BACKGROUND: B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) therapy yield remarkable responses in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (R/RMM). Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) reportedly exhibits distinct advantages in addressing the challenges posed by tumor heterogeneity in the distribution and genetic variations in R/RMM. METHODS: Herein, the ctDNA of 108 peripheral blood plasma samples from patients with R/RMM was thoroughly investigated before administration of anti-BCMA CAR-T therapy to establish its predictive potential. Flow cytometry is used primarily to detect subgroups of T cells or CAR-T cells. RESULTS: In this study, several tumor and T cell effector-mediated factors were considered to be related to treatment failure by an integrat analysis, including higher percentages of multiple myeloma (MM) cells in the bone marrow (P = 0.013), lower percentages of CAR-T cells in the peripheral blood at peak (P = 0.037), and higher percentages of CD8+ T cells (P = 0.034). Furthermore, there is a substantial correlation between high ctDNA level (>143 ng/mL) and shorter progression-free survival (PFS) (P = 0.007). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that high levels of ctDNA (>143 ng/mL), MM-driven high-risk mutations (including IGLL5 [P = 0.004], IRF4 [P = 0.024], and CREBBP [P = 0.041]), number of multisite mutations, and resistance-related mutation (ERBB4, P = 0.040) were independent risk factors for PFS. CONCLUSION: Finally, a ctDNA-based risk model was built based on the above independent risk factors, which serves as an adjunct non-invasive measure of substantial tumor burden and a prognostic genetic feature that can assist in predicting the response to anti-BCMA CAR-T therapy. REGISTERATION Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2100046474) and National Clinical Trial (NCT04670055, NCT05430945).

Objective To study the relationship between the MDR1 gene expressions and CD56 antigen expression in patients with de novo acute myeloid leukemia(AML) and to explore the role of this two factors in clinical drug resistance and their correlation. Methods A real-time quantitative RT-PCR method was established for detecting MDR1 expression levels and three-color flow cytometry analysis using CD34/ SSC gating was used to examined CD56 antigen expression in 79 de novo AML patients. Results CD56 an-tigen was recorded in 19 out of 79 cases (24.1%) and particularly in those with M5 cytotypes. Moreover, CD56 expression was significantly associated with unfavorable cytogenetic abnormalities (P<0.05), Patients with t(8:21)had a significantly higher incidence (57.1%, 4/7) of CD56 expression than those with favora-ble karyotype(P<0.05). CD56~+ AML patients had a higher incidence of splenohepatomegalia and lactate dehydrogenase level than CD56~- patients(P<0.05). The median expression levels of MDR1 was statistical-ly higher in CD56~+ AML patients than that in CD56 patients(P<0.001). Patients with both high levels of MDR1 and CD56~+ had a significantly lower CR(complete remission) rate than those with both low MDR1 level and CD56 (58.8% vs 89.2%, P<0.01). Conclusion There is a linear correlation between MDR1 gene expression and CD56 expression in AML. Quantification of the MDR1 gene expression together with CD56 antigen expression is more effective to the judgement of prognosis in AML.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the developing trend of Chinese materia medica in 2003 and the main research hotspots retrospectively. METHODS: The published articles in 2003 issues of 4 kinds of Journals included in (2000) were taken as statistical sources. The titles and key words were selected manually and statistic study was made using word frequency analysis method. RESULTS &CONLUSION: Pharmaceutical analysis, chemical constituents and pharmacology of Chinese traditional medicines are the main research hotspots in 2003; The quality control of Chinese traditional medicines, chemical constituents of Chinese medicinal herbs, the development of drugs against tumor and cardiovascular disease will be the main researches in Chinese materia medica.