Correlation of Molecular Markers in High Grade Gliomas with Response to Chemo-Radiation

Background: The standard of care in high grade glioma (HGG) is maximal safe surgical resection followed by adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) with/without chemotherapy. For anaplastic gliomas, studies have shown use of procarbazine, lomustine, vincristine (PCV) improves overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS). Currently, there is substantial evidence that molecular markers strongly predict prognosis and response to treatment. Methods: Between January 2016 to January 2018, 42 patients were accrued and followed up till April 2019. The primary end points were to correlate molecular markers with response to therapy in terms of OS and PFS in HGG. The secondary end point was to evaluate frequency of 1p/19q codeletion, IDH 1 mutation, ATRX deletion and p53 in HGG patients. Results: The median age was 46 years (range 18-67) with M:F ratio 30:12. The frequency of IDH1 mutation,1p/19q codeletion, p53 mutation and ATRX mutation were 42.8%, 16.6%, 42.8% and 14.2% respectively. All the seven patients with 1p/19q codeletion had IDH1 mutation. Median follow up was 22 months. The 20-months PFS for different mutations were as follows; IDH1-mutated vs wild type: 53.6% vs 29.8%; p-0.035, 1p/19q codeleted vs non-codeleted: 85.7% vs 62.3%; p-0.011, p53 wild type vs mutated 32.1% vs 35.6%; p-0.035 and ATRX lost vs retained: 55.6% vs 53.3%; p- 0.369. The 20-months OS for IDH1 mutated vs wild type: 82.4% vs 30.6%; p-0.014, 1p/19q codeleted vs non-codeleted: 85.7% vs 65.8%; p-0.104, p53 wild-type vs mutated 45.5% vs 73.9%; p-0.036 and ATRX lost vs retained: 100% vs 60.3%; p-0.087. Conclusion: Codeletion of 1p/19q with IDH1 mutation in HGG is associated with a significantly favourable PFS. However, larger studies with longer follow up are required to evaluate OS and PFS in all the molecular subgroups.     

奥沙利铂通过调控miRNA-7-5p/RAF-1促进胃癌SGC-7901细胞凋亡的研究

目的探讨奥沙利铂如何调控MAPK通路,抑制胃癌细胞的增殖。方法NCBI检索文献,利用TargetScan、StarBase和miRBase数据库,进行GO分析与KEGG通路富集,找到相关miRNAs,预测靶基因。应用Real-time PCR、MTT、Hoechst33258、流式细胞术、细胞划痕实验、Western blot等方法分析人胃癌SGC-7901细胞的增殖、细胞周期、侵袭及蛋白表达情况。结果胃癌细胞中miR-7-5p显著低表达,RAF1与miR-7-5p存在互靶关系。miR-7-5p mimics与奥沙利铂均可促进SGC-7901细胞的凋亡,提高G1期细胞百分率(P<0.05),降低侵袭、迁移速度。caspase3、caspase9蛋白表达升高,Bcl-2/Bax比值降低(P<0.05)。结论过表达miR-7-5p与奥沙利铂均可促进胃癌SGC-7901细胞的凋亡,提示奥沙利铂可能通过上调miRNA-7-5p促进SGC-7901细胞的凋亡,降低侵袭、迁移速度。     

真武汤合苓桂术甘汤改善心肾综合征大鼠模型水钠潴留的作用机制研究

[目的]研究真武汤合苓桂术甘汤对心肾综合征大鼠模型水钠潴留的作用机制。[方法]将60只雄性SD大鼠随机分为两组,即空白组与手术组,空白组大鼠常规饲养,手术组大鼠经5/6肾切除联合异丙肾上腺素皮下注射制备心肾综合征模型,剔除死亡大鼠后,将手术组剩余成模大鼠按体质量分层随机分为空白组、中药组、常规治疗组。中药组给予真武汤合苓桂术甘汤灌胃,给药量为7.29 g生药/(kg·d);常规治疗组给予贝那普利(0.45 mg/kg)+呋塞米(1.8m g/kg);空白组予以等容积生理盐水灌胃,每日1次,连续6周。观察实验过程中各组大鼠的精神状态、活动情况、灵敏度、毛发情况、食欲、大小便等一般情况及死亡情况,比较各组灌胃前、灌胃6周后的血清脑钠肽(BNP)、血肌酐(Scr)、血尿素氮(BUN)、尿水通道蛋白2(AQP2)的前后差值情况。[结果]灌胃6周后,中药组大鼠一般情况较灌胃前改善、喘息不明显,常规治疗组一般情况同样较灌胃前改善。通过比较治疗前后各组大鼠实验室指标差值发现,中药组与常规治疗组BNP均下降,中药改善大鼠心力衰竭情况接近常规治疗组水平,两组下降水平无统计学差异(P0.05);中药组Scr水平较前下降,常规治疗组Scr水平升高;中药组尿AQP2水平较前略增高,与空白组尿AQP2水平无统计学差异(P0.05),常规治疗组尿AQP2水平较前明显升高。[结论]心肾综合征大鼠尿AQP2的表达主要由肾脏调控,AQP2可作为心肾综合征水钠潴留状态的参考指标,真武汤合苓桂术甘汤改善心肾综合征大鼠水钠潴留状态的作用机制可能是通过抑制大鼠肾脏AQP2过度表达,减少水的重吸收,改善了水钠潴留状态。     

羌活中的香豆素类成分及其抑制脂多糖诱导的RAW 264.7细胞NO生成活性的研究

目的研究羌活Notopterygium incisum的香豆素类成分及其抗炎活性。方法采用硅胶、HPLC等柱色谱方法进行分离纯化,通过质谱、核磁共振波谱数据鉴定化合物的结构;采用脂多糖(LPS)诱导的小鼠巨噬细胞RAW 264.7炎症反应模型,考察羌活中香豆素类成分对炎症反应模型一氧化氮(NO)生成的影响。结果从羌活甲醇提取物分离得到24个香豆素类化合物,分别鉴定为异欧前胡素(1)、川白芷素(2)、补骨脂素(3)、香柑内酯(4)、茵陈素(5)、欧芹酚(6)、5-去氢羌活醇(7)、环氧脱水羌活醇(8)、7″-O-甲基异羌活醇(9)、佛手柑素(10)、7-异戊烯氧基-6-甲氧基-香豆素(11)、栓翅芹烯醇(12)、羌活醇(13)、去甲呋喃羽叶芸香素(14)、异羌活醇(15)、蛇床夫内酯(16)、6-异戊烯氧基伞形花内酯(17)、紫花前胡苷元(18)、异虎耳草素(19)、紫花前胡苷(20)、前胡苷V(21)、前胡苷I(22)、印枳苷元-11-O-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖基-(1→6)-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖苷(23)、羌活苷(24)。化合物7～10、13和15抑制LPS诱导的RAW 264.7细胞NO生成活性最强,最大半数抑制浓度(IC_(50))值为8.50～35.12μmol/L。结论化合物7为新的天然产物,化合物17为首次从羌活中分离得到;C-5位上具有多烯烃结构的香豆素抑制LPS诱导的RAW 264.7细胞NO生成活性较强。     

Sirt5 is dispensable for BrafV600E‐mediated cutaneous melanoma development and growth in vivo

Sirt5 is known to functionally regulate mitochondrial proteins by altering posttranslational modifications, including lysine desuccinylation. While roles for Sirt5 as either a tumor promoter or suppressor, or in chemoresistance, have been implicated in other cancers, the function of Sirt5 in cutaneous melanoma has not been well examined. Therefore, to determine whether Sirt5 is necessary for Braf^V600E‐mediated melanoma formation and/or disease progression, we crossed a genetically engineered murine melanoma model (Tyr^CreERT2/+; Braf^{LSL‐V600E/+}; Pten^flox/flox) to Sirt5^?/? knockout animals. In addition, we tested for synergism with a selective BRAF (V600E) inhibitor in Sirt5^?/? mouse melanoma cells. Taken together, this report demonstrates that, in these models, Sirt5 is dispensable for Braf^V600E‐mediated cutaneous melanoma formation and growth in vivo, and does not improve sensitivity to a selective BRAF inhibitor.     

经重睑切口的上睑旋转皮瓣矫正轻中度内眦赘皮疗效观察

目的探讨重睑术中采用经重睑切口的上睑旋转皮瓣矫正轻、中度内眦赘皮的疗效。方法回顾分析 2016 年 7 月—2017 年 10 月，重睑术中采用经重睑切口的上睑旋转皮瓣矫正轻、中度睑板型内眦赘皮合并单睑的 34 例患者（试验组）临床资料；以同期 38 例接受传统“Z”成形内眦开大术联合重睑术患者为对照（对照组）。两组患者年龄及内侧赘皮分度比较，差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。于术前及术后 6 d、6 个月测量眼裂长度，计算眼裂长度改善程度；参照内眦赘皮矫正标准评价手术疗效。 结果两组患者切口均Ⅰ期愈合，并获随访 6 个月。两组内眦赘皮明显矫正。试验组内眦处无切口；对照组遗留瘢痕，其中 6 例增生明显。术后 6 d 试验组及对照组眼裂长度改善程度分别为 3.63%±0.07%、3.70%±0.05%；术后 6 个月分别为 4.64%±0.09%、4.46%±0.10%；两组比较差异均无统计学意义（t=0.005，P=0.996；t=0.287，P=0.871）。术后 6 个月疗效评价，试验组优 20 例、良 12 例、差 2 例，优良率 94.12%；对照组优 16 例、良 16 例、差 6 例，优良率 84.21%；差异无统计学意义（χ²=0.796，P=0.372）。 结论经重睑切口的上睑旋转皮瓣矫正轻、中度内眦赘皮手术操作简便、效果满意，内眦处无瘢痕形成。     

Extracellular vesicles transmitted miR-31-5p promotes sorafenib resistance by targeting MLH1 in renal cell carcinoma

Sorafenib provides survival benefits in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), but its use is hampered by acquired drug resistance. It is important to fully clarify the molecular mechanisms of sorafenib resistance, which can help to avoid, delay or reverse drug resistance. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) can mediate intercellular communication by delivering effector molecules between cells. Here, we studied whether EVs are involved in sorafenib resistance of RCC and its possible molecular mechanisms. Using differential centrifugation, EVs were isolated from established sorafenib-resistant RCC cells (786-0 and ACHN), and EVs derived from sorafenib-resistant cells were uptaken by sensitive parental RCC cells and thus promoted drug resistance. Elevated exogenous miR-31-5p within EVs effectively downregulated MutL homolog 1 (MLH1) expression and thus promoted sorafenib resistance in vitro. Mice experiments also confirmed that miR-31-5p could mediate drug sensitivity in vivo. In addition, low expression of MLH1 was observed in sorafenib-resistant RCC cells and upregulation of MLH1 expression restored the sensitivity of resistant cell lines to sorafenib. Finally, miR-31-5p level in circulating EVs of RCC patients with progressive disease (PD) during sorafenib therapy was higher when compared to that in the pretherapy status. In conclusion, EVs shuttled miR-31-5p can transfer resistance information from sorafenib-resistant cells to sensitive cells by directly targeting MLH1, and thus magnify the drug resistance information to the whole tumor. Furthermore, miR-31-5p and MLH1 could be promising predictive biomarkers and therapeutic targets to prevent sorafenib resistance.     

Immunohistochemical and molecular analysis of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in esophageal carcinoma

Among the numerous signaling pathways involved in tumorigenesis, PI3K‐AKT‐mTOR is a key one that regulates diverse cellular functions. However, its prognostic value in esophageal carcinoma remains unclear. In our study, we examined the immunohistochemical expression of phosphorylated (p‐) AKT, mTOR, p70S6K and 4E‐BP1 along with the mutational status of PIK3CA and AKT1 genes by High Resolution Melting Analysis and Pyrosequencing in 44 esophageal carcinomas. The results were correlated with the clinicopathological characteristics of the patients in an effort to define their possible prognostic significance. Total p‐mTOR cytoplasmic expression, assessed in 10 random areas, was positively correlated with tumor stage (Kruskal–Wallis ANOVA, I/II vs III/IV, p = 0.0500). Μoreover, maximum p‐mTOR cytoplasmic immunoexpression, estimated in hot spot areas, was positively associated with tumor grade (Mann–Whitney U test, I/II vs III, p = 0.0565). Interestingly, p‐4E‐BP1 immunoreactivity was negatively correlated with tumor histological grade (Mann–Whitney U test, I/II vs III, p = 0.0427). No mutation was observed in exons 9 and 20 of PIK3CA gene and in exon 4 of AKT1 gene. In conclusion, our findings depict the presence of activated PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in esophageal cancer bringing forward p‐mTOR and p‐4E‐BP1 for their potential role in esophageal carcinogenesis. Additional studies are warranted to validate our findings.