Background: Stored red blood cell (RBC) transfusion has been shown to enhance the risk of cancer recurrence. However, the underlying mechanism remains unknown. At our lab, we have demonstrated that the extracellular ubiquitin (eUb) released by aged RBCs could promote tumor metastasis in a melanoma mouse model. This study aimed to confirm the pro-tumor effect of eUb on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and explore the related immunoregulatory mechanisms.Methods: Forty HCC tissue specimens and the corresponding adjacent nontumor and normal liver tissues were collected. Two human hepatoma cell lines (MHCC-97H and HepG2.2.15), one murine hepatoma cell line (Hepa1-6), and one human monocyte cell line (THP-1) were adopted in this study. The coculture of hepatoma cells with macrophages was initiated with Transwell inserts. Cell migration in vitro was detected by Transwell and wound-healing assays, while in vivo tumor metastasis was measured by luciferase assay and H&E staining. Macrophage polarization was measured by flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, ELISA, qPCR, and Western blot. Protein expression was detected by Western blot, and immunoprecipitation was used to confirm the interaction between Ub and CXCR4 (CXC chemokine receptor type 4).Results: Ub and CXCR4 were significantly upregulated in HCC tissues, and a positive correlation existed between them. In vitro, the migration of hepatoma cells was not affected by eUb directly, but their metastatic abilities were enhanced after coculture with the macrophages pretreated with eUb. Meanwhile, eUb promoted hepatoma cell metastasis in the lung in vivo and increased the ratio of M2 macrophages in the lung tissues and peripheral blood of tumor-bearing mice. Furthermore, the eUb-induced M2 macrophage polarization was related to the activation of the CXCR4/ERK (extracellular regulated protein kinase) signaling pathway.Conclusions: Extracellular ubiquitin promoted hepatoma metastasis through M2 macrophage polarization via the activation of the CXCR4/ERK signaling pathway, indicating that a personalized transfusion strategy is needed for the treatment of HCC patients. Neutralizing Ub in stored RBC units could lessen the detrimental clinical outcomes induced by the transfusion of stored RBCs.

Background Characterized by macrophage infiltration, renal inflammation during septic acute kidney injury (AKI) reveals a ubiquitous human health problem. Unfortunately, effective therapies with limited side effects are still lacking. This study is aiming to elucidate the role of Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) in macrophages against oxidative stress of septic AKI. Methods Balb/c mice were gavaged by 50 mg/kg DMF then injected with 10 mg/kg LPS by i.p. We examined LPS-induced renal dysfunction and histological features in murine kidneys. Raw264.7 macrophage cells were also treated with DMF and then induced by LPS. The mitotracker staining was used to follow mitochondria integrity by confocal microscopy. Flow cytometry measured the production of ROS by DCF-HDA and the expression of iNOS. Western blot detected the expression of Nrf-2 and Sirt1. Co-IP measured the interaction between Sirt1 and Nrf-2. Confocal microscopy observed the colocalization of Sirt1 and Nrf-2 in LPS-treated Raw264.7 macrophage cells. Results DMF ameliorated murine LPS nephritis with reduced blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine, as well as decreased the histological alterations compared to the normal control. DMF significantly inhibited the expression of iNOS and reduced the production of nitrite in Raw264.7 cells following LPS treatment. Our study also revealed the role of DMF in protecting against intracellular ROS accumulation and mitochondria dysfunction in LPS-induced nephritis. DMF facilitated colocalization and interaction between Sirt1 and Nrf-2 in LPS-treated cells. Conclusions This study showed that DMF alleviated LPS-induced nephritis, indicating protective effects of DMF on macrophage against oxidative stress induced by LPS potentially involving Nrf-2-mediated pathway.

Background: Catenin delta 1 (CTNND1) is upregulated in many tumors and is closely associated with poor prognosis. However, the role of CTNND1 in pancreatic cancer and its underlying mechanisms remain unclear Methods: The expression of CTNND1 in pancreatic cancer and normal tissues in the TCGA and GTEX databases was preliminarily screened and further verified by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and qPCR. Transwell, wound healing, and cell proliferation assays were used to study the effect of CTNND1 on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), proliferation, migration, and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells. Western blot experiments verified the signaling pathway mediating the effect of CTNND1 on pancreatic cancer progression. The expression of CTNND1 in the TCGA database, clinical pancreatic cancer samples, and pancreatic cancer cells was significantly upregulated. Results: We found that the silent CTNND1 in pancreatic cancer cells significantly inhibited the EMT, proliferation, migration, and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells. In addition, the silencing of CTNND1 in pancreatic cancer cells inhibited the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. LiCl (a Wnt/β-catenin-specific activator) treatment partially restored the EMT, proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of CTNND1-silenced pancreatic cancer cells. Conclusion: Our research confirmed that CTNND1 can regulate the EMT, proliferation, migration, and invasion of pancreatic cancer through the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Background and purpose Index cholecystectomy is insufficient for curing T3 incidental gallbladder cancer (IGC), and once residual cancer (RC) is found, the prognosis is often poor. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of RC on the prognosis and the optimal choice of adjuvant therapy for R0 reresection patients with T3 IGC. Methods We retrospectively reviewed data from patients with T3 IGC who underwent radical reresection from January 2013 to December 2018. RC was defined as histologically proven cancer at reresection. Demographics and tumour treatment-related variables were analysed in correlation with RC and survival. Adjuvant (Adj) chemoradiotherapy (CRT) was correlated with overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Results Of the 167 patients with IGC who underwent surgery, 102 underwent radical extended resection. Thirty-two (31.4%) RCs were found. Hepatic side tumours (T3h) and both side tumours (T3h + T3p) were associated with the presence of RC. In multivariate analysis, RC and lymph node metastasis were independent prognostic factors for DFS and OS (P < 0.05). RC was associated with a significantly shorter median OS (20 vs. 53 months; P < 0.01) and DFS (11 vs. 40 months; P < 0.001) despite R0 resection. For R0 reresection patients with RC and/or lymph node metastasis, Adj CRT significantly improved OS (P = 0.024). Conclusion Residual cancer and lymphatic metastasis are important factors for the poor prognosis of T3 IGC despite R0 resection, and these patients should actively receive adjuvant therapy.

Background and PurposeIndex cholecystectomy is insufficient for curing T3 incidental gallbladder cancer (IGC), and once residual cancer (RC) is found, the prognosis is often poor. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of RC on the prognosis and the optimal choice of adjuvant therapy for R0 reresection patients with T3 IGC.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed data from patients with T3 IGC who underwent radical reresection from January 2013 to December 2018. RC was defined as histologically proven cancer at reresection. Demographics and tumour treatment-related variables were analysed in correlation with RC and survival. Adjuvant (Adj) chemoradiotherapy (CRT) was correlated with overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS).ResultsOf the 167 patients with IGC who underwent surgery, 102 underwent radical extended resection. Thirty-two (31.4%) RCs were found. Hepatic side tumours (T3h) and both side tumours (T3h+T3p) were associated with the presence of RC. In multivariate analysis, RC and lymph node metastasis were independent prognostic factors for DFS and OS (P <0.05). RC was associated with a significantly shorter median OS (20 vs. 53 months; P<0.01) and DFS (11 vs. 40 months; P<0.001) despite R0 resection. For R0 reresection patients with RC and/or lymph node metastasis, Adj CRT significantly improved OS (P=0.024).ConclusionResidual cancer and lymphatic metastasis are important factors for the poor prognosis of T3 IGC despite R0 resection, and these patients should actively receive adjuvant therapy.