Risco de recorrência em Sistema Nervoso Central de Linfoma Difuso de grandes células B e sua profilaxia em Serviço Público de Saúde em dois centros no Brasil / Risk of recurrence in the Central Nervous System of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma and its prophylaxis in a Public Health Service in two centers in Brazil

O linfoma difuso de grandes células B (LDGCB) é o subtipo mais comum de linfoma não Hodgkin. A recaída em sistema nervoso central (SNC) é um evento raro, variando de 5% a 10%, de acordo com fatores de risco previamente definidos através do Índice Prognóstico Internacional do SNC (CNS-IPI) e sítios extranodais específicos. Apresenta desfechos insatisfatórios, com sobrevida global mediana de dois a cinco meses. Ao longo dos anos, diversas estratégias para reduzir a recaída em SNC foram avaliadas, e são cada vez mais controversas. As profilaxias para evitar recaída em SNC frequentemente utilizadas diferem na forma de administração, baseados em metotrexato intratecal (IT-MTX) ou de forma sistêmica em altas doses (HD-MTX), associado ou não a outros agentes quimioterápicos. Os estudos até então disponíveis foram realizados em países de alta renda e é questionado se limitações encontradas em países de transição econômica, com maior dificuldade de acesso a métodos diagnósticos e terapêuticos, trariam impacto ou poderiam justificar profilaxia para recaída em SNC. Realizamos um estudo retrospectivo em dois centros de saúde pública em Belo Horizonte, Brasil, entre janeiro de 2018 e julho de 2022, para avaliar a incidência de recaída em SNC em pacientes acometidos por LDGCB. Estimamos sobrevida livre de progressão e sobrevida global. Um total de 120 pacientes, com idade média de 54,4 ± 15,4 anos e predomínio do sexo masculino (60,0%) foram avaliados no estudo. Destes, apenas sete (5,8%) receberam IT-MTX e quatro (3,3%) receberam HD-MTX. Não houve pacientes que receberam as duas vias de profilaxia. O escore prognóstico para risco inicial de recaída do SNC pelo CNS-IPI foi estimado como: baixo [0-1; 37 (30,8%)], moderado [2-3; 53 (44,2%)] ou alto [≥ 4; 27 (22,5%)]. A recaída em SNC foi confirmada em quatro (3,3%) pacientes. Apesar do estudo ter sido realizado em centros de referência oncohematológicas, o n disponível foi pequeno ao considerar a raridade do evento. Não conseguimos demonstrar se há benefício ou não de profilaxia específica para recaída em SNC. Considerando a morbimortalidade desta complicação, sugere-se realizar mais estudos e investigar acometimento oculto de SNC em LDGCB ao diagnóstico.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Central nervous system (CNS) relapse is a rare event, varying from 5% to 10%, according to risk factors previously defined through the CNS International Prognostic Index(CNS-IPI) and specific extranodal sites. It presents unsatisfactory outcomes, with a median overall survival of two to five months. Over the years, several strategies to reduce CNS relapse have been evaluated, and they are increasingly controversial. Prophylaxis to prevent CNS relapse frequently used differs in the form of administration, based on intrathecal methotrexate (IT-MTX) or high-dose systemic (HD-MTX), associated or not with other chemotherapeutic agents. The studies available so far were carried out in high-income countries and it is questioned whether limitations found in economic transition countries, with greater difficulty in accessing diagnostic and therapeutic methods, would have an impact or could justify prophylaxis for CNS relapse. We carried out a retrospective study in two public health centers in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, between January 2018 and July 2022, to evaluate the incidence of CNS relapse in patients affected by DLBCL. We estimated progression-free survival and overall survival. A total of 120 patients, with a mean age of 54.4 ± 15.4 years and a predominance of males (60.0%) were evaluated in the study. Of these, only seven (5.8%) received IT-MTX and four (3.3%) received HD-MTX. There were no patients who received both routes of prophylaxis. The prognostic score for initial risk of CNS relapse by CNS-IPI was estimated as: low [0-1; 37 (30.8%)], moderate [2-3; 53 (44.2%)] or high [≥ 4; 27 (22.5%)]. CNS relapse was confirmed in four (3.3%) patients. Although the study was carried out in oncohematological reference centers, the number available was small considering the rarity of the event. We were unable to demonstrate whether or not there is benefit from specific prophylaxis for CNS relapse. Considering the morbidity and mortality of this complication, it is suggested to carry out further studies and investigate occult CNS involvement in DLBCL at diagnosis.

Primary central nervous system lymphoma: Comprehension of cell-of-origin subtypes

Primary central nervous system diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (PCNS-DLBCL) is an uncommon extranodal lymphoma that accounts for more than 95% of all the CNS lymphomas. Unlike its systemic/nodal counterpart, which is currently subtyped into cell-of origin (COO) subtypes, its feasibility and utility are largely debatable in PCNS-DLBCL. Objectives: To classify PCNS-DLBCL into COO-subtypes based on immunohistochemical algorithms by Hans and Choi and evaluate concordance between the two. A further aim is to investigate the clinicoradiological and histomorphological parameters of the subtypes thus obtained. Materials and Methods: As many as 143 cases of primary CNS lymphoma were evaluated by immunohistochemistry for CD10, BCL6, MUM1, GCET, and FOXP1 and based on which the said 143 cases were further classified into COO subtypes using Hans and Choi algorithms. Results: Mean age was 53.8 years with marginal male preponderance and predominantly centroblastic morphology (75.5%). CD 10 was positive in 8.9% of the cases, BCL6 in 58.6%, MUM1 in 89.9%, GCET in 32.9%, and FOXP1 in 79.5%. As much as 84.9% cases were of non-germinal center B-cell (GCB) subtype and 15.1% cases were of GCB subtype as determined based on Hans algorithm. Furthermore, 90.7% cases were of activated B-cell (ABC) subtype and 9.3% cases were of GCB subtype according to Choi algorithm. A 91.8% concordance was observed between Hans and Choi algorithms. Among the 6 discordant cases, 5 cases were subtyped as GCB by Hans and ABC by Choi and 1 case as ABC by Hans and GCB by Choi. Conclusion: Most of PCNS-DLBCLs are of non-GCB/ABC COO subtype, but inconsistences abound in the utility of IHC algorithms in PCNS-DLBCL COO subtypes.

Association between statin use & risk of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: A systematic review & meta-analysis

Background & objectives: Statin use has been shown to be associated with a decreased risk of several types of cancer, however, the data on diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) are still inconclusive. This study aimed to systematically summarize all available data on this association and conduct a meta-analysis on the same. Methods: A systematic review was performed using EMBASE and MEDLINE databases from inception upto October 2019 with a search strategy that included terms such as ‘statin’ and ‘DLBCL’. Eligible studies included either case–control or cohort studies that reported the association between statin use and the risk of DLBCL. Relative risk, odds ratio (OR), hazard: risk ratio or standardized incidence ratio of this association and standard error were extracted and combined for calculating the pooled effect estimate using random-effects, generic inverse variance method. Results: A total of 1139 articles were screened. Of these six studies satisfied the inclusion criteria and were included for the meta-analysis. Statin use was associated with a significantly reduced risk of DLBCL with the pooled OR of 0.70 (95% confidence interval, 0.56-0.88; I2=70%). The funnel plot (fairly symmetric) was not suggestive of the presence of a publication bias. Interpretation & conclusions: The present systematic review and meta-analysis found that statin use is associated with a 30 per cent reduced odds of DLBCL. However, the pooled analysis utilized data from observational studies so causation cannot be concluded upon. Hence, it suggested that randomized-controlled studies are still needed to confirm this potential benefit.

Effect of MiR-424-5p on the Drug Resistance of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Cells by Regulating PD-1/PD-L1 Signaling Pathway / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the effect of microRNA-424-5p (miR-424-5p) on the drug resistance of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) cells by regulating the programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) signaling pathway.@*METHODS@#Human DLBCL cell line CRL2631 cells were induced to construct CRL2631-CHOP resistant cell line. RT-qPCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression levels of MiR-424-5p, PD-L1 mRNA and protein, and multidrug resistance gene-1 (MDR-1) protein in CRL2631 cells and CRL2631-CHOP cells, respectively. The target genes of MiR-424-5p was verified by dual luciferase reporter assay. The miRNA simulation/interference technology and thiazole blue (MTT) method were used to detect the resistance of CRL2631 cells and CRL2631-CHOP cells to CHOP.@*RESULTS@#Compared with CRL2631 cells, the drug resistance of CRL2631-CHOP cells to CHOP and the levels of MDR-1 protein (P<0.05), PD-L1 mRNA and protein in the cells were significantly increased (both P<0.001), while the relative level of MiR-424-5p was significantly reduced (P<0.001). The result of the dual luciferase reporter assay showed that PD-L1 was the direct downstream target gene of MiR-424-5p (P<0.001). After transfection of MiR-424-5p inhibitor, the resistance of CRL2631 cells to CHOP drugs increased, and the expression level of MDR-1 protein (P<0.01), PD-L1 mRNA and protein also increased significantly (both P<0.01). After transfection of MiR-424-5p mimics, the resistance of CRL2631-CHOP cells to CHOP drugs decreased, and the expression level of MDR-1 protein (P<0.001), PD-L1 mRNA and protein also decreased significantly (both P<0.001). Overexpression of PD-L1 could reverse the inhibitory effect of upregulating MiR-424-5p on PD-L1 (P<0.001).@*CONCLUSION@#Down-regulation of MiR-424-5p enhances the drug resistance of DLBCL cells by regulating the PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathway.

Synergistic Antitumor Effect of Everolimus Combined with Gemcitabine on Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effects of mTOR inhibitors everolimus (EVE) and gemcitabine (GEM) on the proliferation, apoptosis and cell cycle of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) cell line U2932, and further explore the molecular mechanisms, so as to provide new ideas and experimental basis for the clinical treatment of DLBCL.@*METHODS@#The effect of EVE and GEM on the proliferation of U2932 cells was detected by CCK-8 assay, the IC50 of the two drugs was calculated, and the combination index (CI=) of the two drugs was calculated by CompuSyn software. The effect of EVE and GEM on apoptosis of U2932 cells was detected by flow cytometry with AnnexinV-FITC/PI staining. Flow cytometry with propidium iodide (PI) staining was used to detect the effect of EVE and GEM on the cell cycle of U2932 cells. Western blot assay was used to detect the effects of EVE and GEM on the channel proteins p-mTOR and p-4EBP1, the anti-apoptotic proteins MCL-1 and Survivin, and the cell cycle protein Cyclin D1.@*RESULTS@#Both EVE and GEM could significantly inhitbit the proliferation of U2932 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner (r=0.465, 0.848; 0.555, 0.796). According to the calculation of CompuSyn software, EVE combined with GEM inhibited the proliferation of U2932 cells at 24, 48 and 72 h with CI=<1, which had a synergistic effect. After treated U2932 cells with 10 nmol/L EVE, 250 nmol/L GEM alone and in combination for 48 h, both EVE and GEM induced apoptosis, and the difference was statistically significant compared with the control group (P<0.05). The apoptosis rate was significantly enhanced after EVE in combination with GEM compared with single-agent (P<0.05). Both EVE and GEM alone and in combination significantly increased the proportion of cells in G1 phase compared with the control group (P<0.05). The proportion of cells in G1 phase was significantly increased when the two drugs were combined (P<0.05). The expression of p-mTOR and effector protein p-4EBP1 was significantly downregulated in the EVE combined with GEM group, the expression of anti-apoptotic proteins MCL-1, Survivin and cell cycle protein cyclin D1 was downregulated too (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#EVE combined with GEM can synergistically inhibit the proliferation of U2932 cells, and the mechanism may be that they can synergistically induce apoptosis by downregulating the expression of MCL-1 and Survivin proteins and block the cell cycle progression by downregulating the expression of Cyclin D1.

Glofitamab for diffuse large B cell lymphoma / 中国药房

Diffuse large B cell lymphoma （DLBCL） is a malignant tumor derived from mature B cells. Currently， chemotherapy is still the main clinical treatment. However， some patients experience recurrence or refractory conditions after treatment. On June 15， 2023， the FDA approved the marketing of glofitamab， a CD3/CD20 bispecific monoclonal antibody， to provide the new treatment plan for patients with recurrent or refractory DLBCL after receiving 2-line or above systemic treatment. This article reviews pharmacological effects， clinical studies， safety， usage and dosage of glofitamab. Glofitamab mainly plays a therapeutic role in DLBCL by promoting the activation and proliferation of T cells，activating T cells to release tumor cell-killing proteins， and mediating the lysis of B cells. Clinical studies have shown that glofitamab has a better complete and objective response rate for recurrent or refractory DLBCL. Common adverse reactions caused by glofitamab include mild/moderate cytokine release syndrome， musculoskeletal pain， rash， fatigue， and so on，without significant drug interactions.

A Case of Lymphoma with Multiple Identities

@#Discordant lymphoma (DL) is the coexistence of two or more distinct subtypes in separate anatomic sites. There are limited reports on DL cases especially involving more than two subtypes in more than two sites. We report a 76-year-old man who presented with constitutional symptoms, flank mass and painless lymphadenopathies for six months. Laboratory tests revealed moderate anaemia, markedly elevated serum IgM (13400 mg/dL), IgM Lambda paraproteinemia and Lambda light chain paraproteinuria with unmeasurable serum lactate dehydrogenase due to hyperviscous sample. CT scan showed multiple subcutaneous masses over chest wall and retroperitoneum, with lytic bone lesions, and hepatosplenomegaly. Further biopsy findings with morphological, immunohistochemical and molecular analysis of the tissue sections revealed diffuse large B-Cell lymphoma in the chest wall mass, follicular lymphoma in the inguinal lymph node and lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma in the bone marrow. This case highlights the rare DL. The importance of histopathological evaluation of lymphoma despite the availability of PET-CT scans for disease staging is undeniable.

Central nervous system post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder: a case report / 中华神经科杂志

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a solid organ or hematopoietic stem cells transplant associated syndrome, and central nervous system PTLD(CNS-PTLD) is extremely rare. A case of CNS-PTLD occurring after 24 years of kidney transplant was reported, and pathological examination proved it to be diffuse large B cell lymphoma. Cerebrospinal fluid next generation sequencing and pathological examination supported that Epstein-Barr virus infection was associated with it.

Advances in synergistic treatment of radiotherapy and chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy for refractory / relapsed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma / 中华放射肿瘤学杂志

Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy is one of the most significant advances in cancer treatment in the last few decades, revolutionizing the treatment paradigm for patients with refractory / recurrent diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (R/R DLBCL) and effectively improving the survival rate of these patients. However, due to the high incidence of grade III-IV side effects of CAR-T cell therapy and the fact that some patients did not obtain remission after CAR-T cell therapy or developed rapid disease progression within a short period of time, researchers are attempting to explore combined therapies, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy, to reduce the incidence of side effects and prolong the duration of persistent remission in patients. Among these options, radiotherapy in combination with CAR-T cell therapy have been proven to improve clinical prognosis. In this article, the theoretical basis of synergistic treatment of radiotherapy and CAR-T cell therapy in patients with R/R DLBCL, the safety and efficacy of radiotherapy, the sequence of radiotherapy and CAR-T cell therapy, and the dose of the target area of radiotherapy were reviewed, aiming to provide more evidence for the application and optimization of radiotherapy combined with CAR-T cell therapy for R/R DLBCL.

Efficacy and safety analysis of the zanubrutinib-based bridging regimen in chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy for relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma / 中华血液学杂志

Objective: To further elucidate the clinical efficacy and safety of a combination regimen based on the BTK inhibitor zebutanil bridging CD19 Chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cells) in the treatment of relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (r/r DLBCL) . Methods: Twenty-one patients with high-risk r/r DLBCL were treated with a zanubrutinib-based regimen bridging CAR-T between June 2020 and June 2023 at the Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, and the efficacy and safety were retrospectively analyzed. Results: All 21 patients were enrolled, and the median age was 57 years (range: 38-76). Fourteen patients (66.7%) had an eastern cooperative oncology group performance status score (ECOG score) of ≥2. Eighteen patients (85.7%) had an international prognostic index (IPI) score of ≥3. Three patients (14.3%) had an IPI score of 2 but had extranodal infiltration. Fourteen patients (66.7%) had double-expression of DLBCL and seven (33.3%) had TP53 mutations. With a median follow-up of 24.8 (95% CI 17.0-31.6) months, the objective response rate was 81.0%, and 11 patients (52.4%) achieved complete remission. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 12.8 months, and the median overall survival (OS) was not reached. The 1-year PFS rate was 52.4% (95% CI 29.8% -74.3%), and the 1-year OS rate was 80.1% (95% CI 58.1% -94.6%). Moreover, 18 patients (85.7%) had grade 1-2 cytokine-release syndrome, and two patients (9.5%) had grade 1 immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome. Conclusion: Zanubrutinib-based combination bridging regimen of CAR-T therapy for r/r DLBCL has high efficacy and demonstrated a good safety profile.

Analysis of the feasibility and prognostic value of circulating tumor DNA monitoring in detecting gene mutations in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma receiving chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy / 中华血液学杂志

Objective: To explore the prognostic value of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) testing in patients with refractory/relapsed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (R/R DLBCL) undergoing chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, and to guide the prevention and subsequent treatment of CAR-T-cell therapy failure. Methods: In this study, 48 patients with R/R DLBCL who received CAR-T-cell therapy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine between December 2017 and March 2022 were included. Furthermore, ctDNA testing of 187 lymphoma-related gene sets was performed on peripheral blood samples obtained before treatment. The patients were divided into complete remission and noncomplete remission groups. The chi-square test and t-test were used to compare group differences, and the Log-rank test was used to compare the differences in survival. Results: Among the patients who did not achieve complete remission after CAR-T-cell therapy for R/R DLBCL, the top ten genes with the highest mutation frequencies were TP53 (41%), TTN (36%), BCR (27%), KMT2D (27%), IGLL5 (23%), KMT2C (23%), MYD88 (23%), BTG2 (18%), MUC16 (18%), and SGK1 (18%). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that patients with ctDNA mutation genes >10 had poorer overall survival (OS) rate (1-year OS rate: 0 vs 73.8%, P<0.001) and progression-free survival (PFS) rate (1-year PFS rate: 0 vs 51.8%, P=0.011) compared with patients with ctDNA mutation genes ≤10. Moreover, patients with MUC16 mutation positivity before treatment had better OS (2-year OS rate: 56.8% vs 26.7%, P=0.046), whereas patients with BTG2 mutation positivity had poorer OS (1-year OS rate: 0 vs 72.5%, P=0.005) . Conclusion: ctDNA detection can serve as a tool for evaluating the efficacy of CAR-T-cell therapy in patients with R/R DLBCL. The pretreatment gene mutation burden, mutations in MUC16 and BTG2 have potential prognostic value.

Effect of Qiling Baitouweng Tang on Proliferation and Apoptosis in Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma Through JAK2/STAT3 Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Qiling Baitouweng Tang （QLBTWT） on proliferation and apoptosis， Janus kinase 2 （JAK2）/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （STAT3） signaling pathway and interleukin-10 （IL-10） in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma （DLBCL）. MethodWith human DLBCL cells OCI-LY10 and U2932 as research objects， cell proliferation was detected by cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay. After treatment with 0， 4.6， 9.3， 18.7， 37.5， 75， 150 mg·L-1 QLBTWT for 24 h， the half-inhibitory concentration （IC50） of OCL-LY10 and U2932 cells was calculated to be 9.33， 16.13 mg·L-1， respectively， based on which， 9.5， 19， 38 mg·L-1 QLBTWT were selected for subsequent experiments. After 0， 9.5， 19， 38 mg·L-1 QLBTWT treatment for 24 h， the zymogen activities of Caspase-3， Caspase-8 and Caspase-9 in OCI-LY10 and U2932 cells were detected using corresponding activity assay kits （colorimetric）， and the IL-10 expression was detected by enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay （ELISA）. The apoptosis rate and cell cycle of OCI-LY10 and U2932 cells treated with different concentrations of QLBTWT for 24 h were detected by flow cytometry. The expressions of apoptosis-related proteins ［B-cell lymphoma 2 （Bcl-2）， Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）， cleaved poly adenosine diphosphate ribose polymerase （cleaved PARP）， cleaved Caspase-3］， JAK2， STAT3， phospho-JAK2 （p-JAK2）， phospho-STAT3 （p-STAT3） pathway proteins， and c-Myc protein in OCL-LY10 and U2932 cells after 24 h treatment with 0， 9.5， 19， 38 mg·L-1 QLBTWT were all tested by Western blot. ResultAfter QLBTWT treatment on OCI-LY10 and U2932 cells for 24 h， cell proliferation was inhibited in each QLBTWT group compared with that in the control group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The zymogens of Caspase-3， Caspase-8 and Caspase-9 were activated （P<0.01）， and there was an increase in cell apoptosis （P<0.05， P<0.01） and cell cycle arrest at Gap phase1 （G1） phase in 9.5， 19 and 38 mg·L-1 QLBTWT group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. After 9.5， 19 and 38 mg·L-1 QLBTWT treatment on OCI-LY10 and U2932 cells for 24 h， the expressions of Bcl-2， p-JAK2 and p-STAT3 proteins were decreased （P<0.01）， and the expressions of Bax， cleaved PARP and cleaved Caspase-3 proteins were increased （P<0.01）， but no significant change was observed in the expressions of JAK2 and STAT3 proteins. Compared with the conditions in the control group， the expressions of c-Myc， p-JAK2， and p-STAT3 proteins were down-regulated in 19 mg·L-1 QLBTWT group and 19 mg·L-1 QLBTWT+10 μg·L-1 IL-10 group （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and up-regulated in 10 μg·L-1 IL-10 group （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while there was no difference in JAK2/STAT3 proteins. ConclusionQLBTWT can inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis of human DLBCL cells OCI-LY10 and U2932， and the potential mechanism may be related to the regulation of JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of thyroid invading the superior mediastinum with hashimoto's thyroiditis: a case report and literature review / 临床耳鼻咽喉头颈外科杂志

This article reports a case of primary thyroid diffuse large B-cell lymphoma involving the superior mediastinum with Hashimoto's thyroiditis admitted to the Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, First Hospital of Jilin University. This patient underwent right thyroid lobectomy and was transferred to the Department of Hematology of the Oncology Center for 6 courses of chemotherapy with R-CHOP protocol. The postoperative recovery was good, and the patient was regularly followed up for 12 months after the operation. The patient's condition was stable, and CT showed no abnormally high metabolism in the operation area indicating the inhibition of tumor activity, superficial lymph nodes and peripheral blood cells were normal. The case encountered many difficulties in the diagnosis process, and the diagnosis was not confirmed after puncture in two Grade III Class A hospitals in China. There are few patients with primary thyroid diffuse large B-cell lymphoma complicated with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and it is particularly rare to invade the mediastinum. There is no report in China and abroad in the literature we reviewed. Therefore, this article reports the case and retrospectively analyzes the etiology, clinical symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of primary thyroid lymphoma.

Immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment contributes to tumor progression in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma upon anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T therapy / 医学前沿

Anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy has achieved 40%-50% long-term complete response in relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients. However, the underlying mechanism of alterations in the tumor microenvironments resulting in CAR-T cell therapy failure needs further investigation. A multi-center phase I/II trial of anti-CD19 CD28z CAR-T (FKC876, ChiCTR1800019661) was conducted. Among 22 evaluable DLBCL patients, seven achieved complete remission, 10 experienced partial remissions, while four had stable disease by day 29. Single-cell RNA sequencing results were obtained from core needle biopsy tumor samples collected from long-term complete remission and early-progressed patients, and compared at different stages of treatment. M2-subtype macrophages were significantly involved in both in vivo and in vitro anti-tumor functions of CAR-T cells, leading to CAR-T cell therapy failure and disease progression in DLBCL. Immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments persisted before CAR-T cell therapy, during both cell expansion and disease progression, which could not be altered by infiltrating CAR-T cells. Aberrant metabolism profile of M2-subtype macrophages and those of dysfunctional T cells also contributed to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments. Thus, our findings provided a clinical rationale for targeting tumor microenvironments and reprogramming immune cell metabolism as effective therapeutic strategies to prevent lymphoma relapse in future designs of CAR-T cell therapy.

Prognostic Value of Pre-treatment Albumin/Fibrinogen Ratio in Patients with Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the value of pre-treatment albumin/fibrinogen ratio (AFR) on the prognosis of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).@*METHODS@#The data of DLBCL patients in the Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College from April 2014 to March 2021 were retrieved, and 111 newly diagnosed patients who completed at least 4 cycles of R-CHOP or R-CHOP-like chemotherapy with complete data were included in the study. The clinical, laboratory examination and follow-up data of the patients were collected, and the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was drawn according to patients' AFR before treatment and the survival status at the end of the follow-up, which could be used to preliminarily evaluate the predictive value of AFR for disease progression and patients' survival outcome. Furthermore, the correlation of AFR with the clinical and laboratory characteristics, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was analyzed, and finally, univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to analyze factors affecting PFS and OS of DLBCL patients.@*RESULTS@#The ROC curve indicated that AFR level had a moderate predictive value for PFS and OS in DLBCL patients, with the area under the curve (AUC) of 0.616 (P =0.039) and 0.666 (P =0.004), respectively, and the optimal cut-off values were both 9.06 for PFS and OS. Compared with high-AFR (≥9.06) group, the low-AFR (<9.06) group had a higher proportion of patients with Lugano III-IV stage ( P <0.001), elevated lactate dehydrogenase (P =0.007) and B symptoms (P =0.038). The interim analysis of response showed that the overall response rate (ORR) in the high-AFR group was 89.7%, which was significantly higher than 62.8% in the low-AFR group (P =0.001). With a median follow-up of 18.5 (3-77) months, the median PFS of the high-AFR group was not reached, which was significantly superior to 17 months of the low-AFR group (P =0.009). Similarly, the median OS of high-AFR group was not reached, either, which was significantly superior to 48 months of the low-AFR group (P < 0.001). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, AFR <9.06 was an independent risk factor both for PFS and OS (HR PFS=2.047, P =0.039; HR OS=4.854, P =0.001).@*CONCLUSION@#Pre-treatment AFR has a significant value for the prognosis evaluation in newly diagnosed DLBCL patients.

Establishment and Clinical Significance of Prognostic Nomogram Model for Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Based on Immunohistochemistry Markers and International Prognostic Index Scores / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To retrospectively analyze clinical characteristics and survival time of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), detect prognosis-related markers, and establish a nomogram prognostic model of clinical factors combined with biomarkers.@*METHODS@#One hundred and thirty-seven patients with DLBCL were included in this study from January 2014 to March 2019 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University. The expression of GCET1, LMO2, BCL-6, BCL-2 and MYC protein were detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC), then the influences of these proteins on the survival and prognosis of the patients were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis were used to gradually screen the prognostic factors in nomogram model. Finally, nomogram model was established according to the result of multivariate analysis.@*RESULTS@#The positive expression of GCET1 protein was more common in patients with Ann Arbor staging I/II (P =0.011). Compared with negative patients, patients with positive expression of LMO2 protein did not often show B symptoms (P =0.042), and could achieve better short-term curative effect (P =0.005). The overall survival (OS) time of patients with positive expression of LMO2 protein was significantly longer than those with negative expression of LMO2 protein (P =0.018), though the expression of LMO2 protein did not correlate with progression-free survival (PFS) (P >0.05). However, the expression of GCET1 protein had no significant correlation with OS and PFS. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that nomogram model consisted of 5 prognostic factors, including international prognostic index (IPI), LMO2 protein, BCL-2 protein, MYC protein and rituximab. The C-index applied to the nomogram model for predicting 4-year OS rate was 0.847. Moreover, the calibrated curve of 4-year OS showed that nomogram prediction had good agreement with actual prognosis.@*CONCLUSION@#The nomogram model incorporating clinical characteristics and IHC biomarkers has good discrimination and calibration, which provides a useful tool for the risk stratification of DLBCL.

Effect of MELK Inhibitor OTSSP167 on Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effect of MELK inhibitor OTSSP167 against diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).@*METHODS@#The effect of OTSSP167 on activity, proliferation, and apoptosis of DLBCL cell line (SUDHL2 and HBL1) was detected by CCK-8 assay, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) staining, and Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining, respectively. DLBCL cells were inoculated into nude mice, after 4 weeks of OTSSP167 treatment, the effect of OTSSP167 on DLBCL growth in vivo was detected. Caspase-GloTM 3/7 enzyme activity assay kit was used to detect the effect of OTSSP167 on Caspase 3/7 enzyme activity of DLBCL cells. The expression levels of apoptosis and cycle-related proteins were detected by Western blot.@*RESULTS@#OTSSP167 significantly inhibited the activity of SUDHL2 and HBL1 cells in a dose-dependent manner (r =-0.61, r =-0.52). EdU staining showed that OTSSP167 could significantly inhibit the proliferation of SUDHL2 and HBL1 cells. Annexin V-FITC/PI result showed that OTSSP167 could significantly promote the apoptosis of SUDHL2 and HBL1 cells (P <0.001). The result of in vivo experiment showed that OTSSP167 could inhibit the growth of SUDHL2 cells in nude mice. The result of TUNEL staining of tumor further confirmed that OTSSP167 could promote the apoptosis of SUDHL2 cells. Caspase 3/7 enzyme activity test demonstrated that OTSSP167 could significantly increase caspase activity in SUDHL2 and HBL1 cells (r =0.98, r =0.87). Western blot showed that OTSSP167 could dose-dependently inhibit the expression of PARP, Bcl-xL, and Bcl-2 in apoptosis signaling pathway (r =-0.93, r =-0.66, r =-0.87), while p53 protein was significantly up-regulated (r =0.82). The expression of cell cycle-related proteins cdc2, Cyclin E1, Cyclin A2, and Cyclin B1 also showed a dose-dependent down-regulation (r =-0.89, r =-0.83, r =-0.61, r =-0.93).@*CONCLUSION@#The MELK inhibitor OTSSP167 can inhibit the proliferation and promote the apoptosis of DLBCL cells by inhibiting the expression of cycle-related proteins and anti-apoptosis-related proteins.

Expressions and Clinical Significance of Notch1 and Hes1 in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the expressions of Notch1 and Hes1 in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and their correlations with clinical features.@*METHODS@#Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed on DLBCL samples (54 cases) and lymphadenitis tissues (20 cases) to evaluate the expressions of Notch1 and Hes1, and analyze their correlations with clinical characteristics of patients. Based on Oncomine database, the expressions of Notch1 and Hes1 mRNA and DNA were also explored.@*RESULTS@#IHC result showed that the positive expression rates of Notch1 and Hes1 in DLBCL patients were significantly higher than those in the control group (P <0.05). In DLBCL patients, the expression of Notch1 was closely associated with B symptoms, Ann Arbor stage, lymphocyte count and the level of lactate dehydrogenase (P <0.05), while the expression level of Hes1 was significantly higher in patients with B symptoms (P <0.05). Notch+/Hes1+ expression was found in 21 DLBCL tissues (38.9%), and there was a correlation between Notch1 and Hes1 expression (r =0.296, P <0.05). Bioinformatics analysis (Oncomine database) showed that the mRNA expressions of Notch1 and Hes1 in the Brune dataset were significantly higher than those in the control tissues (P <0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The expressions of Notch1 and Hes1 in DLBCL are significantly higher than those in lymphadenitis, and correlated with B symptoms and Ann Arbor stage, suggesting that Notch1 and Hes1 play important roles in the occurrence and development of DLBCL.

Based on CT radiomics model for predicting the response to first-line chemotherapy of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma / 中华肿瘤杂志

Objective: To investigate the potential value of CT Radiomics model in predicting the response to first-line chemotherapy in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Methods: Pre-treatment CT images and clinical data of DLBCL patients treated at Shanxi Cancer Hospital from January 2013 to May 2018 were retrospectively analyzed and divided into refractory patients (73 cases) and non-refractory patients (57 cases) according to the Lugano 2014 efficacy evaluation criteria. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression algorithm, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to screen out clinical factors and CT radiomics features associated with efficacy response, followed by radiomics model and nomogram model. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration curve and clinical decision curve were used to evaluate the models in terms of the diagnostic efficacy, calibration and clinical value in predicting chemotherapy response. Results: Based on pre-chemotherapy CT images, 850 CT texture features were extracted from each patient, and 6 features highly correlated with the first-line chemotherapy effect of DLBCL were selected, including 1 first order feature, 1 gray level co-occurence matrix, 3 grey level dependence matrix, 1 neighboring grey tone difference matrix. Then, the corresponding radiomics model was established, whose ROC curves showed AUC values of 0.82 (95% CI: 0.76-0.89) and 0.73 (95% CI: 0.60-0.86) in the training and validation groups, respectively. The nomogram model, built by combining validated clinical factors (Ann Arbor stage, serum LDH level) and CT radiomics features, showed an AUC of 0.95 (95% CI: 0.90-0.99) and 0.91 (95% CI: 0.82-1.00) in the training group and the validation group, respectively, with significantly better diagnostic efficacy than that of the radiomics model. In addition, the calibration curve and clinical decision curve showed that the nomogram model had good consistency and high clinical value in the assessment of DLBCL efficacy. Conclusion: The nomogram model based on clinical factors and radiomics features shows potential clinical value in predicting the response to first-line chemotherapy of DLBCL patients.

Effect of Baicalin on Pyroptosis of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Cell Lines DB and Its Mechanism / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effect of Baicalin on the proliferation and pyroptosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cell line DB and its mechanism.@*METHODS@#DB cells were treated with baicalin at different concentrations (0, 5, 10, 20, 40 μmol/L). Cell proliferation was detected by CCK-8 assay and half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was calculated. The morphology of pyroptosis was observed under an inverted microscope, the integrity of the cell membrane was verified by LDH content release assay, and the expressions of pyroptosis-related mRNA and protein (NLRP3, GSDMD, GSDME, N-GSDMD, N-GSDME) were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot. In order to further clarify the relationship between baicalin-induced pyroptosis and ROS production in DB cells, DB cells were divided into control group, baicalin group, NAC group and NAC combined with baicalin group. DB cells in the NAC group were pretreated with ROS inhibitor N-acetylcysteine (NAC) 2 mmol/L for 2 h. Baicalin was added to the combined treatment group after pretreatment, and the content of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cells was detected by DCFH-DA method after 48 hours of culture.@*RESULTS@#Baicalin inhibited the proliferation of DB cells in a dose-dependent manner (r=-0.99), and the IC50 was 20.56 μmol/L at 48 h. The morphological changes of pyroptosis in DB cells were observed under inverted microscope. Compared with the control group, the release of LDH in the baicalin group was significantly increased (P<0.01), indicating the loss of cell membrane integrity. Baicalin dose-dependently increased the expression levels of NLRP3, N-GSDMD, and N-GSDME mRNA and protein in the pyroptosis pathway (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the level of ROS in the baicalin group was significantly increased (P<0.05), and the content of ROS in the NAC group was significantly decreased (P<0.05). Compared with the NAC group, the content of ROS in the NAC + baicalin group was increased. Baicalin significantly attenuated the inhibitory effect of NAC on ROS production (P<0.05). Similarly, Western blot results showed that compared with the control group, the expression levels of pyroptosis-related proteins was increased in the baicalin group (P<0.05). NAC inhibited the expression of NLRP3 and reduced the cleavage of N-GSDMD and N-GSDME (P<0.05). Compared with the NAC group, the NAC + baicalin group had significantly increased expression of pyroptosis-related proteins. These results indicate that baicalin can effectively induce pyroptosis in DB cells and reverse the inhibitory effect of NAC on ROS production.@*CONCLUSION@#Baicalin can inhibit the proliferation of DLBCL cell line DB, and its mechanism may be through regulating ROS production to affect the pyroptosis pathway.