Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs), such as miR-654-3p, regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level affecting malignant tumor behavior. However, the expression levels, function, and mechanism of miR-654-3p in colorectal cancer (CRC) are unknown. Methods: The expression levels of miR-654-3p and SRC in 103 CRC tissues and matched normal colorectal tissues were detected by a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). miR-654-3p was overexpressed by RNA mimics and SRC knockdown by siRNA. Function-based experiments were carried out to detect the proliferation and migration abilities in CRC cell lines. Flow cytometry assay was performed to evaluate the effect of miR-654-3p on cell apoptosis and cycle distribution. Xenograft tumor models in nude mice were utilized to evaluate miR-654-3p functions in vivo. Dual-fluorescence reporter assay was used to verify the direct binding between miR-654-3p and SRC. Results: miR-654-3p was downregulated in CRC tissues as compared to matched normal colorectal tissues. The expression levels of miR-654-3p were closely associated with distant metastasis. In addition, elevated expression of miR-654-3p in CRC patients prolonged the overall survival. Upregulated miR-654-3p significantly suppressed the proliferation and migration capacity of CRC cells by enhancing apoptosis and promoting G0/G1 phase arrest. The direct binding between miR-654-3p and SRC was verified by the dual-luciferase reporter gene. Furthermore, the suppression of proliferation and migration capacity by elevated miR-654-3p level could be reversed by overexpressing SRC. Conclusion: miR-654-3p acts as a tumor suppressor through regulating SRC. It might also serve as a diagnostic and prognostic indicator and a novel molecular target for CRC therapy.

The conventional microwell-based platform for construction of organoid models exhibits limitations in precision oncology applications because of low-speed growth and high variability. Here, we established organoid models on a nested array chip for fast and reproducible drug testing using 50% matrigel. First, we constructed mouse small intestinal and colonic organoid models. Compared with the conventional microwell-based platform, the mouse organoids on the chip showed accelerated growth and improved reproducibility due to the nested design of the chip. The design of the chip provides miniaturized and uniform shaping of the matrigel that allows the organoid to grow in a concentrated and controlled manner. Next, a patient-derived organoid (PDO) model from colorectal cancer tissues was successfully generated and characterized on the chip. Finally, the PDO models on the chip, from three patients, were implemented for high-throughput drug screening using nine treatment regimens. The drug sensitivity testing on the PDO models showed good quality control with a coefficient of variation under 10% and a Z' factor of more than 0.7. More importantly, the drug responses on the chip recapitulate the heterogeneous response of individual patients, as well as showing a potential correlation with clinical outcomes. Therefore, the organoid model coupled with the nested array chip platform provides a fast and reproducible means for predicting drug responses to accelerate precise oncology.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) comprises a group of severe immune function disorders that can lead to immune-mediated organ damage. There are two subtypes of HLH: primary and secondary. Secondary HLH is associated with infectious, oncologic, chemotherapeutic, and other underlying causes, and studies on HLH triggered by tumors have mainly focused on hematological malignancies.Secondary HLH in patients with solid tumors is rare. Here, we present two cases of gastric cancer complicated with HLH. The patient 1 was diagnosed as gastric cancer at stage I and got intractable fever after a distal subtotal gastrectomy without any evidence of infections or other complications. The patient 2 suffered from unresectable gastric adenocarcinoma and got fever, hemorrhagic rashes, and petechiae in mouth after six cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. After detailed and comprehensive examinations, HLH was diagnosed in the two patients according to 2004 HLH diagnostic criteria, and the patients received treatment including immunosuppressive agents immediately. After therapy, the two patients showed partial remission, but both eventually died due to HLH relapse or progression of the primary tumor. The treatment regimen for HLH is intricate, and only a few relevant studies have focused on the treatment of cancer patients with HLH. The high mortality associated with this disease calls for more attention and additional research to improve the prognosis for these patients.

Currently, research on intestinal diseases is mainly based on animal models and cell lines in monolayers. However, these models have drawbacks that limit scientific advances in this field. Three-dimensional (3D) culture systems named organoids are emerging as a reliable research tool for recapitulating the human intestinal epithelium and represent a unique platform for patient-specific drug testing. Intestinal organoids (IOs) are crypt–villus structures that can be derived from adult intestinal stem cells (ISCs), embryonic stem cells (ESCs), or induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and have the potential to serve as a platform for individualized medicine and research. However, this emerging field has not been bibliometric summarized to date. Here, we performed a bibliometric analysis of the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database to evaluate 5,379 publications concerning the use of organoids; the studies were divided into four clusters associated with the current situation and future directions for the application of IOs. Based on the results of our bibliometric analysis of IO applications, we systematically summarized the latest advances and analyzed the limitations and prospects.