Investigator
First Affiliated Hospital Of Jinan University
Diagnostic challenges in uterine tumor resembling ovarian sex cord tumor: Two case reports
Abstract Uterine tumors resembling ovarian sex cord tumors (UTROSCTs) are rare neoplasms, with cervical involvement posing exceptional diagnostic challenges. We report two cases: Case 1: a 43‐year‐old woman presenting with abnormal uterine bleeding and a cervical mass. An initial biopsy misinterpreted the lesion as a perivascular epithelioid cell tumor (PEComa), resulting in modified radical hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo‐oophorectomy, and pelvic lymphadenectomy. Subsequent multi‐institutional histopathological consultation confirmed cervical UTROSCT. Case 2: a 53‐year‐old postmenopausal woman underwent hysteroscopic resection for endometrial thickening revealing UTROSCT, prompting total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo‐oophorectomy. Both patients remain disease‐free at 72 and 3 months postoperatively. These cases highlight UTROSCT's non‐specific imaging features and frequent histomorphologic overlap with other benign and malignant entities, particularly in the cervix, necessitating immunohistochemical differentiation. Case 1 underscores how diagnostic error can lead to overtreatment. Comprehensive immunohistochemical evaluation is critical for accurate diagnosis. Although total hysterectomy remains standard management, fertility‐sparing options may be appropriate for select patients. Long‐term surveillance is recommended due to the risk of recurrence.
Inhibitory effect of Lonicera japonica-derived exosomal miR2911 on human papilloma virus
Lonicera japonica Thunb. has been used as a traditional medicinal herb in China for thousands of years for its heat-clearing and detoxification effects. In recent years, experimental and clinical studies have shown that some Lonicera japonica-containing Chinese medicine prescriptions have been used to treat intraepithelia neoplasia caused by human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. However, its bioactive molecules and mechanism of action have not been fully explored. In this study, Lonicera japonica-derived exosomes was extracted and exosomal miR2911 was identified. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that miR2911 potentially binds to the sequence of HPV. The mechanism of miR2911 action on HPV and the effect of exosomal miR2911 on HPV-induced cervical cancer cells were investigated. The potential targets of miR2911 on the HPV sequence were predicted and confirmed by using RNAhybrid and dual-luciferase reporter assays. Lonicera japonica exosomes were characterized by transmission electronic microscopy and zeta sizer analysis. RT-qPCR was used to measure miR2911 concentration in various tissues and exosomes. Synthetic miR2911 and GFP-E6/E7 plasmids were transfected into HEK293T cells to examine the effect of miR2911 on E6/E7 gene expression. The effects of miR2911 on endogenous E6/E7 mRNA and protein levels were detected in HPV16/18-positive cervical cancer cells by RT-qPCR and Western blotting. The proliferation and apoptosis of CaSki, SiHa and HeLa cells by the treatment of miR2911 or miR2911-containing exosomes were examined by CCK8, colony formation and flow cytometry assays. MiR2911 is found to be enriched in various Lonicera japonica tissues, and is stably present in Lonicera japonica-derived exosomes. It is observed that MiR2911 directly binds to E6 and E7 oncogenes of HPV16/18, leading to the suppression of their protein expression. In addition, the endogenous E6/E7 mRNA and protein levels were significantly decreased by using miR2911 treatment in HPV16/18-positive cervical cancer cells. Furthermore, both miR2911 and miR2911-containing exosomes inhibited cell proliferation of SiHa, CaSki and HeLa cells, meanwhile inducing the cell apoptosis through E6/E7-p53/Caspase3 axis. Our findings indicate that miR2911, an active component present in Lonicera japonica exosomes, inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis of cervical cancer cells by targeting the E6/E7 genes of HPV16/18. Thus, Lonicera japonica-derived exosomal miR2911 has implications for the development of novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of HPV-associated cervical cancers.
