ABSTRACT
Comprehensive analyses showed that SARS-CoV-2 infection caused COVID-19 and induced strong immune responses and sometimes severe illnesses. However, cellular features of recovered patients and long-term health consequences remain largely unexplored. In this study, we collected peripheral blood samples from recovered COVID-19 patients (average age of 35.7 years old) from Hubei province, China, 3 months after discharge; and carried out RNA-seq and whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) to identify hallmarks of recovered COVID-19 patients. Our analyses showed significant changes both in expression and DNA methylation of genes and transposable elements (TEs) in recovered COVID-19 patients. We identified 639 misregulated genes and 18516 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in total. Genes with aberrant expression and DMRs were found to be associated with immune responses and other related biological processes, implicating prolonged overreaction of the immune system in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Notably, a significant amount of TEs were aberrantly activated and TE activation was positively correlated with COVID-19 severity. Moreover, differentially methylated TEs may regulate adjacent gene expression as regulatory elements. Those identified transcriptomic and epigenomic signatures define and drive the features of recovered COVID-19 patients, helping determine the risks of long COVID-19, and providing guidance for clinical intervention.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of adult prostatic sarcoma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The records of 7 patients with prostate sarcoma were reviewed in the light of clinical manifestation, laboratory examination, therapeutic methods and histological subtypes. Several clinicopathological variables were assessed for prognostic significance.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the 7 cases, 3 were leiomyosarcoma, 3 rhabdomyosarcoma and the other malignant neurilemoma. Most patients presented urinary obstruction, and the diagnosis of prostate sarcoma was established with ultrasound guided biopsy. Histological subtypes were related to the rate of survival. Two patients received radical cystoprostatectomy and died 13 and 21 months respectively after operation. Two cases underwent total pelvic exenteration, followed by chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy and still alive 15 months after operation. The other 3 received only chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy and died 7 months on average after diagnosis.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The long-term survival rate for adults with prostate sarcoma is low. Early diagnosis and complete surgical resection offer patients the best chance for survival. Long-term surveillance is necessary for the early detection of recurrence.</p>
