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The article presents case study of a 35-year-old woman who was diagnosed with Transient aplastic crisis due to parvovirus B19 infection and low-grade autoimmune hemolytic anemia. Topics discussed include hypoproliferative anemia caused by parvovirus B19 infection which infects erythrocytes and erythrocyte precursor cells; information on Intravascular hemolysis which causes free hemoglobin to be released into the plasma; and information on red-cell membranopathies.

The article presents a case study of a 36-year-old man presented with unintentional opioid overdose. Topics discussed include taking intravenous heroin each day and medically supervised detoxification program for management of withdrawal symptoms; no family history of depression, bipolar disorder, or and schizophrenia; and normalization of mental status after treatment with naloxone.

In vivo interrogation of the function of genes implicated in tumorigenesis is limited by the need to generate and cross germline mutant mice. Here we describe approaches to model colorectal cancer (CRC) and metastasis, which rely on in situ gene editing and orthotopic organoid transplantation in mice without cancer-predisposing mutations. Autochthonous tumor formation is induced by CRISPR-Cas9-based editing of the Apc and Trp53 tumor suppressor genes in colon epithelial cells and by orthotopic transplantation of Apc-edited colon organoids. ApcΔ/Δ;KrasG12D/+;Trp53Δ/Δ (AKP) mouse colon organoids and human CRC organoids engraft in the distal colon and metastasize to the liver. Finally, we apply the orthotopic transplantation model to characterize the clonal dynamics of Lgr5+ stem cells and demonstrate sequential activation of an oncogene in established colon adenomas. These experimental systems enable rapid in vivo characterization of cancer-associated genes and reproduce the entire spectrum of tumor progression and metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A series of cis-bis{5-[(E)-2-(aryl)-1-diazenyl]quinolinolato}di-n-butyltin(IV) complexes has been synthesized and characterized by 1H-, 13C-, 119Sn NMR, ESI–MS (electrospray ionization mass spectrometry), IR and 119mSn Mössbauer spectroscopic techniques in combination with elemental analyses. The structures of four di-n-butyltin(IV) complexes, viz., n Bu2Sn(L3)2 (3), n Bu2Sn(L4)2 (4), n Bu2Sn(L5)2 (5) and n Bu2Sn(L7)2 ·0.5C6H6 (7) (LH=5-[(E)-2-(aryl)-1-diazenyl)quinolin-8-ol) were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. In general, the complexes were found to adopt a distorted cis-octahedral arrangement around the tin atom. These complexes retain their solid-state structure in non-coordinating solvent as evidenced by 119Sn and 13C NMR spectroscopic results. The in vitro cytotoxicity of di-n-butyltin(IV) complexes (3–8) is reported against seven well characterized human tumour cell lines. The basicity of the two quinolinolato donor N and O atoms of the ligands are discussed in relation to the cytotoxicity data. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Some di- and triorganotin(IV) triazolates of general formula, R(4−n)SnL n (where n =2; R=Me, n-Bu and Ph; n =1; R=Me, n-Pr, n-Bu and Ph and HL=4-amino-3-methyl-1,2,4-triazole-5-thiol (HL-1); and 4-amino-3-ethyl-1,2,4-triazole-5-thiol (HL-2)) were synthesized by the reaction of R(4−n)SnCl n with sodium salt of HL-1 and HL-2. The bonding and coordination behavior in these derivatives have been discussed on the basis of IR and 119Sn Mössbauer spectroscopic studies in the solid state. Their coordination behavior in solution is discussed by multinuclear (1H, 13C and 119Sn) NMR spectral studies. The IR and 119Sn Mössbauer spectroscopic studies indicate that the ligands, HL-1 and HL-2 act as a monoanionic bidentate ligand, coordinating through and N ring. The distorted skew trapezoidal-bipyramidal and distorted trigonal bipyramidal geometries have been proposed for R2SnL2 and R3SnL, respectively, in the solid state. In vitro antimicrobial screening of some of the newly synthesized derivatives and of some di- and triorganotin(IV) derivatives of 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole-5-thiol (HL-3) and 5-amino-3H-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-thiol (HL-4) along with two standard drugs such as fluconazole and ciprofloxacin have been carried out against the bacteria, viz. Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, and against some fungi, viz. Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans, Candida albicans (ATCC 10231), Candida krusei (GO3) and Candida glabrata (HO5) by the filter paper disc method. The studied organotin(IV) compounds show mild antifungal activity as compared to that of fluconazole, however, they show almost insignificant activity against the studied Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureas) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria as compared to that of standard drug, ciprofloxacin. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: New diphenyltin(IV) complexes of empirical formula, [Sn(C6H5)2(NS)Cl] (NS =anionic forms of the acetone Schiff bases of S-methyl or S-benzyldithiocarbazate) have been prepared and characterized by IR, NMR and Mössbauer spectroscopic techniques. The crystal and molecular structures of the acetone Schiff bases of S-methyldithiocarbazate (Hacsme) and S-benzyldithiocarbazate (Hacsbz) and their tin(IV) complexes have been determined by X-ray diffraction. In the solid state, both the Schiff bases exist in their thioketo tautomeric forms with the azomethine nitrogen atom trans to the thione sulfur atom but in the tin(IV) complexes they are present in their deprotonated ene-thiolate forms being coordinated to the tin atom as bidentate chelating agents via the azomethine nitrogen and thiolate sulfur atoms. The tin atom adopts a five-coordinate, approximately trigonal bipyramidal geometry, with the thiolate sulfur atom of the Schiff base and the two phenyl groups occupying the equatorial positions. The azomethine nitrogen atom and the chlorine ligand occupy axial positions. The distortion from a regular trigonal bipyramidal or a square-pyramidal geometry is attributed to the restricted bite sizes of the five-membered chelate rings. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The crystal structures of three triorganotin(IV) 5-[(E)-2-(4-methylphenyl)-1-diazenyl]-2-hydroxybenzoates, viz., (Me3Sn{O2CC6H3-p-OH[N＝N(C6H4-4-CH3)]})n (1), Et3Sn{O2CC6H3-p-OH[N＝N(C6H4-4-CH3)]}OH2 (2), and Bz3Sn{O2CC6H3-p-OH[N＝N(C6H4-4-CH3)]} (3), have been determined. In the solid state, complex 1 exists as a one-dimensional polymer where a single benzoate ligand bridges adjacent Sn-centers. The Sn-atom is trigonal bipyramidal with the methyl ligands in the equatorial plane and the axial positions being occupied by the carboxyl O-atom from the carboxylate group of one benzoate ligand and the hydroxy O-atom of an adjacent ligand. Complex 2 exists as a monomeric molecule in which the Sn-atom has a slightly distorted trigonal bipyramidal coordination geometry with three ethyl ligands occupying equatorial positions, while the axial positions are occupied by an O-atom of a water molecule and a carboxylate O-atom. Complex 3 has a distorted tetrahedral geometry. The interpretations of the structures are augmented by IR, NMR (1H, 13C, 119Sn), and 119mSn Mössbauer experiments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The tribenzyltin(IV) complexes of 2-[(E)-2-(3-formyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-diazenyl]benzoic acid and 2-{(E)-4-hydroxy-3-[(E)-4-(aryl)iminomethyl]phenyldiazenyl}benzoic acids (aryls = 4-CH3, 4-Br, 4-Cl, 4-OCH3) have been synthesized and characterized by 1H, 13C, 119Sn NMR, IR and 119mSn Mössbauer spectroscopic techniques in combination with elemental analysis. The crystal structures of two monomeric tribenzyltin(IV) complexes, Bz3Sn[O2CC6H4{N=N(C6H3-4-OH(C(H)=NC6H4X-4))}-o](OH2) (X = –Cl and –OCH3) are reported. The coordination environment in each complex is trigonal bipyramidal trans-Bz3SnO2. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Encapsulation of mammalian cells within hydrogels has great utility for a variety of applications ranging from tissue engineering to cell-based assays. In this work, we present a technique to encapsulate live cells in three-dimensional (3D) microscale hydrogels (microgels) of controlled shapes and sizes in the form of harvestable free standing units. Cells were suspended in methacrylated hyaluronic acid (MeHA) or poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogel precursor solution containing photoinitiator, micromolded using a hydrophilic poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) stamp, and crosslinked using ultraviolet (UV) radiation. By controlling the features on the PDMS stamp, the size and shape of the molded hydrogels were controlled. Cells within microgels were well distributed and remained viable. These shape-specific microgels could be easily retrieved, cultured and potentially assembled to generate structures with controlled spatial distribution of multiple cell types. Further development of this technique may lead to applications in 3D co-cultures for tissue/organ regeneration and cell-based assays in which it is important to mimic the architectural intricacies of physiological cell–cell interactions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Bioengineering approaches, such as co-cultures of multiple cell types, that aim to mimic the physiological microenvironment may be beneficial for optimizing cell function and for engineering tissues in vitro. This study describes a novel method for preparing a spheroid microarray on microfabricated hydrogels, alone or in co-cultures. Photocrosslinkable chitosan was synthesized and utilized for fabricating hydrogel microstructures through a micromolding process. The chitosan surface was initially cell repellent but became increasingly cell adhesive over time. By using this unique property of chitosan hydrogels, it was possible to generate patterned co-cultures of spheroids and support cells. In this scheme, cells were initially microarrayed within low shear stress regions of microwells. Human hepatoblastoma cells, Hep G2, seeded in these wells formed spheroids with controlled sizes and shapes and stably secreted albumin during the culture period. The change of cell adhesive properties in the chitosan surface facilitated the adhesion and growth of a second cell type, NIH-3T3 fibroblast, and therefore enabled co-cultures of hepatocyte spheroids and fibroblast monolayers. This co-culture system could be a useful platform for studying heterotypic cell–cell interactions, for drug screening, and for developing implantable bioartificial organs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A series of cis-bis{5-[(E)-2-(aryl)-1-diazenyl]quinolinolato}dibenzyltin(IV) complexes have been synthesized by reacting sodium salts of 5-[(E)-2-(aryl)-1-diazenyl]quinolin-8-ol (LH) and dibenzyltin dichloride. These complexes have been characterized by 1H, 13C, 119Sn NMR, ESI-MS in solution and by IR and 119mSn Mössbauer, 117Sn CP-MAS NMR spectroscopy in solid state. In addition, the structures of three of the dibenzyltin(IV) complexes, viz., Bz2Sn(L2)2 (2), Bz2Sn(L3)2 (3), and Bz2Sn(L5)2 (5) (L=5-[(E)-2-(aryl)-1-diazenyl]quinolin-8-ol: aryl=4′-methylphenyl- (L2H), 4′-methoxylphenyl- (L3H) and 4′-bromophenyl- (L5H)) were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. In general, the complexes were found to adopt a distorted cis-octahedral arrangement around the tin atom in both solution and solid state. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Some tri- and diorganotin(IV) compounds of the general formula, R n SnL4−n (where n =2, R=Me, n-Bu and Ph; n =3, R=Me, n-Bu, n-Pr and Ph; HL=5-amino-3H-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-thione) have been synthesized by the reaction of RnSnCl4−n (where n =2 or 3, R=Me, n-Bu, n-Pr and Ph) and the sodium salt of the ligand. Oct2SnL2 was obtained by the reaction of Oct2SnO with HL in a 1:2 molar ratio under azeotropic removal of water. The bonding and coordination behavior in these derivatives are discussed on the basis of IR, Far-IR, multinuclear (1H, 13C and 119Sn) NMR and 119Sn Mössbauer spectroscopic studies. These investigations suggest that in all the compounds the ligand acts as monoanionic bidentate coordinating through ring N(3) and exocyclic S. Thermal studies of five compounds, viz., Ph3SnL, Me2SnL2, n-Bu2SnL2, Oct2SnL2 and Ph2SnL2 have been carried out in the temperature range 25–1000°C using TG, DTG and DTA techniques under an atmosphere of dry nitrogen. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Several new triphenyl- and tricyclohexyltin para-substituted benzoates were synthesized. Their structures were characterized by IR and Mössbauer spectroscopies. The structures were determined to be four-coordinated monomers. Larvicidal activities of the new compounds as well as other benzoates were evaluated against the 2nd larval instar of the Anopheles stephensi and Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Results from the screening studies indicated that the triphenyltin benzoates were more toxic towards the Ae. aegypti larvae. A quantitative-structure activity relationship was also developed for the An. stephensi larvae. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Some organotin(IV) triazolates of general formula R n Sn(L)4− n (where R=Me, n-Bu and Ph for n =2; R=Me, n-Pr and n-Bu for n =3 and HL=3-amino-5-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole) have been synthesized by the reaction of R2SnCl2/R3SnCl with NaL in 1:2/1:1 molar ratio. Whereas, Oct2SnL2 has been synthesized azeotropically by the reaction of Oct2SnO and HL in 1:2 molar ratio. As good single crystals were not obtained, a large number of experimental techniques, viz. UV/Vis, IR, far-IR, multinuclear (1H, 13C and 119Sn) NMR and 119Sn Mössbauer spectroscopic studies, were used to accomplish a definitive characterization and determination of their most probable structures. In these compounds triazole acts as a monoanionic bidentate ligand, coordinating through Sexo and N(4). The IR and 119Sn Mössbauer spectroscopic studies allow us to deduce a highly distorted cis-trigonal-bipyramidal structure for R3SnL and a distorted skew trapezoidal-bipyramidal structure for R2SnL2, in the solid state. However, 1H, 13C and 119Sn NMR spectral studies revealed that weak bonding between tin and N(4) is further weakened in the solution leading to pseudo-tetrahedral/tetrahedral structure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Micropatterned cellular co-cultures were fabricated using three major extracellular matrix components: hyaluronic acid (HA), fibronectin (FN) and collagen. To fabricate co-cultures with these components, HA was micropatterned on a glass substrate by capillary force lithography, and the regions of exposed glass were coated with FN to generate cell adhesive islands. Once the first cell type was immobilized on the adhesive islands, the subsequent electrostatic adsorption of collagen to HA patterns switched the non-adherent HA surfaces to adherent, thereby facilitating the adhesion of a second cell type. This technique utilized native extracellular matrix components and therefore affords high biological affinity and no cytotoxicity. This biocompatible co-culture system could potentially provide a new tool to study cell behavior such as cell–cell communication and cell–matrix interactions, as well as tissue-engineering applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Nanoparticles and microparticles have many potential biomedical applications ranging from imaging to drug delivery. Therefore, in vitro systems that can analyze and optimize the interaction of such particles with cells may be beneficial. Here, we report a microfluidic system that can be used to study these interactions. As a model system, we evaluated the interaction of polymeric nanoparticles and microparticles and similar particles conjugated to aptamers that recognize the transmembrane prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA), with cells seeded in microchannels. The binding of particles to cells that expressed or did not express the PSMA (LNCaP or PC3, respectively) were evaluated with respect to changes in fluid shear stress, PSMA expression on target cells, and particle size. Nanoparticle-aptamer bioconjugates selectively adhered to LNCaP but not PC3 cells at static and low shear (<1 dyn/cm²) but not higher shear (∼4.5 dyn/cm²) conditions. Control nanoparticles and microparticles lacking aptamers and microparticle-aptamer bioconju gates did not adhere to LNCaP cells, even under very low shear conditions (∼0.28 dyn/cm²). These results demonstrate that the interaction of particles with cells can be studied under controlled conditions, which may aid in the engineering of desired particle characteristics. The scalability, low cost, reproducibility, and high-throughput capability of this technology is potentially beneficial to examining and optimizing a wide array of cell-particle systems prior to in vivo experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A series of new five-coordinated ionic organotin(IV) complexes with general formula [Q][Me2Sn(μ2-SCH2COO)Cl](Q=diethylammonium, triethylammonium, di-i-propylammonium, tripropylammonium, tri-n-butylammonium, pyrimidium, 3-picolinium, methylphenylammonium, dimethylphenylammonium) were synthesized by the reaction of mercaptoacetic acid with dimethyltin dichloride in the presence of an organic base. These complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses, IR and 1H NMR spectroscopies. The crystal structure of [(n-Pr)3NH][Me2Sn(μ2-SCH2COO)Cl] was determined by X-ray crystallography. The structure consists of an anion part, and a tri-n-propylammonium cation part as a counterion. The tin atom has a distorted cis-tbp geometry with two carbon and one sulfur atoms occupying the equatorial positions and the O atom and Cl atom occupying the axial positions. The organotin anion and its counterion are connected through a hydrogen bond between the N atom in the ammonium and the O atom of the carbonyl group with a N–O length of 2.766 Å. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The tri-n-butyltin(IV) complexes of 2-[(E)-2-(3-formyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-diazenyl]benzoic acid and 4-[((E)-1-{2-hydroxy-5-[(E)-2-(2-carboxyphenyl)-1-diazenyl]phenyl}methylidene)amino]aryls (aryls = 4-CH3, 4-Br, 4-Cl, 4-OCH3) have been synthesized and characterized by 1H, 13C, 119Sn NMR, IR and 119mSn Mössbauer spectroscopic techniques in combination with elemental analysis. The crystal structures of two compounds, (Bu3Sn[O2CC6H4{N=N(C6H3-4-OH-5-CHO)}-o])n and (Bu3Sn[O2CC6H4{N=N(C6H3-4-OH(C(H)=NC6H4Cl-4))}-o])n, are reported.The crystallographic and 119Sn Mössbauer data both indicate that the tributyltin complexes form single-stranded polymeric structures in which the carboxylate O atoms of each aryl ligand bridge two Sn atoms. The Sn atoms have a slighly distorted trigonal bipyramidal coordination geometry with equatorial butyl groups and carboxylate O atoms occupying axial positions. The 119Sn NMR spectroscopic data and the 1J(13C–119/117Sn) coupling constant indicate a tetrahedral coordination geometry in non-coordinating solvents. The results of a toxicity study of a tributyltin compound on the second larval instar of Aedes aegypti mosquito larvae are reported. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The control of surface properties and spatial presentation of functional molecules within a microfluidic channel is important for the development of diagnostic assays and microreactors and for performing fundamental studies of cell biology and fluid mechanics. Here, we present a simple technique, applicable to many soft lithographic methods, to fabricate robust microchannels with precise control over the spatial properties of the substrate. In this approach, the patterned regions were protected from oxygen plasma by controlling the dimensions of the poly-(dimethylsiloxafle) (PDMS) stamp and by leaving the stamp in place during the plasma treatment process. The PDMS stamp was then removed, and the microfluidic mold was irreversibly bonded to the substrate. The approach was used to pattern a nonbiofouling poly- (ethylene glycol)-based copolymer or the polysaccharide hyaluronic acid within microfluidic channels. These non-biofouling patterns were then used to fabricate arrays of fibronectin and bovine serum albumin as well as mammalian cells. In addition, further control over the deposition of multiple proteins onto multiple or individual patterns was achieved using laminar flow. Also, cells that were patterned within channels remained viable and capable of performing intracellular reactions and could be potentially lysed for analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The CD155/TIGIT axis can be co-opted during immune evasion in chronic viral infections and cancer. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal malignancy, and immune-based strategies to combat this disease have been largely unsuccessful to date. We corroborate prior reports that a substantial portion of PDAC harbors predicted high-affinity MHC class I-restricted neoepitopes and extend these findings to advanced/metastatic disease. Using multiple preclinical models of neoantigen-expressing PDAC, we demonstrate that intratumoral neoantigen-specific CD8+ T cells adopt multiple states of dysfunction, resembling those in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes of PDAC patients. Mechanistically, genetic and/or pharmacologic modulation of the CD155/TIGIT axis was sufficient to promote immune evasion in autochthonous neoantigen-expressing PDAC. Finally, we demonstrate that the CD155/TIGIT axis is critical in maintaining immune evasion in PDAC and uncover a combination immunotherapy (TIGIT/PD-1 co-blockade plus CD40 agonism) that elicits profound anti-tumor responses in preclinical models, now poised for clinical evaluation. [Display omitted] • A subset of neoantigen-expressing pancreas cancer evades immune surveillance • Markers of T cell exhaustion typify pancreas cancer tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes • The CD155/TIGIT axis promotes immune evasion in pancreas cancer • TIGIT/PD-1 co-blockade plus CD40 agonism reinvigorates tumor-reactive T cells Freed-Pastor et al. identify the CD155/TIGIT axis as a key driver of immune evasion in pancreas cancer. Neoepitope prediction reveals a subset of human pancreas cancer patients with predicted high-affinity neoepitopes and functional interrogation using preclinical models identifies a combination immunotherapy approach (TIGIT/PD-1 co-blockade plus CD40 agonism) capable of eliciting profound anti-tumor responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In tumors, a subset of CD8+ T cells expressing the transcription factor TCF-1 drives the response to immune checkpoint blockade. We examined the mechanisms that maintain these cells in an autochthonous model of lung adenocarcinoma. Longitudinal sampling and single-cell sequencing of tumor-antigen specific TCF-1+ CD8+ T cells revealed that while intratumoral TCF-1+ CD8+ T cells acquired dysfunctional features and decreased in number as tumors progressed, TCF-1+ CD8+ T cell frequency in the tumor draining LN (dLN) remained stable. Two discrete intratumoral TCF-1+ CD8+ T cell subsets developed over time—a proliferative SlamF6+ subset and a non-cycling SlamF6− subset. Blocking dLN egress decreased the frequency of intratumoral SlamF6+ TCF-1+ CD8+ T cells. Conventional type I dendritic cell (cDC1) in dLN decreased in number with tumor progression, and Flt3L+anti-CD40 treatment recovered SlamF6+ T cell frequencies and decreased tumor burden. Thus, cDC1s in tumor dLN maintain a reservoir of TCF-1+ CD8+ T cells and their decrease contributes to failed anti-tumor immunity. [Display omitted] • Longitudinal scRNA-seq of tumor-specific TCF-1+ CD8+ T cells in KP lung adenocarcinoma • Identified a proliferative Slamf6+ TCF-1+ T cell subset and a non-cycling SlamF6− subset • The lymph node contains a recruitable reservoir of functional TCF-1+ CD8+ T cells • Flt3L+CD40 boosts cDC1, increases TCF-1+CD8+ T cell frequencies, decreases tumor burden In tumors, TCF-1+ CD8+ T cells drive the response to immune checkpoint blockade. Schenkel, Herbst et al. reveal that, in lung adenocarcinoma, a reservoir of TCF-1+ CD8+ T cells is maintained in tumor draining lymph nodes by conventional type I dendritic cell (cDC1). Decrease of these cDC1 as the tumor progresses contributes to failed anti-tumor immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

5-fluorouracil (5-FU), a major anti-cancer therapeutic, is believed to function primarily by inhibiting thymidylate synthase, depleting deoxythymidine triphosphate (dTTP), and causing DNA damage. Here, we show that clinical combinations of 5-FU with oxaliplatin or irinotecan show no synergy in human colorectal cancer (CRC) trials and sub-additive killing in CRC cell lines. Using selective 5-FU metabolites, phospho- and ubiquitin proteomics, and primary human CRC organoids, we demonstrate that 5-FU-mediated CRC cell killing primarily involves an RNA damage response during ribosome biogenesis, causing lysosomal degradation of damaged rRNAs and proteasomal degradation of ubiquitinated ribosomal proteins. Tumor types clinically responsive to 5-FU treatment show upregulated rRNA biogenesis while 5-FU clinically non-responsive tumor types do not, instead showing greater sensitivity to 5-FU's DNA damage effects. Finally, we show that treatments upregulating ribosome biogenesis, including KDM2A inhibition, promote RNA-dependent cell killing by 5-FU, demonstrating the potential for combinatorial targeting of this ribosomal RNA damage response for improved cancer therapy., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A hallmark of cancer is the avoidance of immune destruction. This process has been primarily investigated in locally advanced or metastatic cancer 1-3 ; however, much less is known about how pre-malignant or early invasive tumours evade immune detection. Here, to understand this process in early colorectal cancers (CRCs), we investigated how naive colon cancer organoids that were engineered in vitro to harbour Apc-null, Kras G12D and Trp53-null (AKP) mutations adapted to the in vivo native colonic environment. Comprehensive transcriptomic and chromatin analyses revealed that the endoderm-specifying transcription factor SOX17 became strongly upregulated in vivo. Notably, whereas SOX17 loss did not affect AKP organoid propagation in vitro, its loss markedly reduced the ability of AKP tumours to persist in vivo. The small fraction of SOX17-null tumours that grew displayed notable interferon-γ (IFNγ)-producing effector-like CD8 + T cell infiltrates in contrast to the immune-suppressive microenvironment in wild-type counterparts. Mechanistically, in both endogenous Apc-null pre-malignant adenomas and transplanted organoid-derived AKP CRCs, SOX17 suppresses the ability of tumour cells to sense and respond to IFNγ, preventing anti-tumour T cell responses. Finally, SOX17 engages a fetal intestinal programme that drives differentiation away from LGR5 + tumour cells to produce immune-evasive LGR5 - tumour cells with lower expression of major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I). We propose that SOX17 is a transcription factor that is engaged during the early steps of colon cancer to orchestrate an immune-evasive programme that permits CRC initiation and progression., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Improved biomarkers are needed for early cancer detection, risk stratification, treatment selection, and monitoring treatment response. Although proteins can be useful blood-based biomarkers, many have limited sensitivity or specificity for these applications. Long INterspersed Element-1 (LINE-1) open reading frame 1 protein (ORF1p) is a transposable element protein overexpressed in carcinomas and high-risk precursors during carcinogenesis with negligible expression in normal tissues, suggesting ORF1p could be a highly specific cancer biomarker. To explore ORF1p as a blood-based biomarker, we engineered ultrasensitive digital immunoassays that detect mid-attomolar (10-17 mol/L) ORF1p concentrations in plasma across multiple cancers with high specificity. Plasma ORF1p shows promise for early detection of ovarian cancer, improves diagnostic performance in a multianalyte panel, provides early therapeutic response monitoring in gastroesophageal cancers, and is prognostic for overall survival in gastroesophageal and colorectal cancers. Together, these observations nominate ORF1p as a multicancer biomarker with potential utility for disease detection and monitoring., Significance: The LINE-1 ORF1p transposon protein is pervasively expressed in many cancers and is a highly specific biomarker of multiple common, lethal carcinomas and their high-risk precursors in tissue and blood. Ultrasensitive ORF1p assays from as little as 25 μL plasma are novel, rapid, cost-effective tools in cancer detection and monitoring. See related commentary by Doucet and Cristofari, p. 2502. This article is featured in Selected Articles from This Issue, p. 2489., (©2023 The Authors; Published by the American Association for Cancer Research.)

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal and treatment-refractory cancer. Molecular stratification in pancreatic cancer remains rudimentary and does not yet inform clinical management or therapeutic development. Here, we construct a high-resolution molecular landscape of the cellular subtypes and spatial communities that compose PDAC using single-nucleus RNA sequencing and whole-transcriptome digital spatial profiling (DSP) of 43 primary PDAC tumor specimens that either received neoadjuvant therapy or were treatment naive. We uncovered recurrent expression programs across malignant cells and fibroblasts, including a newly identified neural-like progenitor malignant cell program that was enriched after chemotherapy and radiotherapy and associated with poor prognosis in independent cohorts. Integrating spatial and cellular profiles revealed three multicellular communities with distinct contributions from malignant, fibroblast and immune subtypes: classical, squamoid-basaloid and treatment enriched. Our refined molecular and cellular taxonomy can provide a framework for stratification in clinical trials and serve as a roadmap for therapeutic targeting of specific cellular phenotypes and multicellular interactions., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature America, Inc.)

The clinical significance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2) RNA in stool remains uncertain. We found that extrapulmonary dissemination of infection to the gastrointestinal tract, assessed by the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in stool, is associated with decreased coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) survival. Measurement of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in stool may have utility for clinical risk assessment., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Immune evasion is a hallmark of cancer, and therapies that restore immune surveillance have proven highly effective in cancers with high tumor mutation burden (TMB) (e.g., those with microsatellite instability (MSI)). Whether low TMB cancers, which are largely refractory to immunotherapy, harbor potentially immunogenic neoantigens remains unclear. Here, we show that tumors from all patients with microsatellite stable (MSS) colorectal cancer (CRC) express clonal predicted neoantigens despite low TMB. Unexpectedly, these neoantigens are broadly expressed at lower levels compared to those in MSI CRC. Using a versatile platform for modulating neoantigen expression in CRC organoids and transplantation into the distal colon of mice, we show that low expression precludes productive cross priming and drives immediate T cell dysfunction. Strikingly, experimental or therapeutic rescue of priming rendered T cells capable of controlling tumors with low neoantigen expression. These findings underscore a critical role of neoantigen expression level in immune evasion and therapy response.

Rationale: Data on the molecular mechanisms that regulate platelet-pulmonary endothelial adhesion under conditions of hypoxia are lacking, but may have important therapeutic implications. Objectives: To identify a hypoxia-sensitive, modifiable mediator of platelet-pulmonary artery endothelial cell adhesion and thrombotic remodeling. Methods: Network medicine was used to profile protein-protein interactions in hypoxia-treated human pulmonary artery endothelial cells. Data from liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and microscale thermophoresis informed the development of a novel antibody (Ab) to inhibit platelet-endothelial adhesion, which was tested in cells from patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) and three animal models in vivo . Measurements and Main Results: The protein NEDD9 was identified in the hypoxia thrombosome network in silico . Compared with normoxia, hypoxia (0.2% O 2 ) for 24 hours increased HIF-1α (hypoxia-inducible factor-1α)-dependent NEDD9 upregulation in vitro . Increased NEDD9 was localized to the plasma-membrane surface of cells from control donors and patients with CTEPH. In endarterectomy specimens, NEDD9 colocalized with the platelet surface adhesion molecule P-selectin. Our custom-made anti-NEDD9 Ab targeted the NEDD9-P-selectin interaction and inhibited the adhesion of activated platelets to pulmonary artery endothelial cells from control donors in vitro and from patients with CTEPH ex vivo . Compared with control mice, platelet-pulmonary endothelial aggregates and pulmonary hypertension induced by ADP were decreased in NEDD9 -/- mice or wild-type mice treated with the anti-NEDD9 Ab, which also decreased chronic pulmonary thromboembolic remodeling in vivo . Conclusions: The NEDD9-P-selectin protein-protein interaction is a modifiable target with which to inhibit platelet-pulmonary endothelial adhesion and thromboembolic vascular remodeling, with potential therapeutic implications for patients with disorders of increased hypoxia signaling pathways, including CTEPH.

Background: The gut microbiome plays an important role in human health and disease. Gnotobiotic animal and in vitro cell-based models provide some informative insights into mechanistic crosstalk. However, there is no existing system for a long-term co-culture of a human colonic mucosal barrier with super oxygen-sensitive commensal microbes, hindering the study of human-microbe interactions in a controlled manner., Methods: Here, we investigated the effects of an abundant super oxygen-sensitive commensal anaerobe, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, on a primary human mucosal barrier using a Gut-MIcrobiome (GuMI) physiome platform that we designed and fabricated., Findings: Long-term continuous co-culture of F. prausnitzii for two days with colon epithelia, enabled by continuous flow of completely anoxic apical media and aerobic basal media, resulted in a strictly anaerobic apical environment fostering growth of and butyrate production by F. prausnitzii , while maintaining a stable colon epithelial barrier. We identified elevated differentiation and hypoxia-responsive genes and pathways in the platform compared with conventional aerobic static culture of the colon epithelia, attributable to a combination of anaerobic environment and continuous medium replenishment. Furthermore, we demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects of F. prausnitzii through HDAC and the TLR-NFKB axis. Finally, we identified that butyrate largely contributes to the anti-inflammatory effects by downregulating TLR3 and TLR4., Conclusions: Our results are consistent with some clinical observations regarding F. prausnitzii, thus motivating further studies employing this platform with more complex engineered colon tissues for understanding the interaction between the human colonic mucosal barrier and microbiota, pathogens, or engineered bacteria.

Introduction: Somatic mutations in BRCA1/2 and other homologous recombination repair (HRR) genes have been associated with sensitivity to PARP inhibitors and/or platinum agents in several cancers, whereas hypermutant tumors caused by alterations in POLE or mismatch repair genes have demonstrated robust responses to immunotherapy. We investigated the relationship between somatic truncations in HRR genes and hypermutation in colorectal cancer (CRC) and endometrial cancer (EC)., Methods: We analyzed the mutational spectra associated with somatic BRCA1/2 truncations in multiple genomic cohorts (N = 2,335). From these results, we devised a classifier incorporating HRR genes to predict hypermutator status among microsatellite stable (MSS) tumors. Using additional genomic cohorts (N = 1,439) and functional in vivo assays, we tested the classifier to disambiguate POLE variants of unknown significance and identify MSS hypermutators without somatic POLE exonuclease domain mutations., Results: Hypermutator phenotypes were prevalent among CRCs with somatic BRCA1/2 truncations (50/62, 80.6%) and ECs with such mutations (44/47, 93.6%). The classifier predicted MSS hypermutators with a cumulative true-positive rate of 100% in CRC and 98.0% in EC and a false-positive rate of 0.07% and 0.63%. Validated by signature analyses of tumor exomes and in vivo assays, the classifier accurately reassigned multiple POLE variants of unknown significance as pathogenic and identified MSS hypermutant samples without POLE exonuclease domain mutations., Discussion: Somatic truncations in HRR can accurately fingerprint MSS hypermutators with or without known pathogenic exonuclease domain mutations in POLE and may serve as a low-cost biomarker for immunotherapy decisions in MSS CRC and EC.

Purpose: Most patients with cancer are not screened for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection before undergoing anticancer therapy, and optimal screening strategies are unknown. We sought to develop selective HBV screening strategies for patients who require systemic anticancer therapy., Methods: This prospective cohort study included adults age ≥ 18 years with solid or hematologic malignancies who received systemic anticancer therapy at a comprehensive cancer center during 2013 and 2014. Patients underwent hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis B core antibody, and hepatitis B surface antibody testing, and completed a 19-question modified Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) HBV survey. Multivariable models that predict chronic or past HBV infection were developed and validated using bootstrapping., Results: A total of 2,124 patients (mean age, 58 ± 13 years) completed the risk survey and HBV testing. Of these, 54% were women; 77% were non-Hispanic white, 11% Hispanic, 8% black, and 4% Asian; and 20% had a hematologic malignancy and 80% a solid tumor. Almost 12% were born outside the United States. The prevalence was 0.3% for chronic HBV infection and 6% for past HBV infection. Significant predictors of positive hepatitis B surface antigen or hepatitis B core antibody tests were as follows: men who had sex with men, black or Asian race, birthplace outside the United States, parent's birthplace outside the United States, household exposure to HBV, age ≥ 50 years, and history of injection drug use. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the model on the basis of these seven predictors was 0.79 (95% CI, 0.73 to 0.82). The modified CDC survey and brief tools with fewer than seven questions yielded similar false-negative rates (0% and 0% to 0.7%, respectively)., Conclusion: An internally validated risk tool performed as well as the modified CDC survey; however, more than 90% of patients who completed the tool would still require HBV testing. Universal HBV testing is more efficient than risk-based screening.

Background: Diffuse peritoneal malignant mesothelioma (DPM) is caused by exposure to asbestos. The medical literature has linked DPM primarily to high levels of asbestos exposure, in particular amosite. Controversy persists as to whether chrysotile is capable of causing DPM, especially when exposures are paraoccupational., Methods: Sixty-two subjects (51 men, 11 women) with DPM were reviewed in medical-legal consultation with deposition and product identification evidence., Results: All had pathologically confirmed DPM. Most were exposed to both amphibole and chrysotile, but chrysotile alone was documented in 14/62 (26%) cases. A total of 7/14 (50%) cases of the paraoccupational exposures were to chrysotile alone. Women were younger than men as were those with paraoccupational versus those with occupational exposure. The mean duration of exposure for all cases was 17.9 ± 10 years and latency from time of first exposure was 45.9 + 11.6 years., Conclusions: DPM occurs with both occupational and paraoccupational exposures to asbestos and may be seen in paraoccupational exposures to chrysotile asbestos., (© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

This modular assembly approach to microfabricate functional cardiovascular tissue composites enables quantitative assessment of the effects of microarchitecture on cellular function. Cardiac and endothelial modules are micromolded separately, designed to direct cardiomyocyte alignment and anisotropic contraction or vascular network formation. Assembled cardiovascular tissue composites contract synchronously, facilitating the use of this tissue-engineering platform to study structure-function relationships in the heart., (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Accurate and rapid classification of cardiac amyloidosis is important for patient management. We have optimized the use of serum free light chain kappa and lambda values to differentiate immunoglobulin light chain amyloid (AL) amyloidosis from transthyretin amyloid and amyloid A using 85 cases of tissue-proven cardiac amyloidosis, in which there was direct classification of amyloidosis by mass spectrometry or immunofluorescence. The serum free light chain kappa/lambda ratios were non-overlapping for the three major groups: AL-lambda (0.01-0.41, n = 30), non-AL (0.52-2.7, n = 43), and AL-kappa (6.7-967, n = 12). A kappa/lambda ratio value between 0.5 and 5.0 had 100 % sensitivity and 100 % specificity for distinguishing AL amyloidosis from non-AL amyloidosis. This optimized range for serum light chain kappa/lambda ratio provides extremely robust classification of cardiac amyloidosis. Cases of cardiac amyloidosis in which the serum kappa/lambda free light chain ratio falls close to these new cutoff values may benefit most from direct amyloid subtyping.

Objective: To study the interactions between vascular endothelial cells and meniscal fibrochondrocytes from the inner avascular and outer vascular regions of the meniscus and to identify angiogenic factors that enhance cell migration and integrative repair., Methods: Bovine meniscal fibrochondrocytes (bMFCs) from the inner and outer regions of meniscus were cultured for 7 days with or without human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in a micropatterned 3-dimensional hydrogel system for assessment of cell migration. Angiogenic factors secreted by HUVECs were probed for their role in paracrine mechanisms governing bMFC migration and applied to a full-thickness defect model of meniscal repair in explants from the inner and outer meniscal regions over 4 weeks., Results: Endothelial cells enhanced the migration of inner and outer bMFCs in the micropatterned system via endothelin 1 (ET-1) signaling. Supplementation with ET-1 significantly enhanced the integration strength of full-thickness defects in the inner and outer explants, as well as cell migration at the macroscale level, as compared to controls without ET-1 treatment., Conclusion: This study is the first to show that bMFCs from both the avascular and vascular regions of the meniscus respond to the presence of endothelial cells with increased migration. Paracrine signaling by endothelial cells regulates the bMFCs differentially by region, but we identified ET-1 as an angiogenic factor that stimulates the migration of inner and outer cells at the microscale level and the integrative repair of inner and outer explants at the macroscale level. These findings reveal the regional interactions between the vasculature and MFCs, and suggest ET-1 as a potential new treatment for avascular meniscus injuries in order to prevent the development of osteoarthritis., (Copyright © 2015 by the American College of Rheumatology.)

Background: Receptor for advanced glycated end product (RAGE) expression is a prominent feature of atherosclerosis. We have previously shown in apoE null mice uptake of a radiolabeled anti-RAGE antibody in atherosclerotic plaque and now evaluate RAGE-directed imaging to identify advanced plaques in a large animal model., Methods: Nine hyperlipidemic (HL) pigs were injected with 603.1 ± 129.5 MBq of (99m)Tc-anti-RAGE F(ab')2, and after 6 h (blood pool clearance), they underwent single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) imaging of the neck, thorax, and hind limbs. Two HL pigs received (99m)Tc non-immune IgG F(ab')2, and three farm pigs were injected with (99m)Tc-anti-RAGE F(ab')2. After imaging, the pigs were euthanized. The aorta from the root to bifurcation was dissected, and the innominates, proximal carotids, and coronaries were dissected and counted, stained for H&E and RAGE, and AHA-classified., Results: On pathology, 24% of the arterial segments showed AHA class III or IV lesions, and these lesions were confined almost exclusively to coronaries and carotids with % stenosis from 15% to 65%. Scatter plots of %ID/g for class III/IV vs. I/II lesions showed almost complete separation. Focal vascular uptake of tracer visualized on SPECT scans corresponded to class III/IV lesions in the coronary and carotid vessels. In addition, uptake in the hind limbs was noted in the HL pigs and corresponded to RAGE staining of small arteries in the muscle sections. Correlations for the vascular lesions were r = 0.747, P = 0.001 for %ID vs. %ID/g and r = 0.83, P = 0.002 for %ID/g vs. % RAGE staining., Conclusions: Uptake of radiolabeled anti-RAGE antibody in coronary and carotid fibroatheroma and in the small arteries of the hind limbs in a relevant large animal model of atherosclerosis supports the important role of RAGE in atherosclerosis and peripheral artery disease as a target for imaging and treatment.

The development of in vitro methods of engineering three-dimensional cardiac tissues can be useful for tissue replacement, diagnostics and drug discovery. Here, we introduce the use of patterned hyaluronic acid (HA) substrates generated using microfluidic patterning as a method of fabricating 3D cardiac organoids. HA micropatterns served as inductive templates for organoid assembly. Upon seeding, cardiomyocytes elongated and aligned along the pattern direction attaching preferentially to the glass substrate and the interface between HA patterns and glass substrate. After 3 days in culture, the linearly aligned myocytes detached from the surface and formed contractile cardiac organoids. The procedure can be utilized to simply, rapidly and inexpensively create in vitro cardiac tissue models.

This paper presents a training method that is of no more than feedforward complexity for fully recurrent networks. The method is not approximate, but rather depends on an exact transformation that reveals an embedded feedforward structure in every recurrent network. It turns out that given any unambiguous training data set, such as samples of the state variables and their derivatives, we need only to train this embedded feedforward structure. The necessary recurrent network parameters are then obtained by an inverse transformation that consists only of linear operators. As an example of modeling a representative nonlinear dynamical system, the method is applied to learn Bessel's differential equation, thereby generating Bessel functions within, as well as outside the training set.

The probabilistic distribution properties of a set of medical images are studied. It is shown that the generalized Gaussian function provides a good approximation to the distribution of AP chest radiographs. Based on this result and a goodness-of-fit test, a generalized Gaussian autoregressive model (GGAR) is proposed. Its properties and limitations are also discussed. It is expected that the GGAR model will be useful in describing the stochastic characteristics of some classes of medical images and in image data compression and other applications.