In vitro inhibition of hepatic stellate cell activation by the autophagy-related lipid droplet protein ATG2A

Clinical studies have found that moderate intake of retinol or oleic acid can enlarge the lipid droplets of hepatic stellate cells and suppress their activation. However, the link between lipid droplets and cell activation is unknown. This study compared the dynamics of lipid droplet-associated protein expression between activated and reverted stellate cells. Reversion of the activated human stellate cell line LX-2 and inhibition of primary mouse stellate cell activation were induced by retinol or oleic acid, which resulted in larger lipid droplets and the downregulation of cell activation markers. Quantitative proteomics and immunoblotting were performed to compare lipid-droplet protein profiles between activated and reverted LX-2 cells. Compared to expression in activated cells, 50 lipid-droplet proteins were upregulated, whereas 28 were downregulated upon reversion. ATG2A was significantly enriched in lipid droplets of retinol/oleic acid-treated LX-2 cells and quiescent primary stellate cells. Reduced expression of α-SMA, increased expression of perilipin-3, enlarged lipid droplets, and suppression of autophagic flux were observed in ATG2A-deficient LX2 cells. Lipid-droplet protein profile changes during the reversion of activated stellate cells might provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms linking lipid droplets to liver fibrosis. ATG2A could represent a potential new drug target for hepatic fibrosis.

Reversible changes in brain glucose metabolism following thyroid function normalization in hyperthyroidism

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Patients with hyperthyroidism frequently present with regional cerebral metabolic changes, but the consequences of endocrine-induced brain changes after thyroid function normalization are unclear. We hypothesized that the changes of regional cerebral glucose metabolism are related to thyroid hormone levels in patients with hyperthyroid, and some of these changes can be reversed with antithyroid therapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Relative regional cerebral glucose metabolism was compared between 10 new-onset untreated patients with hyperthyroidism and 20 healthy control participants by using brain FDG-PET scans. Levels of emotional distress were evaluated by using the SAS and SDS. Patients were treated with methimazole. A follow-up PET scan was performed to assess metabolic changes of the brain when thyroid functions normalized.

RESULTS

Compared with controls, patients exhibited lower activity in the limbic system, frontal lobes, and temporal lobes before antithyroid treatment. There were positive correlations between scores of depression and regional metabolism in the cingulate and paracentral lobule. The severity of depression and anxiety covaried negatively with pretreatment activity in the inferior temporal and inferior parietal gyri respectively. Compared with the hyperthyroid status, patients with normalized thyroid functions showed an increased metabolism in the left parahippocampal, fusiform, and right superior frontal gyri. The decrease in both FT3 and FT4 was associated with increased activity in the left parahippocampal and right superior frontal gyri.

CONCLUSIONS

The changes of regional cerebral glucose metabolism are related to thyroid hormone levels in patients with hyperthyroidism, and some cerebral hypometabolism can be improved after antithyroid therapy.

Circulating MicroRNAs as potential biomarkers for alcoholic steatohepatitis

AIMS

To investigate serum miRNA profile in alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH), evaluate its effect as non-invasive diagnostic tool and to study its targets' function.

METHODS

Microarray and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) were utilized to detect serum miRNAs pattern in a rat ASH model, followed by target prediction with bioinformatics calculation. The functions and pathways of miRNAs' targets were analysed using databases of Gene Ontology and KEGG. The association between dysregulated miRNAs and genes was assessed by MiR-Gene Network. Five top dysregulated miRNAs were also verified in humans.

RESULTS

Eight up-regulated and three down-regulated serum miRNAs were selected as an accurate molecular signature in distinguishing ASH from control. For up-regulated miRNAs, 122 GO and 144 KEGG pathways were significantly enriched, including apoptosis, lipid metabolic process, PPAR signalling pathway. For down-regulated miRNAs, 86 GO and 104 KEGG pathways were enriched, including fatty acid metabolism and insulin signalling pathway. Besides, Ccdc117, Gcom1, Zmynd11 and Zfp423 were found at top list as under common regulation of maximum miRNAs. Moreover, miR-214 had the highest degree of 63 among all miRNAs, followed by miR-203 and miR-539. Similarly, Stat3 and Lyn showed the highest degree of 5 among all downstream targets. All significance analysis of microarrays (SAM) revealed that five top dysregulated miRNAs showed the same tendency in humans.

CONCLUSION

We have reported a unique serum miRNA pattern for non-invasive diagnosis of ASH and provided data reservoir for miRNA and downstream targets exploration.

Association of homocysteine level with biopsy-proven non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a meta-analysis

Previous studies have reported inconsistent findings regarding the association between plasmatic higher of homocysteine level and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. We aimed to investigate this association by conducting a meta-analysis. Literature was searched on PubMed from inception to January 2015. Eight studies evaluating plasma level of homocysteine in biopsy-proven non-alcoholic fatty liver disease subjects compared to healthy controls were included. Compared with the controls, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients witnessed a higher level of homocysteine [standard mean difference (SMD): 0.66 µmol/L, 95% CI: 0.41, 0.92 µmol/L], and were associated with a significant increased risk for hyperhomocysteinemia [odds ratio (OR) 5.09, 95% CI: 1.69, 15.32]. In addition, patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver presented 0.45 µmol/L higher levels of homocysteine compared to healthy controls (95% CI: 0.09, 0.82 µmol/L), whereas non-alcoholic steatohepatitis patients had 1.02 µmol/L higher levels of homocysteine (95% CI: 0.28, 1.76 µmol/L). There was neither difference of folate level nor vitamin B12 level between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease subjects and healthy controls. This study revealed that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients presented an increased serum concentration of homocysteine, and were associated with an increased risk of hyperhomocysteinemia. Further studies are needed to demonstrate a causal role of hyperhomocysteinemia in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Immobilized liposome chromatography of drugs on capillary continuous beds for model analysis of drug-membrane interactions

Liposomes were immobilized in capillary continuous beds with covalently linked C4 or C8 alkyl ligands for chromatographic analysis of drug interaction with phospholipid bilayers, as reflected by drug retention volumes and calculated differences in interaction free energies. This procedure is a high-resolution micro-scale version of immobilized liposome chromatography for prediction of diffusion of drugs across biological membranes. The logarithm of the specific capacity factors of several structurally unrelated drugs showed a linear correlation with the logarithm of known apparent drug permeabilities through Caco-2 epithelial cell monolayers. The latter values are used for prediction of absorption of orally administered drug doses.

Transition from hepatic steatosis to steatohepatitis: unique microRNA patterns and potential downstream functions and pathways

BACKGROUND AND AIM

This study aimed to explore the unique miRNA responsible for transition from hepatic steatosis to steatohepatitis and to investigate the functions and pathways of their downstream targets.

METHODS

Microarray and stem-loop reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction were utilized to detect dysregulated miRNA in a rat model. SAM, PAM and clustering analysis were jointly applied to calculate significantly changed miRNA. The targets of miRNA were predicted through web server "microrna." The functions and pathways of those predicted genes were analyzed using databases of Gene Ontology and KEGG by the web server "DAVID."

RESULTS

Fourteen upregulated and six downregulated miRNA were selected as an accurate molecular signature in distinguishing hepatic steatohepatitis from steatosis. Through Gene ontology, 499 and 287 enriched functional categories were found for the target genes of upregulated and downregulated miRNA, including ion homeostasis, protein transport and so on. Through KEGG, 46 and 41 enriched pathways were collected for the target genes of upregulated and downregulated miRNA, including apoptosis, fatty acid metabolism and so on. Analysis of common target genes of all downregulated miRNA revealed potential involvement of ion transport and the membrane structure in steatohepatitis.

CONCLUSION

We reported the dysregulated miRNA in transition from hepatic steatosis to steatohepatitis and showed potential clinical application in disease differentiation. This study provided data reservoir for miRNA exploration and revealed novel disease-specific Gene Ontology functions and KEGG pathways such as uncoupling-protein-guided membrane change. Our data contributes to further researches on the pathogenesis and treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

A role of microRNA-370 in hepatic ischaemia-reperfusion injury by targeting transforming growth factor-β receptor II

BACKGROUND & AIMS

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of small non-coding RNAs with modulator activity of gene expression. The role of miRNAs in hepatic ischaemia-reperfusion (IR) injury is currently largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential role of miR-370 in hepatic IR injury.

METHODS

The expression levels of hepatic miR-370 in male C57BL/6 mice subjected to hepatic IR injury or ischaemia preconditioning were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR. The effect of miR-370 on hepatic IR injury was investigated by serum enzyme analysis and histological examination of liver following treatment of mice with antagomir-370 or control. The levels of proinflammatory cytokines and apoptosis- and proliferation-related genes were also determined by quantitative real-time PCR. Furthermore, the potential targets of miR-370 in this injury were studied by bioinformatics analysis, luciferase assays, quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot.

RESULTS

The results showed that miR-370 expression was significantly upregulated in the mice subjected to hepatic IR injury as compared with the sham-operated mice. Inhibition of miR-370 led to the downregulation of serum aminotransferase and proinflammatory cytokines, as well as the improvement of hepatic histological damage. Reporter assays confirmed that miR-370 directly targeted the 3' untranslated region of transforming growth factor-β receptor II (TβRII). Inhibition of miR-370 was sufficient to reinstate the expression of TβRII and its downstream target phosphorylated Smad3.

CONCLUSION

Our data suggest that miR-370 acting via TβRII might play a potential role in hepatic IR injury, and inhibition of miR-370 efficiently attenuated the damage to the liver.

The metabolic syndrome is associated with complicated gallstone disease

An association between cholecystectomy and metabolic syndrome has not been fully established. Here we analyzed the association between cholecystectomy and metabolic syndrome in a Chinese population of 5672 subjects who undergone annual health checkups at the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University between January 2011 and December 2012. The prevalences of gallstones, cholecystectomy and metabolic syndrome were 6.0%, 3.6%, and 32.5%, respectively. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was significantly higher in subjects with a history of cholecystectomy (63.5%) than in those with gallstones (47.0%) or in those without gallstone disease (30.3%; P<0.01 for both). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that cholecystectomy was significantly associated with increased risk of metabolic syndrome (OR = 1.872; 95% CI: 1.193–2.937). However, the association of gallstones with metabolic syndrome was not statistically significant (OR = 1.267; 95% CI: 0.901–1.782). Altogether, our results suggest that cholecystectomy significantly increases the risk of metabolic syndrome.

Independent association of HbA1c and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in an elderly Chinese population

Background

To investigate the association between serum glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in an elderly Chinese population.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was performed among the 949 retired elderly employees of Zhenhai Refining & Chemical Company Ltd., Ningbo, China.

Results

A total of 257 (27.08%) subjects fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of NAFLD, and NAFLD patients had significantly higher serum HbA1c levels than controls (P <0.001). The prevalence of NAFLD was significantly higher in subjects with increased serum HbA1c level (HbA1c ≥6.5%) than in those with normal range of serum HbA1c level (51.71% vs. 25.20%; P <0.001), and the prevalence increased along with progressively higher serum HbA1c levels (P for trend <0.001). Stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that serum HbA1c level was significantly associated with the risk for NAFLD (odds ratio: 1.547, 95% confidence interval: 1.054 – 2.270; P =0.026).

Conclusions

Our results suggest that serum HbA1c level is associated with NAFLD, and increased serum HbA1c level is an independent risk factor for NAFLD in elderly Chinese.

Genotoxic effects of fluoride evaluated by sister-chromatid exchange

The purpose of this investigation was to study the genotoxic potential of fluoride (in the form of sodium fluoride, NaF) using in vitro and in vivo sister-chromatid exchange (SCE) assays with Chinese hamster cells. The NaF concentrations used in cultures of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells ranged from 0 to 6.3 mM, both with and without S9 activation. Fluoride analysis of the culture medium demonstrated that it contained little indigenous fluoride, and the concentration of added fluoride was not affected by the components of the medium or the S9 mix. The CHO cells cultured in 6.3 mM NaF almost vanished, and at the concentration of 5.3 mM NaF in cultures without S9 microsome, only M1 cells were observed. In in vivo studies, Chinese hamsters were intubated with NaF dosages of 0, 0.1, 1.0, 10, 60 and 130 mg/kg, and the bone marrow (CHBM) cells were examined for SCE frequencies. Bone fluoride data showed that the intubated NaF was effectively absorbed. Death occurred in 3 of the 8 animals given 130 mg NaF/kg. The results indicated that NaF, in dosages up to 5.3 mM in CHO cell cultures and 130 mg/kg in in vivo CHBM cells, did not significantly increase the SCE frequencies over those observed in the negative (distilled water) controls. However, examination of the cell cycle revealed an inhibitory effect of NaF on cell proliferation with doses of NaF at or greater than 1.0 mM in cultured CHO cells and at or greater than 60 mg NaF/kg in in vivo CHMB cells. The results of the present study indicated an inhibition of the cell cycle and death of the cells with increasing concentrations of fluoride but not effect of fluoride on SCE frequency in CHO and CHBM cells.

Genotoxic effects of fluoride: a controversial issue

Fluoride is an element which is widely distributed in our environment. Its cariostatic efficacy has been well documented, and numerous studies indicate that at a concentration of 1 ppm in water, fluoride is beneficial for caries prevention and does not appear to exacerbate any diseases. Currently, more than half the American population is consuming naturally or artificially fluoridated water and efforts are being made to increase this proportion significantly. In addition, the multiple use of fluoride for dental caries prevention is clearly increasing. It is a common practice to use fluoride in a variety of delivery systems, including dentifrices, mouthrinses, pediatric supplements, and professional or self-applied topical solutions or gels as well as dental restorative materials. These dental products may contain fluoride in concentrations as high as 12,300 ppm. Increasing exposure of the population to fluoride has raised questions about the safety of this measure and has established the need for objective reappraisal. In particular, interest has developed regarding the genotoxic effects of fluoride. Unfortunately, there is, at present, only a limited amount of information available concerning the potential genotoxic effects of fluoride, and the results that have been published are contradictory and often very confusing. A review of the literature clearly indicates the importance of, and necessity for, clarifying the conflicts and controversies regarding this important issue.

Continuous beds for microchromatography: reversed-phase chromatography

Simple and cost-effective methods for the preparation of microcolumns (i.d. 0.025-0.32 mm) for reversed-phase chromatography are described. The procedure includes (1) synthesis in the column tube of a continuous bed matrix from a monomer solution (piperazine diacrylamide, methacrylamide) containing allyl glycidyl ether and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and (2) linking of C18 ligands by reacting 1,2-epoxyoctadecane with the epoxy and hydroxy groups in the matrix. The derivatization can be accomplished within 20 min. The columns prepared in this way showed high performance in the separation of proteins and peptides and permitted short analysis times (100 s).

Flagellin-PAc fusion protein is a high-efficacy anti-caries mucosal vaccine

We previously demonstrated that an anti-caries DNA vaccine intranasally administered with recombinant flagellin protein as a mucosal adjuvant enhanced salivary IgA response and conferred better protection against caries. However, the relatively weak immunogenicity of DNA vaccines and the necessity for a large quantity of antigens remain significant challenges. Here, we fused the flagellin derived from E. coli (KF) and target antigen PAc containing the A-P fragment of PAc from S. mutans (rPAc) to produce a single recombinant protein (KF-rPAc). The abilities of KF-rPAc to induce rPAc-specific mucosal and systemic responses and protective efficiency against caries following intranasal immunization were compared with those of rPAc alone or a mixture of rPAc and KF (KF + rPAc) in rats. Results showed that KF-rPAc promoted significantly higher rPAc-specific antibodies in serum as well as in saliva than did an equivalent dose of rPAc alone or a mixture of KF + rPAc. Intranasal immunization of 8.5 µg KF-rPAc could achieve 64.2% reduction of dental caries in rats. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that flagellin and PAc fusion strategy is promising for anti-caries vaccine development, and KF-rPAc could be used as an anti-caries mucosal vaccine.

A meta-analysis on the diagnostic performance of magnetic resonance imaging and transient elastography in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

BACKGROUND

Noninvasive methods have been used for the assessment of hepatic steatosis in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The aim was to assess the efficacy and accuracy of both magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) and transient elastography(TE) for the evaluation of hepatic steatosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, MEDLINE and Web of Science databases were searched to retrieve studies examining the accuracy of MRI-proton density fat fraction(PDFF) and TE-controlled attenuation parameter(CAP) for evaluating the grading of steatosis(S0-S3) diagnosed by liver biopsy in NAFLD. We compared the sensitivity, specificity, hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic curves(HSROC) and clinical utility of these methods.

RESULTS

Twenty-four articles with a total of 2979 patients with NAFLD were included. The steatosis distribution was 8.1%/35.1%/32.2%/24.6% for S0/S1/S2/S3. For the diagnostic accuracy of MRI-PDFF, the HSROCs were 0.97 for ≥S1, 0.91 for ≥S2 and 0.90 for ≥S3. For the diagnostic accuracy of TE-based CAP, the HSROCs were 0.85 for ≥S1, 0.83 for ≥S2 and 0.79 for ≥S3. Following a 'positive' measurement (over the threshold value) for ≥S1, the corresponding post-test probabilities of PDFF and CAP for the presence of steatosis were 82% and 61%, respectively, when the pretest probability was 24%. If the values were below these thresholds ('negative' results), the post-test probabilities were 3% and 7%.

CONCLUSION

MRI-PDFF and TE-CAP both provide highly accurate noninvasive approaches for quantifying and staging hepatic steatosis in NAFLD. Compared with TE-CAP, MRI-PDFF is significantly more accurate for evaluating dichotomized grades of steatosis.

Cancer of esophagus and esophagogastric junction: analysis of results of 1,025 resections after 5 to 20 years

Resection was carried out in 1,025 of 1,654 patients with cancer of the esophagus or esophagogastric junction at the Peking Medical College Hospitals in China from 1953 through 1973. All cancers of the esophagus were squamous cell carcinomas except for five adenocarcinomas. A lesion localized within the esophageal wall was found in 55% and lymph node metastasis in 41.3% of the patients undergoing resection. All cancers of the esophagogastric junction were adenocarcinomas. The tumor had invaded beyond the boundaries of the stomach in 76.7% of these patients, and positive nodes were found in 61% of the patients. The rate of resectability was 81.2% for esophageal cancer and 74% for cancer of the esophagogastric junction. Surgical mortality after resection was 4.9% (50/1,025). The 5-year survival after resection was 20.9% (214/1,025). Better results were found following complete resection: 24% (210/875) for all patients, 28.2% (162/575) for patients with cancer of the esophagus, and 16% (48/300) for patients with cancer of the esophagogastric junction. Late survival at 10, 15, and 20 years after resection of esophageal cancer was 20%, 12%, and 7.4%, respectively. The favorable prognostic factors after resection of esophageal cancer were tumor of the lower third of the esophagus, the absence of lymph node involvement, and the presence of a localized lesion. The 5-year survival for patients with cancer of the lower third of the esophagus was 32.7%. It was 64.2% for patients with a localized lesion with negative nodes in this subgroup.

Optimized methods for capillary electrophoresis of tetracyclines

Optimized methods for the analysis of some tetracyclines by capillary electrophoresis are described. Different buffer systems were employed for the separation of tetracycline, oxytetracycline and demeclocycline from their respective major impurities, including the 2-acetyl-2-decarboxamido derivatives. The influence of buffer pH and buffer concentration was systematically investigated. Non-ionic surfactant Triton X-100 and methyl-beta-cyclodextrin were used to obtain improved selectivity in the case of oxytetracycline and demeclocycline. The results are compared with those of previously established liquid chromatography methods. Good correlations were obtained.

Helicobacter Pylori infection of the gallbladder and the risk of chronic cholecystitis and cholelithiasis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Helicobacter pylori is coexisted with various diseases, including chronic gastritis, ulcer, and gastric cancer. Besides, chronic cholecystitis and cholelithiasis are extremely widespread over the world, which are considered as high health-care cost burdens of digestive diseases. Epidemiologic evidence on Helicobacter pylori infection in gallbladder increasing the risk of biliary diseases has been contradictory.

AIM

Conduct a meta-analysis of overall studies and investigate an association between Helicobacter pylori infection of the gallbladder with chronic cholecystitis/cholelithiasis.

METHODS

We used PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane library databases to identify all published studies before August 2017. Pooled odds ratios (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were obtained using the random effects model. Heterogeneity, sensitivity, and stratified analyses were also performed.

RESULTS

Eighteen studies involving 1544 participants and 1061 biliary cases with chronic cholecystitis/cholelithiasis were included. Helicobacter pylori infection of the gallbladder was significantly associated with an increased risk of chronic cholecystitis and cholecystitis (OR = 3.022; 95% CI, 1.897-4.815; I²  = 20.1%). In addition, country-based subgroup analysis also showed a positive association between Helicobacter pylori positivity and chronic cholecystitis/cholelithiasis risk. The ORs (95% CIs) for Asian and non-Asian region studies were 3.75 (1.83-7.71) and 2.25 (1.29-3.89), respectively.

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis suggests that infection of the gallbladder with Helicobacter pylori is closely related to an increased risk of chronic cholecystitis and cholelithiasis.

N-phosphoryl amino acids and biomolecular origins

The possible role of phosphoryl amino acids for biomolecular origins is briefly reviewed. Peptide formation, ester formation, ester exchange on phosphorus and N to O migration occurred when the N-phosphoryl amino acid was incubated at room temperature. Short nucleotides and peptides were formed when nucleoside was reacted with N-phosphoryl amino acid at room temperature. Serine and threonine residues in their conjugate with different nucleosides (mediated with phosphorus) showed different self-cleavage activities. N-phosphoryl Histine and Ser-His dipeptide could cleave nucleic acids, proteins and esters in neutral medium. Based on a simple model, a pathway of 'co-evolution of protein and nucleic acid' was proposed.

Research on the protection effect of pioglitazone for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in rats

OBJECTIVE

The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has markedly increased. Insulin resistance has been implicated in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. This study was aimed at observing the relationship between insulin resistance and NAFLD, and evaluating the role of pioglitazone (PGZ) acting as insulin-sensitizing agents in the prevention and treatment of rat fatty liver induced by high fat feeding.

METHODS

The rats were separated randomly into 6 groups: model group I were fed high fat diet for 8 weeks, PGZ prevention group were given PGZ 4 mg/(kg.d) simultaneously, while control group I were fed normal food for 8 weeks; model group II were fed high fat diet for 16 weeks, PGZ treatment group were given PGZ 4 mg/(kg.d) orally simultaneous with high fat diet for 8 weeks after high fat feeding for 8 weeks, control group II were fed normal food for 16 weeks. The rats were sacrificed after 8 weeks and 16 weeks respectively. Liver weight, body weight, serum activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting plasma insulin (FINS), HOMA (homeostasis model assessment) insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), and the liver histology of rats of all groups were assayed.

RESULTS

After 8 weeks, the liver in model group I showed typical steatosis, accompanied with mild to moderate lobular inflammatory cell infiltration, liver indexes and serum levels of ALT, AST, ALP, TNF-alpha were significantly increased (P<0.05) compared with control group I. Whereas, the degree of hepatic injury was attenuated in PGZ prevention group, liver indexes and serum levels of ALT, ALP were significantly decreased (P<0.05) compared with model group I. After 16 weeks, notable steatosis, and lobular inflammation were observed in model group II rat liver, while the degree of hepatic injury was attenuated in the PGZ treatment group. Liver index, serum levels of ALT, AST, ALP, FINS and HOMA-IR were significantly increased (P<0.05) in model group II compared with control group II. Whereas, in PGZ treatment group, serum levels of AST and FINS showed decreasing tendency, liver indexes, serum levels of ALT, ALP, TNF-alpha and HOMA-IR were significantly decreased compared with model group II.

CONCLUSION

Insulin resistance plays a role in the pathogenesis of NAFLD in rats. Pioglitazone can attenuate insulin resistance and biochemical and histological injury in high fat-induced fatty liver in rats.

Alcohol Consumption and the Risk of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Aims

Epidemiologic evidence on alcohol consumption increasing the risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is contradictory. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between alcohol consumption and GERD by a meta-analysis of observational studies.

Short summary

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a prevalent disease, and the incidence is rising. We conducted a meta-analysis of observational studies, indicating that there was a significant association between alcohol consumption and the risk of GERD. This finding provides important implications for the prevention and control of GERD.

Methods

Two investigators retrieved relevant studies on PubMed, Cochrane and EMBASE, respectively. The summary odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by random effects model to assess the association. Heterogeneity was quantified using the Q statistic and I2. Subgroup analysis, publication bias and sensitivity analysis were also conducted.

Results

Twenty-six cross-sectional studies and three case-control studies were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled random effects OR was 1.48 (95%CI, 1.31-1.67; I2 = 88.8%), in comparison between drinkers and non-/occasional drinkers. For reflux esophagitis and non-erosive reflux disease, two subtypes of GERD, the ORs were 1.78 (95%CI, 1.56-2.03; I2 = 87.5%) and 1.15 (95%CI, 1.04-1.28; I2 = 0.3%), respectively. In addition, the pooled OR for drinkers who drank <3-5 times or days per week was 1.29 (95%CI, 1.14-1.46; I2 = 35.5%), while for those who drank more frequently, the OR was 2.12 (95%CI, 1.63-2.75; I2 = 55.1%). Dose-response analysis showed a linear association between alcohol consumption and GERD (Pfornonlinearity=0.235). The pooled OR for a 12.5 g/day increment of alcohol was 1.16 (95%CI, 1.07-1.27; P = 0.001).

Conclusions

This meta-analysis provides evidence for a potential association between alcohol drinking and the risk of GERD. The increase in alcohol consumption and frequency showed a stronger association with GERD.

The role of remote ischemic preconditioning on postoperative kidney injury in patients undergoing cardiac and vascular interventions: a meta-analysis

The objective of this study was to perform a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating whether a remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) protocol provides renal protection to patients undergoing cardiac and vascular interventions. Searches were conducted in the databases PUBMED, EMBASE and Cochrane Library. RCTs that fulfilled the inclusion criteria and addressed the clinical questions of this analysis were further assessed. We identified ten studies with a total of 924 patients undergoing cardiac and vascular interventions with or without RIPC. There was a significantly lower incidence of acute kidney injury in the RIPC group compared with control group using the fixed effect model (RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.53 to 0.90, P = 0.007), but not with the random effects model (RR 0.73, 95% CI 0.50 to 1.06, P = 0.10). There was no difference in the levels of renal biomarkers, incidence of renal replacement therapy, mortality, hospital stay, and intensive care unit stay between two groups. In conclusion, there is no enough evidence that RIPC provided renal protection in patients undergoing cardiac and vascular interventions. Large-scale RCTs are necessary to confirm the potential role of RIPC on renal impairment.

DPYD*5 gene mutation contributes to the reduced DPYD enzyme activity and chemotherapeutic toxicity of 5-FU

BACKGROUND

Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPYD) plays an important role in the metabolism of 5-FU, which can directly influence the pharmacokinetics and toxicity of 5-FU in patients undergoing chemotherapy. However, little is known of the relationship between DPYD gene polymorphism and metabolism and chemotherapeutic toxicity of 5-FU in gastric carcinoma and colon carcinoma. The present genotyping study demonstrated the relationship between DPYD gene polymorphism among 75 gastric carcinoma and colon carcinoma patients and its impact on 5-FU pharmacokinetic and side effect.

METHODS

We used a chemotherapy scheme based on 5-FU for the treatment of 75 patients with gastrointestinal carcinoma and detected the serum drug concentration and DPYD gene polymorphism (DPYD*2, *3, *4 *5 *9 *12).

RESULTS

We found that there were no DPYD*2, *3, *4, *12 type mutation, in all patients. Of DPYD*9 gene polymorphism loci in 75 patients, 7 were heterozygote and 68 wild type; of DPYD*5 gene polymorphism loci in 75 patients, 11 were mutation and 23 heterozygote and 41 wild type. The elimination rate constant (Ke) value of DPYD*5 mutation group was statistically lower than the wild type (p=0.022). The incidence of middle-severe nausea and vomiting and white blood cell decreases in DPYD*5 gene type ranging from the highest to lowest can be listed as: mutation, heterozygote, wild type (p<0.05). The incidence of middle-severe nausea and vomiting was significantly higher in DPYD*9 heterozygous genotype than in DPYD*9 wild genotype (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

DPYD*5 gene mutation contribute to reduced DPYD enzyme activity and 5-FU dysmetabolism, which is associated with the accumulation of 5-FU and the chemotherapeutic toxicity in gastric carcinoma and colon carcinoma.

Serum complement C3 levels are associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease independently of metabolic features in Chinese population

Serum complement C3 levels are closely associated with obesity and related metabolic disorders. This study aimed to investigate the association between serum complement C3 levels with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). A cross-sectional study was performed among adults who took their annual health examinations at Zhenhai Lianhua Hospital, Ningbo, China during 2014. We included 7540 participants (5069 men and 2471 women) in this study. NAFLD patients had higher serum complement C3 levels (P < 0.001), and these levels were positively associated with both NAFLD prevalence and severity (P < 0.001). The above association remains true among lean and metabolic syndrome-free participants. Multivariable regression analysis showed that serum complement C3 was independently associated with risk for NAFLD (OR = 5.231; 95% CI: 3.169–8.635). Serum complement C3 level is positively associated with prevalence and severity of NAFLD, and this association is independent of obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Characterization and comparative study of the key odorants in Caoyuanwang mild-flavor style Baijiu using gas chromatography-olfactometry and sensory approaches

Caoyuanwang Baijiu (CYW), a mild-flavor style Baijiu (MSB), is popular in northern China. However, there is a lack of studies reporting its aroma-active components. The aroma compounds of five CYW samples were analyzed using gas chromatography-olfactory-mass spectrometry coupled with aroma extraction dilution analysis. Fifty-five aroma-active compounds were identified in CYW, of which 27 had odor activity values ≥ 1. Reconstituted models successfully simulated the aroma profiles of CYW. The omission tests elucidated that β-damascenone, dimethyl trisulfide, ethyl pentanoate, butanoic acid, ethyl acetate, 3-methylbutanal, ethyl lactate, hexanoic acid, γ-nonalactone, 3-hydroxy-2-butanone, ethyl butanoate, 1-propanol, 4-(ethoxymethyl)-2-methoxy-phenol, and vanillin were key odorants in CYW. The addition test confirmed the significant influence of dimethyl trisulfide on Chen-aroma note. Nine key odorants were identified as the differential quality-markers, and 85.71% key odorants were predicted using the partial least square regression (PLSR) analysis, indicating the applicability of PLSR in selecting the target compounds for omission tests.