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Background Due to the lack of effective targeted therapies and the high likelihood of acquired resistance, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains one of the deadliest cancers affecting women globally. Investigating the mechanism underlying TNBC’s resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy and identifying new therapeutic targets are urgent priorities. Methods The expression level of GPX3, cisplatin sensitivity, and ROS production were compared across three TNBC cell lines to elucidate the relationship between GPX3 and platinum resistance. RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analyses of GPX3 knockdown cells revealed its regulation of stress-related signaling pathways and TGFB1. The regulation of TGFB1 by GPX3 was further investigated using Western blotting, RNA interference, confocal microscopy, and inhibitor treatments. The correlation between the expression level of GPX3, TGFB1, and ZEB2 was analyzed using breast cancer microarrays and the TCGA database. The effect of GPX3 on platinum sensitivity in TNBC was studied using a mouse xenograft model. Results GPX3 expression was upregulated in more invasive TNBC cells, promoting resistance to cisplatin-based chemotherapy. RNA sequencing revealed that the deletion of GPX3 resulted in a decrease in gene expression patterns associated with pro-tumor signaling pathways. Validation experiments confirmed that the upregulation of TGFB1 in acquired cisplatin resistance is highly dependent on GPX3. Further investigation revealed that the TGFB1-ZEB2 axis mediated platinum resistance and metastasis through epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Additionally, platinum treatment increased GPX3 and TGFB1 expression and secretion, and their depletion enhanced platinum sensitivity in TNBC cells. We identified the GPX3-TGFB1-ZEB2 regulatory axis and found a positive correlation in the expression of all three in clinical samples. Our study also demonstrated that GPX3 knockdown inhibited TNBC tumor growth in platinum-treated mouse models. Conclusions This study reveals the signaling pathway mediated by GPX3-TGFB1-ZEB2 and its role in acquired platinum resistance and EMT in TNBC. Our findings suggest that GPX3 is a promising biomarker and potential therapeutic target for the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of high-risk TNBC patients.

With the expansion of our knowledge on inborn errors of immunity (IEI), it gradually becomes clear that immune dysregulation plays an important part. In some cases, autoimmunity, hyperinflammation and lymphoproliferation are far more serious than infections. Thus, immune dysregulation has become significant in disease monitoring and treatment. In recent years, the wide application of whole-exome sequencing/whole-genome sequencing has tremendously promoted the discovery and further studies of new IEI. The number of discovered IEI is growing rapidly, followed by numerous studies of their pathogenesis and therapy. In this review, we focus on novel discovered primary immune dysregulation diseases, including deficiency of SLC7A7, CD122, DEF6, FERMT1, TGFB1, RIPK1, CD137, TET2 and SOCS1. We discuss their genetic mutation, symptoms and current therapeutic methods, and point out the gaps in this field.

BackgroundResistance to existing therapies is a major cause of treatment failure in patients with refractory and relapsed B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (r/r B-NHL). Therapy-induced senescence (TIS) is one of the most important mechanisms of drug resistance.MethodsThis study used single-cell RNA sequencing to analyze doxorubicin-induced senescent B-NHL cells. C-C chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) expression in patients with aggressive B-NHL was assessed using immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. Lentiviral transfection was used to target CCR7 expression in Raji and SU-DHL-2 cells. Protein localization was visualized through immunofluorescence, while western blotting and co-immunoprecipitation were used to analyze protein expression and interactions. Cell proliferation was measured with the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, and senescent cells were detected using senescence-associated β-galactosidase staining. The stemness of cells was evaluated through colony and sphere formation assays. Transwell assays assessed cell migration and invasion. Finally, inhibitors GS143 and Y27632 were used to examine the effect of IKBα and ARHGAP/RhoA inhibition on B-NHL-TIS.ResultsHere we identified a distinct group of TIS, composed of memory B-cell population characterized by strong positive expression of CCR7, which was significantly elevated in TIS population compared with normal proliferating and autonomously senescent lymphoma cell populations. Additionally, CCR7 expression was significantly upregulated in patients with r/r B-NHL, and was an independent prognostic factor in B-NHL, with high CCR7 expression being strongly associated with poor prognosis. In vitro results indicated that CCL21 induced migration and invasion of B-NHL cells via CCR7, while blocking CCR7 reduced doxorubicin-induced migration and invasion of these cells. Furthermore, B-NHL-TIS regulated by CCR7 and exhibited enhanced phenotypic and functional stemness features, including the upregulation of stemness markers, increased colony-forming, invasive and migratory capabilities. Mechanistically, blocking CCR7 reversed the stemness characteristics of senescent B-NHL cells by inhibiting the activation of ARHGAP18/IKBα signaling.ConclusionsTogether, TIS promotes the stemness of B-NHL cells via CCR7/ARHGAP18/IKBα signaling activation and targeting CCR7/ARHGAP18 might overcome the chemoresistance of senescent B-NHL cells by inhibiting stemness acquisition and maintenance.

Lung cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease. Cancer cells and cells within the tumor microenvironment together determine disease progression, as well as response to or escape from treatment. To map the cell type-specific transcriptome landscape of cancer cells and their tumor microenvironment in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), we analyze 42 tissue biopsy samples from stage III/IV NSCLC patients by single cell RNA sequencing and present the large scale, single cell resolution profiles of advanced NSCLCs. In addition to cell types described in previous single cell studies of early stage lung cancer, we are able to identify rare cell types in tumors such as follicular dendritic cells and T helper 17 cells. Tumors from different patients display large heterogeneity in cellular composition, chromosomal structure, developmental trajectory, intercellular signaling network and phenotype dominance. Our study also reveals a correlation of tumor heterogeneity with tumor associated neutrophils, which might help to shed light on their function in NSCLC. Comprehensive profiles of tumour and microenvironment are critical to understand heterogeneity in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, the authors profile 42 late-stage NSCLC patients with single-cell RNA-seq, revealing immune landscapes that are associated with cancer subtype or heterogeneity.

Background Endometriosis is an oestrogen-dependent disease with an unclear aetiology and pathogenesis affecting 6–10% of the global female population, predominantly those of reproductive age. Herein, we profile the transcriptomes of approximately 55,000 single cells from three groups including ectopic endometrium, eutopic endometrium from women with endometriosis, and eutopic endometrium from healthy women to create a single-cell transcriptome atlas of endometriosis. Results We have identified 9 cell types and performed single-cell analysis of fibroblasts, and determined a potential developmental trajectory associated with endometriosis. We also identified fibroblast subpopulations related to endometriosis development and found that StAR played an important role in this process. Moreover, T cells in endometriosis were less activated or inflammatory with decreased effector CD8 + T cells, while the composition ratio of natural killer cells decreased and the percentage of monocytes/macrophages increased in endometriosis cysts. In addition, the effectiveness of immune cells in endometriosis lesions, eutopic endometrium from women with endometriosis, and eutopic endometrium from healthy women was distinct. Cell–cell interaction analyses highlighted the imbalanced immune environment in endometriosis lesions and immune cells in endometriosis could promote the development of the disease. Conclusion Our study provided a systematic characterisation of endometriosis and insights into the aetiology and pathology of endometriosis.

Alloying technique as an ancient and practical instrument has been a diverse fabricator for desirable properties of materials. Herein, utilizing the alloying engineering, we have developed a two-step process for hybrid graphene-NiW nanofibers (Gr-NiW NFs) transparent electrodes. Further analysis reveals that alloying NiW NFs significantly improve their mechanical performance, reducing the growth temperature of graphene down to ~ 700 °C or below, which is far less than that of ~ 1000 °C for graphene grown on Cu or Pt. More importantly, such Gr-NiW network has exhibited excellent transmittance in a broad wavelength and remarkable conductivity, which, in turn, could be tailored by the growth temperature and the W content. A high transmittance (84.2% at 550 nm) and low sheet resistance (125.4 Ohm/square) were observed at Ni NFs with 5 wt% W. The combination of excellent conductivity, high transparency and mechanical tunability makes it a promising candidate for wearable electronics and optoelectronics. Finally, an all-nanofiber-based pressure sensor on sandwiched Gr-NiW/P(VDF-TrFE)/Gr-NiW NFs was demonstrated, with high sensitivity (0.61 mV kPa−1) and excellent operation stability. This work offers deep insights into the development of transparent graphene-based electrodes via alloy engineering.

Objectives The basal vein of Rosenthal (BVR) variant is a potential origin of bleeding in angiogram-negative subarachnoid hemorrhage (AN-SAH). We compared the rate and degree of BVR variants in patients with perimesencephalic AN-SAH (PAN-SAH) and non-perimesencephalic AN-SAH (NPAN-SAH). Methods We retrospectively reviewed the records of AN-SAH patients admitted to our hospital between 2013 and 2018. The associations between variables (baseline characteristics, clinical and radiological data, and outcome) with bleeding patterns and degree of BVR variants were analyzed. Additionally, potential predictors of positive findings on repeated digital-subtracted angiogram (DSA), rebleeding, delayed cerebral infarction (DCI), and poor outcome were further studied. Results A total of 273 patients with AN-SAH were included. The incidence rate and degree of BVR variants were significantly higher in PAN-SAH patients compared with those in NPAN-SAH patients ( p  < 0.001). Patients with normal bilateral BVRs are more likely to have a severe prognosis and diffused blood distribution ( p  < 0.05). We found an increased rate of positive findings on repeated DSA, DCI, rebleeding, and poor outcome at 3 months and 1 year after discharge (all p  < 0.05) in patients with bilateral normal BVRs. Bilateral normal BVRs were considered a risk factor (predictor) of positive findings on repeated DSA, rebleeding, and poor outcome (all p  < 0.05). Conclusions PAN-SAH patients have a higher rate and degree of BVR variants compared with patients with NPAN-SAH. Those AN-SAH patients with bilateral normal BVRs are more likely to be of arterial origin and are at risk of suffering from rebleeding and a poor outcome. Key Points • Patients with PAN-SAH have a higher rate and degree of BVR variants compared with patients with NPAN-SAH, which suggested that AN-SAH patients with normal BVRs are more likely to originate from arterial bleeding. • AN-SAH patients with normal BVRs are more likely to have positive findings on repeated DSA examinations, as well as an increased incidence of rebleeding and poor outcome, which may assist and guide neurologists in selecting treatment.

A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-020-07518-w

In the present study, population data of 19 autosomal STR loci included in the Goldeneye™ DNA ID System 20A in 653 Li individuals was obtained and population genetic relationships among 13 populations were investigated. MDS and phylogenetic analysis suggested that the Hainan Li population kept a close genetic relationship with the Chinese Han populations, especially for Southern Han populations (Guangdong Han, Sichuan Han, and Hunan Han). Our results indicated that the 19 autosomal STRs are highly discriminative and polymorphic in the Hainan Li population suitable for personal forensic identification and paternity testing.

Although third-generation Epidermal growth factor receptor—tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKI) is standard of care for patients with EGFR-mutant Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), little is known about the predictors of response or resistance. Here, we integrated single-cell RNA (scRNA) sequencing, bulk RNA sequencing, multiplexed immunofluorescence and flow cytometry data from pretreatment and post-resistant tumor samples of EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients received third-generation EGFR-TKIs. We show that resistant samples had a markedly enriched CXCR1 + neutrophils infiltration ( P  < 0.01) than pretreatment samples, which were distinguished from other subtypes of neutrophils and displayed immunosupressive characteristics. Spatial analysis showed that increased CXCR1 + neutrophils predominantly infiltrated into the tumor core in resistant samples and the average distance of neutrophils to tumor cells markedly reduced from 33 to 19 μm. Deep analysis of scRNA and bulk RNA sequencing data revealed the increased interactions between CXCR1 + neutrophils and tumor cells and activated TNF-α/NF-κB signaling pathway in tumor cells of resistant samples. In vitro and in vivo experiments validated that CXCR1 + neutrophils resulted in resistance to third-generation EGFR-TKI via activating TNF-α/NF-κB signaling pathway in tumor cells. Importantly, patients with low pretreatment CXCR1 + neutrophil infiltration abundance had a dramatically longer progression-free survival (11.8 vs. 7.5 months; P  = 0.019) and overall survival (33.0 vs. 23.5 months; P  = 0.029) than those with high infiltration abundance. Collectively, these findings suggest that CXCR1 + neutrophils infiltration was associated with the efficacy of third-generation EGFR-TKI in patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC.