YKL-40, also known as chitinase-3-like 1 (CHI3L1), is a glycoprotein that is expressed and secreted by various cell types, including cancers and macrophages. Due to its implications for and ...upregulation in a variety of diseases, including inflammatory conditions, fibrotic disorders, and tumor growth, YKL-40 has been considered as a significant therapeutic biomarker. Here, we used a phage display to develop novel monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting human YKL-40 (hYKL-40). Human synthetic antibody phage display libraries were panned against a recombinant hYKL-40 protein, yielding seven unique Fabs (Antigen-binding fragment), of which two Fabs (H1 and H2) were non-aggregating and thermally stable (75.5 °C and 76.5 °C, respectively) and had high apparent affinities (
= 2.3 nM and 4.0 nM, respectively). Reformatting the Fabs into IgGs (Immunoglobulin Gs) increased their apparent affinities (notably, for H1 and H2,
= 0.5 nM and 0.3 nM, respectively), presumably due to the effects of avidity, with little change to their non-aggregation property. The six anti-hYKL-40 IgGs were analyzed using a trans-well migration assay in vitro, revealing that three clones (H1, H2, and H4) were notably effective in reducing cell migration from both A549 and H460 lung cancer cell lines. The three clones were further analyzed in an in vivo animal test that assessed their anti-cancer activities, demonstrating that the tumor area and the number of tumor nodules were significantly reduced in the lung tissues treated with H1 (IgG). Given its high affinity and desirable properties, we expect that the H1 anti-hYKL-40 mAb will be a suitable candidate for developing anti-cancer therapeutics.
Purpose
The C-reactive protein (CRP)/albumin ratio has been identified as a potential prognostic factor for several malignancies. We, therefore, assessed the prognostic role of the CRP/albumin ratio ...in resected extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (EC).
Materials and methods
A total of 235 patients were retrospectively analyzed between March 2005 and December 2017. The correlations among the preoperative CRP/albumin ratio, clinicopathological factors, and clinical outcomes were investigated.
Results
There were 143 males (60.8%), and the median age at the diagnosis was 70.1 (range 41.0–85.5) years. Patients were diagnosed with perihilar bile duct cancer (
n
= 61) and distal bile duct cancer (
n
= 174). The median recurrence-free survival and overall survival were 32.7 and 38.7 months, respectively. The optimal prognostic cut-off point of the CRP/albumin ratio for the survival was 0.18 (× 10
3
). According to the Kaplan–Meier analysis with a log-rank test, the high CRP/albumin ratio group (≥ 0.18) had a significantly shorter overall survival than the low CRP/albumin ratio group (< 0.18) (29.8 vs. 54.6 months,
p
= 0.002). A multivariate logistic regression analysis for the overall survival showed that CA19-9 ≥ 37 and a high CRP/albumin ratio were associated with a shorter overall survival.
Conclusion
A high CRP/albumin ratio appears to be significantly associated with clinically worse outcomes in patients with resected EC.
Background/Aims: There are few reports regarding mixed carcinoma, defined as a mixture of glandular and poorly cohesive components, in patients with gastric cancer (GC). The aim of this study was to ...evaluate the proportion and characteristics of mixed carcinoma in GC patients.
Methods: A total of 7,215 patients diagnosed with GC at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital were enrolled from March 2011 to February 2020. GC was divided into four groups (well-moderately differentiated GC, poorly differentiated GC, poorly cohesive carcinoma, and mixed carcinoma). The proportion of each GC type and the clinicopathological features were analyzed and divided into early GC and advanced GC.
Results: The proportion of mixed carcinoma was 10.9% (n=787). In early GC, submucosal invasion was the most common in poorly differentiated (53.7%), and mixed carcinoma ranked second (41.1%). Mixed carcinoma showed the highest proportion of lymph node metastasis in early GC (23.0%) and advanced GC (78.3%). In advanced GC, the rate of distant metastasis was 3.6% and 3.9% in well-moderately differentiated GC and mixed carcinoma, respectively, lower than that in poorly differentiated GC (6.4%) and poorly cohesive carcinoma (5.7%), without statistical significance.
Conclusions: Mixed carcinoma was associated with lymph node metastasis compared to other histological GC subtypes. And it showed relatively common submucosal invasion in early GC, but the rates of venous invasion and distant metastasis were lower in advanced GC. Further research is needed to uncover the mechanism underlying these characteristics of mixed carcinoma (Trial registration number: NCT04973631). (Gut Liver 2023;17:731-740)
Since its first report in the Middle East in 2012, the Middle East respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (MERS-CoV) has become a global concern due to the high morbidity and mortality of individuals ...infected with the virus. Although the majority of MERS-CoV cases have been reported in Saudi Arabia, the overall risk in areas outside the Middle East remains significant as inside Saudi Arabia. Additional pandemics of MERS-CoV are expected, and thus novel tools and reagents for therapy and diagnosis are urgently needed. Here, we used phage display to develop novel monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that target MERS-CoV. A human Fab phage display library was panned against the S2 subunit of the MERS-CoV spike protein (MERS-S2P), yielding three unique Fabs (S2A3, S2A6, and S2D5). The Fabs had moderate apparent affinities (Half maximal effective concentration (EC50 = 123–421 nM) for MERS-S2P, showed no cross-reactivity to spike proteins from other CoVs, and were non-aggregating and thermostable (Tm = 61.5–80.4 °C). Reformatting the Fabs into IgGs (Immunoglobulin Gs) greatly increased their apparent affinities (KD = 0.17–1.2 nM), presumably due to the effects of avidity. These apparent affinities were notably higher than that of a previously reported anti-MERS-CoV S2 reference mAb (KD = 8.7 nM). Furthermore, two of the three mAbs (S2A3 and S2D5) bound only MERS-CoV (Erasmus Medical Center (EMC)) and not other CoVs, reflecting their high binding specificity. However, the mAbs lacked MERS-CoV neutralizing activity. Given their high affinity, specificity, and desirable stabilities, we anticipate that these anti-MERS-CoV mAbs would be suitable reagents for developing antibody-based diagnostics in laboratory or hospital settings for point-of-care testing.
Wafer-level packaged light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are useful for the high-power applications such as back light unit and general solid-state lighting due to the compactness and integrated fabrication ...process. In this letter, wafer-level packaged LEDs with red, green, and blue multichips were fabricated, and the thermal characteristics of wafer-level packaged LEDs with multichips such as thermal resistance and junction temperature are investigated using both serial and matrix measurement methods.
Background
The association between Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection and coronary heart disease (CHD) is controversial. This study aimed to investigate the effect of H. pylori eradication on CHD, ...especially in terms of age and sex.
Materials and Methods
From May 2003 to March 2022, 4765 subjects with H. pylori infection and without CHD (median follow‐up: 51 months) were prospectively enrolled. The participants were categorized into two groups: H. pylori eradication and H. pylori non‐eradication. After propensity‐score matching (PSM), the effect of H. pylori eradication on CHD was analyzed using Cox proportional hazards.
Results
There were no significant differences in age, sex, alcohol consumption, smoking habits, history of diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, and aspirin intake between the eradication and non‐eradication groups (3783 vs. 982) before and after PSM. Multivariate analysis after PSM showed that H. pylori eradication (HR: 0.489, CI: 0.314–0.761, p = .002), age (HR: 1.027, CI: 1.007–1.047, p = .007), hypertension (HR: 2.133, CI: 1.337–3.404, p = 001), dyslipidemia (HR: 1.758, CI: 1.086–2.848, p = .022), and aspirin intake (HR: 2.508, CI: 1.566–4.017, p < .001) were associated with CHD development. H. pylori eradication prevented CHD in males ≤65 years (HR: 0.133, CI: 0.039–0.455, p = .001), but not in those aged >65 years (p = .078) (p for interaction = .022). In contrast, females aged >65 years (HR: 0.260, CI: 0.110–0.615, p = .002) were protected by H. pylori eradication and not those ≤65 years (p = .485) (p for interaction = .003). This preventive effect increased more after PSM, particularly in males ≤65 years and females >65 years.
Conclusions
H. pylori eradication prevented CHD and this effect was different depending on age and sex.
Background/Aims: Synchronous multiple gastric cancer (SMGC) accounts for approximately 6% to 14% of gastric cancer (GC) cases. This study aimed to identify risk factors for SMGC. Methods: A total of ...14,603 patients diagnosed with GC were prospectively enrolled. Data including age, sex, body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumption, family history, p53 expression, microsatellite instability, cancer classification, lymph node metastasis, and treatment were collected. Risk factors were analyzed using logistic regression analysis between a single GC and SMGC.
Results: The incidence of SMGC was 4.04%, and that of early GC (EGC) and advanced GC (AGC) was 5.43% and 3.11%, respectively. Patients with SMGC were older (65.33 years vs 61.75 years, p<0.001) and more likely to be male. Lymph node metastasis was found in 27% of patients with SMGC and 32% of patients with single GC. Multivariate analysis showed that SMGC was associated with sex (male odds ratio OR, 1.669; 95% confidence interval CI, 1.223 to 2.278; p=0.001), age (≥65 years OR, 1.532; 95% CI, 1.169 to 2.008; p=0.002), and EGC (OR, 1.929; 95% CI, 1.432 to 2.600; p<0.001). Survival rates were affected by Lauren classification, sex, tumor size, cancer type, distant metastasis, and venous invasion but were not related to the number of GCs. However, the survival rate of AGC with SMGC was very high.
Conclusions: SMGC had unique characteristics such as male sex, older age, and EGC, and the survival rate of AGC, in which the intestinal type was much more frequent, was very good (Trial registration number: NCT04973631). (Gut Liver 2024;18:231-244)
Background/Aims: Synchronous multiple gastric cancer (SMGC) accounts for approximately 6% to 14% of gastric cancer (GC) cases. This study aimed to identify risk factors for SMGC. Methods: A total of ...14,603 patients diagnosed with GC were prospectively enrolled. Data including age, sex, body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumption, family history, p53 expression, microsatellite instability, cancer classification, lymph node metastasis, and treatment were collected. Risk factors were analyzed using logistic regression analysis between a single GC and SMGC.
Results: The incidence of SMGC was 4.04%, and that of early GC (EGC) and advanced GC (AGC) was 5.43% and 3.11%, respectively. Patients with SMGC were older (65.33 years vs 61.75 years, p<0.001) and more likely to be male. Lymph node metastasis was found in 27% of patients with SMGC and 32% of patients with single GC. Multivariate analysis showed that SMGC was associated with sex (male odds ratio OR, 1.669; 95% confidence interval CI, 1.223 to 2.278; p=0.001), age (≥65 years OR, 1.532; 95% CI, 1.169 to 2.008; p=0.002), and EGC (OR, 1.929; 95% CI, 1.432 to 2.600; p<0.001). Survival rates were affected by Lauren classification, sex, tumor size, cancer type, distant metastasis, and venous invasion but were not related to the number of GCs. However, the survival rate of AGC with SMGC was very high.
Conclusions: SMGC had unique characteristics such as male sex, older age, and EGC, and the survival rate of AGC, in which the intestinal type was much more frequent, was very good (Trial registration number: NCT04973631). (Gut Liver 2024;18:231-244)
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