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Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most common digestive cancer in the world. Microsatellite stability (MSS) and microsatellite instability (MSI-high) are important molecular subtypes of CRC closely related to tumor occurrence and progression and immunotherapy efficacy. The presence of CD8+ CXCR5+ follicular cytotoxic T (TFC) cells is strongly associated with autoimmune disease and CD8+ effector function. However, the roles of TFC cells in MSI-high CRC and MSS CRC are unclear. Here, we aimed to explore the characteristics of TFC cells in CRC and compare their biological functions between MSI-high and MSS CRC. Methods: We explored the expression of TFC cell in tumor tissues and peripheral blood in our clinical cohort and public datasets. By combining single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and bulk RNA sequencing, we explored the potential function of TFC cells and developed a prediction model for CRC. We also compared the biological functions of these cells between MSS and MSI-high CRC and used flow cytometry and coculture experiments to explore their potential regulatory functions. Results: TFC cell markers are downregulated in tumor tissues and patient peripheral blood vs. controls. The prediction model for CRC performed well in the training and validation cohorts (KM plot p < 0.001). MSS CRC patients exhibit enrichment of genes related to the cell cycle (MKI67) and T cell activation (CD38 and HLA-DR) and decreased enrichment of immune checkpoint markers (PD1, TIM3, and LAG3). The expression of TFC cell-related genes is positively correlated with that of CD8+IFN-γ+-related genes and closely related to that of TLS-related genes in MSS CRC. The proportion of TFC cells is positively correlated with that of CD19+CD38+ B cells in MSS CRC. Conclusions: The prognostic prediction model has good predictive value. In MSS CRC, TFC cells function mostly in T cell activation and the cell cycle and have low expression of immune checkpoint molecules, which may influence the effectiveness of ICB therapy. TFC cells may regulate antitumor function by regulating CD19+ CD38+ B cells and TLSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most common digestive cancer in the world. Microsatellite stability (MSS) and microsatellite instability (MSI-high) are important molecular subtypes of CRC closely related to tumor occurrence and progression and immunotherapy efficacy. The presence of CD8 + CXCR5 + follicular cytotoxic T (T FC ) cells is strongly associated with autoimmune disease and CD8 + effector function. However, the roles of T FC cells in MSI-high CRC and MSS CRC are unclear. Here, we aimed to explore the characteristics of T FC cells in CRC and compare their biological functions between MSI-high and MSS CRC., Methods: We explored the expression of T FC cell in tumor tissues and peripheral blood in our clinical cohort and public datasets. By combining single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and bulk RNA sequencing, we explored the potential function of T FC cells and developed a prediction model for CRC. We also compared the biological functions of these cells between MSS and MSI-high CRC and used flow cytometry and coculture experiments to explore their potential regulatory functions., Results: T FC cell markers are downregulated in tumor tissues and patient peripheral blood vs. controls. The prediction model for CRC performed well in the training and validation cohorts (KM plot p < 0.001). MSS CRC patients exhibit enrichment of genes related to the cell cycle (MKI67) and T cell activation (CD38 and HLA-DR) and decreased enrichment of immune checkpoint markers (PD1, TIM3, and LAG3). The expression of T FC cell-related genes is positively correlated with that of CD8 + IFN-γ + -related genes and closely related to that of TLS-related genes in MSS CRC. The proportion of T FC cells is positively correlated with that of CD19 + CD38 + B cells in MSS CRC., Conclusions: The prognostic prediction model has good predictive value. In MSS CRC, T FC cells function mostly in T cell activation and the cell cycle and have low expression of immune checkpoint molecules, which may influence the effectiveness of ICB therapy. T FC cells may regulate antitumor function by regulating CD19 + CD38 + B cells and TLSs., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Ethical approval: This study was approved by the ethics committee of the Cancer Hospital., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: For the management of lateral lymph node (LLN) metastasis in patients with rectal cancer, selective LLN dissection (LLND) is gradually being accepted by Chinese scholars. Theoretically, fascia-oriented LLND allows radical tumor resection and protects of organ function. However, there is a lack of studies comparing the efficacy of fascia-oriented and traditional vessel-oriented LLND. Through a preliminary study with a small sample size, we found that fascia-oriented LLND was associated with a lower incidence of postoperative urinary and male sexual dysfunction and a higher number of examined LLNs. In this study, we increased the sample size and refined the postoperative functional outcomes., Aim: To compare the effects of fascia- and vessel-oriented LLND regarding short-term outcomes and prognosis., Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study on data from 196 patients with rectal cancer who underwent total mesorectal excision and LLND from July 2014 to August 2021. The short-term outcomes included perioperative outcomes and postoperative functional outcomes. The prognosis was measured based on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS)., Results: A total of 105 patients were included in the final analysis and were divided into fascia- and vessel-oriented groups that included 41 and 64 patients, respectively. Regarding the short-term outcomes, the median number of examined LLNs was significantly higher in the fascia-oriented group than in the vessel-oriented group. There were no significant differences in the other short-term outcomes. The incidence of postoperative urinary and male sexual dysfunction was significantly lower in the fascia-oriented group than in the vessel-oriented group. In addition, there was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative lower limb dysfunction between the two groups. In terms of prognosis, there was no significant difference in PFS or OS between the two groups., Conclusion: It is safe and feasible to perform fascia-oriented LLND. Compared with vessel-oriented LLND, fascia-oriented LLND allows the examination of more LLNs and may better protect postoperative urinary function and male sexual function., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article., (©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To observe the magnifying effect of conduit bridging in number of nerve fibers of broken peripheral nerves., Methods: Fifty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five equal groups. Group A underwent transection of the sciatic nerves and bridging of the complete proximal sciatic nerve stump and the distal sciatic stump in a conduit sutured with 8 - 0 nylon chord with a 2-mm gap. In Group B, the sciatic nerve was transected, the proximal stump was divided into tibial nerve and common peroneal nerve bundles 5 mm proximal to the transection site, the common peroneal nerve bundle was ligated and transected, and then the proximal stump of the tibial nerve and the distal sciatic stump were bridged with a conduit with a 2-mm gap. In Group C, the sciatic nerve was transected, the proximal stump was divided into tibial nerve and common peroneal nerve bundles 10 mm proximal to the transection site, the tibial nerve bundle was ligated and transected, and then the proximal stump of the common peroneal nerve and the distal sciatic stump were bridged with a conduit with a 2-mm gap. In group D, the tibial nerve was transected 5 mm distal to the branch site, 2/3 of the tibial nerve fibers were ligated and transected, and then the remnant 1/3 fibers of the proximal stump of tibial nerve were bridged to the distal stump of tibial in a conduit. In Group E the tibial nerve was transected 5 mm distal to the branch site, and then the complete proximal tibial nerve stump was bridged to the distal stump of tibial nerve in a conduit Electrophysiological examination was conducted 1, 2, 4, and 12 weeks later. Pathological examination was performed with immunohistochemistry, HE staining and osmic acid staining., Results: One week after surgery, edema and ulcer in the hind limbs were found in most rats; toe necrosis was seen in part of the rats, and since 3 weeks later these pathological changes began to disappear gradually. The motion of hind limbs recovered since 4 weeks after the surgery. Osmic acid staining 12 weeks later showed that the numbers of distal myelin sheath at the distal end were more than that in the proximal end by 34.4% in Group A, 39.6% in Group B, 80.4% in Group C, 101.1% in Group D, and 48.9% in Group E., Conclusion: The axon number distal to the transaction site becomes significantly more than that at the proximal end after bridging. The magnification effect of the bridging of homologous nerve is greater than that of non-homologous nerve. It is possible to repair the thicker nerve at the distal broken end with thinner nerve at the proximal end clinically.

Objective: To explore the possibilities of bone marrow stromal cells (MSCs) to adopt Schwann cell phenotype in vitro and in vivo in SD rats., Methods: MSCs were obtained from tibia and femur bone marrow and cultured in culture flasks. Beta-mercaptoethanol followed by retinoic acid, forskolin, basic-FGF, PDGF and heregulin were added to induce differentiation of MSCs'. Schwann cell markers, p75, S-100 and GFAP were used to discriminate induced properties of MSCs' by immunofluorescent staining. PKH-67-labelled MSCs were transplanted into the mechanically injured rat sciatic nerve, and laser confocal microscopy was performed to localize the PKH67 labelled MSCs in the injured sciatic nerve two weeks after the operation. Fluorescence PKH67 attenuation rule was evaluated by flow cytometry in vitro., Results: MSCs changed morphologically into cells resembling primary cultured Schwann cells after their induction in vitro. In vivo, a large number of MSCs were cumulated within the layer of epineurium around the injured nerve and expressed Schwann cell markers, p75, S-100, and GFAP., Conclusion: MSCs are able to support nerve fiber regeneration and re-myelination by taking on Schwann cell function, and can be potentially used as possible substitutable cells for artificial nerve conduits to promote nerve regeneration.