Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) detected in peripheral blood (PB) of cancer patients can be identified as isolated CTCs and circulating tumor microemboli (CTM). This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of CTM detection and CTC phenotype in advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) patients during chemotherapy. A size-based platform for CTC isolation was applied. PB samples (5 ml) from 98 advanced CRC patients during 2–6 cycles chemotherapy were collected for CTC detection, and CTC count was correlated to patient’s clinicopathological characteristics and clinical outcome. And CTC phenotype was measured by immunofluorescent staining and evaluate the predictive significance on survival in 32 CTCs-positive patients with advanced CRC. Forty-eight of 98 patients were CTCs-positive, including 18 CTM-positive patients, and CTC detection was positively correlated with lymphatic invasion (P = 0.049), TNM stage (P = 0.023), and serum CEA level (P = 0.014). Moreover, Kaplan–Meier survival and Cox regression analyses revealed that the presence of CTCs was an independent factor for poor PFS and OS (P < 0.05) in advanced CRC patients during chemotherapy, and CTM-positive patients had shooter survival than isolated CTCs-positive patients (P < 0.05). Furthermore, patients with vimentin+ isolated CTCs/CTM had shorter PFS and OS compared with CK+ CTCs (P < 0.05). This study provided evidence that the presence of CTCs was positively correlated with poor prognosis, and furthermore, CTM and vimentin+ CTCs predicted poorer survival, which indicated that CTM and vimentin+ CTCs detected by a sensitive platform could be used to improve prognostic value of CTCs in advanced CRC patients under treatment.

Background: The transanal opening of intersphincteric space (TROPIS) is a new surgical modality for treating anal fistulas. This procedure involves a transanal incision between the sphincters to promote drainage, excision of the infected areas, and maintenance of sphincter patency. In this meta-analysis, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of TROPIS in treating high complex anal fistula. Methods: We searched the PubMed (NLM), LISTA (EBSCO), and Web of Science Core Collection (Clarivate) databases for all related clinical research literature on highly complex anal fistulas treated with TROPIS from the time of database creation to 31 December 2024, with inclusion restricted to studies published in English. All included articles follow the PICO principle. Data on surgical one-time cure rate, recurrence rate after the first surgery, final cure rate, and occurrence of adverse events were extracted for further analysis. Results: Six studies involving 499 patients were included. The heterogeneity test revealed no heterogeneity, and results for one-time cure rate showed I ² = 0.00% < 50%, and Q test P = 0.81 > 0.1 (effect size [ES] = 0.80, 95% confidence interval [CI] (0.77, 0.84), Z = 45.96, P = 0.00), where the one-time cure rate was 80%; recurrence rate after first surgery I ² = 0.00% < 50%, and Q test P = 0.81 > 0.1 (ES = 0.20, 95% CI (0.16, 0.23), Z = 17.49, P = 0.00), and the recurrence rate is 20%; final cure rate I ² = 0.00% < 50%, and Q test P = 0.82 > 0.1 (ES = 0.89, 95% CI (0.86, 0.92), Z = 51.21, P = 0.00), and the final cure rate was 89%. No adverse events were reported in any of the patients. Sensitivity analyses showed excellent stability of the surgical cure results in all studies. No publication bias was detected in any of the included studies. Conclusions: The TROPIS procedure for highly complex anal fistulas exhibits a high one-time cure rate, low recurrence rate, and high overall cure rate and is not associated with any adverse events.

We report here a rare case of adult sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT) that was pathologically diagnosed as signet ring cell carcinoma (SRCC). A 26-year-old man complained of lower abdominal distension and discomfort and difficulty in urinating, and he was admitted to our hospital. Pelvic magnetic resonance imaging showed multiple oval, solid-cystic masses around the anterior sacrococcygeal region that measured approximately 96 × 114 × 89 mm. Magnetic resonance imaging also showed irregular cysts around the posterior sacrococcygeal region that measured approximately 34 × 72 × 60 mm. The preliminary diagnosis was cystic SCT. The patient then underwent surgery, during which we incised the cysts. A large amount of viscous, jelly-like liquid was present in the anterior sacrococcygeal mass. Furthermore, a large amount of light yellow, porridge-like secretion was present in the posterior sacrococcygeal mass. A pathological examination and immunohistochemistry confirmed teratoma, specifically SRCC.

Background: A T cell-redirecting bispecific antibody (bsAb) consisting of a tumor-binding unit and a T cell-binding unit is a large group of antibody-based biologics against death-causing cancer diseases. The anti-CD38 × anti-CD3 bsAb (Y150) is potential for treating multiple myeloma (MM). When developing a cell-based reporter gene bioassay to assess the activities of Y150, it was found that the expression of CD38 on the human T lymphocyte cells (Jurkat) caused the nonspecific activation, which interfered with the specific T cells activation of mediated by the Y150 and CD38(+) tumor cells.Methods: Here, we first knocked-out the CD38 expression on Jurkat T cell line by CRISPR-Cas9 technology, then developed a stable monoclonal CD38(−) Jurkat T cell line with an NFAT-RE driving luciferase expressing system. Further based on the CD38(−) Jurkat cell, we developed a reporter gene method to assess the bioactivity of the anti-CD38 × anti-CD3 bsAb.Results: Knocking out CD38 expression abolished the nonspecific self-activation of the Jurkat cells. The selected stable monoclonal CD38(−) Jurkat T cell line assured the robustness of the report genes assay for the anti-CD38 × anti-CD3 bsAb. The relative potencies of the Y150 measured by the developed reporter gene assay were correlated with those by the flow-cytometry-based cell cytotoxicity assay and by the ELISA-based binding assay.Conclusions: The developed reporter gene assay was mechanism of action-reflective for the bioactivity of anti-CD38 × anti-CD3 antibody, and suitable for the quality control for the bsAb product.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a skin disease. This study established a mouse AD model to investigate the impact of PMMA (Poly(methyl methacrylate)) nanoparticles (PMMANPs) on epithelial cells. Nice (n = 30) receiving no intervention were taken as a healthy group, while the other animals (n = 30) were placed in the model group and sensitized with 2,4-Dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) acetone solution to establish the AD model. Skin epithelial cells on the backs of mice were assigned into blank control group, negative control group, PMMA group, Hypoxia-Inducible Factor (HIF)-1α group, and PMMA + HIF-1α group, followed by analysis of epithelial cell density by toluidine blue staining, HIF-1α, ICAM-1 (Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1) and VCAM-1 (Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1) expressions. The back skin of mice in the model group appeared with edema, erythema, and desquamation, with increased number of scratches and pathological changes such as skin keratinization, inflammatory cell infiltration, and epidermal thickening, indicating successful establishment of the AD model. In comparison, the epithelial cell density of the PMMA group, HIF-1α group, and PMMA+HIF-1α group (10.08±0.32, 10.50±0.34, 7.52±0.28) decreased significantly (P <0.05), with lowest density in the PMMA+HIF-1α group. Importantly, treatment with HIF-1α, PMMANPs, and HIF-1α-loaded PMMANPs greatly elevated HIF-1α levels (3.25±0.08, 3.69±0.07, 4.46±0.10) while decreased ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 levels (794.02±56.27, 788.36±49.38, 744.64±36.40). Furthermore, combined treatment obtained highest HIF-1α expression and lowest ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 level (P <0.05) expressions. Collectively, the PMMANPs carrying HIF-1α VCAM-1 exerted protective role in the recovery of AD, and these findings suggest that, the HIF-1α can be used as a target gene for AD treatment.

Introduction Rectal foreign body embedded in the clinic is not common, patients due to a variety of reasons caused by different objects and appliances embedded in the rectum cannot be removed, although the clinical foreign body caused by perforation is relatively rare, but once such a symptom occurs, it will also pose a threat to the patient's life. This case show that we should accurately assess the patient's condition once a foreign body is embedded in the rectum, and select a timely and effective treatment plan to remove the foreign body. Method We analyzed the literature on the clinical signs and possible conditions in such cases and discussed the timeliness and rationality of the surgical and therapeutic options for this patient. Results The patient was a 54-year-old male who was hospitalized in our outpatient clinic on June 03, 2022 for a rectal foreign body that had been embedded for more than 1 day. The patient told us that he had used a glass electrode tube to assist in removing the foreign body one day earlier due to "prolapse of the anus", but the electrode tube was inadvertently inserted into the anus and could not be removed on his own. After completing the pre-surgical examination, the foreign body was dragged into the rectum with the assistance of colonoscopy, and the anus was dilated with comb-type pulling hook and anal fistula pulling hook to widen the anus and remove the foreign body, and then relieved the local symptoms of the anus with the Chinese medicine Gu's Surgical Therapy. Discussion Rectal foreign body implantation, although rare in clinical practice, should be treated in a multidisciplinary manner, considering the type of foreign body, its material, and the possible risks involved.