A novel procedure combining transoral resection and set-back tongue flap for oropharyngeal cancer

Seven patients with advanced lateral oropharyngeal cancer (T3N2bM0, or T4N2bM0) underwent transoral lateral oropharyngectomy (TLO) with reconstruction performed through set-back tongue flap and polyglycolic acid (PGA) sheet. TLO was performed following en bloc resection of tumors using endoscopy. To cover the resulting defect in the lateral oropharyngeal wall, the set-back tongue flap was moved posteriorly and laterally to the area of the tongue base and lateral pharyngeal wall. The tip of the set-back tongue flap was sutured to the lateral pharynx to reconstruct the elevated tongue base and altered anterior pillar. The defect on the floor of the mouth was reconstructed using a PGA sheet. Following surgery, the mean observation period was 24 months. The mean operating time was 4 h and 2 min, with an average blood loss of 68.1 ml. All oral intake resumed on the first postoperative day via gastric tube. The mean gastric tube removal time was 1.6 postoperative days as a result of sufficient oral intake. None of the patients received postoperative radiotherapy or displayed evidence of tumor recurrence. We conclude that this novel procedure is highly effective for treating advanced oropharyngeal cancer as it demonstrates good prognostic and functional outcomes.     

Low-dose all-trans retinoic acid enhances cytotoxicity of cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil on CD44+ cancer stem cells

Cis-diamminedichloridoplatinum(II)(CDDP)-based combination chemotherapy is frequently used in gastrointestinal cancer. The synergistic mechanism of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), cisplatin (CDDP) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in combination remains unclear. Despite their potent antitumor properties, resistance to CDDP and 5-FU develops frequently in tumors. To clarify this mechanism, we determined the sensitivity to each drug and their combination in two gastrointestinal cancer stem cells (CSCs) subpopulation.Here, we report the identification and separation of CD44⁺ cells from human gastric carcinoma (AGS) and human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (KYSE-30) cancer cell lines by magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS). We allowed the CD44^± cells to grow 6 days at a subtoxic concentration of ATRA and then treated with different concentration of CDDP and 5-FU for 24 h. The cytotoxicity was examined by cell proliferation MTT assay. Additionally, AO/EB staining was used for detection of apoptotic cells. In order to determine whether the growth inhibition was also associated with changes in cell cycle distribution, cell cycle analysis was performed using flow cytometry.Low concentration of ATRA (1 μM, 6days) followed by 5-FU and CDDP was found to be more effective than either drugs alone, thus resulting in synergistic cytotoxicity in Kyse-30 and AGSCD44^± cells. Furthermore, there was an indication that the combination of ATRA with 5FU and CDDP caused an increase in cell cycle arrest in G2/M and G0/G1.We conclude that low concentration of ATRA enhances the cytotoxicity of CDDP and 5FU by facilitating apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in gastrointestinal CSCs and provide a rational basis for the design of novel, well-tolerated CDDP- and 5FU-based chemotherapy in human gastrointestinal carcinoma.     

Molecular simplification of lipid A structure: TLR4-modulating cationic and anionic amphiphiles

A growing body of data suggests that therapies based on Toll-like receptors (TLR) targeting, in particular TLR4, holds promise in curing autoimmune and inflammatory pathologies still lacking specific treatment, included several rare diseases. While TLR4 activators (agonists) have already found successful clinical application as vaccine adjuvants, the use of TLR4 blockers (antagonists) as antisepsis agents or as agents against inflammatory diseases (including arthritis, multiple sclerosis, neuroinflammations) and cancer is still at a preclinical phase of development. This minireview focuses on recent achievements on the development of TLR4 modulators based on lipid A structure simplification, in particular on compounds having disaccharide or monosaccharide structures. As the TLR4 activity of natural TLR4 ligands (lipopolysaccharide, LPS and its biologically active part, the lipid A) depends on both the structure of endotoxin aggregates in solution and on single-molecule interaction with MD-2 and CD14 receptors, the rational design of TLR4 modulators should in principle take into account both these factors. In the light of the most recent advances in the field, in this minireview we discuss the structure–activity relationship in simplified lipid A analogs, with cationic or anionic amphiphilic structures.     

Pharmacotherapeutic strategies for critical asthma syndrome: a look at the state of the art

ABSTRACT

Introduction

‘Critical Asthma Syndrome’ (CAS) is an umbrella term proposed to include several forms of asthma, responsible for acute and life-threatening exacerbations. CAS requires urgent and adequate supportive and pharmacological treatments to prevent serious outcomes.     

体外转染Cyclin A2基因对原代大鼠心肌细胞增殖的影响

目的探讨体外转染细胞周期素A2(Cyclin A2)基因对原代大鼠心肌细胞增殖的影响,为心脏再生提供细胞学依据。方法 SD乳鼠12只,分离、培养、鉴定原代乳鼠心肌细胞并分为3组,实验组:转染带有强化绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)和Cyclin A2基因的重组腺病毒(Ad-Cyclin A2-GFP);空病毒组:转染不含目的基因带有GFP的重组腺病毒(Ad-Null-GFP);阴性对照组:未做转染处理,仅加入等量的培养基。利用GFP示踪技术,评估原代心肌细胞转染效率;转染后的细胞继续体外培养3~5d,利用免疫荧光技术分别检测Cyclin A2、磷酸化组蛋白H3(H3P)、心肌肌钙蛋白-T(c Tn T)。结果 1.荧光GFP示踪表明原代心肌细胞的转染效率高达(97±0.74)%;2.免疫荧光标记显示,空病毒组和对照组结果相似;心肌细胞特异性标记蛋白c Tn T分布于细胞质,原代心肌细胞纯度高达(95±0.62)%;心肌细胞Cyclin A2主要在胞核内聚集,少数分布于细胞质。H3P为核蛋白在细胞核内分布。3.转染Cyclin A2后,实验组H3P阳性率明显高于空病毒组和对照组,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05);实验组可见大量多核细胞,以双核为主,伴少量3核细胞。结论腺病毒作为转染载体对原代心肌细胞有很好的侵染效率;Cyclin A2超表达促进原代心肌细胞形成双核。     

丙泊酚麻醉对老龄大鼠认知功能和海马神经元γ-氨基丁酸A受体表达的影响

目的观察丙泊酚麻醉对老龄大鼠认知功能及海马神经元γ-氨基丁酸A(GABA)受体表达的影响。方法50只SD老年大鼠随机分为丙泊酚组和对照组,每组25只。丙泊酚组大鼠腹腔注射1%丙泊酚中/长链脂肪乳注射液6 mL/kg,对照组腹腔注射等体积的生理盐水。麻醉后1 d进行Morris水迷宫实验,分别采用HE染色和尼氏体染色观察海马区神经细胞及尼氏体(Nissl体)形态学变化,Western Blot检测GABA蛋白量表达。结果麻醉后,2组大鼠肛温、心率、呼吸频率、血氧饱和度比较,差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05)。随着实验时间的延长,2组大鼠逃逸潜伏期、总里程数逐渐减小,丙泊酚组大鼠各时间点逃逸潜伏期、总里程均高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。丙泊酚组大鼠穿越平台区域次数、时间小于、短于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。对照组海马区Nissl体存在于细胞浆及树突,染色较深,神经细胞排列整齐,形态规则;丙泊酚组Nissl体消失,神经细胞数量减少,细胞核破裂、丢失。丙泊酚组大鼠海马GABA蛋白表达量低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论丙泊酚对大鼠认知功能有影响,并与海马区GABA的表达相关。     

低密度脂蛋白在2型糖尿病骨质疏松中的作用研究进展

2型糖尿病及骨质疏松已成为我国最主要的慢性代谢性疾病。2型糖尿病常伴有血脂紊乱，常表现为低密度脂蛋白升高，而越来越多的研究表明血脂通过不同的方式影响骨代谢，其机制可能是通过抑制骨髓间充质干细胞成骨分化，通过RANK/RNAKL/OPG信号通路及炎症反应调节破骨细胞等方式调节骨代谢。     

Dissecting the biological heterogeneity of HER2-positive breast cancer

HER2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer (BC) is a heterogenous and multifaceted disease, with interesting therapeutic implications. First, all intrinsic molecular subtypes can be identified in HER2+ tumors, with the HER2-enriched being the most frequent. Such subtypes do not differ much from their counterparts in HER2-negative disease, apart for the high expression of genes in/near the HER2 amplicon on chromosome 17. Intrinsic subtyping, along with the quantification of ERBB2 mRNA levels, is associated with higher rates of pathologic complete response across neoadjuvant trials of dual HER2 blockade and might help select patients for de-escalation and escalation treatment strategies. Secondly, HER2+ tumors have a broad range of DNA alterations. ERBB2 mutations and alterations in the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway are among the most frequent and might predict benefit from potent pan-HER, PI3K and mTOR inhibitors. Moreover, HER2+ tumors are usually infiltrated by lymphocytes. These tumor infiltrating-lymphocytes (TILs) predict response to neoadjuvant anti-HER2-based treatment and exert a prognostic role. PD-L1, detected in ∼42 % of HER2+ BC, might also be useful to define patients responding to novel anti-PD1/PD-L1 immunotherapies. New multiparametric clinicopathologic and genomic tools accounting for this complexity, such as HER2DX, are under development to define more tailored treatment approaches. Finally, HER2-targeted antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) such as trastuzumab deruxtecan might be active in tumors with low expression of HER2. Overall, there is a need to molecularly characterize and develop novel targeted therapies for HER2+ disease.