醛糖还原酶和晚期糖基化终末产物受体对糖尿病视网膜病变神经元凋亡的影响

目的　探究醛糖还原酶和晚期糖基化终末产物受体对糖尿病视网膜病变神经元凋亡的影响。方法　Wistar大鼠36只，随机分为对照组、模型组、转染组，后两组建立糖尿病大鼠模型。模型建立成功后，构建含有晚期糖基化终末产物受体siRNA的质粒并利用慢病毒转染入转染组大鼠体内。造模后4周、8周、12周，记录各组大鼠体质量及空腹血糖。造模后9周，禁食6 h，测定口服葡萄糖耐量。造模后12周，处死全部大鼠后，TUNEL法检测各组大鼠视网膜神经元凋亡情况，荧光分光光度计测定醛糖还原酶活性，Western blotting法测定晚期糖基化终末产物受体的表达，RT-PCR检测视网膜中Bcl-2和Bax mRNA相对表达量。结果　造模后4周、8周、12周，转染组和模型组的大鼠体质量均低于对照组（均为P<0.05）；造模后12周，转染组大鼠体质量高于模型组（P<0.05）。造模后4周、8周、12周，各组内大鼠空腹血糖水平均无明显变化（均为P>0.05），转染组和模型组大鼠的空腹血糖水平均高于对照组（均为P<0.05）。模型组和转染组大鼠在口服葡萄糖后30 min时，血糖水平均高于对照组（均为P<0.05）；在120 min时分别下降至最低，但仍高于对照组（均为P<0.05）。模型组和转染组的视网膜神经元凋亡指数、醛糖还原酶活性、晚期糖基化终末产物受体和Bax mRNA相对表达量均高于对照组（均为P<0.05），且转染组均高于模型组（均为P<0.05）。模型组和转染组的Bcl-2 mRNA相对表达量均低于对照组（均为P<0.05），转染组低于模型组（P<0.05）。结论　晚期糖基化终末产物结合受体后产生大量的氧自由基损伤，可能是导致糖尿病视网膜神经元凋亡，进而导致糖尿病视网膜病变发生的机制之一。     

Self-reported time-to-relapse following smoking cessation: Comparison by operationalization of initial abstinence classification

Aims: Relapse rates among cigarette smokers are high. Few studies have examined time-to-relapse using survival analysis in racially/ethnically diverse smokers and initial abstinence criteria have been inconsistent or unspecified. This study compared survival curves using two common definitions of initial abstinence. We hypothesized greater relapse rates among participants abstinent for only 24 hours (h) at the end-of-therapy (EOT) compared with 7 days. Methods: Adult smokers (59% Black, 22% Hispanic and 17% White) received 8-sessions of group cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) plus transdermal nicotine patches and were assessed monthly up to 12 months post-EOT. Participants reporting abstinence (7-day point prevalence abstinence [ppa] or 24-h ppa) at the EOT were included in Kaplan–Meier curves. Results: Of 301 participants, 120 (40%) reported 7-day ppa at the EOT and an additional 29 (10%) reported 24-h ppa only. Over the 12-month follow-up period, nearly 50% remained abstinent. Of those who resumed smoking, most relapses occurred within the first three months. Survival curves indicated that median survival was 207 and 225 days for 7-day and 24-h definitions of abstinence, respectively. The difference in time-to-relapse between participants abstinent for 24?h at the EOT versus 7-days was not significant (p?=?0.14). Conclusions: Operationalization of initial abstinence is important for relapse analyses and comparisons of survival curves across samples. Participants reported high rates of abstinence and relapse rates were relatively low. Contrary to expectations, 24-h ppa at the EOT was not associated with greater relapse than 7-day abstinence. This suggests either measure may be utilized in relapse prevention research in racially/ethnically diverse treatment-seekers.     

Safety of Combined Yttrium-90 Radioembolization and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Immunotherapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

PurposeTo investigate the safety of yttrium-90 radioembolization in combination with checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Materials and MethodsThis single-center retrospective study included 26 consecutive patients with HCC who received checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy within 90 days of radioembolization from April 2015 to May 2018. Patients had preserved liver function (Child-Pugh scores A–B7) and either advanced HCC due to macrovascular invasion or limited extrahepatic disease (21 patients) or aggressive intermediate stage HCC that resulted in earlier incorporation of systemic immunotherapy (5 patients). Clinical documentation, laboratory results, and imaging results at 1- and 3-month follow-up intervals were reviewed to assess treatment-related adverse events and treatment responses.ResultsThe median follow-up period after radioembolization was 7.8 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.6–11.8). There were no early (30-day) mortality or grades 3/4 hepatobiliary or immunotherapy-related toxicities. Delayed grades 3/4 hepatobiliary toxicities (1–3 months) occurred in 2 patients in the setting of HCC disease progression. One patient developed pneumonitis. The median overall survival from first immunotherapy was 17.2 months (95% CI, 10.9–23.4). The median overall survival from first radioembolization was 16.5 months (95% CI, 6.6–26.4). From first radioembolization, time to tumor progression was 5.7 months (95% CI, 4.2–7.2), and progression-free survival was 5.7 months (95% CI, 4.3–7.1).ConclusionsRadioembolization combined with checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy in cases of HCC appears to be safe and causes limited treatment-related toxicity. Future prospective studies are needed to identify the optimal combination treatment protocols and evaluate the efficacy of combination therapy.     

Transarterial Chemoembolization vs Radioembolization for Neuroendocrine Liver Metastases: A Multi-Institutional Analysis

1. Download : Download high-res image (207KB)
2. Download : Download full-size image

     

Sentinel lymph node biopsy for 102 patients with primary cutaneous melanoma at a single Japanese institute

Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is a widely accepted standard procedure for patients with clinically localized melanoma. Melanoma prevalence and Clark's subtype differ between Asians and Caucasians. Here, we evaluated our experience on SLNB for cutaneous melanoma in a Japanese population. SLNB was performed for patients with melanoma between July 2000 and June 2014. We retrospectively analyzed 102 patients regarding association of clinicopathological features with sentinel lymph node (SLN) status, melanoma‐specific survival (MSS) and disease‐free survival (DFS). A positive SLN was significantly associated with primary Breslow thickness. Compared with 43 patients with negative SLN, 59 patients with positive SLN had significantly shorter MSS (5‐year survival rate, 94.3% vs 63.2%; P = 0.0002) and DFS (5‐year survival rate, 92.7% vs 63.4%; P = 0.0004). According to our subgroup analyses, nine patients with positive non‐SLN had significantly shorter MSS compared with 32 patients with negative non‐SLN (5‐year survival rate, 32.4% vs 68.5%; P = 0.0273). The survival of 51 Japanese patients with acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM) was not inferior to the survival of patients with other Clark's subtype. Breslow thickness is an important factor for both MSS and DFS, and the status of SLN is the most predictive prognostic factor in Japanese patients with clinically localized melanomas, as in case of Caucasians. Features of ALM may be different between Asians and Caucasians.     

Postoperative development of sarcopenia is a strong predictor of a poor prognosis in patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction and upper gastric cancer

Background

There were few studies assessed the postoperative sarcopenia in patients with cancers. The objective of present study was to assess whether postoperative development of sarcopenia could predict a poor prognosis in patients with adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction, (AEG) and upper gastric cancer (UGC).

Proteases and their inhibitors as prognostic factors for high-grade serous ovarian cancer

Ovarian carcinoma is one of the most lethal malignancies, but only very few prognostic biomarkers are known. The degradome, comprising proteases, protease non-proteolytic homologues and inhibitors, have been involved in the prognosis of many cancer types, including ovarian carcinoma. The prognostic significance of the whole degradome family has not been specifically studied in high-grade serous ovarian cancer. A targeted DNA microarray known as the CLIP-CHIP microarray was used to identify potential prognostic factors in ten high-grade serous ovarian cancer women who had early recurrence (<1.6 years) or late/no recurrence after first line surgery and chemotherapy. In women with early recurrence, we identified seven upregulated genes (TMPRSS4, MASP1/3, SPC18, PSMB1, IGFBP2, CFI – encoding Complement Factor I – and MMP9) and one down-regulated gene (ADAM-10). Using immunohistochemistry, we evaluated the prognostic effect of these 8 candidate genes in an independent cohort of 112 high-grade serous ovarian cancer women. Outcomes were progression, defined according to CA-125 criteria, and death. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models were done to estimate the associations between each protein and each outcome. High ADAM-10 expression (intensity of 2–3) was associated with a lower risk of progression (adjusted hazard ratio (HR): 0.51; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.29-0.87). High complement factor I expression (intensity 2–3) was associated with a higher risk of progression (adjusted HR: 2.30, 95% CI: 1.17–4.53) and death (adjusted HR: 3.42; 95% CI: 1.72–6.79). Overall, we identified the prognostic value of two proteases, ADAM-10 and complement factor I, for high-grade serous ovarian cancer which could have clinical significance.