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Objective To investigate the impact of exosomal miRNAs derived from endoplasmic reticulum-stressed (ERS) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cells on macrophages. Methods This study was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee. The expression levels of ERS-associated proteins, including protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK) and glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), in HNSCC tissues and para-tumor tissues were detected by Western blot (WB) and quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR). HN4 human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma cells were treated with 500 U/mL interferon-γ (IFN-γ) for 48 h to induce ER stress, and exosomes secreted by ER-stressed HN4 cells were collected and identified. The types of miRNAs in exosomes were identified through bioinformatics analysis, and the target genes of miRNAs were predicted. Macrophages were transfected with miRNA, co cultured with collected exosomes, and the expression of PTEN in macrophages was knocked down. The downstream signaling pathway regulated by exosomal miRNAs was studied by WB and RT-qPCR. Results Compared with that in para-tumor tissues, the expression level of ER stress-associated proteins in HNSCC tissues was increased (P

Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the application value of Chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) in prenatal diagnosis of nuchal translucency (NT) thickening and nasal bone dyscalcification. Methods The fetuses diagnosed with NT thickening and nasal bone dyscalcification at the Prenatal Diagnosis Center of Meizhou People's Hospital from September 2022 to April 2024, who underwent CMA and karyotype analysis were collected to analyze the relationship between NT thickening and nasal bone dyscalcification and chromosome abnormalities. The detection of chromosomal abnormalities in fetuses with NT thickening, nasal bone dyscalcification and the value of ultrasound combined with CMA in prenatal diagnosis were analyzed. Results In 75 fetuses with NT thickening and/or nasal bone dyscalcification, 11 cases of chromosome aneuploidy were detected by karyotype analysis, and 5 cases of pathogenic copy number variations (CNV) were detected by CMA, with an additional detection rate of 6.7%. The additional diagnosis rates of CMA were 6.0% and 5.0% in fetuses with simple NT thickening and nasal bone dyscalcification, respectively. Conclusion CMA technique is of high value in prenatal diagnosis of fetuses with NT thickening and nasal bone dyscalcification, it can improve the detection rate of fetal chromosomal abnormalities, and the combined application of multiple techniques can provide a more comprehensive evaluation of the fetuses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore and evaluate the value of chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) in prenatal diagnosis of fetuses with ultrasound abnormalities. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 370 fetuses with ultrasound abnormalities received invasive prenatal diagnosis at Meizhou People's Hospital from October 2022 to December 2023. Fetal specimens were analyzed by CMA, and the detection rates of aneuploidy and pathogenic (P)/likely pathogenic (LP) copy number variations (CNVs) in ultrasound structural abnormalities (malformations of fetal anatomy) and non-structural abnormalities (abnormalities of fetal nonanatomical structure) were analyzed. Results: There were 114 (30.8%) cases with isolated ultrasound structural abnormalities, 226 (61.1%) cases with isolated non-structural abnormalities (182 isolated ultrasound soft markers abnormalities, 30 isolated fetal growth restriction (FGR), and 8 isolated abnormalities of amniotic fluid volume), and 30 (8.1%) cases with both structural and non-structural abnormalities. The overall detection rate of aneuploidy and P/LP CNVs in isolated ultrasonic structural abnormalities was 5.3%, among which cardiovascular system abnormalities were the highest. In addition, the largest number of fetuses with non-structural abnormalities was nuchal translucency (NT) thickening (n = 81), followed by ventriculomegaly (n = 29), and nasal bone dysplasia (n = 24). The detection rate of chromosomal abnormalities of fetuses with abnormal ultrasound soft markers was 9.9%, and the detection rate in single abnormal ultrasound soft marker, and multiple ultrasound soft markers abnormalities was 9.7% (16/165) and 11.8% (2/17), respectively. Moreover, the detection rate of chromosomal abnormalities of fetuses with FGR and structural abnormalities combined with non-structural abnormalities was 6.7% (2/30), and 13.3% (4/30), respectively. Conclusion: The incidence of chromosomal abnormalities (aneuploidy and P/LP CNVs) varies among different fetal ultrasound abnormalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The occurrence, progression, and prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) are regulated by EGFR-mediated signaling pathways. However, the relationship between the core genes (KRAS/NRAS/BRAF/PIK3CA) status in the signaling pathways and clinicopathological characteristics of CRC patients in Hakka population remains controversial.Methods: Patients were genotyped for KRAS (codons 12, 13, 61, 117, and 146), NRAS (codons 12, 61, 117, and 146), BRAF (codons 600), and PIK3CA (codons 542, 545 and 1047) mutations. Clinical records were collected, and clinicopathological characteristic associations were analyzed together with mutations of studied genes.Results: Four hundred and eight patients (256 men and 152 women) were included in the analysis. At least one mutation in the four genes was detected in 216 (52.9%) patients, while none was detected in 192 (47.1%) patients. KRAS, NRAS, BRAF, and PIK3CA mutation status were detected in 190 (46.6%), 11 (2.7%), 10 (2.5%), 34 (8.3%) samples, respectively. KRAS exon 2 had the highest proportion (62.5%). Age, tumor site, tumor size, lymphovascular invasion, and perineural invasion were not associated with gene mutations. KRAS mutations (adjusted OR 1.675, 95% CI 1.017– 2.760, P=0.043) and NRAS mutations (adjusted OR 5.183, 95% CI 1.239– 21.687, P=0.024) appeared more frequently in patients with distant metastasis. BRAF mutations (adjusted OR 7.224, 95% CI 1.356– 38.488, P=0.021) and PIK3CA mutations (adjusted OR 3.811, 95% CI 1.268– 11.455, P=0.017) associated with poorly differentiated tumor.Conclusion:KRAS/NRAS mutations are associated with distant metastasis and BRAF/PIK3CA mutations are associated with poor tumor differentiation in CRC. And the results provided a better understanding between clinicopathological characteristics and gene mutations in CRC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]