尿源干细胞对神经源性膀胱大鼠膀胱功能及Notch1、Jagged1蛋白表达的影响

目的:研究尿源干细胞对神经源性膀胱大鼠膀胱功能及Notch1、Jagged1蛋白表达的影响。方法:纳入60只健康雌性清洁SD大鼠作为实验对象,将其按照随机抽签法分为正常对照组、研究组以及损伤组,每组各20只。其中研究组和损伤组大鼠均建立神经源性膀胱模型,研究组在造模成功后予以尿源性干细胞尾静脉注射。28 d后,比较三组大鼠膀胱功能相关指标水平,膀胱湿质量和膀胱湿质量/体质量,Notch1、Jagged1蛋白表达水平。结果:损伤组收缩时间、排尿量、膀胱峰压均低于正常对照组,而研究组收缩时间、排尿量、膀胱峰压均高于损伤组(均P0.05);损伤组膀胱基压高于正常对照组,而研究组膀胱基压低于损伤组(均P0.05)。损伤组膀胱湿质量和膀胱湿质量/体质量均高于正常对照组,而研究组膀胱湿质量和膀胱湿质量/体质量低于损伤组(均P0.05)。损伤组Notch1、Jagged1蛋白表达水平均高于正常对照组,而研究组Notch1、Jagged1蛋白表达水平低于损伤组(均P0.05)。结论:尿源干细胞的应用可显著改善神经源性膀胱大鼠膀胱功能,同时可下调Notch1、Jagged1蛋白表达水平。     

PD-1、PD-L1的表达与肺癌临床病理特征及预后的相关性分析

目的:分析程序性死亡因子-1(PD-1)、程序性死亡1-配体(PD-L1)的表达与肺癌临床病理特征及预后的相关性。方法:回顾性分析我院2015年3月～2016年6月收治的73例肺癌患者的临床资料,取距离切除肿瘤边缘3cm内的非癌组织作为癌旁组织。比较两组PD-1、PD-L1的表达,分析其和肺癌患者临床病理特征和预后的关系,采用COX比例回归分析肺癌患者预后的影响因素。结果:肺癌组织PD-1、PD-L1阳性表达率均显著高于癌旁组织(P0.05)。不同性别、年龄、病理类型、吸烟情况、EGFR表达、肿瘤大小肺癌患者PD-1、PD-L1的阳性表达率比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05);低分化程度、临床分期Ⅲ及Ⅳ期、有淋巴结转移肺癌患者PD-1、PD-L1阳性表达率分别高于中分化程度、临床分期Ⅲ期、无淋巴结转移患者,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。PD-1、PD-L1阳性表达及阴性表达组无疾病进展生存期比较均有统计学差异(P0.05)。COX比例风险回归模型显示分化程度、临床分期、淋巴结转移、PD-1、PD-L1的表达是影响肺癌患者预后的危险因素(P0.05)。结论:肺癌组织PD-1、PD-L1呈高表达,可能参与肺癌的发生发展,有助于病情严重程度的评价和预后预测。     

OPRM1(A118G)基因多态性与肺癌癌痛患者镇痛效果的相关性

目的:探讨阿片样物质受体(μ1 opioid receptor,OPRM1)(A118G)基因多态性与肺癌癌痛患者镇痛效果的相关性。方法:选取本院2017年3月至2019年10月收治的360例肺癌患者作为研究对象,判断患者阿片耐受与不良反应发生情况。收集患者血液指标,检测OPRM1(A118G)基因多态性情况并进行相关性分析。结果:在360例患者中,阿片耐受78例(耐受组),耐受率为21.7%;耐受组的性别、年龄、体重指数、肿瘤最大直径等与非耐受组对比差异无统计学意义(P0.05),两组临床分期与淋巴结转移等对比差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。OPRM1(A118G)基因共有AA、AG、GG三种基因型,两组人群的OPRM1(A118G)基因型分布均符合Hardy-Weinberg平衡定律;两组OPRM1(A118G)基因型分布差异具有统计学意义,耐受组的OPRM1(A118G)基因GG基因型比例显著高于非耐受组(P0.05),等位基因G频率显著高于非耐受组(P0.05);耐受组的呼吸抑制、恶心呕吐、头晕、皮肤瘙痒等不良反应发生率为35.9%,显著高于非耐受组的2.8%(P0.05)。直线相关性分析显示OPRM1(A118G)基因GG基因型与阿片耐受、淋巴结转移、临床分期都呈现相关性(P0.05);二分类变量Logistic回归分析显示OPRM1(A118G)基因GG基因型、临床分期、淋巴结转移为影响阿片耐受的主要因素(P0.05)。结论:肺癌癌痛患者在镇痛中存在阿片耐受情况,与患者的OPRM1(A118G)基因多态性与治疗不良反应显著相关,OPRM1(A118G)基因GG基因型、临床分期、淋巴结转移为影响阿片耐受的主要因素。     

Complexities and pitfalls in analyzing and interpreting mitochondrial DNA content in human cancer

Mutations in the human mitochondrial genome have been observed in all types of human cancer, indicating that mutations might contribute to tumorigenesis, metastasis, recurrence, or drug response. This possibility is appealing because of the known shift from oxidative metabolism to glycolysis, known as the Warburg effect, that occurs in malignancy. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations could either be maternally inherited and predispose to cancer (germ line mutations) or occur sporadically in the mtDNA of specific tissues (tissue- or tumor-specific somatic mutations) and contribute to the tumor initiation and progression process. High-throughput sequencing technologies now enable comprehensive detection of mtDNA variation in tissues and bodily fluids, with the potential to be used as an early detection tool that may impact the treatment of cancer. Here, we discuss insights into the roles of mtDNA mutations in carcinogenesis, highlighting the complexities involved in the analysis and interpretation of mitochondrial genomic content, technical challenges in studying their contribution to pathogenesis, and the value of mtDNA mutations in developing early detection, diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic strategies for cancer.     

The advent of de novo proteins for cancer immunotherapy

Engineered proteins are revolutionizing immunotherapy, but advances are still needed to harness their full potential. Traditional protein engineering methods use naturally existing proteins as a starting point, and therefore, are intrinsically limited to small alterations of a protein's natural structure and function. Conversely, computational de novo protein design is free of such limitation, and can produce a virtually infinite number of novel protein sequences, folds, and functions. Recently, we used de novo protein engineering to create Neoleukin-2/15 (Neo-2/15), a protein mimetic of the function of both interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interleukin-15 (IL-15). To our knowledge, Neo-2/15 is the first de novo protein with immunotherapeutic activity, and in murine cancer models, it has demonstrated enhanced therapeutic potency and reduced toxicity compared to IL-2. De novo protein design is already showcasing its tremendous potential for driving the next wave of protein-based therapeutics that are explicitly engineered to treat disease.     

COVID-19 pandemic and patients with cancer: The protocol of a Clinical Oncology center in Tehran,Iran

AimTo provide recommendations for the management of patients with cancer in the COVID-19 era.BackgroundThe current global pandemic of COVID-19 has severely impacted global healthcare systems. Several groups of people are considered high-risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection, including patients with cancer. Therefore, protocols for the better management of these patients during this viral pandemic are necessary. So far, several protocols have been presented regarding the management of patients with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, none of them points to a developing country with limited logistics and facilities.MethodsIn this review, we have provided a summary of recommendations on the management of patients with cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic based on our experience in Shohada-e Tajrish Hospital, Iran.ResultsWe recommend that patients with cancer should be managed in an individualized manner during the COVID-19 pandemic.ConclusionsOur recommendation provides a guide for oncology centers of developing countries for better management of cancer.     

Improving NK1R-targeted gene delivery of stearyl-antimicrobial peptide CAMEL by conjugating it with substance P

Specificity is a crucial condition that hampers the application of non-viral vectors for cancer gene therapy. In a previous study, we developed an efficient gene vector, stearyl-CAMEL, using N-terminal stearylation of the antimicrobial peptide CAMEL. Substance P (SP), an 11-residue neuropeptide, rapidly enters cells after binding to the neurokinin-1 receptor (NK1R), which is expressed in many cancer cell lines. In this study, the NK1R-targeted gene vector stearyl-CMSP was constructed by conjugating SP to the C-terminus of stearyl-CAMEL. Our results indicated that stearyl-CMSP displayed significant transfection specificity for NK1R-expressing cells compared with that shown by stearyl-CAMEL. Accordingly, the stearyl-CMSP/p53 plasmid complexes had significantly higher antiproliferative activity against HEK293-NK1R cells than they did against HEK293 cells, while the stearyl-CAMEL/p53 plasmid complexes did not show this specificity in antiproliferative activity. Consequently, conjugation of the NK1R-targeted ligand SP is a simple and successful strategy to construct efficient cancer-targeted non-viral gene vectors.     

Molecular docking analysis of beta-catenin with compounds derived from Lycopersicon esculentum

Beta-catenin is linked with colorectal cancer (CRC). Therefore, it is of interest to design and develop novel compounds to combat CRC. Hence, we document compounds (chlorogenic acid, gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, quercetin and vanillic acid) from Lycopersicon esculentum with optimal binding features for further consideration.