26
|
|
27
|
Pan Y, Fang Y, Chen Y, Chen C, Zhang RD, Fang X, Zhao Y, Jiang LQ, Ni J, Wang P, Pan HF. Associations between particulate matter air pollutants and hospitalization risk for systemic lupus erythematosus: a time-series study from Xi'an, China. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2023; 45:3317-3330. [PMID: 36287357 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-022-01409-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Air pollution exposure is an important environmental risk factor involved in the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This study was conducted to investigate the relationships between particulate matter (PM) air pollutants exposure and the risk of SLE admission in Xi'an, China. The records of SLE admission, air pollutants and meteorological data were retrieved from the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, the Xi'an Environmental Monitoring Station and China Meteorological Data Network, respectively. A distributed lagged nonlinear model combined with Poisson generalized linear regression was used to evaluate the effect of air pollution on SLE admission. Exposure-response curves showed positive associations of PM ≤ 2.5 (PM2.5) and 10 microns (PM10) in aerodynamic diameter exposures with the risk of SLE admission. Subgroup analyses showed that PM2.5 exposure was associated with the increased risk of SLE admission in women, age over 65 years old, and during the cold season, and PM10 exposure showed an increased risk of SLE in women and during the cold season, but additional tests did not observe the significant associations of PM2.5 and PM10 exposure with SLE admission between subgroups. In addition, null associations of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), and sulfur dioxide (SO2) with the risk of SLE admission were found. Our study indicates that PM2.5 and PM10 exposures have significant effects on the risk of SLE admission, and early measures should be taken for high PM2.5 and PM10 exposure to protect vulnerable populations, rational use of limited health care resources.
Collapse
|
28
|
Xu SZ, Wang ZX, Fang X, Chen C, Yang XK, Shuai ZW, Tao SS. No genetic causal association between systemic lupus erythematosus and COVID-19. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1183570. [PMID: 37275906 PMCID: PMC10232808 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1183570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Emerging evidence suggests an increased prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the prototype of autoimmune disease, compared to the general population. However, the conclusions were inconsistent, and the causal relationship between COVID-19 and SLE remains unknown. Methods In this study, we aimed to evaluate the bidirectional causal relationship between COVID-19 and SLE using bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, including MR-Egger, weighted median, weighted mode, and the inverse variance weighting (IVW) method. Results The results of IVW showed a negative effect of SLE on severe COVID-19 (OR = 0.962, p = 0.040) and COVID-19 infection (OR = 0.988, p = 0.025), which disappeared after Bonferroni correction. No causal effect of SLE on hospitalized COVID-19 was observed (OR = 0.983, p = 0.148). In the reverse analysis, no causal effects of severe COVID-19 infection (OR = 1.045, p = 0.664), hospitalized COVID-19 (OR = 0.872, p = 0.109), and COVID-19 infection (OR = 0.943, p = 0.811) on SLE were found. Conclusion The findings of our bidirectional causal inference analysis did not support a genetically predicted causal relationship between SLE and COVID-19; thus, their association observed in previous observational studies may have been caused by confounding factors.
Collapse
|
29
|
Tao Y, Tang C, Wei J, Shan Y, Fang X, Li Y. Nr4a1 promotes renal interstitial fibrosis by regulating the p38 MAPK phosphorylation. Mol Med 2023; 29:63. [PMID: 37161357 PMCID: PMC10169452 DOI: 10.1186/s10020-023-00657-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF) is a common pathway to end-stage renal disease regardless of the initial etiology. Currently, the molecular mechanisms for RIF remains not fully elucidated. Nuclear receptor subfamily 4 group A member 1(Nr4a1), a member of the NR4A subfamily of nuclear receptors, is a ligand-activated transcription factor. The role of Nr4a1 in RIF remains largely unknown. METHODS In this study, we determined the role and action mechanism of Nr4a1 in RIF. We used unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) mice and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1-treated human renal proximal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2 cells) as in vivo and in vitro models of RIF. A specific Nr4a1 agonist Cytosporone B (Csn-B) was applied to activate Nr4a1 both in vivo and in vitro, and Nr4a1 small interfering RNA was applied in vitro. Renal pathological changes were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin and Masson staining, and the expression of fibrotic proteins including fibronectin (Fn) and collagen-I (Col-I), and phosphorylated p38 MAPK was measure by immunohistochemical staining and western blot analysis. RESULTS The results showed that Nr4a1 was upregulated in UUO mouse kidneys, and was positively correlated with the degree of interstitial kidney injury and the levels of fibrotic proteins. Csn-B treatment aggravated UUO-induced renal interstitial fibrosis, and induced p38 MAPK phosphorylation. In vitro, TGF-β induced Nr4a1 expression, and Nr4a1 downregulation prevented TGF-β1-induced expression of Fn and Col-I and the activation of p38 MAPK. Csn-B induced fibrotic proteins expression and p38 MAPK phosphorylation, and moreover Csn-B induced fibrotic proteins expression was abrogated by treatment with p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580. We provided further evidence that Csn-B treatment promoted cytoplasmic accumulation of Nr4a1. CONCLUSION The findings in the present study indicate that Nr4a1 promotes renal fibrosis potentially through activating p38 MAPK kinase.
Collapse
|
30
|
Lieffrig EV, Zeng T, Zhang J, Fontaine K, Fang X, Revilla E, Lu Y, Onofrey JA. MULTI-TASK DEEP LEARNING AND UNCERTAINTY ESTIMATION FOR PET HEAD MOTION CORRECTION. PROCEEDINGS. IEEE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON BIOMEDICAL IMAGING 2023; 2023:10.1109/isbi53787.2023.10230791. [PMID: 38111738 PMCID: PMC10725741 DOI: 10.1109/isbi53787.2023.10230791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Head motion occurring during brain positron emission tomography images acquisition leads to a decrease in image quality and induces quantification errors. We have previously introduced a Deep Learning Head Motion Correction (DL-HMC) method based on supervised learning of gold-standard Polaris Vicra motion tracking device and showed the potential of this method. In this study, we upgrade our network to a multi-task architecture in order to include image appearance prediction in the learning process. This multi-task Deep Learning Head Motion Correction (mtDL-HMC) model was trained on 21 subjects and showed enhanced motion prediction performance compared to our previous DL-HMC method on both quantitative and qualitative results for 5 testing subjects. We also evaluate the trustworthiness of network predictions by performing Monte Carlo Dropout at inference on testing subjects. We discard the data associated with a great motion prediction uncertainty and show that this does not harm the quality of reconstructed images, and can even improve it.
Collapse
|
31
|
Fang Y, Ni J, Wang YS, Zhao Y, Jiang LQ, Chen C, Zhang RD, Fang X, Wang P, Pan HF. Exosomes as biomarkers and therapeutic delivery for autoimmune diseases: Opportunities and challenges. Autoimmun Rev 2023; 22:103260. [PMID: 36565798 DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2022.103260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Exosomes are spherical lipid bilayer vesicles composed of lipids, proteins and nucleic acids that deliver signaling molecules through a vesicular transport system to regulate the function and morphology of target cells, thereby involving in a variety of biological processes, such as cell apoptosis or proliferation, and cytokine production. In the past decades, there are emerging evidence that exosomes play pivotal roles in the pathological mechanisms of several autoimmune diseases (ADs), including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), Sjogren's syndrome (SS), multiple sclerosis (MS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). systemic sclerosis (SSc), etc. Several publications have shown that exosomes are involved in the pathogenesis of ADs mainly through intercellular communication and by influencing the response of immune cells. The level of exosomes and the expression of nucleic acids can reflect the degree of disease progression and are excellent biomarkers for ADs. In addition, exosomes have the potential to be used as drug carriers thanks to their biocompatibility and stability. In this review, we briefly summarized the current researches regarding the biological functions of exosomes in ADs, and provided an insight into the potential of exosomes as biomarkers and therapeutic delivery for these diseases.
Collapse
|
32
|
Zhan K, Zhang X, Wang B, Jiang Z, Fang X, Yang S, Jia H, Li L, Cao G, Zhang K, Ma X. Response to: COVID-19 and diabetes-double whammy. QJM 2023; 116:144-145. [PMID: 35178559 DOI: 10.1093/qjmed/hcac048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
|
33
|
Zhan K, Zhang X, Wang B, Jiang Z, Fang X, Yang S, Jia H, Li L, Cao G, Zhang K, Ma X. Response to: Glycemic control and COVID-19 outcomes: the missing metabolic players. QJM 2023; 116:91-92. [PMID: 35166838 PMCID: PMC9383446 DOI: 10.1093/qjmed/hcac044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
|
34
|
Zhang RD, Chen C, Wang P, Fang Y, Jiang LQ, Fang X, Zhao Y, Ni J, Wang DG, Pan HF. Air pollution exposure and auto-inflammatory and autoimmune diseases of the musculoskeletal system: a review of epidemiologic and mechanistic evidence. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2023:10.1007/s10653-023-01495-x. [PMID: 36735155 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-023-01495-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Auto-inflammatory and autoimmune diseases of the musculoskeletal system can be perceived as a spectrum of rheumatic diseases, with the joints and connective tissues are eroded severely that progressively develop chronic inflammation and lesion. A wide range of risk factors represented by genetic and environmental factors have been uncovered by population-based surveys and experimental studies. Lately, the exposure to air pollution has been found to be potentially involved in the mechanisms of occurrence or development of such diseases, principally manifest in oxidative stress, local and systemic inflammation, and epigenetic modifications, as well as the mitochondrial dysfunction, which has been reported to participate in the intermediate links. The lungs might serve as a starting area of air pollutants, which would cause oxidative stress-induced bronchial-associated lymphoid tissue (iBALT) to further to influence T, B cells, and the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The binding of aromatic hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) to the corresponding contaminant ligands tends to regulate the reaction of Th17 and Tregs. Furthermore, air pollution components might spur on immune and inflammatory responses by damaging mitochondria that could interact with and exacerbate oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory cytokines. In this review, we focused on the association between air pollution and typical auto-inflammatory and autoimmune diseases of the musculoskeletal system, mainly including osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), spondyloarthritis (SpA) and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), and aim to collate the mechanisms involved and the potential channels. A complete summary and in-depth understanding of the autoimmune and inflammatory effects of air pollution exposure should hopefully contribute new perspectives on how to formulate better public health policies to alleviate the adverse health effects of air pollutants.
Collapse
|
35
|
Huynh H, Zhu S, Lee S, Bao Y, Pang J, Nguyen A, Gu Y, Chen C, Ouyang K, Evans SM, Fang X. DELE1 is protective for mitochondrial cardiomyopathy. J Mol Cell Cardiol 2023; 175:44-48. [PMID: 36539111 PMCID: PMC10387237 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2022.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Mitochondrial dysfunction in heart triggers an integrated stress response (ISR) through phosphorylation of eIF2α and subsequent ATF4 activation. DAP3 Binding Cell Death Enhancer 1 (DELE1) is a mitochondrial protein recently found to be critical for mediating mitochondrial stress-triggered ISR (MSR)-induced eIF2α-ATF4 pathway activation. However, the specific role of DELE1 in heart at baseline or in response to mitochondrial stress remains largely unknown. In this study, we report that DELE1 is dispensable for cardiac development and function under baseline conditions. Conversely, DELE1 is essential for mediating an adaptive response to mitochondrial dysfunction-triggered stress in the heart, playing a protective role in mitochondrial cardiomyopathy.
Collapse
|
36
|
Feng YT, Lang CF, Chen C, Harry Asena M, Fang Y, Zhang RD, Jiang LQ, Fang X, Chen Y, He YS, Wang P, Pan HF. Association between air pollution exposure and coronary heart disease hospitalization in a humid sub-tropical region of China: A time-series study. Front Public Health 2023; 10:1090443. [PMID: 36711381 PMCID: PMC9874291 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1090443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Emerging evidence has highlighted the possible links of environmental pollution with several cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The current study aimed to explore the impact of short-term air pollution exposure on CHD hospitalization in Hefei. Methods Data about the daily number of CHD admissions (from 2014 to 2021) were retrieved from the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University. Air pollutants and meteorological data were obtained from the China Environmental Monitoring Station and the China Meteorological Data Service Center, respectively. The correlation between air pollution and CHD hospitalization was assessed using distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) and Poisson generalized linear regression. Results In the single-pollutant model, NO2, O3, and CO strongly correlated with CHD hospitalization rate. Specifically, exposure to NO2 (lag0, relative risk [RR]: 1.013, 95%CI: 1.002-1.024, per 10 μg/m3 increase) and CO (lag13, RR: 1.035, 95%CI: 1.001-1.071, per 1 μg/m3 increase) revealed a positive correlation with an increased rate of CHD hospitalization. Interestingly, O3 had a protective association with hospitalization of CHD (lag0, RR: 0.993, 95%CI: 0.988-0.999, per 10 μg/m3 increase). Similar results, to those of the single-pollutant model, were revealed following verification using two-pollutant models. Subgroup analyses indicated that young people, women, and people in hot seasons were more susceptible to NO2 exposure, while the elderly, women, and people in cold seasons were more susceptible to O3. Furthermore, the elderly were more susceptible to CO exposure. Conclusion Overall, exposure to NO2 and CO increases the rate of CHD hospitalization, but exposure to O3 shows a protective association with the rate of CHD hospitalization. Therefore, early preventive measures against air pollutants should be applied to protect vulnerable patients with CHD.
Collapse
|
37
|
Yu Z, Zhang L, Cattaneo P, Guimarães-Camboa N, Fang X, Gu Y, Peterson KL, Bogomolovas J, Cuitino C, Leone GW, Chen J, Evans SM. Increasing Mononuclear Diploid Cardiomyocytes by Loss of E2F Transcription Factor 7/8 Fails to Improve Cardiac Regeneration After Infarct. Circulation 2023; 147:183-186. [PMID: 36622904 PMCID: PMC9988404 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.122.061018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
|
38
|
Yamaguchi H, Hayakawa S, Ma N, Shimizu H, Okawa K, Zhang Q, Yang L, Kahl D, La Cognata M, Lamia L, Abe K, Beliuskina O, Cha S, Chae K, Cherubini S, Figuera P, Ge Z, Gulino M, Hu J, Inoue A, Iwasa N, Kim A, Kim D, Kiss G, Kubono S, La Commara M, Lattuada M, Lee E, Moon J, Palmerini S, Parascandolo C, Park S, Phong V, Pierroutsakou D, Pizzone R, Rapisarda G, Romano S, Spitaleri C, Tang X, Trippella O, Tumino A, Zhang N, Lam Y, Heger A, Jacobs A, Xu S, Ma S, Ru L, Liu E, Liu T, Hamill C, Murphy ASJ, Su J, Fang X, Kwag M, Duy N, Uyen N, Kim D, Liang J, Psaltis A, Sferrazza M, Johnston Z, Li Y. RIB induced reactions: Studying astrophysical reactions with low-energy RI beam at CRIB. EPJ WEB OF CONFERENCES 2023. [DOI: 10.1051/epjconf/202327501015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Astrophysical reactions involving radioactive isotopes (RI) often play an important role in high-temperature stellar environments. The experimental studies on the reaction rates for those are still limited mainly due to the technical difficulties in producing high-quality RI beams. A direct measurement of those reactions would be still challenging in many cases, however, we can make a reliable evaluation of the reaction rates by an indirect method or by studying the resonance prorerties. Here we ntroduce recent examples of experimental studies on such RI-involving astrophysical reactions, performed at Center for Nuclear Study, the University of Tokyo, using the low-energy RI beam separator CRIB. One is for the neutron-induced destruction reactions of 7Be in the Big-Bang nucleosynthesis, and the other is the study on the 22Mg(α, p) reaction relevant in X-ray bursts, which was performed with the resonant scattering method from the inverse reaction channel.
Collapse
|
39
|
Thurman AR, Ouattara LA, Yousefieh N, Anderson PL, Bushman LR, Fang X, Hanif H, Clark M, Singh O, Doncel GF. A phase I study to assess safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of a vaginal insert containing tenofovir alafenamide and elvitegravir. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1130101. [PMID: 37153145 PMCID: PMC10154607 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1130101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background New multi-purpose prevention technology (MPT) products are needed to prevent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV2). In this study, we evaluated a fast-dissolve insert that may be used vaginally or rectally for prevention of infection. Objective To describe the safety, acceptability, multi-compartment pharmacokinetics (PK), and in vitro modeled pharmacodynamics (PD) after a single vaginal dose of an insert containing tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) and elvitegravir (EVG) in healthy women. Methods This was a Phase I, open-label, study. Women (n=16) applied one TAF (20mg)/EVG (16mg) vaginal insert and were randomized (1:1) to sample collection time groups for up to 7 days post dosing. Safety was assessed by treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs). EVG, TAF and tenofovir (TFV) concentrations were measured in plasma, vaginal fluid and tissue, and TFV-diphosphate (TFV-DP) concentration in vaginal tissue. PD was modeled in vitro by quantifying the change in inhibitory activity of vaginal fluid and vaginal tissue against HIV and HSV2 from baseline to after treatment. Acceptability data was collected by a quantitative survey at baseline and post treatment. Results The TAF/EVG insert was safe, with all TEAEs graded as mild, and acceptable to participants. Systemic plasma exposure was low, consistent with topical delivery, while high mucosal levels were detected, with median TFV vaginal fluid concentrations exceeding 200,000 ng/mL and 1,000 ng/mL for up to 24 hours and 7 days post dosing, respectively. All participants had vaginal tissue EVG concentrations of > 1 ng/mg at 4 and 24 hours post dosing. The majority had tissue TFV-DP concentrations exceeding 1000 fmol/mg by 24 - 72 hours post dosing. Vaginal fluid inhibition of HIV-1 and HSV-2 in vitro significantly increased from baseline and was similarly high at 4 and 24 hours post dosing. Consistent with high tissue TFV-DP concentrations, p24 HIV antigen production from ectocervical tissues infected ex vivo with HIV-1 significantly decreased from baseline at 4 hours post dosing. HSV-2 production from tissue also decreased post treatment. Conclusions A single dose of TAF/EVG inserts met PK benchmarks, with PK data supporting an extended window of high mucosal protection. PD modeling supports mucosal protection against both HIV-1 and HSV-2. The inserts were safe and highly acceptable. Clinical trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT03762772.
Collapse
|
40
|
Fang X, Zhou Y, Chen S, Xu X, Ke J, Zhou Y, Wei H, Fu B. Natural killer cells promote intra-cellular-infected trophoblasts survival via APOD-LRP1 axis. Immunology 2022. [PMID: 36562137 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are known for their potent ability to kill stressed cells, whereas host cells infected with intra-cellular bacteria may also be benefit from the selective killing function of NK cells and survive. The mechanism of how NK cells protect host cells infected with intra-cellular bacteria is still unclear. Here, we discovered that decidual NK (dNK) cells cannot only eliminate intra-cellular bacteria which infected trophoblasts, but can also synthesize more lipids and transport lipids to trophoblasts to avoid their apoptosis. Mechanically, NK cells synthesize more lipids accompanied by increasing expression of apolipoprotein APOD. Lipids in NK cells can be delivered to trophoblast cells through APOD, maintaining adequate lipid droplet content and lipid metabolism homeostasis in trophoblasts. Blocking the APOD receptor LRP1 abolished lipid transport from NK cells to trophoblasts, and the reduction of lipid droplets caused by bacterial infection in trophoblast cells could not be restored, culminating in cell apoptosis. Our study provides new evidence for the immune surveillance and protective effect of NK cells on embryos during early pregnancy.
Collapse
|
41
|
Chen C, Wang P, Zhang RD, Fang Y, Jiang LQ, Fang X, Zhao Y, Wang DG, Ni J, Pan HF. Mendelian randomization as a tool to gain insights into the mosaic causes of autoimmune diseases. Clin Exp Rheumatol 2022; 21:103210. [PMID: 36273526 DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2022.103210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Autoimmune diseases (ADs) are a broad range of disorders which are characterized by long-term inflammation and tissue damage arising from an immune response against one's own tissues. It is now widely accepted that the causes of ADs include environmental factors, genetic susceptibility and immune dysregulation. However, the exact etiology of ADs has not been fully elucidated to date. Because observational studies are plagued by confounding factors and reverse causality, no firm conclusions can be drawn about the etiology of ADs. Over the years, Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis has come into focus, offering unique perspectives and insights into the etiology of ADs and promising the discovery of potential therapeutic interventions. In MR analysis, genetic variation (alleles are randomly dispensed during meiosis, usually irrespective of environmental or lifestyle factors) is used instead of modifiable exposure to explore the link between exposure factors and disease or other outcomes. Therefore, MR analysis can provide a valuable method for exploring the causal relationship between different risk factors and ADs when its inherent assumptions and limitations are fully considered. This review summarized the recent findings of MR in major ADs, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), multiple sclerosis (MS), and type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), focused on the effects of different risk factors on ADs risks. In addition, we also discussed the opportunities and challenges of MR methods in ADs research.
Collapse
|
42
|
Cui X, Fang X, Zhou Y, Ren Z, Wei L, Zheng Y, Yin H, Wang J, Ai S. Photoelectrochemical immunosensor for RNA methylation detection based on the enhanced photoactivity of Bi2S3 nanorods by g-C3N4 nanosheets. Microchem J 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.microc.2022.108031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
|
43
|
Suo Z, Dong Y, Tong F, Jiang D, Fang X, Chen X. Semiconductor superlattice physical unclonable function based two-dimensional compressive sensing cryptosystem and its application to image encryption. Inf Sci (N Y) 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ins.2022.10.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
|
44
|
Jiang Z, Shen T, Huynh H, Fang X, Han Z, Ouyang K. Cardiolipin Regulates Mitochondrial Ultrastructure and Function in Mammalian Cells. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13101889. [PMID: 36292774 PMCID: PMC9601307 DOI: 10.3390/genes13101889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiolipin (CL) is a unique, tetra-acylated diphosphatidylglycerol lipid that mainly localizes in the inner mitochondria membrane (IMM) in mammalian cells and plays a central role in regulating mitochondrial architecture and functioning. A deficiency of CL biosynthesis and remodeling perturbs mitochondrial functioning and ultrastructure. Clinical and experimental studies on human patients and animal models have also provided compelling evidence that an abnormal CL content, acyl chain composition, localization, and level of oxidation may be directly linked to multiple diseases, including cardiomyopathy, neuronal dysfunction, immune cell defects, and metabolic disorders. The central role of CL in regulating the pathogenesis and progression of these diseases has attracted increasing attention in recent years. In this review, we focus on the advances in our understanding of the physiological roles of CL biosynthesis and remodeling from human patients and mouse models, and we provide an overview of the potential mechanism by which CL regulates the mitochondrial architecture and functioning.
Collapse
|
45
|
El Emam K, Mosquera L, Fang X. Validating a membership disclosure metric for synthetic health data. JAMIA Open 2022; 5:ooac083. [PMID: 36238080 PMCID: PMC9553223 DOI: 10.1093/jamiaopen/ooac083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND One of the increasingly accepted methods to evaluate the privacy of synthetic data is by measuring the risk of membership disclosure. This is a measure of the F1 accuracy that an adversary would correctly ascertain that a target individual from the same population as the real data is in the dataset used to train the generative model, and is commonly estimated using a data partitioning methodology with a 0.5 partitioning parameter. OBJECTIVE Validate the membership disclosure F1 score, evaluate and improve the parametrization of the partitioning method, and provide a benchmark for its interpretation. MATERIALS AND METHODS We performed a simulated membership disclosure attack on 4 population datasets: an Ontario COVID-19 dataset, a state hospital discharge dataset, a national health survey, and an international COVID-19 behavioral survey. Two generative methods were evaluated: sequential synthesis and a generative adversarial network. A theoretical analysis and a simulation were used to determine the correct partitioning parameter that would give the same F1 score as a ground truth simulated membership disclosure attack. RESULTS The default 0.5 parameter can give quite inaccurate membership disclosure values. The proportion of records from the training dataset in the attack dataset must be equal to the sampling fraction of the real dataset from the population. The approach is demonstrated on 7 clinical trial datasets. CONCLUSIONS Our proposed parameterization, as well as interpretation and generative model training guidance provide a theoretically and empirically grounded basis for evaluating and managing membership disclosure risk for synthetic data.
Collapse
|
46
|
Xing XY, Wang XY, Fang X, Xu JQ, Chen YJ, Xu W, Wang HD, Liu ZR, Tao SS. Glycemic control and its influencing factors in type 2 diabetes patients in Anhui, China. Front Public Health 2022; 10:980966. [PMID: 36267995 PMCID: PMC9577366 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.980966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective To investigate the status of glycemic control and analyze its influencing factors in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Anhui, China. Methods 1,715 T2D patients aged 18-75 years old were selected from 4 counties or districts in Anhui Province in 2018, using a convenience sampling method. All patients have undergone a questionnaire survey, physical examination, and a glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) test. According to the 2022 American Diabetes Association criteria, HbA1c was used to evaluate the glycemic control status of patients, and HbA1c < 7.0% was defined as good glycemic control. The influencing factors of glycemic control were analyzed by multivariate unconditional logistic regression. Results The prevalence of good glycemic control among people with T2D in the Anhui Province was low (22.97%). On univariate analysis, gender, education level, occupation, region, smoking, drinking, waist circumference and disease duration (all P < 0.05) were significantly associated with glycemic control. The factors associated with pool glycemic control were female gender [OR = 0.67, 95%CI (0.52, 0.86), P = 0.001], higher level of education [OR = 0.47, 95%CI (0.27, 0.83), P = 0.001], living in rural areas [OR = 1.77, 95%CI (1.39, 2.26), P < 0.001], central obesity [OR = 1.58, 95%CI (1.19, 2.09), P = 0.001] and longer duration of disease [OR = 2.66, 95%CI (1.91, 3.69), P < 0.001]. Conclusions The prevalence of good glycemic control in people with T2D in Anhui Province was relatively low, and gender, region, education level, central obesity and course of the disease were influencing factors. The publicity and education on the importance of glycemic control should be further strengthened in T2D patients, and targeted intervention measures should be carried out for risk groups.
Collapse
|
47
|
Zhu S, Nguyen A, Pang J, Zhao J, Chen Z, Liang Z, Gu Y, Huynh H, Bao Y, Lee S, Kluger Y, Ouyang K, Evans SM, Fang X. Mitochondrial Stress Induces an HRI-eIF2α Pathway Protective for Cardiomyopathy. Circulation 2022; 146:1028-1031. [PMID: 36154620 PMCID: PMC9523491 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.122.059594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
|
48
|
Wei J, Shan Y, Xiao Z, Wen L, Tao Y, Fang X, Luo H, Tang C, Li Y. Anp32e promotes renal interstitial fibrosis by upregulating the expression of fibrosis-related proteins. Int J Biol Sci 2022; 18:5897-5912. [PMID: 36263179 PMCID: PMC9576520 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.74431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Acidic nuclear phosphoprotein 32 family member e (Anp32e) has been reported to contribute to early mammalian development and cancer metastasis. However, the pathophysiological role of Anp32e in renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF) is poorly understood. Here, we demonstrated that Anp32e was highly expressed in the region of RIF in patients with IgA nephropathy, unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) mouse kidneys, and Boston University mouse proximal tubular (BUMPT) cells when treated with TGF-β1; this upregulation was positively correlated with the total fibrotic area of the kidneys. The overexpression of Anp32e enhanced the TGF-β1-induced production of fibrosis-related proteins (fibronectin (Fn) and collagen type I (Col-I)) in BUMPT cells whereas the knockdown of Anp32e suppressed the deposition of these fibrosis-related proteins in UUO mice and TGF-β1-stimulated BUMPT cells. In particular, Anp32e overexpression alone induced the deposition of Fn and Col-I in both mouse kidneys and BUMPT cells without TGF-β1 stimulation. Furthermore, we revealed that the overexpression of Anp32e induced the expression of TGF-β1 and p-Smad3 while TGF-β1 inhibitor SB431542 reversed the Anp32e-induced upregulation of Fn and Col-I in BUMPT cells without TGF-β1 stimulation. Collectively, our data demonstrate that Anp32e promotes the deposition of fibrosis-related proteins by regulating the TGF-β1/Smad3 pathway.
Collapse
|
49
|
Gao B, Jiao TY, Li YT, Chen H, Lin WP, An Z, Ru LH, Zhang ZC, Tang XD, Wang XY, Zhang NT, Fang X, Xie DH, Fan YH, Ma L, Zhang X, Bai F, Wang P, Fan YX, Liu G, Huang HX, Wu Q, Zhu YB, Chai JL, Li JQ, Sun LT, Wang S, Cai JW, Li YZ, Su J, Zhang H, Li ZH, Li YJ, Li ET, Chen C, Shen YP, Lian G, Guo B, Li XY, Zhang LY, He JJ, Sheng YD, Chen YJ, Wang LH, Zhang L, Cao FQ, Nan W, Nan WK, Li GX, Song N, Cui BQ, Chen LH, Ma RG, Zhang ZC, Yan SQ, Liao JH, Wang YB, Zeng S, Nan D, Fan QW, Qi NC, Sun WL, Guo XY, Zhang P, Chen YH, Zhou Y, Zhou JF, He JR, Shang CS, Li MC, Kubono S, Liu WP, deBoer RJ, Wiescher M, Pignatari M. Deep Underground Laboratory Measurement of ^{13}C(α,n)^{16}O in the Gamow Windows of the s and i Processes. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2022; 129:132701. [PMID: 36206440 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.129.132701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The ^{13}C(α,n)^{16}O reaction is the main neutron source for the slow-neutron-capture process in asymptotic giant branch stars and for the intermediate process. Direct measurements at astrophysical energies in above-ground laboratories are hindered by the extremely small cross sections and vast cosmic-ray-induced background. We performed the first consistent direct measurement in the range of E_{c.m.}=0.24 to 1.9 MeV using the accelerators at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory and Sichuan University. Our measurement covers almost the entire intermediate process Gamow window in which the large uncertainty of the previous experiments has been reduced from 60% down to 15%, eliminates the large systematic uncertainty in the extrapolation arising from the inconsistency of existing datasets, and provides a more reliable reaction rate for the studies of the slow-neutron-capture and intermediate processes along with the first direct determination of the alpha strength for the near-threshold state.
Collapse
|
50
|
Zheng Y, Fang X, Zhou Y, Cui X, Cao L, Gao L, Yin H, Wang J, Ai S. Enhanced photoactivity of Bi2S3 nanoflowers by CS-AgBr and CeO2: Application in photoelectrochemical biosensor for the effect of antibiotics on N6-methyladenosine in rice tissues. J Electroanal Chem (Lausanne) 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jelechem.2022.116640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
|