Mitochondrial AAA protease gene associated with immune infiltration is a prognostic biomarker in human ovarian cancer.

Early diagnosis and identification of prognostic markers for ovarian cancer can significantly improve survival and reduce mortality. The role of the YME1L1 signaling axis in genetic alterations and immune infiltration of the tumor microenvironment remains unclear. Bioinformatics web resources, including GEPIA2, cBioPortal, Oncomine, Kaplan-Meier Plotter, and TIMER, were used to analyze the expression profile, prognostic value, and immune infiltration of YME1L1. We further performed a tissue microarray analysis of paraffin-embedded tissues from 60 patients with ovarian cancer, recorded at the FIGO/TNM cancer staging. Here, we used multi-omics analysis of multiple histological datasets to map the role of epigenetic and genetic alterations of YME1L1 in tumor immune infiltration and the prognosis of cancer patients. We explored YME1L1 gene expression profiles by systematically analyzing the association between YME1L1 expression and the prognosis of patients with ovarian cancer confirmed in multiple databases. High expression levels of YME1L1 were associated with poor overall and disease-free survival. Together, our studies suggest that YME1L1 may modulate tumor survival and immune features and contribute to tumor immune invasion, poor prognosis, and immunotherapy failure. Our findings may have clinical implications for the design of treatment strategies, prognosis assessment, and follow-up management of patients receiving immunotherapy for various cancers.

Integrative Chinese herbal medicine therapy reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: A nationwide matched cohort study.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common condition that affects 5%-10% of women of reproductive age worldwide. Patients with PCOS have a high degree of insulin resistance and are at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The currently available therapeutic approaches for PCOS mainly focus on symptomatic treatment. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to determine whether Chinese herbal medicine (CMH)-based interventions could reduce the risk of T2DM in PCOS patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study randomly selected 1 million enrollees from the National Health Insurance Database and identified 3797 patients who were newly diagnosed with PCOS in 1997-2010. After 1:1 frequency-matched by age, diagnosis of PCOS year and index days, we selected 342 eligible patients in each group. RESULTS: The incidence of T2DM in the CHM group was significantly lower than that in the non-CHM group (hazard ratio = 0.31; 95% confidence interval, 0.15-0.64; p = 0.0014) after a mean follow-up period of 5.2 years (4.20 years for the comparison cohort). Five herbal formulas and two single herbs showed protective effects, and Paeonia lactiflora was a common ingredient in the five formulas. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, CHM may help prevent T2DM-related complications in patients with PCOS. Further clinical and pharmacological analysis based on these findings is expected in the future.

Investigation on the Use of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in a Nationwide Prescription Database in Taiwan.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common condition, affecting 5⁻10% of women of reproductive age worldwide. It has serious reproductive implications and causes mood disorders and metabolic disorders, such as type-2 diabetes. Because PCOS reflects multiple abnormalities, there is no single drug that can treat all its symptoms. Existing pharmaceutical agents, such as oral contraceptives (OCs), are suggested as a first-line therapy for menstrual irregularities; however, OCs are not appropriate for women pursuing pregnancy. Additionally, insulin-sensitizing agents, which appear to decrease insulin levels and hyperandrogenemia in women with PCOS, have been associated with a high incidence of gastrointestinal adverse effects. It is a common practice in Chinese society to receive traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for treatment of gynecological problems and infertility. Current research demonstrates that several herbs and herbal formulas show beneficial effects in PCOS treatment. In this study, we conducted the first large-scale survey through the Taiwan National Health Insurance Program database to analyze TCM utilization patterns among women with PCOS in Taiwan during 1997⁻2010. The survey results revealed that 89.22% women with newly diagnosed PCOS had received TCM therapy. Jia-Wei-Xiao-Yao-San and Xiang-Fu (Rhizoma Cyperi) were the most commonly used formula and single herb, respectively, in the database. In addition, we found that the top five commonly prescribed single herbs and herbal formulas have shown promise in treating symptoms associated with PCOS.