BACKGROUND:Mechanical stimulation has been confirmed to promote osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow stromal stem cells,but the mechanism is unknown.Primary cilia are important mechanoreceptors and regulate various signaling pathways such as TGF-β1/BMP-2/SMAD.They are likely to be important targets for mechanical regulation of bone marrow stromal stem cells. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect and mechanism of fluid shear stress on osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow stromal stem cells. METHODS:Rat bone marrow stromal stem cells were divided into control group,mechanical stimulation group(fluid shear mechanics intervention by shaking table),mechanical stimulation + IFT88 silencing group(mechanical stimulation + silencing IFT88 expression with siRNA).After 24 hours of intervention,qRT-PCR was utilized to determine the expression of transforming growth factor β1 and bone morphogenetic protein 2.Western blot assay was used to detect the expression of phosphorylated SMAD2/3 protein.Immunofluorescent staining of primary cilia was conducted and morphology was analyzed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Shear stress stimulation could promote the transcriptional activity of transforming growth factor β1 and bone morphogenetic protein 2 genes,and increase the expression of phosphorylated SMAD2/3 protein.After siRNA interfered with primary cilia,this mechanical response effect was significantly reduced.There was a Spearman correlation between the change ratio of the primary cilium area of bone marrow stromal stem cells and the increased ratio of transforming growth factor β1 and bone morphogenetic protein 2 gene transcription.These findings indicate that primary cilia/intraflagellar transport mediates the activation of fluid shear stress-responsive transforming growth factor β1/bone morphogenetic protein 2/SMAD signaling pathway and promotes osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow stromal stem cells.

Objective:This study aimed to analyze cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation and its influencing factors in patients with B-lymphocyte malignancy who received chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy.Methods:This study retrospectively reviewed patients with B-lymphocyte malignancy who received CAR-T cell therapy in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 2021 to December 2023. The data of patients who underwent CMV-DNA detection and/or pathogen metagenomic sequencing twice or more within 100 days after CAR-T cell therapy were analyzed. The clinical characteristics of the CMV reactivation and non-activation groups were compared. The factors related to CMV reactivation were analyzed with the Chi-square test and nonparametric rank sum test, and the risk factors were examined with Logistic regression.Results:This study included 86 patients, among whom 18 (20.9%) had CMV reactivation, and the median time of reactivation was 20 (1-95) days. All of the 18 patients had CMV viremia, and no CMV disease was observed. Seven patients turned to the latent state after continuing acyclovir antiviral therapy, and 11 patients returned to the latent state after upgrading the antiviral therapy to first-line drugs, including ganciclovir and foscarnet sodium. Six or more courses of anti-tumor treatment before CAR-T cell therapy, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation within 2 years before CAR-T cell therapy, non-remission before treatment, and the use of high-dose glucocorticoids and/or tocilizumab were related to CMV reactivation, among which allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation within 2 years pre-treatment and the use of high-dose glucocorticoids and/or tocilizumab treatment were independent risk factors for CMV reactivation.Conclusion:Patients with B-lymphocyte malignancy who received CAR-T cell therapy have the risk of CMV reactivation, especially for those who received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation within 2 years pre-treatment and those who received high-dose glucocorticoids and/or tocilizumab treatment.

Objective:To investigate the quality of life of lymphoma patients receiving different treatment methods under unaccompanied nursing care mode.Methods:A cross sectional study was conducted. A total of 374 lymphoma patients who received chemotherapy, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy, or other targeted immunotherapy under unaccompanied nursing care mode in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 2023 to December 2023 were selected. The basic information of patients was collected through a questionnaire, and the Cancer Rehabilitation Evaluation System-Short Form (CARES-SF) was used to score the quality of life of patients from physiological, psychosocial, the relationship with healthcare professionals, marital relations, sexual function, and the overall health aspects. The higher score indicated the worse quality of life. The differences in quality of life among patients stratified by the different treatment methods and high-intensity treatment (CAR-T cell therapy or transplantation) and low-intensity treatment (other treatment methods) under unaccompanied care mode were compared.Results:Among the 374 patients, 62 received autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, 13 received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and 36 received CAR-T cell therapy. There were no statistically significant differences in the dimensions of CARES-SF and the overall health aspects scores between the transplantation treatment group and the non-transplantation treatment group (all P > 0.05). For non-transplant patients, there were no statistically significant differences in the dimensions of CARES-SF and overall health aspects scores between the CAR-T cell treatment group and the non-CAR-T cell treatment group (all P > 0.05); for transplant patients, the physiological dimension score [ M ( IQR)] of CARES-SF in the allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation group was higher than that in the autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation group [16 points (9 points) vs. 8 points (9 points)], and the difference was statistically significant ( Z = -2.30, P = 0.021), but there were no statistically significant differences in the scores of other dimensions and overall health aspects (all P > 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the dimensions of CARES-SF and overall health aspects scores in the high-intensity treatment group and the low-intensity treatment group (all P > 0.05). Conclusions:There is no significant difference in the quality of life of lymphoma patients receiving different treatment methods under the unaccompanied care mode, while lymphoma patients receiving high-intensity treatment and low-intensity treatment have similar life quality. Lymphoma patients receiving high-intensity treatment may benefit more from the unaccompanied care mode.

Objective:This study aimed to analyze cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation and its influencing factors in patients with B-lymphocyte malignancy who received chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy.Methods:This study retrospectively reviewed patients with B-lymphocyte malignancy who received CAR-T cell therapy in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 2021 to December 2023. The data of patients who underwent CMV-DNA detection and/or pathogen metagenomic sequencing twice or more within 100 days after CAR-T cell therapy were analyzed. The clinical characteristics of the CMV reactivation and non-activation groups were compared. The factors related to CMV reactivation were analyzed with the Chi-square test and nonparametric rank sum test, and the risk factors were examined with Logistic regression.Results:This study included 86 patients, among whom 18 (20.9%) had CMV reactivation, and the median time of reactivation was 20 (1-95) days. All of the 18 patients had CMV viremia, and no CMV disease was observed. Seven patients turned to the latent state after continuing acyclovir antiviral therapy, and 11 patients returned to the latent state after upgrading the antiviral therapy to first-line drugs, including ganciclovir and foscarnet sodium. Six or more courses of anti-tumor treatment before CAR-T cell therapy, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation within 2 years before CAR-T cell therapy, non-remission before treatment, and the use of high-dose glucocorticoids and/or tocilizumab were related to CMV reactivation, among which allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation within 2 years pre-treatment and the use of high-dose glucocorticoids and/or tocilizumab treatment were independent risk factors for CMV reactivation.Conclusion:Patients with B-lymphocyte malignancy who received CAR-T cell therapy have the risk of CMV reactivation, especially for those who received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation within 2 years pre-treatment and those who received high-dose glucocorticoids and/or tocilizumab treatment.

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare and aggressive non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma that affects the brain, eyes, cerebrospinal fluid, or spinal cord without systemic involvement. The outcome of patients with PCNSL is worse compared to patients with systemic diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Given potential mortality associated with severe immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS), patients with PCNSL have been excluded from most clinical trials involving chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy initially. Here, we report for the first time to apply decitabine-primed tandem CD19/CD22 dual-targeted CAR-T therapy with programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors maintenance in one patient with multiline-resistant refractory PCNSL and the patient has maintained complete remission (CR) for a 35-month follow-up period. This case represents the first successful treatment of multiline resistant refractory PCNSL with long-term CR and without inducing ICANS under tandem CD19/CD22 bispecific CAR-T therapy followed by maintenance therapy with PD-1 and BTK inhibitors. This study shows tremendous potential in the treatment of PCNSL and offers a look toward ongoing clinical studies.

【Objective】 Until now, most clinical and basic studies on Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) have focused on the visible deformed extremities, and there is a lack of reports concerning their spinal features, especially for the atlantoaxial joint. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and radiographic features of atlantoaxial dislocation (AAD) in KBD in adult patients. 【Methods】 The prevalence and radiographic features of AAD were determined by the basic information collected, clinical symptoms, and lateral and dynamic plain radiography in 111 KBD patient and 120 non-KBD participants. In the KBD group, AAD and non-AAD patients were compared in age, gender, height, weight, BMI, smoking history, chronic history, disease duration and grade of disease so as to identify the related factors of the occurrence of AAD. 【Results】 Symptoms at the neck or neurological manifestations were present in 17.5% (21/120) in the non-KBD population and 39.6% (44/111) patients with KBD. AAD case was not detected in the non-KBD population, while in 16.2% (18/111) of KBD patients in the endemic area. The prevalence was higher in the KBD patients than in the non-KBD population, and there was a significant difference in the detection rate of AAD between the two groups (χ²=21.10, P<0.001). Plain radiography demonstrated that there were 10 (55.6%) cases with separation of the odontoid process and the other 8 (44.4%) cases with hypoplasia of odontoid process. Anterior AAD was noted in 12 (66.7%) patients and posterior AAD in 6 (33.3%) cases based on the displacement direction, while 16 (88.9%) cases were reducible and 2 (11.1%) cases were irreducible on the basis of the reducibility. Comparing the 93 patients with non-AAD KBD patients and 18 patients with AAD patients, there was no significant difference in age, sex, BMI, history of medical disease or smoking (all P>0.05). There were significant differences in height, weight, disease duration and grade of disease between AAD and non-AAD patients (all P<0.05). 【Conclusion】 KBD can cause the occurrence of atlantoaxial dislocation by inducing separation or hypoplasia of the odontoid process. This research may provide clinical evidence for screening, earlier prevention and treatment of atlantoaxial dislocation in adult KBD patients.

Objective:To investigate the effect and prognostic factors of rituximab-containing chemotherapy regimen in treatment of patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL).Methods:The clinical data of 56 patients aged ≤65 years in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from June 2007 to November 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Rituximab-containing chemotherapy regimen was used, and the effects of clinical features, treatment regimen and biological indexes on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were observed.Results:The median age of 56 patients was 57 years old, including 43 males and 13 females. Among these cases, 24 patients received R-CHOP chemotherapy regimen; 29 patients received cytarabine-containing chemotherapy regimen, including R-hyper CVAD/R-MA regimen used in 15 patients and R-CHOP alternating with R-DAHP regimen used in 14 patients; and 3 patients received other treatment regimens. Among 56 patients, 19 patients received autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) consolidation therapy. The median OS time was 74 months, 2-year OS rate was 83.8%, 3-year OS rate was 70.9%, 2-year PFS rate was 72.0% and 3-year PFS rate was 49.7%. International prognostic index (IPI) high-risk and receiving ASCT or not during the treatment were independent influencing factors of OS and PFS in MCL patients. The overall response rate (ORR) in cytarabine-containing regimen group was higher compared with that in R-CHOP regimen group (93.1% vs. 83.3%), and there was no statistically significant difference ( χ2=0.465, P=0.495). In addition, there were no significant differences between two groups in both OS ( χ2=0.291, P=0.590) and PFS ( χ2=0.912, P=0.339). ASCT consolidation prolonged the median OS time (72 months vs.124 months, χ2=3.973, P=0.040) and the median PFS time (34 months vs. 90 months, χ2=3.984, P=0.046) in MCL patients achieving remission after induction therapy. Among patients in simplified MCL IPI (sMIPI) score middle-high risk group, compared with those not receiving ASCT, patients receiving ASCT therapy could obtain better OS and PFS (OS: χ2=5.037, P=0.025; PFS: χ2=6.787, P=0.009); among patients of sMIPI score low risk, there were no statistically significant differences in OS and PFS between the group receiving ASCT and not (all P > 0.05). Conclusions:Cytarabine-containing chemotherapy regimen has no predicatively satisfactory value in improving the prognosis and survival for MCL patients. For MCL patients who have achieved remission after reduction therapy and those in sMIPI score middle-high risk group, ASCT consolidation therapy can improve the prognosis and can be taken as the first-line consolidation treatment in young patients.

Objective:To examine the efficacy of haploidentical stem-cell transplantation (haplo-SCT) for patients with refractory relapsed (R/R) non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) by comparing with those contemporaneously undergoing HLA-matched SCT in myeloablative conditioning settings.Methods:Between January 2006 and December 2018, a total of 151 patients undergoing haplo-SCT ( n=81) or HLA-matched SCT ( n=70, sibling or unrelated) were enrolled. Median age of alloSCT was 30(5-59) years. And 150 patients received myeloablative conditioning (MAC) consisting of total body irradiation (12 Gy) plus cyclophosphamide or busulfan plus cyclophosphamide. Only one case had reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) with R-FBA (fludarabine, busulfan & cytarabina). It was followed by an infusion of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor-primed bone marrow (G-BM) and/or peripheral blood stem cells without in vitro T cell depletion. In haplo-SCT and HLA-matched unrelated donor for SCT, GVHD prophylaxis consisted of antithymocyte globulin, cyclosporine A, mycophenolate mofetil and a short course of methotrexate. Clinical efficacy, hematopoietic reconstitution and transplant-related complications were retrospectively analyzed. Results:Among them, 146(96%) patients engrafted with a median time to neutrophil and platelet recovery of 12 and 15 days respectively. During a median follow-up period of 19 months, 66 of them survived (43.7%) and 67 (44.4%) died (39 disease recurrence, 27 transplantation-related mortality). Between haplo-SCT and HLA-matched SCT groups, progression-free survival (PFS) rate was 49.4% and 50.5% ( P=0.577); overall survival (OS) rate 56.7% and 57.4% respectively ( P=0.963). The cumulative incidences of relapse (CIR) were 36.6% and 37.7% ( P=0.836) and those of cumulative incidences of non-relapse mortality (NRM) 22.0% and 24.7% ( P=0.530). And the cumulative incidences of chronic GVHD were 42.3% and 39.6% ( P=0.46) respectively. Conclusions:No inter-group difference exists in each major HSCT endpoint. Multivariate analysis reveals that occurrence of grade Ⅲ-Ⅳ aGVHD has a significantly worse prognosis. And primary chemorefractoriness is a strongest relapsing factor.

Objective:To investigate the predictive value of blood routine and blood biochemical indicators for immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy-related interstitial pneumonia (IP) in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).Methods:The data of 151 newly-diagnosed DLBCL patients treated with rituximab combined with chemotherapy in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from December 2017 to October 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. According to whether IP occurred, the patients were divided into IP group and non-IP group. The patient's clinical data and baseline laboratory test results were collected. The differences in clinicopathological features and laboratory indicators between IP group and non-IP group were analyzed. In addition, the relationship between the variety of blood routine and blood biochemical indicators and the occurrence of IP was analyzed. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of the selected indicators to predict the occurrence of IP was drawn, and the predictive performance of each indicator was analyzed.Results:The incidence of IP was 9.3% (14/151) in DLBCL patients after receiving immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy. The lymphocyte count (LYM) in IP group at the first diagnosis was higher than that in non-IP group [1.60×10 9/L (1.40×10 9/L, 2.51×10 9/L) vs. 1.28×10 9/L (0.89×10 9/L, 1.78×10 9/L), U=-2.194, P=0.028], but there was no significant difference in the levels of platelet count, neutrophil count, monocyte count, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), α-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (α-HBDH), serum albumin (ALB) and the proportion of patients with elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) between the two groups (all P > 0.05). Compared with the laboratory indicators in non-IP group before the 4th cycle of treatment, LYM and ALB in IP group were significantly reduced at IP onset [0.72×10 9/L (0.46×10 9/L, 0.92×10 9/L) vs. 0.93×10 9/L (0.71×10 9/L, 1.15×10 9/L), 32.9 g/L (28.6 g/L, 34.9 g/L) vs. 40.3 g/L (36.1 g/L, 43.1 g/L)], but LDH and α-HBDH increased [332 U/L (255 U/L, 396 U/L) vs. 233 U/L (200 U/L, 286 U/L), 277 U/L (206 U/L, 315 U/L) vs. 189 U/L (159 U/L, 229 U/L)], and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The proportion of patients with elevated CRP in IP group was high than that in non-IP group [100.0% (14/14) vs. 56.9% (78/137), P=0.001]. The area under ROC curve of LYM, ALB, LDH and α-HBDH alone for predicting the occurrence of IP was 0.668, 0.820, 0.789 and 0.802. The best cut-off values of ALB, LDH and α-HBDH was 34.6 g/L, 241 U/L and 199 U/L. ALB had the highest sensitivity for predicting the occurrence of IP (81.8%). The areas under ROC curve of ALB+LDH, ALB+α-HBDH, LDH+α-HBDH, ALB+LDH+α-HBDH for predicting the occurrence of IP was 0.850, 0.844, 0.777 and 0.851, respectively. LDH+α-HBDH had the highest predictive sensitivity (92.9%), but the specificity was low (53.3%). The prediction sensitivity (both 78.6%) and specificity (both 86.1%) of ALB+LDH and ALB+LDH+α-HBDH were high. Conclusions:DLBCL patients are at risk of IP during immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy. The increased LYM at initial diagnosis is a risk factor for the occurrence of IP. The variety of LYM, ALB, LDH, α-HBDH and CRP during the treatment may be related to the occurrence of IP. Among them, ALB, LDH and α-HBDH have important predictive values for the occurrence of IP.

Objective:To explore how to personalize lung cancer screening programs for prevention in Chinese populations based on individual genetic risk score.Methods:We constructed the lung cancer polygenic genetic risk score (PRS-19) based on the 19 previously published genetic variations, using 100 615 participants with genotyping data from the China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB). Using the 5-year absolute risk of lung cancer in a population (55 years old with at least 30-pack-year history of smoking) as reference, the trend of 5-year absolute risk in different genetic risk groups was calculated in smokers and non-smokers, respectively. Distribution curves of 5-year absolute risk were also described to determine the theoretical age or smoking dose when different genetic risk groups reached the reference values. Given the overall findings, the specific start age for lung cancer screening were suggested for different genetic risk groups.Results:The 5-year absolute risk of lung cancer was 0.67% in 55-year-old smokers with 30 packs per year in the CKB. Among smokers, 5-year absolute risk of participants increased as the genetic risk increased. Hence, it was recommended that people at high genetic risk should start screening earlier. For the highest genetic risk populations (the top 1% of PRS), the start age might be changed to 50 years old. If the start age remained at 55-year-old, the smoking dose should be set lowered in high genetic risk populations. For the highest genetic risk populations, they should be included in lung cancer screening regardless of the cumulative smoking exposure. Among nonsmokers, it was also valuable to screen people with high genetic risk, considering the start age of 62 for the highest genetic risk populations and 74 for the lowest genetic risk populations (the bottom 5% of PRS).Conclusions:PRS-19 can be effectively used in developing lung cancer screening program for individualized prevention in China. For smokers with high genetic risk, the recommended starting age and smoking dose could be lowered for lung cancer screening, and non-smokers with high genetic risk could also be included in the screening programs.