Multigene Profiling of Circulating Tumor Cells in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Identifies Prognostic Cancer Driver Genes Associated with Epithelial-Mesenchymal-Transition Progression and Chemoresistance.

We investigated the clinical significance of CTCs in cancer progression by detecting multiple cancer driver genes associated with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) at the transcript level. The 10-gene panel, comprising , , , , , , , , , and , was established for characterizing CTCs from mouse ESCC xenograft models and clinical ESCC peripheral blood (PB) samples. Correlations between gene expression in CTCs from PB samples ( = 77) and clinicopathological features in ESCC patients ( = 55) were examined.

Circulating Tumor DNA Dynamics as Prognostic Markers in Locally Advanced and Metastatic Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Importance: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a deadly disease with frequent recurrence. There are unmet needs for prognostic biomarkers for dynamically monitoring disease progression and detecting minimal residual disease.

Objective: To examine whether circulating tumor DNA is clinically useful as a prognostic biomarker for ESCC recurrence and patient survival.

Circulating Tumor Cell Enumeration for Serial Monitoring of Treatment Outcomes for Locally Advanced Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

We aim to reveal the clinical significance and potential usefulness of dynamic monitoring of CTCs to track therapeutic responses and improve survival for advanced ESCC patients. Peripheral blood (PB) ( = 389) and azygos vein blood (AVB) ( = 13) samplings were recruited prospectively from 88 ESCC patients undergoing curative surgery from 2017 to 2022. Longitudinal CTC enumeration was performed with epithelial (EpCAM/pan-cytokeratins/MUC1) and mesenchymal (vimentin) markers at 12 serial timepoints at any of the pre-treatment, all of the post-treatments/pre-surgery, post-surgery follow-ups for 3-year, and relapse.

An Inhibitory Role for Human CD96 Endodomain in T Cell Anti-Tumor Responses.

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy involves the inhibition of immune checkpoint regulators which reverses their limitation of T cell anti-tumor responses and results in long-lasting tumor regression. However, poor clinical response or tumor relapse was observed in some patients receiving such therapy administered via antibodies blocking the cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) or the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) pathway alone or in combination, suggesting the involvement of additional immune checkpoints. CD96, a possible immune checkpoint, was previously shown to suppress natural killer (NK) cell anti-tumor activity but its role in human T cells remains controversial.

Delayed Treatment with Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells Accelerates Functional Recovery and Modifies Responses of Peri-Infarct Astrocytes Following Photothrombotic Stroke in Rats.

Dental pulp contains multipotent mesenchymal stem cells that improve outcomes when administered early after temporary middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats. To further assess the therapeutic potential of these cells, we tested whether functional recovery following stroke induced by photothrombosis could be modified by a delayed treatment that was initiated after the infarct attained maximal volume. Photothrombosis induces permanent focal ischemia resulting in tissue changes that better reflect key aspects of the many human strokes in which early restoration of blood flow does not occur.