Exercise suppresses COX-2 pro-inflammatory pathway in vestibular migraine

Migraine and dizziness are relatively common disorders. Patients with dizziness have a higher incidence of migraines than the general population. The discomfort experienced by these patients is often poorly controlled by medication. However, the pathophysiology of vestibular migraine (VM) remains unclear. We hypothesized that patients with VM would experience remission from symptoms after exercise training and that this effect may be mediated through the suppression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)-mediated inflammation. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy and possible anti-inflammatory benefits of exercise in patients with VM. We assessed the level of soluble inflammatory mediators in plasma from VM patients and control subjects. Our analysis of cytokine expression in the patients with VM undergoing exercise treatment revealed a significant reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokines and/or cytotoxic factors, such as tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukins, nitric oxide (NO), inducible NO synthase, and reactive oxygen species. In contrast, we found an increase in the level of anti-inflammatory cytokines after exercise. Moreover, the group undergoing exercise training showed significant symptomatic improvement and demonstrated suppressed antioxidant enzyme activity. To summarize, our data suggest that exercise significantly inhibits COX-2 activity, leading to the suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and changes in redox status. These results suggest that there is a molecular link between the central nervous system and the immune system. Furthermore, elucidation of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying VM could potentially lead to the development of novel therapeutic interventions for these patients.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester preferentially enhanced radiosensitizing and increased oxidative stress in medulloblastoma cell line

OBJECTIVES

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), an active component of propolis, was recently reported to have radiosensitizing effects on medulloblastoma (MB) cells. However, the mechanisms of radiosensitivity involved in medulloblastoma cells are still unclear. The specific aim of this study was to investigate the role of CAPE-induced oxidative stress to influence of radiosensitivity and anti-proliferative effects in medulloblastoma cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Medulloblastoma (Daoy) cells were treated with CAPE in different concentrations and assessed for cell viability. The following were also evaluated: migratory ability, reduced glutathione (GSH) level, reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activity, and apoptosis in CAPE alone, radiation alone, or radiation combined with CAPE in Daoy cells.

RESULTS

The results indicated that CAPE inhibited the growth of Daoy cells. CAPE treatment in Daoy cells could effectively decrease glutathione reductase and significantly increase glutathione peroxidase. Radiation-activated NF-kappaB was reversed by CAPE pretreatment. Finally, the result of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling assay showed that CAPE treatment can enhance radiation-induced apoptosis in Daoy cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrated the anti-proliferative and radiosensitizing effects of CAPE on MB cells, which may be achievable through depleting GSH, increased ROS activity, and inhibiting NF-kappaB activity.

Comparison of hypothalamopituitary axis dysfunction of intrasellar and third ventricular craniopharyngiomas in children

In this study, we attempted to determine if different locations of a tumor influence the hypothalamopituitary axis function and outcomes with childhood craniopharyngiomas. The preoperative, postoperative, and long-term follow-up endocrinological disturbances of 66 children with a craniopharyngioma were retrospectively studied. The patients were divided into two subgroups according to the location of the tumor (intrasellar and third ventricle floor). The mean age at onset was 8.02 (range, 1.42-17.58)years. These patients were followed-up for a median duration of 7.2 (range, 2-22)years. Vision problems as the first symptom were more common in Group One (with intrasellar tumors) compared to Group Two (55.6% vs 15.4%; p=0.001; Fisher's exact test). Increased intracranial pressure was the most common initial symptom in patients in Group Two (51.3%) and the second most common symptom in Group One (37%). The majority of patients in both Group One and Group Two required some forms of pituitary hormone supplements (96% vs 84%). At the last follow-up, more patients with intrasellar craniopharyngiomas needed cortisone supplements (79.2% in Group One vs 45.9% in Group Two; p=0.016; Fisher's exact test); however, children with third ventricle floor tumors had more prevalent weight gain (4.2% in Group One vs 27.0% in Group Two; p=0.038; Fisher's exact test). There were different initial presentations and endocrinological outcomes between children with intrasellar and third ventricle floor craniopharyngiomas. The intrasellar tumors had greater pituitary hormone disturbance. However, at the long-term follow-up, children with third ventricle floor tumors had a greater prevalence of being overweight and obese, which was associated with hypothalamic dysfunction.

MicroRNA-142-3p is involved in regulation of MGMT expression in glioblastoma cells

Background

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most malignant brain tumor, and there is no effective treatment strategy. Patients with GBM have a median overall survival of only 14.6 months. Current treatment consists of safe and maximal surgical excision, followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy and maintenance chemotherapy. There are several obstacles that hinder the effectiveness of this aggressive treatment. Temozolomide (TMZ) is an oral alkylating drug that acts through alkylating the O⁶ position of guanine in DNA that leads to cell death. However, the expression and enzymatic activity of the DNA repair protein MGMT limits the therapeutic benefit from treatment with TMZ. MGMT reduces the efficacy of alkylating drugs by removing the methyl or alkyl group from damaged O⁶-methylguanine. Expression levels of MGMT play an important role in the outcome of GBM patients. miRNAs are a group of small regulatory RNAs that control target gene expression by binding to mRNAs. miR-142-3p has been found to be an important factor in the development and maintenance of the oncogenic state.

Results

In this study, we sought to investigate whether miR-142-3p can regulate MGMT gene expression in GBM cells. Here, we show that miR-142-3p downregulates MGMT expression through binding to the 3′-UTR of MGMT mRNA, thus affecting protein translation. Responsiveness to TMZ was significantly enhanced after transfection with miR-142-3p. Overexpression of miR-142-3p also sensitized GBM cells to alkylating drugs.

Conclusion

Above all, our findings demonstrate that miR-142-3p plays a critical role in regulating MGMT expression, has great potential for future clinical applications, and acts as a new diagnostic marker for this intractable disease.

Association between risk factors of metabolic syndrome with lung function

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Increased evidence suggests that metabolic syndrome (MetS) is correlated with lung function impairment. This study aimed to explore the associations between MetS risk factors and the lung function.

SUBJECTS/METHODS

The cross-sectional study included 6945 participants attending health examination between 2010 and 2012 in Taiwan. MetS was assessed according to the criteria of National Cholesterol Education Program III. Spirometric parameters were measured to define lung function. The relationships were tested using multiple linear regression and logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

The prevalence of MetS was significantly higher in males (16.2%) than females (3.8%). Although the prevalence of restrictive lung disease (RLD) was comparable between genders (20.7 and 21.0%), males with co-existent MetS had a higher prevalence of RLD than females (27.4 vs. 18.0%). Abdominal obesity, indicated by waist circumference (WC) and weight-to-height ratio (WHtR), was the most significant factor associated with lung function decline. Other components of MetS also showed statistically significant relationships, but very weak, with lung function. There was a trend toward an increased prevalence of RLD with the increasing number of MetS scores in males, independent of age, smoking, and body mass index.

CONCLUSIONS

Abdominal obesity was the key component of MetS associated with mechanical effect on lung function impairment in a prime-age adult population. Although RLD was not associated with increased probability of having MetS, the participants with more MetS scores were at a higher risk of losing lung function.

All Components of Metabolic Syndrome Are Associated with Microalbuminuria in a Chinese Population

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Albuminuria is a well-known predictor of poor renal and cardiovascular outcomes and associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality. The study aimed to evaluate the associations between metabolic characteristics and the presence of albuminuria.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 18,384 adult Chinese who participated in health examinations during 2013-2014. Differences in clinical characteristics were compared for microalbuminuria (MAU) and albuminuria, and between genders. Potential risk factors associated with the risk of developing MAU and albuminuria were analyzed using univariate logistic regression. Multiple logistic regression was applied to further identify the independent associations between different levels of risk factors and the presence of MAU and albuminuria. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was used to determine the discriminatory ability of metabolic risk factors in detecting albuminuria.

RESULTS

There were significant gender differences in clinical characteristics according to albuminuria status. Risk for the presence of albuminuria was significantly associated with age, male gender, waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), hypertension, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and triglycerides to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL-C) in univariate logistic regression. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that the factors significantly associated with the presence of MAU were WC > 90cm, WHtR at 0.6-0.7, hypertension, FPG > 6.1 mmole/L, and TG/HDL-C ratio > 1.6. The optimal cutoffs for risk factors of metabolic syndrome (MetS) to predict albuminuria in males and females were: WC, 90.8 vs. 80.0 cm; WHtR, 0.53 vs. 0.52; MAP, 97.9 vs. 91.9 mmHg; FPG, 5.40 vs. 5.28 mmole/L; and TG/HDL-C, 1.13 vs. 1.08.

CONCLUSION

MetS and all its components were associated with the presence of MAU in a health check-up population in China. Gender specific and optimal cutoffs for MetS components associated with the presence of MAU were determined.

Optimizing tumor-associated antigen-stimulated autologous dendritic cell and cytokine-induced killer cell coculture to enhance cytotoxicity for cancer immunotherapy in manufacturing

BACKGROUND

Dendritic Cell Cytokine-induced killer cell (DC-CIK) coculture treatment in cancer immunotherapy has been shown to be effective. However, the cost of DC- CIK therapy is prohibitive for many patients, and the lack of standard manufacturing processes and treatment strategies are major limitations. Our study used tumor lysate as a tumor-associated antigen source and DCs and CIK cells in coculture. We developed an efficient method to obtain autologous DCs- and CIK cells from peripheral blood. We used flow cytometry to assess DC activation and the cytometric bead array assay to quantify cytokines secreted by CIK cells.

RESULTS

We evaluated the antitumor activity of DC- CIK coculture in vitro with the K562 cell line. We demonstrated that a manufacturing process employing frozen immature DCs can yield the lowest loss with the highest economic benefits. DC-CIK coculture can effectively upgrade CIK cells' immunological specificity to tumors in the presence of tumor-associated antigens.

CONCLUSION

In vitro experiments revealed that when the DC- CIK cell ratio was 1: 20 in the coculture, CIK cells secreted the highest number of cytokines on the 14th day and the antitumor immune effect showed the highest potency. CIK cells' cytotoxicity to K562 cells was highest when the CIK: K562 cell ratio was 25: 1. We developed an efficient manufacturing process for DC- CIK coculture, while also establishing the optimal DC- CIK cell ratio for immunological activity and the best cytotoxic CIK: K562 cell ratio.