Purpose: The risk stratification of pediatric anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) has not been standardized. In this study, new risk factors were included to establish a new risk stratification system for ALCL, and its feasibility in clinical practice was explored. Materials and Methods: On the basis of the non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma Berlin–Frankfurt–Munster 95 (NHL-BFM-95) protocol, patients with minimal disseminated disease (MDD), high-risk tumor site (multiple bone, skin, liver, and lung involvement), and small cell/lymphohistiocytic (SC/LH) pathological subtype were enrolled in risk stratification. Patients were treated with a modified NHL-BFM-95 protocol combined with an anaplastic lymphoma kinase inhibitor or vinblastine (VBL). Results: A total of 136 patients were enrolled in this study. The median age was 8.8 years. The 3-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival of the entire cohort were 77.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 69.0% to 83.9%) and 92.3% (95% CI, 86.1% to 95.8%), respectively. The 3-year EFS rates of low-risk group (R1), intermediate-risk group (R2), and high-risk group (R3) patients were 100%, 89.5% (95% CI, 76.5% to 95.5%), and 67.9% (95% CI, 55.4% to 77.6%), respectively. The prognosis of patients with MDD (+), stage IV cancer, SC/LH lymphoma, and high-risk sites was poor, and the 3-year EFS rates were 45.3% (95% CI, 68.6% to 19.0%), 65.7% (95% CI, 47.6% to 78.9%), 55.7% (95% CI, 26.2% to 77.5%), and 70.7% (95% CI, 48.6% to 84.6%), respectively. At the end of follow-up, one of the five patients who received maintenance therapy with VBL relapsed, and seven patients receiving anaplastic lymphoma kinase inhibitor maintenance therapy did not experience relapse. Conclusion This study has confirmed the poor prognostic of MDD (+), high-risk site and SC/LH, but patients with SC/LH lymphoma and MDD (+) at diagnosis still need to receive better treatment (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03971305).

The glymphatic system plays a pivotal role in maintaining cerebral homeostasis. Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion, arising from small vessel disease or carotid stenosis, results in cerebrometabolic disturbances ultimately manifesting in white matter injury and cognitive dysfunction. However, whether the glymphatic system serves as a potential therapeutic target for white matter injury and cognitive decline during hypoperfusion remains unknown. Here, we established a mouse model of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion via bilateral common carotid artery stenosis. We found that the hypoperfusion model was associated with significant white matter injury and initial cognitive impairment in conjunction with impaired glymphatic system function. The glymphatic dysfunction was associated with altered cerebral perfusion and loss of aquaporin 4 polarization. Treatment of digoxin rescued changes in glymphatic transport, white matter structure, and cognitive function. Suppression of glymphatic functions by treatment with the AQP4 inhibitor TGN-020 abolished this protective effect of digoxin from hypoperfusion injury. Our research yields new insight into the relationship between hemodynamics, glymphatic transport, white matter injury, and cognitive changes after chronic cerebral hypoperfusion.
Animals ; Brain Ischemia ; Carotid Stenosis/drug therapy* ; Cognitive Dysfunction/etiology* ; Digoxin ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; White Matter

Retrospective analysis was performed on 1 child with silent inactivation (SI) of asparaginase (ASNas) who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and treated in the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University in October 2019.The patient was a 9 years and 3 months old boy who was diagnosed as ALL accompanied with late bone marrow relapse.After pegylated Escherichia coli-Asparaginase (PEG-ASNase) was given, he did not have the expected treatment-related adverse reactions, including hyperammonemia, hypofibrinogenemia, and the low activation of antithrombin Ⅲ (ATⅢ). The plasma asparagine (ASN) concentration failed to meet the depletion criteria and the ASNase activity was 64.5 U/L.Therefore, the SI of ASNase was confirmed.Erwinase was used to replace PEG-ASNase, the lowest level of ATⅢ was 33%, and the lowest level of fibrinogen was 1.20 g/L.Hyperammonemia and decreased ASN were also observed, and the ASNase activity was 1 813.0 U/L.All the above suggested that when, SI occurred, the replacement by Erwinase was effective.The ASNase activity should be monitored in ALL patients who were treated with ASNase.Monitoring the treatment-related adverse reactions such as hyperammonia and coagulation disorders closely has important implications to the SI of ASNase when the detection of ASNase activity was unavailable.

Objective:Endoplasmic reticulum stress(ERS)was used as the research emphasis to further investigate the mechanisms of apoptosis of FLT3-ITD-mutated leukemia cells and decreased expression of FLT3-ITD mutated protein induced by all-trans retinoic acid(ATRA).Methods:FLT3-ITD-mutated leukemia cell lines(MV4-11 and MOLM13)were treated with ATRA. Flow cytometry was conducted to assess cell apoptosis. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)and Western blot were used to detect the expression of ERS-related and autophagy-related genes and protein, respectively.Results:A low-dose ATRA further increased FLT3-ITD cells and ERS levels. ATRA acted on the ERS-related PERK/eif2ɑ signaling pathway and continued to increase the ERS of FLT3-ITD cells, resulting in an upregulation of apoptotic gene CHOP expression. After the treatment with ATRA, FLT3-ITD protein in FLT3-ITD cells was decreased. Of the two main ERS-related protein degradation pathways, ER-associated degradation(ERAD)and ER-activated autophagy(ERAA), the expression of ERAD-related protein ATF6 in FLT3-ITD cells was not significantly changed on ATRA, whereas the expression of ERAA-related proteins Atg7 and Atg5 were significantly increased.Conclusions:ATRA further raises the ERS level of FLT3-ITD cells continuously by activating the ERS-related PERK/eif2ɑ signal pathway and induces FLT3-ITD protein autophagy degradation through ERAA pathway, which induces apoptosis of FLT3-ITD-mutated leukemia cells. These results provide preliminary evidence on the use of ATRA in the treatment of refractory leukemia with FLT3-ITD.

[Objective]To explore the effect and the possible mechanism of the proteasome inhibitor MG132 on acute T lympho?blastic leukemia cells.[Methods]The influence of different concentrations of MG132 in the viability and proliferation of CCRF-CEM was measured by MTS. Apoptosis rates of CCRF-CEM treated by MG132 were determined by flow cytometry. After being exposed to MG132,the protein levels of FOXO3a in cytoplasm and nucleus were analyzed by Western blotting. qRT-PCR was applied to detect the mRNA of FOXO3a and Puma in cells treated by MG132. Then CCRF-CEM was stably transfected with antisense FOXO3a using Lentivirus infection. We further investigated the effects of MG132 in FOXO3a-shRNA cells and elucidated the mechanisms of FOXO3a and Puma.[Results]MG132 inhibits the proliferation of CCRF-CEM,but has no cytotoxicity in peripheral blood mononu?clear cells(PBMC). Cellular apoptosis was induced in cells treated with MG132. At mRNA level,MG132 had no influence on FOXO3a,but increased the expression of Puma. However,MG132 promoted the expression of both FOXO3a and Puma at protein level. Interestingly,the expression of FOXO3a increased very little in cytoplasm. In FOXO3a-shRNA cells the expression of FOXO3a and Puma decreased at protein level. FOXO3a's knockdown attenuated the proliferation inhibition mediated by MG132.[Conclusion]MG132 inhibits the proliferation and promotes to apoptosis of CCRF-CEM. One of the mechanism is that MG132 inhib? its the degradation of FOXO3a,and then activates FOXO3a/Puma pathway.

Objective To explore the effect of Flavokawain B on the proliferation and apoptosis of acute T lymphoblastic leukemia(T -ALL)cells and its preliminary mechanism.Methods After the T -ALL cell lines CEM-C7(sensitive to glucocorticoids)and MOLT -4(resistant to glucocorticoids)cells were treated with different concentrations of Flavokawain B,the influence of Flavokawain B on the growth rate and doubling time of CEM-C7 and MOLT -4 cells was observed by 3 -(4,5 -dimethylthiazol -2 -yl)-5 -(3 -carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2 -(4 -sulfophenyl)-2H -tetrazolium(MTS)assay,and apoptosis was analyzed by using flow cytometry.Furthermore,Wes-tern blot assay was used to detect the expressions of Bim,Bcl -2 and cleaved Caspase -9.At last,the expressions of Bim and Bcl -2 in clinical T -ALL patient samples were also detected by using Western blot assay.Results MTS as-say showed that Flavokawain B significantly inhibited the cellular proliferation of T -ALL cell lines in a dose and time dependent manner(P <0.01 ).Flow cytometry findings revealed that Flavokawain B significantly induced the apoptosis of T -ALL cells in a dose -dependent manner(P <0.001 ).Western blot results indicated that Flavokawain B in-creased the expression of Bim and cleaved Caspase -9,and decreased the expression of Bcl -2 in T -ALL cell lines, which increased Bim and decreased Bcl -2 in clinical T -ALL patients samples,both in a dose -dependent manner. Conclusions Flavokawain B can inhibit the proliferation and induce the apoptosis of T -ALL cells by up -regulating the expression of Bim and down -regulating the expression of Bcl -2 and activating Caspase -9,whether resistant to glu-cocorticoids or not.

Gaucher Disease ; diagnosis ; Humans

Objective To explore the prognostic significance in monitoring minimal residual disease (MRD) in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) by a simple method,and to detect cloned immunoglobulin H (IgH) and T cell receptor γ (TCRγ) gene rearrangements by using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and automated fragment analysis.Methods Bone marrow samples were collected from 86 newly diagnosed cases of childhood ALL at the Department of Pediatrics,the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University,from May of 2009 to August of 2013.IgH and TCRγ gene rearrangements were amplified by qualitative multiplex PCR.The clonality of PCR production was analyzed by GENEMAPPERID software.Only those carried monoclonal IgH/TCRγ on diagnosis were arranged to monitor MRD.Detectable monoclonal IgH/TCRγby the end of induction was defined as MRD positive.All patients were treated with GD2008 ALL protocol.Clinical data of all newly-diagnosed ALL patients in the corresponding period were reviewed.The final follow-up on May 31,2014.Survival rates and event free survival (EFS) curves were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier,and compared by using the log-rank test.Results The percent age of 94.2 (81/86 cases) patients was at least 1 marker positive.Subsequent MRD was monitored in 79 cases.The median follow-up time was 20 months (9-61 months).By the end of induction,20 cases were MRD positive and 59 cases were M RD negative,and the 3-year EFS were 56.4％ ± 14.7％ and 94.0％ ± 3.4％ (x2 =8.563,P =0.003),respectively.According to the traditional prognostic stratification criteria,MRD was detected 65 cases in the non-high risk group:23 cases in standard risk group and 42 cases in intermediate risk group,and the difference of 3-year EFS had no statistical significance (95.3％ ±4.7％ vs 76.6％ ±9.0％,x2 =0.934,P =0.334).While using MRD by the end of induction as a risk stratification criterion,there was a statistical significant difference compared with the 3-year EFS for MRD-negative (n =52) group and MRD-positive (n =13) group (93.1％ ± 3.8％ and 59.5％ ± 16.2％,x2 =7.128,P =0.008).Conclusions It is a simple but feasible method to monitor MRD in childhood ALL by using this qualitative multiplex PCR with automated fragment analysis for monoclonal IgH/TCRγ gene rearrangements.MRD by the end of induction can be used as a more accurate risk stratification criterion than the traditional one.It is worth of further research.

OBJECTIVERecent studies have suggested that there is a close relation between microRNA and acute leukemia (AL). The aim of this study was to investigate and better understand the classification and diagnosis of AL as well as pathogenesis and prognosis of this disease.

METHODSA total of 93 children with AL and and 12 cases of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (as control group) were enrolled in this study. Microarray chip analysis of their bone marrow samples was conducted to evaluate the microRNA profiles. Quantitative real-time PCR was performed for validating the abnormal expression of microRNA.

RESULTSThe microRNA expression profiles were different between acute granulocytic leukemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia and also between the three subtypes (M1, M2 and M3) of acute granulocytic leukemia according to FAB classification based on leukemic cell differentiation. These three subtypes of leukemia could be identified by unsupervised hierarchical cluster analysis of microRNA expression and had specific up-regulation of miR-335, miR-126 and miR-125b, respectively. However, in the M2 and M3 subtypes with positive AML1-ETO and PML-RARα, respectively, which have a better prognosis, the expressions of miR-126 and miR-125b were significantly higher than those with negative AML1-ETO and PML-RARα. Further more, miR-335 and miR-146 were up-regulated in acute granulocytic leukemia observed in this study, which are different from those reported for adult patients.

CONCLUSIONSmicroRNA cascade may serve as new biomarkers for the classification and diagnosis of pediatric AL. It is also suggested that there might be different pathogenesis and prognosis between AL types related to specific expression and regulation of microRNA.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Humans ; Infant ; Leukemia, Myeloid ; classification ; genetics ; metabolism ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; genetics ; metabolism ; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute ; genetics ; metabolism ; Male ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; metabolism ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To review the diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis ( IPH),and to evaluate the efficacy of maintenance therapy with dose-adjusted 6-mercaptopurine (6MP) in IPH children. Methods The diagnosis of IPH was confirmed by in-patient examination and at least 1 year follow-up to exclude secondary causes of pulmonary hemorrhage. Fifteen children met the criteria of IPH and were enrolled. The age at diagnosis was 2-13 years ( median 7 years). Prednisone was administered at 2 mg/( kg·d) for 4 weeks in acute phase of the disease followed by taper. 6MP was also started at 60 mg/( m2·d) simultaneously and continued for 3 years. Results The diagnosis was delayed in most children, which was due to the lack of initial classical manifestation of the disease. The time between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis ranged from 2 weeks to 108 months ( median 8 months) . All the patients exhibited response to the initial treatment and prednisone was successfully tapered off. Only 1 of 8 patients with relative leucopenia (3 × 109/L -6 × 109/L) on 6MP maintenance recurred while 5 of 7 others recurred (P < 0. 05) during median 6-year (range 2. 5 - 9. 5 years) follow-up. Of the latter 5 patients who recurred,4 remained recurrence-free after adjusting the dose of 6MP upwards to keep relative leucopenia. Conclusions Diagnostic delayed is still a main problem in pediatric IPH. Most IPH children in our group tolerated maintenance treatment with 6MP and achieved long-term remission, and these suggested growth retardation on long-term steroids therapy could be avoided. Because of interindividual difference in 6MP metabolism, adjusting the dose of 6MP may be necessary for treatment of IPH children and avoid under-treatment or overtreatment in some children,and thus improve the prognosis. White blood count could be a simple and useful indicator to predict clinical response in most IPH children on 6MP.