Effect of Electric-Field Intensity on Electropermeabilization and Electrosensitmty of Various Tumor-Cell Lines In Vitro

Electropermeabilization (electroporation) is a technique widely used to introduce various membrane-impermeable molecules into cells in vitro or in vivo. In this study we determined the effect of different electric-field intensities on electropermeabilization and electrosensitivity of a variety of tumor-cell lines in vitro. For this purpose we used two assays: propidium iodide uptake for measurement of cell electropenneabilization, and the clono-genic or MTT assay for determination of electrosensitivity. Our results showed that electropermeabilization of almost all cell lines tested occurred at 600 V/cm. In contrast, a marked difference in electrosensitivity existed among these cell lines. Our results could be of great importance for pharmacological and biochemical studies in vilro, and for prediction and determination of tumor response in vivo to electropermeabilization combined with chemo-therapeutic drugs (electrochemotherapy) and gene therapy.     

免疫佐剂在肿瘤免疫疗法中的应用进展 *

免疫疗法是预防和治疗疾病的有效手段之一.近年来,肿瘤免疫疗法已成为一种新型治疗方法,相关肿瘤疫苗已在多种肿瘤的治疗中被证明有效.然而,在肿瘤疫苗的设计中,肿瘤抗原免疫原性弱,应答率低等问题是目前面对的一大挑战,佐剂的加入为问题的解决提供了一种新的方法和思路.免疫佐剂在提高肿瘤抗原免疫原性,激活机体适应性免疫应答等方面起着十分重要的作用.为了解近几年免疫佐剂的发展及其研究现状,针对目前常用的抗肿瘤佐剂进行综述,并总结了其对免疫系统的作用机制,为后续的疫苗设计策略提供帮助.     

CD80、CD86在鼻咽癌中的表达及其临床病理意义

目的:研究CD80、CD86在鼻咽癌中的表达变化及其临床病理意义。方法:选择2014年10月至2018年10月本院接诊的鼻咽癌确诊患者64例纳入研究,依据鼻咽癌复发情况分复发组(n=30)和未复发组(n=34);同期选取正常鼻粘膜活检组织33例作为正常对照组,采用SP免疫组化法检测鼻咽癌患者癌组织或正常鼻粘膜活检组织CD80、CD86蛋白的表达,并经Spearman相关性分析法分析CD80、CD86蛋白表达与鼻咽癌恶化程度的相关性。结果:鼻咽癌的癌组织CD80、CD86蛋白均呈高表达,阳性表达主要定位于细胞膜、细胞质,与肿瘤临床TNM分期、淋巴结转移均显著相关(P0.05)。复发组、未复发组肿瘤组织中的mRNA(ARD1、Ptch1、Survivin)表达显著高于对照组,且复发组高于未复发组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。Spearman相关性分析显示CD80、CD86蛋白表达与鼻咽癌细胞侵袭能力呈显著正相关(r=0.403、0.547,P0.05)。结论:鼻咽癌的癌组织内CD80、CD86蛋白均呈高表达,与鼻咽癌的临床分期、淋巴结转移及放疗预后关系密切,可能作鼻咽癌临床诊治及预后评估的重要参考指标。     

An on-lattice agent-based Monte Carlo model simulating the growth kinetics of multicellular tumor spheroids

PurposeTo develop an on-lattice agent-based model describing the growth of multicellular tumor spheroids using simple Monte Carlo tools.MethodsCells are situated on the vertices of a cubic grid. Different cell states (proliferative, hypoxic or dead) and cell evolution rules, driven by 10 parameters, and the effects of the culture medium are included. About twenty spheroids of MCF-7 human breast cancer were cultivated and the experimental data were used for tuning the model parameters.ResultsSimulated spheroids showed adequate sizes of the necrotic nuclei and of the hypoxic and proliferative cell phases as a function of the growth time, mimicking the overall characteristics of the experimental spheroids. The relation between the radii of the necrotic nucleus and the whole spheroid obtained in the simulations was similar to the experimental one and the number of cells, as a function of the spheroid volume, was well reproduced. The statistical variability of the Monte Carlo model described the whole volume range observed for the experimental spheroids. Assuming that the model parameters vary within Gaussian distributions it was obtained a sample of spheroids that reproduced much better the experimental findings.ConclusionsThe model developed allows describing the growth of in vitro multicellular spheroids and the experimental variability can be well reproduced. Its flexibility permits to vary both the agents involved and the rules that govern the spheroid growth. More general situations, such as, e. g., tumor vascularization, radiotherapy effects on solid tumors, or the validity of the tumor growth mathematical models can be studied.     

Scavenger Receptor Cysteine-Rich domains of Lysyl Oxidase-Like2 regulate endothelial ECM and angiogenesis through non-catalytic scaffolding mechanisms

Lysyl oxidases are major actors of microenvironment and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. These cross-linking enzymes are thus involved in many aspects of physiopathology, including tumor progression, fibrosis and cardiovascular diseases. We have already shown that Lysyl Oxidase-Like 2 (LOXL2) regulates collagen IV deposition by endothelial cells and angiogenesis. We here provide evidence that LOXL2 also affects deposition of other ECM components, including fibronectin, thus altering structural and mechanical properties of the matrix generated by endothelial cells. LOXL2 interacts intracellularly and directly with collagen IV and fibronectin before incorporation into ECM fibrillar structures upon exocytosis, as demonstrated by TIRF time-lapse microscopy. Furthermore, surface plasmon resonance experiments using recombinant scavenger receptor cysteine-rich (SRCR) domains truncated for the catalytic domain demonstrated their direct binding to collagen IV. We thus used directed mutagenesis to investigate the role of LOXL2 catalytic domain. Neither enzyme activity nor catalytic domain were necessary for collagen IV deposition and angiogenesis, whereas the SRCR domains were effective for these processes. Finally, surface coating with recombinant SRCR domains restored deposition of collagen IV by LOXL2-depleted cells. We thus propose that LOXL2 SRCR domains orchestrate scaffolding of the vascular basement membrane and angiogenesis through interactions with collagen IV and fibronectin, independently of the enzymatic cross-linking activity.     

Discovery of a novel selective water-soluble SMAD3 inhibitor as an antitumor agent

Targeting the SMAD3 protein is an attractive therapeutic strategy for treating cancer, as it avoids the potential toxicities due to targeting the TGF-β signaling pathway upstream. Compound SIS3 was the first selective SMAD3 inhibitor developed that had acceptable activity, but its poor water solubility limited its development. Here, a series of SIS3 analogs was created to investigate the structure–activity relationship for inhibiting the activation of SMAD3. On the basis of this SAR, further optimization generated a water-soluble compound, 16d, which was capable of effectively blocking SMAD3 activation in vitro and had similar NK cell-mediated anticancer effects in vivo to its parent SIS3. This study not only provided a preferable lead compound, 16d, for further drug discovery or a potential tool to study SMAD3 biology, but also proved the effectiveness of our strategy for water-solubility driven optimization.     

Brain tumors: Cancer stem-like cells interact with tumor microenvironment

Cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) with potential of self-renewal drive tumorigenesis. Brain tumor microenvironment (TME) has been identified as a critical regulator of malignancy progression. Many researchers are searching new ways to characterize tumors with the goal of predicting how they respond to treatment. Here, we describe the striking parallels between normal stem cells and CSCs. We review the microenvironmental aspects of brain tumors, in particular composition and vital roles of immune cells infiltrating glioma and medulloblastoma. By highlighting that CSCs cooperate with TME via various cellular communication approaches, we discuss the recent advances in therapeutic strategies targeting the components of TME. Identification of the complex and interconnected factors can facilitate the development of promising treatments for these deadly malignancies.     

肺癌住院患者营养不良风险调查及其影响因素分析

摘要 目的：肺癌住院患者营养不良风险调查及其影响因素分析。方法：选择2015年2月至2020年1月期间我院诊治的125例肺癌住院患者的临床资料进行回顾性分析。根据患者的营养状态评估结果将其分为81例营养不良组和44例营养良好组。比较两组患者的人口学资料和临床资料,采用多因素Logistic回归分析营养不良发生的影响因素。结果：营养不良患者占比64.80%（81/125）。与营养良好组相比,营养不良组年收入≥50000元患者比例明显下降（P<0.05）,营养不良组体质量指数（BMI）≤22 kg/m²患者比例、肿瘤分期III~Ⅳ期+广泛期患者比例以及肿瘤低分化患者比例明显升高,血清白蛋白水平和淋巴细胞绝对值（LYM）明显下降（P<0.05）。经多因素Logistic回归分析显示肿瘤分期III~Ⅳ期+广泛期以及肿瘤低分化是肺癌住院患者营养不良的危险因素（OR=1.743、1.812,P<0.05）,年收入≥50000元、BMI>22kg/m²、白蛋白水平≥29.55 g/L和LYM≥2.47×10⁹/L是肺癌住院患者营养不良的保护因素（OR=0.487、0.502、0.453、0.731,P<0.05）。结论：肺癌住院患者营养不良风险较高,年收入情况、BMI、肿瘤分期、分化程度、白蛋白水平以及LYM均是肺癌住院患者营养不良风险的影响因素,对上述指标进行监测有利于提前预测营养不良的发生,从而为预防肺癌住院患者营养不良的发生提供指导。     

肿瘤坏死因子α刺激基因/诱导蛋白-6的抗炎作用研究进展

炎症损伤是众多临床疾病的病理学基础,常可引起严重并发症甚至导致死亡。然而传统临床治疗不仅方法有限,且效果不佳。近年研究报道,肿瘤坏死因子α刺激基因/诱导蛋白-6(tumor necrosis factor alpha stimulated gene/inducible protein 6, TSG-6)可通过与体内相应的配体结合参与炎症反应的多个过程,并发挥抗炎和促进细胞外基质重塑等重要作用。本文就TSG-6的生物学特性、作用机制及其在病理性瘢痕、神经炎症、动脉粥样硬化和关节炎等多种疾病中发挥的抗炎作用作一综述。     

Clinical and pathological significance of programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in high grade serous ovarian cancer

We investigated programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) / programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in high grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) and its relationship to tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) and prognosis. Formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) samples of 94 HGSOC cases were included in the study. Immunohistochemical analysis (CD3, CD4, CD8, PD-1 and PD-L1) was performed. Samples were analyzed for expression of immune proteins in the peritumoral stromal and intratumoral areas, scored, and expression was correlated with overall survival, stage, and age. PD-L1 staining ratio with a score greater than 0 was found to have lower survival. There were two positive staining patterns, patchy/diffuse and patchy/focal patterns, in 24 (25.5%) cases. Considering the threshold value ≥5%, we demonstrated that the PD-L1 positive cancer cell membrane immunoreactivity rate and patchy/diffuse PD-L1 expression were 9.6% (n = 9). There was statistically significant relationship between high PD-1 scores and PD-L1 cases of ≥ 5%. A statistically significant difference was found between PD-L1 staining and survival in patients with a threshold ≥ 5%. However an appropriate rate for treatment was determined in 9.6% cases. There was a statistically significant correlation between PD-1 positive TIL score and intratumoral CD3, peritumoral stromal CD3, intratumoral CD4 and intratumoral CD8 positive cells. Survival was lower in cases with higher PD-L1 positive stromal TIL score.