The potential role of folate metabolism in interstitial cystitis

An integrated machine learning framework for developing and validating a diagnostic model of major depressive disorder based on interstitial cystitis-related genes

BACKGROUND

Major depressive disorder (MDD) and interstitial cystitis (IC) are two highly debilitating conditions that often coexist with reciprocal effect, significantly exacerbating patients' suffering. However, the molecular underpinnings linking these disorders remain poorly understood.

METHODS

Transcriptomic data from GEO datasets including those of MDD and IC patients was systematically analyzed to develop and validate our model. Following removal of batch effect, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between respective disease and control groups were identified. Shared DEGs of the conditions then underwent functional enrichment analyses. Additionally, immune infiltration analysis was quantified through ssGSEA. A diagnostic model for MDD was constructed by exploring 113 combinations of 12 machine learning algorithms with 10-fold cross-validation on the training sets following by external validation on test sets. Finally, the "Enrichr" platform was utilized to identify potential drugs for MDD.

RESULTS

Totally, 21 key genes closely associated with both MDD and IC were identified, predominantly involved in immune processes based on enrichment analyses. Immune infiltration analysis revealed distinct profiles of immune cell infiltration in MDD and IC compared to healthy controls. From these genes, a robust 11-gene (ABCD2, ATP8B4, TNNT1, AKR1C3, SLC26A8, S100A12, PTX3, FAM3B, ITGA2B, OLFM4, BCL7A) diagnostic signature was constructed, which exhibited superior performance over existing MDD diagnostic models both in training and testing cohorts. Additionally, epigallocatechin gallate and 10 other drugs emerged as potential targets for MDD.

CONCLUSION

Our work developed a diagnostic model for MDD employing a combination of bioinformatic techniques and machine learning methods, focusing on shared genes between MDD and IC.

Bladder pain syndrome and pregnancy

Bladder pain syndrome (BPS) is a poorly understood condition. In pregnancy, lower urinary tract symptoms and pain are common, but the possibility of BPS is rarely considered and almost never explored. The consequences of BPS on pregnancy and vice versa are poorly understood, and management options appear to be limited. This article reviews the current evidence to allow us to better counsel, investigate, diagnose and manage patients with suspected or known BPS who fall pregnant or who are considering pregnancy. MEDLINE, EMBASE and PubMed were searched for a combination of mesh terms of keywords: 'cystitis', 'interstitial', 'bladder', 'pain' and 'pregnancy'. Relevant articles were identified, reviewed and further relevant articles identified from the references. CONCLUSION: BPS symptoms are very common in pregnancy, with limited data suggesting significant negative effects on the woman and pregnancy. There are safe options for investigation, diagnosis and management in pregnancy. There is a need to raise awareness of the impact of BPS symptoms in pregnancy and the available options for diagnoses and management, improving patient experience and outcomes. PATIENT SUMMARY: Patients with BPS or symptoms akin to BPS need not be abandoned in pregnancy. There is data to support them in making decisions around investigation and management in pregnancy.

Immune-metabolic genesis of pathological processes

This article deals with metabolic-immune processes at rest and under stress conditions, which, in turn, results in the development of immune-dependent and immune-associated disorders. The article analyzes study results and conclusions of various literature sources and experimental data in healthy individuals and patients suffering from non-specific inflammatory lung diseases; purulent-inflammatory diseases and their combinations, primary and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis in the acute stage and remission. Research studies investigated the impact of the type, stage, combination of diseases on the parameters of the immunologic and metabolic statuses, as well as their correlations. The authors also analyzed metabolic effects of immunomodulators. Based on the analysis of the literature and own clinical and experimental data, the authors identified the ability of metabolic factors to regulate immunological processes. A correlative analysis of examination results of the patients with various diseases helped detect the unity of the immune-metabolic mechanisms of pathology. The data on the therapeutic effect of various modulators through differentiated biochemical chains and vice versa – the metabolic effect through immunological mechanisms –were analyzed in the study. Thus, one can testify that there is the phenomenon of a mediated effect of some immunocorrectors on the reactivity through metabolic chains. The fact that a number of modulators and metabolics can simultaneously affect the biochemical and immunological parameters of patients proved the above phenomenon. There was revealed a significant correlation interaction of the immune-metabolic parameters with various types of purulent-inflammatory diseases, which proves the formation of a single mechanism of pathology.

Immunotherapy in the treatment of chronic cystitis

Introduction: The article deals with to the new approaches to the immunotherapy of chronic cystitis. Cystitis appears to be a disease linked to the decreased immunity of the population.

Materials and Methods: The study included 200 patients with chronic cystitis, and was performed in three stages. At the first stage, all 200 patients were questioned to determine whether they do or do not have the basic immunopathological syndromes. At the second stage, the patients of 6 clinical groups underwent a routine immunologic examination using tests to evaluate basic populations, lymphocyte subpopulations, immune globulins, circulating immune complexes, average weight molecules, absorbing and metabolic phagocytic ability, pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines by using flow cytofluorometry methods. The third stage included distribution of the major group of patients with chronic cystitis in the relapse stage into subgroups of 25 patients each who received conventional therapy.

Results and Discussion: The study has the following findings: the formation of risk groups depends on immunopathological syndromes and clinical-laboratory markers of disease peculiarities; signal tests of immunologic disorders and their correlative links with metabolic stress parameters were specified and formalized as diagnostic formulas; high clinical-bacteriological and low hemato-immunological efficacy of the conventional therapy patients with chronic cystitis and the capacity of the local and systemic modulators, such as kipferon, superlimf and imunofan, galavit, and their combinations, to normalize the parameters under study during 7-10 days were demonstrated. When combining the correctors, it was possible to achieve new quality independent of the properties of individual agents included in the composition; the reveal targets of various immune therapies were conditioned by the treatment provided, the characteristics of the correctors, the identification period – 7-10 days – 3-4 months. The analysis of the formulas of modulator targets made it possible to identify laboratory findings for their selection.

Conclusion: The data obtained during the study support the fact that there was no clinical efficacy of the conventional therapy for patients; this efficacy was maintained through to the administration of the combination of modulators in the acute period. Substantiated differentiated immunotherapy resulted in implementing the proper algorithm of observations, which prevented recurring of chronic cystitis in 3-4 months.