Early intervention in myelofibrosis and impact on outcomes: A pooled analysis of the COMFORT-I and COMFORT-II studies

Background

In a pooled analysis of the phase 3 Controlled Myelofibrosis Study With Oral JAK Inhibitor Treatment I (COMFORT-I) and COMFORT-II clinical trials, adult patients with intermediate-2 or high-risk myelofibrosis who received oral ruxolitinib at randomization or after crossover from placebo or best available therapy (BAT) had improved overall survival (OS).

Methods

This post hoc analysis of pooled COMFORT data examined relevant disease outcomes based on the disease duration (≤12 or >12 months from diagnosis) before ruxolitinib initiation.

Results

The analysis included 525 patients (ruxolitinib: ≤12 months, n = 84; >12 months, n = 216; placebo/BAT: ≤12 months, n = 66; >12 months, n = 159); the median age was 65.0–70.0 years. Fewer thrombocytopenia and anemia events were observed among patients who initiated ruxolitinib treatment earlier. At Weeks 24 and 48, the spleen volume response (SVR) was higher for patients who initiated ruxolitinib earlier (47.6% vs. 32.9% at Week 24, p = .0610; 44.0% vs. 26.9% at Week 48, p = .0149). In a multivariable analysis of factors associated with spleen volume reduction, a logistic regression model that controlled for confounding factors found that a significantly greater binary reduction was observed among patients with shorter versus longer disease duration (p = .022). At Week 240, OS was significantly improved among patients who initiated ruxolitinib earlier (63% [95% CI, 51%‒73%] vs. 57% [95% CI, 49%‒64%]; hazard ratio, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.01‒2.31; p = .0430). Regardless of disease duration, a longer OS was observed for patients who received ruxolitinib versus those who received placebo/BAT.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that earlier ruxolitinib initiation for adult patients with intermediate-2 and high-risk myelofibrosis may improve clinical outcomes, including fewer cytopenia events, durable SVR, and prolonged OS.

Plain Language Summary

• Patients with myelofibrosis, a bone marrow cancer, often do not live as long as the general population. These patients may also have an enlarged spleen and difficult symptoms such as fatigue.
• Two large clinical trials showed that patients treated with the drug ruxolitinib lived longer and had improved symptoms compared to those treated with placebo or other standard treatments.
• Here it was examined whether starting treatment with ruxolitinib earlier (i.e., within a year of diagnosis) provided benefits versus delaying treatment.
• Patients who received ruxolitinib within a year of diagnosis lived longer and experienced fewer disease symptoms than those whose treatment was delayed.

     

Magnesium lithospermate B acts against dextran sodiumsulfate-induced ulcerative colitis by inhibiting activation of the NRLP3/ASC/Caspase-1 pathway

This study aimed to observe the therapeutic effects of magnesium lithospermate B on acute and chronic colitis induced by dextran sodiumsulfate (DSS) and the role of inflammasome complex (NOD-like receptor protein, NLRP; apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing, ASC; caspase-1). Establishment of acute and chronic colitis models were by using 5% DSS oral administration in BALB/C male mice. Magnesium lithospermate B (240 mg/kg body weight) was given by subcutaneous injection. Samples were collected for biomarker assay, histological examination, immunohistochemical evaluation and western blot. There was obvious increase in TNF-α level and NLPR3, ASC, and caspase-1 expressions in acute and chronic colitis groups compared with the normal control. Significant decrease of the tumor necrosis factor-α level and the expressions of NLPR3, ASC, and caspase-1 were observed after treatment with magnesium lithospermate B. This study showed that magnesium lithospermate B could be used to treat acute and chronic colitis by inhibiting the activation of the NLRP3/ASC/Caspase-1 pathway.     

IFI 30、PD-L1在人脑胶质瘤中的表达及与病人预后的关系

目的 探讨γ干扰素诱导蛋白30（IFI 30）、程序性死亡因子配体1（PD-L1）在人脑胶质瘤中的表达及与病人预后的关系。方法 选择2015年5月~2019年5月手术切除的103例人脑胶质瘤组织和瘤旁组织，采用免疫组织化学染色检测IFI 30、PD-L1表达情况。随访24个月，记录无进展生存期和总生存期。结果 胶质瘤组织IFI 30、PD-L1高表达率[分别为70.87%（73/103）、68.93%（71/103）]明显高于瘤旁组织[分别为19.42%（20/103）、21.36%（22/103）；P<0.001]。胶质瘤组织IFI 30表达水平与PD-L1表达水平呈明显正相关（r=0.583，P<0.05）。随访24个月，生存75例，死亡28例；多因素logistic回归分析显示，IFI 30高表达、PD-L1高表达是增加病人死亡风险的独立危险因素（P<0.05）。生存曲线分析显示，IFI 30高表达组2年累积生存率（64.52%）和2年累积无进展生存率（65.56%）均明显低于低表达组（分别为82.25%、89.45%；P<0.05）。PD-L1高表达组2年累积生存率（61.78%）和2年累积无进展生存率（60.14%）均明显低于低表达组（分别为88.52%、79.86%；P<0.05）。结论 人脑胶质瘤组织IFI 30、PD-L1呈高表达，与病人不良预后密切相关。     

富亮氨酸胶质瘤失活1蛋白抗体阳性边缘性脑炎 临床分析及文献复习

目的：总结富亮氨酸胶质瘤失活1蛋白（LGI1）抗体阳性边缘性脑炎的临床和影像特点及诊疗预后。 方法：报道我院1例LGI1抗体阳性相关边缘性脑炎并文献复习。结果：患者女性，60岁，表现为渐进性加重 的记忆力减退、癫痫发作（全身强直阵挛发作，面-臂肌张力障碍发作）、低钠血症和轻度精神行为异常。颅 脑MRI-T2/Flair序列提示双侧颞叶（左侧为甚）内侧、海马异常高信号。脑脊液抗LGI1抗体阳性（++）。经激 素治疗症状有所改善。检索既往报道LGI1抗体阳性边缘性脑炎患者237例，多数呈急性、亚急性起病，最 常见是记忆障碍、癫痫（含面-臂肌张力障碍发作）和低钠血症，头颅MRI（特别是MRI-T2/Flair序列）显示单 侧或者双侧海马区、颞叶异常多见，早期免疫治疗预后良好。结论：LGI1抗体阳性相关边缘性脑炎有其特 有的临床特点，免疫治疗可明显改善患者预后。     

热疗对肿瘤免疫微环境中免疫细胞及免疫相关细胞因子的影响

随着对肿瘤热疗和肿瘤免疫微环境(TIME)的深入研究,近年来热疗对TIME的作用越来越受到学者们的重视。本文就目前国内外研究进展,对热疗与TIME中几类主要免疫细胞和免疫相关细胞因子的影响及作用机制作一综述。全面而透彻的了解热疗对TIME的调控作用,有助于为肿瘤治疗提供新的思路和方法。     

Is dose modification or discontinuation of nilotinib necessary in nilotinib-induced hyperbilirubinemia?

Nilotinib is a specific breakpoint cluster region-Abelson leukemia virus-tyrosine kinase inhibitor that is used as an effective first- or second-line treatment in imatinib-resistant chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) patients. Hepatotoxicity due to nilotinib is a commonly reported side effect; however, abnormal liver function test (LFT) results have been reported in asymptomatic cases. When alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels are more than five-fold the upper limit of the normal (ULN) or when the serum total bilirubin level is more than three-fold the ULN, dose modification or discontinuation of nilotinib is recommended, resulting in decreased levels of hematological indicators in certain patients with CML. Nilotinib-induced hyperbilirubinemia typically manifests as indirect bilirubinemia without elevated ALT or AST levels. Such abnormal liver functioning is thus not attributed to the presence of a true histologic lesion of the liver. The underlying mechanism may be related to the inhibition of uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase activity. Therefore, nilotinib dose adjustment is not recommended for this type of hyperbilirubinemia, and in the absence of elevated liver enzyme levels or presence of abnormal LFT findings, physicians should consider maintaining nilotinib dose intensity without modifications.     

灯盏乙素介入IP3R-Ca2+途径抑制β淀粉样蛋白诱导的神经细胞凋亡

目的：观察灯盏乙素（Scu）对β淀粉样蛋白（Aβ）诱导的细胞模型中1，4，5-三磷酸肌醇受体（IP₃R）-Ca²⁺途径的影响，探讨其在阿尔茨海默病（AD）病程中可能发挥的积极作用。方法：选用神经母细胞瘤细胞分为对照组、Scu处理组、Aβ处理组、Aβ+Scu （高、中、低）处理组及Aβ+IP₃R拮抗剂组，用CCK-8法筛选药物浓度并检测各组细胞生存率；用酶联免疫吸附法检测各组细胞中1，4，5-三磷酸肌醇（IP₃）的含量；用蛋白印迹和实时荧光定量聚合酶链反应方法检测各组细胞IP₃R和凋亡相关因子Caspase-3、Bcl-2、Bax的蛋白及mRNA的表达水平；用激光共聚焦显微镜观察各组细胞内Ca²⁺浓度的变化；用AnnexinV/PI双染法测定各组细胞的凋亡率。结果：与对照组和Scu处理组相比，Aβ处理组细胞存活率下降，IP₃含量升高，IP₃R、Bax和Caspase-3的蛋白及mRNA表达上调，Bcl-2蛋白及mRNA的表达下调，细胞胞浆内Ca²⁺浓度及细胞凋亡率升高；Aβ+Scu处理组细胞中各检测指标的变化与Aβ处理组的结果正好相反，IP₃R通道下游指标的变化与Aβ+IP₃R拮抗剂组基本一致。结论：Scu能够下调通路蛋白IP₃、IP₃R的表达，抑制Aβ介导的Ca²⁺内流所致的细胞凋亡，可能通过对IP₃R-Ca²⁺途径的调控来影响AD病程。     

The relationships among monocyte subsets,miRNAs and inflammatory cytokines in patients with acute myocardial infarction

Background

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) causes irreversible myocardial damage and release of inflammatory mediators, including cytokines, chemokines and miRNAs. We aimed to investigate changes in the levels of cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α and IL-10), miRNAs profiles (miR-146 and miR-155) and distribution of different monocyte subsets (CD14++CD16-, CD14++CD16+, CD14+CD16++) in the acute and post-healing phases of AMI.