1.Effect of SIRT7 on inhibiting the epithelial-mesenchymal transformation in pancreatic cancer cells and related mechanism
Mengdi WANG ; Tianyang GAO ; Wei HUANG ; Yunkai YANG ; Yan WANG
Chinese Journal of Oncology 2024;46(6):566-582
Objective:To investigate the effect and mechanism of SIRT7 in epithelial mesenchymal transformation (EMT) of pancreatic cancer cells.Methods:The pancreatic cancer cells were divided into siControl, siSIRT7, over-expression SIRT7, siSIRT7+siCOL4A1, and siSIRT7+siSLUG groups using siRNA or plasmid transfection. The proliferation, migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells were detected by EdU, wound healing assay and Transwell experiments, respectively. The expression of EMT and cancer stem cell (CSC) markers were detected by quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay (qRT-PCR) and western blot. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) in SIRT7 knockdown PANC-1 cells was performed to explore the signaling pathways and target genes regulated by SIRT7. Then the target genes directly regulated by SIRT7 were identified with quantitative chromatin immunoprecipitation experiment (q-ChIP) and chromatin immunoprecipitation polymerase chain reaction (ChIP-PCR). The expressions of SIRT7 and target genes were detected by immunohistochemical (IHC) in pancreatic cancer tissues, and the correlation between SIRT7 and target gene expression was analyzed using TCGA dataset. The correlation between expression of SIRT7 or target genes and survival was analyzed on KM-plotter website. Finally, GeneMANIA, STRING and ENCORI were used to predict SIRT7-related proteins and miRNAs.Results:EdU assay showed that the cell proliferation rates in SIRT7-overexpressed PANC-1 [(19.33±0.35)%] and BxPC-3 cells [(17.00±1.89)%] were lower than those in the control group [(31.60±1.37)% and (24.33±0.78)%, respectively, P<0.05]. The proliferation rates of SIRT7-knockdown PANC-1 [(23.94±1.00)% and (27.08±0.97)%] and BxPC-3 cells [(22.00±1.86)% and (25.96±1.61)%] were higher than those of the siControl group [(11.80±1.86)% and (13.42±1.39)%, respectively, P<0.05]. In PANC-1 cells, the wound healing assay showed that the relative migration rate of SIRT7-overexpression cells [(76.67±2.74)%] was lower than that of control cells [(100.00±2.13)%, P<0.05]; the relative migration rate of cells with SIRT7 knockdown [(134.22±4.08)% and (199.82±9.20)%, respectively] was higher than that of siControl group [(102.24±3.13)%, P<0.05]. Compared with the control group, SIRT7 overexpression decreased the number of migrated BxPC-3 cells (45.66±1.69 vs 28.33±2.62, P<0.05); while SIRT7 knockdown increased these numbers (65.66±2.86 and 82.00±2.94 versus 33.00±0.81, P<0.01). Transwell experiment revealed that the number of invaded cells in SIRT7 overexpression groups (16.33±2.05 and 34.66±1.69) was lower than that control groups (54.33±4.64 and 58.66±5.90, P<0.05); with SIRT7 knockdown, the numbers of invaded PANC-1 (63.66±2.49 and 69.33±3.29) and BxPC-3 cells (134.33±3.09 and 181.66±4.02) were higher than those in control groups (35.33±2.49 and 42.00±0.81, P?0.05). Also, SIRT7 knockdown decreased the expressions of epithelial markers and increased the expressions of mesenchymal and CSC markers. RNA-seq analysis showed that SIRT7 was involved in regulating a variety of cancer-related signaling pathways, including the pancreatic cancer pathway and the EMT pathway. Furthermore, SIRT7 could directly bind to the promoter regions of target genes, such as COL4A1 and SLUG. SIRT7 was negatively correlated with the expression and function of COL4A1 and SLUG in pancreatic cancer cells. The expressions of SIRT7, COL4A1, SLUG and SOX2 were verified in pancreatic cancer tissues by IHC. Finally, SIRT7 was predicted to be associated with many proteins and miRNAs based on GeneMANIA, STRING, and ENCORI online tools. Conclusions:SIRT7 can inhibit the EMT of pancreatic cancer cells through transcriptionally inhibiting the expression of target genes, such as COL4A1 and SLUG. Thus, SIRT7 may serve as a potential tumor suppressor gene in pancreatic cancer.
2.Molecular mechanism of lenvatinib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma
Xiaomeng YAO ; Keke SUN ; Yunkai LIN ; Hui WANG ; Liwei DONG ; Lei CHEN ; Heping HU
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2024;40(12):2524-2530
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common malignancy of the liver and poses serious health burdens on China and the whole world. However, most patients with hepatocellular carcinoma are already in the advanced stage at the time of diagnosis, with fewer opportunities for surgery and limited treatment options. In recent years, the advances in molecular targeted therapies have brought new hope for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Among these therapies, lenvatinib is the second first-line drug after sorafenib approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, and it has attracted widespread attention for its powerful anti-tumor properties. However, the efficacy of lenvatinib is severely limited by its drug resistance. This article reviews the research advances in the molecular mechanisms of lenvatinib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma and discusses possible ways to improve the efficacy of lenvatinib, so as to improve its efficacy.
3.Effect of SIRT7 on inhibiting the epithelial-mesenchymal transformation in pancreatic cancer cells and related mechanism
Mengdi WANG ; Tianyang GAO ; Wei HUANG ; Yunkai YANG ; Yan WANG
Chinese Journal of Oncology 2024;46(6):566-582
Objective:To investigate the effect and mechanism of SIRT7 in epithelial mesenchymal transformation (EMT) of pancreatic cancer cells.Methods:The pancreatic cancer cells were divided into siControl, siSIRT7, over-expression SIRT7, siSIRT7+siCOL4A1, and siSIRT7+siSLUG groups using siRNA or plasmid transfection. The proliferation, migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells were detected by EdU, wound healing assay and Transwell experiments, respectively. The expression of EMT and cancer stem cell (CSC) markers were detected by quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay (qRT-PCR) and western blot. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) in SIRT7 knockdown PANC-1 cells was performed to explore the signaling pathways and target genes regulated by SIRT7. Then the target genes directly regulated by SIRT7 were identified with quantitative chromatin immunoprecipitation experiment (q-ChIP) and chromatin immunoprecipitation polymerase chain reaction (ChIP-PCR). The expressions of SIRT7 and target genes were detected by immunohistochemical (IHC) in pancreatic cancer tissues, and the correlation between SIRT7 and target gene expression was analyzed using TCGA dataset. The correlation between expression of SIRT7 or target genes and survival was analyzed on KM-plotter website. Finally, GeneMANIA, STRING and ENCORI were used to predict SIRT7-related proteins and miRNAs.Results:EdU assay showed that the cell proliferation rates in SIRT7-overexpressed PANC-1 [(19.33±0.35)%] and BxPC-3 cells [(17.00±1.89)%] were lower than those in the control group [(31.60±1.37)% and (24.33±0.78)%, respectively, P<0.05]. The proliferation rates of SIRT7-knockdown PANC-1 [(23.94±1.00)% and (27.08±0.97)%] and BxPC-3 cells [(22.00±1.86)% and (25.96±1.61)%] were higher than those of the siControl group [(11.80±1.86)% and (13.42±1.39)%, respectively, P<0.05]. In PANC-1 cells, the wound healing assay showed that the relative migration rate of SIRT7-overexpression cells [(76.67±2.74)%] was lower than that of control cells [(100.00±2.13)%, P<0.05]; the relative migration rate of cells with SIRT7 knockdown [(134.22±4.08)% and (199.82±9.20)%, respectively] was higher than that of siControl group [(102.24±3.13)%, P<0.05]. Compared with the control group, SIRT7 overexpression decreased the number of migrated BxPC-3 cells (45.66±1.69 vs 28.33±2.62, P<0.05); while SIRT7 knockdown increased these numbers (65.66±2.86 and 82.00±2.94 versus 33.00±0.81, P<0.01). Transwell experiment revealed that the number of invaded cells in SIRT7 overexpression groups (16.33±2.05 and 34.66±1.69) was lower than that control groups (54.33±4.64 and 58.66±5.90, P<0.05); with SIRT7 knockdown, the numbers of invaded PANC-1 (63.66±2.49 and 69.33±3.29) and BxPC-3 cells (134.33±3.09 and 181.66±4.02) were higher than those in control groups (35.33±2.49 and 42.00±0.81, P?0.05). Also, SIRT7 knockdown decreased the expressions of epithelial markers and increased the expressions of mesenchymal and CSC markers. RNA-seq analysis showed that SIRT7 was involved in regulating a variety of cancer-related signaling pathways, including the pancreatic cancer pathway and the EMT pathway. Furthermore, SIRT7 could directly bind to the promoter regions of target genes, such as COL4A1 and SLUG. SIRT7 was negatively correlated with the expression and function of COL4A1 and SLUG in pancreatic cancer cells. The expressions of SIRT7, COL4A1, SLUG and SOX2 were verified in pancreatic cancer tissues by IHC. Finally, SIRT7 was predicted to be associated with many proteins and miRNAs based on GeneMANIA, STRING, and ENCORI online tools. Conclusions:SIRT7 can inhibit the EMT of pancreatic cancer cells through transcriptionally inhibiting the expression of target genes, such as COL4A1 and SLUG. Thus, SIRT7 may serve as a potential tumor suppressor gene in pancreatic cancer.
4.A CRISPR activation screen identifies genes that enhance SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Fei FENG ; Yunkai ZHU ; Yanlong MA ; Yuyan WANG ; Yin YU ; Xinran SUN ; Yuanlin SONG ; Zhugui SHAO ; Xinxin HUANG ; Ying LIAO ; Jingyun MA ; Yuping HE ; Mingyuan WANG ; Longhai TANG ; Yaowei HUANG ; Jincun ZHAO ; Qiang DING ; Youhua XIE ; Qiliang CAI ; Hui XIAO ; Chun LI ; Zhenghong YUAN ; Rong ZHANG
Protein & Cell 2023;14(1):64-68
5.Early assessment of the safety and immunogenicity of a third dose (booster) of COVID-19 immunization in Chinese adults.
Yuntao ZHANG ; Yunkai YANG ; Niu QIAO ; Xuewei WANG ; Ling DING ; Xiujuan ZHU ; Yu LIANG ; Zibo HAN ; Feng LIU ; Xinxin ZHANG ; Xiaoming YANG
Frontiers of Medicine 2022;16(1):93-101
Inducing durable and effective immunity against severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) via vaccination is essential to combat the current pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It has been noticed that the strength of anti-COVID-19 vaccination-induced immunity fades over time, which calls for an additional vaccination regime, as known as booster immunization, to restore immunity among previously vaccinated populations. Here we report a pilot open-label trial of a third dose of BBIBP-CorV, an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (Vero cell), on 136 participants aged between 18 to 63 years. Safety and immunogenicity in terms of neutralizing antibody titers and cytokine/chemokine responses were analyzed as the main endpoint until day 28. While systemic reactogenicity was either absent or mild, SARS-CoV-2-specific neutralizing antibody titers rapidly arose in all participants within 4 weeks, surpassing the peak antibody titers elicited by the initial two-dose immunization regime. Broad increases of cellular immunity-associated cytokines and chemokines were also detected in the majority of participants after the third vaccination. Furthermore, in an exploratory study, a newly developed recombinant protein vaccine, NVSI-06-08 (CHO Cells), was found to be safe and even more effective than BBIBP-CorV in eliciting humoral immune responses in BBIBP-CorV-primed individuals. Together, these results indicate that a third immunization schedule with either homologous or heterologous vaccine showed favorable safety profiles and restored potent SARS-CoV-2-specific immunity, providing support for further trials of booster vaccination in larger populations.
Adolescent
;
Adult
;
Antibodies, Neutralizing
;
Antibodies, Viral
;
COVID-19/prevention & control*
;
COVID-19 Vaccines/adverse effects*
;
China
;
Humans
;
Immunogenicity, Vaccine
;
Middle Aged
;
SARS-CoV-2
;
Vaccination
;
Young Adult
6.Robot-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy with renal hypothermia perfusion in complex renal tumor
Yunkai YANG ; Yuchen BAI ; Jingyun WANG ; Qi ZHANG ; Haibin WEI ; Feng LIU ; Dahong ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Urology 2022;43(11):835-839
Objective:To explore the safety and efficacy of renal arterial hypothermia perfusion in robot-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy.Methods:The data of 11 patients with complex renal tumors admitted to our hospital from March 2020 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 7 males and 4 females. The patients’age was (64.64±13.56) years old.The median R. E.N.A.L. score was 8 (7, 9) points. Preoperative glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was (64.40±25.52) ml/min. All patients had a renal artery cold solution perfusion robot-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy. 4℃ sodium lactate Ringer's solution was injected into the affected kidney by the catheter, which could provide the kidney a hypothermic state during the operation and protected the renal function during the long period of warm ischemia. The intraoperative data and postoperative complications were recorded. The data of postoperative renal function, routine urine test, urinary CT, preoperative and postoperative glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were analyzed.Results:The renal artery blocking time was (34.09±2.84) min during the surgery. The patients’ body temperature was (36.10±0.44) ℃. The surgical duration was (126.73±47.08) min. The intraoperative bleeding was (81.82±53.07) ml. There were no complications, such as urinary leakage, low body temperature, fever, etc. There was no significant difference between the 3-months postoperative GFR (59.06±25.67) ml/min and preoperative GFR ( P=0.636). Conclusions:For patients with complex renal tumors, renal arterial cold solution perfusion in robot-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy can help obtain longer operative duration during hot ischemia, preserve renal function, and it provide a safe and feasible surgical method for patients.
7.Generated SecPen_NY-ESO-1_ubiquitin-pulsed dendritic cell cancer vaccine elicits stronger and specific T cell immune responses.
Yunkai YANG ; Xiaohan GUO ; Bo HU ; Peng HE ; Xiaowu JIANG ; Zuohuan WANG ; Huaxing ZHU ; Lina HU ; Minghua YU ; Meiqing FENG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2021;11(2):476-487
Dendritic cell-based cancer vaccines (DC vaccines) have been proved efficient and safe in immunotherapy of various cancers, including melanoma, ovarian and prostate cancer. However, the clinical responses were not always satisfied. Here we proposed a novel strategy to prepare DC vaccines. In the present study, a fusion protein SNU containing a secretin-penetratin (SecPen) peptide, NY-ESO-1 and ubiquitin was designed and expressed. To establish the DC vaccine (DC-SNU), the mouse bone marrow-derived DCs (BMDCs) were isolated, pulsed with SNU and maturated with cytokine cocktail. Then peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from C57BL/6 mice inoculated intraperitoneally with DC-SNU were separated and cocultured with MC38/MC38
8.Transrectal ultrasound/multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging fusion targeted biopsy for the clinically significant prostate cancer detection
Yunkai ZHU ; Yaqing CHEN ; Furong ZHONG ; Xiaoming LI ; Wenbin GUAN ; Lifeng WANG
Chinese Journal of Ultrasonography 2021;30(2):145-150
Objective:To explore the diagnostic value of transrectal ultrasound(TRUS)/multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging(mpMRI) fusion targeted biopsy(FTB) for clinically significant prostate cancer(PCa) detection by using both biopsy histopathology and radical prostatectomy histopathology as reference standards.Methods:A total of 303 consecutive patients with suspicious lesions detected by mpMBI and underwent prostate biopsy at Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine between November 2017 to January 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. All the suspicious lesions were sampled by TRUS/mpMRI FTB in addition with standard 12-core systematic biopsy(SB). The clinically significant PCa detection rates by TRUS/mpMRI FTB and SB were compared by using both biopsy histopathology and radical prostatectomy histopathology as reference standards.Results:The diagnosis of PCa was histologically confirmed in 189 of 303 patients, including 178 patients with clinically significant PCa and 11 patients with clinically insignificant PCa. With biopsy histopathology as reference standard, the clinically significant PCa detection rate of TRUS/mpMRI FTB was statistically higher than SB (57.1% vs 45.9%, P<0.001). Among 189 patients with biopsy proven PCa, 80 patients underwent radical prostatectomy, and the radical prostatectomy histopathology confirmed 79 patients with clinically significant PCa.With radical prostatectomy as reference standard, the clinically significant PCa detection rate of TRUS/mpMRI FTB was statistically higher than SB (91.1% vs 74.7%, P<0.001). Conclusions:Compared with SB, MRI/US FTB can offer more accurate sampling of suspicious lesions on mpMRI, and consequently improve the clinically significant PCa detection rate.
9.Evaluation of safety of two inactivated COVID-19 vaccines in a large-scale emergency use
Zhongnan YANG ; Yunya ZHAO ; Lu LI ; Huidi GAO ; Qi CAI ; Xiaoxia SUN ; Fusheng ZHANG ; Jinfeng SU ; Yinan ZHANG ; Xiang SHU ; Xuewei WANG ; Yunkai YANG ; Yuntao ZHANG ; Song ZHOU ; Xiaoming YANG
Chinese Journal of Epidemiology 2021;42(6):977-982
Objective:To evaluate the safety of two inactivated COVID-19 vaccines in a large-scale emergency use.Methods:Based on the "Vaccination Information Collection System", the incidence data of adverse reactions in the population vaccinated with the inactivated COVID-19 vaccines developed by Beijing Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd and Wuhan Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd, respectively, in emergency use were collected, and the relevant information were analyzed with descriptive epidemiological and statistical methods.Results:By December 1, 2020, the vaccination information of 519 543 individuals had been collected. The overall incidence rate of adverse reactions was 1.06%, the incidence rate of systemic adverse reactions was 0.69% and the incidence rate of local adverse reactions was 0.37%. The main systemic adverse reactions included fatigue, headache, fever, cough and loss of appetite with the incidence rates of 0.21%, 0.14%, 0.06%, 0.05% and 0.05%, respectively; the main local adverse reactions were injection site pain and injection site swelling with the incidence rates of 0.24% and 0.05%, respectively.Conclusion:The two inactivated COVID-19 vaccines by Beijing Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd and Wuhan Institute of Biological Products Co., Ltd showed that in the large-scale emergency use, the incidence rate of general reactions was low and no serious adverse reactions were observed after the vaccinations, demonstrating that the vaccines have good safety.
10.Immunogenicity and safety of a boost dose of measles, mumps, and rubella combined vaccine for 4-6 years old children
Yanhui XIAO ; Shaoying CHANG ; Shuang BAI ; Runmao ZHAO ; Jiehong WANG ; Xueqiu WANG ; Yunkai YANG ; Yanli MA ; Xiaoqin LIU ; Linyun LUO ; Min LYU ; Haiping CHEN
Chinese Journal of Epidemiology 2021;42(6):1086-1091
Objective:To investigate the immunogenicity and safety of a boost dose of measles, mumps, and rubella combined vaccine (MMR) for children 4 to 6 years old.Methods:Children, aged 4 to 6 years old, had vaccinated with 1 dose of measles and rubella combined vaccine(MR) at the age of 8 months and 1 dose of MMR vaccine at 18-months, were recruited in Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, and Beijing, respectively. All children were assigned into 4, 5 and 6-year-old group. The children who met inclusion and exclusion criteria were vaccinated with 1 dose MMR vaccine, and were collected blood samples before vaccination and 35 to 42 d after the vaccination. During the study period, adverse events were collected at 30 min, 1 d, 2 d, 3 d, 4-12 d, and 13 to 42 days after vaccination. Serum was tested for IgG antibodies against measles, mumps and rubella. Geometric mean concentrations (GMC) of measles, mumps, and rubella antibodies were compared among groups by analysis of variance or non-parametric test. Seropositive rates and adverse event rates were compared among groups by Chi-square test or Fisher exact test.Results:A total of 500 children were included in immunogenicity analysis and 535 children were included in safety analysis. The overall adverse event rate was 20.37%, the most of severity for adverse events was mild. The rates of local and systemic adverse events were 0.37% and 20.00%, respectively. Symptoms of local adverse events were redness. The main systemic adverse events were fever, followed by cough, rash and runny nose. Received a dose of MMR vaccine for booster immunization, the seropositive rates of measles antibody, mumps antibody and rubella antibody were above 99% for all 3 age groups, and there was no significant difference between groups. There were significant differences in mumps antibody GMC among groups ( P=0.042), but no significant differences in measles and rubella antibodies GMC. Conclusion:The immunogenicity and safety of a boosted MMR vaccintion in children aged 4, 5 and 6 years were all similar good.

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