Background Recent advances in understanding the toxic effects of inorganic arsenic have revealed that arsenic exposure impacts multiple endocrine organs, thereby altering their functions. However, the mechanisms underlying arsenic-induced thyroid injury remain unclear. Objective To investigate the mechanisms by which sodium arsenite (NaAsO₂) affects the proliferation and apoptosis of normal thyroid cells (Nthy-ori3-1) through the estrogen receptor (ER)-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathway. Methods Nthy-ori3-1 cells were cultured in vitro and divided into the following groups: a control group (complete medium without drugs, 0 μmol·L⁻¹), and NaAsO₂-treated groups at 1, 2, and 4 μmol·L⁻¹. Additionally, 1 μmol·L⁻¹ of the ER inhibitor ICI182780 was used to intervene in the NaAsO₂ exposure groups, resulting in the following combinations: 1 μmol·L⁻¹ NaAsO₂ + ICI182780, 2 μmol·L⁻¹ NaAsO₂ + ICI182780, and 4 μmol·L⁻¹ NaAsO₂ + ICI182780. The median lethal concentration of NaAsO₂ was determined using cell viability assay. Cell viability was assessed at 24, 36, and 48 h using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Colony formation ability was evaluated via plate cloning assay. Apoptosis was detected using Hoechst 33342 staining. Protein and mRNA expression levels of ERα, ERβ, c-MYC, Bax, Bcl-2, PI3K, p-PI3K, AKT, and p-AKT were measured using Western blot (WB) and real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR), respectively. Results The median lethal concentration of NaAsO₂ was determined to be 4.034 μmol·L⁻¹. CCK-8 assay at 24, 36, and 48 h revealed that, compared with the control group, the 1, 2, and 4 μmol·L⁻¹ NaAsO₂ groups significantly inhibited Nthy-ori3-1 cell proliferation (P < 0.001). The plate cloning assays demonstrated a concentration-dependent reduction in colony formation ability (P < 0.001). Following the ICI182780 intervention, the cell viability and colony formation ability in the 1, 2, and 4 μmol·L⁻¹ NaAsO₂ groups were significantly restored compared with the corresponding NaAsO₂-only groups (P < 0.001, P < 0.01). The Hoechst 33342 staining indicated that compared with the control group, the nuclear staining intensity and apoptosis levels in the 1, 2, and 4 μmol·L⁻¹ NaAsO₂ groups increased in a concentration-dependent manner (P < 0.001). However, the ICI182780 intervention reduced the apoptosis levels in the NaAsO₂-treated groups compared with their NaAsO₂-only counterparts (P < 0.001). The WB analysis showed that, compared with the control group, the protein expression of ERα, ERβ, c-MYC, Bcl-2, p-PI3K, and p-AKT in the 1, 2, and 4 μmol·L⁻¹ NaAsO₂ groups decreased manner (P < 0.001, P < 0.01), while the Bax expression increased in a concentration-dependent (P < 0.001); the PI3K and AKT protein levels showed no significant differences (P > 0.05). In the ICI182780-treated NaAsO₂ groups, the ERα, ERβ, c-MYC, Bcl-2, p-PI3K, and p-AKT protein expression increased (P < 0.001, P < 0.01), the Bax expression decreased (P < 0.001), and the PI3K and AKT levels remained unchanged (P > 0.05) compared with the corresponding NaAsO₂-only groups. The mRNA expression patterns of ERα, ERβ, c-MYC, Bcl-2, and Bax were consistent with the WB results. Conclusion NaAsO₂ inhibits proliferation and promotes apoptosis in Nthy-ori3-1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The underlying mechanism likely involves NaAsO₂-mediated suppression of the ER-PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, which subsequently regulates downstream proliferation- and apoptosis-related genes.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD)-associated anemia (CKD-anemia) is associated with poor survival, and hemoglobin targets are often not achieved with current therapies. Phase 3 trials have demonstrated the treatment efficacy of roxadustat for CKD-anemia. This phase 4 study aims to evaluate the long-term (52-week) safety and effectiveness of roxadustat in a broad real-world patient population with CKD-anemia with and without dialysis in China. METHODS: This Phase 4 multicenter, open-label, prospective study, conducted from 24 November 2020 to 11 November 2022, evaluated the long-term safety and effectiveness of roxadustat for CKD-anemia in China. Patients aged ≥18 years with CKD-anemia with or without dialysis were included. The initial oral dose was 70-120 mg (weight-based followed by dose adjustment) over 52 weeks. The primary endpoint was safety based on adverse events (AEs). The secondary endpoints were hemoglobin changes from baseline and the proportion of patients who achieved mean hemoglobin ≥100 g/L. Effectiveness evaluable populations 1 (EE1) and EE2 included roxadustat-naïve and previously roxadustat-treated patients, respectively. The safety analysis set (SAF) included all patients who received ≥1 occasion. RESULTS: The EE1, EE2, and SAF populations included 1804, 193, and 2021 patients, respectively. In the SAF, the mean age was 50 ± 14 years, and 1087 patients (53.8%) were male. Mean baseline hemoglobin was 96.9 ± 14.0 g/L in EE1 and 100.3 ± 12.9 g/L in EE2. In EE1, the mean (95% confidence interval) hemoglobin changes from baseline over weeks 24-36 and 36-52 were 14.2 (13.5-14.9) g/L and 14.3 (13.5-15.0) g/L, respectively. Over weeks 24-36 and 36-52, 83.3% and 86.1% of patients in EE1 and 82.7% and 84.7% in EE2 achieved mean hemoglobin ≥100 g/L, respectively. In the SAF, 1643 (81.3%) patients experienced treatment-emergent AEs (TEAEs). Overall, 219 (10.8%) patients experienced drug-related TEAEs. Thirty-eight (1.9%) patients died of TEAEs (unrelated to the study drug). Vascular access thrombosis was uncommon. CONCLUSIONS: Roxadustat (52 weeks) increased hemoglobin and maintained the treatment target in Chinese patients with CKD-anemia with acceptable safety, supporting its use in real-world settings. REGISTRATION Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ( www.chictr.org.cn ) ChiCTR2100046322; CDE ( www.chinadrugtrials.org.cn ) CTR20201568.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Anemia/etiology* ; Middle Aged ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/complications* ; Glycine/adverse effects* ; Isoquinolines/adverse effects* ; Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Adult ; Hemoglobins/metabolism* ; Treatment Outcome ; China ; Registries ; East Asian People

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains a refractory subtype of breast cancer due to its resistance to various therapeutic strategies. In this study, we introduce a "brake-release and accelerator-pressing" approach to engineer a microneedle patch embedded with copper-doped Prussian blue nanoparticles (Cu-PB) and the ferroptosis inducer sorafenib (SRF) for raised chemodynamic (CDT)/photothermal (PTT) combination therapy against TNBC. Upon transdermal insertion, the dissolving microneedles swiftly disintegrate and facilitate the release of SRF. Under gentle external light exposure, copper ions (Cu²⁺) and iron ions (Fe³⁺) were liberated from Cu-PB. The direct chelation of Cu²⁺ and the indirect suppression by SRF, collectively attenuate glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) enzymatic function, destabilizing the cellular redox equilibrium (referred to as the "brake-release" strategy). The release of Cu²⁺ and Fe³⁺ ions instigates a Fenton/Fenton-like reaction within tumor cells, further yielding hydroxyl radicals and elevating reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentrations (referred to as the "accelerator-pressing" strategy). This overwhelming ROS accumulation, coupled with the impaired clearance of resultant lipid peroxides (LPO), ultimately triggers a robust ferroptosis cell death response. In summary, this study presents an innovative combinatorial therapeutic strategy based on dual-ferroptosis induction for TNBC, implying a promising therapeutic platform for developing ferroptosis-centered treatments for this aggressive breast cancer subtype.

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation (PARylation) is a specific form of post-translational modification (PTM) predominantly triggered by the activation of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase 1 (PARP1). However, the role and mechanism of PARylation in the advancement of acute kidney injury (AKI) remain undetermined. Here, we demonstrated the significant upregulation of PARP1 and its associated PARylation in murine models of AKI, consistent with renal biopsy findings in patients with AKI. This elevation in PARP1 expression might be attributed to trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4me3). Furthermore, a reduction in PARylation levels mitigated renal dysfunction in the AKI mouse models. Mechanistically, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry indicated that PARylation mainly occurred in receptor for activated C kinase 1 (RACK1), thereby facilitating its subsequent phosphorylation. Moreover, the phosphorylation of RACK1 enhanced its dimerization and accelerated the ubiquitination-mediated hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) degradation, thereby exacerbating kidney injury. Additionally, we identified a PARP1 proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC), A19, as a PARP1 degrader that demonstrated superior protective effects against renal injury compared with PJ34, a previously identified PARP1 inhibitor. Collectively, both genetic and drug-based inhibition of PARylation mitigated kidney injury, indicating that the PARylated RACK1/HIF-1α axis could be a promising therapeutic target for AKI treatment.

Bone Transplantation/adverse effects* ; Transplantation, Autologous/adverse effects*

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.06.016.].

Objective:To explore the efficacy of consolidation chemotherapy after radical radiotherapy and chemotherapy in stage Ⅲ-ⅣA esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients in the real world.Methods:The clinical data of 139 patients with stage Ⅲ-ⅣA ESCC who underwent radical radiotherapy and chemotherapy from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2022 in Hefei Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Sciences were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into a control group ( n=85) and a consolidation chemotherapy group ( n=54) based on whether they underwent consolidation chemotherapy after radical radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) between the two groups were compared. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to draw survival curves and log-rank tests were conducted. The Cox proportional risk model was used for univariate and multivariate analysis. Results:The ORR of the control group and the consolidation chemotherapy group were 44.71% (38/85) and 66.67% (36/54), respectively, with a statistically significant difference ( χ2=5.54, P=0.018) ; the DCR were 70.59% (60/85) and 87.04% (47/54), respectively, with a statistically significant difference ( χ2=5.04, P=0.025). The median PFS of the two groups of patients were 9.0 and 13.1 months, respectively, with a statistically significant difference ( χ2=12.74, P<0.001) ; the median OS were 15.0 and 20.6 months, respectively, with a statistically significant difference ( χ2=24.75, P<0.001). The median OS of ESCC patients in two subgroups of cT 3-4N 1-3M 0 were 16.0 and 30.8 months, respectively, with a statistically significant difference ( χ2=23.49, P<0.001). Univariate analysis showed that tumor length ( HR=1.57, 95% CI: 1.04-2.36, P=0.032), objective response ( HR=0.08, 95% CI: 0.04-0.17, P<0.001), and consolidation chemotherapy ( HR=0.32, 95% CI: 0.20-0.51, P<0.001) were all influencing factors for OS in ESCC patients undergoing radical radiotherapy and chemotherapy in stages Ⅲ-ⅣA. Multivariate analysis showed that tumor length ( HR=1.59, 95% CI: 1.05-2.43, P=0.030), objective response ( HR=0.05, 95% CI: 0.02-0.10, P<0.001), and consolidation chemotherapy ( HR=0.22, 95% CI: 0.13-0.36, P<0.001) were all independent influencing factors for OS in stage Ⅲ-ⅣA ESCC patients undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy. In terms of safety, the consolidation chemotherapy group experienced 7 adverse reactions mainly gastrointestinal reaction and leukopenia, including 5 cases of grade 1-2 and 2 cases of grade 3-4; 22 cases of adverse reactions occurred in the control group including 16 cases of grade 1-2 and 6 cases of grade 3-4 mainly including neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia and digestive tract reaction. The incidence rates of adverse reactions in the two groups were 12.96% (7/54) and 25.88% (22/85), respectively, with no statistically significant difference ( χ2=3.34, P=0.068) . Conclusion:After radical radiotherapy and chemotherapy, consolidation chemotherapy can significantly improve the prognosis of stage Ⅲ-ⅣA ESCC patients, and the overall adverse reactions are controllable.

Objective:To observe and evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of albumin-bound paclitaxel as first-line treatment for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer in China, and to explore the prognosis-related molecules in pancreatic cancer based on next-generation sequencing (NGS) of tumor tissues.Methods:From December 2018 to December 2020, patients with locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer were recruited to accept albumin-bound paclitaxel as first-line treatment in the oncology departments of 24 hospitals in East China. The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and treatment related adverse events, and the secondary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Adverse effects were graded using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events 5.0 (CTCAE 5.0). NGS sequencing on the primary or metastatic tissue samples of pancreatic cancer obtained through surgical resection or biopsy was performed.Results:This study recruited 229 patients, including 70 patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) and 159 patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer (mPC). The disease control rate was 79.9% and the objective response rate is 36.3%.The common adverse effects during treatment were anaemia (159 cases), leucopenia (170 cases), neutropenia (169 cases), increased aminotransferases (110 cases), and thrombocytopenia (95 cases), and the incidence of grade 3-4 neutropenia is 12.2% (28/229). The median follow-up time was 21.2 months (95% CI: 18.5-23.1 months). The median PFS (mPFS) was 5.3 months (95% CI: 4.37-4.07 months) and the median OS (mOS) was 11.2 months (95% CI: 9.5-12.9 months). The mPFS of patients with LAPC was 7.4 months (95% CI: 6.6-11.2 months), and their mOS was 15.5 months (95% CI: 12.6-NA months). The mPFS of patients with mPC was 3.9 months (95% CI: 3.4-5.1 months), and their mOS was 9.3 months (95% CI: 8.0-10.8 months). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that clinical stage ( HR=1.47, 95% CI: 1.06-2.04), primary tumor site ( HR=0.64, 95% CI: 0.48-0.86), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS) score ( HR=2.66, 95% CI: 1.53-4.65), and whether to combine radiotherapy ( HR=0.65, 95% CI: 0.42-1.00) were independent influencing factors for the PFS of these patients. The primary tumor site ( HR=0.68, 95% CI: 0.48-0.95), ECOG score ( HR=5.82, 95% CI: 3.14-10.82), and whether to combine radiotherapy ( HR=0.58, 95% CI: 0.35-0.96) were independent influencing factors of the OS of these patients. The most frequent gene mutations in these advanced stage pancreatic patients were KRAS (89.66%), TP53 (77.01%), CDKN2A (32.18%), and SMAD4 (21.84%) by NGS of tumor tissues from 87 pancreatic cancer patients with sufficient specimens. Further analysis revealed that mutations in CDKN2B, PTEN, FGF6, and RBBP8 genes were significantly associated with an increased risk of death ( P＜0.05). Conclusion:Albumin-bound paclitaxel as first-line treatment demonstrated feasible anti-tumor efficacy and manageable safety for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer in China.

Objective:To investigate the prevalence and mortality of dementia and assess the impact of geriatric syndromes (GS) on the risk for dementia and death in elderly population in Beijing.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the elderly population aged ≥65 years and selected by a multi-stage sampling in Beijing during 2013-2015. Cognitive function was screened using the Chinese Revised Version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Then, neurological examination and psychiatric assessment were performed for those with the MMSE score lower than the cut-off value. The information about GS prevalence was also collected. The study also collected death records for all individuals from baseline until December 31, 2019. Based on the age and gender distribution from Beijing data of the 2010 Six th National Population Census, the dementia prevalence in the study population was directly standardized. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the association of different forms of dementia with GS, and Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to estimate the hazard ratio ( HR) and 95% CI of death. Results:During 2013-2015, a total of 2 935 individuals completed dementia assessments, of which 167 were diagnosed with dementia. The standardized prevalence of dementia was 5.9% (95% CI: 5.0%-17.4%). The individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD) accounted for 58.7% and 28.1% of total individuals with dementia, respectively. Aging, lower education level, urinary incontinence, and fall were risk factors for AD, while disability of activity of daily life dependence, hypertension, and stroke were found to be risk factors for VaD. After a median follow-up of 5.44 person-years, 399 deaths were recorded. The 5-year mortality risk was 2.87 (95% CI: 1.92-4.17) times and 4.93 (95% CI: 3.23-7.53) times higher for the elderly individuals with AD and VaD, respectively, compared to non-demented individuals. After adjusting for demographic, GS, and cardiovascular risk factors, the mortality risk in the elderly individuals with AD showed no significant difference compared with non-demented individuals ( HR=1.32, 95% CI: 0.89-1.97), while the mortality risk in those with VaD was 2.46 (95% CI: 1.49-4.05) times higher than that in non-demented individuals. Conclusions:The prevalence of dementia in Beijing increased significantly in the context of population aging, especially the prevalence of AD. The presence of GS increased the risks for AD and VaD, as well as the risk for death. Close attention needs to be paid to GS management in dementia prevention in elderly population.

Objective:To prepare advanced platelet-rich fibrin (A-PRF)/chitosan thermosensitive hydrogel (hereinafter referred to as composite hydrogel) and explore the effects of composite hydrogel on full-thickness skin defect wound healing in diabetic rats.Methods:This study was an experimental study. The composite hydrogel with porous mesh structure and thermosensitive characteristics was successfully prepared, containing A-PRF with mass concentrations of 10, 15, 20, 50, and 100 g/L. Diabetic model was successfully established in male Sprague-Dawley rats aged 6-8 weeks by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin, and 4 full-thickness skin defect wounds were established on the back of each rat (finally the model was successfully established in 36 rats). Three wounds of each rat were divided into blank group (no drug intervention), positive control group (dropping recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage stimulating factor gel), and chitosan hydrogel group (dropping chitosan hydrogel solution). Thirty rats were collected, and the remaining one wound of each rat (totally 30 wounds) was divided into 10, 15, 20, 50, and 100 g/L composite hydrogel groups, with 6 wounds in each group, which were dropped with composite hydrogel solution containing 10, 15, 20, 50, and 100 g/L A-PRF, respectively. Taking the remaining six rats, the remaining one wound from each rat was dropped with composite hydrogel solution containing 100 g/L A-PRF. On 14 d after injury, 6 rats with one wound dropped with composite hydrogel containing 100 g/L A-PRF were selected for hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining to observe the inflammation, hemorrhage, or necrosis of the heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney. On 10 d after injury, 6 rats with one wound dropped with composite hydrogel containing 15 g/L A-PRF were selected to observe the blood perfusion of wounds in the four groups (with sample size of 6). On 7 and 14 d after injury, the wound healing rates in the eight groups were calculated. On 14 d after injury, the wound tissue in the eight groups was taken for HE and Masson staining to observe the formation of new epithelium and collagen formation, respectively; the positive expressions of CD31 and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) were detected by immunohistochemistry, and the percentages of positive areas were calculated; the protein expressions of CD31 and VEGFA were detected by Western blotting; the mRNA expressions of CD31 and VEGFA were detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction method (with all sample sizes of 4).Results:On 14 d after injury, no obvious inflammation, hemorrhage, or necrosis was observed in the heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney in the 6 rats. On 10 d after injury, the blood perfusion volume of wound in 15 g/L composite hydrogel group was significantly more than that in blank group, positive control group, and chitosan hydrogel group, respectively (with P values all <0.05). On 7 and 14 d after injury, the wound healing rates of blank group were (26.0±8.9)% and (75.0±1.8)%, which were significantly lower than those of positive control group, chitosan hydrogel group, and 10, 15, 20, 50, and 100 g/L composite hydrogel groups, respectively ((45.8±3.2)%, (49.8±3.7)%, (51.2±2.9)%, (68.5±2.4)%, (68.8±1.5)%, (72.7±2.1)%, (75.0±3.7)% and (79.1±1.9)%, (77.2±1.7)%, (82.3±1.3)%, (89.6±1.9)%, (89.8±1.3)%, (87.3±1.1)%, (87.9±1.3)%), P<0.05; the wound healing rates of positive control group, chitosan hydrogel group, and 10 g/L composite hydrogel group were significantly lower than those of 15, 20, 50, and 100 g/L composite hydrogel groups ( P<0.05). On 14 d after injury, the wound epithelialization degrees of 15, 20, 50, and 100 g/L composite hydrogel groups were higher than those of the other 4 groups, the new microvascular situation was better, and the collagen was more abundant and arranged more neatly. On 14 d after injury, the percentages of CD31 and VEGFA positive areas in wounds in positive control group and the percentage of VEGFA positive area in wounds in chitosan hydrogel group were significantly higher than those in blank group ( P<0.05), the percentage of VEGFA positive area in wounds in 10 g/L composite hydrogel group was significantly higher than that in blank group, chitosan hydrogel group, and positive control group (with P values all <0.05), and the percentages of CD31 and VEGFA positive areas in wounds in 15, 20, 50, and 100 g/L composite hydrogel groups were significantly higher than those in blank group, positive control group, chitosan hydrogel group, and 10 g/L composite hydrogel group ( P<0.05). On 14 d after injury, the protein and mRNA expressions of CD31 and VEGFA in wound tissue in chitosan hydrogel group, positive control group, and 10 g/L composite hydrogel group were significantly higher than those in blank group ( P<0.05); the protein expression of VEGFA in wound tissue in 10 g/L composite hydrogel group was significantly higher than that in positive control group ( P<0.05), and the mRNA expressions of CD31 and VEGFA in wound tissue in 10 g/L composite hydrogel group were significantly higher than those in positive control group and chitosan hydrogel group ( P<0.05); the protein and mRNA expressions of CD31 and VEGFA in wound tissue in 15, 20, 50, and 100 g/L composite hydrogel groups were significantly higher than those in blank group, positive control group, chitosan hydrogel group, and 10 g/L composite hydrogel group ( P<0.05); the mRNA expressions of CD31 and VEGFA in wound tissue in chitosan hydrogel group were significantly lower than those in positive control group ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The composite hydrogel has high biological safety, can improve wound blood perfusion, effectively promote the formation of blood vessels and collagen in wound tissue, thus promoting the wound healing of full-thickness skin defects in diabetic rats. 15 g/L is the optimal mass concentration of A-PRF in composite hydrogel.