Neuronal loss of TRPM8 leads to obesity and glucose intolerance in male mice

OBJECTIVE

Mice with global deletion of the transient receptor potential channel melastatin family member 8 (TRPM8) are obese, and treatment of diet-induced obese (DIO) mice with TRPM8 agonists decrease body weight. Whether TRPM8 signaling regulates energy metabolism via central or peripheral effects is unknow. Here we assessed the metabolic phenotype of mice with either Nestin Cre-mediated neuronal loss of TRPM8, or with deletion of TRPM8 in Advillin Cre positive sensory neurons of the peripheral nervous system (PNS).

METHODS

Nestin Cre- and Advillin Cre-Trpm8 knock-out (KO) mice were metabolically phenotyped under chronic exposure to either chow or high-fat diet (HFD), followed by assessment of energy and glucose metabolism.

RESULTS

At room temperature, chow-fed neuronal Trpm8 KO are obese and show decreased energy expenditure when acutely treated with the TRPM8 selective agonist icilin. But body weight of neuronal Trpm8 KO mice is indistinguishable from wildtype controls at thermoneutrality, or when mice are chronically exposed to HFD-feeding. In contrast to previous studies, we show that the TRPM8 agonist icilin has no direct effect on brown adipocytes, but that icilin stimulates energy expenditure, at least in part, via neuronal TRPM8 signaling. We further show that lack of TRPM8 in sensory neurons of the PNS does not lead to a metabolically relevant phenotype.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data indicate that obesity in TRPM8-deficient mice is centrally mediated and likely originates from alterations in energy expenditure and/or thermal conductance, but does not depend on TRPM8 signaling in brown adipocytes or sensory neurons of the PVN.

[Analysis of reproductive outcomes in the first IVF-ET cycle after laparoscopic treatment in patients with endometriosis]

Objective: To explore the effect of endometriosis (EM) on reproductive outcomes of young patient with EM after laparoscopic treatment in the first in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) cycle. Methods: The clinical data and reproductive outcomes of 394 infertile patients with EM after laparoscopic treatment (EM group) and 3 242 infertile patients caused by gamete transport disorder (control group) in the first IVF-ET cycle were collected in Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children from January 2016 to June 2021. The information included baseline characteristics, oocyte retrieval, embryo development, clinical pregnancy, miscarriage, and live birth. Propensity score matching (PSM) method was used to perform 1∶2 matching between EM group and control group. The impact of EM on reproductive outcomes was analyzed in the retrospective observational study. Results: In the initial data, compared with control group, the number of two pronucleus (2PN) zygotes (9.7±4.8 vs 9.0±4.4), the number of transferable embryos (6.2±3.6 vs 5.5±3.4) and the rate of transferable embryos (64.0% vs 60.8%) on the third day were significantly lower in EM group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). After PSM was performed, there were 394 and 787 cases in EM group and control group, respectively. Compared with control group, the number of 2PN zygotes (9.7±4.9 vs 9.0±4.4), the 2PN fertility rate (77.1% vs 75.3%), the number of transferable embryos on the third day (6.2±3.6 vs 5.5±3.4), the transferable embryos rate on the third day (63.8% vs 60.8%) were significantly lower in EM group, and the differences were statically significant (all P<0.05). The study did not find the effect of EM on embryo implantation rate, pregnancy rate, early miscarriage rate, live birth rate and preterm birth rate (all P>0.05). Conclusions: EM might interfere with the development of oocytes and embryos. Obtaining top-quality embryos may be an effective way to improve the prognosis of patients with EM after laparoscopic treatment.

[Clinical and chest CT features of immune checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis]

Objective: To explore the clinical and chest computed tomography (CT) features and the outcome of immune checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis (CIP). Methods: Clinical and chest CT data of 38 CIP patients with malignant tumors from the Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences between August 2017 and April 2021 were retrospectively reviewed, and the outcomes of pneumonitis were followed up. Results: The median time from the administration of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) to the onset of CIP was 72.5 days in 38 patients with CIP, and 22 patients developed CIP within 3 months after the administration of ICIs. The median occurrence time of CIP in 24 lung cancer patients was 54.5 days, earlier than 119.0 days of non-lung cancer patients (P=0.138), with no significant statistical difference. 34 patients (89.5%) were accompanied by symptoms when CIP occurred. The common clinical symptoms were cough (29 cases) and dyspnea (27 cases). The distribution of CIP on chest CT was asymmetric in 31 cases and symmetrical in 7 cases. Among the 24 lung cancer patients, inflammation was mainly distributed ipsilateral to the primary lung cancer site in 16 cases and diffusely distributed throughout the lung in 8 cases. Ground glass opacities (37 cases) and consolidation (30 cases) were the common imaging manifestations, and organizing pneumonia (OP) pattern (15 cases) was the most common pattern. In 30 CIP patients who were followed up for longer than one month, 17 cases had complete absorption (complete absorption group), and 13 cases had partial absorption or kept stable (incomplete absorption group). The median occurrence time of CIP in the complete absorption group was 55 days, shorter than 128 days of the incomplete absorption group (P=0.022). Compared with the incomplete absorption group, there were less consolidation(P=0.010) and CIP were all classified as hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) pattern (P=0.004) in the complete absorption group. Conclusions: CIP often occurs within 3 months after ICIs treatment, and the clinical and CT findings are lack of specificity. Radiologic features may have a profound value in predicting the outcome of CIP.

[Inducible co-stimulatory molecules participate in mesenteric vascular endothelial-mesenchymal transition and sclerosis of mesenteric vessels in spontaneously hypertensive rats]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the correlation of inducible co-stimulatory molecules (ICOS) with mesenteric vascular endothelial- mesenchymal transition (EndMT) and sclerosis in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).

METHODS

Twenty 4-week-old WKY rats and 20 SHRs of the same strain were both randomly divided into 4 groups for observation at 4, 6, 10 and 30 weeks of age. ICOS expression frequency in rat spleen CD4⁺T cells was analyzed using flow cytometry, and the expressions of ICOS, VE-cad, α-SMA and Col3 mRNA in rat mesentery were detected by RT-PCR. The distributions of ICOS, IL-17A and TGF-β in rat mesentery were detected by immunohistochemistry. The levels of IL-17A and TGF-β in rat plasma were measured using ELISA. The morphological changes of rat mesenteric vessels were observed with Masson staining. Spearman or Pearson correlation analyses were used to evaluate the correlation between ICOS expression and the expressions of the markers of vascular EndMT and sclerosis.

RESULTS

Compared with the control WKY rats, the SHRs began to show significantly increased systolic blood pressure and ICOS expression frequency on CD4⁺T cells at 6 weeks of age (P < 0.05). In the SHRs, the mRNA and protein expressions of ICOS, α-SMA, Col3, IL-17A and TGF-β in the mesentery were significantly higher than those in control group (P < 0.05), while the mRNA and protein expressions of VE-cad started to reduce significantly at 10 weeks of age (P < 0.05). The plasma levels of IL-17A and TGF-β were significantly increased in SHRs since 6 weeks of age (P < 0.05) with progressive worsening of mesenteric vascular sclerosis (P < 0.05). ICOS mRNA and protein expression levels in the mesenteric tissues of SHRs began to show positive correlations with α-SMA and Col3 expression levels and the severity of vascular sclerosis at 6 weeks of age (P < 0.05) and a negative correlation with VE-cad expression level at 10 weeks (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

ICOS play an important pathogenic role in EndMT and sclerosis of mesenteric vessels in essential hypertension by mediating related immune responses.

Single-Cell Analyses of the Oral Mucosa Reveal Immune Cell Signatures

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a common immune-related disease of the gastrointestinal tract that affects many people around the world. Extraintestinal manifestations of IBD have been frequently observed in recent years; one of these, periodontitis, has gained increasing attention. Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by inflammation and destruction of periodontal tissues due to the disruption of host immune homeostasis. Clinical studies have revealed that periodontal inflammation is associated with IBD. However, the detailed heterogeneity of immune cells and their developmental relationships remain poorly understood at the single-cell level. In this study, we performed single-cell RNA (scRNA) sequencing to assess the transcriptome heterogeneity in periodontal tissues. We found the cellular composition and subclusters with specific gene expression profiles by uniform manifold approximation and projection. Pseudo-time analysis combined with gene enrichment analysis was performed to reveal cell states and key pathways. Ligand-receptor pairs revealed cell-cell communication among the immune cell types in periodontal tissues. Based on our analysis, we identified an essential role for Tcr⁺ macrophage, Prdx1⁺ neutrophil, and Mif⁺ T subpopulations with proinflammatory phenotype infiltration. Moreover, we examined the heterogeneity of monocytic cells and B cells. Collectively, the mapping of scRNA revealed the complex cellular landscape of oral mucosa immune cells and highlighted these immune cells as a previously unrecognized factor that may aggravate inflammation. Our analysis proves that periodontitis could exacerbate colitis and provides novel ideas for controlling and preventing IBD exacerbations.

Evaluation of status quo and determinants of catastrophic health expenditure among empty-nest elderly in China: evidence from the China health and retirement longitudinal survey (CHARLS)

OBJECTIVE

The aging society and the empty nest of the elderly have become issues that cannot be ignored by the Chinese government. Not only does the physical function of the empty-nest elderly (ENE) decline, and the incidence and prevalence of chronic diseases increase significantly, but they are also more likely to have loneliness, low life satisfaction, mental health problems, and even a much greater possibility of suffering from depression than the nonempty-nest elderly, besides the possibility of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) which is also greatly increased. This paper aims to evaluate the status quo of dilemma and determinants of a vast sample of subjects based on the national level.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Data were obtained from the latest 2018's data of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Under the guidance of Andersen's model of health services utilization, this study clarified the overall and different demographic characteristics and prevalence of CHE among ENE and further built the Logit and Tobit model to explore the determinants of CHE occurrence and its intensity.

RESULTS

A total of 7,602 ENE were included in the analysis, and the overall incidence of CHE among them was 21.20%. Poor self-reported health status (OR=2.03, 95% CI: 1.71-2.35), suffering from three or more chronic diseases simultaneously (OR=1.79, 95% CI: 1.42-2.15), low life satisfaction (OR=1.44, 95% CI: 1.20-1.68) and advanced age played the leading role in accounting for its high risk, and its intensity increased 0.0311 (SE=0.005), 0.0234 (SE=0.007), and 0.0178 (SE=0.005), respectively. In contrast, the leading drop in the probability of CHE among ENE was those whose monthly income was over 20,000 CNY (OR=0.46, 95% CI: 0.38-0.55), whose intensity declined 0.0399 (SE=0.005), whose monthly income was between 2,000 and 20,000 CNY (OR=0.78, 95% CI: 0.66-0.90) and whose intensity declined 0.021 (SE=0.005), and who were married during the survey period (OR=0.82, 95% CI: 0.70-0.94). Simultaneously, rural ENE showed more vulnerability and higher risk of CHE when confronted with these factors compared with the urban ones.

CONCLUSIONS

More attention should be paid for ENE in China. The priority, including the relevant health insurance or social security measurements, should be further strengthened.

Identification of ovarian endometriotic cysts in cystic lesions of the ovary by amide proton transfer-weighted imaging and R2∗ mapping

AIM

To investigate the value of amide proton transfer weighted (APTw) imaging and R2∗ mapping of cystic fluid in differentiating ovarian endometriotic cysts (OE) from other ovarian cystic (OOC) lesions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 42 patients who underwent 3 T pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were enrolled. Nineteen lesions were OE and 27 lesions were OOC. The APTw imaging and R2∗ values of the cystic fluid were measured and compared between the two groups using the independent sample t-test or Mann-Whitney U-test. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of different parameters. The area under ROC curves (AUCs) was compared using the Delong test. Spearman's correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation between APTw imaging and R2∗ values.

RESULTS

APTw imaging values of OE were lower, while R2∗ values were higher in OE than those in OOC (p=0.001 and < 0.001). The AUCs of APTw imaging and R2∗ values to identify OE from OOC were 0.910 and 0.975. The AUC increased to 0.990 when combining APTw imaging and R2∗ values, yet without a significant difference to the APTw imaging or R2∗ value alone (p=0.229 and 0.082, respectively). APTw imaging values were negatively correlated with R2∗ values (r=-0.522, p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Both APTw imaging and R2∗ values of OE are significantly different from other ovarian cystic lesions. APTw imaging combined with R2∗ values show excellent diagnostic efficacy to differentiate between OE and OOC.

The efficacy and safety of pulsed-field ablation in para-Hisian paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia: first-in-human pilot trial

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: Public Institution(s). Main funding source(s): National Key Research and Development Program of China

Background

Para-Hisian paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) is associated with a higher risk of atrioventricular block due to proximity of the His bundle during catheter ablation. Pulsed-field ablation (PFA) with high tissue selectivity may be a promising technique for catheter ablation in patients with para-Hisian PSVT.

Purpose

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PFA for para-Hisian PSVT.

Methods

This investigator-initiated, single-center, single-arm, prospective study was the first in-human pilot phase to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a novel PFA system in patients with PSVT. Patients diagnosed with para-Hisian PSVT via electrophysiological examination were included and treated with PFA. The primary outcome was the ability to achieve acute ablation success. The secondary outcome was ablation success and safety after 3 months.

Results

A total of seven patients with a mean age of 49.4±13.1 years were included and underwent PFA. Acute ablation success was achieved in all seven patients. The skin-to-skin procedure time was 135.0±17.7 minutes, fluoroscopy time was 4.3±1.6 minutes, and the number of PFA applications was 7±1.6. No adverse events occurred in any patient during the ablation or during the 3-month follow-up.

Conclusion

PFA had favorable efficacy and safety in para-Hisian PSVT patients and can help minimize the risk of inadvertent atrioventricular block during ablation. PFA may be a favorable treatment choice for patients with para-Hisian PSVT.

[Effects of interleukin-4-modified gold nanozymes on the full-thickness skin defects in diabetic mice]

Objective: To investigate the effects and mechanism of interleukin-4-modified gold nanoparticle (IL-4-AuNP) on the wound healing of full-thickness skin defects in diabetic mice. Methods: Experimental research methods were adopted. Gold nanoparticle (AuNP) and IL-4-AuNP were synthesized by improving the methods described in published literature. The morphology of those two particles were photographed by transmission electron microscopy, and their particle sizes were calculated. The surface potential and hydration particle size of the two particles were detected by nanoparticle potentiometer and particle size analyzer, respectively. The clearance rate of IL-4-AuNP to hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion was measured by hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion kits, respectively. Mouse fibroblast line 3T3 cells were used and divided into the following groups by the random number table (the same below): blank control group, hydrogen peroxide alone group treated with hydrogen peroxide only, hydrogen peroxide+IL-4-AuNP group treated with IL-4-AuNP for 0.5 h and then treated with hydrogen peroxide. After 24 h of culture, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels of cells were detected by immunofluorescence method; cell count kit 8 was used to detect relative cell survival rate. The macrophage Raw264.7 mouse cells were then used and divided into blank control group and IL-4-AuNP group that treated with IL-4-AuNP. After 24 h of culture, the expression of arginase 1 (Arg-1) in cells was observed by immunofluorescence method. Twelve male BALB/c mice (mouse age, sex, and strain, the same below) aged 8 to 10 weeks were divided into IL-4-AuNP group and blank control group, treated accordingly. On the 16th day of treatment, whole blood samples were collected from mice for analysis of white blood cell count (WBC), red blood cell count (RBC), hemoglobin level, or platelet count and the level of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), urea, or creatinine. The inflammation, bleeding, or necrosis in the heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney tissue of mice were detected by hematoxylin-eosin (HE). Another 36 mice were selected to make diabetic model, and the full-thickness skin defect wounds were made on the back of these mice. The wounds were divided into blank control group, AuNP alone group, and IL-4-AuNP group, with 12 mice in each group, and treated accordingly. On the 0 (immediately), 4th, 9th, and 15th day of treatment, the wound condition was observed and the wound area was calculated. On the 9th day of treatment, HE staining was used to detect the length of neonatal epithelium and the thickness of granulation tissue in the wound. On the 15th day of treatment, immunofluorescence method was used to detect ROS level and the number of Arg-1 positive cells in the wound tissue. The number of samples was 6 in all cases. Data were statistically analyzed with independent sample t test, corrected t test, Tukey test, or Dunnett T3 test. Results: The size of prepared AuNP and IL-4-AuNP were uniform. The particle size, surface potential, and hydration particle size of AuNP and IL-4-AuNP were (13.0±2.1) and (13.9±2.5) nm, (-45.8±3.2) and (-20.3±2.2) mV, (14±3) and (16±4) nm, respectively. For IL-4-AuNP, the clearance rate to hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion were (69±4)% and (52±5)%, respectively. After 24 h of culture, the ROS level of 3T3 in hydrogen peroxide alone group was significantly higher than that in blank control group (q=26.12, P<0.05); the ROS level of hydrogen peroxide+IL-4-AuNP group was significantly lower than that in hydrogen peroxide alone group (q=25.12, P<0.05) and close to that in blank control group (P>0.05). After 24 h of culture, the relative survival rate of 3T3 cells in hydrogen peroxide+IL-4-AuNP group was significantly higher than that in hydrogen peroxide alone group (t=51.44, P<0.05). After 24 h of culture, Arg-1 expression of Raw264.7 cells in IL-4-AuNP group was significantly higher than that in blank control group (t'=8.83, P<0.05).On the 16th day of treatment, there were no significant statistically differences in WBC, RBC, hemoglobin level, or platelet count and the level of AST, ALT, urea, or creatinine of mice between blank control group and IL-4-AuNP group (P>0.05). No obvious inflammation, bleeding or necrosis was observed in the heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney of important organs in IL-4-AuNP group, and no significant changes were observed compared with blank control group. On the 0 and 4th day of treatment, the wound area of diabetic mice in blank control group, AuNP alone group, and IL-4-AuNP group had no significant difference (P>0.05). On the 9th day of treatment, the wound areas both in AuNP alone group and IL-4-AuNP group were significantly smaller than that in blank control group (with q values of 9.45 and 14.87, respectively, P<0.05), the wound area in IL-4-AuNP group was significantly smaller than that in AuNP alone group (q=5.42, P<0.05). On the 15th day of treatment, the wound areas both in AuNP alone group and IL-4-AuNP group were significantly smaller than that in blank control group (with q values of 4.84 and 20.64, respectively, P<0.05), the wound area in IL-4-AuNP group was significantly smaller than that in AuNP alone group (q=15.80, P<0.05); moreover, inflammations such as redness and swelling were significantly reduced in IL-4-AuNP group compared with the other two groups. On the 9th day of treatment, compared with blank control group and AuNP alone group, the length of neonatal epithelium in the wound of diabetic mice in IL-4-AuNP group was significantly longer (all P<0.05), and the thickness of the granulation tissue in the wound was significantly increased (with q values of 11.33 and 9.65, respectively, all P<0.05). On the 15th day of treatment, compared with blank control group, ROS levels in wound tissue of diabetic mice in AuNP alone group and IL-4-AuNP group were significantly decreased (P<0.05). On the 15th day of treatment, the number of Arg-1 positive cells in the wounds of diabetic mice in IL-4-AuNP group was significantly more than that in blank control group and AuNP alone group, respectively (all P<0.05). Conclusions: IL-4-AuNP is safe in vivo, and can improve the oxidative microenvironment by removing ROS and induce macrophage polarization towards M2 phenotype, thus promote efficient diabetic wound healing and regeneration of full-thickness skin defects in diabetic mice.

RIB induced reactions: Studying astrophysical reactions with low-energy RI beam at CRIB

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.

Muscle Fat Content Is Associated with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Liver Fibrosis in Chinese Adults

OBJECTIVES

Several studies have linked myosteatosis with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in individuals with obesity. The clinical significance of myosteatosis in individuals with NAFLD in the general population has not been well investigated. Here, we wanted to explore and compare the associations of NAFLD and liver fibrosis with muscle fat content and skeletal muscle mass (SMM) in a relatively large general population in China.

METHODS

We retrospectively included all participants who underwent abdominal CT scans in our health promotion center between April 2021 and October 2021. Muscle fat content was assessed by abdomen quantitative computed tomography (QCT) scans, and SMM was evaluated by bioelectrical impedance. NAFLD was assessed by ultrasonography. The NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS) and Fibrosis-4 Index (FIB-4) score were calculated to assess liver fibrosis.

RESULTS

Compared with participants without NAFLD, patients with NAFLD showed significantly increased intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT%) (7.40±3.37% vs. 6.76±2.66%, P <0.01). According to a multiple logistic regression model, IMAT% (OR=1.091, 95% CI 1.030-1.155, P=0.003) was only independently correlated with NAFLD in obese participants. Mediation analysis showed that BMI mediated the association between IMAT% and NAFLD. In participants with NAFLD, increased IMAT% was independently associated with an increased intermediate to high risk of advanced fibrosis assessed by the NFS or FIB-4 score after adjusting for multiple potential confounders. However, SMM was only independently correlated with an intermediate to high risk for advanced fibrosis evaluated by the NFS and not by the FIB-4 score.

CONCLUSION

Increased muscle fat content is positively correlated with NAFLD and intermediate to high risk for advanced fibrosis in the general Chinese population.

Bioactive compound C498-0670 alleviates LPS-induced sepsis via JAK/STAT and NFκB signaling pathways

The JAK/STAT and NFκB signaling pathways are two major inflammatory signaling pathways that are usually activated simultaneously in the body's inflammatory response to bacterial or viral infections. Hyperactivation of these two prominent signaling pathways is associated with various immune-related diseases and mortality, pointing to an urgent need for drug development targeting JAK/STAT and/or NFκB signaling. In this study, we screened 18,840 compounds using our well-established dual STAT-NFκB driven luciferase reporter based high-throughput screening system and identified a bioactive compound C498-0670, which inhibits both JAK/STAT and NFκB signaling. C498-0670 inhibits the activation of STATs and p-IKKα/β in both the immortalized cell lines and primary peritoneal macrophages, while suppressing the expression of LPS-induced inflammatory mediators in vitro. In addition, the overall anti-inflammatory effects of C498-0670 were investigated using transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics approaches. C498-0670 was predicted to alleviate sepsis/septic shock by disease/function analysis using IPA software, which was further verified in the LPS-induced mouse sepsis model in vivo. C498 reduced LPS-induced liver and kidney damage, myeloid cell infiltration, and pro-inflammatory cytokine and chemokine production in vivo. Furthermore, the SPR-HPLC-MS-based target fishing approach was used to identify the putative drug targets, and the high affinities of JAK2 (JAK/STAT signaling), NFKBIA (NFκB signaling), and IL-1β, NLRP1b (inflammasome signaling) for C498-0670 were verified by molecular docking approach. These results suggest that C498-0670 can be used as a dual-target inhibitor of JAK/STAT and NFκB signaling pathways for the treatment of various inflammatory diseases, especially septic shock.

A Multicentre Clinical Study of Sarcoma Personalised Treatment Using Patient-Derived Tumour Xenografts

AIMS

Medication for advanced sarcomas has not improved for three decades. Patient-derived tumour xenografts (PDTX) are a promising solution for developing new therapies and real-time personalised medicine because of their highly effective prediction of drug efficacy. However, there is a dearth of PDTX models for sarcomas due to the scarcity and heterogeneity of the disease.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A multicentre clinical collaborative study (ChiCTR-OOC-17013617) was carried out. Fresh patient tumour tissues via resection or biopsy were used for the PDTX set-up. The standard medical care chosen by the physician was given to the patient, in parallel with testing on multiple regimens. The outcomes of patients' responses and PDTX tests were compared. Comprehensive analyses were carried out to assess the clinical value of PDTX for the treatment of sarcomas. Living tissues from successfully engrafted cases were deposited into a repository.

RESULTS

Forty-two cases, including 36 bone sarcomas and six soft-tissue sarcomas, were enrolled; the overall engraftment rate was 73.8%. Histopathological examination showed a 100% consistency between primary tumours and tumour grafts. The engraftment rate was independent of age, gender and sampling methods, but was associated with subtypes of tumour. The outgrowth time of tumour grafts could be associated with prognosis. Major somatic mutations in tumour grafts occurred primarily in common tumour driver genes. Poor prognosis was associated with the KMT2C mutation. A drug efficacy test showed complete concordance between the PDTX model and patients' responses in 17 regimens.

CONCLUSION

PDTX is an ideal preclinical model for sarcomas because of its faithful preservation of the heterogeneity of the disease, a satisfactory engraftment rate and high accuracy in its prediction of drug efficacy.

An individual-level weighted artificial neural network method to improve the systematic bias in BrainAGE analysis

BrainAGE is a commonly used machine learning technique to measure the accelerated/delayed development pattern of human brain structure/function with neuropsychiatric disorders. However, recent studies have shown a systematic bias ("regression toward mean" effect) in the BrainAGE method, which indicates that the prediction error is not uniformly distributed across Chronological Ages: for the older individuals, the Brain Ages would be under-estimated but would be over-estimated for the younger individuals. In the present study, we propose an individual-level weighted artificial neural network method and apply it to simulation datasets (containing 5000 simulated subjects) and a real dataset (containing 135 subjects). Results show that compared with traditional machine learning methods, the individual-level weighted strategy can significantly reduce the "regression toward mean" effect, while the prediction performance can achieve the comparable level with traditional machine learning methods. Further analysis indicates that the sigmoid active function for artificial neural network shows better performance than the relu active function. The present study provides a novel strategy to reduce the "regression toward mean" effect of BrainAGE analysis, which is helpful to improve accuracy in exploring the atypical brain structure/function development pattern of neuropsychiatric disorders.

[The characteristics of gut microbiota in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with hypertriglyceridemia]

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of gut microbiota in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with hypertriglyceridemia (HTG). Methods: Eighty-one patients first diagnosed with T2DM were enrolled in the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from January 2018 to December 2020, including 58 patients [46 males and 12 females, aged (43±13) years] with HTG [HTG group, triglyceride (TG)≥1.7 mmol/L]. There were 23 cases without HTG (NTG group), including 20 males and 3 females, aged (46±13) years. According to the severity of HTG, the patients of HTG group were divided into severe HTG group (STG group, TG ≥5.6 mmol/L) and mild HTG group (MTG group, 1.7 mmol/L≤TG<5.6 mmol/L). Thirty healthy controls were matched accordingly, including 21 males and 9 females, aged (45±6) years. Clinical laboratory indicators and feces of the subjects were collected and 16S rRNA sequencing was performed to compare the differences in intestinal flora among the groups. Results: The Shannon and Simpson indexes in HTG group were lower than those in NTG group and healthy control group (5.02±0.91 vs 5.45±0.55 and 5.60±0.63, P=0.003; 0.90±0.06 vs 0.93±0.04, 0.94±0.04, P=0.002). Compared with healthy control group and NTG group, the abundance of intestinal P_Proteobacteria, g_Escherichia_Shigella, s_Escherichia_Coli and g_Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 increased in HTG group, while the abundance of p_Firmicutes, g_Faecalibacterium and Faecalibacterium_prausnitzii decreased. The abundance of g_Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 in the STG group was higher than that of NTG and MTG groups, while the abundance of g_Faecalibacterium decreased. Spearman correlation analysis suggested that g_Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 was positively correlated with glycosylated hemoglobin (r=0.22, P=0.044), fasting blood glucose (r=0.36, P=0.001), TG (r=0.27, P=0.015) and total cholesterol (r=0.44, P<0.001). Logistic regression analysis indicated that g_Faecalibacterium was a protective factor for T2DM with HTG(OR=0.90, 95%CI:0.83-0.97, P=0.006). Conclusions: The intestinal flora of T2DM patients with HTG was dysregulated, which was manifested as decreased diversity, increased abundance of P_Proteobacteria and decreased abundance of p_Firmicutes. g_Faecalibacterium is a protective factor for T2DM with HTG.

[The relationship between left ventricular artery coupling and left ventricular work and their predictive value on prognosis in septic shock]

Objective: To explore the relationship between left ventricular artery coupling and left ventricular work in patients with septic shock, and further clarified their predictive value for the prognosis of septic shock. Methods: In total, 56 patients with septic shock admitted in the Department of Critical Care Medicine of Peking Union Medical College Hospital were retrospectively enrolled between January 2016 and July 2021. The hemodynamic indexes and clinical data monitored by pulse indicator continuous cardiac output (PICCO) at different time points were collected. To reveal alterations of arterial elastance index (EaI), end-systolic elastance index (EesI), EaI/EesI, stroke work (SW), total cardiac function (PVA), and left ventricular ejection efficiency (LVEf) in patients with septic shock at different time points. The patients were divided into the death group (n=20) and survival group (n=36) according to the outcome of the ICU. The relationship between left ventricular work and left ventricular arterial coupling and its prognostic value were statistically analyzed. Results: A total of 56 patients were enrolled, 32 males and 24 females, aged (61±15) years. There was a significantly difference in EaI/EesI and LVEf between survivors and non-survivors with septic shock at 6 h (P<0.05). Further analysis showed that the correlation between EaI/EesI and LVEf was most evident at 6 h after intervention. EaI/EesI was negatively correlated with SW (r_s=-0.500, P<0.001), and highly negative with LVEf (r_s=-0.959, P<0.001). Both univariate logistic regression and multivariate regression analysis showed that EaI/EesI (adjusted OR=42.783, 95%CI: 2.725-671.819, P=0.008) and LVEf (adjusted OR=2.293, 95%CI:1.222-4.301, P=0.010) were risk factors for ICU prognosis of patients with septic shock. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that EaI/EesI [area under the curve (AUC)=0.742±0.083, P=0.004; cut-off value 6.10, sensitivity 88.9%, specificity 65.0%] and LVEf (AUC=0.733±0.084, P=0.006; cut-off value 0.24, sensitivity 88.8%, specificity 60.0%) were both effective indicators for predicting the prognosis of patients with septic shock in the ICU. Moreover, EaI/EesI had a better prognosis value than LVEf (ΔAUC=0.120, Z=6.528, P=0.036). Conclusion: It's indicated that EaI/EesI was significantly correlated with SW and LVEf after 6 h of septic shock intervention; EaI/EesI and LVEf are risk factors and effective predictors of ICU prognosis in patients with septic shock. The predictive efficacy of EaI/EesI is greater than LVEF.

[Differential diagnosis model of benign and malignant breast BI-RADS category 4 nodules based on serum SP70 and conventional laboratory indicators]

Objective: To develop a nomogram model for the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant breast BI-RADS (Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System) category 4 nodules based on serum tumor specific protein 70 (SP70) and conventional laboratory indicators and validate its predictive efficacy. Methods: A case-control study design was used to retrospectively analyze the data of 429 female patients diagnosed with BI-RADS category 4 breast nodules by breast color doppler flow imaging at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2021 to April 2022 with an age range of 16 to 91 years and a median age of 50 years, and the patients were divided into a training cohort (314 patients) and a validation cohort (115 patients) according to the inclusion time successively. Using postoperative pathological findings as the"gold standard", univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify the predictor variables used for the model. The nomogram, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and calibration curves were drawn for the prediction model, and the discrimination and calibration of the model were evaluated using the consistency index (C-index) and calibration plots. Results: The postoperative pathological results showed that 286 (66.7%) were malignant nodules and 143 (33.3%) were benign nodules of 429 breast BI-RADS category 4 nodules. The serum SP70 (OR=1.227,95%CI: 1.033-1.458,P=0.020), NLR (OR=1.545,95%CI: 1.047-2.280,P=0.028), LDL-C (OR=2.215, 95%CI: 1.354-3.622, P=0.002), GLU (OR=2.050,95%CI:1.222-3.438,P=0.007), PT (OR=1.383,95%CI: 1.046-1.828,P=0.023), nodule diameter (OR=1.042, 95%CI: 1.008-1.076, P=0.015) and age (OR=1.062,95%CI: 1.011-1.116,P=0.016) were independent risk factors which could be used to distinguish benign and malignant breast BI-RADS category 4 nodules (P<0.05). The nomogram was plotted by the above seven independent variables, and the concordance index (C-index) for the training cohort and validation cohort were 0.842 (95%CI:0.786-0.898) and 0.787 (95%CI:0.687-0.886), respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of using this model to identify benign and malignant breast BI-RADS category 4 nodules in the training and validation cohort were 83.5%, 72.5% and 79.2%, 73.6%, respectively. The calibration curves showed good agreement between the predicted and actual values in the nomogram. Conclusions: This study combined serum SP70, conventional laboratory indicators and breast color doppler flow imaging to develop a nomogram model for the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant breast BI-RADS category 4 nodules. The model may have good predictive efficacy and may provide a basis for clinical treatment options, which is beneficial for guiding breast cancer screening and prevention.

[Status and related factors on the drinking behavior among primary and secondary students in China rural middle and western regions in 2019]

Objective: To analyze the daily drinking behavior and related factors of primary and middle school students in the Nutrition Improvement Program for Rural Compulsory Education Students (NIPRCES) pilot regions. Methods: Multi-stage stratified random cluster sampling method was used to select one to three national pilot counties in 22 provinces in central and western China where the NIPRCES was implemented in 2019. According to different feeding patterns, two primary schools and two middle schools were selected as key monitoring schools. One or two classes were selected from grade 3 to grade 9. The student questionnaire was used to collect the basic information and daily drinking behavior. Taking whether the drinking water ≥5 cups every day as the dependent variable, multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the related factors of drinking behavior among students. Results: A total of 27 374 students were included. On average, primary and middle school students in the regions where NIPRCES was implemented had 3.9 cups of water every day. Logistic regression model showed that boys (OR=1.230, P<0.001), primary school students (OR=1.379, P<0.001), father worked outside the home (OR=1.169, P<0.001), both parents worked outside the home (OR=1.228, P<0.001), non-resident students (OR=1.142, P<0.001), the school in the village (OR=1.638, P<0.001) or township (OR=1.358, P<0.001), school feeding (OR=1.252, P<0.001), the school building with flush toilets (OR=1.384, P<0.001) and the central regions (OR=1.300, P<0.001) students were more likely to drink ≥5 cups water every day. Conclusion: The water consumption of primary and middle school students in the pilot regions of NIPRCES is low, and their drinking behaviors are affected by many factors.

Astrocyte derived TSP2 contributes to synaptic alteration and visual dysfunction in retinal ischemia/reperfusion injury

BACKGROUND

Despite current intervention measures/therapies are able to ameliorate neuronal death following retinal injuries/diseases, the recovery of visual function remains unsatisfactory. Previous studies revealed that the retinal synapse and neurite changed during the early stage after retinopathy, which was considered to be detrimental to visual signal transmission. However, the specific profiles and the mechanisms underlying retinal neurite and synaptic alteration after retinal pathologies remain poorly understood.

METHODS

Here, we revealed the spatiotemporal pattern of neurite and synaptic alteration following retinal pathologies using a rat model of acute RI/R induced by high intraocular pressure (HIOP) with Western blotting, Immunofluorescence, and electron microscopy. We further explored the potential role of activated astrocytes and their derived thrombospondin 2 (TSP2) in RI/R induced retinal neurite and synaptic alteration and visual dysfunction through viral transduction and drug injection.

RESULTS

We found a defasciculation of RGC axons, a compensatory increase of presynaptic proteins (synaptophysin and synapsin 1) and synaptic vesicles between bipolar cells and ganglion cells in the inner plexiform layer (IPL), and the degenerated visual function preceded the neuronal death in rat retinae. These events were accompanied by the activation of astrocytes. Furthermore, we showed that suppressing the activation of astrocytes (intravitreal injection of fluorocitric acid, FC), TSP2 knockdown (TSP2 shRNA-AAV transduction), and competitively inhibiting the binding of TSP2 and α2δ1 (intraperitoneal injection of gabapentin, GBP) effectively alleviated the retinal synaptic and neurite alteration and the visual dysfunction following RI/R injury.

CONCLUSIONS

(1) At the early stage following RI/R injury, the rat retinae develop a degeneration of ganglion cell axons and the resulting compensatory synaptic remodeling between bipolar cells and ganglion cells in IPL. These changes occur earlier than the massive loss of neurons in the ganglion cell layer (GCL). (2) Activated astrocytes may secret TSP2, which bind to α2δ1, to mediate the degeneration of rat retinal ganglion cell axons, compensatory synaptic remodeling in IPL, and visual dysfunction following RI/R injury.

Risk factors for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in Chengdu: a prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Chengdu, identify the risk factors for the development of HCC in Chengdu and provide a reference for the prevention of HCC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The study population was recruited from Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China. The study group recruited volunteers in Chengdu from 2007 to 2012, conducted a baseline survey, and subsequently conducted long-term follow-up until December 31, 2019. A total of 22,525 study subjects were enrolled, excluding those who reported a previous history of liver disease, malignancy, and HCC within three months of enrollment. Cox proportional risk regression models were used to screen and determine the various risk factors and their hazard ratios (HR) for HCC in Chengdu, as well as to determine whether the association between other risk factors and HCC was modified by gender.

RESULTS

The study population had a median follow-up of 5.35 years, and a total of 142 people developed HCC, with an incidence rate of 0.71%. Analysis of the multifactorial Cox proportional risk regression model showed that age (age 10 years for 1 group, HR= 1.98, 95% CI: 1.86-2.11, p<0.001), current smoking (HR= 1.25, 95% CI: 1.07-1.31, p=0.031), weekly consumption of pickled vegetables (HR= 1.70, 95% CI: 1.49-1.81, p=0.003) and consumption of pickled vegetables daily (HR= 1.36, 95% CI: 1.21-1.42, p=0.021) were risk factors for HCC, and women (HR= 0.39, 95% CI: 0.28-0.55, p=0.002) and the use of air conditioning (10 years for 1 group, HR= 0.79, 95% CI: 0.68-0.83, p=0.002) were protective factors against HCC. Further analysis revealed that the association between length of time using air conditioning and HCC was heterogeneous among men and women (p=0.007) and that there was an interaction between sex and use of air conditioning in the association with HCC development (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The Chengdu population has a high incidence of HCC and numerous risk factors for HCC. There is a synergistic interaction between sex and length of time using air conditioning in their role in the development of HCC.