Cabozantinib, mainly targeting cMet and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2, is the second-line treatment for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the lower response rate and resistance limit its enduring clinical benefit. In this study, we found that cMet-low HCC cells showed primary resistance to cMet inhibitors, and the combination of cabozantinib and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor, rapamycin, exhibited a synergistic inhibitory effect on the in vitro cell proliferation and in vivo tumor growth of these cells. Mechanically, the combination of rapamycin with cabozantinib resulted in the remarkable inhibition of AKT, extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases, mTOR, and common downstream signal molecules of receptor tyrosine kinases; decreased cyclin D1 expression; and induced cell cycle arrest. Meanwhile, rapamycin enhanced the inhibitory effects of cabozantinib on the migration and tubule formation of human umbilical vascular endothelial cells and human growth factor-induced invasion of cMet inhibitor-resistant HCC cells under hypoxia condition. These effects were further validated in xenograft models. In conclusion, our findings uncover a potential combination therapy of cabozantinib and rapamycin to combat cabozantinib-resistant HCC.
Anilides/pharmacology* ; Animals ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/drug therapy* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Endothelial Cells/metabolism* ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Pyridines/pharmacology* ; Sirolimus/pharmacology* ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Objectives:To verify the effects and mechanisms of natural MSC-exosome in treating acute GVHD in mice, explore and establish a method for targeted modification of MSC-exosome, and verify the functions of the modified MSC-exosome.Methods:In different doses of MSC-exosome groups and MSC group, weight loss in acute GVHD mice was observed; then the proliferation levels of activated T cells were measured through T cell activation experiment in vitro and OVA antigen-specific T cell activation experiment in vivo. AAV2YF3 mutants carrying PD-L1 and PD-L1-ITGB1 were obtained after the construction of recombinant expression vectors and were then applied to infect human MSC to modify their exosome. The immunoregulatory functions of the modified MSC-exosome were measured with the abovementioned methods.Results:①Mouse MSC-exosome (300 μg×3 times) and MSC (1×10 6×3 times) effectively alleviated the weight loss in acute GVHD mice. ②Compared with IL-2, 10, 25 and 50 μg human MSC-exosome inhibited the proliferation of activated T cells in vitro, respectively, 86.0% (IL-2) , 40.0%, 39.6%, and 42.8%; compared with PBS, 50, 100 and 200 μg mouse MSC-exosome inhibited the proliferation of antigen-specific activated OT-1 cells in vivo, respectively, 42.6%, 33.1%, 14.2%, and 10.6%. ③After the infection of AAV2YF3 mutant carrying PD-L1 or PD-L1-ITGB1, the positive proportion of MSC-exosome exceeds 40% and 60%, respectively. ④Compared with the natural state, MSC-exosome modified by PD-L1 or PD-L1-ITGB1 showed better proliferation inhibitory effect in vivo and increased the proportion of Treg cells in vitro. Conclusions:MSC-exosome exhibited similar immunomodulatory effects with MSC. MSC-exosome after PD-L1 and PD-L1-ITGB1-targeted modification effectively inhibited the proliferation of activated T cells and increased the proportion of Treg cells.

Objective To explore the effect and mechanism of liver X receptor agonist T0901317 on angiogenesis phenotype of liver cancer.Methods The experimental study was conducted.Hepatocellular carcinoma MHCC97-H and Huh7 cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were cultured in vitro.Each cell line was divided into 3 groups:control group (non-treated),low concentration group (treated using 1 μmot/L T0901317) and high concentration group (treated using 3 μmol/L T0901317).Cell proliferation was counted with a CCK-8 assay.Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was applied to confirm the relative mRNA expression of fatty acid synthetase (FAS) of liver X receptor target genes in 3 groups.Subcutaneous xenograft tumor volume and body mass were measured in MHCC97-H nude mice model.Then mice were sacrificed and tumor tissues were analyzed for CD31 relative expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining.Migration and vessel angiogenesis of HUVEC were determined by Transwell method.Observation indicators:(1) effects of T0901317 on MHCC97-H,Huh7 and HUVEC cells proliferation,(2) effects of T0901317 on liver X receptor with MHCC97-H,Huh7 and HUVEC cells,(3) effects of T0901317 on subcutaneous xenograft tumor growth in MHCC97-H nude mice model,(4) effects of T0901317 on CD31 relative expression in subcutaneous xenograft tumor tissues of MHCC97-H nude mice model,(5) effects of T0901317 on migration of HUVEC,(6) effects of T0901317 on vessel angiogenesis of HUVEC.Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as x±s,and comparisons between groups were analyzed by the t test.Results (1)Effects of T0901317 on MHCC97-H,Huh7 and HUVEC cells proliferation:results of CCK-8 assay showed that percentage of living cells was respectively 100.0％± 1.7％,101.0％±0.7％ and 104.6％± 1.9％ in MHCC97-H control,low concentration and high concentration groups,with no statistically significant difference (F =2.632,P＞0.05).Percentage of living cells was respectively 100.0％ ± 2.7％,97.6％ ± 2.4％ and 103.7％ ± 2.8％ in Huh7 control,low concentration and high concentration groups,with no statistically significant difference (F =1.404,P＞0.05).Percentage of living cells was respectively 100.0％ ±0.7％,100.7％± 1.2％ and 101.3％ ±0.8％ in HUVEC control,low concentration and high concentration groups,with no statistically significant difference (F=0.471,P＞0.05).(2) Effects of T0901317 on liver X receptor with MHCC97-H,Huh7 and HUVEC cells:results of quantitative real-time PCR showed that relative mRNA expressions of FAS in MHCC97-H control,low concentration and high concentration groups were respectively 100.0 ％±2.2％,658.5％±7.7％ and 1 241.0％± 106.8％,with a statistically significant difference among groups (F=46.227,P＜0.05),and with a statistically significant difference between MHCC97-H control group and MHCC97-H low concentration and high concentration groups (t =70.025,8.274,P ＜ 0.05) and between MHCC97-H low concentration and high concentration groups (t =4.222,P ＜ 0.05).Relative mRNA expressions of FAS in Huh7 control,low concentration and high concentration groups were respectively 100.0％ ± 15.8％,1 225.0％ ± 26.7 ％ and 2 015.0％ ± 215.1％,with a statistically significant difference among groups (F =49.402,P＜ 0.05),and with a statistically significant difference between Huh7 control group and Huh7 low concentration and high concentration groups (t=39.460,8.879,P＜0.05) and between Huh7 low concentration and high concentration groups (t =2.836,P ＜ 0.05).Relative mRNA expressions of FAS in HUVEC control,low concentration and high concentration groups were respectively 100.0％ ± 19.6％,790.8％ ± 116.5％ and 1 756.0％ ± 55.0％,with a statistically significant difference among groups (F=185.395,P＜0.05),and with a statistically significant difference between HUVEC control group and HUVEC low concentration and high concentration groups (t =7.639,34.375,P＜0.05) and between HUVEC low concentration and high concentration groups (t =7.488,P＜0.05).(3) Effects of T0901317 on subcutaneous xenograft tumor growth in MHCC97-H nude mice model:results of assay showed that subcutaneous xenograft tumor volume in MHCC97-H control group and MHCC97-H T0901317 group were respectively (935±72)mm3 and (552 ± 47)mm3,with a statistically significant difference between groups (t=4.449,P＜0.05).Body masses of nude mice model in MHCC97-H control group and MHCC97-H T0901317 group were respectively (23.8±0.8) g and (21.7± 1.7) g,with no statistically significant difference between groups (t =1.059,P＞0.05).(4) Effects of T0901317 on CD31 relative expression in subcutaneous xenograft tumor tissues of MHCC97-H nude mice model:results of IHC staining showed that CD31 relative expression in subcutaneous xenograft tumor tissues of MHCC97-H nude mice model was 100％±11％ and 35％±7％ in MHCC97-H control group and MHCC97-H T0901317 group,with a statistically significant difference between groups (t =4.919,P＜0.05).(5) Effects of T0901317 on migration of HUVEC:results of Transwell method showed that percentages of membrane cells in HUVEC control,low concentration and high concentration groups were respectively 100.0％±4.0％,57.3％±1.5％ and 32.7％± 1.7％,with a statistically significant difference among groups (F=163.944,P＜0.05),and with statistically significant differences between HUVEC control group and HUVEC low concentration and high concentration groups (t =9.998,15.434,P＜0.05) and between HUVEC low concentration and high concentration groups (t =10.801,P ＜ 0.05).(6) Effects of T0901317 on vessel angiogenesis of HUVEC:results of vessel angiogenesis assay showed that length of vessel angiogenesis in HUVEC control,low concentration and high concentration groups were respectively 100.0％±3.4％,68.4％ ±3.5％ and 44.7％± 0.5％,with a statistically significant difference among groups (F =38.964,P ＜ 0.05),and with statistically significant differences between HUVEC control group and HUVEC low concentration and high concentration groups (t=6.268,9.831,P＜0.05) and between HUVEC low concentration and high concentration groups (t =3.460,P＜0.05).Conclusion Liver X receptor agonist T0901317 can inhibit vessel angiogenesis of liver cancer.

Objective To explore the clinical characteristic,level of plasma renin angiotensin (PRA),plas-ma angiotensin Ⅱ(Ang Ⅱ)and plasma aldosterone(Aldo)in the sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (SAHS)patients, and to investigate the association between SAHS and hypertension.Methods The patients were selected for the study who were monitored with polysomnography.They were divided into SAHS group and non-SAHS group according to apea-hypopnea index(AHI),and there were 180 patients in the SAHS group,175 patients in the non-SAHS group. The systolic blood pressure(SBP),diastolic blood pressure(DBP)and the level of PRA,plasma Ang II and plasma Aldo were compared by variance analysis.Results The gender composition was different between the two groups,and had statistically significant difference(χ2 =16.30,P <0.01).The data of age,body mass index,neck circumference, waistline,DBP,SBP in SAHS group were significantly higher than those in non-SAHS group,and the differences were statistically significant(t =6.84,8.19,9.84,6.63,7.08,5.45,all P <0.01 ).The prevalence of hypertension in SAHS group was 46.58%,which was higher than 18.20% in non-SAHS group,and the difference had statistically significant(χ2 =46.71,P <0.01).The AHI had positive correlation with SBP,DBP,and they had statistically signifi-cant differences (rs =0.162,0.228,all P <0.01).The levels of PRA and plasma Ang Ⅱ were lower in SAHS group than those in non-SAHS group,while the level of plasma Aldo was higher in SAHS group than that in non-SAHS group,and had statistically significant differences(F =15.41,14.21,17.67,all P <0.01).In the SAHS group,the levels of PRA and plasma Ang Ⅱ were lower in hypertension group than those in non-hypertension group,while the level of plasma Aldo was higher in hypertension group than that in non-hypertension group,and had statistically signif-icant differences (F =15.41,14.21,17.67,all P <0.01).Also,the levels of PRA and plasma Ang Ⅱ were lower in SAHS group with hypertension than those in non-SAHS group with hypertension,while the level of plasma Aldo was higher in SAHS group with hypertension than that in non-SAHS group with hypertension,and the differences were sta-tistically significant(F =15.41,14.21,17.67,all P <0.01).Conclusion The occurrence of SAHS is correlated with the gender composition,age,body mass index,neck circumference,waistline,DBP and SBP.In SAHS complica-tions in each system,the highest incidence is hypertension.And the AHI has positive correlation with SBP,DBP,and the difference is significant.In the SAHS group,if the AHI is higher,the risk of hypertension is greater.In the SAHS patients with hypertension,the level of plasma Aldo is significantly elevated,while the levels of PRA and plasma AngⅡ are decreased significantly.

Objective:To study the role of γδ T cells and Vδ1 and Vδ2 T subsets played in patients with chronic hepatitis C.Methods:The percentage of peripheral bloodγδT cells and Vδ1 and Vδ2 T subsets cells was assessed by flow cytometry ( FACS) . Results:There were no significant differences in the percentage of circulating γδ T cells and Vδ1 and Vδ2 T subsets between HCV-infected patients and healthy controls ( HCs).However,The number of peripheral blood Vδ2 T cells from HCV-infected patients was positively correlated with serum alanine aminotransferase ( ALT) levels,but showed no correlation with serum HCV RNA.Peripheral Vδ2 T cells from HCV-infected patients were in activated status.The expression of CD107a was enhanced in Vδ2 T cells from HCV-infected patients compared to HCs.Conclusion:Vδ2 T cells were involved in liver injury in chronic HCV-infected patients.

Objective To investigate the effects of interleukin -15 ( IL-15 ) on the cytotoxicity of Vδ2 γδ(Vδ2) T cells against K562 cells.Methods PBMCs were separated and cultured with zoledronate and interleukin-2 ( IL-2) to induce the proliferation of Vδ2 T cells.The obtained Vδ2 T cells were in vitro stimulated with IL-15.Flow cytometry analysis was performed to evaluate the changes of phenotypes of Vδ2 T cells and their cytotoxicity against K562 cells.Results Zoledronate effectively induced the massive prolifer -ation of V2δT cells.The Vδ2 T cells were highly activated and the expression of CD 107a and IFN-γby Vδ2 T cells were upregulated upon IL-15 stimulation.The cytotoxicity of Vδ2 T cells against K562 cells was greatly enhanced by the treatment with IL-15.Conclusion IL-15 could activate the Vδ2 T cells and en-hance their cytotoxicity against K562 cells.