A DNA vaccine expressing an optimized secreted FAPα induces enhanced anti-tumor activity by altering the tumor microenvironment in a murine model of breast cancer

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), major components of the tumor microenvironment (TME), promote tumor growth and metastasis and inhibit the anti-tumor immune response. We previously constructed a DNA vaccine expressing human FAPα, which is highly expressed by CAFs, to target these cells in the TME, and observed limited anti-tumor effects in the 4T1 breast cancer model. When the treatment time was delayed until tumor nodes formed, the anti-tumor effect of the vaccine completely disappeared. In this study, to improve the safety and efficacy, we constructed a new FAPα-targeted vaccine containing only the extracellular domain of human FAPα with a tissue plasminogen activator signal sequence for enhanced antigen secretion and immunogenicity. The number of CAFs was more effectively reduced by CD8⁺ T cells induced by the new vaccine. This resulted in decreases in CCL2 and CXCL12 expression, leading to a significant decrease in the ratio of myeloid-derived suppressor cells in the TME. Moreover, when mice were treated after the establishment of tumors, the vaccine could still delay tumor growth. To facilitate the future application of the vaccine in clinical trials, we further optimized the gene codons and reduced the homology between the vaccine and the original sequence, which may be convenient for evaluating the vaccine distribution in the human body. These results indicated that the new FAPα-targeted vaccine expressing an optimized secreted human FAPα induced enhanced anti-tumor activity by reducing the number of FAPα⁺ CAFs and enhancing the recruitment of effector T cells in the 4T1 tumor model mice.     

Instrument-based Tests for Measuring Anterior Chamber Cells in Uveitis: A Systematic Review

ABSTRACT

Purpose

New instrument-based techniques for anterior chamber (AC) cell counting can offer automation and objectivity above clinician assessment. This review aims to identify such instruments and its correlation with clinician estimates.     

Mortality,length of stay and costs associated with acute graft-versus-host disease during hospitalization for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Objective: Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) is a common and life-threatening complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). The extent to which aGVHD increases inpatient costs associated with allo-HSCT has not been thoroughly evaluated. In this analysis, mortality, hospital length of stay (LOS) and costs associated with aGVHD during allo-HSCT admissions are evaluated.

Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of discharge records from the National Inpatient Sample database for patients receiving allo-HSCT between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2013. Allo-HSCT discharges with an aGVHD diagnosis were included in the aGVHD group and those without any graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) diagnosis comprised the non-GVHD group. Mortality, LOS and costs were compared between the two groups, as well as within subgroups, including age (<18 vs. ≥18 years) and survival status (alive vs. deceased) at discharge.

Results: Overall, mortality (16.2% vs. 5.3%; p?<?.01), median hospital LOS (42.0 vs. 26.0 days; p?<?.01) and median total costs ($173,144 vs. $98,982; p?<?.01) were significantly increased in patients with aGVHD versus those without GVHD during hospitalizations for allo-HSCT, irrespective of age group. Patients with aGVHD who were <18 years of age had a lower mortality rate but greater hospital LOS and total costs versus patients aged ≥18 years. Patients who died during allo-HSCT hospitalization had longer LOS and incurred greater costs than those who survived in both the aGVHD and non-GVHD groups.

Conclusion: Occurrence of aGVHD during allo-HSCT admissions resulted in a tripling of the mortality rate and a near doubling of hospital LOS and total costs. In addition, death during allo-HSCT hospitalizations was associated with greater healthcare utilization and costs. Effectively mitigating aGVHD may improve survival and substantially reduce hospital LOS and costs for allo-HSCT.     

Psoriasis confined strictly to vitiligo areas – a Koebner‐like phenomenon?

Vitiligo and psoriasis are both common skin disorders. However, psoriasis strictly confined to pre-existing vitiligo areas is rare and suggests a causal relationship. We report here on two patients with a strict anatomical colocalization of vitiligo and psoriasis. The histopathological examinations showed typical changes for both diseases together with a dense infiltrate of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. By immunohistochemistry, intracytoplasmatic granzyme B and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) were detected within the T-cell population, suggesting the functional activity of these cells and the creation of a local T helper 1 (Th1)-cytokine milieu. Additionally, in one patient we could identify anti-melanocytic T cells by tetramer staining and enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) analysis. These skin-infiltrating lymphocytes might trigger, by the local production of Th-1 cytokines such as TNF-alpha and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), the eruption of psoriatic plaques in patients with a genetic predisposition for psoriasis.     

不同区域晶状体上皮细胞基因表达差异分析

【目的】比较不同区域猪晶状体上皮细胞的基因表达在转录组水平上的差异。【方法】解剖显微镜下分离晶状体前囊膜，将附着于其上的上皮细胞分为中央（直径为10．56mm）和周边两部分。分别提取两个样本的总RNAs并经PCR扩增，以Cy3和Cy5分别标记扩增的中央与周边部分的cDNA。与含7548个基因的表达谱芯片杂交，经图像分析，生物信息学处理获得基因表达在转录水平差异的相关信息。【结果】中央与周边区域的猪晶状体上皮细胞在转录组水平共鉴定出952个有效表达的基因点，其中差异表达基因261个．以中央区域为参照，周边上皮细胞mRNA上调137个，下调124个。差异表达基因主要涉及的功能有：细胞周期与凋亡、细胞骨架蛋白及细胞外基质、转录、细胞信号分子等。【结论】中央与周边区域猪晶状体上皮细胞基因表达在转录组水平上差异明显。这类差异呈明显的功能聚类。     

Particulate endocytosis mediates biological responses of human mesenchymal stem cells to titanium wear debris.

Continual loading and articulation cycles undergone by metallic (e.g., titanium) alloy arthroplasty prostheses lead to liberation of a large number of metallic debris particulates, which have long been implicated as a primary cause of periprosthetic osteolysis and postarthroplasty aseptic implant loosening. Long-term stability of total joint replacement prostheses relies on proper integration between implant biomaterial and osseous tissue, and factors that interfere with this integration are likely to cause osteolysis. Because multipotent mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) located adjacent to the implant have an osteoprogenitor function and are critical contributors to osseous tissue integrity, when their functions or activities are compromised, osteolysis will most likely occur. To date, it is not certain or sufficiently confirmed whether MSCs endocytose titanium particles, and if so, whether particulate endocytosis has any effect on cellular responses to wear debris. This study seeks to clarify the phenomenon of titanium endocytosis by human MSCs (hMSCs), and investigates the influence of endocytosis on their activities. hMSCs incubated with commercially pure titanium particles exhibited internalized particles, as observed by scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy, with time-dependent reduction in the number of extracellular particles. Particulate endocytosis was associated with reduced rates of cellular proliferation and cell-substrate adhesion, suppressed osteogenic differentiation, and increased rate of apoptosis. These cellular effects of exposure to titanium particles were reduced when endocytosis was inhibited by treatment with cytochalasin D, and no significant effect was seen when hMSCs were treated only with conditioned medium obtained from particulate-treated cells. These findings strongly suggest that the biological responses of hMSCs to wear debris are triggered primarily by the direct endocytosis of titanium particulates, and not mediated by secreted soluble factors. In this manner, therapeutical approaches that suppress particle endocytosis could reduce the bioreactivity of hMSCs to particulates, and enhance long-term orthopedic implant prognosis by minimizing wear-debris periprosthethic osteolysis.     

直肠癌切除前后腹腔冲洗液脱落细胞学对比研究

目的研究直肠癌术中腹腔多次冲洗，对于降低患者腹腔内脱落癌细胞阳性率的临床意义。方法对63例直肠癌患者术中腹腔冲洗分6次进行，肿瘤切除前3次，切除后3次；将6次腹腔冲洗液行常规病理学涂片细胞学检查结果进行对比。结果肿瘤切除前，全组患者腹腔冲洗液脱落癌细胞均呈阳性表达。肿瘤切除后第1次腹腔冲洗液脱落癌细胞阳性40例，第2次阳性33例，第3次阳性13例。肿瘤切除后第1次冲洗液的脱落癌细胞阳性结果与切除后第2次冲洗液阳性结果比较，P〉0.05，差异无统计学意义；但第3次冲洗液的脱落癌细胞阳性结果与第2次比较，P〈0.01，差异有统计学意义。结论对直肠癌患者进行术中多次腹腔冲洗可降低腹腔内脱落癌细胞的阳性率。     

巯基化合物对内毒素诱导大鼠枯否细胞NF—kB活性和肿瘤坏死因子释放的影响

目的 观察巯基化合物对内毒素诱导大鼠枯否细胞（KC）NF-kB活性和肿瘤坏死因子-a（TNF-a）释放的影响。方法采用胶原酶灌注和percoll密度梯度离心法分离得到高纯度大鼠KC，在过夜培养后冲洗两遍（不含血清），加入内毒素（LPS）10ng／ml刺激原代培养的KC，观察不同浓度谷胱甘肽乙基酯（GSHEE）及N-乙酰半胱氨酸（NAC）对大鼠KCTNF-a释放和KC内谷胱甘肽（GSH）及NF-kB活性的影响。并观察使用谷胱甘肽合成抑制剂BSO后，对NAC抑制炎症因子的影响，采用凝胶滞留电泳法测NF-kB活性，采用高效液相色谱分析法测GSH水平。结果 LPS诱导KC中GSH水平无变化；GSHEE和NAC可提高KC中GSH水平（P〈0．05），降低NF-kB活性和TNF-a释放（P〈0．05）。NAC与BSO合用时KC中GSH水平无变化，TNF-a释放降低（P〈0．05）。结论 NAC通过抑制KC中NF-kB的激活和TNF-a的释放调节KC功能，但这种抑制作用并非通过增加GSH介导。     

Endometrial cancer patients have a significant risk of harboring isolated tumor cells in histologically negative lymph nodes

In this study, we examine the prevalence of finding isolated tumor cells (ITCs) in negative lymph nodes of endometrial cancer patients using immunohistochemistry. Seventy-six endometrial cancer patients with lymph nodes histologically negative for metastatic disease were examined. Nodal tissue sections were stained with anticytokeratin antibodies AE-1 and CAM 5.2. Nodes with single or groups of cells (two to four cells) < or =0.2 mm and showing cytokeratin reactivity were positive for ITCs. Findings were compared to features of the primary tumor and patient outcome. ITCs were present in 31 of 1712 lymph nodes. Fifteen (19.7%) patients had ITC-positive nodes. ITCs involved only pelvic nodes in nine cases, only para-aortic nodes in five cases, and pelvic and para-aortic in one case. Tumor in adnexa was the only pathologic feature associated with nodal ITCs (P= 0.0485). All 15 patients with nodal ITCs were alive at follow-up. One (6.7%) patient suffered recurrent disease but was alive at last encounter. Disease recurred in 5 (8.8%) of 57 patients without nodal ITCs. Two are alive without disease, two alive with disease, and one died from her cancer. In summary, a significant proportion of endometrial cancer patients have ITCs detected by immunohistochemistry in histologically negative regional lymph nodes.