Aberrant large tumor suppressor 2 (LATS2) gene expression correlates with EGFR mutation and survival in lung adenocarcinomas

BACKGROUND: Large tumor suppressor 2 (LATS2) gene is a putative tumor suppressor gene with potential roles in regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis in lung cancer. The aim of this study is to explore the association of aberrant LATS2 expression with EGFR mutation and survival in lung adenocarcinoma (AD), and the effects of LATS2 silencing in both lung AD cell lines. METHODS: LATS2 mRNA and protein expression in resected lung AD were correlated with demographic characteristics, EGFR mutation and survival. LATS2-specific siRNA was transfected into four EGFR wild-type (WT) and three EGFR mutant AD cell lines and the changes in LATS2 expression and relevant signaling molecules before and after LATS2 knockdown were assayed. RESULTS: Fifty resected lung AD were included (M:F=23:27, smokers:non-smokers=19:31, EGFR mutant:wild-type=21:29) with LATS2 mRNA levels showed no significant difference between gender, age, smoking and pathological stages while LATS2 immunohistochemical staining on an independent set of 79 lung AD showed similar trend. LATS2 mRNA level was found to be a significant independent predictor for survival status (disease-free survival RR=0.217; p=0.003; Overall survival RR=0.238; p=0.036). siRNA-mediated suppression of LATS2 expression resulted in augmentation of ERK phosphorylation in EGFR wild-type AD cell lines with high basal LATS2 expression, discriminatory modulation of Akt signaling between EGFR wild-type and mutant cells, and induction of p53 accumulation in AD cell lines with low baseline p53 levels. CONCLUSIONS: LATS2 expression level is predictive of survival in patients with resected lung AD. LATS2 may modulate and contribute to tumor growth via different signaling pathways in EGFR mutant and wild-type tumors.postprin

An Insect Herbivore Microbiome with High Plant Biomass-Degrading Capacity

Herbivores can gain indirect access to recalcitrant carbon present in plant cell walls through symbiotic associations with lignocellulolytic microbes. A paradigmatic example is the leaf-cutter ant (Tribe: Attini), which uses fresh leaves to cultivate a fungus for food in specialized gardens. Using a combination of sugar composition analyses, metagenomics, and whole-genome sequencing, we reveal that the fungus garden microbiome of leaf-cutter ants is composed of a diverse community of bacteria with high plant biomass-degrading capacity. Comparison of this microbiome's predicted carbohydrate-degrading enzyme profile with other metagenomes shows closest similarity to the bovine rumen, indicating evolutionary convergence of plant biomass degrading potential between two important herbivorous animals. Genomic and physiological characterization of two dominant bacteria in the fungus garden microbiome provides evidence of their capacity to degrade cellulose. Given the recent interest in cellulosic biofuels, understanding how large-scale and rapid plant biomass degradation occurs in a highly evolved insect herbivore is of particular relevance for bioenergy

Positron-emission tomography for lung cancer in a tuberculosis-endemic region

A potential limitation of integrated positron-emission tomography and computed tomography in non-small-cell lung cancer may be false-positive results due to granulomatous disease. This retrospective study examined the accuracy of this imaging modality for mediastinal nodal staging of non-small-cell lung cancer in Hong Kong where tuberculosis remains endemic. There were 249 lymph node stations evaluated in 107 patients, of whom 38 (36%) had active tuberculosis or evidence of previous tuberculosis. Imaging results were compared with histological findings. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of integrated imaging for mediastinal nodal staging were 52%, 86%, and 80%, respectively; the overall positive-predictive value for mediastinal nodal metastasis was 46%, and the overall negative-predictive value was 89%. The positive-predictive value for mediastinal nodal metastasis was 39% in patients with tuberculosis and 50% in controls; the negative-predictive value was high in both groups (92% and 87%). The likelihood ratio for true positives was 6.47 in patients with tuberculosis vs. 10.97 in controls. This suggests that the reliability of positron-emission/computed tomography may be substantially poorer in patients with tuberculosis. Histological confirmation should be considered mandatory in patients with suspected metastasis on integrated imaging. </jats:p

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Inventor name used in this publication: 寿大华Inventor name used in this publication: 黄光汉Inventor name used in this publication: 范金土Inventor name used in this publication: 孙咏诗Title in Traditional Chinese: 空氣調節的面罩China202303 bcchVersion of RecordPublishe

Gene expression profiling in lung adenocarcinomas reveals molecular signatures with respect to gender, smoking, tumor grading and disease-free survival

Poster Basic science/Cell and molecular biolog

Successful treatment of pulmonary rhizopus infection with surgical resection and posaconazole in a renal transplant recipient

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Establishment and application of primary lung cancer cell lines (The HKULC Series) with local Chinese characteristics in Hong Kong

Abstrac