Transient Exposure of Pulmonary Surfactant to Hyaluronan Promotes Structural and Compositional Transformations into a Highly Active State

Pulmonary surfactant is a lipid-protein complex that lowers surface tension at the respiratory air-liquid interface, stabilizing the lungs against physical forces tending to collapse alveoli. Dysfunction of surfactant is associated with respiratory pathologies such as acute respiratory distress syndrome or meconium aspiration syndrome where naturally occurring surfactant-inhibitory agents such as serum, meconium, or cholesterol reach the lung. We analyzed the effect of hyaluronan (HA) on the structure and surface behavior of pulmonary surfactant to understand the mechanism for HA-promoted surfactant protection in the presence of inhibitory agents. In particular, we found that HA affects structural properties such as the aggregation state of surfactant membranes and the size, distribution, and order/packing of phase-segregated lipid domains. These effects do not require a direct interaction between surfactant complexes and HA and are accompanied by a compositional reorganization of large surfactant complexes that become enriched with saturated phospholipid species. HA-exposed surfactant reaches very high efficiency in terms of rapid and spontaneous adsorption of surfactant phospholipids at the air-liquid interface and shows significantly improved resistance to inactivation by serum or cholesterol. We propose that physical effects pertaining to the formation of a meshwork of interpenetrating HA polymer chains are responsible for the changes in surfactant structure and composition that enhance surfactant function and, thus, resistance to inactivation. The higher resistance of HA-exposed surfactant to inactivation persists even after removal of the polymer, suggesting that transient exposure of surfactant to polymers like HA could be a promising strategy for the production of more efficient therapeutic surfactant preparations.     

x线断层容积成像技术在肺动脉畸形中的应用

目的：通过与常规x线胸片比较,探讨胸部x线断层容积成像技术在肺动脉畸形中的应用价值。方法：对20例临床及x线平片怀疑肺动脉畸形者,进一步进行胸部x线断层容积成像检查。其中11例被明确诊断为肺动脉畸形。以CT或超声心动结果为标准,对比两种图像对肺动脉畸形的明确诊断率,分析对比该11例患者的胸部x线断层容积成像图片和普通x线胸片,评价两种方法所获得的图像质量和图片优秀率。结果：20例疑似患者中,11例被CT或超声心动确诊为肺动脉畸形,其x线断层容积成像图片和普通x线胸片经主管技师和副主任医师双盲判读,x线断层容积成像11例均获明确诊断（100％）,普通x线胸片明确诊断2例（18％）,诊断准确率有明显差异（P=0．O001）。容积断层成像优质图像为10例,占总数的90．91％;良好1例,差为0例。11例x片中优秀7例,占总数的63．63％,其中良好3例,差1例。两种图像优秀率比较差异有统计学意义（P=0．0001）。结论：x线断层容积成像技术对肺动脉畸形的图像优秀率和诊断准确率均高于x线平片,对病变的显示更加清晰、立体,提高诊断准确率和客观性,具有重要的临床诊断价值。     

Could pericytic mimicry represent another type of melanoma cell plasticity with embryonic properties?

We hypothesize that the interaction between angiotropic melanoma cells and the abluminal vascular surface can induce or sustain embryonic and/or stem cell migratory properties in these tumor cells. As a result, such angiotropic melanoma cells may migrate along the abluminal vascular surface, demonstrating pericytic mimicry. Through these cellular interactions, melanoma cells may migrate toward secondary sites.     

Emerging molecular targets in melanoma invasion and metastasis

Metastatic cutaneous melanoma accounts for the majority of skin cancer deaths due to its aggressiveness and high resistance to current therapies. To efficiently metastasize, invasive melanoma cells need to change their cytoskeletal organization and alter contacts with the extracellular matrix and the surrounding stromal cells. Melanoma cells can use different migratory strategies depending on varying environments to exit the primary tumour mass and invade surrounding and later distant tissues. In this review, we have focused on tumour cell plasticity or the interconvertibility that melanoma cells have as one of the factors that contribute to melanoma metastasis. This has been an area of very intense research in the last 5 yr yielding a vast number of findings. We have therefore reviewed all the possible clinical opportunities that this new knowledge offers to both stratify and treat cutaneous malignant melanoma patients.     

RAB25 expression is epigenetically downregulated in oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma with lymph node metastasis

Oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OOSCC) have a low survival rate, mainly due to metastasis to the regional lymph nodes. For optimal treatment of these metastases, a neck dissection is required; however, inaccurate detection methods results in under- and over-treatment. New DNA prognostic methylation biomarkers might improve lymph node metastases detection. To identify epigenetically regulated genes associated with lymph node metastases, genome-wide methylation analysis was performed on 6 OOSCC with (pN+) and 6 OOSCC without (pN0) lymph node metastases and combined with a gene expression signature predictive for pN+ status in OOSCC. Selected genes were validated using an independent OOSCC cohort by immunohistochemistry and pyrosequencing, and on data retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas. A two-step statistical selection of differentially methylated sequences revealed 14 genes with increased methylation status and mRNA downregulation in pN+ OOSCC. RAB25, a known tumor suppressor gene, was the highest-ranking gene in the discovery set. In the validation sets, both RAB25 mRNA (P = 0.015) and protein levels (P = 0.012) were lower in pN+ OOSCC. RAB25 mRNA levels were negatively correlated with RAB25 methylation levels (P < 0.001) but RAB25 protein expression was not. Our data revealed that promoter methylation is a mechanism resulting in downregulation of RAB25 expression in pN+ OOSCC and decreased expression is associated with lymph node metastasis. Detection of RAB25 methylation might contribute to lymph node metastasis diagnosis and serve as a potential new therapeutic target in OOSCC.     

淋巴结转移阴性的胃癌患者临床病理特征及生存探讨

目的:探讨淋巴结转移阴性胃癌患者的临床病理特征以及预后影响因素。方法:收集2000年1月至2009年1月我院收治的胃癌患者325例,其中经病理检查显示淋巴结转移阴性的105例患者作为阴性组(LN-组),另229例阳性患者作为阳性组(LN+组),比较两组的临床病理特征及临床预后。结果:LN-组的肿瘤直径、浸润深度及术后化疗与LN+组比较差异显著(P0.05);LN-组的5年生存率为76.2%,显著高于LN+组的43.2%(P0.05)。未透浆膜的LN-患者3年、5年生存率显著高于浸透浆膜者,术后化疗的LN-患者5年生存率显著高于未化疗者(P0.05),肿瘤直径5 cm的LN-患者3、5年生存率显著高于≥5 cm者(P0.05)。单因素分析显示浸润深度、肿瘤大小及术后化疗与LN-胃癌患者的预后具有密切关系(P0.05)。COX多因素分析显示浸润深度是影响LN-胃癌患者临床预后的独立因素(P0.05)。结论:淋巴结转移阴性胃癌患者的病灶多位于中下部,男性多于女性,发病年龄多在60岁以内,肿瘤直径多不超过5 cm,浸润深度多未浸透浆膜,临床预后优于淋巴结转移阳性胃癌患者,浸润深度是影响淋巴结转移阴性胃癌患者临床预后的独立因素。     

TK1在肺癌患者血清中的表达水平及其与肿瘤临床病理特征及预后的关系

目的:探讨肺癌患者血清胸腺嘧啶核苷激酶1(TK1)与肿瘤临床病理特征及预后的关系。方法:选择2012年1月-2014年1月在我院接受治疗的肺癌患者79例作为研究对象,另选择同期在我院接受健康体检的志愿者53例作为对照组。采用化学发光法检测两组研究对象血清中TK1的表达情况,并分析TK1表达与肿瘤临床病理特征及预后的关系。结果:TK1在肺癌患者血清中的阳性表达率(56.96%)显著高于健康对照组(16.98%),差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。肿瘤分期为晚期的患者血清中TK1的阳性表达率高于肿瘤分期为早期的肺癌患者,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05);肿瘤远处转移的患者血清中TK1的阳性表达率高于未发生远处转移的患者,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。TK1在性别、抽烟史、淋巴结转移及病理类型不同患者血清中的阳性表达率比较,差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。TK1阳性患者两年生存率(42.22%)低于TK1阴性患者(64.71%),差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:肺癌患者血清中TK1呈高表达,其表达水平与肿瘤远处转移、TMN分期及预后有关。     

肺癌患者肺动脉和支气管动脉CTA的临床研究

目的:对比分析肺癌患者和肺部非癌性病变肺动脉和主支气管动脉CTA特点。方法:回顾性统计分析82例行高度怀疑肺癌患者的肺部CTA,经病理证实肺癌54例,肺结核球28例,同时选择对照组22例。对比分析肺动脉(Pulmonary artery,PA)内径、主支气管动脉(Bronchial artery,BA)显影率和及其各级分支显影率。结果:肺癌组、肺结核球组和对照组左主支气管动脉显影率分别为83.3%、77.7%和72.7%。右主支气管动脉显影率87.0%、83.3%和68.1%。肺癌组左右主支气管动脉清晰显影率高于肺结核球组和对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。左右两侧肺癌组PA内径明显大于结核球和对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。左右侧肺癌组PA显影分级明显高于结核球和对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。左右双侧PA主干内径差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:肺部癌性病灶动脉供血增加,肺动脉和支气管动脉CTA能够显示肺癌病灶供血情况,可用于临床辅助鉴别诊断影像学不能确诊的肺部病变。     

酒精性肺疾病的临床研究及进展

酒精对全身器官均有损害,随着研究的深入,酒精性肺疾病逐渐被人们重视。基于酒精的挥发性和肺脏的丰富血供,酒精可以通过支气管循环从纤毛上皮进入到气道,汽化的酒精还可以沉积回气道随呼气再次被释放,这种重复循环使局部气道上皮细胞持续暴露于高浓度酒精下。酒精在肺脏的代谢分为氧化和非氧化代谢两种途径,氧化代谢产物乙醛可引起氧化应激,并产生大量的ROS和自由离子。酒精可影响肾素-血管紧张素系统,提高血管紧张素II水平,并引起内皮细胞应激。酒精还可降低肺脏内还原型谷胱甘肽含量,损害机体先天性和获得性免疫功能。本文将阑述酒精在肺脏的代谢途径及代谢产物对肺脏的损害,其引起重要的应激反应对肺脏均造成损害,是发生肺炎、慢性阻塞性肺疾病、急性呼吸窘迫征等肺疾病的重要因素之一。作者通过酒精对肺脏的作用机制,总结最新的治疗措施。