Relationship between autophagy and perineural invasion, clinicopathological features, and prognosis in pancreatic cancer

AIM To investigate the relationship between autophagy and perineural invasion(PNI), clinical features, and prognosis in patients with pancreatic cancer. METHODS Clinical and pathological data were retrospectively collected from 109 patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma who underwent radical resection at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2011 to August 2016. Expression levels of the autophagy-related protein microtubuleassociated protein 1 A/1 B-light chain 3(LC3) and PNI marker ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase(UCH) in pancreatic cancer tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry. The correlations among LC3 expression, PNI, and clinical pathological features in pancreatic cancer were analyzed. The patients were followed for further survival analysis. RESULTS In 109 cases of pancreatic cancer, 68.8%(75/109) had evidence of PNI and 61.5%(67/109) had high LC3 expression. PNI was associated with lymph node metastasis, pancreatitis, and CA19-9 levels(P < 0.05). LC3 expression was related to lymph node metastasis(P < 0.05) and was positively correlated with neural invasion(P < 0.05, r = 0.227). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that LC3 expression, lymph node metastasis, pancreatitis, and CA19-9 level were factors that influenced neural invasion, whereas only neural invasion itself was an independent factor for high LC3 expression. Univariate analysis showed that LC3 expression, neural invasion, and CA19-9 level were related to the overall survival of pancreatic cancer patients(P < 0.05). Multivariate COX regression analysis indicated that PNI and LC3 expression were independent risk factors for poor prognosis in pancreatic cancer(P < 0.05). CONCLUSION PNI in patients with pancreatic cancer is positively related to autophagy. Neural invasion and LC3 expression are independent risk factors for pancreatic cancer with a poor prognosis.

hMex-3A is associated with poor prognosis and contributes to the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma

Background:HMex-3A,an RNA-binding protein,was found to be associated with tumorigenesis.However,the roles of h Mex-3A in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)progression remained unclear.Methods:The different expression of h Mex-3A between HCC tissues and non-tumor tissues was evaluated using The Cancer Genome Atlas database.Thereafter,the h Mex-3A expression was evaluated in HCC tissues using Western blotting and q RT-PCR.Immunohistochemistry was performed to investigate the association between h Mex-3 A level and clinicopathological features including prognosis in HCC patients.In addition,we used si-h Mex-3A to knockdown h Mex-3A in HCC cells to test Cell Counting Kit-8,colony formation,cell migration and invasion.Results:The h Mex-3A expression was significantly elevated in HCC tissues.Analysis of the clinicopathological parameters suggested that h Mex-3A expression was significantly associated with pathological grade(P=0.019)and TNM stage(P=0.001)in HCC.Moreover,univariate and multivariate Coxregression analyses revealed that high h Mex-3A expression(HR=1.491,95%CI:1.107–2.007;P=0.009)was an independent risk factor for overall survival in HCC patients.Finally,we confirmed that si-h Mex-3A could significantly inhibit HCC cell proliferation,migration,and invasion in vitro.Conclusions:HMex-3A may contribute to the progression of HCC and might be used as a novel therapeutic target and prognostic marker in HCC.

Calycosin attenuates severe acute pancreatitis-associated acute lung injury by curtailing high mobility group box 1-induced inflammation

BACKGROUND Acute lung injury(ALI)is a common and life-threatening complication of severe acute pancreatitis(SAP).There are currently limited effective treatment options for SAP and associated ALI.Calycosin(Cal),a bioactive constituent extracted from the medicinal herb Radix Astragali exhibits potent anti-inflammatory properties,but its effect on SAP and associated ALI has yet to be determined.AIM To identify the roles of Cal in SAP-ALI and the underlying mechanism.METHODS SAP was induced via two intraperitoneal injections of L-arg(4 g/kg)and Cal(25 or 50 mg/kg)were injected 1 h prior to the first L-arg challenge.Mice were sacrificed 72 h after the induction of SAP and associated ALI was examined histologically and biochemically.An in vitro model of lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced ALI was established using A549 cells.Immunofluorescence analysis and western blot were evaluated in cells.Molecular docking analyses were conducted to examine the interaction of Cal with HMGB1.RESULTS Cal treatment substantially reduced the serum amylase levels and alleviated histopathological injury associated with SAP and ALI.Neutrophil infiltration and lung tissue levels of neutrophil mediator myeloperoxidase were reduced in line with protective effects of Cal against ALI in SAP.Cal treatment also attenuated the serum levels and mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α,interleukin-6,IL-1β,HMGB1 and chemokine(CXC motif)ligand 1 in lung tissue.Immunofluorescence and western blot analyses showed that Cal treatment markedly suppressed the expression of HMGB1 and phosphorylated nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB)p65 in lung tissues and an in vitro model of LPSinduced ALI in A549 cells suggesting a role for HGMB1 in the pathogenesis of ALI.Furthermore,molecular docking analysis provided evidence for the direct interaction of Cal with HGMB1.CONCLUSION Cal protects mice against L-arg-induced SAP and associated ALI by attenuating local and systemic neutrophil infiltration and inflammatory response via inhibition of HGMB1 and the NF-κB signaling pathway.

Degradation of helicase-like transcription factor(HLTF)byβ-TrCP promotes hepatocarcinogenesis via activation of the p62/mTOR axis

Helicase-like transcription factor (HLTF) has been found to be involved in the maintenance of genome stability and tumoursuppression, but whether its downregulation in cancers is associated with posttranslational regulation remains unclear. Here, weobserved that HLTF was significantly downregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues and positively associated with thesurvival of HCC patients. Mechanistically, the decreased expression of HLTF in HCC was attributed to elevated β-TrCP-mediated ubiquitination and degradation. Knockdown of HLTF enhanced p62 transcriptional activity and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)activation, leading to HCC tumourigenesis. Inhibition of mTOR effectively blocked β-TrCP overexpression- or HLTF knockdownmediated HCC tumourigenesis and metastasis. Furthermore, in clinical tissues, decreased HLTF expression was positively correlatedwith elevated expression of β-TrCP, p62, or p-mTOR in HCC patients. Overall, our data not only uncover new roles of HLTF in HCCcell proliferation and metastasis, but also reveal a novel posttranslational modification of HLTF by β-TrCP, indicating that theβ-TrCP/HLTF/p62/mTOR axis may be a new oncogenic driver involved in HCC development. This finding provides a potentialtherapeutic strategy for HCC patients by targeting the β-TrCP/HLTF/p62/mTOR axis.

Chinese expert consensus on conversion therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma(2021 edition)

Recent advances in systemic and locoregional treatments for patients with unresectable or advanced hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)have resulted in improved response rates.This has provided an opportunity for selected patients with initially unresectable HCC to achieve adequate tumor downstaging to undergo surgical resection,a‘conversion therapy’strategy.However,conversion therapy is a new approach to the treatment of HCC and its practice and treatment protocols are still being developed.Review the evidence for conversion therapy in HCC and develop consensus statements to guide clinical practice.Evidence review:Many research centers in China have accumulated significant experience implementing HCC conversion therapy.Preliminary findings and data have shown that conversion therapy represents an important strategy to maximize the survival of selected patients with intermediate stage to advanced HCC;however,there are still many urgent clinical and scientific challenges for this therapeutic strategy and its related fields.In order to summarize and learn from past experience and review current challenges,the Chinese Expert Consensus on Conversion Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma(2021 Edition)was developed based on a review of preliminary experience and clinical data from Chinese and non-Chinese studies in this field and combined with recommendations for clinical practice.Sixteen consensus statements on the implementation of conversion therapy for HCC were developed.The statements generated in this review are based on a review of clinical evidence and real clinical experience and will help guide future progress in conversion therapy for patients with HCC.