Cell therapy of a knee osteoarthritis rat model using precartilaginous stem cells

OBJECTIVE

To explore the effect and mechanism of precartilaginous stem cells (PSCs) engraftment-inducing tissue repair in a knee osteoarthritis (OA) rat model.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) model was constructed in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats by partial removal of the medial meniscus of the right knee. PSCs were engrafted by injecting precartilaginous stem cells (PSCs) into the right knee cavity. At 4 and 8 weeks after model construction, the serum levels of interleukine (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and IL-6 were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was performed to assess the histopathology of synovial membrane and cartilage. Western blot analysis was used to assess Notch1, Bcl-2 and Bax levels in the articular cartilage.

RESULTS

At 4 and 8 weeks, OA rats demonstrated significantly higher IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels than normal rats (p < 0.05), whereas PSCs treatment prominently attenuated IL-1β upregulation (p < 0.05). In OA rats, the number of chondrocytes dramatically decreased over time in OA rats, with disruption of chondrocytes organization and cell layers. PSCs alleviated the deterioration of cartilage, as evidenced by the relatively smooth articular surface, distinct tidemark and clear cell layers. The model and treatment groups demonstrated substantially higher Notch1 expression. The Bcl-2/Bax value in the OA rats was lower than the control group, while PSCs treatment led to increase in Bcl-2/Bax value.

CONCLUSIONS

PSCs treatment downregulated the expression of inflammatory cytokines, alleviating osteoarthritis in the knee of rats. Notch1 signaling pathway plays an important role in this ameliorating effect of PSCs treatment.

A-03 Ethnic/Racial Differences in Longitudinal Neurocognitive Change among People Living with HIV

HIV disproportionately affects Black and Latino people in the United States, but data on longitudinal neurocognitive patterns for these groups are scarce. This study evaluated the incidence and predictors of neurocognitive decline by ethnicity/race in a cohort of Black, Latino, and White people living with HIV (PLWH). Participants included 499 PLWH (43.5% White, 42.7% Black, 13.8% Latino; mean age at baseline = 43.5) from the six-site CNS HIV Anti-Retroviral Therapy Effects Research (CHARTER) study. Participants completed comprehensive neurocognitive and neuromedical evaluations over 3-7 study visits for an average of 2.8 years (SD = 1.1). Interpertation of neurocognitive change was based on published methods using regression-based norms that correct for baseline performance and practice effects. Survival analyses investigated the relationship between ethnicity/race and neurocognitive change, and predictors of neurocognitive decline. In follow-up, 108 participants (21.6%) declined, 311 (62.3%) remained stable, and 80 (16.0%) improved. In Cox proportional hazard models, hazard ratios for neurocognitive decline were increased for Latinos compared to Whites (HR = 2.19, 95%CI = 1.32-3.63, p = .002) and Blacks (HR = 1.87, 95%CI = 1.14-3.04, p = .01). Including significant covariates (baseline nadir CD4, hepatitis C Virus, and VACS Index: a composite marker of physical health among PLWH)did not significantly decrease the elevated risk for decline among Latinos. We found that Latino PLWH appear to have higher risk of neurocognitive decline compared to White and Black PLWH. Traditional markers of HIV disease and physical health at baseline did not explain this elevated risk of neurocognitive decline. Future research examining economic, socio-environmental, and culturally-relevant biomedical factors may help to explain this observed ethnic/racial disparity in longitudinal neurocognitive function in HIV.

PCL/EUG scaffolds with tunable stiffness can regulate macrophage secretion behavior

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent joint disorder worldwide. Recent studies suggested that macrophages play an important role in the progression of OA. However, the detailed pathology related to macrophages is still ambiguous, especially where related to mechanotransduction. In this study, polycaprolactone (PCL) and Eucommia Ulmoides Gum (EUG) composite scaffolds were first fabricated by electrospinning. The stiffness of as-fabricated scaffolds was altered by adjusting the PCL-to-EUG ratio. The mechanical properties, structural characteristics and chemical composition of the scaffolds were investigated using various materials characterization techniques. The results show that stiffness of the scaffolds was in the same range as that of cartilage tissues with OA. Confocal microscopy and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were performed to investigate the macrophages cultured on the scaffolds. Significant morphological changes of cells were observed on PCL/EUG scaffolds with different stiffness. The expression of inflammatory and fibrosis-related cytokines increases as scaffold stiffness decreases, similar to the trend observed in OA progression.

Association of serum uric acid levels with primary open-angle glaucoma: a 5-year case-control study

PURPOSE

It has been hypothesised that uric acid (UA) has a protective effect against oxidative damage in the central nervous system. Therefore, we investigated serum UA concentrations in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and explored the relationship between serum UA concentration and glaucoma severity.

METHODS

This prospective, cross-sectional, case-control study was conducted in 163 POAG patients and 103 normal controls. Clinical and demographic information was obtained from the medical data platform of the Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China. The POAG patients were categorised into mild [median deviation (MD) ≤ 6.00 dB], moderate (MD > 6 Db-≥12 dB) and severe (MD > 12 dB) subgroups, based on their visual field MD results.

RESULTS

The level of serum UA in the POAG group (0.321 ± 0.084 mmol/l) was approximately 12.77% lower (p < 0.001) than that of the control group (0.362 ± 0.053 mmol/l). The UA/creatinine (Cr) ratio was approximately 14.99% lower (p < 0.001) in patients with POAG (4.47 ± 1.15), compared with the control group (5.14 ± 1.05). The mean level of UA was lowest in the severe POAG group, followed by the moderate POAG group, and the mild POAG group (p < 0.001). A similar trend was observed when UA levels were compared between the POAG and control groups in males. Multivariate regression analyses showed a significant negative correlation between UA and vertical cup-disc ratio (B = -0.320, p = 0.034), and UA and MD (B = -0.441, p = 0.031) in males.

CONCLUSION

Primary open-angle glaucoma patients have lower UA levels; however, a negative association between UA levels and disease severity was evident in male patients.

[Use of prostate health index in diagnosing prostate cancer in Chinese men]

Objective: To investigate the value of prostate health index (PHI) in the diagnosis of prostate cancer in patients with total prostate specific antigen (tPSA) <20 μg/L. Methods: Totally 1 135 patients with tPSA<20 μg/L and prostate biopsy indications at Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center from March 2013 to April 2016 were enrolled in this study. They were tested for serum tPSA, free prostate specific antigen and prostate specific antigen isoform 2, from which PHI was calculated. Diagnostic efficacy of PHI and tPSA were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The detection rates of prostate cancer were calculated in different ranges of PHI. Subgroup analysis of 716 patients, who were aged 50 or above with tPSA in the range of 4 to 10 μg/L and digital rectal examination negative, was performed. Results: In the biopsied objects with tPSA<20 μg/L, PHI was significantly higher in prostate cancer patients than that in non-cancer patients (48.4(37.4) vs. 26.5(16.9), U=52 674.00, P=0.000), PHI was also significantly higher in high-grade prostate cancer patients than that of low-grade prostate cancer patients (44.5(30.8) vs. 56.4(42.5), U=23 314.00, P=0.000). The area under the curve (AUC) of PHI for diagnosing prostate cancer was significantly higher than that of tPSA (0.771 vs. 0.627, P=0.000). When PHI was in the range of <27, 27 to <36, 36 to <55 and ≥55, the probability of prostate cancer was 9.4% (95%CI: 7.0% to 12.2%), 16.3% (95%CI: 12.2% to 20.8%), 31.0% (95%CI: 25.9% to 37.3%) and 66.4% (95%CI: 58.9% to 74.2%), respectively. Subgroup analysis showed that the AUC of PHI in diagnosing prostate cancer was significantly higher than that of tPSA (0.764 vs. 0.569, P=0.000). When PHI was in the range of <27, 27 to <36, 36 to <55 and ≥55, the probability of prostate cancer was 8.1% (95%CI: 5.4% to 11.3%), 14.0% (95%CI: 9.1% to 19.9%), 30.8% (95%CI: 23.6% to 38.7%) and 78.8% (95%CI: 66.7% to 88.9%), respectively. Conclusion: PHI is superior to tPSA in the diagnosis of prostate cancer in Chinese men with tPSA<20 μg/L.

Alteration of the phagocytosis and antimicrobial defense of Octodonta nipae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) pupae to Escherichia coli following parasitism by Tetrastichus brontispae (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)

Although parasites and microbial pathogens are both detrimental to insects, little information is currently available on the mechanism involved in how parasitized hosts balance their immune responses to defend against microbial infections. We addressed this in the present study by comparing the immune response between unparasitized and parasitized pupae of the chrysomelid beetle, Octodonta nipae (Maulik), to Escherichia coli invasion. In an in vivo survival assay, a markedly reduced number of E. coli colony-forming units per microliter was detected in parasitized pupae at 12 and 24 h post-parasitism, together with decreased phagocytosis and enhanced bactericidal activity at 12 h post-parasitism. The effects that parasitism had on the mRNA expression level of selected antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) of O. nipae pupae showed that nearly all transcripts of AMPs examined were highly upregulated during the early and late parasitism stages except defensin 2B, whose mRNA expression level was downregulated at 24 h post-parasitism. Further elucidation on the main maternal fluids responsible for alteration of the primary immune response against E. coli showed that ovarian fluid increased phagocytosis at 48 h post-injection. These results indicated that the enhanced degradation of E. coli in parasitized pupae resulted mainly from the elevated bactericidal activity without observing the increased transcripts of target AMPs. This study contributes to a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in the immune responses of a parasitized host to bacterial infections.

Transfer of Skills From Simulation Lab to Surgical Services: Impact of a Decade Long Laparoscopic Urology Surgical Course

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the impact of decade-long dedicated laparoscopic urology surgical skills course on the successful implementation of surgical services by the participants.

METHODS

A prospective database was maintained for all the participants in urological laparoscopic courses run by a single dedicated unit between January 2016 and December 2016. Data on various variables were collected using a follow-up validated questionnaire exploring speciality of clinical practice, challenges and need for additional training to establish clinical services, improvement in quality and frequency of laparoscopic courses. A subset of participants reported data of their outcomes in a national database available publically.

RESULTS

One hundred sixty one delegates were drawn from 18 countries attended laparoscopic skills courses during the study period of 10 years. Data were available for 154 (95.65%) participants. There were only 20 (20/154; 12.9%) responses to online website questionnaires despite 3 reminders. Further, follow-up through websites/telephonic contact/organizational contacts improved the response rate to 93% (143/154). Of the participants, 95% (135/143) felt that these courses should be continued, and they agreed to recommend them to their trainees in the future. More than 50% (81/143; 56.6%) of the participants performed laparoscopic/robotic surgery at various centers. Sixty two (62/143; 43.3%) did not pursue laparoscopic surgery as a career choice. Fifty six (56/81; 69%) participants were established laparoscopic surgeons were from the UK, and of them, 30 (30/56; 53.57%: 30/81; 37.04%) were established surgeons that contributed to publishing their results through professional organizations with the outcomes of all of these within normal ranges of their peers.

CONCLUSIONS

A dedicated laparoscopic urological surgery course run over a decade had a significant impact on the skills of participants, and most participants were able to establish clinical practice catering to a large proportion of the UK population as well as a few centers internationally.

[Analysis of effects of discipline cooperation on rescue and treatment of severe mass burn patients involved in August 2nd Kunshan factory aluminum dust explosion accident]

Objective: To analyze effects of cooperation between physicians in department of burn surgery and department of intensive care medicine on rescue and treatment of severe mass burn patients involved in August 2nd Kunshan factory aluminum dust explosion accident. Methods: On August 2nd, 2014, 15 extremely severe burn patients involved in August 2nd Kunshan factory aluminum dust explosion accident were admitted to temporary burn treatment center established in Department of Critical Care Medicine of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University. The 15 patients were equally divided into 3 groups, with 5 patients in each group. Fifteen surgeons and 30 nurses from department of burn surgery and 15 physicians and 30 nurses from department of intensive care medicine from different hospitals in China were divided into 3 groups, with 5 physicians and 10 nurses from department of burn surgery and 5 physicians and 10 nurses from department of intensive care medicine in each group. Each group of physicians and nurses were responsible for treatment of 5 patients. Treatment of patients was leaded by surgeons from department of burn surgery, who were responsible for wound dealing and operation. Physicians from department of intensive care medicine were responsible for systemic treatment and adjustment of relevant equipment's parameters. Volume of fluid infusion and urine output in shock period, severe systemic complication during period of treatment, using time and kind of antibiotics, death in 1 month after admission, length of hospital stay, and survival of patients were monitored. Results: Volume of fluid infusion of 15 extremely severe burn patients within the first 24 hours post injury was 10 360-17 162 (12 998±1 811) mL, including (1.62±0.23) mL·% total body surface area (TBSA)(-1)·kg(-1) electrolyte and colloid and (2 850±232) mL glucose, with electrolyte and colloid ratio of (1.76±0.23)∶1.00. Volume of urine output within the first 24 hours post injury was (2 384±1 242) mL, with (99±52) mL in each hour. Volume of fluid infusion of 15 extremely severe burn patients within the second 24 hours post injury was 8 720-11 616 (9 406±1 277) mL, including (1.04±0.22) mL·%TBSA(-1)·kg(-1) electrolyte and colloid and (2 910±187) mL glucose, with electrolyte and colloid ratio of (1.53±0.31)∶1.00. Volume of urine output within the second 24 hours post injury of patients was (2 299±1 362) mL , with (108±61) mL in each hour. One patient had pulmonary infection, and 7 patients had fungal infection, and no patient had gut microbiota dysbiosis. Patients were treated with combined 2 kinds of antibiotics for 21-85 (50±16) d. No patient died within 1 month after admission. The length of hospital stay was 53-132 (98±44) d. Ten patients survived finally. Conclusions: After being treated by cooperation between physicians in department of burn surgery and department of intensive care medicine, severe mass burn patients involved in August 2nd Kunshan factory aluminum dust explosion accident had hemodynamic stability and could stably experience shock period, with less complication, shorter length of hospital stay, no death within 1 month after admission, more survived patients, which can provide reference for rescue and treatment of severe mass burn patients.

Pro-angiogenic Role of Danqi Pill Through Activating Fatty Acids Oxidation Pathway Against Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the leading causes of deaths worldwide. Energy metabolism disorders, including a reduction in fatty acids oxidation and upregulation of glycolysis pathway, are involved in the process of CAD. Therapeutic angiogenesis has become a promising treatment for CAD. Traditional Chinese medicines, such as Danqi Pill (DQP), have been proven to be effective in treating CAD in China for many years. However, the pro-angiogenic effects of DQP based on fatty acids oxidation are still unknown and the mechanism is worthy of investigation. In this study, left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery was ligated to induce the CAD models in vivo, and cardiac functions were examined using echocardiography. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were subjected to H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress in vitro. The effects of DQP on CAD rat models and in vitro HUVEC were detected. Our results showed that DQP had cardio-protective effects in rat model. The intensity of capillaries in the marginal area of infarction of the rat heart was increased remarkably in DQP group, and the expression of PPARα and VEGF-2 were increased. The key enzymes involved in the transportation and intake of fatty acids, including CPT1A and CD36, both increased. In H₂O₂-induced endothelial cells injury models, DQP also showed protective roles and promoted capillary-like tube formation. DQP up-regulated key enzymes in fatty acids oxidation in H₂O₂-treated HUVEC. In addition, inhibition of CPT1A compromised the pro-angiogenic effects of DQP. In conclusion, fatty acids oxidation axis PPARα-CD36-CPT1A was involved in the pro-angiogenic roles of DQP against CAD. Cardiac CPT1A may serve as a target in therapeutic angiogenesis in clinics.

Involvement of microRNA miR-2b-3p in regulation of metabolic resistance to insecticides in Plutella xylostella

The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, has developed extremely high levels of resistance to chlorantraniliprole and other classes of insecticides in the field. As microRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in various biological processes through gene regulation, we examined the miRNA profile of P. xylostella in response to chlorantraniliprole exposure. RNA sequencing analysis showed that insecticide treatment caused significant changes in the abundance of some miRNAs. Increasing exposure time and insecticide concentration induced more dysregulated miRNAs in P. xylostella larvae. We also screened potential target genes for some of the differentially expressed miRNAs (such as miR-2b-3p, miR-14b-5p and let-7-5p), which may play important roles in insecticide resistance development. Exposure of P. xylostella larvae to chlorantraniliprole caused considerable overexpression in the transcript levels of potential target genes cytochrome P450 9f2 (CYP9F2) and 307a1 (CYP307a1). Application of miR-2b-3p and miR-14b-5p mimics significantly suppressed the relative transcript levels of CYP9F2 and CYP307a1, respectively, in a P. xylostella cell line. Furthermore, enrichment of P. xylostella diet with miR-2b-3p mimics significantly increased mortality in deltamethrin-resistant larvae when exposed to deltamethrin. The results suggest that miR-2b-3p may suppress CYP9F2 transcript levels in P. xylostella and consequently inhibit larval detoxification pathways. The findings provide an insight into possible role of miRNAs in regulation of metabolic resistance of insects to insecticides.

Effect of Repeated Freeze-Thaw on Serum Biomarkers Associated with Eye Disease

Background

Serum biomarkers are associated with eye diseases, which results in the need for cryopreservation of serum samples. However, the effect on serum biomarker levels of repeatedly freezing and thawing remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of repeated freeze-thaw on the serum levels of the protein, complement C3c (C3c), the micromolecule, uric acid (UA), and the enzyme, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE).

Material/Methods

Serum samples were obtained from 50 patients who attended an ophthalmic outpatient department. Following baseline measurements, the serum samples from each subject were divided into aliquots and stored at −80°C for further analysis, following between one to six freeze-thaw cycles. The serum levels of C3c, UA, and ACE were measured immediately after the stored serum samples were thawed.

Results

The serum level of C3c was significantly changed after the first freeze-thaw cycle (p<0.05), and a significant alteration in serum ACE levels occurred after the third freeze-thaw cycle (p<0.05). The serum UA level remained unchanged after all freeze-thaw cycles. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles significantly increased the serum levels of C3c and decreased the serum levels of ACE. The serum levels of C3c, UA, and ACE, respectively were significantly correlated (p<0.001), while the correlation coefficient for C3c and UA were improved when compared with ACE.

Conclusions

Repeated freeze-thaw can have variable effects on the serum levels of biomarkers, C3c, UA and ACE, which supports the need for quality control of cryopreserved serum for biomarker evaluation.

Regulatory functions of trehalose-6-phosphate synthase in the chitin biosynthesis pathway in Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) revealed by RNA interference

RNA interference (RNAi) is a very effective technique for studying gene function and may be an efficient method for controlling pests. Trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS), which plays a key role in the synthesis of trehalose and insect development, was cloned in Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (TcTPS) and the putative functions were studied using RNAi via the injection of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) corresponding to conserved TPS and trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase domains. Expression analyses show that TcTPS is expressed higher in the fat body, while quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction results show that the expression of four trehalase isoforms was significantly suppressed by dsTPS injection. Additionally, the expression of six chitin synthesis-related genes, such as hexokinase 2 and glutamine-fructose-6-phosphate aminotransferase, was suppressed at 48 and 72 h post-dsTPS-1 and dsTPS-2 RNA injection, which were two dsTPS fragments that had been designed for two different locations in TcTPS open reading frame, and that trehalose content and trehalase 1 activity decreased significantly at 72 h post-dsRNA injection. Furthermore, T. castaneum injected with dsTPS-1 and dsTPS-2 RNA displayed significantly lower levels of chitin and could not complete the molting process from larvae to pupae, revealing abnormal molting phenotypes. These results demonstrate that silencing TPS gene leads to molting deformities and high mortality rates via regulation of gene expression in the chitin biosynthetic pathway, and may be a promising approach for pest control in the future.

WITHDRAWN: PCL/EUG scaffolds with tunable stiffness can regulate macrophage secretion behavior

The Publisher regrets that this article is an accidental duplication of an article that has already been published, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2018.05.008. The duplicate article has therefore been withdrawn.

Cell therapy of a knee osteoarthritis rat model using precartilaginous stem cells

OBJECTIVE

To explore the effect and mechanism of precartilaginous stem cells (PSCs) engraftment-inducing tissue repair in a knee osteoarthritis (OA) rat model.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) model was constructed in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats by partial removal of the medial meniscus of the right knee. PSCs were engrafted by injecting precartilaginous stem cells (PSCs) into the right knee cavity. At 4 and 8 weeks after model construction, the serum levels of interleukine (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and IL-6 were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was performed to assess the histopathology of synovial membrane and cartilage. Western blot analysis was used to assess Notch1, Bcl-2 and Bax levels in the articular cartilage.

RESULTS

At 4 and 8 weeks, OA rats demonstrated significantly higher IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels than normal rats (p < 0.05), whereas PSCs treatment prominently attenuated IL-1β upregulation (p < 0.05). In OA rats, the number of chondrocytes dramatically decreased over time in OA rats, with disruption of chondrocytes organization and cell layers. PSCs alleviated the deterioration of cartilage, as evidenced by the relatively smooth articular surface, distinct tidemark and clear cell layers. The model and treatment groups demonstrated substantially higher Notch1 expression. The Bcl-2/Bax value in the OA rats was lower than the control group, while PSCs treatment led to increase in Bcl-2/Bax value.

CONCLUSIONS

PSCs treatment downregulated the expression of inflammatory cytokines, alleviating osteoarthritis in the knee of rats. Notch1 signaling pathway plays an important role in this ameliorating effect of PSCs treatment.

[Long-term prognostic value of lowering in free triiodothyronine in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy]

Objective: To determine whether thyroid hormone (TH) level could also be an independent and incremental predictor of adverse events in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Methods: A total of 982 consecutive patients with HCM at the National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases (China) from October 2009 to December 2013 were included in the present study, and followed up till the end of December 2016. The patients were divided into three groups according to the levels of free triiodothyronine (FT₃): the group 1 (FT₃≤4.28 pmol/L, n=335), the group 2 (FT₃>4.28-<4.79 pmol/L, n=310), and the group 3 (FT₃ 4.79-6.30 pmol/L, n=337). Results: After a follow-up period of (53.8±14.1) months, 39 patients (4.0%) either suffered death with all causes or received a cardiac transplantation (7.8%, 2.9% and 1.2% of the patients in the group 1, group 2 and group 3, respectively). A multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed that FT₃≤4.28 pmol/L was associated with a significantly higher risk of all-cause mortality or cardiac transplantation (HR 8.83, 95% CI 1.115- 69.905,P=0.039) in HCM patients. Conclusions: Low levels of FT₃ is a risk factor of adverse events for patients with HCM, indicting a role of FT₃ as a marker for assessing the risk of long-term adverse events in these patients.