DIFFERENTIAL EXPRESSION AND RESPONSE OF GROWTH FACTORS IN DIFFERENT METASTATIC VARIANTS OF HUMANPULMONARY GIANT CELL CARCINOMA

The cell lines PGbE1 and PGLH7, which have high and low metastatic potential respectively, were two different variants isolated from human pulmonary giant cell carcinoma cell line PG. This study compared the expression and response of several growth factors TGFa, TGFb, bFGF, IL 6, IL 8 and ANG in the two cell lines. By using RT PCR analysis and thymidine incor poration assay, it was found that IL 6, TGFa and their receptors IL 6R and EGFR were expressed at higher level in PGbE1 cells than in PGLH7 cells, while no significant differences were found in the expression of ANG, bFGF, IL 8, IL 8R and TGFβ. Recombinant IL 6 and TGFα stimulated the proliferation of both cells, while TGFβ had dual effects. These results suggest that ANG, bFGF IL 6, IL 8 and TGFα, β may be involved in the proliferation of pulmonary giant cell carcinoma via autocrine mechanism, and IL 6 and TGFa may play an important role in the metastasis of tumor cells.

Roles of fibroblast growth factors in the treatment of diabetes

Diabetes affects about 422 million people worldwide,causing 1.5 million deaths each year.However,the incidence of diabetes is increasing,including several types of diabetes.Type 1 diabetes(5%-10%of diabetic cases)and type 2 diabetes(90%-95%of diabetic cases)are the main types of diabetes in the clinic.Accumulating evidence shows that the fibroblast growth factor(FGF)family plays important roles in many metabolic disorders,including type 1 and type 2 diabetes.FGF consists of 23 family members(FGF-1-23)in humans.Here,we review current findings of FGFs in the treatment of diabetes and management of diabetic complications.Some FGFs(e.g.,FGF-15,FGF-19,and FGF-21)have been broadly investigated in preclinical studies for the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes,and their therapeutic roles in diabetes are currently under investigation in clinical trials.Overall,the roles of FGFs in diabetes and diabetic complications are involved in numerous processes.First,FGF intervention can prevent high-fat diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance and reduce the levels of fasting blood glucose and triglycerides by regulating lipolysis in adipose tissues and hepatic glucose production.Second,modulation of FGF expression can inhibit renal and cardiac fibrosis by regulating the expression of extracellular matrix components,promote diabetic wound healing process and bone repair,and inhibit cancer cell proliferation and migration.Finally,FGFs can regulate the activation of glucoseexcited neurons and the expression of thermogenic genes.

Therapeutic role of growth factors in treating diabetic wound

Wounds in diabetic patients,especially diabetic foot ulcers,are more difficult to heal compared with normal wounds and can easily deteriorate,leading to amputation.Common treatments cannot heal diabetic wounds or control their many complications.Growth factors are found to play important roles in regulating complex diabetic wound healing.Different growth factors such as transforming growth factor beta 1,insulin-like growth factor,and vascular endothelial growth factor play different roles in diabetic wound healing.This implies that a therapeutic modality modulating different growth factors to suit wound healing can significantly improve the treatment of diabetic wounds.Further,some current treatments have been shown to promote the healing of diabetic wounds by modulating specific growth factors.The purpose of this study was to discuss the role played by each growth factor in therapeutic approaches so as to stimulate further therapeutic thinking.

PRaG 3.0 therapy for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma:A case report

BACKGROUND Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC)is a highly fatal disease with limited effective treatment especially after first-line chemotherapy.The human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER-2)immunohistochemistry(IHC)positive is associated with more aggressive clinical behavior and shorter overall survival in PDAC.CASE SUMMARY We present a case of multiple metastatic PDAC with IHC mismatch repair proficient but HER-2 IHC weakly positive at diagnosis that didn’t have tumor regression after first-line nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine and PD-1 inhibitor treatment.A novel combination therapy PRaG 3.0 of RC48(HER2-antibody-drug conjugate),radio-therapy,PD-1 inhibitor,granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin-2 was then applied as second-line therapy and the patient had confirmed good partial response with progress-free-survival of 6.5 months and overall survival of 14.2 month.She had not developed any grade 2 or above treatment-related adverse events at any point.Percentage of peripheral CD8^(+) Temra and CD4^(+) Temra were increased during first two activation cycles of PRaG 3.0 treatment containing radiotherapy but deceased to the baseline during the maintenance cycles containing no radiotherapy.CONCLUSION PRaG 3.0 might be a novel strategy for HER2-positive metastatic PDAC patients who failed from previous first-line approach and even PD-1 immunotherapy but needs more data in prospective trials.

Effect of hepatocyte growth factor on inflammatory factors associated with CCL_(4)-induced hepatocyte injury

Objective:The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of Hepatocyte Growth Factor(HGF)on the expression levels of IL-8,TNF-α,IL-4,and IL-21 in mice with liver injury induced by CCL_(4).Methods:An acute liver injury mouse model was established using CCL_(4),and hepatocytes and white blood cells were separated by gradient density centrifugation.Different concentrations of HGF were added in vitro,and the expression levels of cytokines were detected using ELISA.Results:In the in vivo injury model,the hepatocyte experiment results showed that the expression level of IL-8 was reduced in the 10 ng/mL HGF group compared to the injured hepatocyte group(P<0.05),and increased in the 50 ng/mL HGF group compared to the 10 ng/mL HGF group(P<0.05).For IL-4,the expression levels were reduced in both the 25 ng/mL HGF group(P<0.05)and the 50 ng/mL HGF group(P<0.05)compared to the injured hepatocyte group.The white blood cell experiment results showed that the expression levels of TNF-αwere reduced in both the 10ng/ml HGF group(P<0.05)and the 25 ng/mL HGF group(P<0.05)compared to the injured white blood cell group.In the in vitro injury model,hepatocyte experiment results showed that the expression levels of TNF-αwere reduced in both the 25 ng/mL HGF group(P<0.05)and the 50 ng/mL HGF group(P<0.05)compared to the normal control group.For IL-4,the expression level was reduced in the 25 ng/mL HGF group compared to the normal control group(P<0.05).The white blood cell experiment results showed that the expression level of TNF-αwas increased in the 50 ng/mL HGF group compared to the 10 ng/mL HGF group(P<0.001);for IL-21,the expression levels were reduced in the CCL_(4) model group(P<0.05),10 ng/mL HGF group(P<0.05),25 ng/mL HGF group(P<0.05),and 50 ng/mL HGF group(P<0.05)compared to the normal control group.Conclusion:when the liver of mice is acutely damaged by CCL_(4),HGF can reduce the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-8,TNF-α,IL-4 in hepatocytes,and TNF-αin liver white blood cells.

Clinical Evaluation of Platelet Rich Growth Factors (PRGFS) in Treatment of Temporomandibular Joint Disc Displacement—Study Report

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of platelet rich growth factors (PRGFs) in treatment of temporomandibular joint disc displacement. Materials and Methods: The study subjects included 8 females having bilateral anterior disc displacement with reduction and 1 female having bilateral anterior disc displacement without reduction with the age range between 20 - 35 years. The process of obtaining PRGFs was carried out following the Anitua Technique. Results: Clinical parameters of Interincisal distance, Lateral excursion of mandible using digital caliper in millimeters and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS 0/10) for pain intensity score were used. All of these parameters were running through the intervals of two, four, and eight weeks till the end of the follow-up period at twenty-six weeks (six months). The participated patients showed the clinical improvement in the different clinical statuses such as interincisal distance;lateral excursion of mandible and Pain Score. Conclusion: the study reported early efficacy of PRGFs after the arthrocentesis of the joint in treatment of TMJ disc displacement, and according to our results, the injection of PRGFs could be a possible alternative treatment for patients who did not respond to standard treatment.

An anti-aging skin strategy:promoting repair and regeneration in UV-induced photoaging micro-environment using growth factors-rich platelet lysates composite Self-protection Collagen Hydrogel

Skin photoaging is induced and sustained by UV-induced oxidative damage,and stimulating regeneration of the UV-induced aging has remained a great challenge due to high-level oxidative stress factor(ROS)-induced chronic oxidative damage and inactivation of bio-macromolecule-based regeneration in oxidative photoaging micro-environment.In this study,we designed a“seed and soil”strategy to pursue a safer and more efficient way to prevent and treat photoaging by simultaneously changing UV-induced ROS-rich micro-environment into a proregenerative one(the“soil”)and providing growth factor-rich platelet lysates(PL,the“seed”)using PL-impregnated,collagen-reinforce hydrogel(PL/Col).SD rats were used to establish photoaging model by 8 weeks of UV irradiation.The effectiveness of different treatments was evaluated by making pathological sections and detecting photoaging-related indicators.Rats treated with PL/Col demonstrated a significant acceleration in skin healing and enhancement in the quality of trauma repairing.After treated with PL/Col,the rats showed smooth yellowish appearance,integral structure of skin collagen fiber and epidermis,a decrease in inflammation and a reshaped active micro-environment with reduced levels of SOD enzyme activity,GSH enzyme activity and MDA toxic products.Treatment of PL/Col in skin photoaging has shown potential anti-oxidation and anti-aging effects and is worthy of further study in related field.

Growth hormone promotes the reconstruction of injured axons in the hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal system

Previous studies have shown that growth hormone can regulate hypothalamic energy metabolism, stress, and hormone release. Therefore, growth hormone has great potential for treating hypothalamic injury. In this study, we established a specific hypothalamic axon injury model by inducing hypothalamic pituitary stalk electric lesions in male mice. We then treated mice by intraperitoneal administration of growth hormone. Our results showed that growth hormone increased the expression of insulin-like growth factor 1 and its receptors, and promoted the survival of hypothalamic neurons, axonal regeneration, and vascular reconstruction from the median eminence through the posterior pituitary. Altogether, this alleviated hypothalamic injury-caused central diabetes insipidus and anxiety. These results suggest that growth hormone can promote axonal reconstruction after hypothalamic injury by regulating the growth hormone-insulin-like growth factor 1 axis.

Fibroblast growth factor 21 inhibits ferroptosis following spinal cord injury by regulating heme oxygenase-1

Interfering with the ferroptosis pathway is a new strategy for the treatment of spinal cord injury.Fibroblast growth factor 21 can inhibit ferro ptosis and promote neurofunctional recovery,while heme oxygenase-1 is a regulator of iron and reactive oxygen species homeostasis.The relationship between heme oxygenase-1and ferroptosis remains controve rsial.In this study,we used a spinal co rd injury rat model to show that the levels of fibroblast growth factor 21 in spinal co rd tissue decreased after spinal cord injury.In addition,there was a significant aggravation of ferroptosis and a rapid increase in heme oxygenase-1 expression after spinal cord injury.Furthe r,heme oxygenase-1 aggravated fe rroptosis after spinal cord injury,while fibroblast growth factor 21 inhibited fe rroptosis by downregulating heme oxygenase-1.Thus,the activation of fibroblast growth factor 21 may provide a potential treatment for spinal co rd injury.These findings could provide a new potential mechanistic explanation for fibroblast growth factor 21 in the treatment of spinal cord injury.

Chitosan-based thermosensitive hydrogel with long-term release of murine nerve growth factor for neurotrophic keratopathy

Neurotrophic keratopathy is a persistent defect of the corneal epithelium,with or without stromal ulceration,due to corneal nerve deficiency caused by a variety of etiologies.The treatment options for neurotrophic keratopathy are limited.In this study,an ophthalmic solution was constructed from a chitosan-based thermosensitive hydrogel with long-term release of murine nerve growth factor(CTH-mNGF).Its effectiveness was evaluated in corneal denervation(CD)mice and patients with neurotrophic keratopathy.In the preclinical setting,CTH-mNGF was assessed in a murine corneal denervation model.CTH-mNGF was transparent,thermosensitive,and ensured sustained release of mNGF for over 20 hours on the ocular surface,maintaining the local mNGF concentration around 1300 pg/mL in vivo.Corneal denervation mice treated with CTH-mNGF for 10 days showed a significant increase in corneal nerve area and total corneal nerve length compared with non-treated and CTH treated mice.A subsequent clinical trial of CTH-mNGF was conducted in patients with stage 2 or 3 neurotrophic keratopathy.Patients received topical CTH-mNGF twice daily for 8 weeks.Fluorescein sodium images,Schirmer’s test,intraocular pressure,Cochet-Bonnet corneal perception test,and best corrected visual acuity were evaluated.In total,six patients(total of seven eyes)diagnosed with neurotrophic keratopathy were enrolled.After 8 weeks of CTH-mNGF treatment,all participants showed a decreased area of corneal epithelial defect,as stained by fluorescence.Overall,six out of seven eyes had fluorescence staining scores<5.Moreover,best corrected visual acuity,intraocular pressure,Schirmer’s test and Cochet-Bonnet corneal perception test results showed no significant improvement.An increase in corneal nerve density was observed by in vivo confocal microscopy after 8 weeks of CTH-mNGF treatment in three out of seven eyes.This study demonstrates that CTH-mNGF is transparent,thermosensitive,and has sustained-release properties.Its effectiveness in healing corneal epithelial defects in all eyes with neurotrophic keratopathy suggests CTH-mNGF has promising application prospects in the treatment of neurotrophic keratopathy,being convenient and cost effective.

Vascular endothelial growth factor/connective tissue growth factor and proteomic analysis of aqueous humor after intravitreal conbercept for proliferative diabetes retinopathy

AIM:To investigate the role of connective tissue growth factor(CTGF)and vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)in the protein profile of the aqueous humor in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy(PDR)following intravitreal injection of conbercept.METHODS:This study included 72 PDR patients and 8 cataract patients as controls.PDR patients were divided into 3 groups according to the intervals of 3,5,and 7d between intravitreal conbercept(IVC,0.5 mg/0.05 mL)injection and pars plana vitrectomy(PPV)performed.Aqueous humor samples were collected before and after IVC and PPV for VEGF and CTGF levels detected with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).The differential proteomics of 10 patients who underwent PPV surgery 5d after IVC and 8 normal controls was studied,Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)analysis were performed on the data,and the protein interaction network of 23 differential proteins was studied.RESULTS:Post-IVC,VEGF levels decreased and CTGF levels increased significantly in aqueous humor,with the CTGF/VEGF ratio rising significantly at all intervals.Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry(LC-MS/MS)identified differentially expressed proteins between preand post-IVC samples.GO and KEGG analyses revealed involvement in immune response,stress response,complement and coagulation cascades,ferroptosis,and PPAR signaling pathways.PPI analysis highlighted key proteins like APOA1,C3,and transferrin(TF).ELISA assay confirmed the differential expression of proteins such as HBA1,SERPINA1,COL1A1,and ACTB,with significant changes in the IVC groups.CONCLUSION:The study demonstrates that IVC effectively reduces VEGF levels while increasing CTGF levels,thereby modifying the CTGF/VEGF ratio,and IVC significantly alters the protein profile in the aqueous humor of patients with PDR.Proteomic analysis reveals that these changes are associated with critical biological pathways and protein interactions involved in immune response,stress response,and cellular metabolism.

Role of bisphosphonates in osteoporosis caused by adult growth hormone deficiency

In recent years,growth hormone and insulin-like growth factors have become key regulators of bone metabolism and remodeling,crucial for maintaining healthy bone mass throughout life.Studies have shown that adult growth hormone deficiency leads to alterations in bone remodeling,significantly affecting bone microarchitecture and increasing fracture risk.Although recombinant human growth hormone replacement therapy can mitigate these adverse effects,improving bone density,and reduce fracture risk,its effectiveness in treating osteoporosis,especially in adults with established growth hormone deficiency,seems limited.Bisphosphonates inhibit bone resorption by targeting farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase in osteoclasts,and clinical trials have confirmed their efficacy in improving osteoporosis.Therefore,for adult growth hormone deficiency patients with osteoporosis,the use of bisphosphonates alongside growth hormone replacement therapy is recommended.

Efficacy and safety of dacomitinib as first-line treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients with epidermal growth factor receptor 21L858R mutation:A multicenter,case-series study in China

Objective:To provide real-world evidence for the application of first-line dacomitinib treatment for epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR)21L858R mutant non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)patients in China and to explore the factors influencing the efficacy and safety.Methods:A longitudinal,consecutive case-series,multicenter study with mixed prospective and retrospective data was conducted.The primary endpoint was progression-free survival(PFS),and the secondary endpoints included duration of treatment(DOT),overall survival(OS),objective response rate(ORR),disease control rate(DCR)and safety.Results:A total of 155 EGFR 21L858R mutant patients treated with first-line dacomitinib were included.The median follow-up time for these patients was 20.4 months.Among 134 patients with evaluable lesions,the ORR was 70.9%and the DCR was 96.3%.The median PFS was 16.3[95%confidence interval(95%CI),13.7−18.9]months.Multivariate Cox regression analysis suggested that the baseline brain metastasis(BM)status[with vs.without BM:hazard ratio(HR),1.331;95%CI,0.720−2.458;P=0.361]and initial doses(45 mg vs.30 mg:HR,0.837;95%CI,0.427−1.641;P=0.604)did not significantly affect the median PFS.The median DOT was 21.0(95%CI,17.5−24.6)months and the median OS was not reached.Genetic tests were performed in 64 patients after progression,among whom 29(45.3%)patients developed the EGFR 20T790M mutation.In addition,among the 46 patients who discontinued dacomitinib treatment after progression,31(67.4%)patients received subsequent third-generation EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors.The most common grade 3−4 adverse events were rash(10.4%),diarrhea(9.1%),stomatitis(7.1%)and paronychia(4.5%).The incidence of grade 3−4 rash was significantly higher in the 45 mg group than that in the 30 mg group(21.9%vs.7.5%,P=0.042).Conclusions:First-line dacomitinib treatment demonstrated promising efficacy and tolerable adverse events among EGFR 21L858R mutant NSCLC patients in China.

Inetetamab combined with S-1 and oxaliplatin as first-line treatment for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive gastric cancer

BACKGROUND Patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER2)-positive advanced gastric cancer have poor outcomes.Trastuzumab combined with chemotherapy is the first-line standard treatment for HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer.Inetetamab is a novel anti-HER2 drug,and its efficacy and safety in gastric cancer have not yet been reported.AIM To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the S-1 plus oxaliplatin(SOX)regimen combined with inetetamab as a first-line treatment for HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer.METHODS Thirty-eight patients with HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer or gastroeso-phageal junction adenocarcinoma were randomly divided into two groups:One group received inetetamab combined with the SOX regimen,and the other group received trastuzumab combined with the SOX regimen.After 4-6 cycles,patients with stable disease received maintenance therapy.The primary endpoints were progression-free survival(PFS)and overall survival(OS),and the secondary endpoints were the objective response rate,disease control rate,and adverse events(AEs).RESULTS Thirty-seven patients completed the trial,with 18 patients in the inetetamab group and 19 patients in the trastuzumab group.In the inetetamab group,the median PFS was 8.5 months,whereas it was 7.3 months in the trastuzumab group(P=0.046);this difference was significant.The median OS in the inetetamab group vs the trastuzumab group was 15.4 months vs 14.3 months(P=0.33),and the objective response rate was 50%vs 42%(P=0.63),respectively;these differences were not significant.Common AEs included leukopenia,thrombocytopenia,nausea,and vomiting.The incidence rates of grade≥3 AEs were 56%in the inetetamab group and 47%in the trastuzumab group(P=0.63),with no significant difference.CONCLUSION In the first-line treatment of HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer,inetetamab and trastuzumab showed comparable efficacy.The inetetamab group showed superior PFS,and both groups had good safety.

Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs combined with laser photocoagulation maintain retinal ganglion cell integrity in patients with diabetic macular edema: study protocol for a prospective, non-randomized, controlled clinical trial

The integrity of retinal ganglion cells is tightly associated with diabetic macular degeneration that leads to damage and death of retinal ganglion cells,affecting vision.The major clinical treatments for diabetic macular edema are anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs and laser photocoagulation.However,although the macular thickness can be normalized with each of these two therapies used alone,the vision does not improve in many patients.This might result from the incomplete recovery of retinal ganglion cell injury.Therefore,a prospective,non-randomized,controlled clinical trial was designed to investigate the effect of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs combined with laser photocoagulation on the integrity of retinal ganglion cells in patients with diabetic macular edema and its relationship with vision recovery.In this trial,150 patients with diabetic macular edema will be equally divided into three groups according to therapeutic methods,followed by treatment with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs,laser photocoagulation therapy,and their combination.All patients will be followed up for 12 months.The primary outcome measure is retinal ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer thickness at 12 months after treatment.The secondary outcome measures include retinal ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer thickness before and 1,3,6,and 9 months after treatment,retinal nerve fiber layer thickness,best-corrected visual acuity,macular area thickness,and choroidal thickness before and 1,3,6,9,and 12 months after treatment.Safety measure is the incidence of adverse events at 1,3,6,9,and 12 months after treatment.The study protocol hopes to validate the better efficacy and safety of the combined treatment in patients with diabetic macula compared with the other two monotherapies alone during the 12-month follow-up period.The trial is designed to focus on clarifying the time-effect relationship between imaging measures related to the integrity of retinal ganglion cells and best-corrected visual acuity.The trial protocol was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Affiliated Hospital of Beihua University with approval No.(2023)(26)on April 25,2023,and was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry(registration number:ChiCTR2300072478,June 14,2023,protocol version:2.0).

Multimodal imaging diagnosis and analysis of prognostic factors in patients with adult-onset Coats disease

AIM:To describe the multimodal imaging features,treatment,and outcomes of patients diagnosed with adultonset Coats disease.METHODS:This retrospective study included patients first diagnosed with Coats disease at≥18 years of age between September 2017 and September 2021.Some patients received anti-vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)therapy(conbercept,0.5 mg)as the initial treatment,which was combined with laser photocoagulation as needed.All the patients underwent best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)and intraocular pressure examinations,fundus color photography,spontaneous fluorescence tests,fundus fluorescein angiography,optical coherence tomography(OCT),OCT angiography,and other examinations.BCVA alterations and multimodal image findings in the affected eyes following treatment were compared and the prognostic factors were analyzed.RESULTS:The study included 15 patients who were aged 24-72(57.33±12.61)y at presentation.Systemic hypertension was the most common associated systemic condition,occurring in 13(86.7%)patients.Baseline BCVA ranged from 2.0 to 5.0(4.0±1.1),which showed improvement following treatment(4.2±1.0).Multimodal imaging revealed retinal telangiectasis in 13 patients(86.7%),patchy hemorrhage in 5 patients(33.3%),and stage 2B disease(Shield’s staging criteria)in 11 patients(73.3%).OCT revealed that the baseline central macular thickness(CMT)ranged from 129 to 964μm(473.0±230.1μm),with 13 patients(86.7%)exhibiting a baseline CMT exceeding 250μm.Furthermore,8 patients(53.3%)presented with an epiretinal membrane at baseline or during follow-up.Hyper-reflective scars were observed on OCT in five patients(33.3%)with poor visual prognosis.Vision deteriorated in one patient who did not receive treatment.Final vision was stable in three patients who received laser treatment,whereas improvement was observed in one of two patients who received anti-VEGF therapy alone.In addition,8 of 9 patients(88.9%)who received laser treatment and conbercept exhibited stable or improved BCVA.CONCLUSION:Multimodal imaging can help diagnose adult-onset Coats disease.Anti-VEGF treatment combined with laser therapy can be an option for improving or maintaining BCVA and resolving macular edema.The final visual outcome depends on macular involvement and the disease stage.

Knockdown of HE4 suppresses tumor growth and invasiveness in lung adenocarcinoma through regulation of EGFR signaling

It has been shown that the high expression of human epididymis protein 4(HE4)in most lung cancers is related to the poor prognosis of patients,but the mechanism of pathological transformation of HE4 in lung cancer is still unclear.The current study is expected to clarify the function and mechanism of HE4 in the occurrence and metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma(LUAD).Immunoblotting evaluated HE4 expression in lung cancer cell lines and biopsies,and through analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)dataset.Frequent HE4 overexpression was demonstrated in LUAD,but not in lung squamous cell carcinoma(LUSC),indicating that HE4 can serve as a biomarker to distinguish between LUAD and LUSC.HE4 knockdown significantly inhibited cell growth,colony formation,wound healing,and invasion,and blocked the G1-phase of the cell cycle in LUAD cell lines through inactivation of the EGFR signaling downstream including PI3K/AKT/mTOR and RAF/MAPK pathways.The first-line EGFR inhibitor gefitinib and HE4 shRNA had no synergistic inhibitory effect on the growth of lung adenocarcinoma cells,while the third-line EGFR inhibitor osimertinib showed additive anti-proliferative effects.Moreover,we provided evidence that HE4 regulated EGFR expression by transcription regulation and protein interaction in LUAD.Our findings suggest that HE4 positively modulates the EGFR signaling pathway to promote growth and invasiveness in LUAD and highlight that targeting HE4 could be a novel strategy for LUAD treatment.

Milk fat globule epidermal growth factor 8 alleviates liver injury in severe acute pancreatitis by restoring autophagy flux and inhibiting ferroptosis in hepatocytes

BACKGROUND Liver injury is common in severe acute pancreatitis(SAP).Excessive autophagy often leads to an imbalance of homeostasis in hepatocytes,which induces lipid peroxidation and mitochondrial iron deposition and ultimately leads to ferroptosis.Our previous study found that milk fat globule epidermal growth factor 8(MFG-E8)alleviates acinar cell damage during SAP via binding toαvβ3/5 integrins.MFG-E8 also seems to mitigate pancreatic fibrosis via inhibiting chaperone-mediated autophagy.AIM To speculate whether MFG-E8 could also alleviate SAP induced liver injury by restoring the abnormal autophagy flux.METHODS SAP was induced in mice by 2 hly intraperitoneal injections of 4.0 g/kg L-arginine or 7 hly injections of 50μg/kg cerulein plus lipopolysaccharide.mfge8-knockout mice were used to study the effect of MFG-E8 deficiency on SAPinduced liver injury.Cilengitide,a specificαvβ3/5 integrin inhibitor,was used to investigate the possible mechanism of MFG-E8.RESULTS The results showed that MFG-E8 deficiency aggravated SAP-induced liver injury in mice,enhanced autophagy flux in hepatocyte,and worsened the degree of ferroptosis.Exogenous MFG-E8 reduced SAP-induced liver injury in a dose-dependent manner.Mechanistically,MFG-E8 mitigated excessive autophagy and inhibited ferroptosis in liver cells.Cilengitide abolished MFG-E8’s beneficial effects in SAP-induced liver injury.CONCLUSION MFG-E8 acts as an endogenous protective mediator in SAP-induced liver injury.MFG-E8 alleviates the excessive autophagy and inhibits ferroptosis in hepatocytes by binding to integrinαVβ3/5.

Research progress on the development of hepatocyte growth factor/c-Met signaling pathway in gastric cancer:A review

Hepatocyte growth factor(HGF)and its receptor,c-Met,play important roles in the occurrence,development,and treatment of gastric cancer(GC).This review explored the function of the HGF/c-Met signaling pathway in GC and its potential targeted therapeutic mechanisms.As one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide,GC has a complex pathogenesis and limited therapeutic options.Therefore,a thorough understanding of the molecular mechanism of GC is very important for the development of new therapeutic methods.The HGF/c-Met signaling pathway plays an important role in the proliferation,migration,and invasion of GC cells and has become a new therapeutic target.This review summarizes the current research progress on the role of HGF/c-Met in GC and discusses targeted therapeutic strategies targeting this signaling pathway,providing new ideas and directions for the treatment of GC.

Hepatocyte growth factor promotes retinal pigment epithelium cell activity through MET/AKT signaling pathway

AIM:To explore the effects of hepatocyte growth factor(HGF)on retinal pigment epithelium(RPE)cell behaviors.METHODS:The human adult retinal pigment epithelial cell line-19(ARPE-19)were treated by HGF or mesenchymalepithelial transition factor(MET)inhibitor SU11274 in vitro.Cell viability was detected by a Cell Counting Kit-8 assay.Cell proliferation and motility was detected by a bromodeoxyuridine incorporation assay and a wound healing assay,respectively.The expression levels of MET,phosphorylated MET,protein kinase B(AKT),and phosphorylated AKT proteins were determined by Western blot assay.The MET and phosphorylated MET proteins were also determined by immunofluorescence assay.RESULTS:HGF increased ARPE-19 cells’viability,proliferation and migration,and induced an increase of phosphorylated MET and phosphorylated AKT proteins.SU11274 significantly reduced cell viability,proliferation,and migration and decreased the expression of MET and AKT proteins.SU11274 suppressed HGF-induced increase of viability,proliferation,and migration in ARPE-19 cells.Additionally,SU11274 also blocked HGF-induced phosphorylation of MET and AKT proteins.CONCLUSION:HGF enhances cellular viability,proliferation,and migration in RPE cells through the MET/AKT signaling pathway,whereas this enhancement is suppressed by the MET inhibitor SU11274.HGF-induced MET/AKT signaling might be a vital contributor of RPE cells survival.