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.     

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.     

Recent advances with cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors: therapeutic agents for breast cancer and their role in immuno-oncology

Introduction: Collaborative interactions between several diverse biological processes govern the onset and progression of breast cancer. These processes include alterations in cellular metabolism, anti-tumor immune responses, DNA damage repair, proliferation, anti-apoptotic signals, autophagy, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, components of the non-coding genome or onco-mIRs, cancer stem cells and cellular invasiveness. The last two decades have revealed that each of these processes are also directly regulated by a component of the cell cycle apparatus, cyclin D1.

Area covered: The current review is provided to update recent developments in the clinical application of cyclin/CDK inhibitors to breast cancer with a focus on the anti-tumor immune response.

Expert opinion: The cyclin D1 gene encodes the regulatory subunit of a proline-directed serine-threonine kinase that phosphorylates several substrates. CDKs possess phosphorylation site selectivity, with the phosphate-acceptor residue preceding a proline. Several important proteins are substrates including all three retinoblastoma proteins, NRF1, GCN5, and FOXM1. Over 280 cyclin D3/CDK6 substrates have b\een identified. Given the diversity of substrates for cyclin/CDKs, and the altered thresholds for substrate phosphorylation that occurs during the cell cycle, it is exciting that small molecular inhibitors targeting cyclin D/CDK activity have encouraging results in specific tumors.     

冰微粒致孔制备聚羟基丁酸酯(PHB)多孔支架

目的以冰粒子为致孔剂,用粒子滤出—冷冻干燥复合工艺制备PHB多孔支架。方法本实验以氯仿为溶剂,将PHB溶液浇入预先排列好的冰微粒空隙中,采用真空渗流方法制备冰微料-PHB复合体,液氮冷却成型后,用粒子滤出—冷冻干燥复合工艺制备多孔支架。通过扫描电镜(SEM)观测,研究该制备工艺对支架形貌的影响。结果制备的块状三维多孔支架孔径可调、孔隙结构良好、孔隙连通度高。结论本文工艺所制备的多孔支架无致孔剂残留,孔隙率高,孔隙连通度高,制备过程不会损害材料的生物相容性,可安全地用于组织工程可降解聚合物多孔支架的制备。     

还原型谷胱甘肽联合甘草酸二铵对腹部开放伤后海水浸泡犬肝功能损伤的治疗作用

Objective To investigate effect of reduced glutathione and diammonium glycyrrhizinate on the treatment of hepatic damage in experimental dogs following open abdominal injuries coupled with seawater immersion. Methods Twenty-four dogs with open abdominal injuries were randomly divided into 3 groups: the control group (given with simple observation after 1.5 h seawater immersion); the routine treatment group (given routine care and fluid transfusion after 1.5 h seawater immersion) ; the hepatic treatment group (given routine are, fluid transfusion and hepatic treatment as well, after 1.5 h seawater immersion). Each group consisted of 8 dogs. Blood samples were taken at different time points to measure total bilirubin (TB), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), prothromin time (PT), endotoxin, tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and pathological examination was also made at the same time. Results For the control group, contents of TB, ALT, AST and LDH increased significantly and survival time was less than 24 hours. Contents of TB, ALT, AST and LDH of the routine treatment group also increased significantly, but survival time of all the experimental animals was mere than 24 hours. Reduced glutathione and diammonium glycyrrhizinate could reduce the extent of lesion quite significantly 12～24 hours following open abdominal injuries. Conclusions Reduced glutathione and diammonium glycyrrhizinate seemed to have good effects on the treatment and prevention against hepatic damage induced by trauma coupled with seawater immersion. It could be used as a primary means for the treatment of such kind of hepatic damage.     

膀胱移行细胞癌P16、P15、P14基因5＇CpG岛甲基化检测

目的 探讨P16、P15、P14基因5＇CpG岛在膀胱移行细胞癌中甲基化状态及其临床意义。方法 应用甲基化特异性PCR（methylation—specific PCR，MSP）方法检测40例膀胱移行细胞癌P16、P15、P14基因甲基化程度，χ^2检验分析其甲基化程度与膀胱癌病理分级分期间关系。结果 膀胱移行细胞癌P16、P15、P14 5＇CpG岛甲基化扩增阳性化率分别为27．5％、17．5％、35％，而正常膀胱组织中均未检测到三种基因5＇CpG岛甲基化。P16、P14基因甲基化与膀胱癌病理分级分期有显著性差异（P〈0．05），P15基因则没有显著性差异（P〉0．05）。结论 P16、P15、P14基因在膀胱癌组织中的甲基化率较高，三种抑癌基因5＇CpG岛异常高甲基化，在膀胱癌的发生、发展中具有重要作用。     

28例颈内动脉系统急性脑梗塞动脉溶栓治疗

目的分析颈内动脉系统急性脑梗塞动脉溶栓治疗的有效性和安全性。方法对28例颈内动脉急性脑梗塞的患者进行了动脉溶栓治疗．通过造影显示血管再通情况。术后即刻和24h后分别行头颅CT扫描以了解有无颅内出血（ICH）。术后第90天采用Barthel指数（BI）对患者生活状态进行评估。结果28例患者经动脉溶栓治疗，堵塞血管再通18例，部分再通6例，未通4例；症状性颅内出血8例，死亡5例。术后第90天，生活状态优者14例，良者8例，差或者死亡6例。再通患者生活状态明显优于部分再通及未通患者。结论动脉溶栓具有较高的症状性颅内出血率及死亡率。再通患者生活状态较好。