered: This review highlights the option of minimal invasive, intra-arterial, administration of biological agents for stroke therapy. The authors provide an update of all available studies, discuss issues that influence outcomes and describe future perspectives which aim to improve clinical outcomes. New therapeutic options based on cellular and molecular interactions following an ischemic brain event, will be highlighted.

Expert opinion: Intra-arterial administration of biological agents during trans-catheter thrombolysis or thrombectomy could limit neuronal cell death and facilitate regeneration or neurogenesis following ischemic brain injury. Despite the initial progress, further meticulous studies are needed in order to establish the clinical use of stem cell-induced neuroprotection and neuroregeneration.     

Resistin is elevated in cystic fibrosis sputum and correlates negatively with lung function

Background

Resistin is an immunometabolic mediator that is elevated in several inflammatory disorders. A ligand for Toll-like receptor 4, resistin modulates the recruitment and activation of myeloid cells, notably neutrophils. Neutrophils are major drivers of cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease, in part due to the release of human neutrophil elastase- and myeloperoxidase-rich primary granules, leading to tissue damage. Here we assessed the relationship of resistin to CF lung disease.

靶向测序诊断黑棘皮病1家系

【摘要】 报道临床症状不典型的家族性黑棘皮病1家系。先证者女，4岁，自1周岁时，颈部、腹部出现黑色斑片，近年来逐渐扩大至唇周、躯干前部。腹部皮肤全反式共聚焦显微镜检查可见乳头环下延扭曲及沟壑结构，乳头环内可见中高折光颗粒结构。先证者父亲及祖母既往有类似病史，但随着年龄增长色素沉着自发性消退，仅有局部皮纹增粗。采集先证者及父母、祖母外周血，对先证者外周血DNA行Panel靶向测序，结果显示，先证者存在FGFR3基因14号外显子c.1949A>C（p.Lys650Thr）错义突变，Sanger测序验证证实先证者及其父亲和祖母均存在此突变。诊断：家族性黑棘皮病。     

Immunisation with the BCG and DTPw vaccines induces different programs of trained immunity in mice

In addition to providing pathogen-specific immunity, vaccines can also confer nonspecific effects (NSEs) on mortality and morbidity unrelated to the targeted disease. Immunisation with live vaccines, such as the BCG vaccine, has generally been associated with significantly reduced all-cause infant mortality. In contrast, some inactivated vaccines, such as the diphtheria, tetanus, whole-cell pertussis (DTPw) vaccine, have been controversially associated with increased all-cause mortality especially in female infants in high-mortality settings. The NSEs associated with BCG have been attributed, in part, to the induction of trained immunity, an epigenetic and metabolic reprograming of innate immune cells, increasing their responsiveness to subsequent microbial encounters. Whether non-live vaccines such as DTPw induce trained immunity is currently poorly understood. Here, we report that immunisation of mice with DTPw induced a unique program of trained immunity in comparison to BCG immunised mice. Altered monocyte and DC cytokine responses were evident in DTPw immunised mice even months after vaccination. Furthermore, splenic cDCs from DTPw immunised mice had altered chromatin accessibility at loci involved in immunity and metabolism, suggesting that these changes were epigenetically mediated. Interestingly, changing the order in which the BCG and DTPw vaccines were co-administered to mice altered subsequent trained immune responses. Given these differences in trained immunity, we also assessed whether administration of these vaccines altered susceptibility to sepsis in two different mouse models. Immunisation with either BCG or a DTPw-containing vaccine prior to the induction of sepsis did not significantly alter survival. Further studies are now needed to more fully investigate the potential consequences of DTPw induced trained immunity in different contexts and to assess whether other non-live vaccines also induce similar changes.     

Can EGFR mutation status be reliably determined in pre‐operative needle biopsies from adenocarcinomas of the lung?

The identification of EGFR mutations in non‐small‐cell lung cancer is important for selecting patients, who may benefit from treatment with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The analysis is usually performed on cytological aspirates and/or histological needle biopsies, representing a small fraction of the tumour volume. The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of this molecular test. We retrospectively included 201 patients with primary adenocarcinoma of the lung. EGFR mutation status (exon 19 deletions and exon 21 L858R point mutation) was evaluated on both pre‐operative biopsies (131 histological and 70 cytological) and on the surgical specimens, using PCR. Samples with low tumour cell fraction were assigned to laser micro‐dissection (LMD). We found nine (4.5%) patients with EGFR mutation in the lung tumour resections, but failed to identify mutation in one of the corresponding pre‐operative, cytological specimens. Several (18.4%) analyses of the pre‐operative biopsies were inconclusive, especially in case of biopsies undergoing LMD and regarding exon 21 analysis. Discrepancy of mutation status in one patient may reflect intra‐tumoural heterogeneity or technical issues. Moreover, several inconclusive results in the diagnostic biopsies reveal that attention must be paid on the suitability of pre‐operative biopsies for EGFR mutation analysis.     

Recent advances in preclinical in vitro approaches towards quantitative prediction of hepatic clearance and drug-drug interactions involving organic anion transporting polypeptide (OATP) 1B transporters

Hepatic uptake mediated by organic anion transporting polypeptide (OATP) 1B1 and 1B3 can serve as a major elimination pathway for various anionic drugs and as a site of drug-drug interactions (DDIs). This article provides an overview of the in vitro approaches used to predict human hepatic clearance (CL_h) and the risk of DDIs involving OATP1Bs. On the basis of the so-called extended clearance concept, in vitro–in vivo extrapolation methods using human hepatocytes as in vitro systems have been used to predict the CL_h involving OATP1B-mediated hepatic uptake. CL_h can be quantitatively predicted using human donor lots possessing adequate OATP1B activities. The contribution of OATP1Bs to hepatic uptake can be estimated by the relative activity factor, the relative expression factor, or selective inhibitor approaches, which offer generally consistent outcomes. In OATP1B1 inhibition assays, substantial substrate dependency was observed. The time-dependent inhibition of OATP1B1 was also noted and may be a mechanism underlying the in vitro–in vivo differences in the inhibition constant of cyclosporine A. Although it is still challenging to quantitatively predict CL_h and DDIs involving OATP1Bs from only preclinical data, understanding the utility and limitation of the current in vitro methods will pave the way for better prediction.