Biomarkers for Neoadjuvant Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer / 中国肺癌杂志

Surgery is the standard treatment for resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy have been widely used for preventing recurrence and metastasis. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have brought long-term survival benefits in advanced NSCLC and showed higher downstage rates and pathological remission in the neoadjuvant setting. Predictive biomarkers are of great significance to identify the beneficiaries of neoadjuvant ICIs. At present, the biomarkers are still inconclusive. We summarized the clinical trials of neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitors that have been disclosed so far, and reviewed the progress of the biomarkers associated with those trials.
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Clinical Effect of Pedicled Pericardial Fat Flap in Prevention of Bronchial Pleural Fistula in Bronchial Sleeve Lobectomy / 中国肺癌杂志

BACKGROUND@#Bronchial sleeve lobectomy is essential surgical approach to treat centralized lung cancer. It is the best reflected the principle of lung cancer surgery, "remove tumor completely while minimize pulmonary function loss". Bronchial pleural fistula (BPF) is not common but very severe complication of bronchial sleeve lobectomy, that is usually fatal. Present article is to explore clinical effect on prevention of bronchial pleural fistula (BPF) in bronchial sleeve lobectomy, by wrapping brachial anastomosis with pedicled pericardial fat flap.@*METHODS@#Clinical data of 39 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who underwent surgical resection during January 2016 to May 2019 in Lung Cancer Center of West China Hospital, Sichuan University were collected and retrospectively analyzed. All of the patients underwent bronchial sleeve lobectomy and a brachial anastomosis wrapping with pedicled pericardial fat flap.@*RESULTS@#All patients recovered well and were discharged within 6 d-14 d after operation. No BPF occurred, nor other severe complications, such as reoperation needing intrathoracic bleeding, several pneumonia and respiratory failure, and life threatening cardiac arrhythmia. Only one patient (1/39) had several anastomotic stenosis and consequential atelectasis of residual lung in operative side 6 months after surgery.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Wrapping bronchial anastomosis with pedicled pericardial fat flap in bronchial lobectomy for centralized NSCLC is a simple and effective approach to prevent BPF, thus safety of the operation could be significantly improved.

Prevention and treatment of atelectasis after thoracotomy for lung cancer / 中国肺癌杂志

<p><b>BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE</b>Atelectasis is a common complication after thoracotomy, and it may threaten patients' life if it was not treated correctly and properly. The aim of this article is to explore and discuss the prevention and treatment for atelectasis during the perioperative period, and also to explore new methods for reducing the perioperative mortality due to atelectasis after thoracotomy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 374 lung cancer patients who underwent thoracotomy in our department between Jan 2007 and Nov 2009.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Atelectasis occurred in 14 patients among all the 374 lung cancer patients who underwent thoracotomy. All the atelectasis returned to reexpansion after treatment.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The incidence of atelectasis in these series is relatively low compared with the reports in literatures. Good perioperative preparation and perioperative treatment can remarkably decrease the incidence and mortality of atelectasis after thoracotomy in the treatment of lung cancer.</p>

Construction and application of a new prokaryotic expression vector derivative of pBV220 / 生物工程学报

A single-stranded oligonucleotides containing a 6 histidine sequence, a hydroxylamine cleavage site, a thrombin cleavage site, and stop codon TAA were inserted into the polylinker's downstream of prokaryotic expression vector pBV220 between BamHI and PstI. The resultant vector is named pBV223. Proteins expressed in this vector will have a 6 histidine tail as affinity handy fused to their C terminus and can be quickly purified by one step immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC). This plasmid is verified by restriction map and DNA sequencing. Subsequently, the metastasis suppressor gene nm23-H1 cDNA (without the stop codon) was cloned into vector PBV223 in frame with the 6-histidine sequence, hydroxylamine and thrombin cleavage sites. The soluble nm23-H1 fusion protein was successfully induced in the bacterial DH5a and easily purified with Ni chromatograph. These results indicated that the strategy to clone the single-stranded oligonucleotides directly into the restriction sties between BamH I and Pst I in the pBV220 vector is the simplest and cost-effective method.

Construction, expression and purification of kinase suppressor of Ras, KSR / 中国肺癌杂志

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Ras to MAPK pathway plays a critical role in the transmission of many growth and developmental signals. A new component of this pathway which is termed kinase suppressor of Ras (KSR) was found in 1995. KSR is as a scaffolding protein that coordinates the assembly of a multiprotein complex containing mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and its upstream regulators. It has been proven that KSR has many phosphorylation sites, and phosphorylation state changes response to signaling events. Site-directed mutagenesis can precisely change the base sequence and get mutant proteins. The aim of this study is to construct two mutant proteins of KSR by using site-directed mutagenesis, and to express and purify them, therefore to provide basement for studying the functional and biochemical mechanisms of KSR.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Site-directed mutagenesis of pCMV-Tag2b-KSR gene was performed by modified QuikChangtm site-directed mutagenesis kit method. Two pairs of mutagenic primers were synthesized in vitro and two mutations desired, the recombinant plasmids were verified by restriction enzyme analysis and DNA sequencing. Then positive clones were transfected into 293T cell line. The purified mutant proteins were analyzed by Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Two mutants were successfully constructed. The results of DNA sequencing confirmed that the base sequences of the mutant genes were completely concordant with experiment design, which could be used to be transfected into 293T cell line. The purified mutants were identified by Western blot.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Two mutant KSR genes are successfully constructed. It provides experimental basement for further functional research of KSR.</p>

Construction and screening of the subtracted cDNA library of human large cell lung cancer lines with different metastatic potentials / 中国肺癌杂志

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Screening metastatic-related genes of lung cancer is helpful to understand the molecular mechanisms of lung cancer invasion and metastasis. In order to screen the differential expression genes related to metastasis of lung cancer, we constructed and preliminarily screened the subtracted cDNA libraries of human large cell lung cancer cell lines with different metastatic potentials in this study.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Subtracted cDNA library was constructed in the different metastastic potential cell lines NL9980 and L9981 by suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) method. The positive clones were preliminarily screened by blue-white colony based on the α-complementary principal, and precisely identified by PCR. The forward and reverse subtracted libraries were screened and identified by dot blot to obtain the clones corresponding to differential expression segments.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The subtracted cDNA libraries were successfully constructed in the different metastastic potential cell lines NL9980 and L9981. Three hundred and seven positive clones in the forward subtracted library and 78 positive clones in the reverse subtracted library were obtained by the dot blot method.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>SSH is proved to be an efficient tool for differential expression gene cloning. The forward and reverse subtracted cDNA libraries of different metastastic potential cell lines are constructed by this method. The differential expression genes related to tumor metastasis might exist in the human large cell lung cancer cell lines with different metastasis potential.</p>

Effects of nm23-H1 point mutation on activity of GSK-3β in human high-metastatic large cell lung cancer cell line L9981 / 中国肺癌杂志

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>The results of our previous studies have proven that nm23-H1 gene can suppress metastasis of lung cancer, which may be associated with suppression of the Wnt signal pathway through up-regulating the activity of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β), the key kinase of the Wnt signal pathway. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of point mutation of nm23-H1 gene on GSK-3β activity in cytoplasm and nucleus in human high-metastatic large cell lung cancer cell line L9981.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Using immunoprecipitation and a radioactive isotope scintillation counter, the activity of GSK-3β was detected in cytoplasm and nucleus of human low-metastatic large cell lung cancer cell line NL9980, human high-metastatic large cell lung cancer cell line L9981, L9981-pEGFP (transfected with vector), L9981-nm23-H1-pEGFP (transfected with wild type nm23-H1), L9981-nm23-H1 S44A -pEGFP mutant (transfected with serine 44 to alanineon of nm23-H1 gene), L9981-nm23-H1 P96S -pEGFP mutant (transfected with proline 96 to serine of nm23-H1 gene), L9981-nm23-H1 H118F -pEGFP mutant (transfected with histidine 118 to phenylalanine of nm23-H1 gene) and L9981-nm23-H1 S120G -pEGFP mutant (transfected with serine 120 to glycine of nm23-H1 gene).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The GSK-3β activity in cytoplasm and nucleus was remarkably decreased in the transgene lung cancer cell lines transfected with mutant nm23-H1 cDNA (L9981-nm23-H1 S44A -pEGFP, L9981-nm23-H1 P96S -pEGFP, L9981-nm23-H1 H118F -pEGFP and L9981-nm23-H1 S120G -pEGFP). Significant differences of GSK-3β activity in cytoplasm and nucleus were observed (P < 0.05) when L9981-nm23-H1-pEGFP cell line was compared with L9981-nm23-H1 S44A -pEGFP, L9981-nm23-H1 P96S -pEGFP, L9981-nm23-H1 H118F -pEGFP and L9981-nm23-H1 S120G -pEGFP lung cancer cell lines. There was a highly significant difference in GSK-3β activity in the cytoplasm between L9981-nm23-H1-pEGFP cell line and L9981-nm23-H1 P96S -pEGFP lung cancer cell line (P < 0.01 ). A highly significant difference in GSK-3β activity in the nucleus was observed (P < 0.01) when L9981-nm23-H1-pEGFP lung cancer cell line was compared with L9981-nm23-H1 S44A -pEGFP, L9981-nm23-H1 P96S -pEGFP and L9981-nm23-H1 H118F -pEGFP lung cancer cell lines.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>(1) Point mutation of nm23-H1 gene can significantly influence the regulating effects on the GSK-3β activity in the cytoplasm and nucleus in the human high-metastatic large cell lung cancer cell line L9981. (2) The effects of nm23-H1 gene on metastatic phenotype may be related to the upregulation of GSK-3β activity in human high-metastatic large cell lung cancer cell line L9981.</p>

Relationship between LAPTM4B gene polymorphism and susceptibility of lung cancer / 中国肺癌杂志

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>It has been proved that lysosome-associated protein transmembrane 4 beta (LAPTM4B) plays an important role in tumorigenesis, the *2/*2 genotype of LAPTM4B was closely related to liver cancer susceptibity. The aim of this study is to investigate the possible association between the allelic variation of LAPTM4B and the genetic susceptibility of lung cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The genotype of LAPTM4B was detected in 131 patients with lung cancer and 104 unrelated healthy adult individuals as control by polymerase chain reaction based on special primers. The genotypic distribution of LAPTM4B was analyzed by Chi-square test.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The allelic frequencies of the *1 and *2 were 74.8% and 25.2% in the lung cancer group and 72.1% and 27.9% in the healthy control group respectively, but no significant difference was observed between the two groups (Chi-square=0.433, P=0.510). The genotypic distribution of the *1/*1,*1/*2 and *2/*2 were 53.4%, 42.7% and 3.8% in the lung cancer group, 54.8%, 34.6% and 10.6% in the healthy control group respectively, there was no significant difference between the two groups (Chi-square=4.89, P=0.087). No remarkable association was observed between the genotypic distribution of LAPTM4B and the clinical information in the patients with lung cancer, including pathological type and TNM staging.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The results suggest that the allele of LAPTM4B is not closely associated with genetic susceptibility of lung cancer.</p>

Construction of human nm23-H1 mutant and EGFP fusion genes using site-directed mutagenesis / 中国肺癌杂志

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Previous researches have proven that nm23-H1 gene is a tumor metastatic suppressor gene, however, it is still unknown about its exact molecular mechanisms. Site-directed mutagenesis can correctly change the base sequence and get mutant proteins. The aim of this study is to construct nm23-H1 mutant and EGFP fusion genes by site-directed mutagenesis, and to provide basement for studying the functional and biochemical mechanisms of nm23-H1 gene.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Site-directed mutagenesis of nm23-H1 gene was performed by modified QuikChange™ Site-directed Mutagenesis Kit method. Pure plasmid containing fusion gene of nm23-H1 and EGFP (PLXSN-nm23-H1-EGFP) was mini-prepared. Four pairs of mutagenic primers were synthesized in vitro and the desired five mutations, S44A, P96S, H118F, S120G and P96S-S120G were introduced into nm23-H1-EGFP fusion gene by PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Five nm23-H1 mutant and EGFP fusion genes, nm23-H1(S44A)-EGFP, nm23-H1(P96S)-EGFP, nm23-H1 (H118F)-EGFP, nm23-H1(S120G)-EGFP and nm23-H1(P96S-S120G)-EGFP, were successfully constructed. The results of DNA sequencing confirmed that the base sequences of the mutant fusion genes were completely concordant with experiment design.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Five nm23-H1 mutant and EGFP fusion genes are successfully constructed, which can be used in further studies. QuikChange™ site-directed mutagenesis is a simple, rapid and efficient method.</p>

Construction of eukaryotic expression vectors of carboxyl terminus and amino terminus of kinase suppressor of Ras (KSR) and their expression in 293T cell line / 中国肺癌杂志

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>The present experimental data have showed that the function of kinase suppressor of Ras (KSR) is mainly as a scaffold protein that coordinates the assembly of a multiprotein complex containing MAPK and its upstream regulators. But whether KSR has kinase activity is still the point of argument until now. The aim of this study is to construct eukaryotic expression vectors of carboxyl terminus and amino terminus of KSR and to detect their expression in 293T cell line.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>N-KSR and C-KSR were amplified by PCR. The eukaryotic expression vectors of pCMV-Tag2b-N-KSR and pCMV-Tag2b-C-KSR were constructed by gene recombination technique and the recombinant plasmids were verified by restriction enzyme analysis and sequencing. Then positive clones were transfected into 293T cell line. Expression of target proteins was analyzed by Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The sequences and open read frames of the two vectors were both completely concordant with experiment design. The target proteins could be observed in transfected 293T cells by Western blot.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Eukaryotic expression vectors of pCMV-Tag2b-N-KSR and pCMV-Tag2b-C-KSR are successfully constructed, and they can be expressed in 293T cells. It provides an experimental base for further research work.</p>

Cloning of human telomerase catalytic subunit gene promoter and studying on its specific transcriptional activities in human lung cancer cells / 中国肺癌杂志

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>To clone DNA sequence of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) promoter, and study its transcriptional activities in various human lung cancer cells and normal lung cell.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>hTERT promoter of 1.1 kb was amplified with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, utilizing DNA of 293 cell as template. After DNA sequencing with correct result, the hTERT promoter was inserted into luci-ferase reporter vectors (pGL3-Basic) to reconstruct a recombinant plasmid named pGL3-hTERTp. Then the reconstructed plasmid was transiently transfected into lung cancer cell lines A549, SPC-A-1, LTEPa-2, NCI-H446, YTMLC, GLC-82, A2 and human embryonic pulmonary fibroblast cell line MRC-5. The transcriptional activities of hTERT promoter in various cells were determined by measuring the luciferase activities after 48 hours of transfection.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Electrophoresis demonstrated that cloned hTERT promoter was about 1.1 kb, and DNA sequencing showed a same sequence as registered in GenBank. The cloned hTERT promoter was located between 1 126 bp and 43 bp in upstream of the transcription start site ATG and the length was 1 086 bp. The recombinant plasmid pGL3-hTERTp was confirmed by double digestion and PCR method with correct results. Luciferase assay showed there were different transcriptional activities of hTERTp in various lung cancer cell lines, but not in the MRC-5 cell line.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The hTERT promoter cloned in this study has transcriptional activities in various lung cancer cell lines but not in normal cell. It may act as control element in tumor-targeting gene therapy with hTERT.</p>

Bronchoplastic procedures and pulmonary artery reconstruction in the treatment of stage III lung cancer invading pulmonary artery / 中国肺癌杂志

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>To summarize the clinical results of bronchoplastic procedures and pulmonary artery reconstruction or combined with other resection and plasty of heart, great vessels in the treatment of 304 patients with locally advanced lung cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From February, 1983 to December, 2001, double sleeve resection and reconstruction of bronchus and pulmonary artery, or combined with other resection of heart, great vessels were carried out in 304 patients with locally advanced lung cancer. The operations included double sleeve left upper lobectomy in 199 cases; double sleeve right upper lobectomy in 21 cases; double sleeve right upper middle lobectomy in 14 cases; double sleeve left upper lobectomy combined with resection of left atrium in 8 cases; double sleeve right upper lobectomy combined with superior vena cava (SVC) resection and reconstruction with Gortex graft in 29 cases; double sleeve right upper middle lobectomy combined with SVC resection and reconstruction in 21 cases; double sleeve right upper middle lobectomy, carinal and SVC resection and reconstruction in 11 cases; left pneumonectomy combined right main pulmonary artery and pulmonary artery trunk resection and reconstruction with Gortex graft in 1 case.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were 3 operative deaths. The operative mortality was 1% in this series. Sixty four patients had operative complications. The operative complication rate was 21.05% (64/304). The 1-, 3-, 5- and 10 year survival rates were 81.75%, 60.14%, 37.21% and 24.39% respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Double sleeve lobectomy or comblined with other resection and reconstruction of heart, great vessels can significantly improve the prognosis and increase the curative rate and long term survival in patients with locally advanced lung cancer.</p>