Cuproptosis-Related 4-Gene Risk Model for Predicting Immunotherapy Drug Response and Prognosis of Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma.

Background Kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) is one of the most common renal malignancies with a high mortality rate. Cuproptosis, a novel form of cell death, is strongly linked to mitochondrial metabolism and is mediated by protein lipoylation, leading to a proteotoxic stress response and cell death. To date, few studies have ellucidated the holistic role of cuproptosis-related genes (CRGs) in the pathogenesis of KIRC.Methods We comprehensively and completely analyzed the RNA sequencing data and corresponding clinical information from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. We screened for differentially expressed CRGs and constructed a prognostic risk model using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional regression analyses. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to predict the prognosis of KIRC patients. Functional enrichment analysis was utilized to explore the internal mechanisms. Immune-related functions were analyzed using single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA), tumour immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) scores, and drug sensitivity analysis.Results We established a concise prognostic risk model consisting of four CRGs (DBT, DLAT, LIAS and PDHB) to predict the overall survival (OS) in KIRC patients. The results of the survival analysis indicated a significantly lower OS in the high-risk group as compared to the patients in the low-risk group. The area under the time-dependent ROC curve (AUC) at 1, 3, and 5 year was 0.691, 0.618, and 0.614 in KIRC. Functional enrichment analysis demonstrated that CRGs were significantly enriched in tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle-related processes and metabolism-related pathways. Sorafenib, doxorubicin, embelin, and vinorelbine were more sensitive in the high-risk group.Conclusions We constructed a concise CRGs risk model to evaluate the prognosis of KIRC patients and this may be a new direction for the diagnosis and treatment of KIRC.

Inflammatory pseudotumor of the spleen: A case report and review of published cases.

Inflammatory pseudotumor of the spleen (IPTS) is an extremely rare condition. To the best of our knowledge, only ∼113 cases have been reported in the literature since the first 2 cases were reported in 1984. The present study reports the case of an IPTS in a 72-year-old male patient. The splenic tumor was identified incidentally 1 year prior to the patient being admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University (Dailan, China). There were no specific clinical symptoms. The initial diagnosis was of splenic lymphoma based on the pre-operative radiological findings. However, the patient underwent a splenectomy and the final pathological diagnosis of IPTS was declared. The present study also highlighted the difficulty of forming accurate pre-operative diagnoses, even when using modern imaging techniques. A partial resection of the spleen or splenectomy was considered to be the required treatment to form a definitive diagnosis and exclude malignancy. The prognosis of IPTS is generally considered to be favorable following splenectomy. The clinical and pathological features of previously reported cases are also briefly reviewed in the present study to aid in improving the accuracy of the diagnosis of this rare disease.

Abdominal wall desmoid tumors: A case report.

Desmoid tumors (DTs) are rare lesions that do not possess any metastatic potential. However, they have a strong tendency to invade locally and recur. They constitute 3% of all soft tissue tumors and 0.03% of all neoplasms. Abdominal DTs occur sporadically or are associated with certain familial syndromes, such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). The single form of this neoplasm most frequently occurs in females of reproductive age and during pregnancy. A female patient with a DT of the abdominal wall who had no relevant family history was admitted to hospital. The patient, who presented with a painless mass in the left anterolateral abdomen, had no history of trauma, surgery or childbearing. According to the medical history, physical examination and CT report, the patient was diagnosed with DT. Radical resection of the affected abdominal wall musculature was performed, and the defect was replaced with a polypropylene mesh. The histological diagnosis was of DT. The patient remains in good health and complete remission without any other treatment following surgery. DTs exhibit aggressive growth and have a high rate of recurrence. Surgery is the optimal treatment, and subsequent radiotherapy may decrease the local recurrence rate. Further research into their aetiology is required combined with multicentre clinical trials of new treatments in order to improve management of this disease. This case report provides general knowledge of DT, and may be used as a guidance for diagnosis and treatment.

Effect of enhanced expression of COL8A1 on lymphatic metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma in mice.

The present study aimed to investigate the influence of COL8A1 expression on cell invasiveness, drug sensitivity and tumorigenicity of hepatocellular carcinoma Hepa1-6 cells with low metastatic potential. COL8A1-1-pEGFP-N2 and pEGFP-N2 were transfected into experimental and control group cells. The COL8A1 expression in transfected Hepa1-6 cells was analyzed with RT-PCR and western blot analysis. The invasive potential of transfected Hepa1-6 cells was tested in invasion experiments in vitro and the tumorigenic ability of the transfected Hepa1-6 cells was tested in mouse tumors in vivo. Hepa1-6 cell proliferation and D-limonene sensitivity was analyzed using the MTT method. Expression of COL8A1 in the Hepa1-6/COL8A1 group showed a significant increase when compared with the untransfected cells of the Hepa1-6 control group and empty-plasmid transfected cells from the Hepa1-6/mock control group. Enhanced COL8A1 expression increased cell proliferation and matrix adhesion ability via invasion and tumorigenesis in vivo while the sensitivity to D-limonene was concurrently inhibited. The expression of COL8A1 in hepatocarcinoma cells was correlated with increased tumor cell proliferation, invasion, in vivo tumorigenicity and reduced antitumor drug sensitivity, and may provide novel targets for tumor therapy.

Axl glycosylation mediates tumor cell proliferation, invasion and lymphatic metastasis in murine hepatocellular carcinoma.

AIM: To investigate the effects of Axl deglycosylation on tumor lymphatic metastases in mouse hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. METHODS: Western blotting was used to analyze the expression profile of Axl glycoprotein in mouse hepatocellular carcinoma cell line Hca-F treated with tunicamycin and PNGase F 3-(4,5)-dimethylthiazol(-zyl)-3,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, extracellular matrix (ECM) invasion assay (in vitro) and tumor metastasis assay (in vivo) were utilized to evaluate the effect of Axl deglycosylation on the Hca-F cell proliferation, invasion and lymphatic metastasis. RESULTS: Tunicamycin and PNGase F treatment markedly inhibited Axl glycoprotein synthesis and expression, proliferation, invasion, and lymphatic metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. In the MTT assay, proliferation was apparent in untreated Hca-F cells compared with treated Hca-F cells. In the ECM invasion assay (in vitro), treated cells passed through the ECMatrix gel in significantly smaller numbers than untreated cells (tunicamycin 5 µg/mL: 68 ± 8 vs 80 ± 9, P = 0.0222; 10 µg/mL: 50 ± 6 vs 80 ± 9, P = 0.0003; 20 µg/mL: 41 ± 4 vs 80 ± 9, P = 0.0001); (PNGase F 8 h: 66 ± 7 vs 82 ± 8, P = 0.0098; 16 h: 49 ± 4 vs 82 ± 8, P = 0.0001; 24 h: 34 ± 3 vs 82 ± 8, P = 0.0001). In the tumor metastasis assay (in vivo), average lymph node weights of the untreated Hca-F group compared with treated Hca-F groups (tunicamycin 5 µg/mL: 0.84 ± 0.21 g vs 0.72 ± 0.19 g, P = 0.3237; 10 µg/mL: 0.84 ± 0.21 g vs 0.54 ± 0.11 g, P = 0.0113; 20 µg/mL: 0.84 ± 0.21 g vs 0.42 ± 0.06 g, P = 0.0008); (PNGase F 8 h: 0.79 ± 0.15 g vs 0.63 ± 0.13 g, P = 0.0766; 16 h: 0.79 ± 0.15 g vs 0.49 ± 0.10 g, P = 0.0022; 24 h: 0.79 ± 0.15 g vs 0.39 ± 0.05 g, P = 0.0001). Also, average lymph node volumes of the untreated Hca-F group compared with treated Hca-F groups (tunicamycin 5 µg/mL: 815 ± 61 mm³ vs 680 ± 59 mm³, P = 0.0613; 10 µg/mL: 815 ± 61 mm³ vs 580 ± 29 mm³, P = 0.0001; 20 µg/mL: 815 ± 61 mm³ vs 395 ± 12 mm³, P = 0.0001); (PNGase F 8 h: 670 ± 56 mm³ vs 581 ± 48 mm³, P = 0.0532; 16 h: 670 ± 56 mm³ vs 412 ± 22 mm³, P = 0.0001; 24 h: 670 ± 56 mm³ vs 323 ± 11 mm³, P = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Alteration of Axl glycosylation can attenuate neoplastic lymphatic metastasis. Axl N-glycans may be a universal target for chemotherapy.

[Comparison of clinicopathological features and prognosis in familial and sporadic gastric cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of familial gastric cancer and to improve the treatment outcome. METHODS: Clinical data of 67 patients with familial gastric cancer and 820 patients with sporadic gastric cancer in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University from 1995 to 2005 were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Compared to sporadic gastric cancer, the percentage of familial gastric cancer patients less than 45 years old was higher (34.3% vs. 14.6%). Early gastric cancer(23.9% vs. 13.8%), diffuse gastric cancer(79.1% vs. 29.0%), and lymph node metastasis (91.0% vs. 70.9%) were more common in patients with familial cancer(P<0.05). The 5-year survival rate of familial gastric cancer patients was lower than that of patients with sporadic gastric cancer(20.5% vs. 45.1%)(P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Familial gastric cancer has characteristics of younger onset age, advanced disease staging, higher positive lymph node ratio and poorer prognosis. Therefore, early diagnosis should be emphasized in the management of familial gastric cancer.

[Diagnosis and surgery treatment of gastric neurogenic tumors].

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of gastric neurogenic tumors. METHODS: Clinical data of 11 patients with gastric neurogenic tumors confirmed by pathology, operation and immunohistochemistry were analysed retrospectively. RESULTS: There were 7 males and 4 females with a median age of 55.5 years. The main manifestations were gastrointestinal hemorrhage, abdominal pain, upper abdominal discomfort and anaemia. Nine patients underwent gastroscopy and only one case was confirmed by the examination. Two patients were diagnosed during operation. Eight patients were submitted to subtotal gastrectomy, three were partial gastrectomy. All patients were followed up, and perioperative death occurred in one patient because of respiratory failure, recurrence occurred in two patients. Other patients with long- term follow- up had a good prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: Gastric neurogenic tumors have no specific clinical characteristics preoperatively, and the misdiagnosis rate is high. Once the diagnosis of gastric neurogenic tumors is made, an operation should be performed as early as possible.