Background: Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1)–nuclear factor erythroid- 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) pathway is a major regulator protecting cells from oxidative and metabolic stress. Studies have revealed that this pathway is involved in mediating resistance to cytotoxic chemotherapy and immunotherapy; however, its implications in oncogene-addicted tumors are largely unknown. This study aimed to elucidate whether this pathway could be a potential therapeutic target for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant non-small cell lung cancer. Methods: We measured the baseline expression of NRF2 using EGFR-mutant parental cells and acquired gefitinib resistant cells. We investigated whether NRF2 inhibition affected cell death in vitro and tumor growth in vivo using a xenograft mouse model, and compared the transcriptional changes before and after NRF2 inhibition. Results: Baseline NRF2 expression was enhanced in PC9 and PC9 with gefitinib resistance (PC9/GR) cells than in other cell lines, with a more prominent expression in PC9/ GR. The NRF2 inhibitor induced NRF2 downregulation and cell death in a dose-dependent manner. Cotreatment with an NRF2 inhibitor enhanced osimertinib-induced cell death in vitro, and potentiated tumor growth inhibition in a PC9/GR xenograft model. Finally, RNA sequencing revealed that NRF2 inhibition resulted in the altered expression of multiple genes involved in various signaling pathways. Conclusion We identified that NRF2 inhibition enhanced cell death and inhibited tumor growth in tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-resistant lung cancer with EGFR-mutation. Thus, NRF2 modulation may be a novel therapeutic strategy to overcome the resistance to EGFR-TKIs.

Background: Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1)–nuclear factor erythroid- 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) pathway is a major regulator protecting cells from oxidative and metabolic stress. Studies have revealed that this pathway is involved in mediating resistance to cytotoxic chemotherapy and immunotherapy; however, its implications in oncogene-addicted tumors are largely unknown. This study aimed to elucidate whether this pathway could be a potential therapeutic target for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant non-small cell lung cancer. Methods: We measured the baseline expression of NRF2 using EGFR-mutant parental cells and acquired gefitinib resistant cells. We investigated whether NRF2 inhibition affected cell death in vitro and tumor growth in vivo using a xenograft mouse model, and compared the transcriptional changes before and after NRF2 inhibition. Results: Baseline NRF2 expression was enhanced in PC9 and PC9 with gefitinib resistance (PC9/GR) cells than in other cell lines, with a more prominent expression in PC9/ GR. The NRF2 inhibitor induced NRF2 downregulation and cell death in a dose-dependent manner. Cotreatment with an NRF2 inhibitor enhanced osimertinib-induced cell death in vitro, and potentiated tumor growth inhibition in a PC9/GR xenograft model. Finally, RNA sequencing revealed that NRF2 inhibition resulted in the altered expression of multiple genes involved in various signaling pathways. Conclusion We identified that NRF2 inhibition enhanced cell death and inhibited tumor growth in tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-resistant lung cancer with EGFR-mutation. Thus, NRF2 modulation may be a novel therapeutic strategy to overcome the resistance to EGFR-TKIs.

Background: Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1)–nuclear factor erythroid- 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) pathway is a major regulator protecting cells from oxidative and metabolic stress. Studies have revealed that this pathway is involved in mediating resistance to cytotoxic chemotherapy and immunotherapy; however, its implications in oncogene-addicted tumors are largely unknown. This study aimed to elucidate whether this pathway could be a potential therapeutic target for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant non-small cell lung cancer. Methods: We measured the baseline expression of NRF2 using EGFR-mutant parental cells and acquired gefitinib resistant cells. We investigated whether NRF2 inhibition affected cell death in vitro and tumor growth in vivo using a xenograft mouse model, and compared the transcriptional changes before and after NRF2 inhibition. Results: Baseline NRF2 expression was enhanced in PC9 and PC9 with gefitinib resistance (PC9/GR) cells than in other cell lines, with a more prominent expression in PC9/ GR. The NRF2 inhibitor induced NRF2 downregulation and cell death in a dose-dependent manner. Cotreatment with an NRF2 inhibitor enhanced osimertinib-induced cell death in vitro, and potentiated tumor growth inhibition in a PC9/GR xenograft model. Finally, RNA sequencing revealed that NRF2 inhibition resulted in the altered expression of multiple genes involved in various signaling pathways. Conclusion We identified that NRF2 inhibition enhanced cell death and inhibited tumor growth in tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-resistant lung cancer with EGFR-mutation. Thus, NRF2 modulation may be a novel therapeutic strategy to overcome the resistance to EGFR-TKIs.

Background: Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1)–nuclear factor erythroid- 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) pathway is a major regulator protecting cells from oxidative and metabolic stress. Studies have revealed that this pathway is involved in mediating resistance to cytotoxic chemotherapy and immunotherapy; however, its implications in oncogene-addicted tumors are largely unknown. This study aimed to elucidate whether this pathway could be a potential therapeutic target for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant non-small cell lung cancer. Methods: We measured the baseline expression of NRF2 using EGFR-mutant parental cells and acquired gefitinib resistant cells. We investigated whether NRF2 inhibition affected cell death in vitro and tumor growth in vivo using a xenograft mouse model, and compared the transcriptional changes before and after NRF2 inhibition. Results: Baseline NRF2 expression was enhanced in PC9 and PC9 with gefitinib resistance (PC9/GR) cells than in other cell lines, with a more prominent expression in PC9/ GR. The NRF2 inhibitor induced NRF2 downregulation and cell death in a dose-dependent manner. Cotreatment with an NRF2 inhibitor enhanced osimertinib-induced cell death in vitro, and potentiated tumor growth inhibition in a PC9/GR xenograft model. Finally, RNA sequencing revealed that NRF2 inhibition resulted in the altered expression of multiple genes involved in various signaling pathways. Conclusion We identified that NRF2 inhibition enhanced cell death and inhibited tumor growth in tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-resistant lung cancer with EGFR-mutation. Thus, NRF2 modulation may be a novel therapeutic strategy to overcome the resistance to EGFR-TKIs.

Background: Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1)–nuclear factor erythroid- 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) pathway is a major regulator protecting cells from oxidative and metabolic stress. Studies have revealed that this pathway is involved in mediating resistance to cytotoxic chemotherapy and immunotherapy; however, its implications in oncogene-addicted tumors are largely unknown. This study aimed to elucidate whether this pathway could be a potential therapeutic target for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant non-small cell lung cancer. Methods: We measured the baseline expression of NRF2 using EGFR-mutant parental cells and acquired gefitinib resistant cells. We investigated whether NRF2 inhibition affected cell death in vitro and tumor growth in vivo using a xenograft mouse model, and compared the transcriptional changes before and after NRF2 inhibition. Results: Baseline NRF2 expression was enhanced in PC9 and PC9 with gefitinib resistance (PC9/GR) cells than in other cell lines, with a more prominent expression in PC9/ GR. The NRF2 inhibitor induced NRF2 downregulation and cell death in a dose-dependent manner. Cotreatment with an NRF2 inhibitor enhanced osimertinib-induced cell death in vitro, and potentiated tumor growth inhibition in a PC9/GR xenograft model. Finally, RNA sequencing revealed that NRF2 inhibition resulted in the altered expression of multiple genes involved in various signaling pathways. Conclusion We identified that NRF2 inhibition enhanced cell death and inhibited tumor growth in tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-resistant lung cancer with EGFR-mutation. Thus, NRF2 modulation may be a novel therapeutic strategy to overcome the resistance to EGFR-TKIs.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the efficacy of DSA-guided intrathecal drug delivery system combined with Zi Wu Liu Zhu Acupoint Therapy for management of cancer pain and provide reference for its standardized clinical application. Methods and. RESULTS: Recommendations were formulated based on literature review and expert group discussion, and consensus was reached following expert consultation. The consensus recommendations are comprehensive, covering the entire treatment procedures from preoperative assessment and preparation, surgical operation process, postoperative management and traditional Chinese medicine treatment to individualized treatment planning. The study results showed that the treatment plans combining traditional Chinese with Western medicine effectively alleviated cancer pain, reduced the use of opioid drugs, and significantly improved the quality of life and enhanced immune function of the patients. Postoperative follow-up suggested good treatment tolerance among the patients without serious complications. CONCLUSIONS The formulated consensus is comprehensive and can provide reference for clinicians to use DSA-guided intrathecal drug delivery system combined with Zi Wu Liu Zhu Acupoint Therapy. The combined treatment has a high clinical value with a good safety profile for management of cancer pain.
Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Cancer Pain/therapy* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Pain Management/methods* ; China

Objective:To analyze the efficacy and safety of integrase inhibitor-based single-tablet regimens bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (B/F/TAF) and lamivudine/dolutegravir (3TC/DTG) in the treatment-na?ve patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).Methods:This study was a retrospective cohort study. The clinical data of treatment-na?ve AIDS patients initiating anti-retroviral therapy (ART) with B/F/TAF or 3TC/DTG and on ART for greater than or equal to 24 weeks from October 2020 to July 2023 in Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University were collected. The baseline human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 RNA, CD4 + T lymphocyte counts at baseline and 12 weeks of treatment, and the rates of virological suppression and virological failure at 24 weeks of treatment, and levels of total cholesterol, serum creatinine, uric acid before and after treatment were compared between the B/F/TAF group and 3TC/DTG group. Independent sample t test, corrected t test, Mann-Whitney U test, Wilcoxon signed rank test, chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. Results:Among 189 treatment-na?ve AIDS patients, 141 cases were in B/F/TAF group and 48 cases in 3TC/DTG group. The HIV-1 RNA level at baseline was 1.77(0.78, 4.52)×10 5 copies/mL in the B/F/TAF group and 0.97(0.24, 2.20)×10 5 copies/mL in the 3TC/DTG group. There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups ( U=2 221.00, P=0.006).There were 77.3%(109/141) patients on B/F/TAF achieved complete virological suppression with no virological failure at week 24, and 85.4%(41/48) on 3TC/DTG achieved complete virological suppression with one (2.1%) virological failure at week 24. At 12 weeks of treatment, 92.2%(130/141) of the patients in the B/F/TAF group and 85.4%(41/48) of the patients in the 3TC/DTG group had an increase in CD4 + T lymphocyte count by more than 30% compared with baseline. The proportion of CD4 + T lymphocyte count increased by more than 100/μL from baseline in the B/F/TAF group was 67.4%(95/141), and that in the 3TC/DTG group was 52.1%(25/48). There were no significant differences between the two groups ( χ2=1.91 and 3.61, respectively, P=0.167 and 0.733).The levels of total cholesterol ( W=2 036.00, t=-5.42, respectively), serum creatinine ( W=1 098.00, 234.00, respectively), uric acid ( W=2 188.00, 299.00, respectively) and the proportion of patients with mild to moderate renal insufficiency ( χ2=22.29, 8.22, respectively) in the B/F/TAF group and 3TC/DTG group after 24 weeks of treatment were significantly higher than those before treatment (all P<0.01). Conclusions:Both B/F/TAF and 3TC/DTG are effective in terms of virological suppression and immunological recovery and have good safety profiles in treatment-na?ve patients with AIDS.

Objective:To analyze the changes of pathogen spectrum of pulmonary infection in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients before and during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic.Methods:The clinical data of hospitalized HIV infection/AIDS patients with pulmonary infection confirmed by etiology and/or imaging examinations in the Department of Infection and Immunity, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University from January 2017 to December 2022 were collected, including the types of pathogens, the peripheral blood CD4 + T lymphocyte counts at admission due to pulmonary infection, and the treatment outcome of the patients at discharge. The changes of pathogen spectrum of pulmonary infection before COVID-19 epidemic (2017 to 2019) and during the epidemic (2020 to 2022) were analyzed, and their effects on adverse treatment outcomes (death during hospitalization or automatic discharge) were analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed using the chi-square test, trend chi-square test or Kruskal-Wallis test. Results:The proportion of patients with pulmonary infection during the epidemic was lower than that before the epidemic, the difference was statistically significant (23.01%(1 061/4 612) vs 28.68%(1 463/5 102), χ2=40.76, P<0.001). From 2017 to 2022, the proportion of hospitalized HIV infection/AIDS patients with pulmonary infection showed a downward trend ( χ2trend=8.81, P<0.001). Among the pathogens causing pulmonary infection from 2017 to 2022, bacteria, mycobacteria, and fungi were the three main pathogenic pathogens, accounting for 48.77%(1 231/2 524), 32.13%(811/2 524), and 14.34%(362/2 524), respectively. The proportion of bacterial infection decreased from 55.02%(805/1 463) before the epidemic to 40.15%(426/1 061) during the epidemic, and the proportion of fungal infection increased from 9.23%(135/1 463) to 21.39%(227/1 061), the differences were both statistically significant ( χ2=54.45 and 74.11, respectively, both P<0.001). There was no significant difference in the proportion of mycobacteria between before and during the epidemic ( P=0.169), but the proportion of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection decreased from 22.01%(322/1 463) before the epidemic to 15.08%(160/1 061) during the epidemic, while the proportion of nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) infection increased from 7.11%(104/463) to 11.78%(125/1 061), the differences were both statistically significant ( χ2=19.11 and 16.28, respectively, both P<0.001). There was a significant difference in the pathogen spectrum of pulmonary infection before and during the epidemic ( χ2=128.91, P<0.001). There was a significant difference in the peripheral blood CD4 + T lymphocyte counts of patients with MTB, NTM, Pnenmocystis, Talaromycosis marneffei and Cryptococcus infection ( H=71.92, P<0.001). There were 63.74%(109/171) of Pneumocystis infection and 67.65%(69/102) of Talaromycosis marneffei infection occurred in patients with CD4 + T lymphocyte count<50/μL. Among the patients with pulmonary infection, the proportion of patients with adverse treatment outcomes during the epidemic was higher than that before the epidemic, and the difference was statistically significant (13.29%(141/1 061) vs 10.39%(152/1 463), χ2=5.04, P=0.025). Among the patients with pulmonary infection who developed adverse treatment outcomes, the top three pathogens (from high to low) were bacteria (63.48%(186/293)), mycobacteria (27.65%(81/293)), and fungi (6.83%(20/293)). The proportion of adverse treatment outcomes caused by bacterial infection decreased during the epidemic compared with that of before the epidemic (71.71%(109/152) vs 54.61%(77/141), χ2=9.23, P=0.002), while the proportion of adverse treatment outcomes caused by fungal infection increased (2.63%(4/152) vs 11.35%(16/141), χ2=8.74, P=0.003), and the differences were both statistically significant. The proportion of adverse treatment outcomes caused by mycobacterial infection increased, but without statistically significant (23.03%(35/152) vs 32.62%(46/141), χ2=3.37, P=0.066), among which there was no difference in the proportion of adverse treatment outcomes caused by MTB infection (13.82%(21/152) vs 14.89%(21/141), χ2=0.07, P=0.793), while the proportion of adverse treatment outcomes caused by NTM infection increased (5.92%(9/152) vs 14.89%(21/141), χ2=6.41, P=0.011). There was a significant difference in the pathogen spectrum of pulmonary infection patients with adverse treatment outcomes before and during the epidemic ( χ2=12.22, P=0.007). Conclusions:Among the spectrum of pathogens causing pulmonary infection and adverse treatment outcomes of HIV infection/AIDS patients during the epidemic, compared with that before the epidemic, the proportion of bacterial decreases, while the proportion of fungi increases, and the proportion of mycobacteria remains stable with the proportion of NTM increasing. The proportion of MTB causing pulmonary infection decreases, while the proportion of MTB causing adverse treatment outcomes remains stable.

Objective:The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of neoadjuvant radiotherapy on anorectal function of patients with mid-low rectal cancer by means of high-resolution anorectal manometry.Methods:A retrospective observational study was conducted. Information on patients with mid-low rectal cancer was collected from the prospective registry database of Rectal Cancer at Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) from June 2020 to April 2023. Anorectal functions were detected using three-dimensional high-resolution manometry system. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the factors associated with the changed anorectal manometry.Results:A total of 45 patients with mid-low rectal cancer were included in the study. Thirty-two (71.1%) patients were male, 13 (28.9%) patients were female. The mean age was 60±11 years, and the mean BMI was 23.4±3.7 kg/m 2. The mean distance between the lower edge of the tumor and the anal verge was 5.4±1.5 cm. The median size of the tumor was 3.4 (2.9-4.5) cm, and the median circumferential extent of the tumor was 66.0 (45.5-75.0) %. 41 (81.1%) patients were MRI T3-4 and 40 (88.9%) patients were MRI N positive. The resting pressure has a decreasing trend after neoadjuvant radiotherapy (55.3±32.0 mmHg vs. 48.0±28.5 mmHg, t=1.930, P=0.060). There was no significant change in maximum squeezing and the length of the high-pressure zone after neoadjuvant radiotherapy. All volumes describing rectal sensitivity (first sensation, desire to defecate, and maximum tolerance) were lower after neoadjuvant radiotherapy. And maximum tolerance was significantly lower (66.0 [49.0,88.0] ml vs. 52.0 [39.0,73.5] ml, Z=-2.481, P=0.013). Univariate analysis demonstrated that the downstage of N-stage was associated with the decrease in maximum tolerance (OR=6.533, 95%CI:1.254-34.051, P=0.026). Conclusion:Neoadjuvant radiotherapy damages anorectal function by decreasing the resting pressure and rectal sensory threshold of patients. The N-stage downstaging was associated with a decrease in maximum tolerance.