Objective: Two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2-D SWE) has been proven to detect hyperlipidemia-induced elastic abnormality in the corpus cavernosum. This study investigated cytological factors affecting the elasticity of the corpus cavernosum in rabbits with hyperlipidemia using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). Methods: Male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into a hyperlipidemia group (high-cholesterol diet) and a control group (standard diet). Penile 2-D SWE was performed to detect the elastic abnormality in the corpus cavernosum. ScRNA-seq was performed to observe cellular changes in the corpus cavernosum of rabbits with hyperlipidemia. Immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and histological examinations were conducted to verify the results of scRNA-seq. Results: Two-dimensional SWE revealed that the Young's modulus of the corpus cavernosum was significantly greater in the hyperlipidemia group than that in the control group (p < 0.001). Histological findings revealed extracellular matrix accumulation within the corpus cavernosum, with stronger staining of collagen types I and Ⅲ. ScRNA-seq revealed that fibroblasts, smooth muscle cells, and endothelial cells were the major cell types in the corpus cavernosum. A novel subtype of fibroblasts (myofibroblast) was discovered in the hyperlipidemia group, which was verified by immunofluorescence staining and gene ontology analysis. Fibroblasts, smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells were three cellular sources for myofibroblasts. Conclusion: Myofibroblasts are activated and proliferate and secrete large amounts of collagen fibers in the corpus cavernosum during hyperlipidemia, leading to abnormal Young's modulus detected by 2-D SWE and their recognition as a new factor affecting the hyperlipidemia-induced elastic abnormality of the corpus cavernosum. Keywords: Corpus cavernosum; Hyperlipidemia; Myofibroblast; Shear wave elastography; Single-cell RNA sequencing.

本周为大家带来的文献为发表Cancer Discov. (IF: 29.7)的” An Inflammatory Checkpoint Generated by IL1RN Splicing Offers Therapeutic Opportunity for KRAS-Mutant Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma”。本文使用了LabEx提供的Luminex检测服务。

 

近年来肝内胆管细胞癌（iCCA）作为全球主要癌症问题的现状及相关研究进展。尽管免疫检查点抑制剂（ICIs）和肿瘤微环境（TME）相关的治疗策略在多种实体癌症中取得了突破性进展，但在iCCA中的初步临床结果令人失望，即使ICIs联合化疗在不可切除的iCCA患者中带来了适度的生存益处。为了开发新的治疗策略，亟需深入了解iCCA的发病机制。

 

高通量测序分析扩展了对iCCA分子特征的认识，研究表明KRAS突变是iCCA的主要驱动因素，并且这种突变在炎症亚型中显著富集。炎症能加速肿瘤进展并严重削弱免疫疗法的效果。相反，以前的研究发现白细胞介素-1受体拮抗剂（IL1RN）是一种内源性拮抗剂，通过阻断白细胞介素-1（IL-1）途径来抑制炎症级联反应。然而，KRAS突变如何正面或负面影响iCCA中的炎症和抗肿瘤免疫的分子机制仍不清楚。

 

值得注意的是，越来越多的研究支持替代mRNA剪接（AS）在炎症过程中的关键作用。AS是一个重要的转录后调控过程，通过选择性剪接和重新组装RNA前体来生成多样化的RNA转录本。然而，目前尚未有大规模的iCCA转录组学研究或对KRAS突变相关炎症的深入探索。

 

LabEx提供的Luminex检测服务

除单片段分析外，本实验在 PDTF 细胞培养的上清液中收集了 48 小时后的样品，用于研究细胞因子、趋化因子和细胞毒性介质。这些上清液被立即冷冻并储存在 -80°C。解冻并混合后的上清液使用 LabEX 试剂盒测定其中适当的细胞因子和趋化因子。此外，使用 ELISA 试剂盒（MultiSciences Biotech Co. Ltd.）测定组织上清液中的 CXCL3 和 GZMB 水平，操作按照制造商的说明进行。

  

与接受抗PD-1单药治疗的PDTF相比，接受anakinra加抗PD-1 Ab联合治疗的6名KRAS突变患者的PDTF显示出明显较高的CXCL9、CXCL10和GZMB水平，同时CXCL3等免疫抑制因子也有所下降(图F)。

 

 

重要发现

研究者利用从大量患者中收集的多组学数据，发现 KRAS 突变与肝内胆管癌(iCCA)中与髓系炎症相关的特定 mRNA 替代剪接景观有关。然后，我们发现了一种负反馈机制，在这种机制中，替代剪接导致的白细胞介素1受体拮抗剂(IL1RN)-201/203的上调在KRAS突变的iCCA中具有重要的抗炎作用。在KRAS突变型iCCA小鼠中，IL1RN-201/203的上调和anakinra治疗都能通过改变中性粒细胞的募集和表型来激发显著的抗肿瘤免疫反应。此外，anakinra治疗还能协同增强抗PD-1疗法，激活KRAS突变iCCA小鼠瘤内的GZMB+ CD8+ T细胞。在临床上，我们发现KRAS突变型iCCA患者体内高水平的IL1RN-201/203与抗PD-1免疫疗法的良好反应显著相关。