CARD11 is a novel target of miR-181b that is upregulated in chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Aim: To investigate the targets of miR-181b in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Materials & methods: The bioinformatic softwares were used to indicate the key target genes associated with miR-181b, and the results were verified in CLL patient samples and 293T cells. Results: CARD11 is a potential target gene of miR-181b, an inverse relationship was revealed between the expression of CARD11 and miR-181b in 104 CLL patients, and it was confirmed in vitro with luciferase assays and western blotting. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that CLL patients with high CARD11 expression demonstrated poor survival. Conclusion: CARD11 is a novel target of miR-181b that is upregulated, which could be a poor prognostic indicator for CLL patients.

A Novel Serum Glycobiomarker for Diagnosis and Prognosis of Cholangiocarcinoma Detected by Butea monosperma Agglutinin

Plant lectins are widely used in medical glycosciences and glycotechnology. Many lectin-based techniques have been applied for the detection of disease-associated glycans and glycoconjugates. In this study, Butea monosperma agglutinin (BMA), a lectin purified from seeds of the medicinal plant Butea monosperma, was used for the detection of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA)-associated glycans. Expression of BMA-binding N-acetyl galactosamine/galactose (GalNAc/Gal)-associated glycan (BMAG) in CCA tissues was determined using BMA lectin histochemistry; the results showed that BMAG was undetectable in normal bile ducts and drastically increased in preneoplastic bile ducts and CCA. The study in hamsters showed that an increase of BMAG was associated with carcinogenesis of CCA. Using an in-house double BMA sandwich enzyme-linked lectin assay, BMAG was highly detected in the sera of CCA patients. The level of serum BMAG in CCA patients (N = 83) was significantly higher than non-CCA controls (N = 287) and it was applicable for diagnosis of CCA with 55.4% sensitivity, 81.9% specificity, and 76.0% accuracy. A high level of serum BMAG (≥82.5 AU/mL) was associated with unfavorable survival of CCA patients; this information suggested the potential of serum BMAG as a poor prognostic indicator of CCA. In summary, BMAG was aberrantly expressed in preneoplastic bile ducts and CCA, it was also highly detected in patient serum which potentially used as a marker for diagnosis and prognostic prediction of CCA.

Spread through air spaces is a poor prognostic indicator in patients undergoing lobectomy for lung cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Previous studies have confirmed the poor prognostic value of spread through air spaces (STAS) in patients undergoing limited resection for lung cancer. Nevertheless, its prognostic value remains controversial in patients undergoing lobectomy. Consequently, we aim to systematically and comprehensively evaluate the prognosis of patients with STAS undergoing lobectomy for lung cancer. Methods: An extensive search of literature databases was conducted. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between patients with or without STAS undergoing lobectomy. In addition, results of the limited resection were also evaluated and presented. Results: 5 studies with 1531 patients reported the outcomes of lobectomy and 4 studies including 505 patients evaluated the survival of limited resection. In patients undergoing lobectomy, STAS was associated with significantly worse survival than non-STAS, including both RFS (HR=1.700; 95% CI: 1.265–2.283; P＜0.001; P for heterogeneity=0.637; I2=0.0%) and OS (HR=2.620; 95% CI: 1.138–6.031; P=0.024; P for heterogeneity=0.128; I2=51.4%). STAS was also correlated with shorter RFS (HR=3.434, 95%CI 2.173 to 5.428; P＜0.001; P for heterogeneity=0.828, I2=0.0%) and OS (HR=3.494, 95%CI 2.128 to 5.736; P＜0.001; P for heterogeneity=0.501, I2=0.0%) in limited resection. Conclusions: STAS is a poor prognostic indicator in patients undergoing lobectomy for lung cancer.