Adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery improves survival of patients with stage II–III, resectable gastric cancer. However, the overall survival benefit observed after adjuvant chemotherapy is moderate, ...suggesting that not all patients with resectable gastric cancer treated with adjuvant chemotherapy benefit from it. We aimed to develop and validate a predictive test for adjuvant chemotherapy response in patients with resectable, stage II–III gastric cancer.
In this multi-cohort, retrospective study, we developed through a multi-step strategy a predictive test consisting of two rule-based classifier algorithms with predictive value for adjuvant chemotherapy response and prognosis. Exploratory bioinformatics analyses identified biologically relevant candidate genes in gastric cancer transcriptome datasets. In the discovery analysis, a four-gene, real-time RT-PCR assay was developed and analytically validated in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumour tissues from an internal cohort of 307 patients with stage II–III gastric cancer treated at the Yonsei Cancer Center with D2 gastrectomy plus adjuvant fluorouracil-based chemotherapy (n=193) or surgery alone (n=114). The same internal cohort was used to evaluate the prognostic and chemotherapy response predictive value of the single patient classifier genes using associations with 5-year overall survival. The results were validated with a subset (n=625) of FFPE tumour samples from an independent cohort of patients treated in the CLASSIC trial (NCT00411229), who received D2 gastrectomy plus capecitabine and oxaliplatin chemotherapy (n=323) or surgery alone (n=302). The primary endpoint was 5-year overall survival.
We identified four classifier genes related to relevant gastric cancer features (GZMB, WARS, SFRP4, and CDX1) that formed the single patient classifier assay. In the validation cohort, the prognostic single patient classifier (based on the expression of GZMB, WARS, and SFRP4) identified 79 (13%) of 625 patients as low risk, 296 (47%) as intermediate risk, and 250 (40%) as high risk, and 5-year overall survival for these groups was 83·2% (95% CI 75·2–92·0), 74·8% (69·9–80·1), and 66·0% (60·1–72·4), respectively (p=0·012). The predictive single patient classifier (based on the expression of GZMB, WARS, and CDX1) assigned 281 (45%) of 625 patients in the validation cohort to the chemotherapy-benefit group and 344 (55%) to the no-benefit group. In the predicted chemotherapy-benefit group, 5-year overall survival was significantly improved in those patients who had received adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery compared with those who received surgery only (80% 95% CI 73·5–87·1 vs 64·5% 56·8–73·3; univariate hazard ratio 0·47 95% CI 0·30–0·75, p=0·0015), whereas no such improvement in 5-year overall survival was observed in the no-benefit group (72·9% 66·5–79·9 in patients who received chemotherapy plus surgery vs 72·5% 65·8–79·9 in patients who only had surgery; 0·93 0·62–1·38, p=0·71). The predictive single patient classifier groups (chemotherapy benefit vs no-benefit) could predict adjuvant chemotherapy benefit in terms of 5-year overall survival in the validation cohort (pinteraction=0·036 in univariate analysis). Similar results were obtained in the internal evaluation cohort.
The single patient classifiers validated in this study provide clinically important prognostic information independent of standard risk-stratification methods and predicted chemotherapy response after surgery in two independent cohorts of patients with resectable, stage II–III gastric cancer. The single patient classifiers could complement TNM staging to optimise decision making in patients with resectable gastric cancer who are eligible for adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery. Further validation of these results in prospective studies is warranted.
Ministry of ICT and Future Planning; Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy; and Ministry of Health and Welfare.
Gastric cancer (GC) is commonly treated by chemotherapy using 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) derivatives and platinum combination, but predictive biomarker remains lacking. We develop patient-derived ...xenografts (PDXs) from 31 GC patients and treat with a combination of 5-FU and oxaliplatin, to determine biomarkers associated with responsiveness. When the PDXs are defined as either responders or non-responders according to tumor volume change after treatment, the responsiveness of PDXs is significantly consistent with the respective clinical outcomes of the patients. An integrative genomic and transcriptomic analysis of PDXs reveals that pathways associated with cell-to-cell and cell-to-extracellular matrix interactions enriched among the non-responders in both cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment (TME). We develop a 30-gene prediction model to determine the responsiveness to 5-FU and oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy and confirm the significant poor survival outcomes among cases classified as non-responder-like in three independent GC cohorts. Our study may inform clinical decision-making when designing treatment strategies.
Background
Although recent advances in high-throughput technology have provided many insights into gastric cancer (GC), few reliable biomarkers for diffuse-type GC have been identified. Here, we aim ...to identify a prognostic and predictive signature of diffuse-type GC heterogeneity.
Methods
We analyzed RNA-seq-based transcriptome data to identify a molecular signature in 150 gastric tissue samples including 107 diffuse-type GCs. The predictive value of the signature was verified using other diffuse-type GC samples in three independent cohorts (
n
= 466). Log-rank and Cox regression analyses were used to estimate the association between the signature and prognosis. The signature was also characterized by somatic variant analyses and tissue microarray analysis between diffuse-type GC subtypes.
Results
Transcriptomic profiling of RNA-seq data identified a signature which revealed distinct subtypes of diffuse-type GC: the intestinal-like (INT) and core diffuse-type (COD) subtypes. The signature showed high predictability and independent clinical utility in diffuse-type GC prognosis in other patient cohorts (HR 2.058, 95% CI 1.53–2.77,
P
= 1.76 × 10
–6
). Integrative mutational and gene expression analyses demonstrated that the COD subtype was responsive to chemotherapy, whereas the INT subtype was responsive to immunotherapy with an immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI). Tissue microarray analysis showed the practical utility of IGF1 and NXPE2 for predicting diffuse-type GC heterogeneity.
Conclusions
We present a molecular signature that can identify diffuse-type GC patients who display different clinical behaviors as well as responses to chemotherapy or ICI treatment.
Background
Spasmolytic polypeptide-expressing metaplasia (SPEM) is considered a precursor lesion of intestinal metaplasia and intestinal-type gastric cancer (GC), but little is known about microRNA ...alterations during metaplasia and GC developments. Here, we investigate miR-30a expression in gastric lesions and identify its novel target gene which is associated with the intestinal-type GC.
Methods
We conducted in situ hybridization and qRT-PCR to determine miR-30a expression in gastric tissues. miR-30a functions were determined through induction or inhibition of miR-30a in GC cell lines. A gene microarray was utilized to confirm miR-30a target genes in GC, and siRNA-mediated target gene suppression and immunostaining were performed. The Cancer Genome Atlas data were utilized to validate gene expressions.
Results
We found down-regulation of miR-30a during chief cell transdifferentiation into SPEM. MiR-30a level was also reduced in the early stage of GC, and its level was maintained in advanced GC. We identified a novel target gene of miR-30a and
ITGA2,
and our results showed that either ectopic expression of miR-30a or
ITGA2
knockdown suppressed GC cell proliferation, migration, and tumorigenesis. Levels of
ITGA2
inversely correlated with levels of miR-30a in human intestinal-type GC.
Conclusion
We found down-regulation of miR-30a in preneoplastic lesions and its tumor-suppressive functions by targeting
ITGA2
in GC. The level of
ITGA2
, which functions as an oncogene, was up-regulated in human GC. The results of this study suggest that coordination of the miR-30a-
ITGA2
axis may serve as an important mechanism in the development of gastric precancerous lesions and intestinal-type GC.
The aim of this study was to combine clinicopathologic variables associated with overall survival after gastric resection with D2 lymphadenectomy (D2 gastrectomy) for gastric cancer into a prediction ...nomogram.
We retrospectively analyzed 7,954 patients who underwent D2 gastrectomy for gastric cancer at Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH) in Seoul, Korea. Two thirds of the patients were randomly assigned to the training set (n = 5,300), and one third were assigned to the validation set (n = 2,654). Multivariate analysis by Cox proportional hazards regression was performed using the training set, and the nomogram was constructed. Discrimination and calibration were performed using the SNUH validation set. Additional external validation was performed using the data set (n = 2,500) from Cancer Institute Ariake Hospital (CIAH) in Tokyo, Japan.
The multivariate Cox model identified age at diagnosis, sex, location, depth of invasion, number of metastatic lymph nodes, and number of examined lymph nodes as covariates associated with survival. In the SNUH validation set, the nomogram exhibited superior discrimination power compared with the seventh American Joint Committee on Cancer TNM classification (Harrell's C-index, 0.78 v 0.69, respectively; P < .001). Calibration of the nomogram predicted survival corresponding closely with the actual survival. In the CIAH validation set, discrimination was good (C-index, 0.79), and the predicted survival was within a 10% margin of ideal nomogram.
We developed a nomogram predicting 5- and 10-year overall survival after D2 gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Validation using the SNUH and CIAH data sets revealed good discrimination and calibration, suggesting good clinical utility. The nomogram improved individualized predictions of survival.
In Alzheimer's disease (AD), memory impairment is the most prominent feature that afflicts patients and their families. Although reactive astrocytes have been observed around amyloid plaques since ...the disease was first described, their role in memory impairment has been poorly understood. Here, we show that reactive astrocytes aberrantly and abundantly produce the inhibitory gliotransmitter GABA by monoamine oxidase-B (Maob) and abnormally release GABA through the bestrophin 1 channel. In the dentate gyrus of mouse models of AD, the released GABA reduces spike probability of granule cells by acting on presynaptic GABA receptors. Suppressing GABA production or release from reactive astrocytes fully restores the impaired spike probability, synaptic plasticity, and learning and memory in the mice. In the postmortem brain of individuals with AD, astrocytic GABA and MAOB are significantly upregulated. We propose that selective inhibition of astrocytic GABA synthesis or release may serve as an effective therapeutic strategy for treating memory impairment in AD.
Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) is the causative agent of Johne's disease, a chronic emaciating disease of ruminants that causes enormous economic losses to the bovine industry, ...globally. However, there are still remaining clues to be solved in the pathogenesis and diagnosis of the disease. Therefore, an in vivo murine experimental model was tried to understand responses in early stage of MAP infection by oral and intraperitoneal (IP) routes. In the MAP infection size, and weight of spleen and liver were increased in the IP group compared with oral groups. Severe histopathological changes were also observed in the spleen and liver of IP infected mice at 12 weeks post-infection (PI). Acid-fast bacterial burden in the organs was closely related to histopathological lesions. In the cytokine production from splenocytes of MAP-infected mice, higher amounts of in TNF-α, IL-10, and IFN-γ were produced at early stage of IP-infected mice while IL-17 production was different at time and infected groups. This phenomenon may indicate the immune shift from Th1 to Th17 through the time course of MAP infection. Systemic and local responses in the MAP-infection were analyzed by using transcriptomic analysis in the spleens and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN). Based on the analysis of biological processes at 6 weeks PI in spleen and MLN in each infection group, canonical pathways were analyzed with ingenuity pathway analysis in the immune responses and metabolism especially lipid metabolism. Infected host cells with MAP increased in the production of proinflammatory cytokines and reduced the availability of glucose at early stage of infection (p < 0.05). Also, host cells secreted cholesterol through cholesterol efflux to disturb energy source of MAP. These results reveal immunopathological and metabolic responses in the early stage of MAP infection through the development of a murine model.
Guidelines propose different extents of macroscopic proximal margin for gastric cancer and frozen margin investigation in selected cases, but data is lacking. This study was to evaluate the necessary ...extent of macroscopic proximal margin, accuracy of frozen margin investigation, and prognostic impact of tumor-free proximal margin length in pT2-pT4 gastric cancer.
Proximal and distal frozen margins were routinely investigated intraoperatively in all pT2-pT4 gastric cancers resected between 2011 and 2017. Macroscopic and microscopic proximal margin lengths were correlated. For R0-resections, survival analysis was performed for distal gastrectomy (DG) with microscopic proximal margin length ≤3 cm versus >3 cm.
Overall, 1484 patients were included. Microscopic proximal margin lengths were macroscopically more often misestimated in diffuse histology (P = 0.0004), but extent of underestimation in centimeter was similar to intestinal and mixed/undetermined type (P = 0.134). Fifteen cases (1.0%) resulted in R1-resection, 10 at distal, and 5 at proximal margin but none with macroscopic proximal margin ≥3 cm and negative frozen section. Overall agreement of frozen margin and final pathology was 2951/2968 (99.4%). Proximal margin length in DG did not correlate with survival or recurrence in R0-resected patients.
Diffuse histology is at higher risk for underestimation of proximal margin length, but extent of underestimation is similar in other Laurén subtypes. If ≥3 cm macroscopic proximal margin length is applied with intraoperative frozen margin confirmation, R1-resection can be avoided.
In pT2-T4a gastric cancer, proximal margin of ≥3 cm plus frozen margin confirmation provides high oncological safety. In DG patients with R0-resection, proximal margin length does not correlate with survival or recurrence.
Wearable strain sensors are widely researched as core components in electronic skin. However, their limited capability of detecting only a single axial strain, and their low sensitivity, stability, ...opacity, and high production costs hinder their use in advanced applications. Herein, multiaxially highly sensitive, optically transparent, chemically stable, and solution‐processed strain sensors are demonstrated. Transparent indium tin oxide and zinc oxide nanocrystals serve as metallic and insulating components in a metal–insulator matrix and as active materials for strain gauges. Synergetic sensitivity‐ and stability‐reinforcing agents are developed using a transparent SU‐8 polymer to enhance the sensitivity and encapsulate the devices, elevating the gauge factor up to over 3000 by blocking the reconnection of cracks caused by the Poisson effect. Cross‐shaped patterns with an orthogonal crack strategy are developed to detect a complex multiaxial strain, efficiently distinguishing strains applied in various directions with high sensitivity and selectivity. Finally, all‐transparent wearable strain sensors with Ag nanowire electrodes are fabricated using an all‐solution process, which effectively measure not only the human motion or emotion, but also the multiaxial strains occurring during human motion in real time. The strategies can provide a pathway to realize cost‐effective and high‐performance wearable sensors for advanced applications such as bio‐integrated devices.
Multiaxially highly sensitive, optically transparent, and chemically stable strain sensors are fabricated through an all‐solution process by developing a sensitivity‐ and stability‐reinforcing agent of SU‐8 polymer and orthogonally cracked hetero‐nanocrystal solids. The sensors with a high gauge factor over 3000 successfully detect various human signals such as the pulse, the vocal movement, facial expressions, and the wrist movement.
The purpose of this study is to compare the surgical, oncologic safety and the nutritional, functional benefit of laparoscopy-assisted pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (LAPPG) with laparoscopy-assisted ...distal gastrectomy (LADG) for middle-third early gastric cancers (EGC).
Of those patients with middle-third EGC, it is still difficult to determine which procedure is better between LADG and LAPPG despite alleged advantages of LAPPG.
For middle-third EGC, a retrospective analysis was performed comparing those who underwent LADG and those who underwent LAPPG. To evaluate surgical and oncologic safety, clinicopathologic differences including the postoperative morbidity, the pattern of lymph node metastasis and recurrence were analyzed. Postoperative protein, albumin, quantification of abdominal fat area using abdomen computed tomography, and the incidence of postoperative gallstone were compared for the evaluation of functional advantages.
The overall postoperative morbidity rate was similar between LADG (n = 176) and LAPPG (n = 116). Delayed gastric emptying was less frequent in LADG than in LAPPG (1.7% vs 7.8%); however, the rates of all the other complications were significantly higher in LADG than in LAPPG (17.0% vs 7.8%). The number of examined lymph nodes and metastatic lymph nodes at each lymph node station was not significantly different and 3-year recurrence-free survival rates were also similar between LADG and LAPPG (98.8% vs 98.2%). Decreases in serum protein and albumin in postoperative 1 to 6 months and abdominal fat area in postoperative 1 year were significantly greater in LADG than in LAPPG. The 3-year cumulative incidence of gallstone was significantly higher in LADG than in LAPPG (6.5% vs 0.0%).
For middle-third EGC, LAPPG can be considered as a better treatment option than LADG in terms of nutritional advantage and lower incidence of gallstone.