Jin Xu

Poricoic acid A induces apoptosis and autophagy in ovarian cancer via modulating the mTOR/p70s6k signaling axis

Due to the high mortality and rapid disease progression, ovarian cancer remains one of the most common malignancies threatening the health of women. The present study was conducted to explore the anticancer effects and the underlying mechanisms of poricoic acid A (PAA), the main components of Poria cocos, on ovarian cancer. We investigated the anticancer effects of different concentrations of PAA in the SKOV3 cell line. Cell viability and proliferation were examined by CCK-8 assay. Cellular migration and invasion were assessed by the scratch and Transwell migration assays, respectively. The effect of PPA on cell apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry and caspase-3/8/9 colorimetric assay. Western blot was performed to detect protein level changes related to apoptosis and mTOR signaling pathways. The in vivo anticancer effect of PAA was evaluated using xenograft tumorigenesis model in nude mice. Our results showed that PAA suppressed SKOV3 cellular viability, migration, and invasion in a dosage-dependent manner. Flow cytometry results demonstrated PAA treatment could induce SKOV3 cell apoptosis. In addition, increased ratio of LC3-II/LC3-I (a marker for autophagosome formation) was observed after PAA treatment, as well as inhibition of m-TOR and p70s6k phosphorylation. In nude mice, PAA treatment reduced the xenograft tumor weight by 70% (P<0.05). In conclusion, our data suggested that PAA induced apoptosis and autophagy in ovarian cancer via modulating the mTOR/p70s6k signaling axis.

An Expanded Series of Pilomatrix-like High-grade Endometrioid Carcinoma (PiMHEC), Including Both MMR Deficient and MMR Proficient Cases

County-level colposcopy attendance in China’s national cervical cancer screening programme: a cross-sectional ecological study of Fujian province

Objectives This study aims to analyse the county-level spatiotemporal disparities in colposcopy non-attendance rates and to explore their associated factors in Fujian, China. Design A county-level observational study. Setting This study was conducted using data from the Fujian Provincial Maternal and Child Health Information System and Statistical Yearbooks, from 2021 to 2023. Participants Data from 60 counties in Fujian province across 3 years (2021–2023) were included, comprising 1080 county-age group-year observations. Counties from Xiamen Municipality were excluded due to data unavailability. Primary and secondary outcome measures The primary outcome was the county-level colposcopy non-attendance rate. Secondary outcomes included the Theil indices (measuring inequality) and the geographically varied associations of factors (eg, population density and transportation network density) with non-attendance. Results The average county-level colposcopy non-attendance rate in Fujian decreased from 24.41% in 2021 to 16.52% in 2023. The Theil-T and Theil-L indices of county-level non-attendance rates across the 3 years were 0.31 and 0.24, respectively. Lower population density was associated with higher rates of colposcopy non-attendance in the west of Fujian, while higher transportation network density and a larger per capita number of healthcare professionals were associated with higher rates of non-attendance, particularly in the west. Over time, the effects of these factors weakened. Three clusters of the coefficients were identified. Conclusions While colposcopy non-attendance rates have declined in recent years in Fujian, the persistent geographical disparity shown in this study indicates the importance of addressing service and information gaps. It is likely helpful to integrate the information system and service delivery across counties in cervical screening programmes to address the effects of potentially higher mobility and low population density in western Fujian. Considering the geographically varied effects of such factors, we also suggested a classified approach be adopted to improve colposcopy attendance.