Epigenetically silenced PD-L1 confers drug resistance to anti-PD1 therapy in gastric cardia adenocarcinoma

ObjectivesThe anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy has been demonstrated safe and effective for cancer patients. However, our previous data showed that it had no obvious effects on gastric cardia adenocarcinoma (GCA). Thus, we investigated how the expression level of the PD-L1 was affected by the anti-PD-1 therapy, because it has been demonstrated that the PD-L1 level affects the therapeutic efficient of the anti-PD-1 therapy.Materials and methodsThe mRNA and protein levels of PD-L1 in the GCA tissues and corresponding normal tissues were determined by qPCR and ELISA. Promoter methylation was analyzed by bisulfite sequencing. Finally the methylation of PD-L1 promoter was confirmed in the mice.ResultsThe level of PD-L1 was up-regulated in the GCA tissues when compared to the adjacent non-tumor tissues. The anti-PD1 therapy could reduce the PD-L1 levels in patients with cancer recurrence. The promoter of PD-L1 was more hypermethylated in the secondary GCA after the anti-PD-1 therapy when compared with the adjacent non-tumor tissues or the primary GCA without the anti-PD-1 therapy. Furthermore, the promoter methylation of PD-L1 could be induced by the anti-PD-1 therapy in the mice model. Finally, the anti-PD-1 plus DNA hypomethylating agent azacytidine could significantly suppressed the tumor growth better than the anti-PD-1 therapy.ConclusionsHere we demonstrated that the unresponsiveness of GCA to the anti-PD-1 therapy might result from the promoter methylation and down-regulation of PD-L1. The anti-PD-1 plus azacytidine might be a more promising approach to treat GCA.     

PTPN6通过抑制SP1/p38 MAPK信号通路促进前列腺癌细胞的化疗敏感性

目的:研究PTPN6对前列腺癌细胞PC3的作用及其作用机制。方法:RT-PCR和Western blot实验检测前列腺癌组织和细胞以及癌旁组织和人前列腺上皮细胞中PTPN6的表达量；CCK-8和EDU染色实验检测PTPN6对前列腺癌细胞PC3增殖的影响；Western blot实验检测耐药相关蛋白P-gp和MRP-1的蛋白表达水平。结果:RT-PCR和Western blot结果显示，PTPN6在前列腺癌组织和细胞中的表达量显著低于癌旁组织和人前列腺上皮细胞中的表达量；过表达PTPN6显著抑制前列腺癌PC3细胞的增殖，并降低PC3细胞的耐药性；进一步的研究结果表明PTPN6可通过抑制SP1，并抑制p38 MAPK通路抑制PC3细胞的增殖和耐药。结论:PTPN6能够抑制前列腺癌细胞PC3的增殖和耐药，提高其化疗敏感性，作用机制是通过调控SP1/p38 MAPK信号通路来实现的，这一结果能够为临床上前列腺癌的诊断和治疗提供分子基础。     

Analgesic effects and hemodynamic mechanisms of perpendicular and transverse needling at Sanyinjiao (SP 6) in patients with primary dysmenorrhea: A randomized controlled trial

ObjectiveTo explore the analgesic effects and uterine hemodynamics of perpendicular needling (PN) and transverse needling (TN) at SP 6 in patients with primary dysmenorrhea (PD).MethodsIn this randomized controlled trial, patients with PD diagnosed with cold-dampness congealing pattern were randomly assigned in a ratio of 1:1 to receive PN or TN at bilateral SP 6 for 10 min. Acupuncture was performed when the menstrual pain score was over 40 mm on the first day of menstruation, as measured using the visual analog scale for pain (VAS-P). The primary outcome was average menstrual pain (VAS-P). Secondary outcomes included the pulsatility index (PI), resistance index (RI), and systolic-diastolic peaks ratio (S/D) in uterine arteries as measured using color Doppler ultrasonography; anxiety as assessed using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA), blood pressure (BP), and heart rate (HR).ResultsForty-eight patients completed the study. The TN group exhibited a significant reduction in VAS-P scores (–5.71 mm, 95% confidence interval (CI): –8.78, –2.63, P = .001), RI values (–0.05, 95% CI: –0.09, –0.01, P = .015), and HAMA values (–2.50, 95% CI: –4.78, –0.22, P = .032) when compared with the PN group. No significant differences in PI, S/D, BP, or HR values were observed between the two groups (P > .05).ConclusionTN at SP 6 was superior to PN in alleviating menstrual pain and anxiety in patients with PD. This analgesic effect of TN may be due to its better ability to improve uterine arterial blood flow via decreases in RI values.     

HBeAg阳性慢性乙型肝炎患者HBV前C/BCP突变/准种与HBeAg和HBV DNA的关系

目的探讨HBeAg阳性慢性乙型肝炎（eP-CHB）HBV前C/BCP突变/准种及其与HBeAg、HBV DNA水平的关系。 方法采用断面研究对2016年1月至2018年12月就诊于首都医科大学附属北京佑安医院的220例eP-CHB患者进行前C/BCP突变检测，其中24例患者进行前C/BCP区扩增、克隆，同步检测血清HBeAg和HBV DNA水平，分析前C/BCP突变/准种的发生情况及其与HBeAg和HBV DNA水平的关系。 结果220例eP-CHB患者中，HBV前C/BCP总突变率为70.0%（154/220），前C/BCP共同突变率为18.2%（40/220），前C突变率为30.9%（68/220），BCP突变率为57.3%（126/220）。HBV DNA≥ 5 lgIU/ml患者上述4种突变检出率均高于HBV DNA< 5 lgIU/ml者，其中前C/BCP总突变和BCP突变患者差异有统计学意义（χ² = 5.809、P = 0.016，χ² = 5.081、P = 0.024）。HBeAg水平越低（< 500 COI、500～1 000 COI和> 1 000 COI共3组患者比较），以上4种突变检出率越高，差异有统计学意义（χ² = 31.738、17.291、16.263、22.164，P均< 0.001）。HBV DNA≥ 5 lgIU/ml患者中，HBeAg水平越低，以上4种突变检出率越高，差异亦均有统计学意义（χ² = 40.503、19.654、16.727、29.119，P < 0.001）。准种检测中，前C区高突变组患者HBeAg水平低于低突变组，差异有统计学意义（t = 2.230、P = 0.017），前C、BCP高突变组与低突变组间HBV DNA水平差异无统计学意义（t = 0.624、P = 0.462，t = 0.893、P = 0.317）。 结论eP-CHB患者中仍存在广泛的前C/BCP突变。高HBV DNA、低HBeAg表达者，前C和BCP突变的发生率较高；前C区突变株在准种中比率高者更影响HBeAg的表达。推测前C/BCP突变可能是eP-CHB出现低HBeAg、高HBV DNA，并导致抗病毒治疗停药后易复发的原因。