The protein kinase B(Akt)pathway can regulate the growth,proliferation,and metabolism of tumor cells and stem cells through the activation of multiple downstream target genes,thus affecting the development and treatment of a range of diseases.Thioesterase superfamily member 4(THEM4),a member of the thioesterase superfamily,is one of the Akt kinase-binding proteins.Some studies on the mechanism of cancers and other diseases have shown that THEM4 binds to Akt to regulate its phosphorylation.Initially,THEM4 was considered an endogenous inhibitor of Akt,which can inhibit the phosphorylation of Akt in diseases such as lung cancer,pancreatic cancer,and liver cancer,but subsequently,THEM4 was shown to promote the proliferation of tumor cells by positively regulating Akt activity in breast cancer and nasopharyngeal carcinoma,which contradicts previous findings.Considering these two distinct views,this review summarizes the important roles of THEM4 in the Akt pathway,focusing on THEM4 as an Akt-binding protein and its regulatory relationship with Akt phosphorylation in various diseases,especially cancer.This work provides a better understanding of the roles of THEM4 combined with Akt in the treatment of diseases.

Background: Red blood cell distribution width/platelet count ratio (RPR) is a reliable prognostic assessment indicator for numerous diseases. However, no studies to date have examined the relationship between RPR and the prognosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the correlation between RPR and the clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Methods: We retrospectively studied 143 patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL and used the median value as the RPR threshold. We also investigated the correlation of pretreatment RPR level with clinical characteristics and its impact on DLBCL prognosis. Results: Using the median value as the cut-off, patients with DLBCL were divided into a low RPR group (＜0.0549) and a high RPR group (≥0.0549). Patients in the high RPR group were older, had a later Ann Arbor stage, were prone to bone marrow invasion, and had a higher National Comprehensive Cancer Network International Prognostic Index score (P ＜ 0.05). A survival analysis showed that progression-free survival (PFS) (P =0.003) and overall survival (OS) (P ＜0.0001) were significantly shorter in the high versus low RPR group. A multifactorial Cox analysis showed that bone marrow invasion and elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were separate risk factors for PFS (P ＜0.05), while an RPR ≥0.0549 and elevated LDH were separate risk factors for OS (P ＜0.05). Conclusion A high RPR (≥0.0549) in patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL is an independent risk factor for a poor prognosis.

Objective:To explore the clinical efficacy of different doses of apatinib combined with chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the adverse reactions.Methods:A total of 69 patients with NSCLC diagnosed in the No. 901 Hospital of the Chinese People′s Liberation Army Joint Logistics Support Force were selected from January 2018 to June 2020, and were divided into chemotherapy alone group (docetaxel+ cisplatin was used), apatinib group A [apatinib (0.25 g)+ docetaxel+ cisplatin was used] and apatinib group B [apatinib (0.50 g)+ docetaxel+ cisplatin was used] according to random number table method, with 23 cases in each group. The objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), median overall survival (OS), median progression-free survival (PFS), and incidences of adverse reactions were compared between the three groups of patients.Results:One patients in the apatinib group B withdrew from the study due to acute myocardial infarction. After 4 cycless of treatment, the ORR of the patients in the chemotherapy alone group, apatinib group A and apatinib group B were 17.39% (4/23), 47.83% (11/23) and 54.55% (12/22) respectively, with a statistically significant difference ( χ2=7.41, P=0.024). The ORR of the apatinib group B was higher than that of the chemotherapy alone group, with a statistically significant difference ( χ2=6.77, P=0.009). There were no statistically significant differences in ORR between the apatinib group A and chemotherapy alone group, the apatinib group A and apatinib group B ( χ2=4.85, P=0.028; χ2=0.20, P=0.652). The DCR of the patients in the three groups were 47.83% (11/23), 78.26% (18/23) and 86.36% (19/22) respectively, with a statistically significant difference ( χ2=9.03, P=0.011). The DCR of the apatinib group B was higher than that of the chemotherapy alone group, with a statistically significant difference ( χ2=7.52, P=0.006). There were no statistically significant differences in DCR between the apatinib group A and the chemotherapy alone group, the apatinib group A and apatinib group B ( χ2=4.57, P=0.033; χ2=0.51, P=0.477). The median OS of the patients in the three groups were 6.8, 9.2 and 9.9 months respectively, with a statistically significant different ( χ2=8.91, P=0.022). Compared with the chemotherapy alone group, the median OS of the apatinib group A and apatinib group B were significantly prolonged, with statistically significant differences ( χ2=7.25, P=0.036; χ2=8.60, P=0.029). Compared with the apatinib group A, the median OS of the apatinib group B was prolonged, but there was no statistically significant different ( χ2=1.54, P=0.201). The median PFS of the patients in the three groups were 5.2, 7.7 and 8.2 months respectively, with a statistically significant different ( χ2=8.79, P=0.026). Compared with the chemotherapy alone group, the median PFS of the apatinib group A and apatinib group B were significantly prolonged, with statistically significant differences ( χ2=7.01, P=0.039; χ2=8.36, P=0.031). Compared with the apatinib A group, the median PFS of the apatinib group B was prolonged, but there was no statistically significant different ( χ2=1.68, P=0.186). There were statistically significant differences in the incidences of fatigue [34.78% (8/23) vs. 65.22% (15/23) vs. 72.73% (16/22), χ2=7.50, P=0.024], hypertension [4.35% (1/23) vs. 34.78% (8/23) vs. 68.18% (15/22), χ2=20.07, P<0.001], hand-foot syndrome [4.35% (1/23) vs. 43.48% (10/23) vs. 72.73% (16/22), χ2=22.28, P<0.001] and oral mucositis [8.70% (2/23) vs. 39.13% (9/23) vs. 72.73% (16/22), χ2=19.26, P<0.001] among the three groups. Compared with the chemotherapy alone group, the incidences of hypertension and hand-foot syndrome in the apatinib group A and the incidences of fatigue, hypertension, hand-foot syndrome and oral mucositis in the apatinib group B were increased, with statistically significant differences ( χ2=6.77, P=0.009; χ2=9.68, P=0.002; χ2=6.51, P=0.011; χ2=20.00, P<0.001; χ2=22.37, P<0.001; χ2=19.21, P<0.001). Conclusion:Apatinib (0.50 g) combined with chemotherapy has better short-term efficacy than chemotherapy alone in advanced NSCLC. Apatinib (0.25 g) and apatinib (0.50 g) can prolong the survival of patients, but increasing the treatment dose can not achieve longer survival benefit.

OBJECTIVES: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a highly invasive epithelial malignant tumor with unique geographical and ethnic distribution characteristics. NPC is mostly found in south China and Southeast Asia, and its treatment mainly depends on radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, NPC is usually found in the late stage, and local recurrence and distant metastasis are common, leading to poor prognosis. The receptor tyrosine kinase AXL is up-regulated in various tumors and it is involved in tumor proliferation, migration, invasion, and other processes, which are associated with poor prognosis of tumors. This study aims to detect the expression of AXL in NPC cell lines and tissues, and to investigate its biological function of AXL and the underlying molecular mechanisms in regulation of NPC. METHODS: The expression levels of AXL in normal nasopharyngeal epithelial tissues and NPC tissues were analyzed by GSE68799, GSE12452, and GSE53819 data sets based on Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used to analyze the relationship between AXL and prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC). The indicators of prognosis included overall survival (OS), disease-free interval (DFI), disease-specific survival (DSS), and progression-free interval (PFI). Western blotting assay was used to detect the AXL protein expression levels in normal nasopharyngeal epithelial cell line and NPC cell lines. Immunohistochemical method was used to detect AXL expression levels in normal nasopharyngeal epithelial tissues and NPC tissues. Cell lines with stable AXL knockdown were established by infecting 5-8F and Fadu cells with lentivirus interference vector, and cell lines with stable AXL overexpression were established by infecting C666-1 and HK-1 cells with lentivirus expression vector. Real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to detect the efficiency of knockdown and overexpression in stable cell lines. The effects of AXL knockdown or overexpression on proliferation, migration, and invasion of NPC cells were detected by CCK-8, plate colony formation, and Transwell assays, and the effect of AXL knockdown on tumor growth in nude mice was detected by subcutaneous tumor formation assay. The sequence of AXL upstream 2.0 kb promoter region was obtained by UCSC online database. The PROMO online database was used to predict AXL transcription factors with 0% fault tolerance, and the JASPAR online database was used to predict the binding sites of ETS1 to AXL. Real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to detect the effect of ETS1 on AXL protein and mRNA expression. The AXL upstream 2.0 kb promoter region was divided into 8 fragments, each of which was 250 bp in length. Primers were designed for 8 fragments. The binding of ETS1 to AXL promoter region was detected by chromatin immuno-precipitation (ChIP) assay to determine the direct regulatory relationship between ETS1 and AXL. Rescue assay was used to determine whether ETS1 affected the proliferation, migration, and invasion of NPC cells through AXL. RESULTS: Bioinformatics analysis showed that AXL was highly expressed in NPC tissues (P<0.05), and AXL expression was positively correlated with OS, DFI, DSS, and PFI in HNSC patients. Western blotting and immunohistochemical results showed that AXL was highly expressed in NPC cell lines and tissues compared with the normal nasopharyngeal epithelial cell line and tissues. Real-time PCR and Western blotting results showed that knockdown and overexpression efficiency in the stable cell lines met the requirements of subsequent experiments. The results of CCK-8, plate colony formation, Transwell assays and subcutaneous tumor formation in nude mice showed that down-regulation of AXL significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, invasion of NPC cells and tumor growth (all P<0.05), and the up-regulation of AXL significantly promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of NPC cells (all P<0.05).As predicted by PROMO and JASPAR online databases, ETS1 was a transcription factor of AXL and had multiple binding sites in the AXL promoter region. Real-time PCR and Western blotting results showed that knockdown or overexpression of ETS1 down-regulated or up-regulated AXL protein and mRNA expression levels. ChIP assay result showed that ETS1 bound to AXL promoter region and directly regulate AXL expression. Rescue assay showed that AXL rescued the effects of ETS1 on proliferation, migration and invasion of NPC cells (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS AXL is highly expressed in NPC cell lines and tissues, which can promote the malignant progression of NPC, and its expression is regulated by transcription factor ETS1.
Animals ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Movement/genetics* ; Cell Proliferation/genetics* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma/genetics* ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms/metabolism* ; RNA, Messenger/genetics* ; Sincalide/metabolism* ; Transcription Factors/genetics*

[摘 要] 目的：探讨贝伐珠单抗联合多柔比星脂质体治疗铂类耐药复发性卵巢上皮性癌患者的近期疗效和不良反应，并随访生存情况。方法：选取中国人民解放军联勤保障部队第九〇一医院2018年1月至2019年12月收治的76例铂类耐药复发性卵巢上皮性癌患者，采用数字随机分组法分为对照组38例、观察组38例，对照组给予多柔比星脂质体单药化疗4个周期，观察组给予贝伐珠单抗联合多柔比星脂质体化疗4个周期，观察两组患者治疗后近期疗效和不良反应，以及血清肿瘤标志物人附睾蛋白4（human epididymis protein 4，HE4）、糖类抗原125（carbohydrate antigen 125，CA125）变化，并随访总生存期（OS）和无疾病进展生存期（PFS）。结果：对照组患者客观有效率（ORR）为40.54%、疾病控制率（DCR）为67.57%，观察组患者ORR为69.44%、DCR为88.89%，观察组ORR和DCR显著高于对照组（均P<0.05）。治疗后观察组患者血清HE4和CA125分别为（142.67±46.81）pmol/L、（31.79±11.65）U/L，显著低于对照组患者的（219.33±75.67）pmol/L、（57.05±17.85）U/L（均P<0.05）。两组患者的胃肠反应、骨髓抑制、肝肾功能损伤、心脏毒性、过敏反应、血栓栓塞和出血等不良反应相比较差异无统计学意义（均P>0.05）；观察组患者高血压发生率显著高于对照组（P<0.05），但可控、可耐受。观察组患者中位OS 和中位PFS分别分别为17.2个月和10.9个月，显著长于对照组患者的14.1个月和7.8个月（均P<0.05）。结论：对于铂类耐药复发性卵巢上皮性癌患者，贝伐珠单抗联合多柔比星脂质体近期疗效可靠、安全性好、不良反应可耐受，值得临床推广。

Objective To investigate the influencing factors involved in the establishment of a C57BL/6 J model of metastatic melanoma in the lung,including the way of tumor inoculation,the number of inoculated cells and the time of tumor formation. Methods Mouse melanoma B16F10 cells were cultured in vitro. 1)Eighteen healthy male C57BL/6 J mice were randomly divided into three groups. Mice in each group received 100 μL cell suspension(including 3 ×106 melanoma cells)via intravenous,intraperitoneal and subcutaneous injection,respectively. After two weeks,the mice were killed and dissected,and the tumor growth and metastasis were observed. 2)Eighteen male mice were randomly divided into three groups. Mice in each group were injected with 3 ×106cells,1 ×106cells, and 3 ×105cells through the tail vein,respectively. After two weeks,mice were killed and dissected,and the tumor growth and metastasis were observed. 3)Eighteen male mice were randomly divided into three groups. Mice in each group were injected with 1×106cells though the tail vein. Mice were killed and dissected after one week, two weeks and three weeks, respectively. The growth and metastasis of tumor were observed. Results 1)The success rate of lung metastasis was 100% in the mice with intravenous injection,but not in mice receiving intraperitoneal injection and subcutaneous injection. 2)The size of metastatic melanoma nodules were moderate in mice inoculated by 1 ×106cells. The number of melanoma metastatic foci was too high in the mice inoculated with 3 ×106cells,but too low in the mice inoculated with 3 ×105cells. 3)Significant metastatic melanoma foci were observed in the mice killed and dissected after two weeks with no death. The number of melanoma foci in the lung was too high in the mice killed after three weeks,while was too low in the mice killed at one week after tumor cell inoculation. Conclusions Intravenous injection of 1×106mouse melanoma cells into C57BL/6 J mice and killed after two weeks is an optimal method for establishment of a mouse model of metastatic melanoma in the lung, and is worth of recommendation.

Objective: To explore the relationship between fragmented QRS complex(fQRS) and coronary collateral circulation(CCC) in patients with chronic total occlusion(CTO)lesion without prior myocardial infarction. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 238 consecutive patients with CTO lesion in one of the major coronary arteries from May 2014 to October 2015 in our department. Patients were divided into poor CCC group (grade 0 and 1, 58 cases) and good CCC group(grade 2 and 3, 180 cases) based on Rentrop′s classification of CCC. The fQRS was defined as the presence of an additional R wave or notching of R or S wave or the presence of fragmentation in two contiguous electrocardiogram leads corresponding to a major coronary artery territory. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between CCC and fQRS on electrocardiogram. Results: Compared with good CCC group, patients in poor CCC group had older age((65.2±8.9)years old vs. (60.3±10.1) years old, P=0.03), higher plasma glucose ((7.22±3.00) mmol/L vs.(6.31±1.83)mmol/L, P=0.04), and lower left ventricular ejection fraction ((45.2±11.4)% vs. (51.2±13.5)%, P=0.02). None of patients had Rentrop grade 0, the presence of fQRS on ECG in patients with Rentrop grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3 CCC was 69.0% (40/58), 48.6% (35/72) , and 19.4% (21/108), respectively (P<0.01). The presence of fQRS were higher in poor CCC group than in good CCC group (69.0%(40/58)vs. 31.1%(56/180), P<0.01), and number of leads with fQRS were higher in poor CCC group than in good CCC group (3(0, 4)vs.0(0, 3), P<0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that poor CCC growth in patients with CTO lesion without prior myocardial infarction was independently related to the presence of fQRS (OR=3.659, 95%CI 1.619-8.217, P<0.01). Conclusion Poor CCC in patients with CTO lesion without prior myocardial infarction is independently related to the presence of fQRS on electrocardiogram.

Objective To discuss the safety and feasibility of single-incision laparoscopic appendectomy ( SILA ) . Methods A retrospective analysis was made on clinical data of patients diagnosed as having appendicitis by clinical manifestations , ultrasound or computer tomography at our department from June 2009 to December 2014.There were 189 cases of transumbilical SILA ( transumbilical group ) and 123 cases of traditional three-port laparoscopic appendectomy ( three-port group ) .Patients with incomplete records, combination with other surgery , pregnancy appendicitis , acute appendicitis over 72 hours were excluded .Intraoperative and postoperative data of two groups were compared . Results No conversion to open surgery was required in both groups .The operation time, postoperative exhaust time , and postoperative hospital stay had no significant differences between the transumbilical group and the three-port group [(45.5 ±12.7) min vs.(46.3 ±17.8) min, t=-0.461, P=0.650; (1.4 ±0.5) d vs.(1.5 ±0.6) d, t=-1.588, P=0.112;(3.8 ±1.6) d vs.(4.1 ±1.9) d, t=-1.554, P=0.121].The cosmetic scores at 3 months after surgery was higher in the transumbilical group than that in the three-port group [(4.5 ±0.6) points vs.(4.2 ±0.5) points, t=4.585, P=0.000].No significant differences were identified in the incidence of complications and pathological types between the two groups . Conclusion SILA is technically feasible and safe with better cosmetic effects .

To explore the influence of preventive use of vasopressin tannate on diabetes insipidus and serum sodium at the early postoperation of craniopharyngioma.
 Methods: The data of 83 patients, who underwent unilateral sub-frontal approach resection of craniopharyngioma between 2010 and 2014 by the same senior neurosurgeon, were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into a vasopressin tannate group (used group) and a control group. The diabetes insipidus and serum sodium changes were compared between the two groups.
 Results: Compared with the control group, the incidence of diabetes insipidus decreased at the early postoperation in the vasopressin tannate group (P<0.05). There was high incidence of diabetes insipidus in patients with pituitary stalk excision and tumor close adhesion to the third ventricle floor at the early postoperation (P<0.05). Under such conditions, the incidence of diabetes insipidus in the vasopressin tannate group was decreased compared with the control group (P<0.05). Postoperative hypernatremia occurred in 37 patients (44.6%), and hyponatremia occurred in 60 patients (72.3%), the average time of the occurrence of hpernatremia and hyponatremia was 1.4 and 3.7 days after surgery. Postoperative high serum sodium and low serum sodium appeared alternately in 19 patients (22.9%). There was significant difference in the serum sodium distribution in the first day after surgery in both groups (P<0.05), and the percent of hpernatremia in the vasopressin tannate group was significantly less than that in the control group (P<0.05).
 Conclusion: Preventive use of vasopressin tannate can effectively reduce diabetes insipidus and hypernatremia incidence at the early postoperative stage after microsurgery for craniopharyngioma.
Arginine Vasopressin ; therapeutic use ; Craniopharyngioma ; complications ; surgery ; Diabetes Insipidus ; prevention & control ; Female ; Humans ; Hypernatremia ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Hyponatremia ; epidemiology ; Incidence ; Male ; Microsurgery ; adverse effects ; Pituitary Gland ; surgery ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; Postoperative Complications ; prevention & control ; Postoperative Period ; Retrospective Studies

Maize is one of the most important food crops. Rice black-streaked dwarf virus is a maize rough dwarf disease pathogen. The occurrence and transmission of maize rough dwarf disease brings great damage to maize production. The technology of using artificial miRNA to build antiviral plant has been proven effective in a variety of plants. However, such trials in maize have not been reported. We designed primers based on the sequence of maize zea-miR159a precursor and sequence of function protein genes and silencing RBSDV coding genes in RBSDV genome. We constructed amiRNA (artificial miRNA) gene for silencing RBSDV coding gene and gene silencing suppressor. We constructed pCAMBIA3301-121-amiRNA plant expression vector for transforming maize inbred lines Z31 by using agrobacterium mediated method. After molecular analysis of transgenic maize, homozygous lines with high miRNA expression were selected by molecular detection for a subsequent natural infection experiment. We studied the severity of maize rough dwarf disease according to a grading standard (grade 0 to 4). The experiment results showed that the disease resistance of transgenic homozygous maize with the anti-rough dwarf virus amiRNA vector was better than that of wild type. Among the transgenic maize, S6-miR159 transgenic maize had high disease resistance. It is feasible to create new maize variety by the use of artificial miRNA.
Disease Resistance ; genetics ; Gene Silencing ; Genetic Vectors ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; Plant Diseases ; genetics ; virology ; Plants, Genetically Modified ; genetics ; Reoviridae ; pathogenicity ; Zea mays ; genetics