China special issue on gastrointestinal tumors-Radiological features of pathological complete response in mismatch repair deficient colorectal cancer after neoadjuvant PD-1 blockade: A post hoc analysis of the PICC phase II trial

Neoadjuvant programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) blockade exhibits promising efficacy in patients with mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) colorectal cancer (CRC). However, discrepancies between radiological and histological findings have been reported in the PICC phase II trial (NCT 03926338). Therefore, we strived to discern radiological features associated with pathological complete response (pCR) based on computed tomography (CT) images. Data were obtained from the PICC trial that included 36 tumors from 34 locally advanced dMMR CRC patients, who received neoadjuvant PD-1 blockade for 3 months. Among the 36 tumors, 28 (77.8%) tumors achieved pCR. There were no statistically significant differences in tumor longitudinal diameter, the percentage change in tumor longitudinal diameter from baseline, primary tumor sidedness, clinical stage, extramural venous invasion status, intratumoral calcification, peritumoral fat infiltration, intestinal fistula and tumor necrosis between the pCR and non-pCR tumors. Otherwise, tumors with pCR had smaller posttreatment tumor maximum thickness (median: 10 mm vs 13 mm, P = .004) and higher percentage decrease in tumor maximum thickness from baseline (52.9% vs 21.6%, P = .005) compared to non-pCR tumors. Additionally, a higher proportion of the absence of vascular sign (P = .003, odds ratio [OR] = 25.870 [95% CI, 1.357-493.110]), nodular sign (P < .001, OR = 189.000 [95% CI, 10.464-3413.803]) and extramural enhancement sign (P = .003, OR = 21.667 [2.848-164.830]) was observed in tumors with pCR. In conclusion, these CT-defined radiological features may have the potential to serve as valuable tools for clinicians in identifying patients who have achieved pCR after neoadjuvant PD-1 blockade, particularly in individuals who are willing to adopt a watch-and-wait strategy.     

宏基因组学测序诊断曼氏裂头蚴病1例

患者于2000年无明显诱因发现下腹部游走性包块，20年来多次就诊，未明确病因。2020年8月11日发现包块游走于左侧腋前，微创手术取出不完整白色虫体3段，用宏基因组学测序鉴定虫体，明确诊断为曼氏裂头蚴病。2021年10月21日经手术取出完整虫体，患者康复出院；随访患者身体状况良好，全身未发现新包块。     

Silencing KLF16 inhibits oral squamous cell carcinoma cell proliferation by arresting the cell cycle and inducing apoptosis

Krüppel-like factor 16 (KLF16), a member of the Krüppel-like factor (KLF) family, has been extensively investigated in multiple cancer types. However, the role of KLF16 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains unknown. Thus, we conducted this study to investigate its related mechanism. KLF16 expression in OSCC cell lines was quantified by western blotting. Then, OECM1 and OC3 cells were divided into Blank, siCtrl, siKLF16#1 and siKLF16#2 groups. Subsequently, cell proliferation was detected using 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays, cell migration and invasion were detected with wound healing and Transwell assays, and cell cycle distribution and cell apoptosis were detected via flow cytometry. KLF16, p21, CDK4, Cyclin D1 and p-Rb expression was detected by western blotting. Finally, xenograft models were established in nude mice to observe the in vivo effects of KLF16 on OSCC. KLF16 protein expression was upregulated in OSCC cells. Compared to the cells in the Blank group, the OECM1 and OC3 cells in the siKLF16#1 group and siKLF16#2 group exhibited a sharp decrease in proliferation but a remarkable increase in apoptosis. Moreover, the proportion of cells in the G0/G1 phase notably increased and that in the S phase decreased, with evident decreases in cell invasion and migration. Moreover, KLF16, cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4), Cyclin D1 and p-Rb protein expression was upregulated, but p21 expression was downregulated. The mice in the siKLF16#1 and siKLF16#2 xenograft model groups exhibited slower tumour growth and smaller tumours with evident downregulation of Ki67 expression compared to the mice in the Blank group. KLF16 expression was upregulated in OSCC cells, and interfering with KLF16 led to cell cycle arrest, inhibited OSCC cell growth and promoted cell apoptosis.     

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy increases the 5-year overall survival of patients with resectable cervical cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Cervical cancer is a global health challenge in women. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is a recent prospect for alternative cervical cancer treatments. This study investigated the efficacy of NACT against resectable cervical cancer based on the medium and long-term survival of patients with the disease. We searched through PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO and Cochrane Library for relevant reports published by June 2020. The primary outcomes were 3-year and 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients with resectable cervical cancer. Overall, 22 publications encompassing 5627 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. We found NACT not to affect both 3-year PFS and OS as well as 5-year PFS of patients with resectable cervical cancer. However, NACT significantly improves the 5-year OS of patients with resectable cervical cancer (HR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.73–0.94, p = 0.013). Subgroup analysis (RCTs, non-RCTs, NACT + surgery + AT vs. surgery + AT, NACT + surgery + AT vs. CCRT/RT/CRT) further revealed NACT had no significant effect on 5-year PFS of patients with resectable cervical cancer, converse to the 5-year OS subgroup analysis, which validated the beneficial effect of NACT in patients with resectable cervical cancer. In addition, the effect of NACT was most significant in the non-RCTs subgroup (p = 0.012). NACT may improve the long-term prognosis of patients with resectable cervical cancer. However, further large-scale multicenter studies are needed to validate this finding.     

Aging attenuates the ovarian circadian rhythm

ObjectiveTo study the effect of aging on ovarian circadian rhythm.DesignHuman and animal study.SettingUniversity hospital and research laboratory.Patients/animalsHuman granulosa cells were obtained by follicular aspiration from women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF), and ovarian and liver tissues were obtained from female C57BL/6 mice.Intervention(s)None.Main outcome measure(s)Expression of circadian genes in young and older human granulosa cells and circadian rhythm in ovaries and livers of young and older mice.Result(s)All examined circadian clock genes in human granulosa cells showed a downward trend in expression with aging, and their mRNA expression levels were negatively correlated with age (P < 0.05). Older patients (≥ 40 years of age) had significantly reduced serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels. Except for Rev-erbα, all other examined circadian clock genes were positively correlated with the level of AMH (P < 0.05). The circadian rhythm in the ovaries of older mice (8 months) was changed significantly relative to that in ovaries of young mice (12 weeks), although the circadian rhythm in the livers of older mice was basically consistent with that of young mice.Conclusion(s)Lower ovarian reserve in older women is partially due to ovarian circadian dysrhythmia as a result of aging.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s10815-020-01943-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

基于网络药理学和临床试验探讨前列消汤对ⅢA型前列腺炎IL-17与Foxp3表达影响研究＊

目的 基于网络药理学进行前列消汤治疗慢性前列腺炎的预测，同时采用临床试验进行验证，证明前列消汤对ⅢA型前列腺炎患者的临床疗效及对前列腺液（Expressed Prostatic Secretion， EPS）中白细胞介素17（interleukin 17， IL-17）及双头叉转录因子p3（Forkhead box p3， Foxp3）表达的影响。方法 采用网络信息学分析方法，筛选出前列消汤在ⅢA型前列腺炎治疗中发挥疗效的主要作用靶点，采用临床随机非盲法，将符合纳入标准的80例ⅢA型前列腺炎湿热下注证患者随机分为观察组和对照组各40例，观察组口服自拟前列消汤，对照组口服银花泌炎灵片。观察治疗前后两组的症状及证候评分情况、前列腺按摩液以及其IL17、Foxp3表达的差异。取40例正常男性前列腺液为正常对照。结果 网络药理学分析结果提示IL17信号通路为前列消汤治疗慢性前列腺炎的重要通路之一，临床试验结果提示经治疗后观察组有效率达89.19%，较对照组的73.68%为优（P < 0.05）。两组患者服药后的临床表现、前列腺按摩液WBC、症状及证候评分均存在明显改善。观察组和对照组IL-17水平较治疗前下降，Foxp3表达较治疗前升高（P < 0.05）。观察组对降低IL-17表达和提升Foxp3表达上较对照组差异更大（P < 0.05）。观察组治疗后与正常组IL-17和Foxp3水平比较差异较小（P > 0.05）。结论 网络药理学能一定程度上预测中药作用于疾病的相应靶点，前列消汤对ⅢA型前列腺炎湿热下注证患者的临床症状有明显改善作用，并能降低IL-17表达，对Foxp3表达有提升作用，在总有效率和对细胞因子的影响上较银花泌炎灵片组明显。     

黄蜀葵花治疗2型糖尿病肾病早期蛋白尿40例临床观察

目的:探讨黄蜀葵花干预2型糖尿病肾病(T2DKD)早期蛋白尿的临床疗效.方法:将80例T2DKD早期患者随机分为治疗组和对照组,每组各40例.对照组给予西医常规治疗,治疗组在对照组的基础上加用黄蜀葵花片治疗.2组疗程均为6个月.观察2组治疗前后血糖、血脂、肝肾功能、肾小球滤过率(eGFR)、尿白蛋白与尿肌酐比值(UACR)的变化.结果:治疗组脱落2例,对照组脱落1例.2组血压、血糖、血脂、肝肾功能、eGFR、合并用药情况治疗后组间比较,差异均无统计学意义(P＞0.05),而UACR及UACR下降程度治疗后组间比较,差异均有统计学意义(P＜0.05).结论:黄蜀葵花可明显减轻T2DKD早期患者尿蛋白水平,该疗效不依赖于血压和糖脂代谢的变化.