Objective To detect the expression of single immunoglobin IL-1 receptor related protein ( SIGIRR) in normal human lung tissues, and study its changes in alveolar epithelial cell acutely injured by lipopolysaccharide ( LPS) . Methods Twenty samples of human normal lung tissue were collected during the lobectomies. The expression of SIGIRR was detected by immunohistochemistry, western blot and RT-PCR. The human type II alveolar epithelial cell acute injury model was established by stimulating A549 cells with LPS of a final concentration of 10 μg/mL. The cells were collected at 0, 3, 6, 12, and 24 hours after the stimulation. The changes of SIGIRR expression at the same time points were observed by western blot. The expression vector containing full-length SIGIRR cDNA was transfected transiently into A549 cells to induce SIGIRR overexpression. MTT assay was performed to measure the injury of A549 cells caused by LPS. Results The immunohistochemistry, western blot and RT-PCR showed that there was a high expression of SIGIRR in normal human lung tissues. The expression of SIGIRR was located in alveolar epithelial cells by immunohistochemistry. The expression of SIGIRR at 3, 6, and 12 hours was down-regulated after LPSstimulation and raised again at 24 hours to the baseline. MTT assay showed that SIGIRR overexpression substantially reduced the growth inhibition ratio of A549 cells after LPS stimulation. Conclusions Expression of SIGIRR in normal human lung tissues was confirmed by different detection methods. SIGIRR alleviates the injury of alveolar epithelial cells caused by LPS, implying SIGIRR might be involved in the regulationof acute lung injury mediated by LPS.
ObjectiveTo establish a model of tracheomalacia in beagle dogs.MethodsSix healthy male beagles were selected with a weight of 12-15 kg and age of 12-18 months. The dog was placed in supine position after being anesthetized. Then midline incision was performed on dogs' cervical skin and main trachea was dissected. Six continuous cartilage rings separated from the tracheal wall were removed. Finally, the endotracheal mucosal was examined and the wound was sutured layer by layer. Different degrees of cartilage were removed to simulate different degrees of tracheomalacia. The beagle dogs were classified into two groups (n=3 in each group): a mild tracheomalacia (MTM) group (part of the cartilage near the trachea membrane was retained) and a severe tracheomalacia (STM) group (cartilage was removed as much as possible).ResultsThe dogs in the MTM group survived for a long time after the operation, showing symptoms of airway stenosis such as wheezing and coughing. The dogs were killed at postoperative week 2, and the pathological examination was performed. In the STM group, severe asphyxia occurred in the experimental animals after tracheal intubation removed, and all dogs died within 1 hour after surgery. Postoperative bronchoscopy revealed that the trachea of the MTM group dogs collapsed in the phase of inhalation, but it could maintain a certain patency. The trachea of the STM group dogs collapsed completely in the phase of inhalation. Postoperative X-ray showed that the diameter of the airway in the MTM group was reduced and trachea did not completely collapse. In the STM group, the trachea collapsed completely at the cartilage removed segment. Pathological examination showed that the cartilage in the MTM group was partially removed and tracheomalacia was obvious in the cartilage removed segment. In the STM group, most of the cartilage was removed with only few cartilages left.ConclusionThe clinical symptoms of tracheomalacia in different degrees can be simulated and repeatable. Animal models can be established by controlling the degree of removal of tracheal cartilage ring in dogs. This method provides a simple, repeatable and standardized large animal model for the treatment and transformation of tracheomalacia.
A novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that broke out at the end of 2019 is a newly discovered highly pathogenic human coronavirus and has some similarities with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the receptor for infected cells by SARS-CoV. SARS-CoV can invade cells by binding to ACE2 through the spike protein and SARS-CoV-2 may also infect cells through ACE2. Meanwhile, ACE2 also plays an important role in the course of pneumonia. Therefore the possible role of ACE2 in SARS and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is worth discussing. This paper briefly summarized the role of ACE2 in SARS, and discussed the possible function of ACE2 in COVID-19 and potential risk of infection with other organs. At last, the function of ACE2 was explored for possible treatment strategies for SARS. It is hoped to provide ideas and theoretical support for clinical treatment of COVID-19.
ObjectiveTo establish the gene-based esophageal cancer (ESCA) risk score prediction models via whole transcriptome analysis to provide ideas and basis for improving ESCA treatment strategies and patient prognosis.MethodsRNA sequencing data of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and adjacent tissues were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. The edgeR method was used to screen out the differential genes between ESCA tissue and normal tissue, and the key genes affecting the survival status of ESCC and EAC patients were initially identified through univariate Cox regression analysis. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis and multivariate Cox regression analysis were used to further screen genes and establish ESCC and EAC risk score prediction models.ResultsThe risk score prediction models were the independent prognostic factors for ESCA, and the risk score was significantly related to the survival status of patients. In ESCC, the risk score was related to T stage. In EAC, the risk score was related to lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis and clinical stage. The constructed nomogram based on risk score showed good predictive ability. In ESCC, the risk score was related to tumor immune cell infiltration and the expression of immune checkpoint genes. However, this feature was not obvious in EAC.ConclusionThe ESCC and EAC risk score prediction models have shown good predictive capabilities, which provide certain inspiration and basis for optimizing the management of ESCA and improving the prognosis of patients.
Surgery is an important treatment for the anterior mediastinal disease. With the rapid development of minimally invasive techniques, complete resection of the lesion in most patients with thymic disease can be achieved through thoracoscopic surgery. Practice has proved that the three-port resection of anterior mediastinal thymus disease via the subxiphoid approach is an ideal surgical method for the treatment of anterior mediastinal thymic tumors at present, which has strong popularization and popularity and can benefit the patients. The procedure focuses primarily on the anterior and upper mediastinum and can thoroughly expose the anatomy of the mediastinum and both sides, with minimal intraoperative bleeding, high safety, minimal trauma and postoperative pain, and a short hospital stay. It has clear advantages over conventional thoracic open-heart surgery and transversal resection. However, the surgical approach and field of view, and intraoperative precautions of this procedure are completely different from those of previous thoracoscopic procedures, and from the subxiphoid single-port approach adopted by other centers. Based on 10 years of surgical experience at our center, a modular mode of surgical operation has been developed and its procedure has been standardized. This paper will share and discuss relevant operational points and experiences.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical outcomes of larynx-preserving limited resection with total thoracic esophagectomy and gastric pull-up reconstruction for the treatment of cervical esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) without tumor involvement of the larynx and hypopharynx compared with the upper thoracic ESCC.MethodsRetrospective and comparative analysis of consecutive patients with cervical and upper thoracic ESCC who underwent R0 surgical resection from 2006 to 2011 in our center was performed. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the patients’ survival.ResultsIn total, 44 pairs of patients, including 71 males and 17 females with an average age of 60.66±8.49 years were enrolled in the study after propensity score matching. The baseline characteristics of the two groups of patients were well balanced. There was no statistical difference in the operation time (P=0.100), blood loss (P=0.685), mortality rate in 30 days (P=1.000), total complication rate (P=0.829), cervical anastomosis leakage (P=0.816), mechanical ventilation (P=1.000), normal oral diet within 15 days (P=0.822) and anastomosis recurrence rate (P=0.676) between the two groups. Survival analysis showed that there was no statistical difference in survival time between the cervical group [31.83 (95%CI 8.65-55.02) months] and upper thoracic group [37.73 (95%CI 25.29-50.18) months, P=0.533]. The 5-year survival rates were 32.6% and 42.1%, respectively.ConclusionLarynx-preserving limited resection with total thoracic esophagectomy and gastric pull-up reconstruction for the treatment of cervical ESCC without involvement of the larynx and hypopharynx may result in a similar clinical outcome to upper thoracic ESCC.
ObjectiveTo explore whether surgery combined with adjuvant chemotherapy can bring survival benefits to patients with cervical and upper thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).MethodsThe clinical data of patients with cervical and upper thoracic ESCC who underwent R0 resection and neck anastomosis in our department from 2006 to 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients received neoadjuvant therapy or adjuvant radiotherapy were excluded. The adjuvant chemotherapy group was given a combination of taxanes and platinum based chemotherapy after surgery; the surgery alone group did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the survival difference between the adjuvant chemotherapy group and the surgery alone group. ResultsA total of 181 patients were enrolled, including 141 (77.9%) males and 40 (22.1%) females, with an average age of 61.0±8.2 years (80 patients aged≤61 years, 101 patients aged>61 years). There were 70 (38.7%) patients of cervical ESCC, and 111 (61.3%) patients of upper thoracic ESCC. Eighty-seven (48.1%) patients underwent postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, and 94 (51.9%) patients underwent surgery alone, and the basic clinical characteristics were well balanced between the two groups (P>0.05). The median survival time of patients in the adjuvant chemotherapy group and the surgery alone group was 31.93 months and 26.07 months, and the 5-year survival rate was 35.0% and 32.0%, respectively (P=0.227). There was no statistical difference in median survival time between the cervical ESCC and upper thoracic ESCC group (31.83 months vs. 29.76 months, P=0.763). For cervical ESCC patients, the median survival time was 45.07 months in the adjuvant chemotherapy group and 14.70 months in the surgery alone group (P=0.074). Further analysis showed that the median survival time of lymph node negative group was 32.53 months, and the lymph node positive group was 24.57 months (P=0.356). The median survival time was 30.43 months in the lymph-node positive group with adjuvant chemotherapy and 17.77 months in the lymph-node positive group with surgery alone. The survival curve showed a trend of difference, but the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.557).ConclusionThere is no statistical difference in the long-term survival of cervical and upper thoracic ESCC patients after R0 resection. Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy may have survival benefits for patients with cervical ESCC and upper ESCC with postoperative positive lymph nodes, but the differences are not statistically significant in this setting.