A study on regulatory mechanism of miR-223 in ulcerative colitis through PI3K/Akt-mTOR signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to explore the regulatory mechanism of micro ribonucleic acid (miR)-223 in ulcerative colitis (UC) through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 36 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into three groups, including normal group (n=12), model group (n=12) and inhibitor group (n=12). Rats in the normal group received no treatment. Rats in the model group were used to establish a UC model. Meanwhile, rats in the inhibitor group underwent intraperitoneal injection of inhibitor and establishment of the UC model. Subsequently, specimens were obtained for detection. Immunohistochemistry was applied to measure the expression of mTOR. Western blotting was adopted to determine the relative protein expressions of P85, P110 and phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt). Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to detect the mRNA expression of miR-223. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) was utilized to determine cell apoptosis. Furthermore, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was conducted to measure the content of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and IL-6.

RESULTS

Immunohistochemistry showed that the positive expression of mTOR increased remarkably in the model group and inhibitor group when compared with that of the normal group (p<0.05). However, it decreased notably in the inhibitor group when compared with the model group (p<0.05). Western blotting indicated that the protein expressions of P85, P110 and p-Akt in model group and inhibitor group were significantly higher than the ones of the normal group (p<0.05). However, the inhibitor group showed markedly lower relative protein expressions of P85, P110 and p-Akt than the ones of the model group (p<0.05). Compared with the normal group, the expression level of miR-223 was significantly elevated in model group and inhibitor group (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the mRNA expression of miR-233 between the model group and the inhibitor group (p>0.05). The apoptosis rate of the cells increased prominently in the model group and in the inhibitor group when compared with the normal group (p<0.05). However, it was remarkably reduced in the inhibitor group than the model group (p<0.05). In comparison with the normal group, the content of IL-1β and IL-6 was significantly up-regulated in the model group and in the inhibitor group (p<0.05). However, it declined notably in the inhibitor group compared with the model group (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-223 can trigger cell apoptosis and inflammation in UC by up-regulating the PI3K/Akt-mTOR signaling pathway.

Efficacy of laparoscopic gastric bypass vs laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in treating obesity combined with type-2 diabetes

OBJECTIVE

This prospective study compared the efficacy and safety of laparoscopic gastric bypass and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in treating overweight and obese patients with BMI>28 kg/m² and type-2 diabetes.

METHODS

Patients were randomized into a gastric bypass group (n = 77) or a gastrectomy group (n = 80). The surgery time, intraoperative blood loss, recovery time, and hospitalization time were collected. BMI, waistline, hipline, C-peptide level, insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), and their blood and lipid profile were also measured.

RESULTS

Surgery time and blood loss were significantly higher in the gastrectomy group, when compared to the gastric bypass group (P < 0.05). In both groups, the levels of BMI, waist circumference and hip circumference (but not their ratio) gradually and significantly decreased after surgery compared with baseline (P < 0.05), and no significant difference was found between these two groups. The C-peptide level, HOMA-IR, fasting blood glucose, 2-hour postprandial blood glucose and glycosylated haemoglobin gradually and significantly decreased after surgery compared with the values before treatment (P < 0.05). The levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 were also lower after surgery in both groups, while HDL and glucagon-like peptide-1 were significantly higher after surgery compared with the values before treatment (P < 0.05). However, no significant difference was found between these two groups of patients.

CONCLUSION

Both laparoscopic gastric bypass and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy improved the BMI and diabetic conditions of overweight/obese diabetics, while laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy had a shorter surgical time and less blood loss.

Functionally weighted airway sparing (FWAS): a functional avoidance method for preserving post-treatment ventilation in lung radiotherapy

Recent changes to the guidelines for screening and early diagnosis of lung cancer have increased the interest in preserving post-radiotherapy lung function. Current investigational approaches are based on spatially mapping functional regions and generating regional avoidance plans that preferentially spare highly ventilated/perfused lung. A potentially critical, yet overlooked, aspect of functional avoidance is radiation injury to peripheral airways, which serve as gas conduits to and from functional lung regions. Dose redistribution based solely on regional function may cause irreparable damage to the 'supply chain'. To address this deficiency, we propose the functionally weighted airway sparing (FWAS) method. FWAS (i) maps the bronchial pathways to each functional sub-lobar lung volume; (ii) assigns a weighting factor to each airway based on the relative contribution of the sub-volume to overall lung function; and (iii) creates a treatment plan that aims to preserve these functional pathways. To evaluate it, we used four cases from a retrospective cohort of SAbR patients treated for lung cancer. Each patient's airways were auto-segmented from a diagnostic-quality breath-hold CT using a research virtual bronchoscopy software. A ventilation map was generated from the planning 4DCT to map regional lung function. For each terminal airway, as resolved by the segmentation software, the total ventilation within the sub-lobar volume supported by that airway was estimated and used as a function-based weighting factor. Upstream airways were weighted based on the cumulative volumetric ventilation supported by corresponding downstream airways. Using a previously developed model for airway radiosensitivity, dose constraints were determined for each airway corresponding to a <5% probability of airway collapse. Airway dose constraints, ventilation scores, and clinical dose constraints were input to a swarm optimization-based inverse planning engine to create a 3D conformal SAbR plan (CRT). The FWAS plans were compared to the patients' prescribed CRT clinical plans and the inverse-optimized clinical plans. Depending on the size and location of the tumour, the FWAS plan showed superior preservation of ventilation due to airflow preservation through open pathways (i.e. cumulative ventilation score from the sub-lobar volumes of open pathways). Improvements ranged between 3% and 23%, when comparing to the prescribed clinical plans, and between 3% and 35%, when comparing to the inverse-optimized clinical plans. The three plans satisfied clinical requirements for PTV coverage and OAR dose constraints. These initial results suggest that by sparing pathways to high-functioning lung subregions it is possible to reduce post-SAbR loss of respiratory function.

[Investigation of the screening interval for population with negative colonoscopy examinations]

Objective: To investigate the colonscopy screening interval among patients with negative colonscopy. Methods: We selected 14 606 participants who completed the baseline and 3-year or 5-year colonoscopy examinations in the American Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) dataset as the target population. Sociodemographic characteristics (i.e., sex, age, marital status, race, and smoking), lifestyle, family history of cancer, and family history of colorectal cancer were collected. Cochran-Armitage trend analysis was used to examine whether the rate of positive cases (colorectal cancer, advanced adenoma, adenoma, and hyperplastic polyp) was increased with the length of screening interval. We compared the differences in number of detected cases, positive rates, and proportions of 3-year and 5-year screening interval strategies using internal standardization method. Results: The age of the population was （61.9±5.2） years and over half of them were males (54.4%) and 46.2% had family cancer history. The mean screening interval between the first and second endoscopies was （1 639.1±320.9） days. A total of 1 716 cases had positive endoscopic findings. With the screening interval extended, rate of the screened positive cases was also increased (P _{for trend}<0.001). After standardized by the internal standardized population (14 606), 17.99 and 11.57 colorectal cancer cases and 177.37 and 240.35 advanced adenoma cases were detected by 3-year and 5-year screening interval strategies, respectively. Conclusion: Based on the initial screening negative population of colonoscopy in the United States, the 3-year screening interval strategy could detect a relatively large number of colorectal cancer cases, but its health and economic evaluation needs to be further explored.

Clinical significance of expression level of CX3CL1-CX3CR1 axis in bone metastasis of lung cancer

PURPOSE

To investigate the clinical significance of CX3 chemokine ligand 1(CX3CL1) and CX3CR1 in patients with bone metastasis from lung cancer. The expression levels of CX3CL1 and CX3CR1 mRNA and protein in primary lung cancer and lung cancer bone metastasis were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot.

METHODS

One hundred patients with lung cancer were divided into a boneless metastasis group (50 patients with bone metastasis) and a bone metastasis group (50 patients without distant metastasis). The bone transfer component was graded by Soloway classification (0 to III). The expression levels of serum CX3CL1-CX3CR1 axis were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RT-qPCR and Western Blot were used to verify the transfection efficiency. The scratching assay was used to detect the migration of CX3CL1 to 95-D cells after down-regulating the expression of CX3CR1.

RESULTS

The expression levels of CX3CL1 and CX3CR1 mRNA and protein in the primary lung cancer and lung cancer bone metastasis were significantly higher than those in the adjacent tissues (P < 0.0001). The levels of serum CX3CL1 and CX3CR1 in bone metastasis group were significantly higher than those in boneless metastasis group and healthy control group (P < 0.05). In the bone metastasis group, the levels of serum CX3CL1 and CX3CR1 were significantly positively correlated with the degree of disease progression (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

The expression level of serum CX3CL1-CX3CR1 axis is expected to be an auxiliary reference index for monitoring bone metastasis of lung cancer.

The importance of proper and prompt treatment of ocular syphilis: a lesson from permanent vision loss in 52 eyes

BACKGROUND

Ocular involvement can occur at any stage of syphilis. Prompt diagnosis and proper treatment of ocular syphilis are vital to avoid long-term consequences.

OBJECTIVES

To describe the risk factors for ocular syphilis and clinical features of blindness caused by syphilis.

METHODS

We report risk factors for ocular syphilis amongst patients seen at the Shanghai Skin Disease Hospital between October 2009 and October 2017. We identify patients with ocular syphilis resulting in blindness and report the clinical characteristics, laboratory findings and treatment outcomes of these patients.

RESULTS

A total of 8310 new cases of syphilis were seen, of which 213 patients had ocular disease and 50 patients had blindness due to syphilis. Increasing age and higher RPR titres were associated with ocular involvement but there was no association with HIV status. Blindness in syphilis was restricted predominantly to patients with optic nerve involvement and not patients with isolated uveitis. Fifty patients (and a total of 67 eyes) met the WHO definition of blindness prior to treatment for syphilis. At the end of follow-up, vision had improved in 24 of 67 eyes (35.8%) after treatment. Successful treatment of uveitis was associated with the best improvement in visual acuity, whilst patient with underlying optic atrophy prior to treatment had the worst visual outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Ocular involvement is an important manifestation of syphilis which may result in blindness. Our data demonstrate outcomes for ocular syphilis are poor if detected late; early recognition and diagnosis is therefore vital to avoid permanent visual loss.

Melatonin mitigates cadmium and aluminium toxicity through modulation of antioxidant potential in Brassica napus L

Melatonin has emerged as an essential molecule in plants, due to its role in defence against metal toxicity. Aluminium (Al) and cadmium (Cd) toxicity inhibit rapeseed seedling growth. In this study, we applied different doses of melatonin (50 and 100 µm) to alleviate Al (25 µm) and Cd (25 µm) stress in rapeseed seedlings. Results show that Al and Cd caused toxicity in rapeseed seedling, as evidenced by a decrease in height, biomass and antioxidant enzyme activity. Melatonin increased the expression of melatonin biosynthesis-related Brassica napus genes for caffeic acid O-methyl transferase (BnCOMT) under Al and Cd stress. The genes BnCOMT-1, BnCOMT-5 and BnCOMT-8 showed up-regulated expression, while BnCOMT-4 and BnCOMT-6 were down-regulated during incubation in water. Melatonin application increased the germination rate, shoot length, root length, fresh and dry weight of seedlings. Melatonin supplementation under Al and Cd stress increased superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, proline, chlorophyll and anthocyanin content, as well as photosynthesis rate. Both Cd and Al treatments significantly increased hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde levels in rapeseed seedlings, which were strictly counterbalanced by melatonin. Analysis of Cd and Al in different subcellular compartments showed that melatonin enhanced cell wall and soluble fractions, but reduced the vacuolar and organelle fractions in Al- and Cd-treated seedlings. These results suggest that melatonin-induced improvements in antioxidant potential, biomass, photosynthesis rate and successive Cd and Al sequestration play a pivotal role in plant tolerance to Al and Cd stress. This mechanism may have potential implications in safe food production.

Cascaded multi-scale convolutional encoder-decoders for breast mass segmentation in high-resolution mammograms

This paper addresses breast mass segmentation from high-resolution mammograms. To cope with strong class imbalance, huge diversity of size, shape, texture and contour as well as limited receptive field, mass segmentation is achieved through a multi-scale cascade of deep convolutional encoder-decoders without any pre-detection scheme. Multi-scale information is integrated using auto-context to make long-range spatial context arising from lower scale impact training at higher resolution. The pipeline is trained end-to-end to benefit from simultaneous segmentation refinement performed at each level. It incorporates transfer learning and fine tuning from DDSM-CBIS to INbreast datasets to further improve mass delineations. The comprehensive evaluation provided for high-resolution INbreast images highlights promising model generalizability against standard encoder-decoder strategies.

[Influence on physical development of children aged 18 months from HIV-positive mothers for prevention mother to child transmission of HIV]

Objective: To explore influence on physical development of children aged 18 months from HIV-positive mothers for prevention mother to child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, and provide evidence for the improvement PMTCT program. Methods: This retrospective case control study was conducted in 554 HIV negative infants aged 18 months whose HIV positive mothers had received PMTCT services reported through PMTCT system database from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2017 and 1 109 healthy infants born in 2017, whose mothers were healthy, in Lingshan, Luzhai, and Hengxian counties, ranking top three counties with high HIV infection prevalence, in Guangxi. PMTCT data and physical development data such as height, weight and head circumference of children aged 18 months were collected. The physical dysplasia in the infants was defined as at least one of the three main indicators of height, weight and head circumference below the normal range. Results: The number of HIV-positive mother and their infants in the case group were 667 and 554 respectively, and the PMTCT rates were 91.15% (608/667) and 96.57% (535/554) respectively. HIV positive rate, mortality rate and mother to child transmission rate of the infants aged 18 months were 1.44% (8/554), 3.07% (17/554) and 1.91% (8/418) respectively, and the physical examination results of the infants aged 18 months showed that the physical dysplasia rate was 30.51% (169/554). Among the 1 109 infants in the control group, the physical dysplasia rate was 9.83% (109/1 109). The difference between the case group and the control group was significant (P<0.01). Conclusion: The PMTCT rates of HIV positive mother and their children were more than 90.00%, respectively. However, poor physical development rate of infants aged 18 months were more than 30.00%. The possible influence of PMTCT on physical development of the infants aged 18 months of HIV positive mother's needs to be further studied.

Ultrafast Control of Excitonic Rashba Fine Structure by Phonon Coherence in the Metal Halide Perovskite CH_{3}NH_{3}PbI_{3}

We discover hidden Rashba fine structure in CH_{3}NH_{3}PbI_{3} and demonstrate its quantum control by vibrational coherence through symmetry-selective vibronic (electron-phonon) coupling. Above a critical threshold of a single-cycle terahertz pump field, a Raman phonon mode distinctly modulates the middle excitonic states with persistent coherence for more than ten times longer than the ones on two sides that predominately couple to infrared phonons. These vibronic quantum beats, together with first-principles modeling of phonon periodically modulated Rashba parameters, identify a threefold excitonic fine structure splitting, i.e., optically forbidden, degenerate dark states in between two bright ones with a narrow, ∼3  nm splitting. Harnessing of vibronic quantum coherence and symmetry inspires light-perovskite quantum control and sub-THz-cycle "Rashba engineering" of spin-split bands for ultimate multifunction device.

MOB2 suppresses GBM cell migration and invasion via regulation of FAK/Akt and cAMP/PKA signaling

Mps one binder 2 (MOB2) regulates the NDR kinase family, however, whether and how it is implicated in cancer remain unknown. Here we show that MOB2 functions as a tumor suppressor in glioblastoma (GBM). Analysis of MOB2 expression in glioma patient specimens and bioinformatic analyses of public datasets revealed that MOB2 was downregulated at both mRNA and protein levels in GBM. Ectopic MOB2 expression suppressed, while depletion of MOB2 enhanced, the malignant phenotypes of GBM cells, such as clonogenic growth, anoikis resistance, and formation of focal adhesions, migration, and invasion. Moreover, depletion of MOB2 increased, while overexpression of MOB2 decreased, GBM cell metastasis in a chick chorioallantoic membrane model. Overexpression of MOB2-mediated antitumor effects were further confirmed in mouse xenograft models. Mechanistically, MOB2 negatively regulated the FAK/Akt pathway involving integrin. Notably, MOB2 interacted with and promoted PKA signaling in a cAMP-dependent manner. Furthermore, the cAMP activator Forskolin increased, while the PKA inhibitor H89 decreased, MOB2 expression in GBM cells. Functionally, MOB2 contributed to the cAMP/PKA signaling-regulated inactivation of FAK/Akt pathway and inhibition of GBM cell migration and invasion. Collectively, these findings suggest a role of MOB2 as a tumor suppressor in GBM via regulation of FAK/Akt signaling. Additionally, we uncover MOB2 as a novel regulator in cAMP/PKA signaling. Given that small compounds targeting FAK and cAMP pathway have been tested in clinical trials, we suggest that interference with MOB2 expression and function may support a theoretical and therapeutic basis for applications of these compounds.

FKBP9 promotes the malignant behavior of glioblastoma cells and confers resistance to endoplasmic reticulum stress inducers

Background

FK506-binding protein 9 (FKBP9) is amplified in high-grade gliomas (HGGs). However, the roles and mechanism(s) of FKBP9 in glioma are unknown.

Methods

The expression of FKBP9 in clinical glioma tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The correlation between FKBP9 expression levels and the clinical prognosis of glioma patients was examined by bioinformatic analysis. Glioblastoma (GBM) cell lines stably depleted of FKBP9 were established using lentiviruses expressing shRNAs against FKBP9. The effects of FKBP9 on GBM cells were determined by cell-based analyses, including anchorage-independent growth, spheroid formation, transwell invasion assay, confocal microscopy, immunoblot (IB) and coimmunoprecipitation assays. In vivo tumor growth was determined in both chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) and mouse xenograft models.

Results

High FKBP9 expression correlated with poor prognosis in glioma patients. Knockdown of FKBP9 markedly suppressed the malignant phenotype of GBM cells in vitro and inhibited tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, FKBP9 expression induced the activation of p38MAPK signaling via ASK1. Furthermore, ASK1-p38 signaling contributed to the FKBP9-mediated effects on GBM cell clonogenic growth. In addition, depletion of FKBP9 activated the IRE1α-XBP1 pathway, which played a role in the FKBP9-mediated oncogenic effects. Importantly, FKBP9 expression conferred GBM cell resistance to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress inducers that caused FKBP9 ubiquitination and degradation.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest an oncogenic role for FKBP9 in GBM and reveal FKBP9 as a novel mediator in the IRE1α-XBP1 pathway.

Novel CDKL5 mutations were found in patients in China: retrospective investigation in cases of CDKL5-related disorders

Objective

CDKL5-related disorders (CDD) is an epileptic encephalopathy resulted of gene mutations of CDKL5. This study aimed to explore the development process of CDD and to expand its mutation spectrum.

Methods

Clinic datawas collected about three infantile epileptic encephalopathy cases diagnosed at Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University, School of Medicine. Next generation sequencing technology was used to find three de novo mutations of CDKL5. We searched published literatures about CDKL5 in pubmed and made an analysis about our clinic data and the related literatures.

Results

The three patients were all girls. Their average onset age of seizures was around 2 months, and all of them have intractable epileptic seizures, severe intellectual disability, and hypotension. Among them, two presented infantile spasm and high arrhythmia in EEG, and the other manifested clonic seizure and broad epileptiform discharge in EEG. Extracerebral space widening in cranial MRIs was demonstrated in two cases. Visual evoked potential was abnormal in two cases. Seizures were resistant to all kinds of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). Gene tests showed three de novo mutations of CDKL5: one was a truncated mutation (c.2254A > T,P.R752X, stop279), which was pathogenic according to the ACMG guide, the other two were missense mutations (c.377G > T,p.Cys126Phe) and a frameshift mutation (c.362-362insG(p.Ala122GlyfsTer7), which were likely pathogenic according to the ACMG.

Conclusions

All three de novo mutations are first reported. Based on the combined related literature and the manifestations observed, we diagnosed the three children as CDKL5-related disorders, and concluded that the de novo CDKL5 mutations are the reason for their epilepsy.

[Depletion of PRDM9 inhibited the osteogenic differentiation potential of periodontal ligament stem cells]

Objective: To investigate the effect of PR domain zinc finger protein 9 (PRDM9), one of the histone methylated transferases, on osteogenic differentiation ability of periodontal ligament mesenchymal stem cells (PDLSC). Methods: PDLSC with PRDM9 gene knocked down by PRDM9 shRNA using recombinant lentiviral vector were allocated into the PRDM9sh group, and the transfected shRNA was as the control group. The gene expression efficiency was evaluated by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP), alizarin red staining, mineralization and osteocalcin, which belongs to osteogenic differentiation markers detected by RT-PCR and Western blotting to detect the osteogenic differentiation ability of stem cells from periodontal ligaments in vitro. In vivo, PRDM9sh and control group cells was transplanted into the dorsal dermal to explore the osteogenesis. The area percentage of new osteogenic tissue was calculated by image pro software and statistically analyzed. Results: RT-PCR results showed that the relative expression of PRDM9 gene in PRDM9sh (0.460±0.017) was significantly lower than that in control group (1.000±0.107) (P<0.05). The results of ALP activity determined at 5 days postinduction in a significant decrease in PRDM9sh cells (0.762±0.063) compared with control group (1.225±0.058) (P<0.01). Alizarin red staining induced by osteogenesis at 2 weeks and 3 weeks showed that the staining of PRDM9sh was significantly lighter than that in control group. Quantitative calcium analysis results showed that the calcium ion concentration induced by osteogenesis at 2 weeks and 3 weeks [(0.071±0.004), (0.075±0.001)] in PRDM9sh was significantly lower than that in control group at 2 weeks and 3 weeks [(0.282±0.006), (0.485+0.004)] (P<0.01). RT-PCR results showed that the relative expression of osteocalcin mRNA in PRDM9sh (1.059±0.148) was significantly lower than that in control group at 2 weeks (2.542±0.190) (P<0.01). Western blotting results showed that osteocalcin expression in PRDM9sh was significantly lower than that in control group at 1 and 2 weeks after osteogenesis induction. Animal transplantation experiments results indicated that PRDM9 significantly inhibited the osteogenesis of PDLSC in vivo, and the proportion of osteogenic area calculated showed that the osteogenic capacity of PRDM9sh [(3.8±2.41)%] was significantly lower than that in control group [(24.54±7.06)%](P<0.05). Conclusions: Depletion of PRDM9 repressed the osteogenic differentiation of stem cells from periodontal ligament in vitro and in vivo.