Non-mutation Group Research Articles

Analysis of multidrug resistance gene locus mutations and clinical significance in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia

To detect multidrug resistance gene locus mutations in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia through targeted high-throughput sequencing and to explore its clinical significance. A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 2 899 children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia, who underwent respiratory pathogen-targeted high-throughput sequencing, treated at Hubei Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital between January and December 2023. The patients were divided into a mutation group (n=885) and a non-mutation group (n=2 014) based on whether there was a mutation in the 23SrRNA macrolide-resistant gene of Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the risk factors for multidrug resistance gene locus mutations in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia. Among the 2 899 children, 885 cases (30.53%) had mutations in the 23SrRNA resistance gene, including 884 cases with the A2063G mutation and 1 case with the A2064G mutation. In children with 23SrRNA resistance gene mutations, treatment with doxycycline or ofloxacin was more effective than with azithromycin or clarithromycin, and doxycycline was more effective than ofloxacin (P<0.05). The mutation rate of resistance genes in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia increased with age (P<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that increased age, extrapulmonary infection, lung consolidation, prolonged fever, prolonged hospitalization, and elevated CRP levels were risk factors for 23SrRNA gene locus mutations (P<0.05). Age, extrapulmonary infections, lung consolidation, duration of fever, length of hospitalization, and CRP levels are closely related to 23SrRNA resistance gene locus mutations. Detecting multidrug resistance gene locus mutations in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia can aid in early diagnosis and prediction of treatment efficacy, promoting rational clinical treatment.

Integrated multi-omics characterization of SMAD4 mutant colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers around the world, which is a severe threat to people’s health. SMAD4 belongs to the dwarfin/SMAD family, which plays a crucial role in TGF-β and BMP signal pathways. As the molecular characterization of colon cancer patients following SMAD4 mutations remains unclear, we integrated multi-omics data of SMAD4 mutant patients to reveal the profile of molecular characterization of SMAD4 mutation. A missense mutation is the most common mutant type of SMAD4. Patients with SMAD4 mutation had worse survival. Tumor tissues from patients carrying the SMAD4 mutation showed a reduction in various immune cells, such as CD4 + memory T cells and memory B cells. Many differential genes were identified compared to the SMAD4 mutation-free group and could be significantly enriched for tumor- and immune-related signaling pathways. In addition, the mutant group had different drug sensitivities than the non-mutant group.

Inherited genetic predisposition and imaging concordance in degenerative lumbar scoliosis patients and their descendants

BackgroundOffspring consistently exhibit similar imaging features as their parents in cases of degenerative lumbar scoliosis (DLS). Nevertheless, the role of genetic factors in the pathogenesis of DLS remains uncertain.MethodsA prospective analysis was conducted on 35 patients with DLS and their 36 offspring. Genomic DNA was extracted from 71 blood samples for gene mutation analysis using whole exome sequencin. Various demographic and imaging parameters were compared.ResultsIn 11 pedigrees of the 35 family members with DLS, 13 suspected pathogenic genes were identified. Among the 35 DLS patients, 11/35(31.5%) exhibited susceptibility gene mutations (mutant group), while 24/35(68.5%) had no pathogenic gene mutations (non-mutant group). AVR was more severe in mutant group than that in no-mutant group (p < 0.05). Among the 36 offspring, 11/36(30.6%) cohorts presented susceptibility genes (mutant group), 25/36(69.4%) cohorts presented no pathogenic genes (no-mutant group). More cohorts in the mutant group presented vertebral rotation (72.8%) and scoliosis (45.5%) than those (24%), (12%) in the no-mutant group, respectively (p < 0.05). Among the 36 offspring, 8/36(22.2%) presented scoliosis (study group), they all presented the same scoliosis orientation and apex vertebrae/disc location to their parents, the other 28/36(77.8%) cohorts without scoliosis were enrolled as control group, the mutation rate (62.5%) was higher in study group than that (21.4%) in control group.ConclusionsGenetic influences are significant in the onset of DLS, with affected families showing similar scoliosis patterns and identical apex vertebrae. Moreover, individuals with genetic mutations tend to have more pronounced vertebral rotation and at a higher risk of developing scoliosis.

Predicting MET exon 14 skipping mutation in pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma by whole-tumour texture analysis combined with clinical and conventional contrast-enhanced computed tomography features.

Pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma (PSC) is a rare, highly malignant type of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with a poor prognosis. Targeted drugs for MET exon 14 (METex14) skipping mutation can have considerable clinical benefits. This study aimed to predict METex14 skipping mutation in PSC patients by whole-tumour texture analysis combined with clinical and conventional contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) features. This retrospective study included 56 patients with PSC diagnosed by pathology. All patients underwent CECT before surgery or other treatment, and both targeted DNA- and RNA-based next-generation sequencing (NGS) were used to detect METex14 skipping mutation status. The patients were divided into two groups: METex14 skipping mutation and nonmutation groups. Overall, 1,316 texture features of the whole tumour were extracted. We also collected 12 clinical and 20 conventional CECT features. After dimensionality reduction and selection, predictive models were established by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Models were evaluated using the area under the curve (AUC), and the clinical utility of the model was assessed by decision curve analysis. METex14 skipping mutation was detected in 17.9% of PSCs. Mutations were found more frequently in those (I) who had smaller long- or short-axis diameters (P=0.02, P=0.01); (II) who had lower T stages (I, II) (P=0.02); and (III) with pseudocapsular or annular enhancement (P=0.03). The combined model based on the conventional and texture models yielded the best performance in predicting METex14 skipping mutation with the highest AUC (0.89). The conventional and texture models also had good performance (AUC =0.83 conventional; =0.88 texture). Whole-tumour texture analysis combined with clinical and conventional CECT features may serve as a noninvasive tool to predict the METex14 skipping mutation status in PSC.

Single-cell sequencing to elucidate the disparities in the immune microenvironment between PIK3CA mutants and wild types.

e17524 Background: In patients with cervical cancer, PIK3CA exhibits the highest mutation rate, with the predominant oncogenic alteration reported to occur in 40% of cases. Recent studies in cervical cancer have indicated that the mutation status of PIK3CA is prominently associated with a diminished overall survival. Nevertheless, in our preceding study entitled 'Efficacy and Safety of Sintilimab Plus Anlotinib for PD-L1–Positive Recurrent or Metastatic Cervical Cancer: A Multicenter, Single-Arm, Prospective Phase II Trial', the prognosis for the mutant group surpassed that of the non-mutant group. Therefore, distinguishing the differences in the immune microenvironment between PIK3CA mutant and wild-type cervical cancer patients is of great significance. Methods: We used Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to analyze the tissue samples of 7 cervical cancer patients with PIK3CA mutations and 9 with wild-type. Results: We partitioned cells from both the mutated and wild-type forms of cervical cancer into nine distinct clusters. To better understand the transcriptional heterogeneity of tumor-infiltrating T lymphocytes, we re-clustered 45,574 NK/T cells into 9 clusters. A specific cell cluster, designated as CD8+ ISG15, exhibited a significant enrichment in interferon-induced genes, including ISG15, IFIT3, IFIT1, RSAD2, and IFI6. To explore intergroup differences, we performed differential analysis on the proportions of mutations and non-mutations in different subgroups. We found significant differences in CD8+ ISG15 between the mutant group and the widegroup. ISG15 plays a pivotal role in antiviral responses, and as research advances, it has been identified as a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for cancer, beyond its antiviral function. A growing body of studies indicates that ISG15 is overexpressed in the majority of tumors, however, the influence of high ISG15 expression on the overall survival of cancer patients is dependent on the cancer type. In our single-cell analysis of cervical cancer, we observed that the CD8+ ISG15 subgroup specifically expresses ISG15, and the prevalence of this subgroup is significantly greater in the PIK3CA wild-type group compared to the mutant group. Consequently, the CD8+ ISG15 subgroup is perceived as a significant subset within the cervical cancer immune microenvironment for regulating anti-tumor responses. Conclusions: We defined the CD8+ ISG15 cell cluster present in the cervical cancer immune microenvironment using scRNA-seq, and found that its proportion is significantly lower in the PIK3CA mutant group than in the wild-type group. Combined with existing research, this suggests that this subgroup plays an important role in immune regulation within the cervical cancer immune microenvironment.

The relationship between differentially expressed thyroid cancer genes and clinical characteristics in metastatic children and adolescents

Objective: To investigate the relationship between genes and clinical characteristics in children and adolescents with metastatic differentiated thyroid cancer (caDTC). Methods: A cross sectional study. A total of 67 caDTC patients with lymph node metastasis or distant metastasis in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from December 2020 to December 2022 were included, according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Then the differences in clinicopathologic features and iodine intake were compared among different genomes, and the age subgroups divided by the age of 12 were further analyzed. Results: Among the 67 cases of caDTC, the diagnosed age [M(Q1, Q3)]was 13.2 (9.7, 16.9) years old, with 23 males and 44 females. There were 68.7% (46/67) of patients have distant metastasis (M1 stage). Pathogenic or potentially pathogenic gene variants were detected in 68.7% (46/67) of the patients, with RET or NTRK fusion (RET/NTRK) being the most common [43.3%(29/67)], BRAF V600E mutation followed [19.4%(13/67)].There was only 1 caDTC with NRAS Q61R mutation. The patients were divided into RET/NTRK fusion group (n=29), BRAF mutation group (n=12), other mutation group (n=4), and non-mutation group (n=21) (1 patient was not included in the gene mutation subgroup comparison due to the presence of NRAS Q61R mutation and BRAF V600E mutation). The comparison of gene feature groups showed that compared to the BRAF mutation group, caDTC with RET/NTRK fusion tended to have a lower age at diagnosis [12.6(9.3, 15.9) vs 17.2(15.5, 18.1) years old, P<0.001], the proportion of mutation load≥2 was higher (10.4% vs 8.3%, P=0.027), with statistically significant difference. Among 46 M1 stage patients, 71.7% (33/46) had initial iodine intake, and 30.4% (14/46) developed radioiodine-refractory (RAIR). In age group comparison, the<12 year old group had a higher proportion of male patients (51.9% vs 22.5%, P=0.013) and a lower incidence of BRAF V600E mutations (0 vs 32.5%, P<0.001) compared to the≥12 year old group, and the differences were statistically significant. Conclusions: The incidence of RET/NTRK fusion ranks first in metastatic caDTC, featured with younger age at diagnosis and higher rate of distant metastasis. Although most metastatic lesions initially consume iodine, they are prone to RAIR. Attention should be paid to the potential role of RET/NTRK fusion in the invasion and iodine resistance of young caDTC patients.

Clinical Characteristics and Prognosis of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients with GATA2 Gene Mutation

To investigate the clinical characteristics, coexisting gene mutations and prognosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with GATA2 gene mutation. The clinical data of 370 newly diagnosed AML patients treated in our hospital from January 2008 to January 2021 was analyzed retrospectively, the next-generation sequencing technology was used to detect the mutated genes in those patients. The clinical characteristics of AML patients with GATA2 mutations, the co-mutated genes of GATA2 mutations, and the effect of GATA2 mutation on prognosis were analyzed. A total of 23 patients (6.2%) with GATA2 mutation was detected in 370 AML patients. Compared with GATA2 non-mutation group, patients in GATA2 mutation group were mostly normal karyotypes (P =0.037) and in low-risk cytogenetic stratification (P =0.028). The incidence of CEBPAdm and NRAS in GATA2 mutation group was significantly higher than that in GATA2 non-mutation group (P =0.010, P =0.009). There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of sex, age, white blood cell count (WBC), platelet count, hemoglobin, bone marrow (BM) blast, induction chemotherapy regimen and CR rate (P >0.05). Among the 23 patients with GATA2 mutation, the most common co-mutated genes were CEBPAdm, NRAS (both 39.1%), NPM1, FLT3, TET2, WT1 (all 17.4%), ASXL1 and IDH1 (both 13.0%). Survival analysis showed that there was no statistical difference in 5-year overall survival (OS) and leukemia-free survival (LFS) rates between patients with and without GATA2 mutations in whole cohort (n=370) (P =0.306, P =0.308). Among 306 patients without CEBPAdm, the 5-year OS and LFS rates in GATA2 mutation group showed an increasing trend compared with GATA2 non-mutation group, but the difference was not statistically significant (P =0.092, P =0.056). Among 64 patients with CEBPAdm, there was no statistically significant difference in 5-year OS rate between the GATA2 mutation group and the GATA2 non-mutation group (P =0.104), but the 5-year LFS rate of the GATA2 mutation group was significantly decreased (P =0.047). Among the 23 patients with GATA2 mutation, 16 cases received the "3+7" induction regimen, of which 12 cases received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT); 7 cases received the "DCAG" induction regimen, of which 3 cases received allo-HSCT. The CR rate was not statistically different between the "3+7" regimen group and the "DCAG" regimen group (P =1.000). The 5-year OS rate and LFS rate in the transplantation group were significantly higher than the chemotherapy group (P =0.021, P =0.020). GATA2 mutation is more common in AML patients with normal karyotype and low-risk cytogenetic stratification, and it is significantly associated with CEBPAdm and NRAS co-mutations. The prognostic significance of GATA2 is influenced by CEBPAdm. The choice of "3+7" or "DCAG" induction regimen in patients with GATA2 mutation does not affect their CR rate, while the choice of allo-HSCT can significantly improved the prognosis compared with chemotherapy only.

The difference of transcriptome of HPV-infected patients contributes more to the occurrence of cervical cancer than the mutations of E6 and E7 genes in HPV16.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) E6 and E7 genes are biomarkers and drivers of the progression of cervical cancer (CxCa). The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between HPV16 E6, E7 gene mutations and the occurrence and development of CxCa. Cervical exfoliated cells and clinical data of patients with cervical diseases were collected. Sample DNA was extracted, the E6 and E7 gene fragments were amplified by PCR, and the mutations were detected by Sanger sequencing and compared with standard sequences. Microarray was used to sequence the transcriptome of cells. Data of transcriptome analyzed and visualized using R software and its packages. Analysis of clinical characteristics demonstrated the association of HPV16 infection with CxCa (P < .05). Sanger sequencing results showed that the mutation sites of E6 gene included T178G/A, T350G, A131C, and T241G; among these, A131C and T241G were synonymous mutations. The mutation sites of E7 gene included A647G, T846C, G666A, T843C, and T760C, and all of them were synonymous mutations except A647G. There was no significant difference in the distribution of HPV16 E6, E7 mutations among CxCa, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, and infection groups (P > .05). Compared with the non- CxCa group, gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) showed more significant enrichment of DEGs in the biological processes, pathways, and diseases closely related to cancer. Compared with the non-mutation group, the DEGs in the E6, E7 gene mutation group were significantly enriched in the events related to infection and immunity. To summarize, HPV16 may be associated with the occurrence and development of CxCa, but HPV16 E6 and E7 gene mutations have little effect on the occurrence and development of CxCa. Individual differences may have a greater effect on the progression of CxCa.

HR-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer arising in patients with or without BRCA2 mutation: different biological phenotype and similar prognosis.

BRCA2 plays a key role in homologous recombination. However, information regarding its mutations in Chinese patients with breast cancer remains limited. This study aimed to assess the clinicopathological characteristics of BRCA2 mutation breast cancer and explore the mutation's effect on hormone receptor (HR)-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative breast cancer survival in China. This hospital-based cohort study prospectively included 629 women with breast cancer diagnosed from 2008 to 2023 at Zhejiang Cancer Hospital in China. We compared the clinicopathological characteristics and metastatic patterns and analysed the invasive disease-free survival (iDFS), distant relapse-free survival (DRFS) and first-line progression-free survival (PFS1) of patients with HR-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer according to BRCA2 mutations. Among the 629 patients, 78 had BRCA2 mutations (12.4%) and 551 did not (87.6%). The mean age at diagnosis was lower in the BRCA2 mutation breast cancer group than in the non-mutation breast cancer group (38.91 versus 41.94 years, p = 0.016). BRCA2 mutation breast cancers were more likely to be lymph node-positive than non-mutation breast cancers (73.0% versus 56.6%, p = 0.037). The pathological grade was higher in 47.1% of BRCA2 mutation breast cancers than in 29.6% of non-mutation breast cancers (p = 0.014). The proportions of patients with BRCA2 mutations who developed contralateral breast cancer (19.2% versus 8.8%, p = 0.004), breast cancer in the family (53.8% versus 38.3%, p = 0.009) and ovarian cancer in the family (7.6% versus 2.4%, p = 0.022) were higher than those of patients without the mutation. The median follow-up time was 92.78 months. Multivariate analysis showed that BRCA2 mutation was not associated with poorer iDFS [hazard ratio = 0.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.64-1.27, p = 0.56] and poorer distant relapse-free survival (DRFS) (hazard ratio = 1.09, 95% CI = 0.61-1.93, p = 0.76). There was no significant difference between the two groups with regard to metastatic patterns in the advanced disease setting. In the first-line metastatic breast cancer setting, PFS1 expression was broadly similar between the two groups irrespective of chemotherapy or endocrine therapy. HR-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer with BRCA2 mutations differs from those without mutations in clinical behaviour and reflects more aggressive tumour behaviour. Our results indicate that BRCA2 mutations have no significant effect on the survival of Chinese women with HR-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer.

Frequency of FLT3/ITD Mutation in Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia presenting at Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi

Objective: To assess the frequency of FLT3/ITD mutation in patients of Acute myeloid leukaemia presenting at Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Oncology Department, Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Jan to Jun 2020. Methodology: A sample of 46 patients with acute myeloid leukaemia was included using a non-probability, consecutive sampling technique. Genetic testing was done on all blood samples to identify FLT3-ITD mutation. Results: Out of 46, 10(21.7%) were females and 36(78.3%) were males. The FLT3/ITD mutation frequency in our study sample was 10(21.7%), with all in de-novo AML patients and none in secondary AML. White cell count (55x109), bone marrow blasts (85%) and peripheral smear blasts (75%) were high in the FLT3-ITD mutated group in comparison to the non-mutated group. Conclusion: Timely detection of FLT3/ITD mutation and an amplification of induction therapy would benefit this group of patients.

Impact of TP53 Allelic State on Outcomes of Patients Undergoing Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Myelodysplastic Neoplasm

Background : Tumor protein p53 ( TP53) mutations are associated with dismal outcomes in myelodysplastic neoplasms (MDS). However, the impact of TP53 allelic state in the context of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) for MDS has not been fully explored. Method: We conducted a multi-center study in 347 MDS patients undergoing allo-HSCT between January 2017 and October 2022, with the median follow-up time among survivors of 28.6 (range, 4.7 - 76.6) months, and 45 had TP53 mutations among them. Results: Twenty-one patients were detected with TP53 monoallelic mutations ( TP531mut), while 24 had multiple hits ( TP53multi). Complex karyotype was more common in patients with mutated TP53 (52.4% of patients with TP531mutand 75.0% of patients with TP53multi), whereas this proportion was only 10.6% in patients with wild-type TP53 ( TP53wt). The prognosis varied according to different TP53 state, showing the 2-year overall survival (OS) rates of 51.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 33.7% - 78.6%) for TP531mut group versus 15.8% (95% CI: 3.3% - 76.4%) for TP53multi group versus 73.5% (95% CI: 68.5% - 78.9%) for TP53wt group ( P&amp;lt;0.001), and the 2-year cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR) rates of 28.6% (95% CI: 11.2% - 48.8%) for TP531mut group versus 47.3% (95% CI: 18.3% - 71.9%) for TP53multi group versus 10.8% (95% CI: 7.5% - 14.9%) for TP53wt group ( P&amp;lt;0.001). Similarly, the leukemia-free survival (LFS) and graft-versus-host disease-free/relapse-free survival (GRFS) of patients with TP531mut or TP53multi were obviously lower than those with TP53wt (both P&amp;lt;0.001). However, there was no significant difference on non-relapse mortality among these three groups ( P=0.424). The adverse effects of TP53 mutationson OS, LFS, GRFS and CIR were also found in patients undergoing haploidentical HSCT or those with molecular International Prognostic Scoring System high- and very high-risk categories (all P&amp;lt;0.05). In the subgroup with complex karyotype ( n = 32 with non-mutated TP53 and n = 29 with mutated TP53), significantly inferior OS, LFS and GFRS and higher CIR were observed in patients with mutated TP53 while in the subgroup without complex karyotype ( n = 270 with non-mutated TP53 and n = 16 with mutated TP53), there were no differences in these prognostic indicators (all P&amp;gt;0.05). Notably, among patients who received conventional conditioning regime without hypomethylating agents (HMA) ( n = 264 with non-mutated TP53 and n = 38 with mutated TP53), the inferior 2-year OS, LFS and GRFS rates, and the higher 2-year CIR rate of patients still presented in TP53 mutant patients(all P&amp;lt;0.05), but among those receiving conditioning regime containing HMA, similar outcomes were found between mutated ( n = 7) and non-mutated ( n = 38) TP53 groups (all P&amp;gt;0.05). Multivariable cox proportional hazards models demonstrated that monoallelic TP53 state was an independent risk factor for survival and relapse (HR OS=2.859, 95% CI: 1.372 - 5.957, P=0.005; HR LFS=2.566, 95% CI: 1.342 - 4.905, P=0.004; HR GRFS=2.146, 95% CI: 1.106 - 4.163, P=0.024; HR CIR=2.507, 95% CI: 1.033 - 6.086, P=0.042), and multi-hit TP53 state also predicted worse outcomes (HR OS=3.038, 95% CI: 1.453 - 6.356, P=0.003; HR LFS=2.716, 95% CI: 1.383 - 5.336, P=0.004; HR GRFS=1.882, 95% CI: 1.002 - 3.535, P=0.049). C onclusions: Monoallelic and multi-hit TP53 state identify a high-risk group for poor outcomes in MDS patients undergoing allo-HSCT, complex karyotype could amplify the adverse prognostic effect of TP53, and these patients might benefit from receiving conditioning regime containing HMA.

Apparent diffusion coefficient value of brain metastasis from lung carcinoma as potential predictor of epidermal growth factor receptor mutation

BackgroundLung carcinoma metastases to the brain occurred in 40% of all lung carcinoma cases and it occupied the top ranking of mortality of cancers. MRI plays an important role in predicting mutations of lung carcinoma.ObjectiveThis study aimed to compare apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values ​​from brain MRI among lung carcinoma patients with and without epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations which result in brain metastases.MethodsData of fifty-two patients with brain metastasis from lung carcinoma during 2019 to 2022 were taken. The three regions of interest (ROI) were placed to the mutation, non-mutation, and non-lesion groups to predict ADC values.ResultsThe ADC values of the EGFR mutation group were not significantly different from either the non-EGFR mutation group or the non-lesion group. The average ADC value of the EGFR mutation group was the lowest, followed by the non-EGFR mutation group and the non-lesion group. The prediction of ADC values ​in the EGFR mutation group ranged 0,773–0,815 × 10−3 mm2/s, followed by the non-EGFR mutation group 0,82 × 10−3 mm2/s, and non-lesion group 0.841 × 10−3 mm2/s.ConclusionsThe ADC values in contrast-brain-MRI can be used as a predictor of EGFR mutations in lung carcinoma with lower prediction value than non-EGFR mutation patients. The ADC values in MRI can contribute in diagnosing and planning further management for lung carcinoma towards precision therapy era.

Clinical Features and Outcomes in Large Granular Lymphocyte Leukemia-Associated Pure Red Cell Aplasia with STAT3 Mutation

Background Large granular lymphocyte leukemia (LGLL) is a rare disease frequently complicated with pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) [1, 2]. STAT3 mutations have been describled in 30-40% of LGLL patients [3]. The aim of this work was to evaluate whether STAT3 mutations might be associated with specific clinical features and outcomes in LGLL-associated PRCA. Methods and results From January 2016 to July 2023, 81 patients with LGLL-associated PRCA were enrolled in the China Eastern Cooperation Group for Anemia (CECGA) database (ChiCTR2100043485). As an initial step in the STAT3 mutational analysis, we screened all patients with Sanger sequencing or Next-generation sequencing (NGS). The initial dose of CsA was 3-5mg/kg/day, and the serum concentration was adjusted to be 150-200ng/mL based on adverse reactions. After 12 months of maintenance, the dosage was slowly reduced. Cyclophosphamide combined with prednisone (CP) regimen was used as a salvage therapy for patients who failed to CsA. The initial dose of cyclophosphamide and prednisone were 100mg/day and 0.5-1mg/kg/day, respectively. Among the 81 cases, 26% of them were positive for STAT3 mutations. The clinical characteristics of patients with or without STAT3 mutation were summarized in Table 1. Patients with STAT3 mutations had a higher reticulocyte percentage (0.88% vs 0.28%, P=0.039) and red cell distribution width-coefficient of variation (18.8% vs 15.8%, P=0.008) than patients without STAT3 mutations. Y640F mutation were found in 9 of 21 cases. Subgroup analysis showed that patients with Y640F mutation were associated with younger age (44 vs 65 years old, P=0.007) and higer lymphocyte percentage in peripheral blood (63.7% vs 34.4%, P=0.033). Deep sequencing of rearranged T-cell receptor Vβ complementarity-determining region 3 by NGS was conducted in 61 patients. The predominant V-gene of LGLL clonotypes belonged to the TRBV06 family gene was detected in 12 (25%) patients. The expression of TRBV06 family gene was a litter lower in patients with STAT3 mutation than non-mutant groups (8% vs 31%, P=0.189). The complete response rate (CRR) [31% (5/16) vs 33% (19/58), P=0.909] and overall response rate (ORR) [56% (9/16) vs 50% (29/58), P=0.658] of cyclosporine (CsA) treatment were similar in patients with STAT3 mutations or not. In STAT3 mutant group, the CRR [54% (7/13) vs 31% (5/16), P=0.274] and ORR [85% (11/13) vs 56% (9/16), P=0.130] of CP regimen tended to be better than CsA . 6 patients (67%) relapsed among the 9 patients who responded to CsA in STAT3 mutant group. In patients without STAT3 mutation, 19 of 29 (66%) CsA-responders relapsed. There was no siginificant difference in the relapse-free survival between the two group (Figure 1). Discussion/Conclusions In summary, STAT3 mutation was frequently recognized in LGLL-associated PRCA, and the hotspot site was Y640F. Patients with STAT3 mutations responded to CsA as well as those without the mutation. CP regimen could be used as a salvage therapy for patients who failed to CsA. Reference 1. Balasubramanian SK, Sadaps M, Thota S, et al. Rational management approach to pure red cell aplasia. Haematologica. 2018, 103(2): 221-230. 2. Wu X, Cheng L, Liu X, et al. Clinical characteristics and outcomes of 100 adult patients with pure red cell aplasia. Ann Hematol. 2022, 101(7):1493-1498. 3. Barilà G, Teramo A, Calabretto G, et al. Stat3 mutations impact on overall survival in large granular lymphocyte leukemia: a single-center experience of 205 patients. Leukemia. 2020, 34: 1116-1124.

Comprehensive analyses of the clinicopathological features and genomic mutations of combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma.

Combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CCA) is a rare primary liver cancer that has two different tumor phenotypes in a single tumor nodule. The relationship between genetic mutations and clinicopathological features of cHCC-CCA remains to be elucidated. Whole-exome sequencing analyses were carried out in 13 primary and 2 recurrent cHCC-CCAs. The whole-exome analyses and clinicopathological information were integrated. TP53 was the most frequently mutated gene in this cohort, followed by BAP1, IDH1/2, and NFE2L2 mutations in multiple cases. All tumors with diameters <3cm had TP53 mutations. In contrast, six of seven tumors with diameters ≥3cm did not have TP53 mutations, but all seven tumors had mutations in genes associated with various pathways, including Wnt, RAS/PI3K, and epigenetic modulators. In the signature analysis, the pattern of mutations shown in the TP53 mutation group tended to be more similar to HCC than the TP53 nonmutation group. Mutations in recurrent cHCC-CCA tumors were frequently identical to those in the primary tumor, suggesting that those tumors originated from identical clones of the primary cHCC-CCA tumors. Recurrent and co-occurrent HCC tumors in the same patients with cHCC-CCA had either common or different mutation patterns from the primary cHCC-CCA tumors in each case. The study suggested that there were two subtypes of cHCC-CCA, one involving TP53 mutations in the early stage of the carcinogenic process and the other not involving such mutations. The comparison of the variants between primary and recurrent tumors suggested that cHCC-CCA was derived from an identical clone.

SART3, regulated by p53, is a biomarker for diagnosis, prognosis and immune infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma.

This study aimed to investigate the role of squamous cell carcinoma antigen recognized by T cells 3 (SART3) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). SART3 expression and prognostic value were analyzed in TCGA and GEO datasets. The diagnostic value and prognostic significance of SART3 were determined using immunohistochemistry in the Guangxi cohort. The whole-exome mutation spectrum of SART3 was analyzed in high and low expression groups in both TCGA and Guangxi cohorts. The biological functions of the SART3 gene were validated through in vitro experiments using small interfering RNA technology to downregulate SART3 expression in HCC cell lines. SART3 expression was significantly higher in HCC tissues than in adjacent noncancerous liver tissues in TCGA, GEO and Guangxi cohorts. High expression of SART3 was significantly associated with poor prognosis in HCC patients. In TCGA and Guangxi cohorts, the expression of SART3 in the TP53 mutation group was significantly higher than that in the non-mutation group. Downregulation of SART3 expression significantly inhibited the migration and proliferation of HCC cells. SART3 may be involved mainly in immune infiltration of Th2 cells and macrophages in HCC. Additionally, SART3 can upregulate the expression of immune checkpoints (PD-L1 and TIM-3) and predict potential therapeutic agents for HCC. The findings of this study demonstrate the diagnostic and prognostic value of SART3 in HCC. SART3 may be associated with immune infiltration of Th2 cells and macrophages in HCC, highlighting its potential role in the development and progression of HCC.

A Prognostic Model for Prostate Cancer Patients Based on Two DNA Damage Response Mutation-Related Immune Genes.

Background: DNA damage response (DDR) mutation-related genes and composition of immune cells are core factors affecting the effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. The aim of this study is to combine DDR with immune-related genes to screen the prognostic signature for prostate cancer (PCa). Methods: Gene expression profile and somatic mutation were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). DDR-related genes were obtained from published study. After identification of prognostic-related DDR genes, samples were divided into mutation and nonmutation groups. Differentially expressed genes between these two groups were screened, followed by selection of immune-related DDR genes. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses were performed to screen genes for constructing prognostic model. Nomogram model was also developed. The expression level of signature was detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Results: Two genes (MYBBP1A and PCDHA9) were screened to construct the prognostic model, and it showed good risk prediction of PCa prognosis. Survival analysis showed that patients in high-risk group had worse overall survival than those in low-risk group. Cox analyses indicated that risk score could be used as an independent prognostic factor for PCa. qPCR results indicated that MYBBP1A was upregulated, whereas PCDHA9 was downregulated in PCa cell lines. Conclusions: A prognostic model based on DDR mutation-related genes for PCa was established, which serves as an effective tool for prognostic differentiation in patients with PCa.

Role and clinical significance of MUC4 gene mutations in thrombotic events in patients with classic paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the role and clinical significance of MUC4 gene mutations in thrombotic events in patients with classic paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) patients. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data and gene sequencing results of 45 patients with classic PNH admitted to the Department of Hematology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, from June 2018 to February 2022. MUC4 gene mutations in patients with classic PNH were summarized, and the risk factors for thrombotic events in these patients were analyzed. Additionally, the effects of MUC4 gene mutations on the cumulative incidence and survival of thrombotic events in patients with classic PNH were determined. Results: The detection rate of MUC4 gene mutations in patients with classic PNH who experienced thrombotic events (thrombotic group) was 68.8% (11/16), which was significantly higher than that in the non-thrombotic group [10.3% (3/29) ] (P<0.001). All mutations occurred in exon 2. MUC4 mutation (OR=20.815, P=0.010) was identified as an independent risk factor for thrombotic events in patients with classic PNH. The cumulative incidence of thrombotic events was 78.6% (11/14) in the MUC4 gene mutation group (mutation group) and 16.1% (5/31) in the non-mutation group, showing a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.001). Survival analysis showed a lower overall survival (OS) rate in the thrombotic group compared with that in the non-thrombotic group [ (34.4±25.2) % vs. (62.7±19.3) % ] (P=0.045). The OS rate of patients was (41.7±29.9) % in the mutation group and (59.1±18.3) % in the non-mutation group (P=0.487) . Conclusion: MUC4 gene mutations are associated with an increased incidence of thrombotic events in classic PNH patients, highlighting their role as independent risk factors for thrombosis in this population. These mutations can be considered a novel predictive factor that aids in evaluating the risk of thrombosis in patients with classic PNH.

Association between DIAPH1 variant and posterior circulation involvement with Moyamoya disease

Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a chronic and progressive cerebrovascular stenosis or occlusive disease that occurs near Willis blood vessels. The aim of this study was to investigate the mutation of DIAPH1 in Asian population, and to compare the angiographic features of MMD patients with and without the mutation of the DIAPH1 gene. Blood samples of 50 patients with MMD were collected, and DIAPH1 gene mutation was detected. The angiographic involvement of the posterior cerebral artery was compared between the mutant group and the non-mutant group. The independent risk factors of posterior cerebral artery involvement were determined by multivariate logistic regression analysis. DIAPH1 gene mutation was detected in 9 (18%) of 50 patients, including 7 synonymous mutations and 2 missense mutations. However, the incidence of posterior cerebral artery involvement in mutation positive group was very higher than that in mutation negative group (77.8% versus 12%; p = 0.001). There is an association between DIAPH1 mutation and PCA involvement (odds ratio 29.483, 95% confidence interval 3.920–221.736; p = 0.001). DIAPH1 gene mutation is not a major genetic risk gene for Asian patients with moyamoya disease but may play an important role in the involvement of posterior cerebral artery.

Analysis of characteristics of drug resistance gene mutation in HBV RT region of hepatitis B infected patients

Objective: This article investigated the clinical characteristics and distribution of drug resistance mutation sites in HBV RT region of hepatitis B infected patients. Methods: Retrospective analysis was made on 1 948 patients with HBV infection, who had been tested for NAs resistance mutation and had a medical history of NAs in the Laboratory Department of the Fifth Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital from January 2020 to December 2021. Basic clinical information and drug resistance related mutation information were recorded. Meanwhile, the serological index data of hepatitis B were collected. Drug resistance gene mutant group and non-mutated group were grouped according to whether the drug resistance genes had a mutation in HBV RT region, and the clinical characteristics and genotype distribution of the two groups were statistically analyzed. The pattern of drug resistance gene mutation, number of mutation sites, drug resistance type and mutation of NAs resistance-related sites were analyzed in 917 patients with drug resistance gene mutation in HBV RT region. χ2 Inspection was used for counting data. Meanwhile, two independent samples t-test and Wilcoxon rank sum test were used for measurement data. Results: Among the 1 948 patients with chronic HBV infection, 917 patients had drug resistance gene mutation in RT region (47.07%). The proportion of patients with acute hepatitis B and CHB in HBV RT resistance gene mutant group was lower than that in the non-mutated group, while the proportion of patients with HBV-related cirrhosis was higher than that in the non-mutated group, these differences were statistically significant. Compared with the non-mutated group in HBV RT region, the age, the positive rates of HBeAg and HBV DNA, and HBV DNA load of these patients were increased in drug resistance gene mutant group, these differences were statistically significant. Genotypes of patients in both groups were dominated by C, followed by B and D. The proportion of patients with genotype C in HBV RT drug resistance gene mutant group was higher than that of non-mutated group, the difference was statistically significant. There were 53 gene mutation patterns in 917 patients with drug resistance gene mutation in HBV RT region, and the main pattern was rtL180M+rtM204V+rtS202G (9.70%). The mutation sites were dominated by 3 (20.74%). There were 5 types of drug resistance, LAM+Ldt (21.25%) was the most. Among the 18 sites that were clearly associated with LAM, ADV, ETV and Ldt resistance in the HBV RT region, 14 sites were mutated, and the most common mutation sites were rtL180M, rtM204V, rtM204 and rtS202G. what's more, the proportion of patients with NAs drug resistance was LAM>Ldt>ETV>ADV. Conclusion: In order to prevent adverse consequences of this study such as disease recurrence or disease progression caused by HBV drug resistance, HBV infected patients, who have long-term use of NAs antiviral therapy, should monitor the level of HBV DNA and drug resistance genes in HBV RT region in order to optimize the treatment plan in time or guide individualized treatment.

Association between locoregional failure and NFE2L2/KEAP1/CUL3 pathway mutations in NRG/RTOG 9512: A randomized trial of hyperfractionation vs. conventional fractionation in T2N0 glottic squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

6054 Background: Radiotherapy (RT) is the primary treatment for patients with T2N0 glottic SCC. ~30% of these patients experience locoregional relapse despite dose escalation. Mutations in the NFE2L2/KEAP1/CUL3 pathway have been linked to radioresistance preclinically and in small retrospective studies. We tested the hypothesis that patients with T2 glottic SCCs having these mutations would show radioresistance and more local (LF) and locoregional failures (LRF) when treated with RT compared to those without, using samples from a phase III trial. Methods: Of 250 randomized patients with T2N0 glottic SCC receiving definitive RT in RTOG 9512, 119 had available biospecimens that were subjected to amplicon-based next generation sequencing (appropriate to low-input DNA from biopsy specimens) to assess for presence of NFE2L2/KEAP1/CUL3 mutations without regard to outcomes. The association between binary mutation status and LF, LRF, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) was assessed using (cause-specific) Cox models (2-sided alpha of 0.05). LR/LRF rates were estimated by the cumulative incidence method and DFS/OS rates by the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: Nineteen of 119 patients (16.0%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 9.4, 22.6) had mutations in the NFE2L2/KEAP1/CUL3 pathway. Patient and tumor characteristics were similar between those with and without mutation.There were 32 LF, 37 LRF, and 80 DFS events, and 52 deaths. Patients with mutation compared to those without had significantly higher LF and LRF rates (Table). Median DFS was 0.9 years (95% CI 0.4, not reached) for the mutation group compared to 4.2 years (95% CI 3.2, 6.4) for those without. The hazard ratio (HR) for DFS was significantly higher for the mutated compared to the non-mutated group in the first 2 years after randomization but declined thereafter (Table), likely due to limited events after 2 years in the mutation group. There was no significant difference in OS between the two groups (HR = 0.76; 95% CI 0.35, 1.6; p = 0.48). Conclusions: NFE2L2/KEAP1/CUL3 pathway mutations may predict radiation treatment failure in T2N0 glottic cancer. They may also be a prognostic biomarker for DFS, but the current evidence supports the harmful effect of these mutations only during the first 2 years from randomization. Clinical trial information: NCT00002727 . [Table: see text]