Comparison of sexual function after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy and carbon-ion radiotherapy for Japanese prostate cancer patients using propensity score matching.

BACKGROUND: The quality of life of patients is an important consideration when selecting treatments for localized prostate cancer (PCa). We retrospectively compared sexual function after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) and carbon-ion radiotherapy (CIRT) using propensity score matching. METHODS: In total, 127 Japanese PCa patients treated with RARP and 190 treated with CIRT monotherapy were evaluated. We evaluated the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC) score before treatment and 12 and 24 months after treatment. After propensity score matching, data from 101 patients from each group were analyzed. The study protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Gunma University Hospital (no. IRB2020-050, 1839). RESULTS: After propensity score matching, the mean EPIC sexual function summary scores in the RARP and CIRT groups were 46.4 and 48.2, respectively. At 12 and 24 months after treatment, these scores were 27.9 (39.9% decrease) and 28.2 (39.2% decrease) in the RARP group and 41.4 (14.1% decrease) and 41.6 (13.7% decrease) in the CIRT group, respectively. Both groups demonstrated significantly decreased scores after 12 and 24 months of treatment compared to before treatment (all p < 0.05). At 12 and 24 months, the sexual function summary score was significantly higher in the CIRT group than in the RARP group (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: There was a smaller decrease in the EPIC sexual function score in the CIRT group than in the RARP group. These results provide useful information for treatment decision-making of Japanese PCa patients.

Simvastatin Enhances the Radiosensitivity of Androgen-independent Prostate Cancer Cells via Inhibition of RAD51 Expression.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Statins exert antitumor effects via various mechanisms. Additionally, the recurrence rate of prostate cancer after radiation therapy is lower in patients taking statins. This study investigated the efficacy of combination therapy with statins and irradiation in androgen-independent prostate cancer cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PC-3 and LNCaP human prostate cancer cell lines were used in this study. We developed androgen-independent LNCaP cells (LNCaP-LA) by gradually replacing fetal bovine serum (FBS) with charcoal-stripped FBS. Microarray analysis was performed, followed by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Cell viability was determined using the MTS assay. RESULTS: Simvastatin alters gene expressions in PC-3 cells. Microarray data showed that the number of differentially expressed genes was the highest in the pathway of "Role of BRCA1 in DNA Damage Response". In the validation, the expression of RAD51, listed in "Role of BRCA1 in DNA Damage Response", decreased significantly by simvastatin in PC-3 cells. Reduction in RAD51 expression following siRNA transfection increased the cytocidal effects of X-ray therapy in PC-3 and LNCaP-LA cells. The combination of simvastatin and irradiation further inhibited cell proliferation compared with monotherapy with either therapy in PC-3 or LNCaP-LA cells. In addition, compared with X-ray monotherapy, the combination of simvastatin and irradiation further enhanced the expression of γH2AX, which is reported to be one of the accurate markers of DNA damage in PC-3 cells. CONCLUSION: Simvastatin decreased the expression of RAD51 in androgen-independent prostate cancer cells. The combination of irradiation and drugs that reduce RAD51 expression can potentially affect androgen-independent prostate cancer growth.

Simvastatin Induces Autophagy and Inhibits Proliferation in Prostate Cancer Cells.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Statin has recently been studied for its effects on inducing cell death and inhibiting metastasis. Nevertheless, the precise mechanism of its anti-tumor effect is not yet fully understood. We conducted research on statin as a novel treatment for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). This study focused on autophagy in prostate cancer cells and assessed the effects of simvastatin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After administering simvastatin to PC-3 cells, we conducted a microarray analysis. Simvastatin was administered to prostate cancer cell lines (PC-3, LNCaP-LA; cultured under androgen-depleted conditions, DU145, 22RV1), and the tumor proliferation inhibition was evaluated using the MTS assay and cell count. Autophagy was measured by observing autophagosome staining under a fluorescence microscope and quantifying LC-3 protein using western blot. We also investigated the effects of rapamycin, an autophagy inducer, and chloroquine as an inhibitor. RESULTS: Simvastatin demonstrated a significant concentration-dependent growth inhibition effect on prostate cell lines. Moreover, a significant increase in autophagy was observed in all cell lines following simvastatin administration. When we administered simvastatin with rapamycin at a concentration that did not show a tumor growth inhibitory effect, it significantly enhanced autophagy induction compared to simvastatin alone, and also significantly enhanced the growth inhibition effect on PC-3 cells. CONCLUSION: Simvastatin induced autophagy and inhibited the proliferation of prostate cancer cell lines. The combination of simvastatin and rapamycin significantly induced autophagy and enhanced the inhibitory effect of simvastatin on proliferation. This mechanism may serve as a novel therapeutic target.

In vitro antibacterial activity of OPS-2071 against Gram-positive and Gram-negative enteropathogenic bacteria.

BACKGROUND: Enteric infections are a major public health issue in developing countries. Antimicrobial resistance is also a problem for enteric infection. OPS-2071 is a novel quinolone antibiotic with low oral absorption and potent antibacterial activity against Clostridioides difficile. OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to confirm the antimicrobial activity of OPS-2071 against major enteropathogenic bacteria and to evaluate the risk of emergence of drug resistance. METHODS: The antibacterial activity was evaluated by the agar dilution method. The inhibitory activity against DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV was determined by supercoiling assay and decatenation assay, respectively. The mutant prevention concentration and frequency of spontaneous resistance were determined by inoculation on drug-containing agar. RESULTS: Compared with the reference drugs, the antibacterial activity of OPS-2071 was more potent against Gram-positive bacteria and Campylobacter jejuni, including quinolone-resistant strains. Against other Gram-negative bacteria, OPS-2071 was comparable to existing quinolones. The inhibitory activities against DNA gyrase with quinolone-resistant mutations closely correlated with the antibacterial activity. Spontaneous resistance to OPS-2071 was not observed in Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli and was lower than that of existing quinolones and higher than that of azithromycin in C. jejuni. The mutant prevention concentration of OPS-2071 was lower than that of tested compounds in S. aureus and C. jejuni and slightly higher than that of existing quinolones in E. coli. CONCLUSIONS: The broad and potent in vitro antibacterial activity and lower risk of drug resistance suggested that OPS-2071 may be useful for enteric infections caused by major pathogens including quinolone-resistant Campylobacter.

Combination therapy with novel androgen receptor antagonists and statin for castration-resistant prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: One of the growth mechanisms of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is de novo androgen synthesis from intracellular cholesterol, and statins may be able to inhibit this mechanism. In addition, statins have been reported to suppress the expression of androgen receptors (ARs) in prostate cancer cell lines. In this study, we investigated a combination therapy of novel AR antagonists and statin, simvastatin, for CRPC. METHODS: LNCaP, 22Rv1, and PC-3 human prostate cancer cell lines were used. We developed androgen-independent LNCaP cells (LNCaP-LA). Microarray analysis was performed, followed by pathway analysis, and mRNA and protein expression was evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis, respectively. Cell viability was determined by MTS assay and cell counts. All evaluations were performed on cells treated with simvastatin and with or without AR antagonists (enzalutamide, apalutamide, and darolutamide). RESULTS: The combination of darolutamide and simvastatin most significantly suppressed proliferation in LNCaP-LA and 22Rv1 cells. In a 22Rv1-derived mouse xenograft model, the combination of darolutamide and simvastatin enhanced the inhibition of cell proliferation. In LNCaP-LA cells, the combination of darolutamide and simvastatin led to reduction in the mRNA expression of the androgen-stimulated genes, KLK2 and PSA; however, this reduction in expression did not occur in 22Rv1 cells. The microarray data and pathway analyses showed that the number of differentially expressed genes in the darolutamide and simvastatin-treated 22Rv1 cells was the highest in the pathway termed "role of cell cycle." Consequently, we focused our efforts on the cell cycle regulator polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1), cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2), and cell cycle division 25C (CDC25C). In 22Rv1 cells, the combination of darolutamide and simvastatin suppressed the mRNA and protein expression of these three genes. In addition, in PC-3 cells (which lack AR expression), the combination of simvastatin and darolutamide enhanced the suppression of cell proliferation and expression of these genes. CONCLUSIONS: Simvastatin alters the expression of many genes involved in the cell cycle in CRPC cells. Thus, the combination of novel AR antagonists (darolutamide) and simvastatin can potentially affect CRPC growth through both androgen-dependent and androgen-independent mechanisms.

Antibacterial and Immunosuppressive Effects of OPS-2071, a Candidate Therapy for Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract. Although many types of drug are used, clinical outcomes are still unsatisfactory. Previous studies have suggested that intestinal bacteria are involved in the pathogenesis of IBD. Accordingly, in an IBD model we evaluated the therapeutic effects of OPS-2071, a low-absorption quinolone antibacterial agent indicated for intestinal infection, and investigated its mechanism of action. METHODS: The therapeutic effects of OPS-2071 and comparison therapies were evaluated using naive CD4 + T cell-transfer IBD model mice. In vitro inhibition of LPS-induced TNF-α production and inhibitory effects on T cell responses stimulated using anti-CD3/CD28 antibody-loaded beads were evaluated using mouse splenocytes and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. In addition, in vitro activities against bacteria implicated in IBD pathogenesis were tested. RESULTS: OPS-2071 dose-dependently decreased both colonic weight/length ratio and the colitis histological score as compared with the vehicle group. The therapeutic effect of OPS-2071 was equivalent to that of anti-IL-12/23 (p40) antibody. In vitro, OPS-2071 suppressed TNF-α production induced by LPS stimulation and T cell responses in a dose-dependent manner. At high concentrations, these effects were comparable to those of existing immunosuppressive agents, such as prednisolone, in both mouse and human cells. OPS-2071 also showed antibacterial activity against IBD-related bacteria. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that OPS-2071 had both immunosuppressive and antibacterial effects. This dual effect makes OPS-2071 a unique and promising candidate for IBD.

Presepsin as a predictor of septic shock in patients with urinary tract infection.

BACKGROUND: Recently, presepsin has been reported to be a useful biomarker for early diagnosis of sepsis and evaluation of prognosis in septic patients. However, few reports have evaluated its usefulness in patients with urinary tract infections (UTI). This study aimed to evaluate whether presepsin could be a valuable marker for detecting severe sepsis, and whether it could predict the therapeutic course in patients with UTI compared with markers already used: procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP). METHODS: From April 2014 to December 2016, a total of 50 patients with urinary tract infections admitted to Gunma university hospital were enrolled in this study. Vital signs, presepsin, PCT, CRP, white blood cell (WBC) count, causative agents of urinary-tract infections, and other data were evaluated on the enrollment, third, and fifth days. The patients were divided into two groups: with (n = 11) or without (n = 39) septic shock on the enrollment day, and with (n = 7) or without (n = 43) sepsis on the fifth day, respectively. Presepsin was evaluated as a biomarker for systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) or septic shock. RESULTS: Regarding the enrollment day, there was no significant difference of presepsin between the SIRS and non-SIRS groups (p = 0.276). The median value of presepsin (pg/mL) was significantly higher in the septic shock group (p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that presepsin (≥ 500 pg/ml) was an independent risk factor for septic shock (p = 0.007). ROC curve for diagnosing septic shock indicated an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.881 for presepsin (vs. 0.690, 0.583, and 0.527 for PCT, CRP and WBC, respectively). Regarding the 5th day after admission, the median presepsin value on the enrollment day was significantly higher in the SIRS groups than in the non-SIRS groups (p = 0.006). On the other hand, PCT (≥ 2 ng/ml) on the enrollment day was an independent risk factor for SIRS. ROC curve for diagnosing sepsis on the fifth day indicated an AUC of 0.837 for PCT (vs. 0.817, 0.811, and 0.802 for presepsin, CRP, and WBC, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that presepsin may be a good marker for diagnosing septic shock based on admission data in patients with UTI.

In Vitro and In Vivo Antibacterial Activities of a Novel Quinolone Compound, OPS-2071, against Clostridioides difficile.

OPS-2071 is a novel quinolone antibacterial agent characterized by low oral absorption that reduces the risk of adverse events typical of fluoroquinolone class antibiotics. The in vitro and in vivo antibacterial activities of OPS-2071 against Clostridioides difficile were evaluated in comparison to vancomycin and fidaxomicin. OPS-2071 exhibited potent antibacterial activity against 54 clinically isolated C. difficile strains with a MIC of 0.125 µg/ml (MIC50) and 0.5 µg/ml (MIC90), making it more active than vancomycin on a concentration basis (MIC50, 2 µg/ml; MIC90, 4 µg/ml) and comparable to fidaxomicin (MIC50, 0.063 µg/ml; MIC90, 8 µg/ml). OPS-2071 showed equally potent antibacterial activity against both hypervirulent and nonhypervirulent strains, while a significant difference in susceptibility to fidaxomicin was observed. Spontaneous resistance to OPS-2071 and vancomycin was not observed; however, resistance to fidaxomicin was observed at 4× MIC. The mutant prevention concentration of OPS-2071 was 16-fold lower than those of fidaxomicin and vancomycin, and the postantibiotic effect of OPS-2071 was longer than those of fidaxomicin and vancomycin. Also, OPS-2071 showed low systemic exposure, with OPS-2071 having 2.9% oral bioavailability at 1 mg/kg in rats. Furthermore, OPS-2071 showed significant in vivo efficacy at 0.0313 mg/kg/day (50% effective doses), 39.0-fold and 52.1-fold lower than those of vancomycin and fidaxomicin, respectively, in a hamster model of C. difficile infection. OPS-2071 has the potential to become a new therapeutic option for treating C. difficile infection.

Prognostic Factors in Hormone-sensitive Prostate Cancer Patients Treated With Combined Androgen Blockade: A Consecutive 15-year Study at a Single Japanese Institute.

BACKGROUND/AIM: There are several treatment options for metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) in the world. In recent years, the use of docetaxel, abiraterone, enzalutamide, and apalutamide has been used for mHSPC, but combined androgen blockade (CAB) therapy using first-generation antiandrogens has been widely used in Japan. There is a background. We performed a consecutive study of patients who received combined androgen blockade (CAB) at a single institute to determine the prognostic factors for mHSPC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a consecutive study of 237 mHSPC patients treated with CAB from 2003 to 2017 at the Gunma University Hospital. Prostate-specific antigen progression-free survival (PSA-PFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. The associations between pre-treatment risk factors and the PSA response 3 months after starting CAB, PSA-PFS, and OS were evaluated by the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: Among the 237 cases, the median PSA-PFS and OS times were 63.0 and 91.4 months, respectively. The median PSA-PFS and OS times of M1 cases (174 cases, 73.4% of all 237 cases) were 36.1 and 75.9 months, respectively. The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) score, hemoglobin (Hb), lactate dehydrogenase, extent of disease, visceral metastasis (no vs. yes), and PSA response after 3 months were significant predictors of OS according to Cox regression analysis of prognostic factors in M1 patients. The ECOG PS, Hb, visceral metastasis (no vs. yes), and PSA response after 3 months predicted OS high-risk patients in LATITUDE criteria. The OS was 92.1 months in the low-risk group (0-1 risk factors), 48.2 months in the intermediate-risk group (2 risk factors), and 16.9 months in the high-risk group (3-4 risk factors). CONCLUSION: CAB should be considered as a treatment option for strictly selected patients with mHSPC, even though novel treatments are available.

YM155 Reverses Cabazitaxel Resistance in Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer by Reducing Survivin Expression.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The purpose of the present study was to clarify whether treatment with YM155, a novel small-molecule inhibitor of survivin, reversed cabazitaxel resistance in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cabazitaxel resistance was induced in the castration-resistant prostate cancer cell line, 22Rv1-CR. In vitro and in vivo models were used to test the efficacy of YM155 and cabazitaxel. RESULTS: Survivin gene expression was significantly higher in 22Rv1-CR than its parent cells (22Rv1). In 22Rv1-CR cells, YM155 significantly reduced expression of the survivin gene in a concentration-dependent manner. YM155 alone was poorly effective; however, it significantly enhanced the anticancer effects of cabazitaxel on 22Rv1-CR in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSION: Inhibition of survivin by YM155 overcomes cabazitaxel resistance in CRPC cells.

Sound absorption by Menger sponge fractal.

For the purpose of investigation on acoustic properties of fractals, the sound absorption coefficients are experimentally measured by using the Menger sponge which is one of typical three-dimensional fractals. From the two-microphone measurement, the frequency range of effectively absorbing sound waves is shown to broaden with degree of fractality, which comes from the fractal property of the homothetic character. It is shown that experimental features are qualitatively explained by an electrical equivalent circuit model for the Menger sponge.

Reduction of glycosphingolipid levels in lipid rafts affects the expression state and function of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins but does not impair signal transduction via the T cell receptor.

Lipid rafts are highly enriched in cholesterol and sphingolipids. In contrast to many reports that verify the importance of cholesterol among raft lipid components, studies that address the role of sphingolipids in raft organization and function are scarce. Here, we investigate the role of glycosphingolipids (GSLs) in raft structure and raft-mediated signal transduction in T lymphocytes by the usage of a specific GSL synthesis inhibitor, d-threo-1-phenyl-2-decanoylamino-3-morpholino-1-propanol (D-PDMP). Surface GM1 expression and the expression of GSLs in rafts were profoundly reduced by D-PDMP treatment, whereas the expression of other lipid and protein constituents, such as cholesterol, sphingomyelin, Lck, and linker for activation of T cells, was not affected. T cell receptor-mediated signal transduction induced by antigen stimulation or by antibody cross-linking was normal in D-PDMP-treated T cells. In contrast, the signal through glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins was clearly augmented by D-PDMP treatment. Moreover, GPI-anchored proteins became more susceptible to phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C cleavage in D-PDMP-treated cells, demonstrating that GSL depletion from rafts primarily influences the expression state and function of GPI-anchored proteins. Finally, by comparing the effect of D-PDMP with that of methyl-beta-cyclodextrin, we identified that compared with cholesterol depletion, GSL depletion has the opposite effect on the phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C sensitivity and signaling ability of GPI-anchored proteins. These results indicate a specific role of GSLs in T cell membrane rafts that is dispensable for T cell receptor signaling but is important for the signal via GPI-anchored proteins.