Photodynamic Therapy Using RGD-Functionalized Quantum Dots Elicit a Potent Immune Response in a Syngeneic Mouse Model of Pancreatic Cancer.

Purpose: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) induces anti-tumor immune responses by triggering immunogenic cell death in tumor cells. Previously, we demonstrated that novel QDs-RGD nanoparticles exhibited high efficiency as photosensitizers in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. However, the underlying mechanism of the anti-tumor immune effects induced by the photosensitizer remains unknown.

Efficacy and long-term outcomes of single-balloon enteroscopy-assisted treatment for biliary obstruction after choledochojejunostomy.

Background: To evaluate the long-term efficacy of single-balloon enteroscopy endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (SBE-ERC) for the treatment of biliary obstruction and to analyze the factors affecting the recurrence of benign bilioenteric anastomotic stricture after SBE-ERC treatment.

Methods: The clinical data of patients with biliary diseases treated with SBE-ERC after choledochojejunostomy in our hospital from January 2015 to December 2021 were analyzed retrospectively for the success rates of diagnosis and treatment and the incidence of complications. Patients who were diagnosed with benign bilioenteric anastomotic stricture were followed up.

Endoscopic polidocanol foam sclerobanding for the treatment of grade II-III internal hemorrhoids: A prospective, multi-center, randomized study.

Background: Endoscopic rubber band ligation (ERBL) is a nonsurgical technique for the treatment of symptomatic internal hemorrhoids but is limited by recurrence and post-procedural pain.

Aim: To evaluate satisfaction, long-term recurrence, and post-procedural pain in managing internal hemorrhoids using a combination of polidocanol foam sclerotherapy and ERBL.

Methods: This was a prospective, multicenter, randomized study.

Novel lactylation-related signature to predict prognosis for pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Background: Lactate, previously considered a metabolic byproduct, is pivotal in cancer progression and maintaining the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Further investigations confirmed that lactate is a primary regulator, introducing recently described post-translational modifications of histone and non-histone proteins, termed lysine lactylation. Pancreatic adenocarcinomas are characterized by increased glycolysis and lactate accumulation.

Ductular reaction in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: When Macbeth is perverted.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or metabolic (dysfunction)-associated fatty liver disease is the leading cause of chronic liver diseases defined as a disease spectrum comprising hepatic steatosis, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatic carcinoma. NASH, characterized by hepatocyte injury, steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis, is associated with NAFLD prognosis. Ductular reaction (DR) is a common compensatory reaction associated with liver injury, which involves the hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs), hepatic stellate cells, myofibroblasts, inflammatory cells (such as macrophages), and their secreted substances.

Feasibility and efficacy of endoscopic purse-string suture-assisted closure for mucosal defects induced by endoscopic manipulations.

Background: Large or transmural defects induced by gastrointestinal endoscopic manipulations are difficult to close, although complete closure is recommended for better recovery. Endoscopic purse-string assisted suturing (EPSS) has been used in clinical practice and has proven to be an effective and safe technique for the closure of large mucosal defects. However, details regarding the efficacy of endoscopic pre-purse-string suture (P-EPSS) are unknown, especially that it offers several advantages over conventional EPSS (C-EPSS).

Combining protein arginine methyltransferase inhibitor and anti-programmed death-ligand-1 inhibits pancreatic cancer progression.

Background: Immunotherapy targeting programmed death-1 (PD-1) or programmed death-ligand-1 (PD-L1) has been shown to be effective in a variety of malignancies but has poor efficacy in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Studies have shown that PD-L1 expression in tumors is an important indicator of the efficacy of immunotherapy. Tumor cells usually evade chemotherapy and host immune surveillance by epigenetic changes.

Preliminary study on the inhibitory effect of tumor suppressor gene KPC1 on the proliferation in gastric carcinoma cell.

Background: To investigate Kip1 ubiquitination-promoting complex 1 (KPC1) expression and its relationship with NF-κB p50 in gastric cancer cell lines.

Methods: The expression of KPC1 and NF-κB p50 in tissue samples from 159 gastric cancer patients after tumor resection and normal gastric mucosa samples from 56 patients as negative controls was retrospectively studied. The relationship between KPC1, NF-κB p50, and clinicopathological factors was analyzed, and the correlation between KPC1 and cytoplasmic NF-κB p50 was determined.

A Delta-radiomics model for preoperative evaluation of Neoadjuvant chemotherapy response in high-grade osteosarcoma.

Background: The difficulty of assessment of neoadjuvant chemotherapeutic response preoperatively may hinder personalized-medicine strategies that depend on the results from pathological examination.

Methods: A total of 191 patients with high-grade osteosarcoma (HOS) were enrolled retrospectively from November 2013 to November 2017 and received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT). A cutoff time of November 2016 was used to divide the training set and validation set.

Application of single balloon enteroscopy-assisted therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in patients after bilioenteric Roux-en-Y anastomosis: Experience of multi-disciplinary collaboration.

Background: Bilioenteric Roux-en-Y anastomosis is one of the most complicated approaches for reconstructing the gastrointestinal tract, and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is technically challenging in patients after bilioenteric Roux-en-Y anastomosis. The optimal endoscopic strategies for such cases remain unknown.

Aim: To explore the feasibility and effectiveness of single balloon enteroscopy-assisted (SBE-assisted) therapeutic ERCP in patients after bilioenteric Roux-en-Y anastomosis based on multi-disciplinary collaboration between endoscopists and surgeons as well as report the experience from China.

Moderate to severe hepatic steatosis leads to overestimation of liver stiffness measurement in chronic hepatitis B patients without significant fibrosis.

Background: Liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by transient elastography is a noninvasive method for the diagnosis of hepatic fibrosis. The impact of hepatic steatosis on LSM remains to be explored.

Aim: To determine whether LSM is affected by hepatic steatosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

Effect of photodynamic therapy with (17R,18R)-2-(1-hexyloxyethyl)-2-devinyl chlorine E6 trisodium salt on pancreatic cancer cells and .

Aim: To investigate the antitumor effects and underlying mechanisms of (17R,18R)-2-(1-hexyloxyethyl)-2-devinyl chlorine E6 trisodium salt (YLG-1)-induced photodynamic therapy (PDT) on pancreatic cancer and .

Methods: YLG-1 is a novel photosensitizer extracted from spirulina. Its phototoxicity, cellular uptake and localization, as well as its effect on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, apoptosis, and expression of apoptosis-associated proteins were detected .

Biodistribution and toxicity assessment of intratumorally injected arginine-glycine-aspartic acid peptide conjugated to CdSe/ZnS quantum dots in mice bearing pancreatic neoplasm.

Quantum dots (QDs) conjugated with arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) peptides (which are integrin antagonists) are novel nanomaterials with the unique optical property of high molar extinction coefficient, and they have potential utility as photosensitizers in photodynamic therapy (PDT). Our group previously demonstrated significant benefits of using PDT with QD-RGD on pancreatic tumor cells. This study aimed to evaluate the biodistribution and toxicity of QD-RGD in mice prior to in vivo application.

Effects of arginine-glycine-aspartic acid peptide-conjugated quantum dots-induced photodynamic therapy on pancreatic carcinoma in vivo.

Quantum dots (QDs) conjugated with integrin antagonist arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) peptides (QDs-RGD) are novel nanomaterials with a unique optical property: a high molar extinction coefficient. Previously, we have shown that QDs-RGD demonstrate a photodynamic therapy (PDT) effect as new photosensitizers for the pancreatic cancer cell line SW1990 in vitro. Here, we investigate the application of QDs-RGD in mice bearing pancreatic tumors using PDT.

TM4SF1 Promotes Metastasis of Pancreatic Cancer via Regulating the Expression of DDR1.

Transmembrane-4-L-six-family-1(TM4SF1), a four-transmembrane L6 family member, is highly expressed in various pancreatic cancer cell lines and promotes cancer cells metastasis. However, the TM4SF1-associated signaling network in metastasis remains unknown. In the present study, we found that TM4SF1 affected the formation and function of invadopodia.

Expression Changes of Long Noncoding RNA in the Process of Endothelial Cell Activation.

Background: Endothelial cells have been shown to be in response to a variety of local and systemic stimuli, and are able to transition between quiescent and activated states. Endothelial cell activation is critical for the pathogenesis of various cardiovascular diseases. However, the expression changes of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are still unknown in the process of endothelial cell activation.

TM4SF1 Regulates Pancreatic Cancer Migration and Invasion In Vitro and In Vivo.

Background/aims: The cell surface protein transmembrane 4 L6 family member 1 (TM4SF1) has been detected in various tumors and plays a major role in the development of cancer. We aimed to investigate the effects of TM4SF1 on the migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer in vitro and in vivo and explore its related molecular mechanisms.

Methods: qRT-PCR and immunohistochemical analyses were used to measure the expression of TM4SF1 in pancreatic cancer tissues and adjacent tissues.

CdSe/ZnS quantum dots induce photodynamic effects and cytotoxicity in pancreatic cancer cells.

Aim: To investigate the photodynamic effect of CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) on pancreatic cancer cells and elucidate the probable mechanisms.

Methods: The pancreatic cancer cell line SW1990 was treated with different concentrations of CdSe/ZnS QDs (0, 0.5, 1.

Modulation of Gut Microbiota by Berberine Improves Steatohepatitis in High-Fat Diet-Fed BALB/C Mice.

Background: Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota underlies non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Ingredient of Chinese herbal medicine, berberine, has been proved to regulate the gut microbiota without systemic side effects. Therefore, we explored its effects on NASH induced by high-fat diet (HFD).

Expression and purification of functional HMGB1 A box by fusion with SUMO.

High‑mobility‑group‑box chromosomal protein 1 (HMGB1) is a ubiquitous and abundant nuclear protein in eukaryotic cells. Nuclear HMGB1 serves an important role in maintaining nuclear stability under stress. However, extracellular HMGB1 exerts actions, which are distinctly different compared with these intracellular functions.

Engineering of lipid prodrug-based, hyaluronic acid-decorated nanostructured lipid carriers platform for 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin combination gastric cancer therapy.

Purpose: The first-line chemotherapy treatment protocol for gastric cancer is combination chemotherapy of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin (CDDP). The aim of this study was to engineer prodrug-based nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) platform for codelivery of 5-FU and CDDP to enhance therapy and decrease toxicity.

Methods: First, 5-FU-stearic acid lipid conjugate was synthesized by two steps.

Diagnostic value of autofluorescence imaging combined with narrow band imaging in intraepithelial neoplasia of Barrett's esophagus.

Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic values of Auto Fluorescence Imaging (AFI) combined with Narrow Band Imaging (NBI) in the diagnosis of the intraepithelial neoplasia of Barrett's esophagus (BE).

Methods: Seventy four suspicious BE intraepithelial lesions were assessed in 50 patients by AFI, who were further subjected to NBI mode to observe the changes of gastric mucosal capillaries and gastric pits. The corresponding lesions were biopsied for pathological examination.