Objective:To investigate the clinicopathological features, diagnosis, and prognosis of renal solitary fibrous tumor (SFT).Methods:Five cases of renal SFT with unequivocal diagnoses at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University between January 2011 and July 2025 were subject to analyses of their clinical, morphological, immunophenotypic, and molecular characteristics, accompanied by a literature review.Results:Two males and three females aged between 45 and 62 years were included, all of whom presented with the discovery of a renal mass during routine physical examinations. Gross examination showed that the five tumors were all confined in the kidney. The tumors were nodular with maximum diameters ranging from 2.5 cm to 11.0 cm (mean, 5.8 cm). Upon cross-sectioning, they exhibited gray-white or gray-yellow cut surface. Histologically, the tumor cells exhibited oval or short spindle shapes in four cases, presenting with varying densities and arranged in short bundles, woven patterns, and irregular formation. Various amounts of coarse collagen and scattered staghorn blood-vessels were found in the stroma. In one case (case 5), the tumor cells were long spindle-shaped, densely organized in bundles, and interwoven, exhibiting inconspicuous boundaries, moderate nuclear atypia, and at least 4 mitotic figures per 10 high-power fields. Irregular patchy collagen deposition was particularly prominent at the edges of the tumor tissue. In two cases (cases 3 and 5), scattered and various amounts of renal tubules were observed in the tumor. Two cases (cases 4 and 5) demonstrated focal invasion of the renal parenchyma, although no necrosis was noted. Immunohistochemical staining showed that the tumor cells were diffusely and strongly positive for vimentin and STAT6 in all 5 cases, and positive for CD34. Bcl-2 positivity was present in 4 of the 5 cases. All cases were negative for CKpan, EMA, PAX8, HMB45, Melan A, SMA, and S-100 protein. The p53 status was wild type, and the Ki-67 index ranged from 1% to 8%. Next-generation sequencing was conducted on one case (case 4), revealing the NAB2 (exon 3)::STAT6 (exon 18) gene fusion. The 5 patients were followed up for 1 to 158 months (mean, 56 months), and all were alive with no recurrence or metastasis.Conclusions:SFT of the kidney are rare and morphologically similar to extrarenal SFT. Key morphological features include short spindle-shaped tumor cells arranged in bundles, interwoven patterns or irregularly, accompanied by staghorn blood-vessels and scattered coarse hyaline collagen fibers. SFT with epithelial inclusions may represent a relatively common histological subtype in the kidney. Immunohistochemical staining that demonstrates diffuse and strong positivity for STAT6 and CD34 is instrumental in diagnosing this tumor. The pathogenesis is linked to the centromeric inversion of chromosome 12q, resulting in the fusion of the NAB2 and STAT6 genes. Most of these tumors exhibit favorable prognosis.

Objective To investigate the effects of Zhuang medicinal thread moxibustion on apoptosis of interstitial cells of Cajal(ICC)in gastric smooth muscle of diabetic gastroparesis(DGP)rats via regulation of the p38MAPK signaling pathway.Methods Totally 60 rats were randomly divided into a blank group(10 rats)and a modeling group(50 rats).DGP models were established in the modeling group via intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin.50 successfully modeled rats were further randomized into model group,Western medication group,prevention+treatment group,prevention group and treatment group,with 10 rats in each group.The Western medication group was administered mosapride citrate by gavage for 3 weeks starting at week 10;the prevention+treatment group underwent Zhuang medicinal thread moxibustion("Zhongwan",bilateral"Neiguan"and"Zusanli")intervention for 6 weeks starting at week 7;the prevention group received Zhuang medicinal thread moxibustion for 3 weeks starting at week 7;and the treatment group received Zhuang medicinal thread moxibustion for 3 weeks starting at week 10,3 cones per point,once a day;the blank group and model group received handling only.The random blood glucose and body mass of rats were detected,and the gastric emptying rate and intestinal propulsion rate were calculated.HE staining was used to observe the morphology of gastric smooth muscle tissue,TUNEL staining was used to detect the apoptosis of gastric smooth muscle tissue,ELISA was used to detect the contents of Caspase-3,TNF-α,IL-1β and IL-6 in gastric smooth muscle tissue,immunohistochemistry was used to detect the positive expressions of Cx43 and c-kit in gastric smooth muscle tissue,Western blot was used to detect the expressions of p38MAPK,p-p38MAPK,BAX and Bcl-2 protein in gastric smooth muscle tissue.Results Compared with the blank group,the random blood glucose significantly increased in the model group(P<0.01),and the body mass,gastric emptying rate and small intestinal propulsion rate significantly decreased(P<0.01),the blood vessels of gastric tissue were not clear,the surface was not smooth,the mucosal folds were less,the arrangement of gastric smooth muscle cells was disordered,the nuclear membrane was not clear,and there were vacuole like changes between cells,the apoptosis rate significantly increased(P<0.01),the contents of Caspase-3,TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6 and the protein expressions of p38MAPK,p-p38MAPK and BAX in gastric smooth muscle tissue significantly increased(P<0.01),and the positive expressions of Cx43,c-kit,the protein expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-2/BAX ratio significantly decreased(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the random blood glucose of rats in each intervention group decreased,and the body mass,gastric emptying rate and intestinal propulsion rate increased(P<0.01),the blood vessels of gastric tissue were clear,the inner surface of stomach was smooth,the mucosal folds were not rich,no ulcer was found,the shape of gastric smooth muscle cells was complete,the nuclear membrane was clear,and the arrangement of muscle cells was regular,the apoptosis rate significantly decreased(P<0.01),the contents of Caspase-3,TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6 and the expressions of p38MAPK,p-p38MAPK,BAX protein in gastric smooth muscle tissue decreased(P<0.05,P<0.01),the positive expressions of Cx43,c-kit,the protein expression of Bcl-2 and Bcl-2/BAX ratio increased(P<0.05,P<0.01).The overall effect of the prevention+treatment group was better than that of the Western medication group,prevention group and treatment group(P<0.05,P<0.01).Conclusion Zhuang medicinal thread moxibustion may reduce gastric inflammation and ICC apoptosis in DGP rats by inhibiting p38MAPK signaling pathway,so as to improve DGP gastric motility disorder,and the effect of early intervention is more significant.

Objective:To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics and molecular variants of chromophobe renal cell carcinoma with small cell components/neuroendocrine-like features (ChRCC-SC/ND-L).Methods:There were 7 cases of ChRCC-SC/ND-L diagnosed by light microscopy and immunohistochemical staining were collected from the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University (5 cases) and 971 Hospital of the People′s Liberation Army Navy (2 cases) between January 2010 and December 2023. The clinical data, histological characteristics, and immunohistochemical staining results of the patients were summarized. Among them, 4 cases underwent whole exome sequencing.Results:Among the 7 cases, 5 cases were male and 2 cases were female. The mean age was 53 (43,58)years,with a range of 36 to 76 years. Gross examination showed that the mean maximum tumor diameter was 7.9 (6.0,9.0) cm,with a range of 5.5 to 13.0 cm. The tumors were nodular, well-defined, gray, red or yellow in color with a solid cut surface, except for 1 case with cystic and solid on cut surface. One case showed visible necrosis, and 1 case invaded the renal pelvis and sinus. Microscopically, the tumors had clear boundaries. Typical ChRCC components (5 cases of classical type, 2 cases of eosinophilic type) were found in all cases, accompanied by varying amounts of small cell components (5%-90%). The two components were mixed in 6 cases or directly adjacent to each other in 1 case. The small cell components were arranged in clusters, dense acinar and nest-like structures, beam-like, fence-like, chrysanthemum-shaped clusters, and ribbon-like patterns. Three cases exhibited patchy necrosis. Intravascular tumor thrombus was found in 1 case. Immunohistochemically, EMA was expressed consistently in the small cell and typical ChRCC components (7/7); whilst both CK7 and CD117 were negative in 1 case with typical ChRCC component (6/7). Small cell components in 3 cases were positive for CD56, whereas all 7 cases were negative for CgA, Syn, and INSM1. The Ki-67 proliferation index was less than 1% in both components. Whole exome sequencing revealed that the 4 cases exhibited different genetic aberrations including 1 case with multiple chromosomal deletions, while 2 cases showed amplification of chromosome 12 and deletion of chromosome 11, respectively. The 7 cases were followed up for 25 to 172 months. Except for 1 patient that died with unknown causes 25 months after surgery, the remaining 6 cases were still alive (average 103.8 months, median 101 months).Conclusions:ChRCC-SC/ND-L is a very rare subtype of ChRCC. The small cell component does not represent true neuroendocrine differentiation and might indicate a morphological heterogeneity of the tumor. The presence of typical chromophobe cell carcinoma components is helpful for the diagnosis of ChRCC-SC/ND-L and they do not have consistent molecular characteristics. ChRCC-SC/ND-L has a good prognosis and the small cell components/neuroendocrine-like components might not have a significant impact on the outcome of patients with the tumor.

Objective:To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics, molecular features, differential diagnosis and prognosis of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with TFEB gene amplification.Methods:A total of 113 cases of unclassified RCCs and RCCs with TFEB positive expression were collected from the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University and Navy 971 Hospital from January 2010 to December 2024. Eight cases of RCCs with TFEB amplification were identified using tissue microarrays, immunohistochemistry, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) techniques. The clinicopathological data and prognosis of the 8 cases were summarized, and relevant literature was reviewed.Results:Among the 8 cases, there were 5 males and 3 females. The average age was 63.4 (54, 77) year and the median age was 63.5 (59.0, 65.5) year. Seven cases were detected through physical examination, and 1 case presented with initial symptoms of metastasis to bones and lungs. The cohort included 1 biopsy specimen and 7 surgical resection specimens. The tumor diameters ranged from 2.5 to 15.0 cm. The cut surfaces of 5 cases were grayish-yellow or grayish-red, and 2 cases exhibited a colorful appearance, among which 3 cases involved renal sinus and 1 case showed invasion of the perirenal fat tissue. Microscopically, 4 cases were composed of clear cells arranged in solid sheets or acinar structures, along with varying numbers of eosinophilic cells. Two cases exhibited the morphology of high-grade eosinophilic RCC, and 1 case presented biphasic morphology with diffuse polygonal eosinophilic tumor cells and dense small cell components. The remaining 1 case exhibited the morphology of clear cell RCC. According to the WHO/ISUP nuclear grading system, 6 cases were Grade 3 and 2 cases were Grade 2. Multifocal necrosis was observed in 4 cases. In 4 surgical specimens, the tumor tissue invaded the renal parenchyma, with 2 cases showing nodular infiltration to surrounding tissues and 1 case with intravascular tumor thrombus. Immunohistochemical results showed varying degrees of TFEB nuclear positivity in 6 cases (6/8). Melanocytic markers such as Melan A (5/8) and HMB45 (3/8) were expressed at varying degrees. Cathepsin K (6/8), GPNMB (6/8), P504s (7/8) and CD10 (7/8) were positively expressed in most cases. FISH results revealed high-copy amplification of TFEB gene in 4 cases (partially showing clustered amplification) and low-copy amplification in 4 cases. During the follow-up period of 3 to 64 months of the 8 cases, 3 cases metastasized and 2 cases died of disease (both with high-copy TFEB gene amplification).Conclusions:RCC with TFEB gene amplification is rare and exhibits diverse morphological features. A common morphological characteristic of this type of tumor is a mixture of sheet-like clear cells and high nuclear grade eosinophilic cells. Combined immunohistochemical staining for TFEB, melanocytic markers, and GPNMB is helpful for the diagnosis of the tumor, and FISH detection of TFEB gene amplification is the most definitive method in diagnosing this tumor. RCC with TFEB gene amplification usually presents with strong aggressiveness and poor prognosis. Combining surgical resection with immunotherapy or VEGFR-targeted drugs might have therapeutic effects on the tumor.

Objective:To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics and diagnosis of high-grade succinate dehydrogenase-deficient renal cell carcinoma (SDH-RCC).Methods:Three cases of high-grade SDH-RCC diagnosed by immunohistochemical staining and/or molecular testing were collected from Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University and 971 Hospital of Navy of Chinese People′s Liberation Army from January 2015 to December 2023. The clinicopathological characteristics and immunohistochemical features were summarized using light microscopy. Two cases were tested for gene mutations by next-generation sequencing.Results:Of the 3 cases, 2 were male and 1 was female. The ages were 49, 61, and 53 years, respectively. Gross examination revealed that all tumors were single nodules with diameters of 7.0, 4.5, and 5.2 cm, respectively, grayish white in color with irregular borders. Cases 1 and 2 exhibited solid cut sections, whereas case 3 had cystic and solid cut sections. Microscopically, all cases had high WHO/ISUP nuclear grade (3 or 4) and overt invasion. Case 1 exhibited a solid, sheet-like growth pattern with numerous scattered glandular ducts or acinar structures. Case 2 displayed a diffusely growth pattern reminiscent of sarcoma. Case 3 demonstrated intracystic papillary and nodular infiltrative growth patterns. Large clear cytoplasmic vacuoles could be observed in the focal areas of case 1 and case 3. Prominent peritumoral lymphocytes in stroma were noted in case 1. Case 1 was diagnosed with regional lymph node metastasis, and case 2 was diagnosed with renal vein thrombosis. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that SDHB and SDHA were deficiently expressed in 3 cases, while PAX8, FH, and INI-1 exhibited diffuse expression. CD10 (1/3), CA9 (1/3), and CK20 (1/3) were occasionally expressed. The Ki-67 proliferation index ranged from 10% to 50%. Two cases underwent next-generation sequencing and were both found to harbor pathogenic mutations in SDHA (case 2 had a frameshift mutation, and case 3 had a splice site mutation). All 3 cases were followed up for 11 to 112 months. Case 2 died 11 months post-operation, while case 1 and case 3 survived for 19 and 112 months, respectively, without any recurrence or metastasis.Conclusions:High-grade SDH-RCC is a rare subtype of SDH-RCC. The tumor exhibits various architectural patterns and is often misdiagnosed as other types of renal cell carcinoma. The presence of cytoplasmic vacuoles may be indicative for diagnosis. Compared to typical SDH-RCC, the high-grade subtype generally shows a larger tumor size, higher TNM stage, greater invasive potential, and poorer prognosis. For high-grade SDH-RCC, routine SDHB immunohistochemical staining may be necessary. The occurrence of high-grade SDH-RCC may be associated with mutations in SDHA.

Gene regulation relies on the precise binding of transcription factors (TFs) at regulatory elements, but simultaneously detecting hundreds of TFs on chromatin is challenging. We developed cFOOT-seq, a cytosine deaminase-based TF footprinting assay, for high-resolution, quantitative genome-wide assessment of TF binding in both open and closed chromatin regions, even with small cell numbers. By utilizing the dsDNA deaminase SsdAtox, cFOOT-seq converts accessible cytosines to uracil while preserving genomic integrity, making it compatible with techniques like ATAC-seq for sensitive and cost-effective detection of TF occupancy at the single-molecule and single-cell level. Our approach enables the delineation of TF footprints, quantification of occupancy, and examination of chromatin influences on TF binding. Notably, cFOOT-seq, combined with FootTrack analysis, enables de novo prediction of TF binding sites and tracking of TF occupancy dynamics. We demonstrate its application in capturing cell type-specific TFs, analyzing TF dynamics during reprogramming, and revealing TF dependencies on chromatin remodelers. Overall, cFOOT-seq represents a robust approach for investigating the genome-wide dynamics of TF occupancy and elucidating the cis-regulatory architecture underlying gene regulation.
Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Humans ; Chromatin/genetics* ; Animals ; Binding Sites ; Mice ; DNA Footprinting/methods*

Objective:To compare the value of different imaging modalities in evaluating early efficacy of 90Y-selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) for liver malignant tumors. Methods:From September 2021 to December 2023, a retrospective analysis was conducted on 43 patients (32 males, 11 females; age (55.8±14.7) years) with liver malignant tumors who received 90Y-SIRT at Hainan Cancer Hospital and Boao Super Hospital. The injection dosage of 90Y was 1.5(1.2, 2.4)GBq. Clinical and imaging data of patients before and after treatment for multimodal evaluation were collected, including MRI plain and enhanced scans, as well as diffusion weighted imaging (DWI). Plain scan images were evaluated for the treatment efficacy by response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (RECIST) 1.1 version, while enhanced MRI was scored into 1-5 based on changes in the target area, including increased low-density range, necrotic features, and decreased enhancement. The minimum apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC min) of DWI increased by 20% compared to baseline was determined to be responsive. Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to analyze data, and ROC curve analysis was used to analyze the diagnostic efficacy of different imaging modalities (Delong test). Results:All patients had baseline MRI data, 39 underwent MRI at 1-month after treatment, and 22 underwent MRI at 3-month after treatment. Based on MRI plain scan images, the target lesions showed partial remission (PR) in 10.26%(4/39) of patients, progressive disease (PD) in 5.13%(2/39) of patients, and stable disease (SD) in 84.61%(33/39) of patients at 1-month after treatment; while there were 40.91%(9/22) PR, 9.09%(2/22) PD and 50.00%(11/22) SD at 3-month after treatment. Based on DWI images, 35.90%(14/39) and 68.18%(15/22) of patients were considered responsive at 1-month and 3-month after treatment, respectively. Compared with baseline, the differences of tumor sizes, enhancement degree of target lesions and ADC min at 1-month and 3-month after treatment were statistically significant ( Z values: from -3.88 to -2.39, all P<0.05). Compared with the tumor size and enhancement degree, the AUCs of ADC min were the highest at 1-month (0.701) and 3-month (0.953) after treatment ( Z values: 0.40-2.29, all P<0.05). Conclusions:MRI plain scan, MRI enhancement and DWI are effective in the evaluation the efficacy of 90Y-SIRT for liver malignant tumors at 1-month and 3-month after treatment. ADC min is superior to tumor size and enhancement degree in diagnostic efficacy.

Objective To detect the expression of lactate dehydrogenase A(LDHA),FoxP3,and CD4 in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)and to analyze the effect of bufalin on LDHA as well as on the differentiation and function of regulatory T(Treg)cells in the tumor microenvironment of HCC mice.Methods Immunohistochemical staining was performed to detect the difference in the expression of LDHA,FoxP3(Treg cell marker),and CD4 between the tumor and adjacent tissues from 91 HCC patients.Hepl-6 subcutaneous tumor-bearing mouse model was established.The mice were randomly divided into control,bufalin+pyruvic acid,oxalate,and bufalin groups(n=5 each group).The mass and volume of subcutaneous tumors were compared.Immunohistochemical staining was performed to detect the expression of LDHA,FoxP3,and CD4 in tumors of mice in each group.ELISA was used to detect the levels of transforming growth factor β(TGF-β)and interleukin-10(IL-10)in the serum of mice in each group to evaluate the immune function of Treg cells.Results Compared with adjacent tissues,HCC tissues exhibited significantly higher LDHA and FoxP3 expression and lower CD4 expression(P＜0.001).The results of the correlation analysis showed that LDHA was positively correlated with FoxP3 expression and negatively correlated with CD4 expression(P＜0.05).The experimental results of Hep1-6 subcutaneous tumor-bearing mice showed that the tumor volume was significantly smaller in the bufalin and oxalate groups than in the control group and was significantly larger in the bufalin+pyruvic acid group than in the bufalin group(P＜0.001).The results of immunohistochemical staining showed that the expression levels of LDHA and the percentage of FoxP3+cells in the bufalin and oxalate groups were significantly lower than those in the control group,and the percentage of CD4+cells in the bufalin group was significantly higher than that in the control group(P＜0.001).The expres-sion level of LDHA and the percentage of FoxP3+cells in the bufalin+pyruvic acid group were significantly higher than those in the bufalin group,while the percentage of CD4+cells was significantly lower than that in the bufalin group(P＜0.001).The results of ELISA showed that the levels of TGF-β and IL-10 in the bufalin and oxalate groups were significantly lower than those in the control group(P＜0.001).Conclusion Bufalin inhibits cell growth,downregulates LDHA expression,and suppresses the differentiation and proliferation of Treg cells in HCC mice.

Objective To detect the expression of lactate dehydrogenase A(LDHA),FoxP3,and CD4 in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)and to analyze the effect of bufalin on LDHA as well as on the differentiation and function of regulatory T(Treg)cells in the tumor microenvironment of HCC mice.Methods Immunohistochemical staining was performed to detect the difference in the expression of LDHA,FoxP3(Treg cell marker),and CD4 between the tumor and adjacent tissues from 91 HCC patients.Hepl-6 subcutaneous tumor-bearing mouse model was established.The mice were randomly divided into control,bufalin+pyruvic acid,oxalate,and bufalin groups(n=5 each group).The mass and volume of subcutaneous tumors were compared.Immunohistochemical staining was performed to detect the expression of LDHA,FoxP3,and CD4 in tumors of mice in each group.ELISA was used to detect the levels of transforming growth factor β(TGF-β)and interleukin-10(IL-10)in the serum of mice in each group to evaluate the immune function of Treg cells.Results Compared with adjacent tissues,HCC tissues exhibited significantly higher LDHA and FoxP3 expression and lower CD4 expression(P＜0.001).The results of the correlation analysis showed that LDHA was positively correlated with FoxP3 expression and negatively correlated with CD4 expression(P＜0.05).The experimental results of Hep1-6 subcutaneous tumor-bearing mice showed that the tumor volume was significantly smaller in the bufalin and oxalate groups than in the control group and was significantly larger in the bufalin+pyruvic acid group than in the bufalin group(P＜0.001).The results of immunohistochemical staining showed that the expression levels of LDHA and the percentage of FoxP3+cells in the bufalin and oxalate groups were significantly lower than those in the control group,and the percentage of CD4+cells in the bufalin group was significantly higher than that in the control group(P＜0.001).The expres-sion level of LDHA and the percentage of FoxP3+cells in the bufalin+pyruvic acid group were significantly higher than those in the bufalin group,while the percentage of CD4+cells was significantly lower than that in the bufalin group(P＜0.001).The results of ELISA showed that the levels of TGF-β and IL-10 in the bufalin and oxalate groups were significantly lower than those in the control group(P＜0.001).Conclusion Bufalin inhibits cell growth,downregulates LDHA expression,and suppresses the differentiation and proliferation of Treg cells in HCC mice.