1.Nucleic Acid-driven Protein Degradation: Frontiers of Lysosomal Targeted Degradation Technology
Han YIN ; Yu LI ; Yu-Chuan FAN ; Shuai GUO ; Yuan-Yu HUANG ; Yong LI ; Yu-Hua WENG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(1):5-19
Distinct from the complementary inhibition mechanism through binding to the target with three-dimensional conformation of small molecule inhibitors, targeted protein degradation technology takes tremendous advantage of endogenous protein degradation pathway inside cells to degrade plenty of “undruggable” target proteins, which provides a novel route for the treatment of many serious diseases, mainly including proteolysis-targeting chimeras, lysosome-targeting chimeras, autophagy-targeting chimeras, antibody-based proteolysis-targeting chimeras, etc. Unlike proteolysis-targeting chimeras first found in 2001, which rely on ubiquitin-proteasome system to mainly degrade intracellular proteins of interest, lysosome-targeting chimeras identified in 2020, which was act as the fastly developing technology, utilize cellular lysosomal pathway through endocytosis mediated by lysosome-targeting receptor to degrade both extracellular and membrane proteins. As an emerging biomedical technology, nucleic acid-driven lysosome-targeting chimeras utilize nucleic acids as certain components of chimera molecule to replace with ligand to lysosome-targeting receptor or protein of interest, exhibiting broad application prospects and potential clinical value in disease treatment and drug development. This review mainly introduced present progress of nucleic acid-driven lysosome-targeting chimeras technology, including its basic composition, its advantages compared with antibody or glycopeptide-based lysosome-targeting chimeras, and focused on its chief application, in terms of the type of lysosome-targeting receptors. Most research about the development of nucleic acid-driven lysosome-targeting chimeras focused on those which utilized cation-independent mannose-6-phosphonate receptor as the lysosome-targeting receptor. Both mannose-6-phosphonate-modified glycopeptide and nucleic aptamer targeting cation-independent mannose-6-phosphonate receptor, even double-stranded DNA molecule moiety can be taken advantage as the ligand to lysosome-targeting receptor. The same as classical lysosome-targeting chimeras, asialoglycoprotein receptor can also be used for advance of nucleic acid-driven lysosome-targeting chimeras. Another new-found lysosome-targeting receptor, scavenger receptor, can bind dendritic DNA molecules to mediate cellular internalization of complex and lysosomal degradation of target protein, suggesting the successful application of scavenger receptor-mediated nucleic acid-driven lysosome-targeting chimeras. In addition, this review briefly overviewed the history of lysosome-targeting chimeras, including first-generation and second-generation lysosome-targeting chimeras through cation-independent mannose-6-phosphonate receptor-mediated and asialoglycoprotein receptor-mediated endocytosis respectively, so that a clear timeline can be presented for the advance of chimera technique. Meantime, current deficiency and challenge of lysosome-targeting chimeras was also mentioned to give some direction for deep progress of lysosome-targeting chimeras. Finally, according to faulty lysosomal degradation efficiency, more cellular mechanism where lysosome-targeting chimeras perform degradation of protein of interest need to be deeply explored. In view of current progress and direction of nucleic acid-driven lysosome-targeting chimeras, we discussed its current challenges and development direction in the future. Stability of natural nucleic acid molecule and optimized chimera construction have a great influence on the biological function of lysosome-targeting chimeras. Discovery of novel lysosome-targeting receptors and nucleic aptamer with higher affinity to the target will greatly facilitate profound advance of chimera technique. In summary, nucleic acid-driven lysosome-targeting chimeras have many superiorities, such as lower immunogenicity, expedient synthesis of chimera molecules and so on, in contrast to classical lysosome-targeting chimeras, making it more valuable. Also, the chimera technology provides new ideas and methods for biomedical research, drug development and clinical treatment, and can be used more widely through further research and optimization.
2.Establishment of a sandwich ELISA method for CHGA in saliva samples and its preliminary application in stress detection.
Niqi SHAN ; Shanshou LIU ; Yuling WANG ; Hui LIU ; Shuai WANG ; Yilin WU ; Chujun DUAN ; Hanyin FAN ; Yangmengjie JING ; Ran ZHUANG ; Chunmei ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Cellular and Molecular Immunology 2025;41(4):324-330
Objective To establish a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method for the quantitative detection of Chromogranin A (CHGA) in saliva, and to explore its preliminary application in the testing of saliva samples. Methods Recombinant human CHGA protein was used to immunize BALB/c mice, and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were prepared and screened using conventional hybridoma technology. A double-antibody sandwich ELISA detection method was constructed, and the matrix effect of saliva samples was optimized. This method was then applied to detect the concentration of CHGA in the saliva of stressed individuals. Results Twenty-one stable hybridoma cell lines secreting high affinity anti-human CHGA antibodies were obtained. A pair of detection antibodies with the best effect was selected, and the optimal coating concentration was determined to be 10 μg/mL, with the optimal dilution of detection antibodies being 1:32 000. The accuracy and reproducibility of this method were verified, with both intra-batch and inter-batch variation coefficients less than 15×, and the recovery rate between 80× and 120×. The matrix effect was further optimized to make it suitable for saliva sample detection. Saliva samples from individuals in different stress states were collected, and the CHGA levels were detected using the method established in this study, indicating its potential to reflect the intensity of stress. Conclusion A reliable saliva CHGA ELISA detection method has been successfully established, and its potential as a biomarker in stress-related research has been preliminarily explored.
Saliva/metabolism*
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Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/methods*
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Humans
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Animals
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Mice, Inbred BALB C
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Mice
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Chromogranin A/immunology*
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Antibodies, Monoclonal/immunology*
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Female
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Male
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Reproducibility of Results
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Adult
3.Buyang Huanwu Decoction Promotes Recovery after Spinal Cord Injury by Regulating cAMP/PKA/NF-κB p65 Pathway.
Si-Yuan LI ; Ting-Ting FAN ; Jian YIN ; Cai-Yun WAN ; Mei-Li LI ; Shuai-Shuai XIA ; Qiang LI ; Liang LI
Chinese journal of integrative medicine 2025;31(7):635-643
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate whether Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BYHWD) had a good curative effect on the neuroprotection of red nucleus neurons after spinal cord injury (SCI) and the possible molecular mechanism.
METHODS:
Ninety male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups (n=18 per group) according to a random number table, including the control, model, low- (12.78 g/kg, BL group), medium- (25.65 g/kg, BM group), and high-dose BYHWD groups (51.30 g/kg, BH group). A rubrospinal tract transection model in rats was established, and different doses of BYHWD were intragastrically administrated for 4 weeks. The forelimb locomotor function was recorded using the spontaneous vertical exploration test. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) level in red nucleus was detected through an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The morphology and number of red nucleus neurons were observed using Nissl's staining and axonal retrograde tracing by Fluoro-Gold (FG). The expression of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA), nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) p65, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in red nucleus were detected using immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.
RESULTS:
Compared with the control group, the utilization rate of bilateral forelimbs, unilateral right forelimbs, proportion of FG-labeled positive neurons, cAMP level, protein expressions of PKA and BDNF, and BDNF mRNA expression were significantly decreased in the model group (P<0.01), while NF-κB p65 was increased in the model group (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the utilization rate of bilateral forelimbs and unilateral right forelimbs were significantly higher in the BL, BM and BH groups (P<0.01), the proportion of FG-labeled positive neurons, cAMP level, protein expressions of PKA and BDNF and BDNF mRNA expression in all BYHWD groups were increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01), while NF-κB p65 were decreased in all BYHWD groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01).
CONCLUSIONS
BYHWD possesses a sound neuroprotective effect on red nucleus neurons after SCI, and the efficacy was dose-related. The mechanism may be related to regulating the cAMP/PKA/NF-κ B p65 signaling pathway, finally promoting expression of BDNF.
Animals
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Spinal Cord Injuries/pathology*
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*
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Rats, Sprague-Dawley
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Male
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Cyclic AMP/metabolism*
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Transcription Factor RelA/metabolism*
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Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases/metabolism*
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Signal Transduction/drug effects*
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Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/genetics*
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Red Nucleus/metabolism*
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Recovery of Function/drug effects*
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Neurons/metabolism*
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Rats
4.CDK5-Induced HCN2 Channel Dysfunction in the Prelimbic Cortex Drives Allodynia and Anxiety-Like Behaviors in Neuropathic Pain.
Lu CHEN ; Shuai CAO ; Yun-Ze LIU ; Qi-Fan YANG ; Jin-Yu YANG ; Dan-Yang ZHANG ; Guo-Guang XIE ; Xiang-Sha YIN ; Ying ZHANG ; Yun WANG
Neuroscience Bulletin 2025;41(12):2254-2271
The prelimbic cortex (PL) plays a critical role in processing both the sensory and affective components of pain. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we observed a reduction in hyperpolarization-activated cation current (Ih) in layer V pyramidal neurons of the contralateral PL in a mouse model of spared nerve injury (SNI). The expression of hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated 2 (HCN2) channels was also decreased in the contralateral PL. Conversely, microinjection of fisetin, a partial agonist of HCN2, produced both analgesic and anxiolytic effects. Additionally, we found that cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) was activated in the contralateral PL, where it formed a complex with HCN2 and phosphorylated its C-terminus. Knockdown of CDK5 restored HCN2 expression and alleviated both pain hypersensitivity and anxiety-like behaviors. Collectively, these results indicate that CDK5-mediated dysfunction of HCN2 in the PL underlies nerve injury-induced mechanical hypersensitivity and anxiety.
Animals
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Hyperpolarization-Activated Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channels/metabolism*
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Hyperalgesia/metabolism*
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Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5/metabolism*
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Neuralgia/metabolism*
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Male
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Anxiety/metabolism*
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Mice
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Potassium Channels/metabolism*
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Mice, Inbred C57BL
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Disease Models, Animal
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Pyramidal Cells/metabolism*
5.Construction of a Prognostic Model for Lysosome-dependent Cell Death in Gastric Cancer Based on Single-cell RNA-seq and Bulk RNA-seq Data.
Peng NI ; Kai Xin GUO ; Tian Yi LIANG ; Xin Shuang FAN ; Yan Qiao HUA ; Yang Ye GAO ; Shuai Yin CHEN ; Guang Cai DUAN ; Rong Guang ZHANG
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(4):416-432
OBJECTIVE:
To identify prognostic genes associated with lysosome-dependent cell death (LDCD) in patients with gastric cancer (GC).
METHODS:
Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using The Cancer Genome Atlas - Stomach Adenocarcinoma. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis was performed to identify the key module genes associated with LDCD score. Candidate genes were identified by DEGs and key module genes. Univariate Cox regression analysis, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed for the selection of prognostic genes, and risk module was established. Subsequently, key cells were identified in the single-cell dataset (GSE183904), and prognostic gene expression was analyzed. Cell proliferation and migration were assessed using the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and the wound healing assay.
RESULTS:
A total of 4,465 DEGs, 95 candidate genes, and 4 prognostic genes, including C19orf59, BATF2, TNFAIP2, and TNFSF18, were identified in the analysis. Receiver operating characteristic curves indicated the excellent predictive power of the risk model. Three key cell types (B cells, chief cells, and endothelial/pericyte cells) were identified in the GSE183904 dataset. C19orf59 and TNFAIP2 exhibited predominant expression in macrophage species, whereas TNFAIP2 evolved over time in endothelial/pericyte cells and chief cells. Functional experiments confirmed that interfering with C19orf59 inhibited proliferation and migration in GC cells.
CONCLUSION
C19orf59, BATF2, TNFAIP2, and TNFSF18 are prognostic genes associated with LDCD in GC. Furthermore, the risk model established in this study showed robust predictive power.
Stomach Neoplasms/pathology*
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Humans
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Prognosis
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Lysosomes/physiology*
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RNA-Seq
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Cell Death
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Single-Cell Analysis
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Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
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Cell Proliferation
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Single-Cell Gene Expression Analysis
6.Contemporary Evidence Summary of Strategies for Weaning From Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Adult Patients
Chaonan WO ; Shuai ZHANG ; Weifang FAN ; Huiping YAO ; Lili GE ; Ruoyu LUO ; Dechuan DENG ; Juanhong CHEN
Chinese Circulation Journal 2024;39(9):896-902
Objectives:To retrieve,evaluate and summarize the contemporary evidence of strategies for weaning from extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO)of adult patients,and to provide evidence-based reference for clinical practice. Methods:The Web of Science,Embase,Cochrane Library,PubMed,Wanfang Database,CNKI,VIP website,SinoMed,BMJ Best Practice,National Institute for Health and Care Excellence,Joanna Briggs Institute Library,UpToDate and the website of Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality,Society of Critical Care Medicine,American Association of Critical-Care Nurses,European Society of Intensive Care Medicine and Extracorporeal Life Support Organization were researched to collect the literature related to randomized controlled trials,systematic reviews,guidelines,evidence summaries,expert consensuses and clinical decisions in this field.The time limit for the retrieval is from the inception of databases until July 2023. Results:A total of 13 related literature were retrieved,including 4 guidelines,4 expert consensuses,3 clinical decisions and 2 system reviews.Totally 42 evidences were formulated based on retrieved literature,including adequately accessing the ability of gas exchange before weaning from veno-venous ECMO(V-V ECMO)and withdrawing from veno-arterial ECMO(V-A ECMO)as soon as possible when patients's heart function has recovered,involving six aspects such as team composition,anticoagulation measures,assessment before weaning,weaning implementation,cannula and wound management and quality measures. Conclusions:It is suggested to build a professional ECMO team based on the actual hospital situation,to follow the contemporary evidence to standardize the weaning process of patients from ECMO to ensure the patients'safety and improve the outcomes.
7.Expert consensus on the evaluation and rehabilitation management of shoulder syndrome after neek dissection for oral and maxillofacial malignancies
Jiacun LI ; Moyi SUN ; Jiaojie REN ; Wei GUO ; Longjiang LI ; Zhangui TANG ; Guoxin REN ; Zhijun SUN ; Jian MENG ; Wei SHANG ; Shaoyan LIU ; Jie ZHANG ; Jicheng LI ; Yue HE ; Chunjie LI ; Kai YANG ; Zhongcheng GONG ; Qing XI ; Bing HAN ; Huaming MAI ; Yanping CHEN ; Jie ZHANG ; Yadong WU ; Chao LI ; Changming AN ; Chuanzheng SUN ; Hua YUAN ; Fan YANG ; Haiguang YUAN ; Dandong WU ; Shuai FAN ; Fei LI ; Chao XU ; Wei WEI
Journal of Practical Stomatology 2024;40(5):597-607
Neck dissection(ND)is one of the main treatment methods for oral and maxillofacial malignancies.Although ND type is in con-stant improvement,but intraoperative peal-pull-push injury of the accessory nerve,muscle,muscle membrane,fascia and ligament induced shoulder syndrome(SS)is still a common postoperative complication,combined with the influence of radiochemotherapy,not only can cause pain,stiffness,numbness,limited dysfunction of shoulder neck and arm,but also may have serious impact on patient's life quality and phys-ical and mental health.At present,there is still a lack of a systematic evaluation and rehabilitation management program for postoperative SS of oral and maxillofacial malignant tumors.Based on the previous clinical practice and the current available evidence,refer to the relevant lit-erature at home and abroad,the experts in the field of maxillofacial tumor surgery and rehabilitation were invited to discuss,modify and reach a consenusus on the etiology,assessment diagnosis,differential diagnosis,rehabilitation strategy and prevention of SS,in order to provide clinical reference.
8.The Reliability and Validity of the Chinese Version of the Visually Induced Motion Sickness Susceptibility Questionnaire
Jiamei LU ; Linyao SHI ; Chuanjing QIU ; Fan WANG ; Xiaowen LI ; Shuai PAN ; Jing ZHAO ; Shengguang YAN ; Zhanguo JIN
Journal of Audiology and Speech Pathology 2024;32(3):193-199
Objective To sinicize the long and short forms of the English version of the visually induced mo-tion sickness susceptibility questionnaire(VIMSSQ)and to test the validity and reliability of the Chinese version of the questionnaire among college students.Methods The Chinese version of the VIMSSQ was sinicized using Brislin's translation model,the translated scale was cross-culturally adapted through expert consultation.At last,the Chinese version of the questionnaire survey was conducted among 757 college students,and 80 college students were selected to fill out the simulator sickness questionnaire(SSQ)at the same time to do a correlation analysis in order to verify the predictive efficacy of the scale,and the reliability and validity results of the scale were analyzed to form the Chinese version of the VIMSSQ.Results The total Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the long form question-naire was 0.94,and the alpha coefficients of the five factors were 0.85,0.85,0.85,0.84,and 0.83 respectively.The total retest reliability was 0.79,and the retest reliabilities of the five factors were 0.73,0.77,0.76,0.66,and 0.62 respectively.The split-half reliability was 0.84.The total Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the short form ques-tionnaire was 0.83,and the retest reliability was 0.81,and the split-half reliability was 0.77.The item-level con-tent validity index(I-CVI)for the long and short forms and the average scale-level content validity(scale-level con-tent validity index/average,S-CVI/Ave)were both 1.VIMSSQ scores for both the long and short forms were sig-nificantly correlated with the SSQ,with r=0.76(P<0.001)between the long form and the SSQ,and with r=0.77(P<0.001)between the short form and the SSQ.Conclusion The Chinese version of the VIMSSQ has good reliability and validity among college students,and can be used as a measurement tool to evaluate college students'susceptibility to visually induced motion sickness.
9.Spectral CT multi-parameter imaging for preoperative predicting lymph node metastasis of gastric cancer
Yusong CHEN ; Yiyang LIU ; Shuai ZHAO ; Mengchen YUAN ; Weixing LI ; Yaru YOU ; Yue ZHENG ; Songmei FAN ; Jianbo GAO
Chinese Journal of Interventional Imaging and Therapy 2024;21(10):596-601
Objective To observe the value of spectral CT multi-parameter imaging for preoperative predicting lymph node metastasis(LNM)of gastric cancer.Methods Totally 136 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma were retrospectively enrolled.The patients were further divided into LNM group(n=74)and non-LNM group(n=62)according to postoperative pathological findings of lymph nodes status.Clinical data,conventional CT findings and spectral CT parameters were compared between groups.Factors being significant different between groups were included in multivariate logistic regression analysis to screen independent predictors of gastric cancer LNM.Clinical+conventional CT model(model 1),spectrum CT model(model 2)and combined model(model 3)were constructed based on the above independent predictors,respectively.Receiver operating characteristic curve was drawn,and the area under the curve(AUC)was calculated to evaluate the efficacy of each model for preoperative predicting LNM of gastric cancer.Results CT-N stage,CT-T stage,70,100 and 140 keV CT valuestumor at arterial phase(AP),arterial enhancement fraction(AEF)and normalized iodine concentration at venous phase(NICVP)were all independent predictors of gastric cancer LNM(all P<0.05).AUC of model 3 was 0.846,higher than that of model 1 and model 2(AUC=0.767,0.774,Z=-0.368,-2.373,both P<0.05)for preoperative predicting LNM of gastric cancer,while the latter two were not significantly different(Z=-0.152,P=0.879).Conclusion Spectral CT multi-parameter imaging could effectively predict LNM of gastric cancer preoperatively.
10.Clinical treatment and prognosis of adrenocortical carcinoma with venous tumor thrombus
Shuai LIU ; Lei LIU ; Zhuo LIU ; Fan ZHANG ; Lulin MA ; Xiaojun TIAN ; Xiaofei HOU ; Guoliang WANG ; Lei ZHAO ; Shudong ZHANG
Journal of Peking University(Health Sciences) 2024;56(4):624-630
Objective:To analyze the clinicopathological features,prognostic value and surgical treat-ment experience in patients with adrenocortical carcinoma with venous tumor thrombus.Methods:We collected relevant data of the patients with adrenocortical carcinoma who had undergone surgery in Peking University Third Hospital from 2018 to 2023.The patients were divided into venous tumor thrombus group and non-tumor thrombus group.The Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to compare the quantitative varia-bles.The chi-squared test and Fisher's exact test were used to compare the categorical variables.The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the survival rate.Results:A total of 27 patients with adreno-cortical carcinoma were included,of whom 11 cases(40.7%)had venous tumor thrombus.In the pa-tients with venous tumor thrombus,8 patients were female and 3 were male.The median age was 49(36,58)years.The median body mass index was 26.0(24.1,30.4)kg/m2.Seven patients presented with symptoms at their initial visit.Six patients had a history of hypertension.Elevated levels of cortisol were observed in 2 cases.Three tumors were found on the left side,while 8 were found on the right side.Median tumor diameter was 9.4(6.5,12.5)cm.On the left,there was a case of tumor thrombus limit-ed to the central vein of the left adrenal gland without invasion into the left renal vein,and two cases of tumor thrombus growth extending into the inferior vena cava below the liver.One case of tumor thrombus on the right adrenal central vein did not invade the inferior vena cava.Four cases of tumor thrombus inva-ded the inferior vena cava below the liver and three cases extended to the posterior of the liver.Ten pa-tients were in European Network for the Study of Adrenal Tumors(ENSAT)stage Ⅲ and one was in ENSAT stage Ⅳ.Open surgery was performed in 6 cases,laparoscopic surgery alone in 4 cases and ro-bot-assisted laparoscopic surgery in 1 case.Two patients underwent ipsilateral kidney resection.Median operative time was 332(261,440)min.Median intraoperative bleeding was 900(700,2 200)mL.Median hospital stay was 9(5,10)days.Median survival time for the patients with tumor thrombus was 24.0 months and median time to recurrence was 7.0 months.The median survival and recurrence time of 16 patients without tumor thrombus were not reached.The patients with tumor thrombus had worse 3-year overall survival(OS)rate(40.9%vs.71.4%;Log-rank,P=0.038)and 2-year recurrence-free sur-vival(RFS)(9.1%vs.53.7%;Log-rank,P=0.015)rates compared with the patients with non-tumor thrombus.Conclusion:Patients with adrenocortical carcinoma with venous tumor thrombus have poor prognosis.Different adrenal tumor resections and venous tumor thrombus removal procedures based on different tumor thrombus locations are safe and effective in treating this disease.

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