BACKGROUND: Enzalutamide, a second-generation androgen receptor (AR) pathway inhibitor, is widely used in the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer. However, after a period of enzalutamide treatment, patients inevitably develop drug resistance. In this study, we characterized leucine-rich repeated G-protein-coupled receptor 5 (LGR5) and explored its potential therapeutic value in prostate cancer. METHODS: A total of 142 pairs of tumor and adjacent formalin-fixed paraf-fin-embedded tissue samples from patients with prostate cancer were collected from the Pathology Department at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hos-pital. LGR5 was screened by sequencing data of enzalutamide-resistant cell lines combined with sequencing data of lesions with different Gleason scores from the same patients. The biological function of LGR5 and its effect on enzalutamide resistance were investigated in vitro and in vivo . Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) pull-down, coimmunoprecipitation, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence assays were used to explore the specific binding mechanism of LGR5 and related pathway changes. RESULTS: LGR5 was significantly upregulated in prostate cancer and negatively correlated with poor patient prognosis. Overexpression of LGR5 promoted the malignant progression of prostate cancer and reduced sensitivity to enzalutamide in vitro and in vivo . LGR5 promoted the phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) by binding heat shock protein 90,000 alpha B1 (HSP90AB1) and mediated the activation of the Wingless/integrated (WNT)/β-catenin signaling pathway. The increased β-catenin in the cytoplasm entered the nucleus and bound to the nuclear AR, promoting the transcription level of AR, which led to the enhanced tolerance of prostate cancer to enzalutamide. Reducing HSP90AB1 binding to LGR5 significantly enhanced sensitivity to enzalutamide. CONCLUSIONS LGR5 directly binds to HSP90AB1 and mediates GSK-3β phosphorylation, promoting AR expression by regulating the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway, thereby conferring resistance to enzalutamide treatment in prostate cancer.
Male ; Humans ; Phenylthiohydantoin/pharmacology* ; Benzamides ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/genetics* ; Nitriles ; Cell Line, Tumor ; HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins/metabolism* ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm/genetics* ; Prostatic Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; beta Catenin/metabolism* ; Receptors, Androgen/genetics* ; Animals ; Mice ; Wnt Signaling Pathway/physiology*

Loss of protein homeostasis is a hallmark of cellular senescence, and ribosome pausing plays a crucial role in the collapse of proteostasis. However, our understanding of ribosome pausing in senescent cells remains limited. In this study, we utilized ribosome profiling and G-quadruplex RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing techniques to explore the impact of RNA G-quadruplex (rG4) on the translation efficiency in senescent cells. Our results revealed a reduction in the translation efficiency of rG4-rich genes in senescent cells and demonstrated that rG4 structures within coding sequence can impede translation both in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, we observed a significant increase in the abundance of rG4 structures in senescent cells, and the stabilization of the rG4 structures further exacerbated cellular senescence. Mechanistically, the RNA helicase DHX9 functions as a key regulator of rG4 abundance, and its reduced expression in senescent cells contributing to increased ribosome pausing. Additionally, we also observed an increased abundance of rG4, an imbalance in protein homeostasis, and reduced DHX9 expression in aged mice. In summary, our findings reveal a novel biological role for rG4 and DHX9 in the regulation of translation and proteostasis, which may have implications for delaying cellular senescence and the aging process.
G-Quadruplexes ; Cellular Senescence ; Ribosomes/genetics* ; Humans ; Animals ; Mice ; DEAD-box RNA Helicases/genetics* ; Protein Biosynthesis ; RNA/chemistry* ; Neoplasm Proteins

Objective To develop and validate a deep learning model for automatic identification of liver CT contrast-enhanced phases.Methods A total of 766 patients with liver CT contrast-enhanced images were retrospectively collected.A three-phase classification model and an arterial phase(AP)classification model were developed,so as to automatically identify liver CT contrast-enhanced phases as early arterial phase(EAP)or late arterial phase(LAP),portal venous phase(PVP),and equilibrium phase(EP).In addition,221 patients with liver CT contrast-enhanced images in 5 different hospitals were used for external validation.The annotation results of radiologists were used as a reference standard to evaluate the model performances.Results In the external validation datasets,the accuracy in identifying each enhanced phase reached to 90.50%-99.70%.Conclusion The automatic identification model of liver CT contrast-enhanced phases based on residual network may provide an efficient,objective,and unified image quality control tool.

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy(PCNL)is the first-line treatment for complex kidney stones and can be performed in a variety of positions.Semi-supine combined lithotomy position,as a flexible,convenient,safe and effective position for PCNL,can be conducted in a retrograde approach under a single position,so it is suitable for the treatment of complex kidney stones.We will review the development characteristics and advantages of PCNL in semi-supine combined lithotomy position,and its application in the treatment of complex kidney stones.Based on this,we will further propose a minimally invasive treatment strategy for upper urinary tract calculi.

Objective:To evaluate the feasibility and safety of PT Scope (short for intelligent pressure and temperature controlled flexible ureteroscopy)combined with Thulium laser in the intracavitary treatment of upper urinary tract stones.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 13 patients with upper urinary tract stones who were treated with PT Scope combined with Thulium laser lithotripsy in Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital from February to April 2024. There were 7 males and 6 females. The patients had a mean age of (46±10) years old, with an accumulated stone diameter of (25.8±13.3) mm. There were 7 cases of lower calyx stones (53.8%), and 3 cases of concomitant ureteral stones (23.1%).Four patients (30.8%) had positive preoperative urine cultures, and six patients (46.2%) had leukocyte counts greater than 100 cells/μl in their urine tests. The Thulium laser power was set at 45 W (1.5 J at 30 Hz, 0.3 J at 150 Hz). The renal pelvic pressure threshold was set at 30 mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa), and the temperature threshold at 43 ℃. Postoperatively, double J stents were placed for 2 to 4 weeks.Results:All 13 patients successfully completed the surgery. The median operative time was 30 (25, 90) minutes. The intraoperative average renal pelvic pressure in these 13 patients ranged from 8 mmHg to 24 mmHg, and the average renal pelvic temperature ranged from 25 ℃ to 34 ℃. Postoperatively, 1 patient experienced a fever (38.0 ℃) and 2 patients required analgesic treatment due to postoperative pain. There were no other intraoperative or postoperative complications. The median postoperative hospital stay was (1.5±0.8) days. The stone-free rate of 1 month was 84.6%(11/13).Conclusions:PT Scope combined with Thulium laser could effectively control renal pelvic pressure and temperature, achieve a high stone-free rate, and have a low complication rate. It is a safe and effective treatment for upper urinary tract stones.

Objective To explore the value of the combination of serum hemoglobin A1c(HbA1c),Alarin and Ficolin-3 in predicting adverse pregnancy outcomes in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM).Methods From March 2021 to March 2023,129 GDM patients who underwent prenatal examination and hospital delivery in Yantai Yeda Hospital were collected as the GDM group,while 133 pregnant women with normal glucose tolerance test results were regarded as the control group.Fully automated glycated hemoglobin analyzer was applied to detect serum HbA1c level.Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was applied to detect serum Alarin and Ficolin-3 levels.Pearson method was used to analyze the correlation between serum HbA1c,Alarin,Ficolin-3 levels and 2 hour postprandial glucose(2 h PG),fasting blood glucose(FBG)and homeostasis model assessment method for insulin resistance(HOMA-IR)in GDM patients.Logistic regression was applied to analyze the relationship between HbA1c,Alarin,Ficolin-3 levels and adverse pregnancy outcomes in GDM patients.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was plotted to analyze the value of serum HbA1c,Alarin and Ficolin-3 levels in predicting adverse pregnancy outcomes in GDM patients.Results The 2 h PG,FBG,HOMA-IR,and serum HbA1c,Alarin,and Ficolin-3 levels were significantly higher in the GDM group than those in the control group(P＜0.05).The serum levels of HbA1c,Alarin and Ficolin-3 were positively correlated with 2 h PG,FBG and HOMA-IR in GDM patients(P＜0.05).The serum HbA1c,Alarin and Ficolin-3 levels were greatly higher in GDM patients with poor blood glucose control than those in GDM patients with good blood glucose control(P＜0.05).The above levels of three indicators in GDM patients with adverse pregnancy outcomes were significantly higher than those in GDM patients without adverse pregnancy outcomes(P＜0.05).Elevated levels of HbA1c,Alarin and Ficolin-3 were independent risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes in GDM patients(P＜0.05).The area under the curves of HbA1c,Alarin and Ficolin-3 alone and in combination were 0.840,0.865,0.815 and 0.979,respectively in predicting adverse pregnancy outcomes in GDM patients.Conclusion The serum HbA1c,Alarin and Ficolin-3 levels are abnormally elevated in GDM patients,and the combined detection of the three can improve the value in predicting adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Objective To identify the pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis in bloodstream infec-tions with high confidence based on three deep learning models such as GoogleNet,ResNet101,and Vgg19,compare the performance and classification ability of these models,and explore the feasibility of applying the deep learning models for the rapid identification of pathogenic bacteria in bloodstream infections.Methods The preprocessed Gram-stained bacterial images,including 1 682 images for Staphylococcus aureus and 1 723 for Enterococcus faecalis,and 688 blank control microscopic images were input into three models for training and validation,respectively.Among them,1 344 images for Staphylococcus aureus,1 376 for Enterococcus faecalis,and 544 blank control images were used for training,and the remaining images were used for validation.The model with the best performance was identified according to the classification parameters between the models.Results The ResNet101 model had the lowest cross-en-tropy loss value(0.008 710 3),the largest Epoch value(93),and the highest accuracy rate(99％)for identifying the three types of validation set images.The cross-entropy loss value,Epoch value,and accuracy rate of the GoogleNet model were 0.063 89,86 and 98.6％,respectively,for identifying the three types of validation set images.Those of the Vgg19 model were 0.035 682,86 and 97.7％,respectively.Conclusion The ResNet101 model has the best performance in the classification of three kinds of images.The deep learning model may accurately,reliably and rapidly identify the Gram-stained images of pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis in bloodstream infections.

Objective: This study aimed to comprehensively analyze the clinical characteristics and treatment status of Chinese small cell carcinoma of the ovary hypercalcemic type (SCCOHT) patients, providing insights into this unique population and comparing findings with international literature. Methods: Through a meta-analysis, we collected data from published case reports and records from the Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University. Demographic information, clinical presentations, tumor attributes, treatment modalities, and survival outcomes were extracted and examined alongside relevant global studies. Results: The analysis encompassed 80 Chinese SCCOHT patients, of which 62 from 33 previously reported literatures, and the other 18 were from Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University. In 62 cases with stage information, A total of 25 tumors were International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage I, 3 were stage II, 19 were stage III, and 15 were stage IV. Most patients received surgery and chemotherapy, but regimens were varied. Median follow-up was 10 months (range=4–120). Elevated carbohydrate antigen 125 and serum calcium levels were consistent findings. Recurrence rates were notable, especially among stage I patients. Platinum-based chemotherapy, paclitaxel and carboplatin (n=11, 13.4%), constituted common treatment regimens. Conclusion This study observed demographic and clinical similarities with international datasets. And the findings emphasize the urgency for innovative therapeutic approaches to improve outcomes in SCCOHT patients. Continued research efforts are essential to enhance the knowledge surrounding this rare malignancy and to optimize its clinical management.

Objective: This study aimed to comprehensively analyze the clinical characteristics and treatment status of Chinese small cell carcinoma of the ovary hypercalcemic type (SCCOHT) patients, providing insights into this unique population and comparing findings with international literature. Methods: Through a meta-analysis, we collected data from published case reports and records from the Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University. Demographic information, clinical presentations, tumor attributes, treatment modalities, and survival outcomes were extracted and examined alongside relevant global studies. Results: The analysis encompassed 80 Chinese SCCOHT patients, of which 62 from 33 previously reported literatures, and the other 18 were from Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University. In 62 cases with stage information, A total of 25 tumors were International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage I, 3 were stage II, 19 were stage III, and 15 were stage IV. Most patients received surgery and chemotherapy, but regimens were varied. Median follow-up was 10 months (range=4–120). Elevated carbohydrate antigen 125 and serum calcium levels were consistent findings. Recurrence rates were notable, especially among stage I patients. Platinum-based chemotherapy, paclitaxel and carboplatin (n=11, 13.4%), constituted common treatment regimens. Conclusion This study observed demographic and clinical similarities with international datasets. And the findings emphasize the urgency for innovative therapeutic approaches to improve outcomes in SCCOHT patients. Continued research efforts are essential to enhance the knowledge surrounding this rare malignancy and to optimize its clinical management.

Objective: This study aimed to comprehensively analyze the clinical characteristics and treatment status of Chinese small cell carcinoma of the ovary hypercalcemic type (SCCOHT) patients, providing insights into this unique population and comparing findings with international literature. Methods: Through a meta-analysis, we collected data from published case reports and records from the Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University. Demographic information, clinical presentations, tumor attributes, treatment modalities, and survival outcomes were extracted and examined alongside relevant global studies. Results: The analysis encompassed 80 Chinese SCCOHT patients, of which 62 from 33 previously reported literatures, and the other 18 were from Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University. In 62 cases with stage information, A total of 25 tumors were International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage I, 3 were stage II, 19 were stage III, and 15 were stage IV. Most patients received surgery and chemotherapy, but regimens were varied. Median follow-up was 10 months (range=4–120). Elevated carbohydrate antigen 125 and serum calcium levels were consistent findings. Recurrence rates were notable, especially among stage I patients. Platinum-based chemotherapy, paclitaxel and carboplatin (n=11, 13.4%), constituted common treatment regimens. Conclusion This study observed demographic and clinical similarities with international datasets. And the findings emphasize the urgency for innovative therapeutic approaches to improve outcomes in SCCOHT patients. Continued research efforts are essential to enhance the knowledge surrounding this rare malignancy and to optimize its clinical management.