OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of BRD4 inhibition on migration of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells with low acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1) expression. METHODS: ESCC cell lines with lentivirus-mediated ACC1 knockdown or transfected with a negative control sequence (shNC) were treated with DMSO, JQ1 (a BRD4 inhibitor), co-transfection with shNC-siBRD4 or siNC with additional DMSO or C646 (an ahistone acetyltransferase inhibitor) treatment, or JQ1combined with 3-MA (an autophagy inhibitor). BRD4 mRNA expression in the cells was detected using RT-qPCR. The changes in cell proliferation, migration, autophagy, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were examined with CCK8 assay, Transwell migration assay, and Western blotting. RESULTS: ACC1 knockdown did not significantly affect BRD4 expression in the cells but obviously increased their sensitivity to JQ1. JQ1 treatment at 1 and 2 μmol/L significantly inhibited ESCC cell proliferation, while JQ1 at 0.2 and 2 μmol/L promoted cell migration. The cells with ACC1 knockdown and JQ1 treatment showed increased expresisons of vimentin and Slug and decreased expression of E-cadherin. BRD4 knockdown promoted migration of ESCC cells, and co-transfection with shACC1 and siBRD4 resulted in increased vimentin and Slug expressions and decreased E-cadherin expression in the cells. C646 treatment of the co-transfected cells reduced acetylation levels, decreased vimentin and Slug expressions, and increased E-cadherin expression. Treatment with JQ1 alone obviously increased LC3A/B-II levels in the cells either with or without ACC1 knockdown. In the cells with ACC1 knockdown and JQ1 treatment, additional 3-MA treatment significantly decreased the expressions of vimentin, Slug and LC3A/B-II and increased the expression of E-cadherin. CONCLUSIONS BRD4 inhibition promotes autophagy of ESCC cells via a histone acetylation-dependent mechanism, thereby enhancing EMT and ultimately increasing cell migration driven by ACC1 deficiency.
Humans ; Cell Movement ; Transcription Factors/metabolism* ; Esophageal Neoplasms/metabolism* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Cycle Proteins ; Azepines/pharmacology* ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/metabolism* ; Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma ; Triazoles/pharmacology* ; Nuclear Proteins/genetics* ; Cell Proliferation ; Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase/genetics* ; Transfection ; Autophagy ; Bromodomain Containing Proteins

Objective To explore the current status of minor children parenting concerns among young and middle-aged breast cancer patients and investigate the influencing factors based on a random forest model so as to provide references for clinical interventions.Methods A convenience sampling method was used to select breast cancer patients undergoing treatment in our hospital between April and December 2023.A self-designed general information questionnaire,the Chinese version of parenting concerns questionnaire(PCQ),perceived social support scale(PSSS),concern about recurrence scale(CARS),and the brief illness perception questionnaire(BIPQ)were used for the study.A random forest model and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)were employed to prioritise variables and filtered by significance.The selected variables were then incorporated into the multiple linear regression analysis.Results A total of 260 patients completed the study.The score of minor children parenting concerns of young and middle-aged breast cancer patients was 51.1±6.4.The multiple linear regression analysis,which included variables determined by random forest and LASSO regression(and sorted by the importance of influencing factors),showed that higher disease perception,lower perceived social support,greater concern about cancer recurrence,stage IV tumors,being divorced/widowed,and having more minor children were associated with higher parenting concerns among young and middle-aged breast cancer patients(all P<0.05),accounting for 57.0%of the total variance.Conclusion The minor children parenting concerns in young and middle-aged breast cancer patients are at a moderately high level and are influenced by a variety of factors.Healthcare professionals should develop targeted measures and interventions to reduce the parenting concerns among the patients.

Objective:To explore the effects of vitamin D supplementation combined with suspended lumbar abdominal muscle training on rehabilitation and bone metabolism indexes of patients after OVCF.Methods:A total of 140 patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF) treated at Yantaishan Hospital from Jun. 2021 to Jun. 2024 were included in this study. Patients were randomly assigned to a control group and an observation group using a random number table, with 70 patients in each group. The control group received suspension lumbar and abdominal muscle training, while the observation group received vitamin D supplementation combined with suspension lumbar and abdominal muscle training. Outcomes evaluated included VAS scores, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) , Cobb Angle, lumboabdominal muscle strength, and serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25 (OH) D], bone mineral density T value, and bone metabolism markers [serum osteocalcin (OC) , calcitonin (CT) , total type I collagen amino-terminal propeptide (tPINP) , type I collagen carboxy-terminal peptide β special sequence (β-CTX) , intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) , and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP) ] measured by chemiluminescence.Results:In comparison with the control group, the VAS and ODI scores in the observation group were lower after treatment ( t=13.66, t=9.87, P < 0.05) . Compared to the control group, the lumbar muscle strength score of the observation group, the 25 (OH) D level and bone mineral density T value was higher after treatment ( t=57.63, t=6.64, t=5.01, P < 0.05) , and the Cobb Angle was smaller ( t=9.21, P < 0.05) .Compared with the control group, the bone metabolism indexes OC, CT, tPINP, and BALP were higher in the observation group after treatment ( t=4.21, t=3.05, t=2.66, t=3.16, P < 0.05) , while the iPTH and β-CTX were lower ( t=7.28, t=3.50, P < 0.05) . Conclusions:Vitamin D supplementation combined with suspended lumbar and abdominal muscle training can promote postoperative rehabilitation of OVCF patients and improve the level of bone metabolism indexes after surgery.

Objective To investigate the role of mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein(MAVS)in viral infection-triggered generalized pustular psoriasis(GPP)in children.Methods This retrospective case-control study enrolled 80 GPP patients aged 0～18 years from Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University(from October 2013 to April 2019).Whole-exome sequencing identified rare MAVS variants associated with GPP.Pathogenicity of variants was predicted using Mutation Taster,Disease Association,SIFT,and CADD bioinformatics tools.Sanger sequencing validated variants,followed by construction of wild-type(WT)and mutant MAVS expression plasmids transfected into HEK 293 cells.Protein expression was assessed by Western blot.Dual-luciferase reporter gene assays measured IFNB1 and NF-κB transcriptional activity.Genotype distribution of the MAVS c.171dupT/p.H57fs variant was analyzed using Fisher's exact test.Results This study enrolled 80 pediatric GPP patients(aged 0～18 years).Whole-exome sequencing identified five rare MAVS variants,with bioinformatics analyses predicting deleterious effects on protein stability and function.Western blot demonstrated that the c.171dupT mutation in GPP patients significantly reduced full-length MAVS expression(P<0.001);dual-luciferase assays further revealed this variant impaired MAVS-mediated IFNB1 transcriptional activation by 85%(P<0.001),abrogated NF-κB signaling pathway activation(P<0.001),but exhibited no dominant-negative effect on wild-type MAVS function(P>0.05).Conclusion The MAVS c.171dupT frameshift variant may contribute to infection-triggered GPP in children,suggesting its potential as a genetic biomarker for GPP susceptibility.

CD8+T cell-based immune-therapeutics,including immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive cell therapies(tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes(TILs),T cell receptor-engineered T cells(TCR-T),chimeric antigen receptor T cells(CAR-T)),have achieved significant successes and prolonged patient survival to varying extents and even achieved cure in some cases.However,immunotherapy resistance and tumor insusceptibility frequently occur,leading to treatment failure.Recent evidences have highlighted the ponderance of tumor cells metabolic reprogramming in establishing an immunosuppressive milieu through the secretion of harmful metabolites,immune-inhibitory cytokines,and alteration of gene expression,which suppress the activity of immune cells,particularly CD8+T cells to evade immune surveillance.Therefore,targeting tumor cell metabolic adaptations to reshape the immune microenvi-ronment holds promise as an immunomodulatory strategy to facilitate immunotherapy.Here,we summarize recent advances in the crosstalk between immunotherapy and tumor reprogramming,focusing on the regulatory mechanisms underlying tumor cell glucose metabolism,amino acid meta-bolism,and lipid metabolism in influencing CD8+T cells to provide promising metabolic targets or combinational strategies for immunotherapy.

Objective To explore the current status of minor children parenting concerns among young and middle-aged breast cancer patients and investigate the influencing factors based on a random forest model so as to provide references for clinical interventions.Methods A convenience sampling method was used to select breast cancer patients undergoing treatment in our hospital between April and December 2023.A self-designed general information questionnaire,the Chinese version of parenting concerns questionnaire(PCQ),perceived social support scale(PSSS),concern about recurrence scale(CARS),and the brief illness perception questionnaire(BIPQ)were used for the study.A random forest model and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)were employed to prioritise variables and filtered by significance.The selected variables were then incorporated into the multiple linear regression analysis.Results A total of 260 patients completed the study.The score of minor children parenting concerns of young and middle-aged breast cancer patients was 51.1±6.4.The multiple linear regression analysis,which included variables determined by random forest and LASSO regression(and sorted by the importance of influencing factors),showed that higher disease perception,lower perceived social support,greater concern about cancer recurrence,stage IV tumors,being divorced/widowed,and having more minor children were associated with higher parenting concerns among young and middle-aged breast cancer patients(all P<0.05),accounting for 57.0%of the total variance.Conclusion The minor children parenting concerns in young and middle-aged breast cancer patients are at a moderately high level and are influenced by a variety of factors.Healthcare professionals should develop targeted measures and interventions to reduce the parenting concerns among the patients.

Objective:To explore the effects of vitamin D supplementation combined with suspended lumbar abdominal muscle training on rehabilitation and bone metabolism indexes of patients after OVCF.Methods:A total of 140 patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF) treated at Yantaishan Hospital from Jun. 2021 to Jun. 2024 were included in this study. Patients were randomly assigned to a control group and an observation group using a random number table, with 70 patients in each group. The control group received suspension lumbar and abdominal muscle training, while the observation group received vitamin D supplementation combined with suspension lumbar and abdominal muscle training. Outcomes evaluated included VAS scores, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) , Cobb Angle, lumboabdominal muscle strength, and serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25 (OH) D], bone mineral density T value, and bone metabolism markers [serum osteocalcin (OC) , calcitonin (CT) , total type I collagen amino-terminal propeptide (tPINP) , type I collagen carboxy-terminal peptide β special sequence (β-CTX) , intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) , and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP) ] measured by chemiluminescence.Results:In comparison with the control group, the VAS and ODI scores in the observation group were lower after treatment ( t=13.66, t=9.87, P < 0.05) . Compared to the control group, the lumbar muscle strength score of the observation group, the 25 (OH) D level and bone mineral density T value was higher after treatment ( t=57.63, t=6.64, t=5.01, P < 0.05) , and the Cobb Angle was smaller ( t=9.21, P < 0.05) .Compared with the control group, the bone metabolism indexes OC, CT, tPINP, and BALP were higher in the observation group after treatment ( t=4.21, t=3.05, t=2.66, t=3.16, P < 0.05) , while the iPTH and β-CTX were lower ( t=7.28, t=3.50, P < 0.05) . Conclusions:Vitamin D supplementation combined with suspended lumbar and abdominal muscle training can promote postoperative rehabilitation of OVCF patients and improve the level of bone metabolism indexes after surgery.

Objective: To investigate the effect of acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1) knockdown on the migration of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) KYSE-450 cell and underlying mechanism. Methods: Lentiviral transfection was conducted to establish sh-NC control cell and ACC1 knocking down cell (sh-ACC1). Human siRNA HSP27 and control were transfected by Lipo2000 to get si-HSP27 and si-NC. The selective acetyltransferase P300/CBP inhibitor C646 was used to inhibit histone acetylation and DMSO was used as vehicle control. Transwell assay was performed to detect cell migration. The expression of HSP27 mRNA was examined by reverse transcription-quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and the expressions of ACC1, H3K9ac, HSP27 and epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related proteins E-cadherin and Vimentin were detected by western blot. Results: The expression level of ACC1 in sh-NC group was higher than that in sh-ACC1 group (P<0.01). The number of cell migration in sh-NC group was (159.00±24.38), lower than (361.80±26.81) in sh-ACC1 group (P<0.01). The protein expression levels of E-cadherin and Vimentin in sh-NC group were statistically significant compared with sh-AAC1 group (P<0.05). The migrated cell number in sh-NC+ si-NC group was (189.20±16.02), lower than (371.60±38.40) in sh-ACC1+ si-NC group (P<0.01). The migrated cell number in sh-NC+ si-NC group was higher than that in sh-NC+ si-HSP27 group (152.40±24.30, P<0.01), and the migrated cell number in sh-ACC1+ si-NC group was higher than that in sh-ACC1+ si-HSP27 group (P<0.01). The protein expression levels of E-cadherin and Vimentin in sh-NC+ si-NC group were significantly different from those in sh-ACC1+ si-NC and sh-NC+ si-HSP27 groups (P<0.01). The protein expression levels of E-cadherin and Vimentin in sh-ACC1+ si-NC group were significantly different from those in sh-ACC1+ si-HSP27 group (P<0.01). After 24 h treatment with C646 at 20 μmmo/L, the migrated cell number in sh-NC+ DMSO group was (190.80±11.95), lower than (395.80±17.10) in sh-ACC1+ DMSO group (P<0.01). The migrated cell number in sh-NC+ DMSO group was lower than that in sh-NC+ C646 group (256.20±23.32, P<0.01). The migrated cell number in sh-ACC1+ DMSO group was higher than that in sh-ACC1+ C646 group (87.80±11.23, P<0.01). The protein expressions of H3K9ac, HSP27, E-cadherin and Vimentin in sh-NC+ DMSO group were significantly different from those in sh-ACC1+ DMSO group and sh-NC+ C646 group (P<0.01). The protein expression levels of H3K9ac, HSP27, E-cadherin and Vimentin in sh-ACC1+ DMSO group were significantly different from those in sh-ACC1+ C646 group (P<0.01). Conclusion: Knockdown of ACC1 promotes the migration of KYSE-450 cell by up-regulating HSP27 and increasing histone acetylation.
Humans ; Esophageal Neoplasms/pathology* ; Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma/genetics* ; Vimentin/metabolism* ; Dimethyl Sulfoxide ; HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins/metabolism* ; Histones/metabolism* ; Cadherins/metabolism* ; Cell Movement ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation/genetics* ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition/genetics* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression and localization of metabotropic glutamate receptors 7 and 8 (mGluR7/8) in rat superior cervical ganglion (SCG) and their changes in response to chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH). METHODS: We detected the expressions of mGluR7 and mGluR8 in the SCG of 8-week-old male SD rats using immunohistochemistry and characterized their distribution with immunofluorescence staining. The expression of mGluR7 and mGluR8 in the cytoplasm and nucleus was detected using Western blotting. A 6-week CIH rat model was established by exposure to intermittent hypoxia (6% oxygen for 30 s followed by normoxia for 4 min) for 8 h daily, and the changes in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure were measured. The effect of CIH on expression levels of mGluR7 and mGluR8 in the SCG was analyzed using Western blotting. RESULTS: Positive expressions of mGluR7 and mGluR8 were detected in rat SCG. mGluR7 was distributed in the neurons and small fluorescent (SIF) cells with positive staining in both the cytoplasm and nuclei, but not expressed in satellite glial cells (SGCs), nerve fibers or blood vessels; mGluR8 was localized in the cytoplasm of neurons and SIF cells, but not expressed in SGCs, nerve fibers, or blood vessels. Western blotting of the nuclear and cytoplasmic fractions of rat SCG further confirmed that mGluR7 was expressed in both the cytoplasm and the nucleus, while mGluR8 exists only in the cytoplasm. Exposure to CIH significantly increased systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure of the rats (all P < 0.001) and augmented the protein expressions of mGluR7 and mGluR8 in the SCG (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION mGluR7 and mGluR8 are present in rat SCG but with different localization patterns. CIH increases blood pressure of rats and enhanced protein expressions of mGluR7 and mGluR8 in rat SCG.
Male ; Animals ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Superior Cervical Ganglion ; Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate ; Hypoxia

Background/Aims: The accuracy of endosonographers in diagnosing gastric subepithelial lesions (SELs) using endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is influenced by experience and subjectivity. Artificial intelligence (AI) has achieved remarkable development in this field. This study aimed to develop an AI-based EUS diagnostic model for the diagnosis of SELs, and evaluated its efficacy with external validation. Methods: We developed the EUS-AI model with ResNeSt50 using EUS images from two hospitals to predict the histopathology of the gastric SELs originating from muscularis propria. The diagnostic performance of the model was also validated using EUS images obtained from four other hospitals. Results: A total of 2,057 images from 367 patients (375 SELs) were chosen to build the models, and 914 images from 106 patients (108 SELs) were chosen for external validation. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of the model for differentiating gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) and non-GISTs in the external validation sets by images were 82.01%, 68.22%, 86.77%, 59.86%, and 78.12%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy in the external validation set by tumors were 83.75%, 71.43%, 89.33%, 60.61%, and 80.56%, respectively. The EUS-AI model showed better performance (especially specificity) than some endosonographers.The model helped improve the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of certain endosonographers. Conclusions We developed an EUS-AI model to classify gastric SELs originating from muscularis propria into GISTs and non-GISTs with good accuracy. The model may help improve the diagnostic performance of endosonographers. Further work is required to develop a multi-modal EUS-AI system.