Microarray analysis to explore the effect of CXCL12 isoforms in a pancreatic pre-tumor cell model

CXCL12 expression was significantly lower in tumor samples than in corresponding normal samples.CXCL12 expression was significantly positively related to the infiltration levels of T cells,dendritic cells(DCs),immature DCs,cytotoxic cells,Tfh cells,mast cells,B cells,Th1 cells,natural killer(NK)cells,pDCs,neutrophils,and T helper cells(Spearman correlation coefficient>0.5,P<0.001)and negatively correlated with the infiltration level of NK CD56bright cells.In addition,pancreatic hTERT-HPNE cells treated with three diverse CXCL12 isoforms exhibited changes mainly in the regulation of the epithelialmesenchymal transition activation pathway.

Prognostic implications of ferroptosis-associated gene signature in colon adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND Colon adenocarcinoma(COAD)is one of the most common and fatal malignant tumors,which increases the difficulty of prognostic predictions.Thus,new biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of COAD should be explored.Ferroptosis is a recently identified programmed cell death process that has the characteristics of iron-dependent lipid peroxide accumulation.However,the predictive value of ferroptosis-related genes(FRGs)for COAD still needs to be further clarified.AIM To identify some critical FRGs and construct a COAD patient prognostic signature for clinical utilization.METHODS The Cancer Genome Atlas database(TCGA)and Gene Expression Omnibus databases were the data sources for mRNA expression and corresponding COAD patient clinical information.Differentially expressed FRGs were recognized using R and Perl software.We constructed a multi-FRG signature of the TCGA-COAD cohort by performing a univariate Cox regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression analysis.COAD patients from the Gene Expression Omnibus cohort were utilized for verification.RESULTS Our research showed that most of the FRGs(85%)were differentially expressed between the corresponding adjacent normal tissues and cancer tissues in the TCGA-COAD cohort.Seven FRGs were related to overall survival(OS)in the univariate Cox analysis(all P<0.05).A model with five FRGs(AKR1C1,AKR1C3,ALOX12,CRYAB,and FDFT1)was constructed to divide patients into high-and low-risk groups.The OS of patients in the high-risk group was significantly lower than that of the low-risk group(all P<0.01 in the TCGA and Gene Expression Omnibus cohorts).The risk score was an independent prognosticator of OS in the multivariate Cox analysis(hazard ratio>1,P<0.01).The predictive capacity of the model was verified by a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.In addition,a nomogram based on the expression of five hub FRGs and risk score can precisely predict the OS of individual COAD cancer patients.Immune correlation analysis and functional enrichment analysis results revealed that immunology-related pathways were abundant,and the immune states of the high-risk group and the low-risk group were different.CONCLUSION In conclusion,a novel five FRG model can be utilized for predicting prognosis in COAD.Targeting ferroptosis may be a treatment option for COAD.

Comment on“Outcomes of curative liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with cirrhosis”

The present letter to the editor is in response to the research“Outcomes of curative liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with cirrhosis”by Elshaarawy et al in World J Gastroenterol 2021;13(5):424–439.The preoperative assessment of the liver reserve function in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)patients with cirrhosis is crucial,and there is no universal consensus on how to assess it.Based on a retrospective study,Elshaarawy et al investigated the impact of various classical clinical indicators on liver failure and the prognosis after hepatectomy in HCC patients with cirrhosis.We recommend that we should strive to explore new appraisal indicators,such as the indocyanine green retention rate at 15 min.

Prognostic role of expression of angiogenesis markers in hepatocellular carcinoma:A bioinformatics analysis

The expression of angiopoietin(ANGPT)1,ANGPT2,vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)A,VEGFB,VEGFC,VEGFD,and placental growth factor(PGF)is significantly higher in tumor tissues than in normal tissues in both unpaired and paired hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)samples.ANGPT2,VEGFB,VEGFC,and PGF are primarily involved in regulating the activation of the epithelialmesenchymal transition pathway;ANGPT1 is primarily involved in regulating the activation of the RAS/mitogen-activated protein kinase and receptor tyrosine kinase(RTK)pathways;VEGFA is engaged in regulating the RTK activation pathway;and VEGFD is mainly involved in regulating the activation of the tuberous sclerosis protein/mammalian target of rapamycin pathway.There is a significant difference in overall survival between HCC patients with high and low expression of ANGPT2,PGF,VEGFA,and VEGFD.Disease free survival(DFS)is significantly shorter in HCC patients with high ANGPT2,PGF,and VEGFA expression than in those with low ANGPT2,PGF,and VEGFA expression.

Prevention of late complications of endoscopic resection of colorectal lesions with a coverage agent:Current status of gastrointestinal endoscopy

Endoscopic ectomy of large nonpedunculated colorectal lesions(≥20 mm)might cause significant adverse incidents,such as delayed perforation and delayed bleeding,despite the closure of mucosal lesions with clips.The conventional utilization of prophylactic clipping has not decreased the risk of postprocedural delayed adverse events,and additional outcomes and cost-effectiveness research is needed for patients with proximal lesions≥20 mm,in whom prophylactic clipping might be useful.Coverage of the wound after endoscopic excision offers shield protection against delayed concomitant diseases.

Metabolism-associated genes in occurrence and development of gastrointestinal cancer:Latest progress and future prospect

Gastrointestinal(GI)cancer remains one of the most prevalent cancers in the world.The occurrence and progression of GI cancer involve multiple events.Metabolic reprogramming is one of the hallmarks of cancer and is intricately related to tumorigenesis.Many metabolic genes are involved in the occurrence and development of GI cancer.Research approaches combining tumor genomics and metabolomics are more likely to provide deeper insights into this field.In this paper,we review the roles of metabolism-associated genes,especially those involved in the regulation pathways,in the occurrence and progression of GI cancer.We provide the latest progress and future prospect into the different molecular mechanisms of metabolism-associated genes involved in the occurrence and development of GI cancer.

Correlation of Primary Hepatocellular Carcinoma with HBV Genotypes, Subgenotypes and Gene Mutations in Gansu Province

Objective To investigate the occurrence of basal core promoter(BCP) and pre-C mutations in patients with hepatitis B virus(HBV) infection in Gansu Province, China, and to analyze the correlation of HBV mutation and HBV genotype with primary hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC). Methods PCR-RFLP was applied to detect HBV subgenotypes, and the presence of the pre-C and BCP mutations in 62 patients with HCC, 70 patients with hepatitis B induced liver cirrhosis(LC) and 90 patients with chronic hepatitis B(CHB). Results In HCC patients, genotype C was the major genotype(70.97%). The pre-C mutation was found in 59.68%, 31.43% and 16.67% patients with HCC, LC and CHB, respectively. The frequency of BCP mutations was significantly different between patients with HCC, LC and CHB(74.19%, 51.43% and 37.78%, respectively; χ2=30.727, 19.540, respectively, P < 0.01). Patients in HCC group had a higher incidence of pre-C as well as BCP mutations compared to the other groups. The prevalence of pre-C and BCP mutations was significantly higher in patients with genotype C1(44.32% and 69.32%, respectively) compared to patients with other subgenotypes(P < 0.05). Conclusions The incidence of pre-C and BCP mutations increases with disease progression. Pre-C and BCP mutations frequently occur in patients with genotype C1. HBV genotype C, pre-C mutations and BCP mutations are closely related to the occurrence of HCC.