New insights into ATR inhibition in muscle invasive bladder cancer:The role of apolipoprotein B mRNA editing catalytic subunit 3B

Background:Apolipoprotein B mRNA editing catalytic polypeptide(APOBEC),an endogenous mutator,induces DNA damage and activates the ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related(ATR)-checkpoint kinase 1(Chk1)pathway.Although cisplatin-based therapy is the mainstay for muscle-invasive bladder cancer(MIBC),it has a poor survival rate.Therefore,this study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of an ATR inhibitor combined with cisplatin in the treatment of APOBEC catalytic subunit 3B(APOBEC3B)expressing MIBC.Methods:Immunohistochemical staining was performed to analyze an association between APOBEC3B and ATR in patients with MIBC.The APOBEC3B expression in MIBC cell lines was assessed using real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis.Western blot analysis was performed to confirm differences in phosphorylated Chk1(pChk1)expression according to the APOBEC3B expression.Cell viability and apoptosis analyses were performed to examine the anti-tumor activity of ATR inhibitors combined with cisplatin.Results:There was a significant association between APOBEC3B and ATR expression in the tumor tissues obtained from patients with MIBC.Cells with higher APOBEC3B expression showed higher pChk1 expression than cells expressing low APOBEC3B levels.Combination treatment of ATR inhibitor and cisplatin inhibited cell growth in MIBC cells with a higher APOBEC3B expression.Compared to cisplatin single treatment,combination treatment induced more apoptotic cell death in the cells with higher APOBEC3B expression.Conclusion:Our study shows that APOBEC3B’s higher expression status can enhance the sensitivity of MIBC to cisplatin upon ATR inhibition.This result provides new insight into appropriate patient selection for the effective application of ATR inhibitors in MIBC.

Treatment outcome of localized Helicobacter pylori-negative low-grade gastric MALT lymphoma

AIM: To investigate treatment outcome of Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori )-negative low-grade gastric mucosaassociated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma.METHODS: In this study,we retrospectively reviewed the clinical outcome and clinicopathologic factors of stage Ⅰ E H.pylori -negative low-grade gastric MALT lymphoma cases from August 1998 to June 2009.RESULTS: A total of eleven patients with H.pylori -negative low-grade gastric MALT lymphoma were enrolled in the study and received anti-H.pylori eradication treatment and/or radiotherapy or excisional therapy.Complete remission (CR) of gastric MALT lymphoma was achieved in all patients.The time to CR was 1-66 mo (median,1 mo).CONCLUSION: Eradication therapy may be offered as an initial treatment option even in cases of localized H.pylori -negative gastric MALT lymphoma.