ABSTRACT
Objective@#To predict the prognosis of cervical cancer, we constructed a novel model with 5 specific cell types and identified a potential biomarker. @*Methods@#We employed CIBERSORT and xCell method to evaluate the abundances of 23 cells types in tumor microenvironment. Five specific cell types were filtrated to determine different immunotypes by applying least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression method. The expression of immune checkpoints (ICPs) and effectors were validated by immunohistochemistry. Correlation analysis was performed to examine the relevance between PIK3CA mutational status and ICPs. @*Results@#Unsupervised clustering of patients on the basis of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and fibroblasts identified patients with shorter overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio [HR]=3.0729; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.5103–6.2522; p=0.0118). An immunoscore (IS) signature consisting of 5 immune cell types infiltrating in tumor core (CD8T, activated NK cells, neutrophils, activated mast cells, macrophages) was constructed using LASSO Cox regression analysis. Receiver operating characteristic curves confirmed that the area under the curve of IS was significantly higher to that of International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics staging alone (0.637 vs. 0.55). Survival analysis revealed patients in high IS group exhibited a poorer OS (HR=3.0113; 95% CI=1.8746–4.8373; p<0.0001). The multivariate analysis indicated the IS was an independent prognostic factor. In addition, the lower IS related to higher expression of ICPs and neoantigen load. @*Conclusions@#The identification of IS in cervical cancer tissues could facilitate patient risk stratification and selection of immunotherapeutic responses, but more prospective studies are needed to assess its reliability.
ABSTRACT
Patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) often have poor prognosis, and early diagnosis and effective treatment measures can significantly improve the survival rate of patients. At present, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is the most widely used serum marker for the diagnosis of HCC in the world; however, no increase in AFP was found in some HCC patients. This article analyzes the application potential of AFP, hepatitis B core-related antigen, liquid biopsy technology, microRNA, long non-coding RNA, and exosomes in the early diagnosis of HCC and reviews related research advances, so as to provide a basis for exploring new methods for the early diagnosis of HCC.
ABSTRACT
The incurable chronic infection caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the major health burden worldwide. Covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) exists in the nucleus of infected cells as a stable minichromosome, and when a new therapy realizes inactivation or eliminates persistent cccDNA in infected hepatocytes, the natural process of chronic infection and long-term antiviral therapy will no longer exist. This article introduces the methods targeting cccDNA, such as gene editing and epigenetic modification, so as to achieve the complete cure of HBV infection.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To analyze the mental health status of men who have sex with men (MSM) population among acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients.Methods:A face-to-face questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate the general information, symptom check list-90 (SCL-90) questionnaire and scale of 269 MSM patients with AIDS in the Eighth Hospital of Xi'an city from November 2015 to May 2016.Results:Among the 269 cases of MSM with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS, the majority were 20-40 years old, with higher education level, mostly unmarried and nonsingleton. The scores of each factor of SCL-90 were significantly higher than that of the norm, among which diet and sleep, interpersonal relationship, anxiety and depression were the most prominent; regression analysis showed that the main reason affecting the scores of each factor among AIDS patients was the low quality of life, and the patients with high education were more likely to have depression and anxiety.Conclusions:MSM has its own special characteristics among AIDS patients, and there are many psychological problems. Necessary psychological intervention measures should be given.
ABSTRACT
Objective@#To study the pathologic features of fallopian tubal epithelium in patients with pelvic high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC), to investigate its role in pelvic serous carcinogenesis and to reclassify the primary site of HGSC based on recently proposed criteria.@*Methods@#The fallopian tubes in 58 cases of pelvic HGSC (54 cases of ovarian primary, 3 cases of tubal primary, 1 case of peritoneum) and 25 cases of pelvic non-HGSC (5 cases of ovarian low-grade serous cancer, 9 cases of endometrioid cancer, and 11 cases of clear cell ovary carcinoma) were collected from June 2015 to December 2016, and serially examined under light microscope (SEE-FIM protocol). Immunostaining for p53 and Ki-67 was performed to evaluate the presence of p53 signature, serous tubal intraepithelial lesion (STIL), serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma (STIC) and invasive carcinoma in these fallopian tubes. Meanwhile, primary site of HGSC based on the recently proposed diagnostic criteria were also reclassified.@*Results@#Among the study group, the frequencies of p53 signature, STIL, STIC and invasive HGSC were 27.6% (16/58), 43.1% (25/58), 36.2% (21/58) and 67.2% (39/58), respectively, while in control group, the proportions were 24.0% (6/25), 0, 0 and 8.0% (2/25), respectively. The continuum of epithelial changes in the process of serous neoplasia including p53 signature, STIL, STIC and invasive carcinoma was identified in 8 cases of pelvic HGSC. The proportions of STIL, STIC and invasive carcinomas in HGSC group were higher than that in non-HGSC group (P<0.01). About 80.0% (20/25) of STIL and 85.7% (18/21) of STIC were present unilaterally. Diagnostically, the study group contained the 17 cases of ovarian HGSC, 40 cases of tubal HGSC, and 1 case of peritoneal HGSC after reclassification of the cancer primary.@*Conclusions@#Continuous changes of tubal epithelium including p53 signature, STIL, STIC and invasive carcinomas are identified in patients with HGSC, supporting the current understanding that the fallopian tube is likely the cellular source of the majority HGSC. STIL and STIC may be specific to pelvic HGSC and may act as a target for future research on the early detection and prevention of this disease. The newly proposed diagnostic criteria for pelvic HGSC will lead us to more accurate classification of cancer primary sites. Correct classification of HGSC may have potential impacts for cancer prevention and improve our understanding of ovarian serous carcinogenesis.
ABSTRACT
This study was aimed to observe the clinical efficacy of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) combined withPing-Ai(PA) Mixture in the treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) patients with non-infectious skin lesions, in order to study the advantages of integrative medicine in AIDS prevention and treatment. A total of 9 cases, who met the inclusion criteria of AIDS-associated non-infectious skin lesion with the pattern ofqi-yin deficiency and internal obstruction of phlegm-stasis, were selected. The combination of HAART and number 1 and 4 prescription of PA Mixture were used in the treatment for 3 months. The observations were made on changes of clinical symptoms, body signs, Karovsky integral and CD4+ T cells of patients before and after treatment. Stata 12.0 was used in the statistical analysis. The results showed that after integrative therapy, the single integral of clinical symptoms and body signs, such as skin spot papula, subcutaneous nodules, skin itching, fatigue was obviously reduced compared to that of the pretreatment. The total score decreased than that of the pretreatment. The patients’ quality of life (QOL) significantly increased. The Karovsky integral increased compared with that of pretreatment. The CD4+ T cells values were higher than that of the pretreatment. It was concluded that the integrative therapy had a certain effect in the treatment of AIDS-associated non-infectious skin lesions, which can improve the clinical symptoms, body signs, obviously increase the patients’ QOL and immune function.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the expression of CXCR4/CXCL12 and effect on the expression of CXCR4 by hypoxia in trophoblasts of human first trimester gestation.Methods:To detect the expression of CXCR4 and CXCL12 in placental tissue and primary cytotrophoblasts by immunohistochemistry and to assess the level of CXCR4mRNA under the condition of hypoxia in the trophoblasts of first trimester gestation by reas-time PCR.Results:The expression of CXCR4/CXCL12 were detected in the villous column,blood vessels and trophoblasts in the early pregnancy;CXCR4 mRNA was significantly higher through 12,24,48 and 72 h incubation periods in the hypoxic condition than that under normal oxygen condition respectively.Conclusion:Human first trimester trophoblasts produced CXCR4/CXCL12,which may play important biological role on the normal human pregnancy;Hypoxia could regulate the expression of CXCR4,which may contribute to the physiological pregnancy process.